AIR App: Powerz – Play Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Faster

This is a long post, so I’ve provided a short version, and content links to relevant sections if you want to skip around.

Short Version

Powerz Start PageI’ve built an AIR application in my spare time using Flex that helps you play Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition faster. It took 6 months in my spare time and cost around $50k to build, and $40 a month to maintain.

See and download it here.

It was created in response to my new players, who are tech saavy, having a slow time getting a game going. I copied the design metaphor used in MMORPG games, as well as creating an online database via Django of user submitted content to help the process go faster, as well as supporting house rules. In doing market research, I found my product is for a younger generation, and this makes it challenging to market. I used an Iterative/Agile development process to ensure it got completed.

The app had 3 goals: make money, make our games quicker & easier, and prove to myself I could execute. I succeeded in the latter 2, and failed in the making money… so far.

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Rowan Tivonah Warden

Rowan Tivonah Warden (Daughter & child #2), 7 lbs 13 ozs (3.5 kg) was born at 12:04 pm on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009. Mom and baby are fine. We showed her sister, Sydney, some videos and she’s excited to meet her new sibling.

Twitter is How I Obtain Job Opportunities

My first job was obtained via networking with the right people at college.  My 2nd, 3rd, and 4th job was from Monster.com + my email address in my code.  I pretty much stopped working W2 jobs in 2004, and started doing full time contracting & consulting.  Thenceforth to 2007, all my gigs were from networking such as going to industry events, blogging, and my email address in my code.  From early 2008 to now a new source has emerged: Twitter.

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