Hi, it's Bubblegum. As a hobby, I make games you can play easily in a browser. This time, rather than "how" I build them, I want to write about what I care about while building them: my thinking as a maker. More than the tech, this is the part that sits at my core.
What I love is the "old internet"
I'm just crazy about the feel of the early internet. The days before YouTube had ads, the era when 2ch-style bulletin boards were still the mainstream. That messy, ramshackle internet where you were loosely connected to some stranger in the middle of the night, and everything had a handmade quality to it. Today's convenience is nice too, but I've never been able to forget that "I don't quite get it, but it's exciting" feeling from back then.
So I built a "hidden site"
Wanting to give shape to that "back to the old net" feeling with my own hands is why I made Ura, the "Ushimitsu Bulletin Board". It looks like an old-school message board itself, recreating the air of being on a late-night occult channel. In particular, "Sasanaki Station" is an experience where you become one of the residents, posting into a live thread yourself. I'd be happy if it lets you relive the feeling of staying up late on those old boards.
The influence of Undertale
The work that's shaped my game-making the most is Undertale. I love those "wait, what?" moments mid-play, the way it gently subverts what the player expects. In my own games too, I care about not just being playable, but slipping in a little surprise or twist while you're in the middle of playing. The way the situation shifts partway through Soldier Typing is an expression of that same idea.
Lightweight, plus a little surprise
The reason I stick with browser games is that the ease of "just open a URL and play" is directly continuous with the casualness of the old net. No install, no sign-up. You wander in, you're surprised for a moment, and then you go back to your day. I'll keep aiming for that combination of lightness and small surprises.
Going forward
I'll keep making things centered on "that old-internet feeling," things that might make you smile or catch you a little off guard. If you like, peek at the games list or the hidden site and feel a bit of that old air.