June Check-In

Written: 2025-07-02

Originally posted on Tumblr.

Another month filled with things! IRL has been both super relaxing and insanely busy - very whiplash-y. The move is done, most of the admin is handled. It's just a lot of waiting for things to happen (and then it gets busy again for a while).

I somehow managed to do a bunch of things - I've surprised myself with what I ended up doing considering the little time I've had for online stuff. Writing, especially, is actually happening. Granted in short form so far, but words are being ordered in sentences that make sense and make me content. I think the translation project is working!!!

I can't believe we're already half way through the year...

TLDR: Harcourt is officially released and done. I'm still on track(-ish) with the translations. Also participated in the Neo-Twiny Jam! And I've selected the next WIP to complete in the next 6 months.

What I've been up to in June?

So so much more than I thought I would. Like almost all the things I wished to I'd done were... done.

Editing the website, one page at a time.

I'm having so so so much fun working on this website. Really in love with this space and how much freedom it's giving me.

Slowly chipping away at making it mobile accessible, and checking items on my To-Do List. I have a bunch of ideas for stuff to add as well (I've been exploring the tiny and old web movements, cliques and groups outside of Interactive Fiction, and old trends). The only thing stopping me is time, lol.

Speaking of old trends: buttons and badges and stamps and pixel art! It's been challenging (steeeeep learning curve when it comes to details), but weirdly relaxing. And weirdly nostalgic (in the graphical design type of way). There are so many I want to do, but I'm forcing myself to take it slow (it's heavy on the wrist).

Check out the clique page :P

And I've made an actual blog (here!) there too! Doing some tiny retrospective and archiving logs (this will take a while, but I'd rather be tied to Neocities than a Wordpress).

It's been a weird experience, kind of rediscovering myself in a way. I think collecting stuff, tracking/journaling, and (re)exploring other spheres outside of IF has been opening my tiny internet world to new fun stuff.

Anyways, if you're on Neocities, and you're interested in seeing updates and other stuff, find me here.

I highly recommend everyone to create one too, and make the space your own, have shrines for stuff you really like, or collecting things from around the web... even if you don't know how to code, there are templates out there to help!

The Trials and Tribulations of Edward Harcourt

That's it. No more waiting for the next chapter or bug fixes or anything. The final content update is out. With Achievements!
The game is now fully complete. AND THE BUGS ARE SMASHED!

MelS can finally relax and... work on another story lol
(i know he has drafts, but nothing as fleshed out as Harcourt ever was. Unlikely something comes out from him for at least a year)

THE GREATEST INTERACTIVE RPG ADVENTURE FICTION GAME

I did it. It was a pain, and two weeks later than I'd planned (but I pushed the Really Bad IF jam's deadline for this purpose), and it's not exactly what I had in mind, but it's out as well!

I'd planned on having an actual story, completely ripped off from The Thick Table Tavern, but.... At some point, I just stopped and decided it was enough and done. And it makes the game worse anyway xD
Reviews/ranking of all entries incoming. Probably mid-July.

Neo-Twiny Releases

I finally tried Decker for the first time with Cassandra. It was fun! But also weirdly complex? The engine is organised in a very strange way (for me), kind of like organised chaos. And I'm not super fond of not having layers or not being able to change the position/size of images after being set once. It's like a sticker problem...
Still, I'm pretty happy about that entry, and kinda looking forward to see what else I can do with Decker!
Also I'm finally getting over my no-pink-anywhere period... Thanks pink decker jam!

I've also done 2 more in Twine/SugarCube: Twee voor Twaalf! and Maenad Rite. The first is based on a Dutch quiz show, the second on a TTRPG scene I played 2 years ago (tbh I'm thinking of making it cannon for CRWL). I'm really happy with TvT because I managed to make it all work (except the 15min timer, but maybe that can be a later update?) and you actually get a score at the end. And stoked I managed MR before the deadline, because I've been trying to make it happen for over a year already.

Didn't think I'd manage even one entry, but ended up with 3!
Also, no more jams until December!

Translation Project

I've been heavily relying on my buffer for this month, because of the above and IRL requiring more of my time than anticipated. Collision, Le Jeu de la Dévotion, Dévoiement and Clarence Street 14. There was also Intersigne meant for last Sunday, but I missed it because that weekend was so busy (and I prioritised Neo-Twiny to get one more out). I have the files ready, just need to upload it. Which will be later this afternoon!

And I gotta come clean... I cheated with my own rules with the NTJ entries above. Only one was translated, Maenad Rite, but only in French. MelS wasn't available this month to check my translations, so those new tiny games will be translated into Dutch, just later this summer. I just really wanted to ensure my entries were submitted on time and counted in the final tally.

NGL, I'm struggling quite a bit: the sentence structure really is kicking my ass. But MelS said I was improving. AND! It made me excited to write the Neo-Twiny entries! So it's working! And those are huge wins in my book :)

Neo-Interactives and other Events

May is REALLY BAD IF is over! It ended with 20 entries (which is about half compared to last year). Considering I didn't post much about the jam (or in general) before it happened. I'm pretty happy with it!
Also, this is hush hush, but the jam page for next year is out!

So is Neo-Twiny Jam! And yall have no idea how glad we managed to pass the 100-count! Unlike the previous editions, it took us a long while to even pass the 50 milestone. We more or less got to the 2023 count, which is honestly a relief.
AND! We managed to raise over $800- for charity! Which is AGAIN more than the previous editions!

I've only had a glance, but I'm pretty sure most entries were made in Twine. Lots of new comers and first-game-timers, which is really neat to see! I still have a bit of admin to wrap up the event, and I'll get back to reviewing in @manonamora-if-reviews (on Tumblr) :)

At this point, the 2025 Showcase will just be announced this month... I just keep forgetting...........

The Summer of translations is still ongoing. Not many entries aside of myself, but it's helped me stay accountable with myself, so lol it's a win in my book.

I'm also doing a thing on Fridays on @manonamora-if-reviews, Friday Fun-Day 5-star-Day, where I talk about games I like :)

And... that's all folks :P

I had very little free time most of this month, and I still managed to put some stuff out. AND complete a whole project!
June was a really good month writing wise!

The PLANtm for July

Let's keep this momentum going! New month, new list!

And that's more than enough. :P

Updates on 2025's progress

I've strayed a little from the tiny plan:

Speaking of plan, I've been able to map out where the rest of this year is going to look like for me, in terms of releases/updates, and still ensuring I follow my general goals of good rhythm and balance. So here's the Official To-Do list of 2025!

The Main To-Do list - a.k.a. what I'll 100% be doing
The Secondary To-Do list - a.k.a. if I have time/energy/will

I also have some idea on how to spend 2026 too - though it will depend greatly on IRL engagements (nothing set just yet, but likely):

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