8-Bit Questing

Make sure you all check out Google Maps today. They've done a fantastic job of turning our world into a NES-era map. For nostalgia sake you've gotta love blowing in the cartridge to get the game to work. Something that kids these days will never get to deal with. It's lucky that the 3DS still uses cartridges. I dread the day when it's all digital.

Well played Google.

Pid - Paper to Pixel

A great little look into the development of an indie game. Looks like a great concept too! Can't wait to play. The final art is beautifully layered, but it's particularly interesting to see how it started.

Check out the official site - http://www.pidgame.com/

Rebranding.

I have been sorting through a few things (professionally) since I got back from the big US trip.. Which I will get around to blogging all about I'm sure. Still sorting through 3000 odd photos & numerous videos.

My current identity revolves around a logo, which I am not retiring in lieu of a new one - but it will be repurposed a bit; potentially used less, and with more specific applications in mind (watermarks for one).

Watch this space.

Business Smarts.

As I delve further into self-employed work I'm finding that you have to be incredibly careful not to sell yourself short. There are many clients out there willing to take advantage of designers. In an environment where there is boundless competition, offering to undertake a job is an interesting game to play. If you quote a job, which you consider is scraping the barrel as far as reasonable remuneration and the client returns with a budget of a third of that quota do you take the job? You've really got to sit back and evaluate your communication with the client up to this point, and combine that with factors such as the time the job will consume, and the potential for endless tweaking to judge whether your time is better spent pursuing other endeavours. Sure, it feels like you're almost throwing money away - but if you're not smart about how you present your business you could find yourself severely out of pocket in both time and money.


(image - a style frame for a job that didn't pan out)

Avenger's Assemble

 First an awesome poster, with Robert Downey Jr up front and center, Chris Evans curiously towards the back and then a trailer that finally sold me on Joss Whedon's Avengers. What was it in the trailer that got me pumped for the film you ask?

The character focus; finally giving a decent look at each character that makes up the titular team, and showing us why Whedon landed Marvel's biggest gig. Because he gets it. He gets the characters, he gets the team and he understands the dynamic. What else? The shiny things... What appears to be a 3-way fight between the.. well... big 3! Cap, Iron Man & Thor! Who else?!

Iron Man appears to have 2 suits in the film; one resembling the Mark III from Iron Man 2, and another that seems to have elements of the Mark II. I hold out secret hope for the Hulkbuster. Other than that, Stark's methods of getting in and out of his suit appear to have reached Jetson levels of ease.

Otherwise, I hope that Mark Ruffalo pulls out a spectacular Bruce Banner/Hulk.... Enough of that, just check out the shinyness.

Frankenweenie

First trailer for Tim Burton's Frankenweenie! For those unfamiliar with the project, it is a feature length remake of Burton's Disney-produced 30 minute short film of the same name. The original short film was live action whereas the new film will is stop-motion animated. For those interested the original film is below;