Ganymede105

So, basically, the reason I've seemingly disappeared off the face of the Earth is because I've been working on a fan-based Flash Game.

And actually, by "working", I don't mean making art...or programming...or even design. I mean just getting past all the legal stuff!

What legal stuff, you might ask?

Well, in terms of getting permission from the owners of the media that the game is based off, that's no problem. In fact, they openly encourage fan-based projects! So that's a plus.

The real thorn in the side is that I work at a game company. This means that any work I do on a game, whether it's official to that company or not, is going to belong to said company. It's simply in the employment contracts. Which means that if I want ownership of the game I'm trying to make, I have a lot of negotiation to do with the CEO and his attorneys. It means paperwork, laying out terms and conditions, signing agreements, and a whole bunch of other ugly stuff you normally don't think about when doing simple stuff like making a fun Flash game.

Things are further complicated by the fact that I'm writing new technology for this game that my company would obviously like to get their hands on. And then, of course, what about when I leave the company? Is stuff I make still going to be mine? Or will the company still nab it up because it was built using technology I developed while I was employed there.

So, you can see the big mess now. It's all fun legal stuff that comes with the territory of making hobbyist games while working at a game company. So, just a little insight to what I'm working on at the moment. All part of the fun of games!

Okay, so much for a few weeks.

Yes, we hit crunch time. Technically crunch time is still going, actually, but it's nearing an end. ( I hope... )

I'm over 50% done with my first picture. It's actually more ambitious than my portal pictures, but I have it down to a science now, and when I get going I'm able to work pretty fast.

Don't expect anything to come in the next month, though. As of this post, Portal 2 comes out in the morning, and I will be so busy "portalling" I will most likely forget all about my pictures for a while.

*picks cobwebs off photoshop*

Okay, so it's been a while since I've uploaded anything. Not that it matters or anything. Kinda been busy with my new job and everything.

So, I'm thinking about another "toons in a game" theme, much like my Fifi-in-Portal trilogy. This time, it's going to be Unreal. ( No, NOT Unreal Tournament. Believe it or not, there was another game that came BEFORE Unreal Tournament, called Unreal ).

So, basically, I'm going to put my favorite toon girls into the fight for their life on the planet Na Pali. This is gonna be fun! It's finally time for the girls to show off their badass side. Just wait til I get to the scene with the Titan...

I have ideas, but basically nothing is solidly planned yet. Probably 1 - 3 weeks for each picture, but that's assuming I don't have to work another 60 - 80 hour week. Yes, the game industry does that to us.

HUZZUH!

Yes, I have a job now. Nei, a CAREER! I am now officially being payed to do what I love to do.

And, just to make you all jealous, it was the first real job I seriously applied to. One Phone-interview, an Engineering Test, TWO In-Person Interviews, and an acceptance-call later, and I find myself in a nice cushy job.

What am I doing? I'll let you guess in the comments. (Anyone who guesses right gets a free pic!)

Every digital artist probably remembers their first tablet. Go ahead. Ask around DA. They probably all remember their the first time they used one.

This is my first one, and I'm hoping to start dishing out some slightly more complex artwork on here once it's in use. Most of my newer artwork isn't on here because it's all being sketched by hand (in an actual sketchbook, no less), but I'll be transferring my new skills to the computer pretty soon.

Sorry for not getting to your requests. Again, I've been busy with-

WAIT! I just remembered! I have an interview this week! Like, for an actual career! Well, okay, I KNEW about it all along. I just remembered it as I was typing this journal...it being off the main topic and everything. So, yeah. That's been keeping me busy. Getting a suit, going downtown to explore parking, etc, etc, etc...

We'll see where things go from here. In the mean time, everyone keep dishing out great art!