(it looks awful, but I wanted to keep the relevant links - no one reads The Tavern for it's formatting anyway ;)
In the last project update, I said that I'd be giving way to James as the main point of contact going forward but promised to post another update as soon as I heard from him. That hasn't happened, but this morning on his blog The Sandbox of Doom Victor Raymond has shared some information about James' situation that I wanted to be sure everyone knew about. Quoting Victor's post in full:
I talked with James Maliszewski yesterday. As some of you may be aware, James' father is in very poor health and not expected to live much longer. Last year, I went through a similar series of events around the death of my friend Phil, so I have some perspective on what he is going through. It's difficult to explain just how much of an impact this kind of thing has on a person. For James, besides anything else, this has become a terrible distraction. Trying to think or write creatively is just difficult, if not impossible. I asked James if he minded if I shared this with people I know, and he said it was perfectly fine. I know many people are waiting for Dwimmermount. I don't think you have to worry about that, but this sort of life event is something nobody can plan for. If you feel like you want to comment on this post, I would suggest instead that you contact your parents and tell them how much you love them.
Speaking for myself and for Autarch, our sympathies are with James. We understand his needing to take some time to deal with this difficult situation, and we trust in his honor and integrity to fulfill his responsibility to the Dwimmermount backers as soon as he's able.
For more information about the state of the project, you might:
- read the comments to the last backers-only update, some of which backer Erik Tenkar shared publicly at his blog. (Erik wrote to me for permission to repost these, but as a rule if you have access to the backers-only updates it's fine to share information from them. The exception is the download information for the complete draft; that's the reward we've been able to fulfill so far, so you shouldn't give it to anyone to whom you wouldn't lend your other rewards when they arrive.)
- write to me at tavis@autarch.co, arrange a Google chat or hangout (there I'm barnar.hammerhand@gmail.com), or call +1 (917) 749-6938.
Thanks for your interest in - and, if you're a backer, your support of - this project; it means a lot to us.
Yours,
Tavis
Just to provide a little more context, "my friend Phil" refers to Prof. M.A.R. Barker, who passed away last March at the age of 82.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to be a jerk, but this is a fact of life for middle aged people. Parents and friends dying and having to cope with it. I'm sorry, but it's not so much of a traumatic experience that you can't take a few minutes to post a mention of it on your blog, but rely on some third party.
ReplyDeleteOr for that matter, it's not that you have to stop your life and chain yourself to the dying person's bedside. When my own mother died of cancer a few years ago, she was whacked out on pain medication so much the last month she was out of it most of the time.
This sounds like just an excuse, and now I'm pretty much convinced we are never going to see Dwimmermount. At least we got the manuscript, so I can't see PDF only people being too upset, but....
Seriously? You think some one should leave the death bed of their loved ones for a game? I've lost both my parents and even though my mother was "whacked on pain medication" as well I would have given anything for just a few more minutes with her (My father was sudden and unexpected.)
Delete@BIUusKrEEm - you make a very valid point, but it depends on the POV. If this project were regarded as "a job", you need to notify you employeer / partner(s) (in this case, Tavis). If this is regarded as a "hobby", it might be considered polite to let someone know what is going on, but it certainly wouldn't be required.
DeleteSome folks see James having taken payment for a project as having a "job". Others see it as James getting paid to "do his hobby thing".
It's that whole professional / hobbyist line that RPG creator types straddle all the time.
I wouldn't expect anyone to be very productive when they have a beloved family member on their deathbed, nor in the immediate aftermath. However, when people suggest that spending a few minutes once or twice a month to stay in touch with backers is not too much to ask, I have a hard time disagreeing.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I just hope that James is able to re-engage creatively once this difficult time for him has passed.