For a while now I've been reading Neil Gaiman's online journal, detailing his work writing, editing, and promoting his latest novel, American Gods. Not only is it interesting reading, and not only is Mr. Gaiman an amazing writer and fantasist -- if you haven't yet read the Sandman comics, you've missed out on a monumental, timeless, and defining tale...read it, now -- but Mr. Gaiman is also using Blogger to write his journal.

Don't see the connection? While I don't really think I can compare myself with Mr. Gaiman, at least we're both using the same tool to communicate with the world around us :)

Neil Gaiman was also a definite inspiration for every aspect of my last game, The Longest Journey, from the characters and dialogue, to the mythology and the world(s). And with my next game (no, not Midgard; just wait and see) it will probably be even more evident that I tend to draw inspiration from the same sources as Mr. Gaiman.

Just thought I'd mention it.  ¶ 13:54   

  Thought I'd write a few words about what we're doing with Midgard these days, in case you're wondering. I shouldn't say too much, especially since we're working with our marketing department to create a really, really interesting website scheduled to launch at some point in the next few months, where you'll be able to read the developers' journals, feature interviews, articles and stories -- as well as watch videos and listen to audio -- about the making and creating of an online world. Can't tell you the URL yet, nor the exact ETA, but it's coming. And it will be good. Oh yes.

Anyways. Midgard; my current project. What's new? Our staff is increasing rapidly, and there are currently four full-time designers working on the project (including myself). Most of us have lots of experience in the industry, and the latest addition to the design-team -- Sverre Kvernmo (doing double duty as designer and lead world-builder) -- has worked on tons of great games, from level-design on the classic add-on packs Doom 2: The Master Levels and Eternal Doom, to, uh, John Romero's Daikatana and designer on the underrated KISS Psycho Circus title. In other words, a bona fide pro. I'm really, really happy to have him join our team. Really. The other recent addition is Jon Helgi Torarinson, a proper Viking from Iceland who, prior to joining Funcom, created an expansive pen-and-paper RPG (in Icelandic, no less) based on Norse mythology. Both Jon Helgi and Sverre have gone through the required tour of duty on Anarchy Online, designing and creating playfields, before joining Midgard. As did the last member of the design team, Jarl Schjerverud, who's worked here at Funcom even longer than me (and that's a looong time), though you may not have heard of his previous games. One, Deadly Skies (for the PlayStation), was only released in Japan, and the other, a real-time strategy game for the PC called Steel Rebellion, was cancelled at a late stage in production. He is, however, an excellent designer, and he's working on some of the more technical aspects of Midgard's character creation, progression, and skill systems.

That's not forgetting the other members of the team, of course; the programmers, world builders, artists, and musicians who are currently pouring their hearts and souls into this game. This team is very tight-knit, and while the Anarchy Online team is currently going through a tough period with the launch of that game, we're keeping our heads down and simply working. Whatever happens with AO in the weeks and months to come, we're sure to learn a lot from their triumphs and mistakes.

All in all, things are progressing nicely (albeit a tiny bit slower now than a few months ago; it's the summer, of course, and since the Midgard team isn't labouring under tough deadlines...yet -- we're taking it a bit easy, and everyone's getting their holiday this year), and once the Midgard website launches we'll release a lot of information about the game and the people working on it.  ¶ 11:58   

  I'm currently neck-deep in a fantastic new novel -- actually the last in a series of novels -- called Sea of Silver Light, by Tad Williams. The series is called Otherland, and it spans four gigantic volumes...it's a serious investment in time to plow through these babies, but it's absolutely worth it. It's somewhat slow to begin with, but by the end of the first volume, I can guarantee that you're hooked, and the story takes off completely by the end of the third volume -- awesome, unexpected stuff. I'm currently about half-way through volume four, and it's living up to all my expectations. If you have the time, and if you're intrigued by the idea of a mix between sci-fi and fantasy, set in both the real world and virtual reality (online worlds), then get it. Excellent reading material for lazy summer afternoons out on the porch.  ¶ 10:38   

  I bought a whole bunch of DVDs the day before yesterday...well, technically I bought them last week, from Amazon, but they only arrived on Tuesday -- and after taking a brief peek at some of them, I'm so looking forward to this weekend when I'll hopefully have time to spend in front of the TV. With luck it'll be raining, and I won't feel like I have to spend the entire day outside. Don't get me wrong: I love summer, but since the season's so short here in Norway, I always feel guilty if it's warm & sunny outside and I'm cooped up inside.

Anyway, back to the DVDs. The one I'm looking forward to the most is the Black Adder box-set, featuring every single episode from all four series of the show, plus all the specials and the odd bit of bonus material to round out the package. If you're a fan, get it. Now. If you're not a fan, I'm guessing you haven't watched the show. Do so. Now. It's ****ing brilliant. Honest. It's the funniest thing ever in the history of funny things. It's funnier than an amusingly shaped turnip. The show (which ran from 1983, I believe, until 1989, in four six-episode series) is about as British as you can possibly get, and vicious sarcasm is most certainly the order of the day. I've been a fan since I saw the very first episode back in 1983, and I already have all the episodes on tape, but I just had to have this collection, and I can't wait to rewatch the whole thing from beginning until end. If I ever find the time to do that, of course.

Some of the other films I picked up were Unbreakable (M. Night Shyamalan's underappreciated follow-up to The Sixth Sense, very moving and very powerful -- especially if, like me, you're a comic-book fan), the new Close Encounters of the Third Kind special edition (one of my favourite films ever. Like so many of my generation, I decided I wanted to be a film-maker and storyteller because of Mr. Spielberg, and this movie is one of his absolute best), Snatch (great fun), State and Main (David Mamet is, in my opinion, one of the very best screenwriters working today), Small Time Crooks (I missed this when it was in theatres, and, again: Woody Allen, personal favourite, brilliant filmmaker), and, uh, a few more. Which should give you some clue as to my taste in movies.  ¶ 12:45