Why am I starting onemore.build?

First off, welcome!

Back in 2020, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I thought it'd be fun to start a blog and review video games but it didn’t last too long. I struggled through the pandemic, I tried to pour some energy into the blog and while I did write quite a few reviews, the bug never fully bit me, and the initial enthusiasm eventually fizzled out.

Part of the reason for that was I stumbled into the world of indie game development about three months after starting the site. It consumed my time and energy like nothing else ever had. This led to several years working on a single project, and many years since, working on different game ideas. The development skills I gained also branched off into other software projects like adsimulatortool.com, typeengine.ai, and sleeperlink.

So, why onemore.build? What’s different this time?

Well, I’ll still be focusing quite a bit on video games and reviews but also development blogs, PC building (I’m just about to start my 9th build), part guides, and much more. And importantly there are two areas I’m particularly keen to focus on; helping parents navigate the gaming space and getting kids inspired by gaming, and that’s the real motivation behind this blog.

A Love for Technology and Its Challenges

My love for technology was never really an encouraged pursuit. It was a battle between my parents and I over it, which often led to arguments and misunderstandings. Video games reached fever pitch as I hit my teens the PS2, Xbox 360 & Xbox Live, World of Warcraft, and so much more were all huge parts of my childhood and this explosion began pushing gaming out of the dark and into the mainstream.

I was fortunate that my older brothers dabbled a bit with games, but I never learned how tech worked, and I think there was a lot more I could have learned. Some hard lessons could have been avoided along the way with a little extra guidance.

I see the same thing happening within my own family now. My nephews are hitting their technological wonderment stage, and it’s often misunderstood. The classic “I can’t pause it, I’m playing online!” comes to mind, but now we live in a complex digital environment designed to extract value from children in ways we’ve never seen before. From loot box mechanics to child labour exploitation in Roblox, the gaming world has become more complex and in some cases, dangerous.

That’s why I want to create content specifically for parents. If that’s you, I hope these posts will offer value and help you navigate some of these topics, keep your kids safe, and hopefully develop them into confident tech enthusiasts themselves. I already play the "techy uncle" role, and I think people with an understanding of both sides of the equation can be helpful in this space.

The Importance of Coding and Software Development

The other area I’m really keen to talk about is coding and software development—particularly game development. Again, it’s something I wish I’d been introduced to when I was younger, and I’d love to show how easy it is to get into and how valuable it is as a set of skills for the future for young people and some easy entry points to get inspired is a great place to start.

What’s Next?

Please do subscribe if you think any of this might interest you or be helpful. I’ve got a few things lined up that I’m writing right now, including a guide to FC25’s Ultimate Team for parents. I’ll also be covering topics around PC building, online safety, and sharing a few pieces about projects I’m working on.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, all the best!

Tom