Be Kind. Try Hard. Build things.

I don’t wish to make anyone feel uncomfortable. If I do an ODE for you it’s because I admire you and I want the world to see what I see. Some of these first ODEs have been for strangers and others for old friends. Chris isn’t an old friend, but he’s a friend, and certainly no stranger to me.

He lives in Japan so I don’t see him much but we talk from time to time. And he’s doing something amazing - he’s running an independent games studio and doing really great work. That’s something I tried and failed so I understand the challenges of the endeavor.

His motto is be kind, try hard, build things. He didn’t tell me that was his motto, but he did say that those are the three things he imparts to his children. Kindness, perseverance, and creativity. That’s got all the makings of Latin creed. A quick run through Google translate yields: indness, perseverantia et proprii ingenii.

My hope is that by reading this, and reading his ODE, you get a sense of the person behind the name. I think that’s important. Stories, even short ones, are important. People who do what Chris does - an indie game developer in the brutal business of digital entertainment - are rare and getting scarcer. And it’s my hope that in some small way I can help him by recognizing him, by telling a small part of his story, and by being there as a friend.