Card Games and Water Antics

Haven't posted in awhile, I guess you could say I've been busy. School is annoying as always, and I always feel like something is preventing me from doing what I want to do. Well, this weekend was still pretty fun nonetheless, I didn't do anything for Halloween but I did go hang with friends at a Card Shop for awhile, which was a real blast! I didn't think I would ever get back into table top games, but I guess I was wrong. You know come to think about it, table top gaming teaches you a lot about Game Design in general. Of course depending on the game, but it often involves strategy and figuring out how situations would work. Which essentialy is what game design is about. +2 EXP for getting a job in the gaming industry! I also got to see my friends do a rowing (the sport) race. Yay!

Well better go, gotta head to bed soon and finish up some homework I waited until sunday 9:30 to do. Seeya peeps.

To FLAG or not to FLAG?

I'm thinking about doing the FLAG (A Halo 3 charity tournament for breast cancer) , or maybe just the "Play with Bungie" thing for FLAG. You get two choices, play ODST firefight with them or a 2v2 Halo Custom game. I think I would choose Firefight, honestly. Maybe I could talk to them about the art of the game if I end up doing it. Just need to fit it into my weekend schedual, and donate some money to the cause.

I'll think about it.

~Zero

High School

Learning Math that I'll never use. Learning History I'll never need. Learning Science I'll never see. Meeting people I'll never know.

I'm a Leaf on the Wind

Just watched Serenity again, and it's fucking great. You should see it if you haven't already. So I decided to start up this Free blog on blogspot why? Honestly, I think I like writing down what goes on in my life, and it's important to keep to your goals. I know Web design isn't in my future, so that's my main reason for closing down my old site "Beyond the Pixelz". I used to run some antics over there, but truly that's behind me now. Now I'm focused on developing some kickass art skills for my portfolio. Well, Cooper my brother's Bar-Mitzvah is tomorrow. (A Jewish "Coming of Age Ceremony.) [Side Note: Does not Involve Jesus Christ] So I'm pretty excited about that. Other than that, lately things have been pretty boring around here. Every week I'm going to an art lesson on Saturday, so umm...hope that helps with some of my horrible traditional arts skills.

Well gotta go. The bagels and Challah are calling.

~Zero

Learned some Maya, Back from iD Tech

(Originally Written August 7, 2009)

I'm back from a rather short, but awesome trip to a Computer Tech-based camp at a nearby College. I was there roughly four and a half days, but I learned a lot about the 3D Modeling program; Maya. Although it is from the same makers of 3DS Max, the program I'm used to, it was completely different. I had a lot of fun learning how to model with Maya, and our instructor was very cool. (His nicknames were Hasbro, and DotA)

In addition to some awesome modeling, we gamed a ton over there as well. (By we; I mean me,my brother Kooper,my cousin HOMIE CON and my friend noodleboy347 as well as all the awesome friends we made their.) I didn't play a lot of console, (apart from a fail match of Super Smash Bros: Brawl) but I did play some really fun games for the PC. I played Warcraft 3 (Specifically, DotA), Unreal Tournament 3 and a flash game Called Sonny 2.

Ah yes, good times. It's a shame I couldn't stay longer, but then again it's nice to be back at the same time.

My Trip to Rhythm and Hues

(Originally Written July 23 2009)

I decided I would start writing this blog so I could write some of my thoughts down, as well as shed some light on my personal life to those who give a blam. I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but I haven't thought of anything really worth writing about up until recently.

Some of you may know about my goals to become a 3D artist and eventually enter in the games industry. Well, I have recently been making important steps to reach that goal. Through my recent endeavors, my 3D Studio MAX tutor invited me to go on a field trip to this studio out in the middle of nowhere called "Rhythm and Hues" along with some other friends. I said I would like to, but I really didn't know what I was walking into at this point.

We arrived at the studio today around mid-afternoon and were greeted by our tour guide. First he showed us some boring old animation shit that was probably set up just for the tour and then we got to go see the farm. (A technical word for; Room with shit that has shit in it. Bungie has a "server farm" and with these guys it was just storage. Somewhere close to 15 terrabytes of storage if I can recall.) That place was so hot from all the moniters, they had to have air blasting in from pipes in the room. It was pretty neat.

Last but not least in the tour, we got to see the main floor where all of the artists were working. Computers were lined up to the edges of the mid-sized room in several rows. We walked in between them to see them actually working on a 3D feature length film. (I beleive it was Alvin in the Chipmunks 2) On some of the peoples desks were awesome stuff ranging from action figures, to simpsons collectibles to Princess Mononoke posters. I even saw one of the dudes minimize a game window when we walked in. (alt-tabbing ftw)

And that my friends, is the awesome culture of these kinds of industries. Although it wasn't particularly the gaming industry being displayed here, it was pretty similar. Now I know a lot more how these kinds of studios work.

Well I hope you enjoyed the read, you may or may not look forward to me writing again soon. Now I'm off to New York for the weekend. WEEEE! Later.

~Zero