The Game Mage

Documenting one mage's journey to follow his dream and die trying

Separation

Let’s Try

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On July 2nd at 10:33 Bruce Straley, director of Uncharted 2 and The Last of Us, received an email.

Subject: RE: Notice of Termination

Chapter 1

I went to GDC 2026 last week. This is notable for many reasons, not least of which: I am not currently a game developer. And in fact have not been for roughly 20 years.

Oh, sure. I’ve got a pile of hobby games deep enough that the cats sometimes get lost in it. I’ve written a MUD in just about every language it’s possible to do that in. And also some where it isn’t.

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Blogwagon: Contrariwise’s Rule of Three

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I don’t know that it got as much traction as it probably deserved, but Sam Seer asked us to talk about three games that were important to us, and I thought. Yes. Yes I think I will.

A Tale in the Desert

I am not physically capable of being reasonable about A Tale in the Desert. This is my ur-game. This is the game that I literally cannot be allowed to play, because it would consume me whole.

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Love What You Do

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There goes a famous saying:

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Variously attributed to just about anyone smart who is both old and dead. Word on the street is Confucius said it, though my money’s on a random high school teacher who wanted his students to believe it came from someone wiser than him.

Or, alternatively:

Convince someone to pay you for the thing you wanted to do anyway.

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A Little Bit About Me

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A Little Bit About Me

It’s possible you might know me, but if you don’t: hi. I’m Professional Internet Wizard Contrariwise.

I was born in the late 20th century on the West coast of America, but currently live in the sparkling southern-flavored Midwest[^Texas.].

Over the years I’ve done lots of things. I started my career in video games, worked on an MMO, burned out, did spreadsheets for nonprofits, got back in like with computers. But like. Not in like like with them. Y’know?

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