The Future is Freedom but It’s Not 0 Dollars – Will You Help?

Over the last few days, I’ve been thinking about the future of this website and myself. Some things are clear to see and others depend on getting support from the community – both in terms of registrations and in a financial sense. In this post, I’ll talk about what the current plans are, what I am hoping the future can bring, and how you can help make that possible.

The Current State of Swagnilla Ice

This blog and community have under a year until the renewal comes up again. It has 2 members, over 500 blog posts, 3 products in the shop (two related to memberships), and some post in the forum. It has a quiet Discord server as well. The site does not run ads, but it does have a Ko-fi widget for tips. Right now, if the website were to be paid for on a month to month basis, I would seriously have to consider shutting it down and switching entirely to a Ko-fi based setup.

However, as you can see, I do have product categories that aren’t membership-based, and that is what I am basing part of the future of the website on: software and digital art available for a one-time purchase. Let me tell you about the newest product in the shop right now: Grand Slam Rolling!

Grand Slam Rolling – My First Game

I cannot claim Grand Slam Rolling as my first software overall, but it is my first game that I’ve created for sale. It’s a simple 2D dice baseball game that you can play on your Windows or Linux powered computer, either by yourself or against a friend. Watch the following video to learn more:

I hope that you will enjoy this game and consider supporting me as I continue to develop more software in the future.

What Do I See for a Future of The Site?

For the future of Swagnilla Ice, I see many members, many free and a few paid, but all willing to support me as I create family-friendly content and wanting to participate in a community that has that as its core value. I also can see adding an arcade, a classified board, a job board, a community events calendar, and other features that the community can use and enjoy together. If you know of a feature that you would like to see, feel free to suggest it either in the comments or in the dedicated forum for them. (Of course, you’ll have to become a member to do either one. 😉 )

Building this platform independently means that every single update, game, and feature is driven entirely by real connections rather than corporate algorithms or intrusive ad metrics. When you purchase a game like Grand Slam Rolling or choose to support the community through a membership, you aren’t just buying software or unlocking forum spaces—you are actively keeping this creative workshop alive and online.

Even doing something as simple as joining the site for free helps out, because the more active the community is, the more likely people are to consider supporting it financially. Without your help, I won’t be able to focus my time and efforts on creating new pieces of software – and I’ve got some great ideas for the future!

To be clear, I am not trying to build the next massive, fast-paced social network or flood your feeds with endless noise. I just want a genuine, quiet corner of the web where a community can grow organically around family-friendly content, thoughtful discussions, and fun digital projects.

I want Swagnilla Ice to grow into a welcoming digital home where creators, players, and thinkers can gather without the noise of the modern web. Whether you decide to grab a copy of the game today, drop your ideas for the community calendar in the comments, or simply stick around to watch the next project take shape, your presence here truly matters. Thank you for reading, thank you for believing in independent software, and here is to building a genuinely free and creative future together.