Pre-loading splash screens full of obligatory introductory information.

First off, allow me to apologise. After all, you are very aware that the interweb needs another blog, let alone a gaming one, like you need the price of petrol to rise even more. But, it's getting one anyway. I need to write, I need to create. Even if I have no audience, I'm still gonna do it. It'll be good practise. The ocassional bot posts telling me how to make money online will suffice as my feedback.

So, who am I? Well, you may know me as CheekyLee. You may also know me as Lee Weedall, a 38 year old Englishman who is currently living in Lincoln. Go on, google me. I am most of the first page of results, and usually because of prior failed attempts to do just this. See, it is my life's ambition to not actually work. I don't like giving time to other people when I could have that time to myself. So, somehow or other, I want to get paid for games. Be it playing them, writing about them, talking about them, looking at them, or making them.

To this end, I have actually made some small steps. I enrolled at Lincoln University to do a degree in Computer Games Production, but left during the second year. Actually, they kicked me out, but only because they sent me a letter saying "If we haven't heard from you by this date we will have no option but to expel you" and so naturally I just didn't bother talking to them. Saved me the effort, right? Thing is, they have since emailed me to point out that I didn't enrol for the third year, and I have also heard that the head of the 2nd year called my name out in a lecture to see him afterwards. So, I think it is safe to say that I made the right decision. Let's face it, the University is not exactly on the ball.

Far and away my favourite part of the first year was Introductory Games Studies. In this module, we used Game Maker to create minigames. I love Game Maker. I was so surprised at just how much potential it has. Especially to someone who is not a programmer. (I could be a programmer, but I am far too good at displacement activity!) I made several games, and I feel that I can expand on the concepts of some of them. Especially as we move towards a more indie-friendly marketplace.

More and more people are accepting that videogames are an enjoyable pastime. Every single year sales go from strength to strength. However, the big sellers are not just the multi-million dollar epics produced by hundreds over the course of a few years. They are the games that your granny can play.

Well, I can make those!

This is where I currently stand. I am still learning more about Game Maker, because I just enjoy it. I am starting to learn more about both Flash, and XNA. My ultimate plan, at the moment, is to take advantage of the fact that XNA created games will be available to download on XBox Marketplace. I want to have something on there at the lowest possible price, and just see where that takes me. I don't plan to become a millionaire from this, I just want to earn a living.

I am also exploring the idea of some kind of webcast, or possibly even TV series. When the television channel Xleague launched, it was a dream come true. They focussed on e-sports, but also had plenty of other progamming, including the excellent Games Night. Games Night was a round-table discussion programme based on the gaming industry, and I had the honour of being invited onto the show twice. It was nominated for a GMA award, but at time of writing I have no idea if it won or not. It truly was the most interesting games show ever.

Unfortunately, Xleague was run by a bunch of businessmen. Which meant that a lot of decisions were made to maximise potential profit rather than make meaningful content. Which ultimately led to a safety first approach, and cost the channel big time. That they are even still broadcasting at all is a miracle. Still, they gave me several ideas, some of which I am slowly working on in the background.

And finally, there is the journalistic approach. I have done this kind of pointless rambling for the best part of the last 10 years now. My stuff at Honest Gamers is still my peak, and I wish it still existed. My stuff at 1Up was less good, and certainly less volumatic. I have just mellowed or something, I write nowhere near as much as I once did. Which is something I need to recapture. That's what this is for! I will use this blog to write thoughts about game design, write reviews, comment on current events, and generally just have a wall at which to throw my mental shit. Plus, blogger allows me to use google adsense, which potentially allows me some income. I KNOW, it's a pipe-dream. But, anything is better than nothing.

I hope it is as entertaing a ride as I hope it will be.