Getting my read on. . .

MAN it has been forever since I have read any comics. I picked up Wolverine: Origin and the Marvel Zombies paperback bound collections. I may have to go back for more since I have been out of the loop for a while. I have to say it has been motivating me to get my draw on again.

From Blogger Pictures

I had a fairly good Christmas and Birthday here in sunny southern California. I can't say I am looking forward to going back to 17 degrees, but I am looking forward to a new year. I always try to look at every new year as a chance to label it as a year of _____. Change, winning, losing weight, etc. I try not to go with the usual trite resolutions but instead aim for something big. . . and I usually don't tell people what that something is either. I am far from a superstitious individual, but the two superstitions I hold onto firmly, are as follows:

1. Never get anything tattoo'd on you that you want to happen.
Take for example gentlemen who receive a tattoo of their spouses name and then "Forever". You know that crap ain't gonna last.

2. Never tell large amounts of people what you REALLY REALLY want to happen. Through the science of superstition, I have discovered that indeed your plans will be thwarted if you tell everyone want you want to happen. I still have yet to see a Viking, a Velociraptor and Uncle Jessie from Full House fight to the death on the moon. Why? Because I told everyone about it.

Case in point. . . I am not saying what the goal of the year is kids. That is for me to fight for and you to find out. :D

I also finally got around to picking up the new Unearth album for 70% off retail price. (Downloading is again taking the life of another retailer's hopes of making money. Virgin Mega Store, we hardly knew ye.) It is a fairly solid metal album, but I am bummed the last drummer left the band because he was a drumming phenom. If you want some music that makes you feel like you are a 12th century lord, battling back hordes of chain-mail clad invaders riding on horseback, go pick this puppy up. In fact if you don't want to use a mourning star to bash in skulls after listening to this stuff, I would be surprised.

I'll be back in SLC in about six days. I never thought I'd miss 55 degree weather.

For the love of the game.

You know there are musicians out there who get paid loads of money. Butt-loads of money. Some may even say "Shloads." Some of them do it because they want to have said "shloads" of money but others do it because they love playing music. Playing in crap clubs with one or two people in the venue who aren't even listening to a note they are playing doesn't deter them because it is that momment that pushes them to create. It ain't the fame, the money or anything else that drives them it is their love instruments and the process of creation.

That's pretty much me, but substitute that music part with cool crap to do in a video game that makes people go "Did that shit just happen? Hell yeah!" Then insert a 1980's fist pump for good measure.

I feel pretty lucky that I have a job where one of my main goals is to have people say "That is pretty cool" after interacting with something I created. Even if it means I have to suffer with a lack of funds in the meantime. One day, when this all passes, and I can be a part of something that really hits a creative chord with gamers, I will look back on this and think it was all worth it. The stress. The agony. The patience. The drive. The hours. All worth it.

Until that day comes though, I will stay in the lab. Working on my many Frankensteins to unleash on the world.

From Blogger Pictures

Fear Factor

I just read today Factor 5 just went under. I was just talking about them yesterday which means one of two things;

One: I am cursed and anything I talk about is destined to internally combust.
Two: The economy is indeed taking on taking a dump on the industry (and other industries), an economic Cleveland Steamer, if you will.

I am going with the second. Again Factor 5 going down all links back to Brash going under. For those not aware of that whole situation, Brash was backed by Goldman Sachs. Which, if you watch the news, was one of the companies to receive part of that Cleveland Steamer I was referring to earlier. As a result the investors at Goldman Sachs needed to cut their losses and the huge bankroll from the company, thus screwing hundreds of people. It's a damn shame really and I hope everyone at Factor 5 finds something quick.

Shifting Gears, I have to say that Gears of War 2 is one amazing game. The gameplay is still solid (although I have some issues I will go over in a second), the story is great, the music is fantastic and the scale is amazing. This is one of the few times where the hype actually lived up to the actual product. Although there are some problems that have bugged me since the first game. Why is the cover button the same as the jump button? I HATE it when I am trying to jump out of the way and I get sucked to a wall. "NO DAMN IT! GET OFF THE WALL!@!" Then BLAM! My head is popped like a pimple. The Y button doesn't do anything, use that for cover. My other problem is the chainsaw. Arguably one of the coolest weapons around right now, but the chainsaw bayonet is too random. The point of controls, is to control. In a game like Gears 2, the player needs to know it is their fault if they miss a shot. That is what drives people to keep playing and improve their skills. I would make the Chainsaw like the Mele attacks with the shotgun. This way it takes skill to hit the opposition, not luck. Aside from those minor complaints, the game is fan-freakin-tastic.

Anyway, stay up kids!

Blogs you say?

Well hello there. Thanks for checking out my blog. I know I am one of the few people on the Internet to have one of these bad boys, so I feel rather privileged. Apparently you can also simulate faces by using the parenthesis and colon keys. :) Amazing.

Well anyway thanks for reading. I will try to keep this up to date with my video game happenings, video game news, opinions and general what-have-you regarding video games. That's right, what-have-you.

I hope everyone in the industry is at least keeping their head above water, or at least breaching the surface with their noses. It has been pretty rough the past 4 months or so for lots of people who make games. I know for me personally this whole recession stuff has not been that great. The company I work at, Sensory Sweep Studios, got hit pretty hard with the collapse of Brash Entertainment. We did the Tale of Despereaux game, which was supposed to be published by Brash until they went under. After avoiding some payments they promptly went into bankruptcy after claiming they were not going to do so anytime soon. It was like Kurt Cobain's publicist telling everyone that he had not blown his head off with a shotgun, when in fact he was already dead. Thankfully Atari picked the game up and, except for the 360 version, at least it is on the shelves. Other Devs were not so lucky. I know Factor 5 for example took a huge hit from them as well. (They were the people behind Lair, by the way.) I heard rumors of them doing a Superman game which would have been a great title for a Developer like them to create. I know numerous other studios were working on projects with Brash as well and are still feeling the hit from their retracted payments. I just hope everyone can recover quickfully and as painlessly as possible. During the holidays it is especially tough to recover so, best of luck to everyone.

On a sidenote, when will the punisher get a good movie? I mean come on this guy has years of backstory and all he gets is a headbutt to the nose everytime they try to make a movie regarding Frank Castle. Like Dolf Lungren? Not exactly the best start. The key to a good punisher movie is obviously excessive violence, but having a story is the most important thing. Lionsgate maybe should have looked at how Iron Man or Hulk were being created and followed suit.

Well thanks again for checking this out and check back frequently as I will have updates and what-have-you.