Summer Plans

June 20: The First Day of Summer! Yay? Well, kind of!

There’s no real bad news here (in fact, there’s good news) but I do want to give you a heads-up about something that might affect the pace of development over the next couple of weeks.

Me and heat don’t mix well.

I’m not quite fifty yet; almost there. Let’s just say I don’t handle high temperatures the way I used to. AC helps, but it’s not magic, unless I deck out the whole place with extra units, which isn’t happening anytime soon due to high cost. So if we get slammed with one of those relentless heatwaves, I’ll likely have to switch into semi-vacation mode just to keep my health in check.

But if the weather stays mild, with plenty of rainy days? That’s productivity gold. I’m definitely hoping for that; though I’d rather not have my wishful thinking ruin everyone else’s summer, heh.

I’ve always been a winter guy when it comes to game dev. Give me a hoodie, cold weather, hot chocolate, and code—and I’m good to go!

That’s why I try not to overload the summer months with major milestones. July and August are just too unpredictable, and realistically, I won’t be glued to my PC the way I am during the colder months.

Now, once September hits? That’s my golden zone. From fall through spring (roughly September to April), I go full Yoda mode.

Summer, though? It’s like being Superman surrounded by kryptonite. You get the idea.

Unsung Hero Behind Blossomsoft Games

Here’s the big update: starting in July, my longtime friend from Russia, someone who’s helped me countless times before, is stepping up with much larger monthly donations.

What does that mean? My rent and bills will be fully covered each month. No more food delivery gigs just to stay afloat. I’m finally back to game dev, full-time!

This recovery plan has been almost a year in the making: first, he helped me clear all my credit card debt. Then, this past January, he paid off the remaining balance on my car. And now, he’s making it possible for me to fully commit to development again.

No big Kickstarter. No viral campaign. Just one person who’s been nothing short of a miracle.

When I finally release a game, this person will deserve a huge share of the credit. If you end up enjoying what I create, please remember that he’s a big part of the reason it was even possible. He never gave up on me, even through all my failures. He’s the main reason God’s grace finally made sense to me.

And of course, I’m incredibly thankful for every other contributor as well. Your support means everything.

Still a Long Road

I want to be totally transparent: there’s still a long road ahead. I’m not ready to build hype or tease release dates just yet. What matters right now is that I’m back; full-time and fully focused.

I will say, though, that February through June were very productive months. They’ve laid the groundwork for a more stable and consistent game dev routine once the colder months return. Behind the scenes, my tool arsenal has grown quite a bit; stuff I haven’t shared in my micro updates.

Which brings me to another important point…

Why I’m Not Sharing—Yet

If you thought Eternal Eden was a solid game, I truly believe you’ll be surprised by what I’ve got coming next. I’ve been developing some wild new ideas, concepts that, when you see them in action, you’ll be glad I never gave up on game dev, even through the roughest patches.

But here’s the catch: I can’t share those key concepts just yet. And yeah, I know it could help grab attention or boost excitement. But in today’s world, with AI bots crawling the internet, feeding prompters, and casually regurgitating ‘borrowed’ ideas, it would be reckless.

For me, silence equals protection. It might seem like I’ve gone unproductive, but that’s not the case. I’m just keeping my best cards close until it’s safe to reveal them.

Believe it or not, one of my original game concepts ended up in a title by none other than the godfather of JRPGs himself; a legendary Japanese developer.

About a decade ago, I reached out to the producer on Twitter, just to encourage them to come back to game dev because they’d been quiet for a while. I’m pretty sure they checked out my site afterward. A year later, a concept nearly identical to mine showed up in their next game. The concept got praised in the gaming press for being “revolutionary.”

It felt like a punch to the gut. Maybe it was just a wild coincidence… but it was way too on point to ignore. Since then, I’ve made a personal vow: no more casually sharing raw concepts. There’s a life lesson in The Crow and the Fox: don’t drop your prize (your game ideas) just because someone flatters you (the audience eager for hype). That fable hits harder than ever in today’s world.

This incident confirmed at least one thing: my ideas aren’t just vapor: they have real weight and creative merit. Seeing the concept praised as “revolutionary” in the press was bittersweet. It hurt, but it also validated that I’ve been thinking on the right level all along. It showed me that I don’t need a big studio badge to come up with innovative mechanics; just vision, perseverance, and time.

That said, I’ll still do my best to show sneak peeks and progress when the time feels right, but only when I’m sure things are secure.

Looking Ahead

What I’m building now? I genuinely believe it has the potential to make waves. Big ones. Maybe even put me back on the map for a long time. Of course, none of that happens without stable support, but I’m hopeful.

Until then, all I ask is this: keep me on your radar. Add me to your follow list. And if you ever feel like sending a few kind words my way, just know; it means more than you think.

Have a fantastic summer, everyone!