I am no professional game maker, artist, or anything for that matter of fact. I try enjoying myself by making things I like, or what I think people close to me would like. That’s what started this project.

Siobhan and myself were sitting playing Mario on the Wii a few years ago and she really enjoyed herself! She was absolutely rubbish at the game… but she still enjoyed it! It got me thinking, what if for her birthday I designed her a simple platform game that revolves around her life? Brilliant idea. Her birthday passed and there was no game. It had started and was working well! But the perfectionist in me wanted it to be the best. An absolute masterpiece. A game that is impossible for me to make. So I stopped. I lost motivation, knowing I could not achieve perfection.

I then came to the conclusion that it doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be. So I came back, 6 months or so later, and said it’ll be for her next birthday! Bad timing, of course. Final year of university, life altering illness hits me and the game sits motionless. The project had been hibernating. Until a few months ago…

As you can tell by the title, this game revolves around Siobhan, my amazing partner and soulmate. It also revolves around her childhood best friend, Archie. Her beloved family dog. Princess Siobhan and the Archie Adventures. She loved the name of it, loved the little ideas I had for the game and was full of anticipation for playing the game!

Sadly, throughout the hibernation process of this development, Archie got diagnosed with cancer. News nobody expected nor wanted. He was given too short of a window to be with us. This awful news is what propelled this game forward. I wanted… I needed to do everything and have everything completed before the new year… before the awful and dreaded day. This did not happen. The game was not ready before Archie sadly passed away.

Archie now has his wings and is smiling down from doggy heaven.

There is a silverlining from this. A collateral beauty. The progress of this game is back on a steady roll. The game is more beautiful than ever before. It is more bright and colourful and feels much better to play. It is challenging in areas to make you feel fulfilled with your progress. There is still lots to be done. Many levels to be created, new features to be added and the story to be tweaked.

What I have learned from this journey is important. Nothing has to be perfect. Nothing ever can be perfect. The fact that you are doing something special for someone is good enough. It is amazing. Keep going with what you’re doing. Stop judging and comparing yourself to others. There is never enough time for perfection.

This game is going to be beautiful and amazing. And if you disagree, that is completely fine! As long as the most important person in my life agrees.

This game is now being created in respect to the love between Siobhan and Archie.

“A feather on my pillow lets me know that you are near”