Public Speaking + Me = Terror.
Current mood: relieved
Category: Blogging

What I do all day.
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers

Sometimes it's hard to explain what I do at work to people outside the game industry, so here are some pix.

One, I help conduct the flow of the design team and the game.




I work with our superhero associate producer, Nathan, to try and have the schedule make sense.




I write a lot of dialogue and scripts, which is pretty easy because you just listen to the imaginary characters tell you what they would say.




Then at the urging of our audio director, we do table reads of the resulting script that tend not to go quite so easily.




There's more, but I'll leave it for another blog.

Cats are ideas.
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Blogging

Designers can get attached to design ideas, like a pet. But sometimes you can't keep them.




But even if you can't keep them, it doesn't mean you love them any less.

Paranoid changes at work.
Current mood: betrayed
Category: Games

We announced our new action role-playing game, Alpha Protocol. We're all really excited about it.




But to be honest… it has caused some changes at work. Especially in design meetings.




Here's our Game Informer cover (courtesy of resident artist Brian Menze), check it out!

3:13 PM - 8 Comments - 16 Kudos - Add Comment

Okay, so I do hate Facebook.
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Blogging

Don't get me wrong, I like Facebook.

Except for the fact it broadcasts certain information without asking. Like... I don't know... BREAKUPS, FOR EXAMPLE.




Thanks, Facebook!

9:31 PM - 17 Comments - 34 Kudos - Add Comment

Moving, thank the Gods.
Current mood: pissed
Category: pissed Art and Photography

So Obsidian is moving. Next door to the Irvine Spectrum. And thank god.



Why I am so grateful, you ask?

Well, it has to do with our bathrooms and the insurance/capital company we share the building with.




I have never understood why people feel the need to speak on the cell phone and/or conduct deals in front of the urinal or in the shitter, but our co-habiting companies sure do.

Or maybe… maybe that's not what they're really discussing at all.




And back to being on the crapper, that just seems even more horrifying.




So, in closing, I now add "cell phone usage" to my bathroom etiquette requests.

1:41 PM - 16 Comments - 30 Kudos - Add Comment

The pregnant glow stems from me.
Category: Blogging

I had a glow the other day. It was kind of a pregnant glow, without the pregnancy.




This is because Clone Wars Adventures issues 7-10 (which I contributed to 7 and 10, I am proud to say) got nominated for an Eisner Award for the "Best Publication for Kids" for 2008.

And that makes me:

1:15 AM - 20 Comments - 32 Kudos - Add Comment

Pix from 17th Street Beer Hike.
Current mood: Lacunaing
Category: Lacunaing Art and Photography

We went on a beer hike along 17th Street in Costa Mesa this past Friday. This is because our hearts are filled with adventure.




Since I have no pix from any of my so-called friends, doodles will have to do.

We met up with old friends at the Harp Inn, which hasn't changed much… at all… in 5 years.




The Paul got his luxurious brown locks braided by sirens of the Harp. In role-playing game terms, this is called "leveling up."




We toasted our dear departing friend Andy.




And were joined by Martin, whose body is filled with the embodiment of evil.




And Mike in his orange shirt who came out to flex his drinkin' prowess. For Mike, I violate the "no color" rule in my drawings.




Sean and Wade joined us. Sean was sporting his Mohawk. Wade was sporting his Jewishness.




Sean discovered that when he drives with the top down, however, his Mohawk turns into a "rolling ocean wave." But that's how he rolls, really.




We went from the Harp to the Little Knight, which is one of the thinnest bars I've been in.




Josh and Suzanne were in attendance. Josh wore a heart shirt that said "I love heart shirts." It was like a T-shirt within a T-shirt.




High-fivin' Jimmy was also there!




Feargus joined us as well, and he was able to use his kingly role-playing powers to seize the Cowboy Hat of Charisma.




Thanks to everyone who showed up. We'll plan another adventure this coming week, I swear!

Abstract pain.
Current mood: adventurous
Category: Blogging

This isn't a result of crunching at work, but one of our co-workers, Chris Parker, broke his arm. Or sprained it. It made me think of a circuit diagram, but this was incorrect. The picture above is not a true stick figure depiction of Chris Parker, who is capable of erasing his facial features and replacing them with a mask of stone whenever he wishes, especially during poker.

One interesting thing is it prevented him from responding to emails quickly, which as we soon discovered, was incredible amounts of fun.

I have yet to break any bone in my body, but our co-workers Martin and Andy have left in search of other jobs, so I can safely say my heart has been broken.

9:51 PM - 8 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

Week o Randomness.
Category: Blogging

We’ve been crunching at work.




Which means putting in a lot of hours if the term "crunching" doesn’t mean anything to you.

Fortunately, the middle of the week allowed for a nice breather of funtimes down in Newport Beach.




I did get away to GDC (the Game Developer’s Conference) in San Francisco. It was raining there at the time.

Which caused a strange reaction – I developed a fear of umbrellas. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but umbrella edges are often at neck level, which generates this fear that an umbrella could actually have the power to decapitate me.




Which would be an awesome ninja weapon.

I also wish the sun would come out today, but there is nothing but clouds. It really bugs me when the clouds cockblock the sun. Lame.




Random cartoon mode off. I mean, until next time.

2:36 PM - 6 Comments - 13 Kudos - Add Comment