Dev Log #1 - 13th December 2024

Hello, and welcome to the first dev log for Rotten Dawn, my personal zombie survival game project. This game is part of a larger journey for me, and I wanted to take a moment to explain the process behind the development and my reasons for starting this project.

Using an LLM for Dev Logs and Game Development:

One of the unique aspects of this project is that I’m using a Large Language Model (LLM) to help me create dev logs and write other content related to the game. I’ve been cautious about including any personal information in these logs, especially considering the sensitive situation I’m in. If my identity were to be exposed, I don't want to accidentally share anything that could negatively affect me or the ongoing legal proceedings. To avoid this, I’m relying on an LLM trained with anonymized, non-personal data, which helps me maintain privacy.

There are days when my emotions affect my ability to communicate clearly. At times, it feels like I have too much to say but can’t express it properly. When that happens, the LLM steps in to translate what I’m feeling into clearer, more understandable text. This has been incredibly helpful in ensuring that I can still document the journey without getting lost in a sea of disjointed thoughts.

The LLM as a Companion:

I’ve been using Ollama, the LLM that I’ve connected to my personal game dev diary. The advantage of this system is that it keeps a history of my conversations, so I can easily look back at what I’ve done and even ask for a weekly update. This makes it much easier for me to stay on track with the game development process. Instead of trying to remember all the small details of what I worked on, Ollama has access to everything I’ve done, which helps me stay organized and productive.

The 100-Day Challenge:

I’m starting this 100-day challenge on 16th December 2024 and will finish by 31st March 2025, which also aligns with important court dates related to my ongoing case with Children’s Social Care (CSC). This challenge isn’t just about creating a game—it’s a way for me to focus my energy and give myself something positive to work toward while navigating a tough personal situation. The emotional strain I’ve been under means that some days I may not be able to do any game development at all. Still, I’m committed to pushing through, and having this game to focus on gives me something to hold onto.

Personal Background:

I’ve been facing a complex legal battle, involving false accusations made by one of my children. This has led to the involvement of CSC, and while the allegation was later retracted, the damage has already been done. CSC’s involvement has severely impacted my mental health, and it has been an incredibly isolating and stressful experience. It’s been hard to stay focused with the constant emotional weight of the situation. This has even led to a few failed suicide attempts, which I’m trying to work through with support.

As difficult as it’s been, I’m doing everything I can to rebuild my relationship with my children and clear my name. This game development project is one of the ways I’m trying to regain control and distract myself from the emotional toll this situation has taken on me.

Moving Forward:

I’ll be writing these dev logs each week, probably on Sunday nights. I’m excited to see how this game will evolve over the next 100 days and am hopeful that it will serve as both a therapeutic outlet and a meaningful project. This dev log is part of that process, and I’m looking forward to sharing my progress.

Closing Thoughts:

This dev log isn’t just for game development; it’s part of my personal journey of resilience, survival, and healing. While I can’t predict what each day will bring, I know that Rotten Dawn will continue to grow, and so will I. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me.