Project: Story Explorer
When I was a kid I loved reading the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, often thinking about writing my own. I had a little time a few years ago, so I decided I'd make a website for that.
Production
I began by planning out on paper how it would work. I produced lists of screens and features, then wireframes, then photoshop mockups. The mockups became HTML & CSS templates, then I began building the app on CodeIgniter, before testing and deploying to an Ubuntu VPS.
Funding
With the core features in place, the project really felt great. I had some other features in mind, but my free time was running out. I put together a crowd-funding campaign in an attempt to fund further full-time development, though it was ultimately un-successful. I learnt a great deal from the experience though, and Story Explorer remains online for people to enjoy today.