Coming Up for Air after the last Two months…

So, I started my new job at TEL on November 11, and have been sprinting and trying to find my feet ever since. It’s all been “good,” in that I’m very satisfied with the changes, but it’s been, well … a lot.

A few differences?

I’m up way, way earlier than I used to be. 4:45am to 5am is typical, and I’ll either head over to the gym for a class [1] or if I have a bunch of stuff to do before the endless meetings set in, I’ll head over to work, arriving at 6am.

My wife and I have been adjusting our schedules accordingly. She’s seeing the kids off to school – the youngest, least independent/most willful starts at 9am, which I know was a result of some research into high schoolers … but that really wasn’t thought through as much as it could have been. In any case, we found that a general “Doug to work early, Alina home late” schedule works out, mostly.

I got about two weeks of overlap with my predecessor which ended over Turkey Day, and since then I’ve been performing without a net.

The down side for GURPSiness has been that I tend to be occupied from 5am to about 7-8pm either with work or Dad Taxi Service for the kids. So up until maybe right now, things have been crazy-making enough that my lack of content and posting has certainly cost me some membership.

So, what am I working on other than my sanity?

Still chomping away at Mission X. Active discussion has briefly turned to melee and hand-to-hand weapons. Trying to maximize the ease of converting other resources while still dealing with the fact that the thrust-swing disparity has currently gone away…at least to the extent it exists in regular GURPS.

From a rules perspective, I really need to write the chase rules, which then spills over and encompasses dogfighting and other positional combat.

Then to clean up the characters book, with some equipment, hit perks, and otherwise tidy that up.

I also have worked a bit with a well-known GURPS author to help write the primary setting for the series. And with Steve Jackson Games to ensure that this previously established campaign seed is free and clear for development by Gaming Ballistic (it is!). Said well-known GURPS author might also be doing another thing for me that I think will be appreciated.

I can’t say “I’m almost done,” but it’s almost possible to just pick up the books, make characters, and play. I think a task that would be productive is to have my playtest crowd pose mechanics challenges (“how would we do a hostage negotiation?” “How would we investigate a crime scene?” “How would we explore a wilderness?” “How would we sneak up on a sentry/eliminate that sentry?” and ensure that there are simple, clear, and mechanically satisfactory solutions to such questions … AND a good option for “the GM makes stuff up.”

I still do have two TFT manuscripts on my desk from David…plus a strong desire to turn the Sedra book (and the Elazar manuscript) into a two-island setting for the DFRPG.

So I guess as-expected, GB took a pause for a few months while I got my feet under me. I spent far too much time doing web-based training instead of writing, and the shifting schedule has done nothing good for my ability to interact on Discord, the SJGForums, and the like.

Even so: I cannot help but know that I’m really in a better place. I’m finding my feet at the new job, the fellow employees are both understanding of my learning and appreciative of my suggestions, and I have a good team under me.

As we head into the Christmas and New Years break, I have at least one all-day Felltower game in front of me, and I do intend to spend some time in the GB office doing some MX writing.

If you don’t hear from me before then … have a great 2025!

[1] Except when I forget I’m over 50 and injure my shoulder, which is now. Ouch.