While I’ve been thinking a lot about what to work on during my day, I decided on Saturday that it might be worth it to try creating and launching a crap game. By that I mean I’ll spend a week implementing a easy idea and launch it under my own “experimental” category. The purpose is to test-and-retest the process from start to finish, including coding, artwork, sound, ads, in-app store, sharing, device-compatibility, marketing, and submission.

That being said, my aim is not to make a shitty game, it’s simply going to be marked finish under a strict time constraint. After 2 days, I’ve completed the basic game mechanics, with some re-use of code from Balloon Bazooka. The artwork will definitely be the most time-consuming part, so I’m looking for help on that front. Stay tuned for updates!

Dance Eskimo is a rhythm game idea I had while travelling in Guadalajara, Mexico. I had been exploring the area with my scottish traveller friend Hamish, who had told me about a free ice skating rink in the central park. It was awesome to see that the government funding this bit of joy and entertainment, as it clearly builds community from what I could tell.

Ice skating with dance music gave me such a good feeling, I instantly knew I had to at some point to express it by building a game around the experience. My next game title, “Dance Eskimo: DJ on Ice Skates”.

While I”m super excited about the idea of it all, I’ve been forcing myself to prototype different ways of doing this as much as possible. I’ve also dabbled in the artwork and music a bit (with some help from talented individuals), and the gameplay’s already changed from what I expected it to be since I’ve started. The core concept seems promising though, for as far as I’m able to envision it.

I feel more free than ever!.. $90 per month more free, that is! Since my 2-year plan with AT&T finally ended, I ditched their terrible service for a feature-enhanced one called Line2. Line2 is an app that’s challenged wireless service providers by offering a VoIP (wifi-only) calling service in addition to the 3G/4G capability, and they do it well. I purchased the iPod touch 5 (looks just like an iPhone 5, but even slimmer), and subscribed to Line2 for $10/mo. Now I can make calls/ text with the same phone number I’ve always had, over wifi. The downside of course is I can’t call or text when I’m out and about, but I’ve already become accustomed to this due to travelling (not to mention, free wifi is becoming more and more plentiful on this planet).

Getting Line2 wasn’t entirely necessary for me though, since iMessage and Facetime can be done completely over wifi as well (they’re tied to your apple ID instead of a number). But the biggest reason I wanted to retain my phone number was because certain texting services I use, such as GroupMe and KakaoTalk, have to be tied to a phone number to work. To me, it’s an excellent solution.

But the reality is that wifi isn’t available everywhere just yet. That’s why I also purchased the Karma 4G hotspot for when I’m back in America. Available by Clearwire towers, Karma provides 4G in may of the biggest cities around the US, at only $14/GB and no monthly or annual fees. So I keep my iPod online in most places (reception isn’t the greatest around San Francisco, but it usually works). Not only is it a cheap data plan, but karma has an excellent rewards system that is reputed by its name. It’s an always-open hotspot that can join up to 8 devices at once, and every time someone new joins, you both earn 100MB of data on your account.

Well, I’ve never really been “off the road” per say, and it seems that going back home is more of a vacation than travelling around. But I haven’t posted about travels & minimalism for a while. My biggest fear has become getting stuck in the same place for too long, and I’m not even sure if that’s healthy. Anyways, I’m on a 3-week trip to Mexico as the opportunity to go presented itself through a good roomate of mine who’s parents happen to own a mansion and penthouse timeshare in Mazatlan. Here’s what I’m taking with me:

Yup, it all fits snugly in my small-sized dueter backpack. A minimalist’s dream come true!
- Dueter “Speedlite 20″ backpack
- Uniqlo down jacket (super warm, super compact, and water resistant)
- Beanie (excellent for sleeping anywhere, just wear it over your eyes)
- Travel Tupperware (seals and stays sealed in backpack)
- Black tank shirts [x2]
- Electric shaver
- Sports shorts (for working out, swimming in, etc)
- T-shirts [x2]
- Jeans
- Merino wool boxer briefs [x2]
- Cotton ankle socks [x3]
- Ultra quick-dry bath towel (it’s even light to pack!)
- Macbook Air
- Wacom Tablet (small)
- Toothbrush, floss, passport, pen, goo-tube, and other misc toiletries

For those who don’t understand how I can stay clean with so little, I hand-wash my socks, underwear, and shirt while i’m showering, then hang-dry it. So far it’s been a blast. As long as I can maintain a decent work/ explore ratio, I’ll be súper contento!

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