📝 Finally got the 'rona

Yes, it's finally happened: Daikon and I got COVID. Luckily we are vaxxed and once-boosted so our symptoms are mild* and we are recovering at home with a ton of meds. Of course we would get sick right as we were planning to get our second booster, but that's the sort of thing I've come to expect to happen to us in this, the cursed year twenty-twenty-two. At least now I have a good excuse not to show up to JLPT N1. It's not because I'm pretty sure I was going to fail anyway, it's because I don't want to infect anyone! Yeah!

*When I say our symptoms are mild, I'm still talking about feeling the worst I've felt in years. Sore throat, chest pains, struggling to breathe especially at night, difficulty staying awake or asleep, high fever, chills, runny nose and phlegmy coughing. Verdict: do not recommend.

But what else have I been up to since the last time I blogged? Surely not running a games booth at an event in the heart of Tokyo where I met hundreds and hundreds of strangers??

(Okay, that was flip. Daikon and I took every precaution we knew of for Dejige re: masks, frequent hand washing, rubbing down our equipment/controllers with alcohol wipes, and social distancing when possible. And I don't want to jump to the conclusion that this is definitely where we got infected. But the timing of it all lines up a little too neatly to just ignore, y'know? Anyway what's done is done, let's stop dwelling on that and get on to how awesome Dejige was.)

デジゲー博 was great

The rockin' Nice Gear Games booth at デジゲー博 2022!

It really was! We got to show off Nice Disc and hand out physical copies of 同ZINE // douZINE Issue #0 to tons of people. Because we had to be at the booth at all times to show off Nice Disc, much like at Zentame, we didn't actually get much of a chance to see other games there, which is a real shame. We need to figure out a different setup for showing off our stuff so that we can actually have a chance to stretch our legs and see the other booths. It seems like such a waste to be in the same venue as all these other cool games and not get to see any of them! Hopefully we get it nailed down in time for Tokyo Game Dungeon in January.

That being said, there were two games there that did catch my eye. The first is 里山のおと, a game in development by nyacchu and Michi, contributers to both 同ZINE and Indie Tsushin! It has a beautiful and rustic atmosphere that makes me want to visit the countryside, much like their other games. They also gave out these super sweet bookmarks at their booth. (They should have charged money, I would have paid to get my hands on one! Hehe.)

The other was Titan Climb by Sand Vehicle. My immediate reaction (which I'm sure was the intent) is "it's Shadow of the Colossus, but not." I love the dreamy, almost surreal palette that fills this strange landscape, and I will always love games where you climb living creatures the size of mountains. I am excited to get my hands on a playable demo as soon as one comes out. Definitely a game to keep an eye on.

And finally, Mogura Games gave Nice Disc a shoutout in their Dejige roundup article! Very cool and super humbling to get the attention of one of my favorite Japanese blogs!

Stuff I've been reading

Nothing! I have read nothing lately!! It sucks!! I need to find time to sit down and read something before I lose my mind ahhhh!!

I'll be back later!!