Saturday, July 4, 2015

All drive, no direction.

There are only so many times one can reinvent a project.  This week I've gone through the plethora of ideas that I've been working on - to some degree - over the past year and made a big list.

Board games, apps, video games, short graphic novels, books.  You name it.  If I've been giving it some love and attention over the past year - however little - I've listed it and I'm starting to work through that list and spend a little more time on the projects as I am able.

The plan that I tend to go to most frequently is the one that sees me work on any of the projects as I'm inspired.  This can be an effective way to work, since I won't get burned out on any one project.

As the summer is coming in hard and temperatures are not favourable to little ol' Brit me, I'm going to be spending a little more time inside and, therefore, closer to the projects that I have cooking.  It's a 6-burner stove with a few oven racks, a two-pot slow cooker and a microwave that I'm cooking with right now, with everything taking its own time to simmer, bake, broil, fry and boil.  It's a fun kitchen and everything is going to be presented once it's safe to serve.  For now, I'll keep you posted with the progress and some pictures; and I'll tell you about the projects in more detail when they're ready to be pitched and sent away to big, scary companies.  I'll post about some aspects of the ideas so that I can have a record here about what it is I have on the go.  I'm excited.

I'm really pushing to move on with some projects and although it's still a challenge to find that time to dedicate to working like this, my wifey is super supportive and I'm very much looking forward to the workload that I'm wanting to undertake.

So for today, here's a picture from the initial stages of an app. that I'm designing.  I'll be writing the mechanics and the background work, I'll be designing the characters, levels, game progression and all the add-ons/props.  Once it's in a state that I can present the idea to someone who can take it further, that's what the plan will be.



Cricket fighting is a big, old Chinese pastime - a lot of money is spent on it every year.  It's not a fight to the death, but rather a fight that is stopped once one of the crickets backs down; whether that's by stopping chirping, avoiding contact with the other cricket or getting throw out of the little pit by the other cricket.  It very rarely ends in the injury of any of the crickets.

They're fed special diets and kept alone in their own clay pots.  Pedigrees are bred by experienced breeders but a lot of common fighting crickets are sold in the marketplaces.

There are eight groups of crickets in the U.S that I'm focusing on; Field, Ground, Ant, Sword-Tailed, Tree, Bush, Scaly and Mole crickets.  Each of them will have their own strengths and each one will have their own specific special skill.

Additional characters will be added based on some other crickets and katydids, but the focus right now are the basic 8.

It's a bit of fun that I hope will go somewhere.  I'm drawing everything out and making a brief overview and pitch for the game.  It's going to be great!

I'll keep the updates here, as well as the updates for the other projects that I'm working through.

It feels good.

Oh - Happy July 4th!  We're not really doing anything, but I had a three-day weekend, which was nice.

Peace.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

April.

April is a huge month. It's Little Man's birthday - he turns one - and it's my dear, lovely wifey's birthday - she's not going to be one.

As an update, my job is going well and I'm still drawing as much as I can.

I actually post quite a lot on Instagram - oddreference is my name there, if you're interested. Game design progress, nature bits and family things are all 'grammed (I think that's how those kids say it).

As for here, my dream is to get back on when we have a computer. It has slowly risen to the higher points of our priority list now, so it will happen as soon as we can make it happen. Until then, it's sporadic and brief, but I still love you and appreciate you taking the time to read and stop by here. 

To sign off, here's a fish I caught.


Huge.

Peace.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Maybe an excuse...

Hey.

So these are three pictures from December:


Empty lab tubes.  Not the first lot taken.  Definitely not the last.



More labs.  This was when I was in the hospital.  Still not the last taken.  At all.



My big fat arm from 6 days of IV.  It's gone down now, but my legs seem to have swollen instead.

Yea.  I've been pretty sick this month.  It's been a sucky Christmas, but presents - fortunately - have never been the meaning of Christmas to me or my family.  To celebrate what is such a completely new way of looking at and experiencing God - as a Man on Earth - is a joy to do. 
it's not confined to the one day a year, but it's something that my family and I get to celebrate in every day.  It's amazing.

Even though being in the hospital for a week was rubbish.

Still getting back on track; I'm not feeling great and I'm seeing the doctor again in a few days.  I can't wait to be better.

Bed time.

Peace.