Standing still.

I can't believe that I have a full month with no international travel, I think it's the first one for quite a few years. To be honest, it will feel good to not have to pack & sort. There's just one short(ish) trip to Lyon this year and that's that, although that won't happen until I sort my new passport out.

It's been quite a positive week in the office, with Alien Breed getting a tremendous response at the Eurogamer Expo in Leeds - and a ton of coverage as a result, it was great for the lads in the office to hear players first hand loving the game up.

Oh and I crept back onto facebook. Pretty poor show from me, but I do aim to moderate it.

Twain now awwiving at Wetford.

Its not often a coach load of people on a train break out laughing simultaneously, but the genius of the North Eastern line hiring a guy with a lisp is to be cherished, particularly as it slows into Retford on a sunny Wednesday morning.

Thing is he said it loud and "pwoud" as he confidently announced that the "Twain was now awwiving into Wetford. Wetford next stop. This is Wetford". It was very funny seeing peoples eyes go wide and eyebrows raise up on the first Wetford, mouths open on the second and everyone piss themselves in unison at the third when everyone realised that they had really heard it.

Perhaps Porky Pig does work on a train after all.

It's finished up a good 24hrs or so for me, after the radio & TV PR yesterday, then down to London for the London Games Conference, then beers with old mucker Mick Morriss and friends (including Gareth the posh geordie) in a very swanky private members club late on. Even Leeds managed an emphatic 4-0 away win.

Am currently still on the twain, heading for Wakefweild then the Eurogwamer conwerence.

Give me a (tax) break

I was interviewed on two BBC radio programmes this morning, more or less with regards to the attempts by the video games industry to lobby government for tax breaks.

TIGA handles this for the body of developers so I had to have a bit of catch up on where things were at, I've obviously been aware of the incentives offered in Canada, France and other regions - and the investment that's occurred there rather than in the UK, a more traditional hub of technical & creative excellence.

The UK film industry has had substantial support and as another leading creative industry, it's time the government backed us too before it's all too late.

Until then, Indies like Team17 will continue to fight the fight :)

BBC-tastic!

Somewhat of a BBC frenzy tomorrow (Tues 27th Oct) since I'll be on "Wake up to money" on BBC Five Live at around 5.45am and then there's a Team17 featured piece on the games industry airing at 6.50, 7.50 and 8.50am respectively on BBC1 Breakfast Time TV.

Later I head off to London for the London Games Conference on Tuesday evening (which we're sponsoring) and then back home on Wednesday.

In other news, the beard has been shaven off and Leeds lost their unbeaten status - I believe both events to be unconnected.

Back to the blog

Well, I've managed pretty much a week of cold turkey with regard Facebook and I've been fine, despite the odd twitch about getting back on. It's been a lot better since I put a message on saying I'd gone, since I had a ton of people asking if i'd cut them off :)

[Above: Bryan Reynolds, left and Gordon Hall, masquerading as Basil Fawlty]

I survived the weekend trip to Amsterdam to celebrate Gordon Hall's 40th, 15 of us (more or less) partied for 3 days and incredibly enough there were no major casualties, save for the usual suspect being a social time-bomb on the last day. I can't imagine the battery he got when get back from his missus who advised me she'd flipped the "bitch switch" or something on the phone... Nice one Debs.

We spent most of the first day in the Old Bell pub in a large square, given that we started drinking before we got on the plane (it was a 7am flight) it was no wonder that for most, the first day was over by about 9pm... not that I remember.

Day two commenced around 11am and we spent pretty much all day in my favourite Amsterdam bar, "Cafe De Dam" which is the smallest pub in town, just off Dam Square. We did adjourn for a rather fantastic steak, ironically just across the road after we'd googled for "best steak in Amsterdam" - it was 20secs walk to "Gauchos". Hijinks, drinks and laughs followed well into the night before the fog of war got the better of me in particular and I was safely escorted back to the hotel.

Sunday was very slow, a collection of zombiefied revellers and people slowly made their way to different flights during the day, with our lot leaving in the evening and most quite jolly by the time our plane was ready to board. Cracking group of lads, great trip and nice to see Gordie in such good spirits.

Back at work and this week saw a few highlights, notably being interviewed for a spot about Team17 on national BBC news (aired Tuesday 27th, ironically the day we sponsor the London Games Conference at Bafta, which I'm also attending), a great chat with Keith Hackett, ex premiership ref who is now in charge of the Ref's association and good movement on our titles, which include a new edition of Worms for iPhone (with great 3GS visuals), a new update for Worms 2 Armageddon on XBLA and also good to see Alien Breed edge ever closer to release.

I was also at Elland Road earlier in the week to see a winner 3rd minute into extra time over Norwich, despite being 2nd best most of the game. Great stuff, top of the league and looking good to start a long overdue return up the league and back to where we belong.

Out tomorrow with Trina, JD and his missis. Another trip to Akbars (cue Fish Masala, Giant Nan and fave Balti) and then likely on to Reform, Mojo and Sandanista bars... nice end to the week.

Got a fair bit on next week, including two days in London, which means I'll miss the T17 booth at the Eurogamer careers fair at the Armouries, although I'll try and get there to show my face.