Movin' On Up!

Well, the news is out...

I have a new job! Woooohoooo!

Starting May 3rd, I'll be returning to AgIT at Purdue as a desktop analyst. I'm very excited in case you couldn't tell. It will be good to be back and working with everyone there again.  I can't wait!

Woooohoooo!

Final Thoughts - Enslaved: Odyssey To the West (Xbox 360)

Enslaved: Odyssey To the West is a game that's been on my radar since it was released last fall. With a recent price drop and a handy gift card to Gamestop (thanks to Davin & Nicole) I finally had a chance to pick it up. Now, don't take my criticisms too harshly, as Enslaved really is a good game. There are problems for sure, but what game doesn't have them and Enslaved is definitely a journey that shouldn't be missed.

"In Enslaved you take on the role of Monkey a strong, brutish loner who has been captured on a mysterious slave ship 150 years into the future. War and destruction has left the world in ruins and you are one of only a few humans left. On the slave ship you encounter Trip; a beautiful, tech savvy young woman who is also at the mercy of her captors. Trip is anxious to escape so she can make her way back home, but she knows she can't do it alone. She has the brains, but not the brawn; you, as Monkey are her ticket to freedom. You soon become enslaved by Trip; bonded together by a slave headband. If you stray, you will be paralyzed by excruciating pain. If you stay, your fate is in her hands. In both cases, your freedom is no longer your own..."

The first thing I noticed was just how beautiful the game is to look at. The setting may be a post-apocalyptic world, but everything is colorful, covered in vegetation, with a bright sun and blue skies. This is not your typical backdrop for this kind of world and it's a refreshing take on the genre.

The characters and the story are Enslaved'a strongest asset. Ninja Theory has produced real, emotional relationships between it's protagonists. It's easy to understand the situation they're in, their actions, and how the story builds around their feelings for each other. It could easily be misconstrued as a love story, but after finishing the game and reflecting on how the developers chose to end it, I see more as a story of friendship and respect.

The rest of the game, in terms of quality and design, is more of a gray area. The combat is satisfying enough to keep the game fun, but the camera and controls are slightly on the sloppy side, making some of the more intense moments harder than they should be. There were moments, especially in the later half of the game, where I died or failed an objective simply because I couldn't keep up with the action.

Enemy variation is few and far between in Enslaved. Unless I'm mistaken, there are only 4 enemy types in this game and 3 boss types.  This can make for some repetitive gameplay once you know the patterns and techniques for dispatching your foes.

The most glaring fault of Enslaved, however, is how epic the game WANTS to be. When you start the game and begin your progress, it has all the makings of a large scale adventure game; something akin to the Legend of Zelda series. Sadly, Enslaved is anything but. It is a linear game; a point "A" to "B" action title. And while there's nothing wrong with that, the entire experience feels like it wants to be more. As the player, I wanted to explore this world; I wanted to backtrack and find hidden items and upgrades for my weapons.

Even with these flaws, Enslaved still manages to be a fun and engaging title. The characters and story are memorable, the combat is fun, though repetitive, and it's a beauty to look at. Perhaps a sequel will come along one day and build upon the groundwork, giving the player that TRUE epic experience that Enslaved so wants to be.

The Itch

And no, I'm not talking about a disease of any kind.  I'm talking about that feeling I get, generally when it starts to warm up from winter, to be creative, pull out my camera, and do something with it, other than work that is.

Last year, I tried doing a picture a day.  That failed when Julie and I started the big summer push.  I still have tons of pics that I took during that time that have sat archived until I get a moment to sit down and go through them.  It was a cool idea, but one that was easily pushed aside when we started shooting 600-800 pictures per day.

The itch I'm feeling now is different.  It's more project orientated; less of an exercise and more of a long term goal.  It's something I can take my time with and won't require day-to-day thought.  Back in September, Julie and I bought a Canon EOS 60D.  The camera is great, but the aspect that interests me the most is it's video capabilities.

I've dabbled with video several times in the past, but have never had constant access to something that produces the quality of video that the 60D does.  Now that I have this tool, I feel I need to use it.  That's where the problem lies; I'm not a videographer.  I understand how to use the camera, I know how to make images that are visually appealing, but I don't know how to create a visual narrative through video.  What do I film?  What story am I trying to tell?  Who are the participants?  Wanting to be a filmmaker and knowing what to film are two completely different areas.

So, if anyone has an idea to pitch and would like to collaborate, I'm here to listen!

Another itch that has started recently has been my desire to get back into doing single, individual portraiture.  Most of the work I've done recently has been couples and families, and I love it, but I do miss the "fine art" aspect of working with just one person; not really posing them, but simply capturing images that reflect who that person is.  A good portion of my early work was this way, and I've gotten away from it as I've expanding into more commercial work.  It was always fun and I feel some of my best work comes from this time.

And as before, if anyone is interested, let's talk!

Wow. Where does the time go?

An email came into my inbox this afternoon.  It was a mistake, but I was instantly thrown back to 6 years ago when I was in grad school.

6 years!  Can you believe that!?

It seems so long ago, but so very recent as well.  So much has changed in life since then and it's quite the journey when I look back.  The whole dynamic of my life is different; different goals, different attitudes, different beliefs.

Strangely enough, I find myself listening to the same music now as I did then and it still seems new to me.  The passing of time is a crazy idea to grasp, yet so many variables can make the years seems like mere days, and days seem like years.  Or in this case, make me feel like I'm 22 years old again...

Nothing To See Here. Move Along.

Not a whole lot of "interesting" has been going on lately.  January kind of came and went, and with February in full swing, I'm already looking to March and April.  This just means one thing:

This year is going to disappear quickly.

I've given myself a bunch of projects to keep active; it's just a shame that I've been too busy to actually start them.  The shortlist includes my new car (post about that later), building a new computer (yet another post still to come), dieting (24 lbs. down, 16 lbs. more to go), and various home projects that I'll get to once the weather decides to stop being evil.  And yes, you read that right; evil.

I came home to our poor D'Argo buddy this past Monday to find that his back legs were not working.  It was a scary sight for sure.  He stumbled around for a short time and was finally able to regain control, only to be howling in pain.  I took him into the vet and they think he might have a slipped disk in his lower back.  The gave him some steroids and pain medication and he seems to be on the mend.

One thing I will say about the steroids; the side effects are real.  If you've ever had to put your dog on steroids, I'm sure this will all sounds familiar; frequent urination, upset stomach, and changes in personality.  It's the changes in his personality that got me.  He seems different; off just a little.  You grow attached to this animal that you think you know so well, and then a few days on a medication, and your little puppy is gone.

He seems to be coming around, but it is a little jarring and hopefully only a temporary impairment.

Best Film of 2010

I can't do a "Top 5" list of the best films of 2010 because, quite frankly, we didn't SEE that many movies this past year.  Our summer was busy with photo shoots, and consequently, we missed many of the summer blockbusters.  But, with that said, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, the best film of the year was Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

#1 Forever - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

As the poster says, it IS the most epic film ever.  This film does so many things right; great comedy, amazing action, memorable music, quotable dialog, and enjoyable characters.  Director Edgar Wright took his time to make sure this film was done properly.  It is not a Hollywood cash-in, but a finely crafted piece of geekdom.  

Wright worked with the comic's creator, Bryan Lee O'Malley, on ever aspect of the film and it shows.  Scenes and dialog are pulled directly from the books, as are the locations and clothing.  It's a comic book come to life in every sense of the word and is a shinning example of how film adaptations should be done.  The film may have tanked at the box office, but it's building a huge cult following that is going to live on for many years to come.

Top 5 Games of 2010 That I Wish I Had Played

Julie and I had a busy year.  So busy in fact, that I missed out on a TON of games.  Looking back, there were several games that I really wish I had taken the time to play.  This list is in no particular order and is basically just more games to add to my backlog.

Heavy Rain (PS3)

Heavy Rain is NOT the kind of game I would normal play.  I've never been a huge fan of "adventure" titles, but Heavy Rain intrigued me because of what seems to be a clearly adult and mature story; something you would see in a movie theater, not in a game.  After playing the demo, I decided to hold off, but now I feel as though I missed a great story, even if the gameplay wasn't that great.

3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)

Imagine 8-bit Zelda, only in 3D... and on the PlayStation.  That's what 3D Dot Game Heroes is at it's core.  Now technically, I did get a chance to play this game earlier in the year, but it wasn't nearly long enough.  This is the kind of old school Action-RPG I've been looking for.  Hopefully I'll pick it up in 2011.

Alan Wake (Xbox 360)

I enjoy a good story in a game, and from what I've heard of Alan Wake, it's got a great one.  It's basically a Stephen King story told through the eyes of it's creator and it looks like Silent Hill meets Resident Evil meets Gears of War.  You can't beat that!  At least, I hope it's that good...

Enslaved: Odyssey To the West (Xbox 360)

Enslaved: Odyssey To the West has been called this year's Uncharted.  I don't know that I would go that far, but it does look to be an enjoyable title.  The demo was great and it brings back memories of Beyond Good and Evil, one of the best games of last generation.

God of War III (PS3)

I picked up the God of War Collection earlier in the year to prepare myself for God of War III, then I never got around to buying it.  Everything about this game screams "epic" but I have a hard time picking up a PS3 game, no matter how good, when there are so many great titles on the Xbox.