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[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

"I don't know if you can smell me yet, but by the end of the day, you will probably be able to."

Rohrer doesn't use deodorant. He washes his hair only twice a month. He doesn't put on a new pair of clothes in the morning, because he gave most of his clothes away years ago. He owns four pairs of boxer shorts. If he owned any more, he or his wife would have to spend more time washing them, which would make them both more reliant on electricity to run the washer. He keeps his fridge unplugged for the same reason. No fridge, no meat; no meat, no spoilage in an electrical storm. Open the fridge and all you see are vegan grains. "There, that's quinoa. You had quinoa before? It's really good." He bakes a loaf of bread every other morning and feeds it to his family at lunch, along with lentil soup. Every day, same lunch. For weeks at a time. The alternative is to starve. Despite his consulting fee from EA, the family budget is $14,500 a year, the income pieced together from PayPal donations from his Web site, freelance writing consulting, occasional speaking fees, and monthly checks from his "patron," a wealthy software-industry figure who has taken a liking to his games.

http://www.esquire.com/features/best-and-brightest-2008/future-of-video-game-design-1208-2

It's a great article, read it all!

[increpare]

hmmm...a bit ott?

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

ott?

[Tanner]

over the top

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Ah, I see. Wasn't familiar with that acronym.

I like the idea of how he lives. I'm not sure I could give up washing my hair so often, but it'd be fun to live off the land like that.

[Cheater‽]

But even within the small yet growing dork vanguard of indie game-makers -- a vanguard that includes Rohrer and Rod Humble and a guy called "Cactus"

Yay, cactus!

[GregWS]

"Yay Cactus" Indeed! 

[Valter]

I could imagine people trying to document the "indie experience", referring often to a mythical entity known only as "The Cactus".

[Melly]

Meh, I thought I'd be more inspired. Read it if you're curious.

"I played a 'Cactus game' today.

I was never sure why they called them 'Cactus games'. I thought they had something to do with cactuses, or Cactuars, like Final Fantasy. I used to like Final Fantasy. Before.

Before I played a Cactus Game.

I'm still not sure how to define the experience. It was strange, and exciting, and sometimes scary. Like your first time fooling around 'that' way with your neighbor who never really cared about you and was just looking for a quick fix.

At first I wasn't sure I got the right game. For one, there were no cactuses anywhere. Secondly, the game looked like something made long ago, though I've never seen anything like it. It's retro, but it's not. There's retro, and there's Cactus. I can't explain better than that.

Anyway, playing the game was like looking into my dreams. More specifically those dreams you're not sure are dreams or nightmares. Nothing makes sense, and yet you know it should. You know there's some meaning. There must be. Though I'm not sure if I'd be more scared to know if there is a meaning or not.

Now, I've played every Cactus Game published, and I jsut keep replaying all of them until he releases a new one, which seems to come with nearly absurd speed sometimes. Something draws me back to them, like I'm on a leash of some kind. I could just go back to playing Gears of War, or getting excited by the new God of War coming for my now dust-covered PS3. I could do all that again. I did, before.

Before I played a Cactus game."

Alas, I'm no Mr. Cake.

[michael]

wow. this man is my hero.

[GregWS]

Haha, just finished reading; I'd known about Rohrer's lifestyle, but man, hearing all the details is quite interesting; the court case for instance.  It's sort of funny really: his way of life, mixing some select tech with wilderness living is something I've found incredibly fascinating for quite some time.

Anyway, I've always loved his little games, and I've just downloaded InBetween, so we'll see how that one is.

Oh, and what article about Cactus are you quoting Melly?

[Biggerfish]

The guy is interesting, but I really found that article painful to read.

[moi]

I think he's a bit crazy. That said I'm happy he won the fucking stupid court case, some people are really stupid in the USA.

[team_q]

I thought it was a good piece, and if he has EA's ear, hopefully it will produce something interesting. I always wonder if good ideas I hear tossed around by the lead designers, which then get mangled in development, yet still applauded by the gaming press seemingly for their face value, is the most effective way to go about this whole business of video games.

[GregWS]

I thought it was a good piece, and if he has EA's ear, hopefully it will produce something interesting. I always wonder if good ideas I hear tossed around by the lead designers, which then get mangled in development, yet still applauded by the gaming press seemingly for their face value, is the most effective way to go about this whole business of video games.

Haha Bioshock!  :D :D :D  (which I incidentally didn't play)

[Zaphos]

I wonder if that lifestyle won't be hard on their kid, socially ...

Also, Rinku, you linked to the second page -- I read it backwards!  :D

[team_q]

I thought it was a good piece, and if he has EA's ear, hopefully it will produce something interesting. I always wonder if good ideas I hear tossed around by the lead designers, which then get mangled in development, yet still applauded by the gaming press seemingly for their face value, is the most effective way to go about this whole business of video games.

Haha Bioshock!  :D :D :D  (which I incidentally didn't play)

Also Fable, which I had briefly talked to Johnathan Blow about at Gamma3d.

[GregWS]

I wonder if that lifestyle won't be hard on their kid, socially ...

Also, Rinku, you linked to the second page -- I read it backwards!  :D

Wait, what?  Second page?  Crap, now I have more article to read before I go back to work.

[Melly]

I didn't quote it, I just made it up.

[GregWS]

Oh...Nice little piece then, very inspirational!  That would be such a sweet "testimonial" on Cactus' site!  :D