By the second half of the week, I’ve finally found myself settling into the routine enough to contemplate spending some time on my game and streaming for my supporters. I’d made it clear before I left the Island that I might not have much time for a couple of weeks but my post about the upcoming session seems to get a lot of traction on my social media.

I really don’t have a deadline for anything on this new project, but I am keen that I don’t procrastinate too much and take years to do something that really only needs a few months of serious commitment. I’m also determined that being in Africa for a few months isn’t going to be an excuse for falling behind. I might not have actually written very much code in the last fortnight, but I have been thinking about what needs to be done next.

In many ways, for much of the time, the actual code is secondary to the thought that needs to be put in beforehand. If you’ve already worked out the structure of the data, the timeline of the process and the possible knock-on effects before writing a single line of new code, you’re half-way to a bug-free implementation that is already pretty well optimised.

So, not much code written, but a comprehensive to-do list as a plan of action and pages of notes about where we’re going next.

Joseph has seemed a little more open and talkative for the rest of the week, but he seems a little confused about my need to go to the supermarket for a mountain of very unhealthy-looking snacks and several bottles of fizzy drinks that are not alcohol.

“People watch you typing into a computer?” he asks when I try to explain what my live-streams are usually like. “I can’t see what they get from it.”

“I’m not sure that I do either,” I admit in response. “Even so, I have watched similar streams myself for a number of years and it only seemed natural for me to do the same. Some of my supporters asked to have a video that showed how I worked and it just became a regular thing.”

“And you are writing a video game?”

“Yes, my third proper one. I’ve been working on it for more than two years now and I’m getting to the point where it is coming together.”

“I still don’t understand what people get from watching someone else work,” Joseph mutters. “Also, I don’t know what you’re going to do with all these crisps?”

“Well, I’m a terrible snacker when I stream. If you really want to know what the stream is like, then you will have to watch it yourself.”

At this, Joseph seems to give up on the subject and simply picks up one of my shopping bags and leads me back to the car.

I’m acutely aware of the time zone I’m in for this, as it means I need to start a little early and am likely to get a very late night. I’ve a couple of energy drinks for later if I need them. A sharp burst of caffeine can solve almost any problem. Even being an hour or so ahead of my usual streaming times, I’m greeted by a gaggle of regular watchers waiting for the stream to start.

For the first hour or so, the questions in the chat are primarily all about where I’ve been and what I’m up to. My regulars all know that I’m a support manager, but they don’t know who I work for. I take the time to explain that I’ve been sent to Africa on an assignment and have been settling in. As so many of my supporters are based in the US or Europe, there’s a lot of questions that all simplify down to “What’s it like?”

I have to be honest and tell them that I really haven’t been here for long enough to even begin to understand just how different it is. So far, all I have been able to see are the similarities and some of the surface differences.

Then, of course, the inevitable wildlife questions begin to appear. “Have you been chased by a lion yet?” someone asks in what appears to be a serious tone.

Chat inevitably blows up. They’re an accepting bunch as a rule, but they really don’t suffer fools. Still, there’s no reason for them to be quite as harsh as they seem to want and I have to step in to calm them down.

“No, You don’t get chased by them,” I tell the chat. “Still, if you’re lucky, you do get to see them. The National Park fence is little more than a kilometre from where I’m sitting now.”

“So you’ve seen a lion?” someone asks.

“I have. My driver took me to the National Park here in Nairobi last weekend. It was incredible. Here, I’ll show a few pictures and we can then get back to work.”

Half-a-dozen photos later and the chat is even more animated. The leopard is the one that pushes them over the edge into absolute chaos, however. I think I know how they feel.

It’s Erik who throws the spanner into the works. “Hey, wouldn’t it be great to incorporate some of this into the game?” he asks innocently enough.

“What? How?” I ask as I read his comment.

This sets the chat off in a totally different direction, telling me what they’d do to integrate an African-themed section into the current framework. Before I have a chance to say anything to slow them down, the chat is being inundated with asset images from my usual collaborators.

“Slow down guys,” is all I can manage for a minute while I just sit and read the chat as it scrolls by at speed. In truth, I’ve been looking for something to tie the third act of the story together and this might just be the solution I’ve been unable to find so far.

Does it fit with the story? I’m not quite sure, but then I’m in charge of the story and can easily make changes to allow it to fit. It’s a great way to introduce a graphically unique set of levels into the final product and the chat seem to be up for the challenge.

“I’ll need to think about it guys,” I tell them as it approaches midnight in Africa. “I have to go to bed now, as I have work in the morning and it is late here.”

“Get out there and get more photos,” PeteQ, one of my regular illustrators suggests as the chat goes a little quieter as people disconnect. “Let us have real scenery to work with.”

“Maybe,” I agree. “If I can find the time.”

“Go to Amboseli,” a new viewer with the handle ‘JoseM’ suggests.

“Ooh, yes!” PeteQ agrees as the chat shuts down and I go offline. Well, that was a little odd.

Sleep comes with some difficulty after the excitement of the stream. Normally, I find the process relaxing and restful, usually settling down quickly once the camera has been turned off. Tonight, however, my mind is buzzing with the possibilities that have been suggested. What had long been a difficult search for that final third of my game’s story could have just found an unlikely solution. Then, there’s that lingering thought that I know exactly who ‘JoseM’ might be.

It almost always seems like I’m the only one of the usual passengers that need to do any grocery shopping. I know that Marie and Anders both tend to eat in the restaurant most of the time, but it’s really not for me. So, again, it is just me and Joseph heading to the mall after we have dropped the others off at the compound.

“That was you on my stream the other day, wasn’t it?” I ask as we drive back towards the main highway.

“It seemed very interesting. I didn’t understand what you were doing, but all the others who were watching seemed so involved,” Joseph tells me.

“What is at Amboseli?” I ask him.

“Kilimanjaro,” he replies simply.

“Kili… Oh, the mountain?”

“Yes. If a person is lucky, then they might see the mountain.”

“Is it far? How easy is it to get there?”

“It is about 200km. Not really a place to go and come back the same day.” Joseph seems to pause and concentrate on his driving for a moment as we reach the junction and head out onto the highway. “There are many lodges for tourists, but they are expensive.”

“We might have different ideas about what is expensive, Joseph,” I remind him. “If we had a place to stay, we could go?” I’m actually quite excited about the possibility. They have elephants in Amboseli and I’ve still not seen one in the wild. Anyway, I have the excuse that my graphics people need inspiration and a normal, quiet weekend looms large.

Even before we have reached the mall and parked the car, I’m searching the internet. The possibilities seem endless, but we’re potentially leaving this sort of thing far too late. Shockingly, however, some of these places are linked on the major travel websites and there is availability. I was right about Joseph’s assessment. The prices were no more than I expected for a good tourist hotel anywhere, but it would seem very expensive to most locals.

“Could we go tomorrow?” I ask as the car stops and Joseph begins to get out of the driver’s seat.

“What? Go where?”

“To Amboseli?” I ask innocently.

“I… We would have to stay the night. I said it is too far to drive back, particularly in the dark,” he says, clearly taken aback.

“But you are free to drive me and there is a car available?”

“Yes, but…”

“Booked then,” I tell him with a grin as I get out of my side of the car. “We now have a room for tomorrow night at the Sopa lodge near Amboseli.”

“A room?”

“Well, I’m not paying for two rooms and it is a twin. I’m not asking you to share a bed with me, you know!”

Joseph just remains silent at this, not sure, apparently, what to say in response. He is silent all the way into the supermarket.

“Well,” I tell him as we grab a shopping cart, “I don’t need as much food if I’m going to be away for the night tomorrow.”

“Are you sure we are going to do this?” Joseph asks.

“Positive. I’ve booked the room now and there’s no way to get the money back.”