Asparagus

This was a quickie I drew at the end of our lesson one night. Just a few short spears of asparagus. Seems like we were supposed to be experimenting with shadow?

I tried a little harder with the three gourds you’ll see after the break.

Gourds

This is not a friend
You are very small
You can barely stand up to me
You can’t play basketball

– Common Denominators, “Dwarf Invasion”

I kept hearing interesting things about Bay 12 Games’ Slaves to Armok: God of Blood, Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress, so I gave it a try this past weekend. The game is a combination of roguelike and city-building play styles that uses ASCII graphics. Shit is way over my head.

After about fifteen minutes of play, a quick personal narrative’s all I could come up with. It’s based on events that occured shortly after Dwarf Fortress generated a custom world for me. Nothing much happened because I’m clueless as to how the game is played.

Sometimes you have to make your own fun.

The Age of Heroes, 12th Granite, Year 202

The first buds of Spring have bloomed around Outpost Atöldomas. Despite our relative inexperience, Foundguild’s beginnings strike me as rather auspicious. I knew we’d chosen the proper site when, on that first dewy morning of 10th Granite, a stray cat came to Miner Oddom Bisekedëm and adopted him by ceaselessly looping slow, jerky  figure-eights around his shins.

Only two days of hard labor, and already the crew’s skills are much improved. Miner Oddom’s new friend seems to have provided him with inspiration, as he is quickly amassing a fine store of gems. And Woodworker Monom Rashgurcatten is swiftly learning to use his wedge to great effect; soon we will all have a sturdy shelter from the marauding jaguars said to inhabit this area.

The Age of Heroes, 19th Granite, Year 202

Miner Oddom’s cat, Vabôk Masaskadol, would have been right at home in The Ivory Knife. I can just see him wandering up and down Sosadzit’s fine Geldstürmer Prospekt, idly collecting handouts from the wrinkled old Mor-Mors.

The first week in Outpost Atöldomas has come to an end. Spirits run high, though there is a certain sentimental yearning for home. We will yet make this land ours.

The Age of Heroes, 26th Granite, Year 202

I wish Jeweler Domas Sobìrrigòth would rise off his duff and get to cutting some of Miner Oddom’s raw gems.

Our intrepid party of seven did not leave the Mountainhomes of Sosadzit and travel the forbidding wilderness on a harsh trek, providing for ourselves with bolt, plow, and hook simply to put roof over Jeweler Domas’s head!

This fine new chapter of Dwarven history must not be allowed to open with such impudence. That said, I suspect the oncoming winter will teach our slovenly Domas quite a difficult lesson with or without my assistance.

The Age of Heroes, 1st Slate, Year 202

Jeweler Domas finally seems to be pulling his own weight. Perhaps he sensed my frustrations. I must now apply the same scrutinous gaze to Stoneworker Rovod Tôsedmörul, who must make haste in constructing weapons for our assembling search parties.

The Age of Heroes, 4th Slate, Year 202

What fine flowers grow in these parts!

Recruit Oddom (no longer merely a Miner) has adopted a cat of his own. The local population seems quite tame. Perhaps this is some sign that a foreign civilization lies nearby…

To be continued.

Shoe

I actually still wear this pair of shoes! The little stitching details were fun to reproduce. Awfully satisfying.

Hopefully I’ll be putting pencil to paper again soon.

I’ve been playing Fallout 3 for a solid forty-eight hours now. That’s TWO FULL DAYS of my life. Neither of which I want back. In fact, I’d gladly give two more. I’m practically begging for the chance.

Over the past several days, I’ve caught my brain whining. It’s been a tough week or so…all stick and no carrot. Every time some minor thing’s come along to add strain, I’m hearing myself say Ugh! I just want to play Fallout 3.

The whole sequence reminds me of Dante’s refrain in Clerks. He’s forever trying to retreat from his day as it continues to escalate in general weirdness and absurdity. Which is exactly what I’m crying out for — a little escape from my stressors. But I want that break delivered in a very particular way. One that isn’t, in fact, all that relaxing.

So why would I rather be there than here? Because games are sometimes little more than work made rewarding.

When you’re playing, the carrot’s not always just out of reach.

Boxes

About four years ago, I was working at this neat architecture firm with a spare office suite right next door. I used to go over there and just, like, sit on the floor. That was my lunch hour; I sat and sketched in silence.

Good times.

In case you’re wondering, I think that thing in the foreground is a ceiling tile.

Dear Japan Studio, dear Pyramid, dear Sony Computer Entertainment,

I sing your praises. Patapon is a groundbreaking, adorable, and enthralling little game. It’s colorful, musical and charming as all hell. The marriage of rhythm and tactics seems a match made in heaven. Which is why I want so badly to finish it! Heck, I’d love to buy, download, and play the sequel! So it’s with a humble, heavy heart that I beg you:

Patch Patapon. Please. Please, PLEASE patch Patapon.

There’s no shame in it. The same’s been done to PixelJunk Eden and Bionic Commando Rearmed. These beloved games’ fans just wanted something a bit simpler so they could experience a full play through without suffering such frustration.

Yes it’s a lot to ask. You built a brilliant game, and you built it just the right way. But this thing’s gone AWOL on you, and now there’s an audience that’s just crying out for difficulty adjustment.

“Less grind, more beats,” they say.

It’s not about breezing through the game without any challenge. It’s not about clarifying the somewhat arcane unit “birthing.” It’s not about removing the level replays. It’s about giving more casual gamers an opportunity to check out all of the content. I’ve played for quite nearly ten hours and haven’t seen a fraction of what’s offered. If only my units were a little bit stronger (or the resource drops to upgrade them just that much more frequent), perhaps then I’d have a hope of finding the time to complete this amazing title. As things stand, I’ve pretty much given up on finishing it. 

And, if their own god’s lost faith in them, how will the Patapons ever make it to Earthend?

Sincerely,

mtvernon.

Outlet and Lamp

Believe it or not, a post on Jordan Mechner’s wonderfully inspiring blog (the lovely “Attracted to watercolor” one) prompted me to remember that I used to draw. Er, well…took a class in it, that is. Fun stuff! So I started digging through my old sketchbook and was pleased by what I saw. I plan on posting a few of these in the coming weeks — hope you’ll indulge me.

The above piece was a freehand exercise; I don’t think we were supposed to lift our pencils, but, as you can see, I cheated. Or maybe just misunderstood our instructions.

There’s a lettuce leaf after the break if you’re interested.

Lettuce