Update

Listening to: “A List for an Occasion” - Playlist; Skrillex, The Birthday Massacre, HIM, Black Keys

Eating: Salt and Vinegar chips

Drinking: Bottle of Water

Playing: The Darkness 2, King of Fighters

Watching: Battlestar Galactica, Scrubs

Mood: Anxious.

I’ve been playing a lot of King of Fighters lately. That’s been brought on by Rene and Mike more than any one else. Weird part is I have only played with them twice. It gave me a desire to bust out Capcom vs SNK 2, my favourite fighting game of all time. However, my PS3 is at my girlfriends parents house, so I haven’t been able to play it. Sadface.

Anyways, I just wrapped up the Darkness, and it felt great to have finished the game, even though it was short, the story was done (Penned by the long-time comic author). Playing a well told story like that reminds me why I so badly want to be a writer for my own stories told in interactive narrative. I was thinking for the last few weeks. I remember role playing online with a whole whackload of people, crafting characters and stories that STILL influence me today. Alicia is responsible for no fewer than 3 of my personal favourite characters from that time frame, and they in turn have influenced Astra and likely will forever, or until that story is done. And So I began writing a new.

The Re-write on Astra is rough. I’ve changed the POV of the story away from Darius and Knight, which is a way bigger change than I was expecting, Telling it from Bianca’s place switches it to a more clearly defined “New World” story. She has only heard about legends and myths from the past, she has no idea that the Mythical world is getting ready to burst into the realm of man again. Nor did she expect to have a role to play in it.

I also have the interesting task of writing for a female lead... I’m confident I can do it, but it’s not something I anticipated for the story I was apparently going to tell. it’s of little consequence over all. I want to do it, and this seems like it’ll be more fun.

What the hell have I been doing?

It’d be nice to say I’ve been writing. While that isn’t entirely untrue, it is by no means the primary thing I’ve been pouring my creativity into, no the main thing is painting. I have done better painting on the last 10-12 models I painted than I probably did in my entire year in BC and up until I painted these goobers...

But the desire to write has returned. Well, not desire... Drive? The drive to tell stories has returned. I’m working on a comic, it’s not huge, but I wanted to prepare for convention season and have something to sell. I’m just waiting on an artist who seemed eager, I may have to replace her though. Seems her life has gotten busy and she hasn’t been around. Can’t fault her for it, but I do want it ready for the end of march ideally.

I also am thinking long term for myself, and what steps I need to take to get to where I want to be in 10 years. I was thinking of getting a CompSci degree. That would allow me access to Game Programming, which would not only offer me a chance to further the studios goals, but also a chance to further my ideal goal of writing for Video Games (as writers are very rarely hired outside of the company). Also, it seems any bridging job requires I have a piece of paper saying I can do the job, regardless of whether or not I can actually do it. (I can, 90% 0f the time). So thats reason 2. Just somethings I am considering.

Bijoux Red is going well, the demo trailer should be up, and ideally, I want the game done by our first convention, that’s really up to my colleagues at this stage. I’ll do what I can to support them, but they are bearing the brunt of this, as they have been. Apparently there have been 58 Versions of the game. That blows me away. Even in script writing I only had about 10-12 versions, and each wasn’t really independent of each other.

After that there is some super secret things going on, sadly I can’t discuss them, due to the nature of it, I don’t want to jinx it, but It could be REALLY good for the studio and for me.

I’m going to try and Blog more. I say that a lot, but I honestly feel I need to, It helps me relieve some stress. Such as it is.

-j