What’s this “One Duck Theory” all about?
The “One Duck Theory” is probably best described as a template for living a good life. It can be regarded as a philosophical or spiritual concept, and happens to also be the main guiding principle for this company, One Duck Theory LLC, which has been named in its honor.
The “One Duck Theory” is based on a simple observation in nature that ducklings always follow their mother duck. This mother duck is the “One Duck” of “One Duck Theory.” When this “One Duck” moves, all the other ducks line up neatly behind her. There is no need to chase individual ducks if you just follow the “One Duck.”
The “One Duck” of “One Duck Theory” is a metaphor for a higher purpose, a higher power, or whatever you wish to conceptualize as a principle guiding force. The other ducks, or ducklings, represent everything else in life – your home, your car, your job, and even your relationships with other people. If you chase after any individual duckling too much, the others tend to fall off the radar and harmony can be elusive.
However, if you focus on the “One Duck” or nurture a relationship with the “One Duck,” then everything else tends to fall into place. Following the “One Duck Theory” could mean just about anything. You could adhere to a set of sound philosophical principles if you happen to be agnostic/atheist, pray/meditate if your “One Duck” happens to be God, pursue happiness/altruism/truth/etc., or focus on something else entirely! The “One Duck Theory” offers a great deal of freedom and flexibility. The main idea is to simply follow that “One Duck” in whatever form makes sense to you.
The next time you’re trying to get your ducks in a row, it may help to remember the One Duck Theory 🦆🙂
Cool, but what’s the story behind “One Duck Theory LLC” then?
One Duck Theory LLC was founded in 2020 by me, Christian Muhler.
I’m an indie developer who’s been creating games as a hobby since childhood. I created my first “games” back in the 90’s in a small computer lab with MS Paint and PowerPoint. By the time I reached high school, I had discovered programming and started creating prototypes for “real” games. One of my early games was a 3D version of “Slime Volleyball,” a popular flash game at the time. A small UK company called “The Game Creators” (TGC) had really ignited my passion for coding with their product, DarkBASIC. In fact, two decades later, I’m still using software from this same company. I owe much to TGC and their amazing support of indie game dev.
I learned about additional programming languages in college, including getting some exposure to Java and C++. However, my focus had shifted more towards math and physics. In 2008, I graduated with a BS in Engineering Physics and ended up starting a career in IT. I have always been passionate about technology, so this felt like a logical course.
I lived a rather turbulent existence for some time after graduation, but through it all, I continued creating prototypes for games. Game design has been a kind of bedrock for my sanity regardless of the circumstances of life. I also found solace while learning to play musical instruments (esp. bass guitar, but also bagpipes and others), experimenting with a variety of 2D/3D artistic software, and gaining experience with a wide variety of IT systems and cybersecurity practices over the years. Besides providing a meditative escape, these pursuits have also proven invaluable when starting a software development company. I was also introduced to an esoteric concept called “One Duck Theory” by some friends years ago, and it has been transformative.
In December of 2019, I made the extremely difficult decision to leave my job – it was a small IT consulting company that felt like a family and I had the opportunity to learn a great deal during my 7 years working there. It was a gut-wrenching decision to go, but I have since continued on my indie developer quest full-throttle. It has been my dream since childhood to publish a finished game.
Thus, One Duck Theory LLC was formed and named after its guiding principle. The company mission, however, is to make fully original games to give the world something brand new to play! Whether it’s adding new dimensions, combining elements to form a new whole (like Sudowords, a fusion of Sudoku and Crosswords), or creating a completely new genre/experience, every game from One Duck Theory should always be a fresh and entertaining experience.
I hope these games are as much fun to play as they’ve been to create!
Christian Muhler
President / CEO
One Duck Theory LLC