I’ll try and make this retrospective as painless as possible – the last thing the web needs is another self-important weblogger trying to justify what they’ve been using up webspace for. I think this place has come a long way since the self-loathing lad that sprung onto the scene hating on weblogs with reckless abandon. I used to read them all the time with a permanent sneer on my face, but they quickly started melting into a big, chunky morass of half-baked opinion pieces and lame commentary on current events. New ones are started every day just so some person can bitch about life’s problems, so realistically it was impossible to keep up.

I knew from the start this site would need focus for a couple of reasons: one, it would provide a solid guideline and virtually endless subjects upon which to talk about, and two, it would prevent me from drifting into the realm of typical weblogs – sites that are essentially hastily constructed soapboxes on which the owners stand, loudly delivering their often randomly strung together thoughts and watching hit counters increase with unchecked fervor.

Games are a pretty specific topic, but this site isn’t even in the same zip code as unique. I love games, and the reason I write about them is because I want to share my enjoyment of the hobby with others. I can’t tell you how much of a release it has been to discuss Golden Sun or Castlevania or my obsession with World War II shooters instead of blurting out these same thoughts at a random person in EB or some guy playing his GBA-SP in a coffee shop. I’m pretty comfortable with the number of people that read my weblog, but one thing I’ve made a conscious effort to avoid is referrer log gazing – the tell-tale signs there is nothing better to say (or the lack of restraint to say nothing at all). I write what I feel like, and if it prompts a comment or two then I’m more ahead than I thought.

One thing I’ve noticed as of late is the amount of time I dedicate to this site. When I originally set out to do this, I mainly intended it to be a record of what I was playing. An exercise in writing game reviews, if you will. I could easily bash out a post or two and be done with it, because I didn’t think anyone would actually read it, let alone take it seriously. Much to my amazement, people actually do, and as a result I put an increasing amount of effort into everything I write. I suppose this is a good thing, as it lends a bit more credibility to the articles that can be found here. But it is becoming apparent that I’m spending less time actually playing the games, and more time doing research or writing future articles. This makes me wonder if I’m now just playing to have something to write, or if I still play for sheer love for the hobby. More thought out articles also keeps my posting frequency down, though I keep telling myself I’m replacing quantity with quality. I’m not about to start making apologies for lack of updates, but what I must say is that this site isn’t a blog anymore. It won’t be updated frequently, as I now consider it a petri dish for ideas and articles that may find themselves elsewhere.

Over the last year I’ve met some solid people as a result of my site. Specifically Gamma Fodder, Tony “Ratboy” Walsh, and j. kinyeta have provided valuable support and feedback both currently, and in my blog’s initial gestation stages last summer. And of course EvilAvatar, who had my banner rotating there for a brief while, bringing in a few new readers that wouldn’t have found this place otherwise. I’d also like to acknowledge my IRC peeps, for checking this place out when it first started, telling me it sucks, and then still reading it anyway. But lastly I cannot help but recognize the infinite patience of my wife, without whom I would not have been able to experience the magic that is Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. Any other person would have long since abandoned me as a result of my dangerous obsession with video games.

I wouldn’t recommend everyone start a blog. The novelty is indeed amusing at first, but it does take a serious effort to maintain lest it be abandoned and mocked publicly. Another misconception is that a weblog automatically offers some slice of virtual infamy; rather, it does not, because about two million other people had the exact same idea.

How this retrospective took on such a negative slant should show you that weblogs as a whole for me remain ridiculously unimpressive. I will be the first to admit they are fun, and a useful way of categorizing one’s thoughts, ideas and experiences. But I’m also a firm believer that the only thing good to come of them is the software – never before has it been so easy to set up and maintain a website with dynamic content.

So thanks for reading. Here’s hoping for another year of playing – and writing about – great games.

brains on a brick wall