Improving my skills and revisiting writing

It's been a while since I posted so I'll catch you up.  I have been working on my mobile game idea, which again has gone through another change and been looking at the skills I currently possess and the ones that I need to improve.

After thinking about the skills that I need to develop to become a better designer I have realised that I need to work on improving my communication skills, particularly when I am trying to describe an idea or give my opinion on anything.

So I've decided that I am going to use this blog to help me improve this skill.  By analysing games that I have played I believe that this will help me to learn what I think makes a good game, will help me understand why a game fails and the design issues I need to consider when designing my own games.  So from now on when I finish a game I be posting a piece analysing the game or an aspect of the game.

I have also been recently writing a story for a new UDK level that a few friends and I are planning to create.  I'd obviously like to be involved in the design of the level but at the moment I have taken the role of game writer.  I have forgotten how inspiring it is to imagine a new world with new rules, characters and possibilities and being able to put this idea into a game that I'll have a hand in creating is very exciting.  I have gotten so into this new idea that I'm thinking of turning it into a short story but I guess after the level is created I'll have to see whether it is a good idea or not.


After realising how much I enjoy writing the story of a game I have thought a lot over the past few days about the thought of considering a career in games writing as well as trying to get in a design role.  So after thinking about possibly getting into writing I have realised that since university I have built up a small portfolio of written pieces in my efforts to get into a design role.   So after scouring a few PCs and USB sticks I have collected all of the pieces that I have worked on over the past few years.

Take Initiative
Interviews
Tutorials
Design and QA Tips


Reviews
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars
The Dig
Wii Fit
The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Pokemon Pearl



Previews
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Preview
Tomb Raider Underworld
MySims Kingdom
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Rune Factory Frontier
Fable II
Pipe Mania
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
Final Fantasy IV

I wanted to list all of these so I can remember what standard I was at and that I need to be better than this.  after all having something visual as a guideline is better to work from.

So in effect this blog has now become my outlet for my games development and writings. 

I hope you enjoy what's to come in the future.