Entry 016

[Devlog — February 16, 2025 – 7:14 PM]

Had a blackout yesterday and electricity returned just this afternoon. I was in the middle of working on Chapter 2 cutscenes when the lights suddenly flickered. Thankfully, I instinctively saved the project before it went out completely, so that's nice. Anyway, the power went out for hours, and I didn't feel like staying cooped up in my apartment, staring at the dark screen and thinking about everything. I needed a change of scenery. Needed some space to breathe. So, I went outside for a bit.

It was one of those crisp, quiet afternoons—still winter, but the sun was trying to push through the clouds, making the world outside seem a little brighter. I just wandered, not really thinking about anything specific. It was good to be away from the project, to stop analyzing every strange detail. I ended up walking around the neighborhood, letting my mind clear itself from the weight of the last few days.

Eventually, I stumbled into a cafe I hadn't been to in a while. I figured I'd sit down, maybe grab a coffee, but when I walked inside, I saw someone hunched over a laptop, scribbling notes furiously beside the screen. He was deep into it, but when I sat down at the counter, he looked up, caught my eye, and we ended up talking for a while.

His name is Mitchell—yes, I got permission to use his name here—and turns out, he's also a game developer. First one I've met in person, actually. He was working on a novel idea, something still in the early stages. From what I gathered, it was kind of similar to what I've been working on. The way he described it sounded like it could be interesting, if not a little over-ambitious. But still, the similarities were there.

I didn't mention what had been going on with my own project. The glitches, the weird things happening with the NPCs. I just didn't think he'd take me seriously, and honestly, I didn't want to sound like a complete freak. Besides, this was my first real interaction with another developer. I wasn't going to mess it up by sounding crazy.

We talked shop for a while—tools, engines, strategies. The usual stuff. And then, as we were wrapping up, he threw out the idea of collaboration. Mitchell said that since our ideas seemed somewhat aligned, it might be worth exploring a joint project down the road.

I was hesitant at first. The whole idea of working with someone else felt like a stretch for me. But then, I thought about it. I've been taking a break from my own project anyway, so why not? It would be a good distraction, something to keep me engaged without diving back into the chaos of my game.

I agreed to check out his project. He's sending me some files soon, so I can take a look at his early work and see where I might fit in. It'll be good to have something else to focus on, something new.

For now, I'll work on his project alongside mine. I won't let it get in the way of my own, but maybe a fresh perspective on a new project will help me reset a little.

I'm still going to keep an eye on what's happening with my game, of course, but for the time being, this collaboration might be just what I need to break free from all the unease.

[End Entry]

[To-do List]

> Review and explore collaboration project.

> Start familiarizing myself with his game files.

> Continue working on my own game when I'm ready.

> Take it slow.