End of Beta Anticipation

Today i am gonna talk breifly about the feelings i have at the end of a big development cycle adn the time of game submission.

We here at Mass Media are about to send to Sony our latest and greatest version of the game. If tonights version is solid, then they will submit it to critical path testing (can they play all the way through the game). Once it passes that, then we can go Gold if no other major issues have turned up.

So here we are about to submit what appears to be a solid version and i find i am filled with several very strong feelings.

Excitment -
I was gonna choose a stronger word, but nowadays that is only associated with taking drugs it seems. Still, maybe this is a bit like a drug. A drug i have been taking now for a year. It will be hard to come off of that is for sure. Still the excitment is really tangible, wondering if the game will get a good critical reception from reviewers oand players alike. Also there is the excitment to finally finish what has been the most challenging product of my career.

Sadness -
I get waves of this. Maybe it is regret, i am not totaly sure at this time. This stems from the fact that this part of my life is coming to an end. It is also a part of the worry in me that feels that the game might not get accepted well. This all mushes together in my head. Missing the intense development and the ridiculous hours is most definitely a double edged sword.

Let down -
It is a strange thing to say and i am sure some people will scoff at my assumption that i wil be on a bit of a let down after this game has gone. I will be going cold turkey once this game ships. I wil suddenly have another 35+ hours a week in which to do stuff. I will have this big gaping hole in my life that suddenly appears. I will have a very strong desire to do more.. as the gap will leave me without something i have been so incredibly connected to. I am not sure what it is like to come off of drugs, but the way it is portrayed in the movies seems to fit my bill. I know already i will be moody, bored, unable to focus on everything i want to. It will be glorious!! Also my family will have to make adjustments, they will have me around so much more, when they are not used to it. This will be a strange and good time.

I look forward to getting so much of my life back until the next big push, i just hope that the next push wil not be 10 months long.

Good luck in finishing your products, i sincerely hope your dedication to the task pays off, and you do not have to suffer your dedication for too long a period.

Laters
Da Voodoochief