Hyliac

Hey Chris, long time fan of your work! Thanks for doing this AmA, I have a couple questions for you if you're still answering:

Have you tried creating an adventure in another medium like D&D or video games? I'm in the process of putting together an adventure that people can play together but I'd love suggestions how to direct people to the next clue or area in game without it being too obvious or on rails.

How do you keep people interested/engaged and wanting to complete the adventure if you suspect they may get bored when challenged or stuck?

How many puzzles/riddles would you suggest for a typical adventure, amongst clues to new locations? What's your approach when you suspect they may need hints to solve certain legd but you're not there to provide them?

Hello and thank you for doing this AmA!

I am located in Vancouver, BC up here in Canada and I've had an incredibly hard time trying to land a job in the games and tech industry as a programmer or developer.

In school we had lots of help with resume/cover letter and linkedin creation, however I can't seem to get any interviews. In my course we learned lots of practical skills which we used to make projects both large and small scale and using industry software and programs. I have experience and a small portfolio as a result (it wasn't just theory) however in the year since graduating I've only had 3 interviews.

I ended up losing passion and hope as a result and have been battling against my "learned helplessness" regarding this. Currently I'm not sure what to do with my life. I'm ready for a career change (I'm currently employed but at a dead-end job) but I'm not sure if I should take this as a sign that it's not for me and to put my effort into something else or more practical or whether I should keep at it. At what point do I cut my losses and pivot?

I can work on my own projects, but it seems that even "entry level" positions require professional work experience, which I can't seem to get.

Any suggestions on my next move(s)?

Thanks so much for the detailed response!

I love the point about thinking about timing the adventure. Do you typically allocate a portion of the adventure to "onboard" them (let's say the first hour of a 4 hour adventure) or do you typically have players just dive right in, making things a bit easier for them at the start?

For the hint system, do you give hints based on time (they've spent 30 mins on this leg and aren't getting anywhere), by request (players ask for a hint/additional hints), or a combination of both? I find this is always my biggest challenge, as I feel that I need to give hints when things are taking too long, but I don't want to trivialize the section for the sake of time and make it unrewarding for players by giving them the answer or an obvious clue.

Also as an aside I'd highly suggest if you're into D&D that you consider trying to plan out an in-game adventure. I know I'd certainly pay for a scavenger hunt/amazing race style module in the world of D&D using player skills, traps, and etc!

Jesus, some of these comments are terrible. First, big props to you for doing this AmA and even more importantly for bring brave enough to be who you really are. (Don't let anyone tell you different)

Are you on currently or do you plan to take hormone supplements? I've always wondered how people go about that, and what would be involved.

Fuck the haters, you do you.

Hey Andrew! I've been fan since the early days, congrats on the new book!

I'd love to see a series or some recipes from you based around meal prep. Is this something you're interested in making some content on?

I think these videos would be really useful to your fans, and I bet you could brainstorm some really delicious but simple variations on some easy and nutritious meals!