Five Game Challenge Day 26: The End is Nigh

Day 26 of 30. Almost there. And I’m very much ready to be there. The daily posting is by far the harder aspect of this challenge. I’ve been reflecting too, on some of the differences between the Five Game Challenge and Blaugust. Blaugust was only a few months ago, but it may as well have been another lifetime.

It was just a day later in the month of Blaugust — the 27th — when I posted ‘Staying Motivated’ and acknowledged just how tired the daily posting made me. Of course, the very next day I was sick. So it might have just been that. Because as much as I’m ready to be done — I’m not feeling it quite as hard as I did back then.

Not in all respects at least? Hm. Talking in circles. Let’s start this again.

In no particular order, some thoughts follow. Some comparing to Blaugust, some not:

• I miss the community aspect
  Since this is something I essentially setup and run with nil notice, it became a solo endeavour. Blaugust by comparison is a well established multi-year community event where participation was much higher.
  
  So there was quite a different feel to the whole thing. And then not to mention that with daily content coming from so many different angles — there was almost always multiple things vying for attention as possible bounce points for another post.
  
• The differing effects on passed time on posting vs. limited-gaming
  The motivation to continue posting and not ‘miss a day’ increases as time and the series grows. The thought of missing one so near the end is unthinkable.
  
  On the limited-gaming aspect, there is an element of not wanting to break the series, sure. But there is a growing sense of wanting to just play All the Things right now. So far I’ve resisted breaking, and think I can continue to do so until the end. But dang. And to think it wasn’t even so long ago that rolling into a second month might be possible. >.<
  
• Having a plan, even if it is only loosely followed once started, helps
  It was far more of a struggle this time to work out what to post this time around. With very few exceptions, this time around I didn’t have a solid idea for a post until I sat down to write it.
  
  When I struggled during Blaugust, drawing on the pre-planned list was helpful even if I didn’t ultimately pick anything directly from it. The categories helped too, again, even if only rarely actually followed.

Essentially — if I was to try this again next year, it would be with much more of a planning run up. I’m also not sure November is the best possible month for such a challenge, either.

It’s close to Blaugust. And it sits over the top of NaNoWriMo / IntPiPoMo. Possibly something earlier in the year? April?

The actual rules of the challenge would likely need to change too. Five is too many for a month. Unless it remains a two part challenge… Wherein the five picked are done so earlier still, and picked in the context of being for a whole year at some indeterminate future point.

Then in April (or thereabouts) applied to the immediate month. Failing that… Maybe just one. Or two. … Or one.

Certainly this whole thing needs some work. ;)