In case you don’t know or need a reminder: Lousy Smarch Weather!!

I think we’re finally through the hump of lingering winter here in NYC. Thank god. I love winter, but she was overstaying her welcome.

This month has been extremely productive!!! The game feels realer than ever. However, I haven’t had much time to put things together for this post as far as visuals go, so this might end up being a short post! But here are some updates:

1. Aside from a few background animations + half a sequence, all the animation has been cleaned and colored

Thanks to Anjali for the assistance (‘: While I didn’t have to worry about cleaning and coloring, I got to coding and…

2. Coding is in a really solid place

I still have a lot to do, but it all feels extremely doable. As opposed to the last month or two where it felt like this horrible brick wall I had no way of getting through.

Switching engines was probably one of the best decisions I made for this project. I think I’d still be incredibly stuck if I hadn’t.

But things are coming together! They’re connecting! The hotspots work! The animation functions like it should! I had to sacrifice my very ideal texting system for the thesis deadline, but I made something work in the mean time. Once school is over (which is soooooooo soon thank god), I can really hone in on making these systems perfect.

3. Here’s a promo image for you:

   

   The colors might change, but we’re onto something!!
   

4. The last lingering things:

   1. Backgrounds are still being worked on, but once those are done I’m hoping to have time to animate a few things that are in those backgrounds

   2. I also hope to have time to add some lighting and color correction so everything is nice and cohesive

   3. I still need some coding for the last level that will be playable in the build, which includes making NPCs in engine and linking up inventory items to actionable events in the game

   4. SOUND!! I really need to add sound. I hate that it’s so last minute, but c’est la vie

   5. I, as of an hour ago, have a computer confirmed and locked in for the thesis show. Which now means I can put my gallery show together.

For anyone interested, the thesis show’s opening reception will be on Monday, May 11th at the SVA Chelsea Gallery from 5-8pm.

I also ordered my graduation gown, I confirmed for commencement. My own students are wrapping up their thesis projects!! I’m so excited to be done with school haha.

Other fun news:

5. I have a comic published in the latest Razorblades put out by Tiny Onion

I mentioned this comic a few months ago, but it’s finally published! Here’s the comic along with a photo of it in the paper.

Shout out to Steve for having me on! It was really fun to make.

6. I worked on a series that got a Webby nomination

I worked on The Droid Diaries last summer that got nominated for a Webby for Best Animated Series! Pretty rad stuff.

You can click here to vote (:

7. I have my first comic reading this Thursday for Gutter

Last minute for me to post this here but: if yr around Brooklyn, swing on by:

I’ll be reading The 12th House! I have hosted many comic readings + animation screenings, but I have never read for one before. I think teaching has made me a lot less nervous about talking in front of people. I cannot imagine doing something like this a few years ago.

And that. I think is it for this month! Right now I’m sprinting to the finish line for thesis, so it’s hard to make time to actually show things right now. I’m sure next month will be a much bigger push with updates!

Things I’ve Been Into This Month:

• Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

  A really great read. I listened to an interview with her around the time the book initially came out, and I suddenly remembered it earlier this month. Beaton does a great job talking about her experience and the complications of it from both an environmental and social/economical stand point. I still think about it from time to time now

• Resident Evil 8

  I’m a fake gamer that hasn’t played it, I just watched a stream. But it’s goth af and has a lot of cool imagery, which I think says a lot for a Resident Evil game since not a single one of them has been as beautiful as the 2002 remake.

• The Brooklyn Lil Texas show

  I had a fun time with friends (: I left my desk!!! to dance!!! It was nice!!!!

March Movie List:

A lot of hits and a lot of misses with little in between:

• Grizzly Man (2005) - rewatch

• Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) - rewatch

• Queen of the Damned (2002) - rewatch

• Gothic (1986) - a real heater

• Elle (2016)

• The Hunt (2012) - another heater if you wanna feel emotionally eviscerated

• Red State (2011) - a real stinker

• Lords of Dogtown (2005)

• The Runaways (2010) - another stinker

I apologize for the short one this month! I’m very focused on wrapping things up!!

But I’m looking forward to sharing the build of the game with you all so soon!!

-K