Unbelievably Tired

My brain is really fuzzy right now; there is a good chance I may fall asleep as I type this, so please bear with me and my strange, winding train of thought.

Today marks the end of week 7 of term 4, next week will be our final week before term 5, where we go blasting off into the exciting realm of our final project.  This past week or so has given me a taste of what it is going to be like for the next four months; sleep deprivation, strict deadlines to meet, coordinating and working within a group as everyone's rushing around like chickens with their heads cut off.

I cannot wait for this insanity to begin.

As stressful as it may be, it is also an incredible learning experience and one crazy ride, one I thoroughly hope to enjoy.  Our first landmark we need to hit is a small, playable version of our game (nothing fancy, only the basic features and simple blocks comprising most of it) which will help us work out very quickly what problems we may have when it comes to gameplay experience, the idea is that if it is fun to play as an incomplete game with blocks acting as substitutes for all the shiny graphics, then we're on the right track.

Speaking of gameplay, though I've mentioned that my final project is going to be a collaboration with my fellow future Game Design students to create a game, I believe I have yet to actually mention what said game will be about.

The working title for our game is FPSSCRG, which stands for First Person Shooter Survival Comedy Racing Game.  Think Dead Rising meets Resident Evil meets Mario Kart and you start to get an idea of how ridiculous our game is going to be.  The main point of the game will be to move around a racetrack, killing zombies and completing laps.  As you play the number of zombies increases, making it harder and harder to complete laps quickly and survive (yet another goal of yours).  Killing zombies and completing laps quickly nets you points towards your score, the ultimate goal being to get your score as high as possible.  As you move around the track there will be powerups which you can collect to more effectively kill zombies and complete laps.

Yes, we are absolutely insane, but if we an pull off combining all these disparate elements into a smooth, irreverent, hilarious gameplay experience, well....

well...

...well my brain is fuzzy as mentioned earlier, but the words EPIC WIN come to mind.

Anyways, I shall talk more on that at a later date when my mind is in a more coherent state.  Onto other things...

Today my Life Drawing class had it's exhibition, throughout term 4 everyone had to go and create an individual piece of artwork that somehow related to life drawing, with the end result being showcased towards the end of term.  For my project, I chose to take an idea that I had many months ago at one of VFS' drawing parties (Font Licker, back in term 1 or 2 I believe) and develop it further.  Basically the original concept was to take my classmates names and replace the first letter with an animal mimicking the shape of the letter.  For this revamp, I decided to impose stricter rules on myself:

1.  Must do everyone's name
2.  First letter must be some sort of myth or folklore
3.  Myth/folktale used must begin with the same letter as the person's name

So began many weeks of scouring the internet and my book of mythology for figures, stories, places, creatures that suited each classmate to some degree, sketching long into the night, and discovering that my class has a highly disproportionate number of 'J' and 'M' names....

All in all, I'm more or less pleased with how they all came out.  I had to pull an all nighter the day before the exhibition to get them all done in time, but it was worth it.  The artworks we shown as a digital slideshow projected onto a wall, and it was nice seeing them up there, nice and shiny and done!  Finally done!  My gosh, so much work!  I nearly bit off more than I could chew with this project considering there are 29 other students in my class!

If you want to take a look at all the completed names, I have them up in an album on Facebook here.

In other news, Dragon Age II is coming out next month and I cannot wait.  I absolutely adored Dragon Age Origins, and while I have yet to sink my teeth into the copy of Dragon Age Awakenings I got for Christmas, I have high hopes for it.  It may be a while before I get a chance to play it, but I am still eagerly awaiting it's release date.

One issue I do have with Dragon Age II so far, however, is the lack of promotional material featuring the female version of the protagonist.  Normally I'm pretty forgiving about this sort of thing but.... from all the promotional stuff, you'd think you can't play as a girl at all.  For Male Hawke we have numerous screenshots, kickass videos, in game footage, promotional artwork, an iconic piece of artwork in which he is walking towards the viewer with the Dragon Age blood dragon rising behind him; what do we get for Lady Hawke?  a few screenshots, you can find a small clip of gameplay footage online if you look, but that's about it.

Seriously?  Release date only weeks away and that's all we've got?  I mean, I'm not expecting a beautiful cinematic trailed featuring Lady Hawke-- they did one for Male Hawk, sure, but those things are costly and time consuming to make, I don't really expect them to make two of them just to please everyone.  I'm perfectly happy watching Male Hawke be all around kickass and accepting 'that will be my character'-- but... not even one trailer with maybe some mixed gameplay footage?  No?  Okay, just a little bit of promotional artwork then?  No?  Maybe just some concept art?  I'm not asking for much here, just a little bit of validation.  Heck, I'd be content if they did a version of this iconic piece of promo material featuring Lady Hawke.  Yet nothing, or at least nothing that I've found.

Perhaps I'm nitpicking a bit.... but with so much out there showing how awesome and cool Hawke is in his male incarnation, it would be nice to have female Hawke be acknowledged just a little as well.

Well enough with the depressing stuff, while I am waiting for Dragon Age II to come out, and wishing I had the free time to actually sit down and get start on Awakenings, I have been able to get my Dragon Age fix through a certain closed beta on facebook...  Many thanks to my friend who gave me one of his beta keys were he got an invite.  It's something I can sit down and play for a little bit when I have a spare moment and just need to relax for a bit, so I can get my gaming fix without having to sift through my games for something that doesn't require hours of investment (I have a bias towards long, cinematic games as opposed to casual ones...)

I should probably wrap this up... but first.

Freaky 13 was edited and screened in class; it was far from perfect, but it was a wonderful learning experience and we got some great feedback from our teacher on how to improve it.  Our group's director is re-editing it with the feedback we were given in the hopes of making a stronger portfolio piece for himself.

Though our blood effects were pretty good if I do say so myself :P

I think that's about it for this post, there's so much more I could write about, but I'll save that for next time.

Sleeeeeeeep

I am so absoultly tired, I can't believe it.  If my train of thought seems to go crashing off the tracks more than usual in this post, blame it on sleep deprivation.  Ah well, it's good practice for my next 2 terms.

This past weekend my freaky 13 group filmed, my apartment was taken over by lighting equipment and we splattered fake blood all over my kitchen floor, ordered pizza and pulled out a large amount of our own hair trying to figure out how to light in the tiny space that makes up my kitchen and bathroom.  It was great fun, but also very exhausting and frustrating at times.  Now we're into post production, I hope everything turns out nicely :)  But shooting late into the night, then getting up early for work, then heading straight home to continue shooting.... very tiring.  I have some homework I should work on, but right now I think I'm just going to update my homework list, work out my priorities for what I should work on when and hit the hay, give myself one day of rest before jumping back into work.

Today my final project group had a meeting with a member of the game design staff about our game, he was very helpful and nice, and brought in the level design teacher (whose level design sample class I attended at the game design expo) to speak with us a little bit.  He even talked to me a little bit about the scholarships I am applying for and wished me luck.  I also wound up getting a third letter of reference from the program manager of Foundations, I expressed some worry about giving the scholarship committees more than they ask for, as I know they have a lot of applications to go through and I don't want to take up their time, but he told me not to worry about that.  All this just makes me even more determined to find some way to pay my tuition, I will figure something out.

After the talk with the game design staff we headed back to school, popped into the coffee shop and met up with a member of our group who couldn't make it to the meeting, we filled him in on what we had talked about.  After that I wound up spending a good chunk of time sketching out some really rough concept art for a personal project of his, which was quite fun, looks like I don't have to worry anymore about my drawing skills stagnating.

Well, I think I'm going to end this post here, I should probably get some rest, tomorrow will be another busy day.

Game Design!

Well it looks like I'll get my wish for sketching more often, for my final project I'm teaming up with several classmates to make a game, and I'll be doing a large amount of the concept artwork :D

Farewell sleep, I will miss you during the next few months...

Anyhoo, school is crazy busy right now, besides planning out the final project, I am the production manager for my Freaky 13 group (paperwork, paperwork, paperwork) I have to make a short video with my group for Art and Creativity (which will hopefully be filmed this Friday) I have my life drawing project which keeps getting pushed down on my priority list, I have two 3 page scripts of dialogue due for writing that I need to do (also a group thing BTW) as well as my final script for writing, and I also need to work on my elevator pitch for our Final Project class (way down on my priority list as well....)

I also need to figure things out when it comes to the student loan I'm applying for, and the 2 scholarships I'm applying for.  Meep!  Yet more paperwork >.<

I'm really hoping to get the Women in Games scholarship, it would pay my entire tuition for game design, which would be a load off my mind.  But for the scholarships I need to get 2 letters of reference (I asked 2 of my instructors and they both agreed, which I'm really thankful for) do a synopsis for a game I am passionate about making, and write an open letter explaining why I deserve the scholarship.  I've picked which game idea I'm going with, I just need to flesh it out now, and I have a wordpad document full of brain vomit relating to the letter.  I'm really glad I'm in my Final Project and Career Orientations classes right now, because the things they've taught us about industry expectations and making yourself stand out are really helping, I'm trying to take it all to heart and make my open letter the best it can be.

This past weekend I attended the Game Design Expo with a few friends, it was amazing and I'm so glad I got to go.  I was originally only going to attend the free open house on Sunday, however I wound up getting to go to the Industry Speaker Day of Saturday thanks to a friend :D  I missed the first half because I had to work, but the few talks I got to attend were great, they were very informative and fun.  after the talks there was time to meet and talk with other people attending the event, I just wanted to hide though D:  But we wound up meeting a girl who's going to be in our Game Design class for June.  She fit right into our little group and she wound up hanging out with us for the rest of the weekend and giving input into the game we're making for our final.  Turns out she's my competition for the Women in Games scholarship, but that's okay, I hope one of us wins it :)

On Sunday they announced the Women in Games scholarship, we both picked up the forms and asked our questions.  Then we got to sit in on a few classes, we missed out on the flash gaming class, but the other classes we attended were great.  There were prizes, none of which I won, but my friends won things, including several copies of Halo Reach and some angry birds plushies.  I took a ton of notes and we threw ideas around for our game in between classes, we also met up at a Starbucks afterward and discussed it more.

All in all it was a great weekend.  There were also things scheduled on Friday, however I could not attend as I unfortunately had a class.... :(

Well, I think that's about all for this post, so until later :P

Sketching is Required...

I'm not drawing as much as I used to as of late.  School, homework, and just plain old work take up most of my time, and when I do have down time I'm not spending it sketching, I'm usually watching videos and goofing around on the internet or playing video games.

The most I seem to be stretching my drawing muscles is when I doodle on my notes in class, which is fun and useful but it's really not cutting it...  hopefully my Life Drawing project will change this a little bit like Discovery did last term, but I feel like it's not enough.  I'm seriously considering taking the Sketch a Day challenge; I mean, I have this blog right here that can easily be converted into a sketch blog, but I worry a bit I won't stick with it.

What I really want to do is a nice, shiny, completed artwork, but daily sketches would really be much more beneficial.

blahblahblahrantranrant

Anyhoo, another link!  A wonderful little comic called: Knite

I love the style of this comic and the message, it's about a boy in china who flies kites with lights attached to try to put the stars back in the night sky, as the air is so polluted the stars cannot be seen.  Once again I love the use of colour and it makes me fret about my own shortcomings in this area (but in a good way).  It currently has 3 chapters and 2 Omakes.  It is done as a flash file with some slight animation, which gives it a very cinematic feel, so awesome!

And the Disconnected Number I Still Call...

Here are some of my most favourite poems.

First, my favourite poet: Shane Koyczan.  He is a spoken word artist, so it's better to hear him perform the poems, my personal favourite of his is Atlantis:



Others that I like though are Move Pen Move (it starts out with another poem, so wait until after the lady reciting “Divine Sonnet X”/"Death be not Proud") and The Crickets Have Arthritis.  Both are rather sad though, so be warned if you don't like bittersweet poems.

This one I discovered recently, it's called "Long Distance II" by Tony Harrison:

Though my mother was already two years dead
Dad kept her slippers warming by the gas,
put hot water bottles her side of the bed
and still went to renew her transport pass.

You couldn't just drop in. You had to phone.
He'd put you off an hour to give him time
to clear away her things and look alone
as though his still raw love were such a crime.

He couldn't risk my blight of disbelief
though sure that very soon he'd hear her key
scrape in the rusted lock and end his grief.
He knew she'd just popped out to get the tea.

I believe life ends with death, and that is all.
You haven't both gone shopping; just the same,
in my new black leather phone book there's your name
and the disconnected number I still call.

The final stanza is my favourite.

And finally, this one is my absolute favourite for a long time, "The Old Astronomer to his Pupil" by Sarah Williams:

Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
We are working to completion, working on from then to now.

Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
And the obliquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.

But, my pupil, as my pupil you have learned the worth of scorn,
You have laughed with me at pity, we have joyed to be forlorn,
What for us are all distractions of men's fellowship and wiles;
What for us the Goddess Pleasure with her meretricious smiles.

You may tell that German College that their honor comes too late,
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly savant's fate.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

What, my boy, you are not weeping? You should save your eyes for sight;
You will need them, mine observer, yet for many another night.
I leave none but you, my pupil, unto whom my plans are known.
You "have none but me," you murmur, and I "leave you quite alone"?

Well then, kiss me, -- since my mother left her blessing on my brow,
There has been a something wanting in my nature until now;
I can dimly comprehend it, -- that I might have been more kind,
Might have cherished you more wisely, as the one I leave behind.

I "have never failed in kindness"? No, we lived too high for strife,
Calmest coldness was the error which has crept into our life;
But your spirit is untainted, I can dedicate you still
To the service of our science: you will further it? you will!

There are certain calculations I should like to make with you,
To be sure that your deductions will be logical and true;
And remember, "Patience, Patience," is the watchword of a sage,
Not to-day nor yet to-morrow can complete a perfect age.

I have sown, like Tycho Brahe, that a greater man may reap;
But if none should do my reaping, 'twill disturb me in my sleep
So be careful and be faithful, though, like me, you leave no name;
See, my boy, that nothing turn you to the mere pursuit of fame.

I must say Good-bye, my pupil, for I cannot longer speak;
Draw the curtain back for Venus, ere my vision grows too weak:
It is strange the pearly planet should look red as fiery Mars,
God will mercifully guide me on my way amongst the stars.

My favourite lines are "Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

Extra Credits

Wonderful little videos relating to the game industry and game design:  Extra Credits

They raise some wonderful points, this one is particularly interesting, it looks at game design as a whole and what it takes to be a good designer.  I also like their thoughts on choice in games.

I have my first Maya class today!  Wheeee!  3d work!  These are entirely new waters for me, happy happy!

Happy New Year!!!

Whoooo!  2011!!!

Time to bid a fond farewell to 2010, it was greater than I could have ever hoped.  I hope that 2011 will be even better, it has certainly started off wonderfully with good company and wisdom from friends.

If I can get everything figured out for Game Design, this may just be the best year of my life yet :)