I’ve carried around this leather bound copy of the Poetic Edda for years now. I got it, in order to solve a mystery which I found irresistible. This fragment of the universe that was once Norse culture and philosophy. This shard of an entire world which was lost to time. I used it to ideate. I used it to dream. I used it to correct my own misconceptions about Poetry. Since I was a boy I wanted to be an author. The concept of having books, on my shelf, which led to an entire world of my own creation was irresistible. I’ve taken classes with some of the greats. I’ve read the manifestos of all of my favorite authors (Chester, Haydon, Wynne Jones, Heinlein). But then I had a family, lost that family, rebuilt it, got sick, journeyed toward health, and somewhere along the way, followed in the footsteps of Terry Brooks, and became fully invested in a Dayjob which wasn’t my raison detre.   I’ve read, watched, and absorbed every creative work on the topic of ‘Living inside of an Online Game.’ I was captivated by .hack//, and emotionally stolen by the first season of Sword Art Online. Anime offered an open door into a culture of expression which allowed me to vicariously live through these complex narratives. I’ve spent decades of my life, from the inception of the MUD, through Everquest and Dark Age of Camelot, to the world of the post millennium AAA MMORPG. And at every generation of technology, I’ve scraped what I could together in order to be part of any meaningful Alpha which came into existence.   I worked for a decade as a Quality Assurance Engineer on AAA titles. I even found my way into the credits a few times. It led me to project management, and later into AGILE culture, and resulted in me developing a professional skillset as one of the folks behind the scenes of big name IT. But all that did was pay the bills.   At every step of my journey to feed my family, find and retain love, grow, and create health for myself, I’ve attempted to be a game developer. I’ve worked in basic design since C+ was the only medium, through HTML, the RPG Maker series from Enterbrain, SMILE game builder, and Unity. I’ve created a library of Game Narratives and Prototypes so long that it could have filled its own book shelf, had I created box art for each. And as wondrous as my creations are, one truth always remains for me:   The universe within has a better tech stack than the one without. And though the gap is catching up, my need to tell a core narrative, and create a universe worthy of the time and love others will spend in it is a goal that dwarfs my ability to create. And this gap has defined my creations again and again.   I can tell you how an MMORPG is put together. I can prototype every aspect of its design. I can create a core narrative and emotional experience worthy of thousands of hours of a player’s time. And I can format game systems which are engaging, and bring a player back to the login screen time and time again. I can universe craft with the best of them. And I can provide characters, music, and art worthy of something unique.   But I’m only one person. And my time, and hours, eventually come to a limit. There are chores, jobs, bills, and needs of life and family which can’t be ignored. Which brings me, inevitably back to one core truth. The only way to create all of these things is to have already created them.   I cannot say if the creation you’ve found your way into is a Prototype for an MMORPG. I’m unable to discern if it’s a commentary on a broken world and a failing industry. Nor can I clarify if this is a narrative about Online Interactions, a Social Malcontent, the Everyman who is the Player, or the Ingame Narrative for a Norse Themed universe. I don’t know if this will become anything more than it is. Perhaps no one will ever read a word. Perhaps this will one day become an entire market of board games, novels, radio dramas, animes, and video games. I have no way of knowing.   What I do know is that this is a collection of concepts, creations, designs, narratives, characters, and emotions which are the culmination of a life’s work. An ongoing portrait of a unique way of seeing the nature of human existence. It is a web of lies, strung together with half truths, and spackled by creative optimism. It is the reflection of the products of all that I have been, and all that I am becoming. And as such, is the most honest thing I’ve ever attempted.   Here... in black and white, I will endeavor to cut the strings which bind me to reality. To produce something with depth, interconnection to all that I hold dear, and once held dear, and which will resonate with anyone who is looking for a place to belong.   This is the story of Game Development. It is a narrative about everyone I’ve ever been and ever met. Comprising all the words and experiences which come with being devoted to a game which lives in digital space; and based on a recolored fragment of a long dead civilization. It is a reflection of all the things I know to be true, only because I made them true by writing them down.   It is my gift to all those who forgot they love to read. To every child who felt alone. To each adult who wishes for a second chance. And for all the loves and losses which knit the tapestry of human experience. It is my way of proving that it all matters... every word... every click... every heartbeat.   And whatever the final form or application, I have given it my all.   Welcome to ODIN’S|GATE.