Special thanks

Hooray! My games have been announced! I just wanted to do a quick post with some links of screen shots and videos. It's always quite exciting to see a little bit of buzz at the end of a project. It almost makes me forget all the crud the team had to go through to get this stuff done... Almost!

Well, we're not out of the woods yet, there's still a few more things needed to be done to tidy everything up. But for now, it's cool for once to see the game screens on something other than my dev kit.

Maybe later on when these games are actually out the door and downloadable, I'll start posting up some of the character designs and pre-production stuff I did. For now work your way over these links:

Commando 3: Wolf of the Battlefield

http://www.gamespot.com/video/943724/6187647/wolf-of-the-battlefield-commando-3-official-trailer-1

http://kotaku.com/367289/gallery-wolf-of-the-battlefield-commando-3

1942: Joint Strike

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/188546.html

http://kotaku.com/367292/gallery-1942-joint-strike

There are a lot of factors that went into going into this game and a lot of unknown things to plan for, everygame does. Anyway, the more I look at these two games (Commando and 1942) and how they were able to come together, the more thankful I become to God. I've been blown away by how many 'coincidences' fell into place to get these games pumped out in such an excruciatingly small amount of time. It's absolutely impossible! These games are a testimony and a milestone to me of God's amazing hand.

The sad part of it all is I couldn't even include God as a special thanks into the credits. I guess it's policy not to have religion in the credits. The credits! In our own personal thanks! I couldn't even do that. Can you imagine that? I remember being able to do it a few years back, but nowadays it seems people are getting touchy over who other people wish to thank! Amazing. Will wonders never cease. Sigh.

Well, I still have my Blog, so this posting is a giant special thanks to my God. Definitely without whom I would have utterly gone insane and turned into a sniffling, crying ball of flesh during the course of these projects (moreso than now)! Thanks for His guiding hand and assuring me everything will be okay, even when I was so highly strung and stressed.

My biggest shame is that I let these games overtake my life, and ignore everything else, even Him. But my biggest joy is in knowing that even though I did that He never turned His back on me, He was always there.

If this kind of praise offends you, what can I say? It's the truth and this is my Blog. You can find your "politically correct" views in any number TV shows, websites, magazines and so on these days. And you know what? You can find it in the special thanks section of video game credits too.

But here? I get to praise Him. I mean it when I say it old-school: Thanks be to God! Good day, and God Bless. Until my next post!

Back to my comic - Part 1 googleplex

Things are looking pretty good; my Commando 3 project at work is finally starting to wrap up, the sun's is shining amazingly and I've been getting some good nights of sleep. It's time for me to get back to doing what I love the best: comics!

Sadly though, I seem to always have a bunch of postings that are exactly like this. I work on my comic book, some big thing totally gets me off track, and come back to it again (and have a hard time doing it). I keep trapping myself in this artistically unhealthy pattern of start and stop. I really need to be more consistent with setting aside drawing time for myself. Anyway, for now my schedule's back to normal. And checking in on my comic after half a year or so reveals this: I haven't done anything. Nada, zip, zilch. I suck.

So, to kick start my return, I did two very expensive things: 1) buy a smokin' new computer and 2) buy a 20 inch Cintique. Now, while this has lead me to live like a miser and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches three meals in a row (okay maybe just two!), I have to say it's definitely eased me back into comics creation quite painlessly. What can I say? The Cintique rocks!

To warm me back up to my comic book I drew a little pin-up of my character:


Yep. I think she's noticed that I've been gone too. I'm a little wobbly with my line work, but with some practice I think I can do my second issue all digital. Anyway, I'm back! And I'm setting a new deadline for myself! Again! Here it is: My comic book totally finished by the end of this year! From colors to letters to a brand spankin' new cover! Bring it on! ...and gulp!
And before I leave, I thought I might post a totally random (and yet awesome) picture a friend of mine took awhile ago when the Osamu Tezuka exhibition came to town.

I have to admit, I look like a total doof in the picture, but considering I'm high fiving Astro boy, my nerdness is quite appropriate. If I can even channel a fraction of Tezuka's energy into my comic book I think I'd be very happy! Alright, I'm out for now! Good night and God bless you. Easter is coming!