Yes, it really is dev update #12! The time is flying by and every day I am making decisions about what to keep in the game and what will take too long to develop. This month, April, I was supposed to be opening up the beta version of the game for everybody. I am still working hard to do that, but I am running a little behind. One of the setbacks has been making sure my Google Play account was set up correctly under the right business. This is currently an ongoing process as I work with a Google rep to correct issues. Another pain in the ass has been setting up an Apple Developer account. Wow! Apple makes you pay just to be able to use their test flight program while the app is in beta. But before that, you have to apply for a DUNs number. In this regard, Google is way more approachable and I appreciate that.
Between coding and business admin, I did get a chance to enjoy a few beers last week. We headed up to Mt. Bachelor for some “Spring” skiing and had a great day while enjoying a few good beers. One big surprise was the Hawaiin Crunk by Riverbend Brewing. It was surprising because I visited their pub several years ago and was not too impressed. Well, it looks like with their release of a series of Milkshake IPAs they have found a good spot. This was actually my first Milkshake IPA ever so I am a little biased, but this one has piqued my interest and I will be trying there others. Unfortunately, the Your’e In the Jungle Baby by Evil Twin Brewing did not hit my tongue with the same note. We ended up fighting with this one and making a few bets as to who could finish the beer, but eventually, half the can went down the drain. Just not my style, sorry. The can is beautiful though! I do applaud Evil Twin for their unique brews and urge them to continue. Even if I didn’t like it I enjoyed giving it a try if that makes sense.
After heading home from the mountain we hit up Crux Fermentation Project and enjoyed the infamous Crux Stout and the Cocoanut Stout as well. Crux is always a great place to enjoy a beer or two with the family, but with all the construction and road closure going on I may stay away for a month or two. It was really a hassle to get in there. We will be back though once things settle down. When we got home it was almost necessary to pop open a bottle of Crux’s Fabled Grapes Wild Sour Ale. Now, this was a real treat and one I could sip on all night. The wax-tipped bottle AND cork make for a classy bottle affair. We had some family in town who were here in Oregon to bottle their new wine, and they were pretty impressed. There are still a lot of people that have not experienced beer like this.
Over the weekend we hit up Bend Brewing Company for their annual Easter egg hunt. While there I had a chance to try the Chocolate Jackalope Stout. It’s beers like this that keep me coming back to BBC time and time. Plus the fact that they have a great space on the South side of the building for kids to play while we adults can chill on the patio or by the fire pits.
Well, after a few people in town and a pretty busy weekend, it’s back to game dev. I have a lot of scene/level balancing to do this week. As the game evolves with new mechanics the difficulty level has to be tweaked and some scenes have to be reorganized to make the progress seem as fluid as possible. I have a good friend in South Carolina helping me out with play testing, and she has dug up some really good stuff for me to fix. So, hopefully, next week I can release this piece for beta and not have to worry about signups anymore.
Well, that’s it for this week’s bits. Please keep drinking good beer and stay tuned!
Auzzzy