RealTime bogged down

When I wrote about publishing RealTime, I noted that the key that moved it from idle pipe-dream to real possibility was the presence of an artist willing to work with me and be flexible about recompensation. The reason I'd never pursued it is I just never had any artist friends. And the reason I was now considering it was the realization that I do know someone who's a graphic artist.

I got as far as doing a bunch of planning and starting on the rewriting, putting out about five pages of introductory text and beginning explanation, when I ran out of steam. The reason is that that artist hasn't gotten back to me. For completely understandable reasons: she's got things going on in her life that are a thousand times more important than some little game that someone who she doesn't even know that well is trying to do, especially when there isn't likely to be money up front. So I'm not complaining. But it has knocked my feet out from under me.

I also started exploring the idea of using a local gaming convention as a means of promoting it, playtesting it, and getting it some visibility, in large part because I have been told that that kind of visibility and the resulting word of mouth is the most important thing for selling an indie game. Of course, the people telling me that are probably thinking of big cons and a tiny little Vermont con wouldn't really do that, but it still seemed like a possible step to take. And one of the con's organizers is another person I know, not terribly close but he has played in my group a few times and was an organizer in another con I ran games in several years. But he also hasn't had time to get back to me even about his thoughts on the possibility.

So my attention has turned to other projects, which may be just as well, as I have a few other things to do that are more time-sensitive. But that rewrite and publication is no longer the item on my to-do list I wish I could be working on. The whole project really is that fragile, unfortunately. If the art were something about which it were true to say "if you really want it and are willing to work hard for it, you can do it," I'd be doing it: I have never had problems with being motivated (though many projects don't happen only because I'm busy with other ones). But no amount of will can make me able to be an artist, or able to produce an artist willing and able to work with me at the terms I can afford. Whenever a project depends on someone else, that's when it's most likely to fall through.