A Very Bera Christmas

Yes, yes I know that this is extremely bera, but I have been at work over the last couple of days working. No, not non-stop I have taken breaks to spend Christmas time with the family and to see my friends and such (I even managed to squeeze a viewing of Yogi Bear in there somewhere, but that was more to get out of the Christmas heat than to watch the film) but yes, most of my time has been spent feverishly sketching animation frames and then inking, coloring and animating them.

I don't have too much experience with animation, but thankfully, we have the internet to teach me the basics, for run cycles and such, as well as lipsync. This time is interesting because I don't really have anyone to tell me if it's any good >_<

The last animation project I worked on (waaaay back when) was with Mr. Kaoskongo and thankfully I had his expert guidance behind my hand. And also his ability to annoy me by repeating Fat Boy Slims "Bird of Prey" while we were working. I cannot listen to that song nowadays without feeling a pang of stressful worry. Strange really, how we associate music with feelings, but there ya go.

Anyway, that's what Christmas was for me. Time spent mostly in the office, or sleeping.

And although it's late, I do wish all of a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Festival of the Dark Elder Gods of Frost.

Ka-Ding!

Mike gained another level yesterday (in terms of yeaaars) so the gang put their collective thinking caps on and we made him a card. And had dinner and beers and such, we're not that cheap :P

Mr. Kaoskongo is the man who made that awesome achievement bar, I drew the centaur. I could feel my inner furry trying to get out, but I punched him in the head so hopefully this doesn't awaken something in me.

Derezzed

Tron Legacy OST is win, by the way. Drew this yesterday while trying to get through an artists block. When in doubt, draw boobies. And swords. Short post is short!

Puncher of Suns

Lazy comics. They're fast, they're dirty and they in no way represent any effort at all on my part to make the art amazing. But, there's something fun about them.

Comic based on my awesome adventure on the Uto Ni Yalo this weekend (thanks Oceanic!). I did, however, get sunburn. It's no joke people, make sure you slip, slop and slap!

And it's weird how that sounds like it should be a sex technique.

After you ding 85...

I think you'd probably want a smoke break.

So yeah, Seedus is 85! Did I mention that I bought Cataclysm? That world (of warcraft) shattering expansion?

80 to 85 was good fun, the quests were rad, the zones were fresh and the gear was...let's just say I dropped my tier 10 like it was hot. Anyway, that's the lazy art/update post. Was considering making a seperate mage-y blog (a la Soul Fire Blues) to keep the art and the WoW seperate. And also because I haven't been able to find a mage blog to read that keeps me updated on the things I need for Cataclysm.

You know, apart from WoW Insider.

Changing Vocations

A totally lazy comic about changing jobs in Dragon Quest. I was wondering how someone would feel, after after getting used to being a certain class for 20 whole levels, about changing for a new job. I imagine it would be like a dude who has worked for 5 years after high school as a plumber, suddenly becoming a salesman.

But maybe, that's just me reading too much into things again.

A wall of text and pictures appears!

So I've had a little more time with DQ9. Since the game came out ages ago, this is not a review by any means, but more my thoughts on the game.

First off, I like how it's almost a back to basics sort of RPG. There are no flashy over the top attempts to disguise it for what it is, a hearkening back to the days of SNES RPGs. Battles are turn based, and if you're not regular about grinding levels or upgrading your equipment, monsters will stomp your face harder than an elephant at a breakdancing competition.

I've also already mentioned in earlier posts how much I love the fact that each and every piece of equipment you buy or make shows up on your characters. This had a slight drawback for me at one point because there was a pair of pants that were really well suited for my Mage. Unfortunately, he never got to wear them because the model was a pair of briefs. Bright. Blue. Briefs.

DQ9 also has a pretty extensive crafting system. Sure you can buy equipment from the store, but if you take the time to scour bookshelves for recipes and the wilderness for ingredients, you can easily make gear that surpasses what you can buy for your level. It helps to give you that extra edge against monsters and bosses and well, theres nothing like making your own stuff.

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned anything of the story though. I will admit, it's pretty generic fantasy, but the NPC's and the way they are written make up for this somewhat. However, the story in DQ9 is merely an excuse to get you from Town A to Dungeon B and then on to Town C.

All the while, however, throwing wonderful loot and goodies at your face. Eventually, you get the ability to change a characters Vocation, and from this point how you handle battles depends on how well you can balance your characters skill points, abilities and strengths. For example, at the moment I am levelling Mikey as a thief. However, he still has his bonuses from the time I levelled him as a Warrior, and as such, is not as squishy as a regular thief. Basically, I don't have to worry about him too much.

This will probably not be the last post about Dragon Quest IX, seeing as how when I get this far or invested in an RPG I usually end up finishing it. (Except for Warcraft... /cry)

All in all though, it's an awesome game for fans of old school RPGs and probably also people who like dressing up little people in matching outfits to fight monsters.

So mean!

The Adventure Continues

So, while my progress in Dragon Quest IX has been slow, there has been progress. Thought I'd just post what my party looks like at the moment ^_^

I love how customizable the party members are. Although I haven't changed any vocations yet, since I still have the basic ones.

Omega is the partys Mage. His job is to stand in the back and throw spells at people, which sometimes decimates an entire group of foes at once! You kinda have to keep an eye on his MP though. He goes through it like a hot knife through butter if you're not careful.

Mikey the Warrior has the highest strength, the best armor and the most HP of the party. And he also costs the most to outfit Kaos is a bit of an enigma to me. He's the priest...but he's also reeeally good with his spear. I guess since he doesn't have any offensive spells, he needs some way to kill monsters. I don't question it, I just let him do his thing.

And finally we have the Minstrel Albie. No, that's not a hand-me-down suit of armor, it's actually got awesome stats, it just looks the same as the level 10 chestpiece that mikey was wearing. I made it through Alchemy...and it took ages to farm the Snakeskin required for it. Was totally worth it though!

And that's how the gang in DQIX is doing so far!

Fiji Loading Screen

Next time, I'll remember to add the actual content before hitting publish >_>

How to Win: Barrel Nights

As a veteran of many a Barrel Night, I thought it would be a good idea to share some knowledge on the subject with you. Herein you will find several hints and tips at surviving and getting the most out of a Barrel Night.

What is a Barrel Night?

First of all, the basics, a Barrel Night is a fundraising event usually held in a bar or an open area. The purpose of which is to make money. I don't have any tips on how to organise a barrel night, I can however, tell you how to make the most of your time at one.

Upon your arrival, you will be given a cup and pointed in the direction of the bar. Hold onto this cup, because you should only get one. While there are kegs remaining, your cup will be refilled when you have emptied it. This is the basic rule, try not to forget it on your journey down drunkenness avenue.

Tip One: Scope out the Situation
Observation is an important part of things like this. If the place seems crowded near the bar, you can bet your sweet pajamas that the kegs are going to run out quick. You have a couple of options here, if there are people walking around with jugs mark their faces and try and keep them happy. They will fill up your cup, ensuring you have a steady supply of alcohol. Otherwise, you have no choice but to try and get as close to the bar as possible.

Proximity to those sweet beer spewing taps will ensure that you will get your beer, and will soon be spewing beer yourself.

Tip Two: Observe the competitionThere's always a couple of really heavy drinkers at barrel nights, it's important to make note of where they are, and at what stage of drunkeness they have attained. If they are swaying slowly or relatively sober, then chances are that the kegs have not been drained. If they are deadly quiet, then they are probably really wasted and might punch you in the face if you get in their way of the bar. Take note, it's the key to survival.

Tip Three: Get your monies worthThe average price of a barrel night ticket is $10. If you take into account the size of your cup, and the available alcohol, it should be easy enough to work out how much you need to drink. For a barrel night with 3 kegs and normal sized cups with a ticket price of $10 this would be 4 cups. Anything after that is bonus, and will put you on your way to winning.

Tip Four: Keep your friends closeYou shouldn't be going to these things alone, by the way, there is safety in numbers. Also, you may find it handy to take turns returning to the bar to fill up those cups, if there is a huge crowd. Also, it's no fun drinking alone, and can be quite dangerous if you get too smashed. Watch each others backs and keep each other safe. Real friends don't let friends drink alone.

Random bits of wisdom:

If there is chaser provided at a barrel night, it is a win.

Always know where the bathroom is, especially if you're going somewhere new.

Keep tabs on the amount of beer remaining. It's as simple as asking the bartender. Review your tactics as necessary.

And try to have fun, your binge drinking is helping some raise funds! It's for charity!

Disclaimer: Awesome Cake is not responsible for any hangovers, bar fights, illegitimate children or random people calling you a douche for following these tips and hints. However, if you do manage to win a barrel night, we will of course award you with a very special imagi-prize.

Things have been happening. Not all of them happy. Once I have some coherent thoughts on the matter, and when I'm not in the middle of putting work related things together, I will probably write a bit about it.

If you're not doing anything in particular, and are looking for some warlock related goodness, you should go here.

That is all, be on your merry way.

Dragon Quest IX!

Been playing Dragon Quest 9 a bit. It's so old school I feel like I'm ten years old again when I play it :P

This is my party so far. Albie the Minstrel (no choice since thats the default class for mainboy >_>), Mikey the Warrior, Kaos the Priest and Omega the Mage. Can't wait to try out different classes for these guys! Will probably write some words about DQIX after I have a bit more time with it.

Did you know?

That I have a certificate for doing cartoons? From a university? For this?
For real real, not for play play.

Totes Forgot to Title this Post

Quick card I made last night for a birthday. Not completely happy with how it turned out, but methinks it did the job.

Anyway, I have had like, 7 hours of sleep in the last 2 days. Work + games + thoughts = lack of sleep.

In terms of productivity...

Warning: WoWSpeak ahead!

Look at your main, now back to me, now back at your main, now back to me.

This weekend might have been what you would either call a waste of time or fucking awesome.

Why is image so small? A wizard did it.

All I know is that Seedus had a hell of a lot of facetime with me this weekend. He managed to get his Red Proto-Drake (rawr!) a couple more iLevel 264 items and thanks to Arjay he scored Quel'Delar (also known as the 5000 gold sword).

Part of the reason why I think I've been playing him a lot is because Fire (which was my levelling spec, ah good times) is now as viable as Arcane and also totally awesome.

Before the 4.01 patch (strokes old man beard) every Mage and his dog was Arcane. I had an off-spec. It was also Arcane, that is how bad it was. Now I can throw fireballs and pyroblasts like a giddy schoolgirl once again.

Just don't look at the crummy offhand. I TOLD YOU NOT TO LOOKS!

The Quel'Delar questline is also pretty freaking Epic, especially if you're a Blood Elf (remember the Sunwell!) I have never seen the bloody Battered Hilt drop, and Arjay had 3 in his bank that he had forgotten about. THREE! I jokingly said that he should give me one and god bless his heart, he sent one to me in the mail.

Most of the quests are solo-able, but I did have to recruit a mighty shaman, stoic warrior and diabolical warlock for some of them. And in the end, the Blade that was shattered was made whole again, a testament to the tenacity of the Sin'Dorei.

Eww, I think I had a little geek-gasm there for a second. Anyway, before I sign off I better also follow up with the fact that I still suck at fixing girls and that I drink way too damn much. But hey, at least this weekend I was productive.

Dragon Ninja!

Halloween this year was good fun! I was really impressed with the costumes this year, some people went all out and that's always fun when people make an effort :)

I went as a ninja, it was a last minute costume (as usual) but it came out all right. Also, I didn't have to talk much to people, coz like...that wouldn't be ninja-like.

John came as a pretty cool pirate! Although for some reason he kept reminding me of Tim Minchin.


Lawrences doctor costume was also really rad, because he managed to snag one of the actual surgical gowns from CWM Hospital. That my friends, is authen-fucking-ticity.

And now that the photos are all up and I've drank about twelve bottles of orange juice I think it's time for a well deserved nap.

Stay Spooky!

Meet my treacherous friend.

Consider it my emo drawing of the month. (Emo-nth?) Anyway, Halloween is coming up! I have to start working on my costume.

Coloring Between the Lines

Sometimes it's fun to take a break from coloring your own work. I'm serious. When you put together pencils and inks and then have to color, shade and texture them it can be a bit daunting. So when I saw that our very own Lawrence Cass had put up a few lines on his blog, I thought I'd do some coloring today.

I'm way more happy with how the Rock ones turned out than the Soul Reaver one, but I will still give them equal love in my heart.

So if you're of the arty persuasion, have a go at coloring someone elses art, or even find someone to trade lines with!

Forsaken

Work in progress of MJ's Forsaken Warrior, Numskull. Still want to go through, texture it, fix up the shadows and glows and then add a cool background.

But this took a while, so here's what I've done so far :P

FOREVER ALONE

My apologies for the crappy art. But it had to be done.

Big Red

Today I made this! If you want to get technical, I have had the sketch since wednesday, but I got to sit down and color it today.

That's the sketch there, and below, I've posted a progression sorta thing. Because those are fun.

If you click this, it will embiggen!

I really should clean this up

Those Screens!

I remembered them today! Here are a few screenshots of my short (yet awesome) time in Minecraft. A pretty early shot of my base at night. I spawned right next to a lake sort of thing, so I got in a boat and did some...boating around. (While of course, playing Lonely Islands "I'm on a Boat")

One of my first projects was to construct a skylight in my mine. It has the advantage of letting me know what time it is before I reach the first floor, and also burnin' up any skeletons or zombies that might follow me. If I run out of arrows or swords...

And this is one of the latest iterations of the base. The upper fortress is pretty cosmetic at this point, but is still a nice place to chill at night. And the tower is for sniping creepers for their gunpowder. Also, ch-ch-check the Diamond items maaaan!

Pretty Happy with This

/Movie Trailer voice on
One Man...must survive...the wilderness.

But he doesn't know...that at night...danger awaits him.

Echoes from Underground

The Unfriendlies by ~Turnthephage

Right, so I've had a decent go at Minecraft (but forgot to bring the screenshots I took to work, d'oh) and I had a few thoughts I wanted to write down. First off, if you want some extra reading on what exactly Minecraft is, here are a few links.

Right, so first off, the graphics are not the best in the world. They do however, do the job. What that means is that rock looks like rock, you can tell that that brown thing with the green stuff on top of it is a tree and that that pink thing jumping around is supposed to be a piggy. Eventually you stop noticing how blocky everything is, and some of the randomly generated landscapes are quite impressive.

Minecraft reminds me of when I was a little lad playing in my room with my legos. I'd build castles and towers and space stations and then have the little yellow dudes play out their adventures. Often, smashing some of it for dramatic effect. The game is kind of like lego, but you play the perspective of the lego men. Well, a lego man.

That's another thing, apart from the animals and monsters, you are all alone. There are no friendly humanoid non player characters, and anything that vaguely resembles a man is either going to shoot arrows at your head or try and give you the zombie death hug. I really get the feeling when I'm playing, that the world is out to get me, and the only way I can survive is to rely on myself.

Conan the Mineventurer by ~Shinedog

So you build defences, you never venture out at night (unless you are feeling brave) and you learn to listen out for the telltale sounds of a zombies moan or a skeletons bones rattling in the distance. And spiders...don't get me started on the fucking spiders.

And then there is the mining. Why would you even bother, right? If there are things that want to kill you down there? Well, that's where minerals are. Coal for your torches, Iron for better tools, and of course the elusive azure glow of Diamonds. Sometimes it gets downright tense, especially when you stumble upon a natural cavern underground. You'll creep along, putting torches on the wall, your fingers ready to switch to your sword or bow. Sure, you could play the game on peaceful mode, but I feel like the game would get a bit boring that way.

Anyway, I don't want this to turn into a TLDR wall of text, so I'll leave it at that, and get those screenshots up later.

Awesome art by Michael Corrigan

Ssssssss

Sad creepers are sad.

That's sound they make right before they explode and make you DIE. I have been exploring the game of Minecraft for the last couple of nights. It's a game where you...mine. And also Craft. Completely randomly generated worlds with no goal except to survive against the creatures that come out at night.

The first time I actually met a I didn't even see the bastard. I was outside at night cleaning up the dirt to make a proper wall for my little shelter. The resulting explosion did clear the dirt pretty quickly though.

Anyway, I will probably post a few pictures of my progress with Minecraft, as well as some more thoughts once I put a few more hours in.

Also, here is wallpaper version of Creeper!

It is left aligned because my desktop is. So there!