green eat orange

This one is unnecessary.

2011-06-28T15:50:00.001-07:00

I'm just copying some files onto a usb stick, waiting for the transfer before I dash off to leave work and make a beeline for the baffroom.

I talked to a therapist and she advised me to keep writing, because there is obviously something comforting to me in the act of writing itself. Re-purposing my writing away from communicating with Suzanne and instead venting about the 'break up' will be therapeutic, or so I was told. So yeah... Oh look, file transfer is done!

Improv class tomorrow night. I only slept 4 hours last night so tonight's gonna be an easy sleep :D

xox

Sweet relief.

2011-06-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

Habits are hard to break. I used to write to Suzanne all the time. Like a War and Peace worth of words over the last couple of years.

We quit writing to each other more or less cold turkey, though our output had definitely started to fall.

Here's a fact. I think she actually called me (not texts) maybe 10 times over those two years, and I think I am being generous.

Why? You ask. Why would you stay with her? To you I say: You had to be there. A connection is a connection, even if it comes with more baggage than the Darjeeling Limited.

I love this girl, yes I do. Yes, the one who for all intents and purposes dumped me with such a seemingly cool demeanor that I later assumed she was in a suicidal state. I was wrong. Later I learned that 'after a couple of weeks of self pity and too much chocolate she was moving on' (paraphrase, I will never use real quotes or dates or names or details to keep this nice and generic)... Really?

She couldn't be there for me, and by be there for me I mean go out and meet some of my friends, or go away for a weekend, or go out shopping...

She limited our relationship so much.... and then acted like I wasn't holding up my end of the bargain. I wasn't, true, but that's cause she wasn't even admitting that any bargain had ever been struck. One day I will tell the story of the heart tatoos.

Arrrghhhhh

Anyway, she has my number. I am moving on though, got a couple of birds in my net if you catch the drift, I just know that if anything starts to happen I will again be buried in thoughts of Suzanne....

Freedom, please. Or babies with me.
I keep wishing I had punctured a couple condoms, which is SICK. Cause that baby would be born into a shit-storm of poopy proportions.

<3 <3

She is so good at compartmentalizing, it is actually bad for her. I myself need to not worry about her though, as she left me. I need to move on.

Serious about these other girls though, some interesting folks, and both really pretty... and blonde!!!

(let the record show I have a history of dating brunettes almost exclusively)

xox

Venting is good.

2011-06-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Man, there are so many babes in this city it's abbbbsurd.

Gotta get into that mindstate. Moving on, starting fresh etc... as requested.

BYATCH!!!!

<3

Fun/

2011-06-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

Went out last night with friends, had fun.

Thinking of Suzanne makes me sick, so I will try and not think of her anymore. Easy, right? :D

yeeuuucchhhhh

and another thing.

2011-06-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

Like realistically, is there anything I could do to make it happen with Suzanne? No.

If she reached out to me, I think there would be room for reconciliation. I know that a few moments in her presence, under those conditions, and I would be smitten again.

Fact is I really think it is unhealthy to be waiting.

ALSO:

I have had women show interest in me recently, I am not at all interested lol.. I don't have the heart.
I did relaunch my OkCupid! account almost right away. It is a safe way to feel like a man again. Women almost never contact you, but the system on OkCupid is always chugging away - suggesting matches.

Let me say this before I continue. I was very unhappy for 3/4 of the time I was involved with Suzanne these last 2 years. Why I think it could be different is inexplicable to me, but undeniable...

SHE WAS GOING TO KNIT ME A SCARF BUT I'M 99% SURE SHE GAVE IT TO HER EX, ALL WHILE PROMISING ME A FUTURE!

There, all caps is what it is going to take then ok.

FUCK!

Holy shit!

2011-06-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

That's the kind of expression that these feelings bring forth.
Like, head in hands, staring at the floor, whispering 'Holy Shit' to myself.

HOWEVER

This all fell apart umm.. well, it ended with an email, about 2 months ago.

Anyway, what I want to remind myself is that today is easier than 2 months ago.

Yet right now I am dying to contact her. I would like her to come back to me, or to step on my heart with a stiletto while spitting in my eye. Hahaha, I'm looking at these emails and she's talking about moving on... sigh...

All I want to do is to be with her. yet while I was with here I was nothing... she wouldn't see me on Valentine's day, and she knows I am a cheeseball who loves valentines...

our last contact was actually only a month and a half ago...

I recorded a song for her which I never sent. I feel like that will be my last word on the matter.

ARRRRGHHHHH

Suzanne

2011-06-27T14:27:00.001-07:00

I love this person so much.

The feeling I have towards her is unmatched in my experience.

We made promises, I tried my best to keep them. I do not know any more what she was doing.

You learn, in time, that even if someone is kinda telling you how they feel - you will find a way to only hear what you need to. But she would not, in fact even as we parted ways I could not get a straight answer about things....

LOVE!! Fuckin Love.

I used to write to her all the time, I'd say nice things. You know what it's like saying nice things into a vacuum?

God, when she told me it was over... I lost my mind. I could not focus a single thought, I was swimming in half sentences, things she had said to me. I had been waiting for he promised arrival, when she arrived she was not ready to be in a relationship.

She kept coming back, but this time... I do not know anymore.

Welcome back.

2011-06-27T14:05:00.001-07:00

I cannot make sense of the world right now. I'm in this weird limbo, that at this point, I feel is my responsibility alone. I have brought myself to this place, out of love, out of fear... loneliness.

First of all, what the fuck happened to me over the last years?

You ever feel like you have no idea how life is to be lived, what it's purpose is, where you fit in relation to the rest of the world around you? That's how I feel now. It's odd, it is not feeling suicidal, not at all. That would take too much energy hahaha. No, seriously, I don't want to cause worry. I have no urge to off myself, energy or not. I just kinda feel like if I didn't have the few strong connections to other people in this world - I might just want to disappear. To walk off into the woods or something.

Writing that I realize this is just a 'feeling' that has little to do with reality. Walking off into the woods would leave me energized probably - and hungry :D

Still, as I walk through the days - far enough from those woods - it feels like I could just vanish.

I was at a wedding recently, and had no one to dance with so I left. It was perfect, all.. literally ALL of my friends were with their wives or girlfriends, so when the dj said: " go get someone to dance with " I took the opportunity to slip into the night and back home.

Last 2 years I had a girlfriend. I did, though there is little evidence to back me up. I was in, for lack of a better term, a long-distance relationship. Let's call her Suzanne.

What is love, Suzanne?

2009-06-08T20:27:00.001-07:00

tronic: do you have any idea how long should the goal objectives nad gameplay episodes should be
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe a page, page and a half
Ghost Dad the Elder: the goal objectives can be in bullet point format
tronic: hmm
Ghost Dad the Elder: -disable a door
Ghost Dad the Elder: -kill gladiator
Ghost Dad the Elder: etc
Ghost Dad the Elder: -plant new spawn
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe a lil explanation with them
tronic: these are goal?
tronic: ahh
Ghost Dad the Elder: then the gameplay episode could be 2/3 of a page
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, think of the goals as the objectives on the map
Ghost Dad the Elder: with our game both teams have different objectives too
Ghost Dad the Elder: so a half page on one, half page on other
tronic: well the only real objective is to get to the "safezone" as survivors and slow down as much as possible for the gladiatiors
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
Ghost Dad the Elder: exactly
Ghost Dad the Elder: but then there are sub-goals
tronic: these are the 2 main goal but then I subdivide with minor goals and ways to achevieve them?
tronic: yaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: things you try and accomplish 1st to get to the main goals
Ghost Dad the Elder: you got it
Ghost Dad the Elder: -successful stack jump up to a new path
Ghost Dad the Elder: -use trap door against competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: actually, maybe I am getting into too fine detail
tronic: are we presenting this tomorrow?
tronic: to matt and shawn and annick and andrei or its only andrei
Ghost Dad the Elder: instead of the two I just said you could say: -use teamwork to navigate map
Ghost Dad the Elder: -use the map traps and mechanisms against competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: no i thik its just a paper we hand in
tronic: kkk
Ghost Dad the Elder: I hop
Ghost Dad the Elder: e
Ghost Dad the Elder: :D
tronic: we should find a name for the 2 teams and a name for the game too
Ghost Dad the Elder: Lets do that
tronic: competitors doesnt sound nice :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: yaya
tronic: and im tired of using it ! :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: too long
Ghost Dad the Elder: what if all the gladiators were actually robots
Ghost Dad the Elder: it could be man vs. machine
tronic: hahha
tronic: this is funny :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: using man is a bit sexist tho
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: woman vs man
tronic: This design should be presented as an (incomplete) GDD, containing the above information, but nothing else is required.

This will be due June 9th.

If you have no ideas, it would be fun to see a Terminator multiplayer game (because you know it`s only a matter of time anyway…)
tronic: TERMINATOR
tronic: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: booo
tronic: O shitttt
tronic: im saying this because you brought the human vs robot thing
tronic: which is similar to terminator in some ways no?
tronic: :O
Ghost Dad the Elder: sort of
tronic: I dont want terminator
Ghost Dad the Elder: but terminator is too serious
Ghost Dad the Elder: yaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: no Louis Cyr in terminator's lore
Ghost Dad the Elder: so it's a tv show, our game
Ghost Dad the Elder: kind of
Ghost Dad the Elder: a spectator sport
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator
tronic: yeah its like all these tv shows where they put together all different types of people and hope its going to be a great show
tronic: here its like that, bring this guy in and that guy and hope for the best against these gladiators
tronic: hmm that was not clear
Ghost Dad the Elder: there is the classic: they are criminals who can fight for their freedom, if they win they get out of jail if they lose they die...
Ghost Dad the Elder: but that has been done too many times
Ghost Dad the Elder: you know what, if this were a tv show, they might name it after the map
Ghost Dad the Elder: you know, like if the game area was called "the gauntlet" the show might have that name too
tronic: but if we want to add different locations to the battles
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
Ghost Dad the Elder: well, with the craziness of the japanese game show style, we could take that angke
Ghost Dad the Elder: angle
tronic: im not sure i get what you are saying
tronic: about the gauntlet thing
Ghost Dad the Elder: not a great idea. Just, lets say the course the Cs have to run through is would be called "The eliminator" or "the gauntlet" or "the deadly arena" then the name of the game could be the same...
Ghost Dad the Elder: but of course that doesnt work so well with more than one course
Ghost Dad the Elder: course
Ghost Dad the Elder: by course I mean map
tronic: jaja
tronic: hmm
Ghost Dad the Elder: so nvm that
tronic: what is the high concept of our game
Ghost Dad the Elder: competitive multiplayer game, unique gameplay style
Ghost Dad the Elder: and then the grand mission of the game. making an exciting online multiplayer game with a competitive focuse
Ghost Dad the Elder: etc
tronic: ok and one major thing is the "race against the clock" thingy
Ghost Dad the Elder: ya, that's it.
Ghost Dad the Elder: the game is really like a sports game
Ghost Dad the Elder: a first person shooter sports competition kind of
Ghost Dad the Elder: I think the "race against the clock" thingy is called Stopwatch mode.
Ghost Dad the Elder: cause the first team sets teh time
Ghost Dad the Elder: second team has to beat that stopwatch
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok so as a tv show, what if there is an over the top host
tronic: ok
tronic: a player or computer
Ghost Dad the Elder: who?
Ghost Dad the Elder: the host?
tronic: yes
Ghost Dad the Elder: the host is just an NPC.
tronic: "Stopwatch" could be the game name haha
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice
tronic: stopwatch: Teh EleminatoRRRR
Ghost Dad the Elder: LOL
Ghost Dad the Elder: hahaha
Ghost Dad the Elder: Dr.Crazypants presents: STOPWATCH: the Deadliest Arena
Ghost Dad the Elder: 2
tronic: loll
tronic: crazypants i love that
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: I like the idea of Stopwatch as the placeholder name, we can change it later, but it gets the point across in a simple way
tronic: yaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: we could even have things like a guy with a starters pistol at the beginning of a match, an announcer etc
tronic: Stopwatch : *insert level name* to differienciate the levels
Ghost Dad the Elder: exactly
Ghost Dad the Elder: SW_Dust-de
Ghost Dad the Elder: tehres a game called Mad World on the wii, have you heard about it/.
Ghost Dad the Elder: ?
tronic: I think you told me about it, is that the game with all that blood
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, black an white game
Ghost Dad the Elder: with red blood
tronic: aya
Ghost Dad the Elder: that game is set like a gameshow
Ghost Dad the Elder: the contestant, single player, is in an area and he gets points for killing the enemies in the most brutal ways he can
Ghost Dad the Elder: there are two announcers doing play by play as it happens
tronic: ya we need the announcers
Ghost Dad the Elder: the problem is when the announcer spoils a surprise attach
Ghost Dad the Elder: attack
Ghost Dad the Elder: "tronic is sneaking up behind the competitor, and... "
Ghost Dad the Elder: dead
tronic: yeah
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok, so its stopwatch
Ghost Dad the Elder: now for Competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: "challengers"?
tronic: chargers
Ghost Dad the Elder: they all have one big arm
tronic: hmmeggheg
tronic: LOl
Ghost Dad the Elder: "rushers"
Ghost Dad the Elder: cheezy
Ghost Dad the Elder: "The Four"
tronic: for gladiator "watchemen" lolol
Ghost Dad the Elder: "$$"
tronic: we can still have the announcer, but only after mini events or big events happened (trap), door open ) At the very begining too
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
Ghost Dad the Elder: good call
tronic: ARE ALL THE COMPETITORS READY? YEAH!!! ARE ALL THE GLAIATORS RDY? YA!!!
Ghost Dad the Elder: kind of like the tf2 lady but a bit more details
Ghost Dad the Elder: YAAAAA
tronic: yyeeyye
tronic: like you said, we can't use it for actions that are not over but after, no problemo
Ghost Dad the Elder: gueno
Ghost Dad the Elder: bueno
tronic: we need names that can be shortened
tronic: like lets say, counter-strike. no one call them counter-terrorists
tronic: its CT or TS
Ghost Dad the Elder: yaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok, so the game is a sport, but the Cs die in it.. which is tough to explain how they come back to life
Ghost Dad the Elder: take my idea: The Cs are Holograms controlled by humans, and the Gs are robots programmed by Dr.Crazypants
Ghost Dad the Elder: Holos and Droids
Ghost Dad the Elder: ? :P
tronic: i like the holograms
Ghost Dad the Elder: both sides are holograms
tronic: would the player notice that they are holograms
tronic: or its told to the player and graphics are not affected
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah the players, we can show them as if they are humans in a booth, like in starcraft competitions
Ghost Dad the Elder: and they put on helmets and some fancy suit and then take control of the holograms
Ghost Dad the Elder: so the sports side of this is a mix of the competition of american gladiator, but with the audience of a starcraft game
Ghost Dad the Elder: but the audience are watching the holograms move in the arena
tronic: you add a double l4d intro effect where it zooms into your fake real player to zoom into the holograms lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: yayaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: and when you get killed, and are waiting for respawn, the camera changes somehow to show you are in the suit, in the booth
tronic: oo and then if you move the mouse to the right or left, this is how you switch to some1 else view
Ghost Dad the Elder: when in respawn , ya lol
tronic: booth?
Ghost Dad the Elder: le petit chambre anti-sonore que les starcraft gars se mettent dedans durant les competitons en publique
tronic: oh like in the starcraft
tronic: "isolation booth"
tronic: heheehhe
Ghost Dad the Elder: voila
tronic: but the booth has all 4 players in , 2 booths
Ghost Dad the Elder: YO! when we do the public presentation, we have to make the class sign NDA agreements :D :D
tronic: LOl
Ghost Dad the Elder: including the teachers

longest post ever

2009-05-26T21:12:00.001-07:00

Ghost Dad the Elder: So yeah, multiplayer, 4 on 4 maybe, asymetrical teams, like L4d...
tronic: yo
Ghost Dad the Elder: american gladiator style levels
Ghost Dad the Elder: yoyo
Ghost Dad the Elder: what kind of art style do you think the game might be?
tronic: eeee
Ghost Dad the Elder: I was thinking it would be cool that the gladiators are very different from the "competitors"
tronic: is it 8 total different class
tronic: or 4 minimum
tronic: 8 minimum*
Ghost Dad the Elder: I was thinking that the Gladiators have a set of classes and the Competitors have a different set
Ghost Dad the Elder: 4 on 4 seems like a good team
tronic: easier to balance
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
Ghost Dad the Elder: I thought one Gladiator could be like a British Safari guy
Ghost Dad the Elder: One could be a Puerto Rican woman from New York state
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol, now Im just making this up
tronic: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: One could be a German girl with lots of mechanical equipment
Ghost Dad the Elder: A ninja
Ghost Dad the Elder: Meanwhile, like l4d, the Competitors are pretty normal people
Ghost Dad the Elder: 2 guy 2 girl
Ghost Dad the Elder: some quebec accents
Ghost Dad the Elder: some spandex suits
Ghost Dad the Elder: basically they look like competitors from American Gladiators... but we should change that
tronic: whats spandex suit
Ghost Dad the Elder: 1 instant
Ghost Dad the Elder: spandex is the material that people wear when they are professional cyclists
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://www.tonysuits.com/images/Free%20Style%20Suit%201.jpg
Ghost Dad the Elder: can't fporget this guy:
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://www.sinpies.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/wolfamglad.jpg
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, I really like teh way left 4 dead balances out the teams by splitting each campaign into 5 parts, and that teams alternate each part
Ghost Dad the Elder: so you dont get bored of being louis for too long ;)
tronic: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: Ghost Dad the Elder: so you could have each game take place in a set of 4-5 smaller maps, teams take turns as gladiators and as competitors
tronic: yeah i like that team based switching concept
Ghost Dad the Elder: cool
Ghost Dad the Elder: you had a good idea of incorporating switches and buttons into the maps, so that the competitors or gladiators can shut down or open up some paths
tronic: do oyu know what is natural selection
Ghost Dad the Elder: so your mission on a map could be to have some guys cover a switch or button, making sure it stays open
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, natural selection
Ghost Dad the Elder: absolument
Ghost Dad the Elder: Darwin
tronic: the game
tronic: :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh no
Ghost Dad the Elder: steam?
tronic: its a half-life 1 mod
tronic: they are making ns2 i think
Ghost Dad the Elder: hrmm, googling
tronic: basically its a team of aliens species vs humans
tronic: and humans have a commander that spawns stuffs and opens doors and shits like that
Ghost Dad the Elder: jaja
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh cool
tronic: the humans need to sequre gas stations that gives income to the commander and then he buys weapons/upgrades for his team
Ghost Dad the Elder: so a player who is the commander, he is just pressing buttons on a HUD, or is he in the map?
tronic: turrets and more
Ghost Dad the Elder: aha, good idea
Ghost Dad the Elder: some kind of resource system
tronic: hes kinda like the commander in bf2
tronic: but in a simpler way because it was on an old engine i guess
tronic: did you play commander in battlefield2
Ghost Dad the Elder: Ghost Dad the Elder: no but I watched my friend do it once
Ghost Dad the Elder: would both sides have a 'commander'?
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Selection_(computer_game)
Ghost Dad the Elder: I think our game needs to be more 'cartoon' than BF2 or NS
tronic: yea
Ghost Dad the Elder: but steal those gameplay mechanics all day :)
tronic: i was just referring these two because they had a commander
tronic: but its not necessary to have the commander you know
Ghost Dad the Elder: it might be cool that the commander is a position you have to reach
tronic: but i though maybe it could be nice to have one guy coordinating everything and 3-4 other player doing the stuffs
Ghost Dad the Elder: so half teh map it is 4 on 4, and then halfway one player with most xp or least damage or w/e gets to be the commander
tronic: however, there is a problem with the commander in bf2 because he can see the players on the ground very precisely
tronic: BUT the counters are that maps are very large, games are 32x32 and scan can be destroyed
Ghost Dad the Elder: he is on a map view, no?
tronic: hes on a map view but you can zoom in so close that you can see ur buddies running
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh cool
Ghost Dad the Elder: so its not just icons, but actual game action
tronic: then u press scan or radar and can spot ennemies more efficiently
tronic: and then you have to click on every ennemies on your map so they appear on your team's mini-map
Ghost Dad the Elder: aha
Ghost Dad the Elder: with 4 on 4, all that recon wont be so useful
tronic: yea
tronic: if we are doing some kind of american gladiator concept game
tronic: a timer would be interesting
tronic: you gotta reach that button the fastest and after that x number of maps
tronic: 10 seconds more equals 2 more respawn in the deathmatch areana or w.e
Ghost Dad the Elder: Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, the way ET does comp. matches is that team one attacks the map and sets a time, so if the map has a 20 minute time limit, and they finish in 10 minutes, than the other team starts with 10 minutes on the clock, they have to beat that time
Ghost Dad the Elder: and yeah, getting bonuses that change spawntime is a good idea
Ghost Dad the Elder: you could also change the health regeneration rate as well
Ghost Dad the Elder: change footspeed
tronic: yeah
tronic: health system shouldnt be based on games like rainbow six or counter-strike
tronic: we need bigger fights :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
tronic: so even the noobs have a chance
Ghost Dad the Elder: I'm curious about this game Zeno Clash that just came out, its built in source and most of the combat is hand to hand.
Ghost Dad the Elder: you are trying to cross a bridge and the safari guy overpowers you and pushes you off of the bridge into the water below
Ghost Dad the Elder: etc..
tronic: nice<
Ghost Dad the Elder: Ghost Dad the Elder: another thing I think we shoud take from L4D is the asymetrical team styles. Competitors are pretty vanilla, but the gladiators have crazy abilities.
Ghost Dad the Elder: I'm thinking of Dhalsim from sfighter, with the long arms, as an example
Ghost Dad the Elder: instead of a smoker you get a guy with a long punch
Your chat with tronic is now a multi-user chat.
Ghost Dad the Elder: et voila! c'est en anglais ;(
Ghost Dad the Elder: c'est ca le "recap"

DelBiss: oki, i've copy that.. and i'm reading it.. like the American Gladiator idea
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, a tu j'amais vu ces gameshows japonais ou les competiteurs doivent traversser un gros mechanisme.. comme le dernier etape de American Gladiators mais plus grand
tronic: hmm
tronic: il y en a tellement des show de japonais dans ce genre lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: ils etait sur RDS a un point
Ghost Dad the Elder: j'ai de la difficulte de le trouver en google car il y a si beaucoup de gameshow japonais
DelBiss: Wipeout est quelque chose de semblabe
DelBiss: .. by the way... good idea!!!
DelBiss: GLADIATOR GAME !!!!!
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh oh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gladiators_(video_game)
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol
tronic: (WIPEOUT) The concept and style of the show has been compared to several Japanese game shows most notably Sasuke and Takeshi's Castle.
DelBiss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN2t_I613Y
Ghost Dad the Elder: yaya
Ghost Dad the Elder: trash!
DelBiss: Wipeout ^^
DelBiss: Takeshi's Castle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGuYojcmZpI
Ghost Dad the Elder: they showed the replay of the fat lady falling a million times
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice!
tronic: LOL
Ghost Dad the Elder: lolol avalanche!
DelBiss: Trop drole!!
tronic: the big balls challenge in takeshi castle looks hard !
tronic: and dangerous at the same time lol
DelBiss: Ils sont fou ces japonais
DelBiss: So it's nice.. we have the basic concept. I'm reading the assignment, and he is asking to define the team and classes (Action/State, Advantage/Disadvantages, Balanced Team). Nothing else is required.
DelBiss: Where do we go from here?
tronic: we have 2 teams
tronic: assemetrical
Ghost Dad the Elder: the competitors are "normal" people
Ghost Dad the Elder: the gladiators are all very unique characters and have unusual powers.
Ghost Dad the Elder: teams 4 on 4
Ghost Dad the Elder: but there are more Gladiator classes than 4, maybe 8, and you have to pick the best line-up to defend
Ghost Dad the Elder: also the map itself is like a player a bit, it changes based on the actions of both teams
Ghost Dad the Elder: buttons and switches can close doors, open briges, spin wheels etc,.. allowing different access
DelBiss: We have the Puerto Rican woman, the Ninja, the British safari guy and the german girl
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: I say we make Louis Cyr a character in honour of Jerome
Ghost Dad the Elder: "strongman"
DelBiss: GOOD IDEA
tronic: woowwow
DelBiss: Louis J. Cyr
Ghost Dad the Elder: there also could be a hockey player guy, like.. lol @ J... like casey jones in TMNT
Ghost Dad the Elder: make him a goalie based on patrick roy's son / hextall
DelBiss: LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Ghost Dad the Elder: It would be fun to put some Quebec culture in there, it would give us good reviews on Mr.Net at least
Ghost Dad the Elder: oops j'ai perdu mon francais
Ghost Dad the Elder: le voila
tronic: hhaha
Ghost Dad the Elder: the other thing Jerome mentionned is that the switches could affect more than the map, they could change the player's movement speed, or the respawn times etc...
DelBiss: Character Recap: strongman Louis J. Cyr, Hockey Guy, Puerto Rican woman, Ninja, British Safari guy, German Girl (mechanical equipment)
Ghost Dad the Elder: Russian gymnast / ninja, imo
tronic: just louis cyr if u really want to make that name :P
DelBiss: Nadia
Ghost Dad the Elder: J
Ghost Dad the Elder: J CYR
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe a brazilian masochist dressed up in a leather gimp suit.. is it a guy? no one knows
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe that's too dark
tronic: teams must use all the classes, no 2x3x4x same class like in tf2
tronic: ?
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
DelBiss: maybe a Lucha Libre wrestlers
Ghost Dad the Elder: no stacking
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice, lucha libre!
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, not 4 louis J cyrs killing things
Ghost Dad the Elder: Character Recap: strongman Louis J. Cyr, Hockey Guy, Puerto Rican woman, Ninja Nadia, British Safari guy, German Girl (mechanical equipment), Lucha Libre guy.
DelBiss: Ok.... but for the competitor, we said that the where vanilla... so .. how the can compete
Ghost Dad the Elder: The map is designed so that they always win
Ghost Dad the Elder: the gladiators just have to delay them as much as possible
DelBiss: poor gladiator
DelBiss: make sence.. and fun
Ghost Dad the Elder: So, for example, a Level is split into 5 parts (like L4D)
DelBiss: yeah.. understand
Ghost Dad the Elder: Part 1, one team plays as competitors, they finish this part in 6 minutes, now the gladiator team switches over, they try and beat 6 minutes.
Ghost Dad the Elder: then off to part 2
Ghost Dad the Elder: One idea is that the Gladiators could have a limited number of "lives"
tronic: jaja
Ghost Dad the Elder: so they get to respawn 2-3 times, but after that it is all over
DelBiss: ok.. but we to have at least 4 classes per side
DelBiss: *we need
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe the competitor classes are all the same, but they have a choice of weapons that give them different abilities
Ghost Dad the Elder: so there are 4+ weapon styles for the competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: basically this way they can have different classes, without changing how they look much
Ghost Dad the Elder: ummm
DelBiss: talking with Andrei.. I think the class need to be different.... but i'm not sure
Ghost Dad the Elder: we could call it class, it is basically.
Ghost Dad the Elder: they have different classes based on the weapon selections, but they always look the same, 4 ordinary athletic ppl
DelBiss: thinking more about it... forget what I said..
DelBiss: thats perfect
Ghost Dad the Elder: ur chatting with Andrei right now?
tronic: well the problem with having all the same model but different class = confusing for competitors that dont know exactly what to expect from the guys in front of him which in fact isnt a real problem
Ghost Dad the Elder: true and true
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe the weapons are like backpacks, so you can see a difference.
DelBiss: no.. last class
Ghost Dad the Elder: fast guy has small bag, heavy weapon guy has a truck on his back etc.,.
Ghost Dad the Elder: last class eh?
DelBiss: you can see the weapons... in his hand..
Ghost Dad the Elder: Bucheron?
tronic: b/c if you dont know what the gladiators will do, people will hesistate and the time is running! so they still have to go and must react fast enough to clear the levels
Ghost Dad the Elder: you should load up TF2 and see the audio commentaries about how they designed the different classes so you can always tell who they are
Ghost Dad the Elder: but yeah, gladiators have to take a chance
DelBiss: good idea
tronic: what if the gladiators really had different models but competitors would need to activate a special ability to reveal the true nature of its enemy
tronic: i duno, maybe a 1 thing abilty/per level
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice idea
tronic: *inspired by the spy*
Ghost Dad the Elder: Shadowrun had some ideas about multiplayer balance, they gave special abilities that are a lot like hacks, so one guy can see through walls, one guy has aim assist, one guy can walk through walls etc...
DelBiss is now playing Team Fortress 2. Click here to join.
Ghost Dad the Elder: brb, Im going to walk the dog
tronic: did we say competitors cant kill "gladiators"
tronic: and can gladiators kill the competitors
tronic: ok sure ill grab foood
DelBiss: i'll smoke
tronic: if competitors cant kill gladiators they should have a melee ranged stun ability much like scout in tf2 or a kick action to knock back the gladiators
DelBiss: it's depend of the chalenge... and it's a point a don't really understand.. how Gladiator slowdown the Competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: they can each kill each other, but the gladiators are stronger
Ghost Dad the Elder: but the competitors have unlimited lives
tronic: they should all have unlimited lives but maybe longer spawn point for gladiators
Ghost Dad the Elder: (came back to get my ipod)
tronic: lol :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, maybe each time one dies they get an extra 2-3 sec to their spawntime
tronic: if we set gladiators to limited numbers of lives, they wont be as much agressive
tronic: and it would break the concept of gladiators slowing down as much as possible the competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
DelBiss: Here what I understand from the concept: Competitor need to go to the end of the levels and Gladiators try to slow them.
DelBiss: What I'm not able to visualize is how the Gladiators will slow them.
Ghost Dad the Elder: 1) the gladiators will be stronger than the competitors, but will have limited lives, or the increasing respawn time, and so they have to try and slow the competitors while they can.
Ghost Dad the Elder: 2) the layout of the map (obstacles, traps etc...) will be such that it is against the competitors. The competitors have to fight through these obstacles that slow them down.
Ghost Dad the Elder: you can mix 1 and 2 and have the gladiators be able to trigger things in the map to fight the competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: a simple example would be the gladiators using a "turret" style gun that is part of the map design
Ghost Dad the Elder: or more interesting is things like trapdoors that are activated by the gladiators using buttons or switches
tronic: We should also find combos for each sides
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
Ghost Dad the Elder: I'm thinking of a competitor using the body of another one to be able to jump up to a high ledge, but you mean more like weapon combos and ability synergies, right?
tronic: nono like you just said
tronic: i was thinking about the same
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok yeah
tronic: lets say a big rock is blocking the path, you gotta push it with all competitors
Ghost Dad the Elder: the gladiators could have some 'ladders' that the C cannot use, again like l4d
Ghost Dad the Elder: so the Gs can climb up to a high ledge alone, but the Cs need to stack to jump up it
Ghost Dad the Elder: the rock idea is good too
Ghost Dad the Elder: you could have a few physics obstacles like that
tronic: i may be wrong but i think Cs must have more players than gladiators to?
tronic: in the case of the stack jump part
tronic: if all competitors are required to to that jump and gladiators can physically stop them
tronic: you need an extra guy that makes a diversion
tronic: which means the maps could be less linear
Ghost Dad the Elder: I was thinking of a 2 player stack being the highest that we design for, cause we have to make the maps noob friendly
Ghost Dad the Elder: for sure, multiple ways through each map, but they all need cooperative work by the Cs to access.
Ghost Dad the Elder: meanwhile the Gs have to be covering all of them, or trying to predict which way the Cs are coming
tronic: we could use the "crescendo event" that Cs need to wait until a door opens, giving time to the gladiators to regroup or w.e
Ghost Dad the Elder: another cooperative physics obstacle could be an ski lift or gondola that needs a certain weight to move it, ie. 2-3 players
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, nice
Ghost Dad the Elder: so lets make a clear definition
Ghost Dad the Elder: we can call the whole mission a campaign
Ghost Dad the Elder: each campaign has 4-5 levels
DelBiss: i'm back.. sorry, my son woke up
Ghost Dad the Elder: each level can have a few stages, including more linear style crescendo event
Ghost Dad the Elder: allo
Ghost Dad the Elder: we are on fire here
tronic: or double style crescendo event to split in 2 teams of 2vs2 at key points in the map
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice
Ghost Dad the Elder: just like in those gameshows they have the one on one or 2v2 battles
Ghost Dad the Elder: again, those could be more linearly implemented as a stage within one level
Ghost Dad the Elder: if teh Cs lose they have to redo something to access that stage again
DelBiss: Ok.. so if I understand, one specifyc C's class can make teamate jump over a high edge...
Ghost Dad the Elder: when the Gs lose the Cs move on, it unlocks an area
Ghost Dad the Elder: or w/e
Ghost Dad the Elder: that could be a class ability
Ghost Dad the Elder: the ability to give a boost
Ghost Dad the Elder: or a higher boost than other classes
Ghost Dad the Elder: with the crescendo event you could allow the G players to choose one of the other unselected classes
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe before the fight they pick their class, and then a seperate class for the cresendo.
DelBiss: okay... so environment obstacle could only be triger by a specific class.. (sorry, I just try to see how the class influence the gameplay)
DelBiss: don't think it's a good idea.. it's could break the rythm
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, I see it as most of these environmental challenges can be done by all classes
Ghost Dad the Elder: but maybe a class might be better at some of them
tronic: we said campaigns are about 4 to 5 levels
Ghost Dad the Elder: for example, a rock takes 3 normal guys to push, but it might just take 2 heavy weapon style characters to push
Ghost Dad the Elder: sure, I just threw the number out there, could be 10, or 3
Ghost Dad the Elder: *10 or 3 levels per campaign
DelBiss: that not really my concern, but in all these great idea, i ahve difficulty to see where the class come in action
Ghost Dad the Elder: we haven't really gotten to the classes yet :)
DelBiss: number are just property... what's important is the concep
DelBiss: good...
DelBiss: i'm ok with that
Ghost Dad the Elder: the map is a class
DelBiss: and ours class is the map :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: the map design affects the gameplay even more than the classes do
DelBiss: for sure
Ghost Dad the Elder: but the classes need to be cool
Ghost Dad the Elder: so we should talk about that a bit
tronic: so lets say its 5, where map success highly depends on 1 specific class rather than the whole bunch. Then map 2, its the next guy turn and the 3 other guys must support him by protecting him/ doing smaller puzzles and so on.. until we reach the final map ( map 5 for example ) where all 4 classes are used to their full potential
Ghost Dad the Elder: i like that structure a lot
DelBiss: good
tronic: was just a suggestion :O
Ghost Dad the Elder: one class could be a hacker/engineer, needed on one map to hack open a door that they must open, on a second map he could disable the turret guns
DelBiss: what I was saying about the class is that most interaction between team are environmental where the class don't really matter, so maybe we should find more direct interaction.
DelBiss: but doing this... we go more to the TF style
DelBiss: and it's not really what we want
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok, so for andrei's assignment did he say how many classes in total we must have in the game?
DelBiss: .....i think

tronic: well like george said the style of the game could have a cartoony feeling like tf2 but i think thats about it for the comparison between the 2 games :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: what I was thinking when I said cartoony was really basing the game as a gameshow, with the gladiator characters we came up with I was thinking of them being goofy, more in the style of punchout
DelBiss: Minimum of 4 class by team, minimum of 2 team. the teams should be balanced
Ghost Dad the Elder: I think we are ok.
Ghost Dad the Elder: We can argue that the teams are balanced by the fact that they each get to play as Gs and Cs
Ghost Dad the Elder: so making one side stronger than the other is ok
tronic: true true
tronic: because the concept is not like l4d where infected MUST at all cost try to prevent survivors from reaching the saferooms
DelBiss: true true
tronic: in our concept its inevitable that they will reach it
Ghost Dad the Elder: also, this way we can have the Gladiators be the more "class" based side, and the Cs really be pretty similar in their abilitires
Ghost Dad the Elder: Character Recap: strongman Louis J. Cyr, Hockey Guy, Puerto Rican woman, Ninja Nadia, British Safari guy, German Girl (mechanical equipment), Lucha Libre guy.
tronic: thats 7 classes ;P
Ghost Dad the Elder: Ok, so I'm guessing they all have guns, right
Ghost Dad the Elder: we'll think of another class soon enough
DelBiss: well... let's say weapon
tronic: well 7 + competitors = 8 no?
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice
Ghost Dad the Elder: good math :D
DelBiss: lol
tronic: lol
tronic: louis cyr shouldnt have guns
Ghost Dad the Elder: still, we will probably think of a few more cool class ideas once we start working on these
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, louis cyr has a dumbell
tronic: he should be the strong guy blocking paths with rocks or /attacking with dumbell
Ghost Dad the Elder: huge melee damage, can block rocks
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: have you guys played Plants vs. Zombies?
tronic: nope haha
DelBiss: yes...
DelBiss: good game
Ghost Dad the Elder: There is one 'class' of plant, the walnut, that cant attack but has huge amount of hp, and it just is used to slow down the zombies while they try and eat it.
DelBiss: i've found in on pirate bay, but the game is so fun that i've buy it
Ghost Dad the Elder: louis cyr is like the walnut
DelBiss: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: but with a dumbell
Ghost Dad the Elder: and a moustache
tronic: slow ms
tronic: :D
DelBiss: Multiplayer Game Assignment

We’re going to create a multiplayer game.

In order to do this, you will need to work out the following:

* Minimum 2 sides
* Minimum 4 classes per side
* For each class:
o Figure out its actions and states (in other words, what does it do?)
o Figure out the advantages/disadvantages of each class (in other words, what it does it do well and what does it do poorly?)
o Figure out how classes are balanced both with other classes on its side, and with rival classes from the other sides(s) (in other words, what units work well together, what units work well against what enemy units, and what units are not an even match)
o Make sure that all actions of all classes on one team can somehow be countered by actions of the other team
* In all this, keep in mind how you’ll feedback the player to use the classes how you intended. (e.g. in some games the rocket class, intended for use against armored targets, is actually very effective against infantry due to splash damage.. this is incentive for the player to use the class NOT as intended).

This design should be presented as an (incomplete) GDD, containing the above information, but nothing else is required.
Ghost Dad the Elder: British safari guy is like a sniper
tronic: safari guy which means he uses a tranquiliser gun so slow down the other team?
DelBiss: good...
tronic: tranquiliser sniper lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice
Ghost Dad the Elder: he can also set traps
Ghost Dad the Elder: like beartraps
Ghost Dad the Elder: or w/r
Ghost Dad the Elder: chop off the legs
DelBiss: and slow the C's
Ghost Dad the Elder: yup
DelBiss: Hockey can make the floor icy
tronic: nice lol
DelBiss: Et shooter des rondelles qui assome les C's
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah!
Ghost Dad the Elder: il bouge lentement, mais sur la glace il est le plus abile
DelBiss: yep
DelBiss: but have a limited amout of ice
DelBiss: who regenarating by themself
Ghost Dad the Elder: bonne question
tronic: il met de la glace pres dun saut donc il doivent attendre que la glace fondent ou descendre en bas du trou et se booster
Ghost Dad the Elder: oui
DelBiss: Oui
tronic: un smoker a la cowboy qui retient un joueur/ drag en bas
Ghost Dad the Elder: voila\
Ghost Dad the Elder: lukey luke
Ghost Dad the Elder: There could be gates that are destroyable and then rebuildable, the german can build them once the Cs have broken them
Ghost Dad the Elder: the german can be an engineer kind of class
tronic: i was reading a good article recently about how to make a good single-player map
DelBiss: C's class: a "Booster Guy", a "See-Trap Guy", a "Help-you-to-climb-the-wall-from-the-top-with-a-cord Guy"
Ghost Dad the Elder: nice
Ghost Dad the Elder: the cool thing with those is that they can all be done with devices, a rope, a set of glasses, a backpack with a spring
DelBiss: but we need to find a better name for the "h-y-t-c-t-w-f-t-t-w-a-c Guy"
tronic: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: idk, that one is pretty good !
Ghost Dad the Elder: actually they dont need names, the Cs could be like the survivors in L4d, all normal dudes, but one gets to take the rope, another one can take the glasses etc
Ghost Dad the Elder: Here's an obstacle idea, with both sides able to affect it.
DelBiss: right...
Ghost Dad the Elder: There are gun turrets that limit the Cs ability to move ahead, maybe they cant go onto a roof or platform cause the guns are in that area...
Ghost Dad the Elder: but one C can have a hacking tool, and if he gets to a terminal he can disable the guns.. however the german can rebuild them after a cooldown
DelBiss: perfect
tronic: Bounce

Bounce is the best way to make use of limited geometry by forcing the player to travel through the same area twice. An easy example of bounce gameplay is to have a locked door where a player then has to go into a bunker to operate the button and come back the way they came.

tronic: using this concept with the rebuildable stuffs is basically that
Ghost Dad the Elder: for sure
DelBiss: One C's class could be a "Mirror Edge Style Class" who can take shortcut
DelBiss: but can easily fall down
Ghost Dad the Elder: so one stage has a bounce or 2 in it, then there is a door or w/e that cant be rebuilt, maybe the Cs get a forward spawn
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, I like that idea, a guy with wallrunning, or at least double jump
tronic: we could have a midget class that other class member can throw easily to reach unaccessible parts of the map
Ghost Dad the Elder: Also, lets think of how big each level really has to be. I find L4D matches a bit long, 1 hour approx. If we fit 5 levels into 50 minutes that means about 5 minutes for each side each map
DelBiss: that's short
Ghost Dad the Elder: lol @ midget.. the correct term is "little person" i think
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, 5 mins is very short
Ghost Dad the Elder: maybe we go with 3 levels instead of 5
Ghost Dad the Elder: or w/e
tronic: yeah 3 sounds good
tronic: best of 3
tronic: not
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
Ghost Dad the Elder: if one team wins the first two levels its gg
tronic: depends
Ghost Dad the Elder: dont get to do the fun final level
DelBiss: the game should feel complete after one level
Ghost Dad the Elder: thats the real challenge !
Ghost Dad the Elder: take tf2, each level is designed so that all the diff. classes can be useful
tronic: yeye
Ghost Dad the Elder: theres no level that the sniper can see all teh way across, but there are also no levels without a few big areas for him to chill at
Ghost Dad the Elder: etc
DelBiss: yeah
Ghost Dad the Elder: that is tough to do. I wonder if there is another way
tronic: another way to?
Ghost Dad the Elder: well, we could have a level where there is no use for the hacking tool
Ghost Dad the Elder: or where there is no good sightlines for the sniper
Ghost Dad the Elder: because we have the limit of it being 4 on 4 right?
tronic: ya but everyone knows snipers always end up no scoping in any games :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: so, if you choose a sniper on a level that is no good for him then its your fault
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
Ghost Dad the Elder: thats cause of their high dps
Ghost Dad the Elder: but if our guy just slows them down as his main ability, he isnt that useful in close quarters
Ghost Dad the Elder: (dps, damage per second)
Ghost Dad the Elder: actually he's more of a burst damage class than high dps
Ghost Dad the Elder: w/e
Ghost Dad the Elder: the Ninja!
Ghost Dad the Elder: kind of like a G equivalent of the mirrors edge C
DelBiss: where not limit at 4 on 4
DelBiss: minimum 4 class... unlimited player
Ghost Dad the Elder: for sure, but for the maps to be a big player we need a small team base imo
Ghost Dad the Elder: *base number
tronic: true if theres 10 players we have to give each player something to do
tronic: or 16
Ghost Dad the Elder: actually, the more players, the bigger the map, thats all we have to do
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah, jerome, I agree
tronic: they cant just stand there and wait until the Cs move a little bit, thye must participate
Ghost Dad the Elder: also, to make it balanced we need to have some kind of limit of players. seems to me like if Gs are stronger than Cs, then the more of both that there are the more advantage the G side gets, but I might be wrong about that math
Ghost Dad the Elder: once we finish up the classes we will have a better idea of how many of them to throw into this world :)
tronic: are we assuming 1 gladiator cover 1 competitor or 1 gladiator can take care of more than 1 at a time?

tronic: or its more like free for all everyone switch from one guy to another
tronic: and then some bad communication/teamwork end up in Cs's winning
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah
DelBiss: depend of the balanced of the class... but it's could be could to have a limited amout of gladiator to take care a lots od C's
DelBiss: *could be cool
Ghost Dad the Elder: the problem is with that is then you cant have the back and forth switching of sides after each level
Ghost Dad the Elder: but check this out
DelBiss: your right
Ghost Dad the Elder: actually I think this is a bad idea, but what if it was, for example: 4 Gs, and 8 Cs... but the Cs arer in two teams of 4... then you could play each level 3 times with a 4 on 8 line up
Ghost Dad the Elder: the problem is that the first C team to win can sabotage the other teams in later rounds
Ghost Dad the Elder: 4 on 4 is cool for now :)
tronic: ya
Ghost Dad the Elder: The sassy new york puerto rican girl, what's her special ability? maybe we should replace her with the lukey luke
tronic: lets just toss in the boomer some some aoe vision effects
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok, whats a fun equivalent to the boomer
Ghost Dad the Elder: something silly, and fat
tronic: lol
tronic: sumo
DelBiss: bad breath
Ghost Dad the Elder: humpty dumpty guy
Ghost Dad the Elder: slobbery pet dog
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh no, thats just me
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah maybe a chef character with bad breath, or some bad stew in a pot that he can spill

Ghost Dad the Elder: part time gladiator, full time crappy chef,
tronic: it could be the goaler with some kind of cryogenic freezing gun with aoe effect
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://archives.starbulletin.com/98/01/28/features/art.gif
Ghost Dad the Elder: yeah the goaler could use his water bottle to spray some aoe effect too
tronic: it looks like stephane without glasses !
Ghost Dad the Elder: HAHAH
Ghost Dad the Elder: true
tronic: it* he*
Ghost Dad the Elder: oh i thought you were talking about the fish *zing*
Ghost Dad the Elder: jkjk
tronic: lol
tronic: a fisherman throwing rotten fishes that stinks so bad you are dizzy
Ghost Dad the Elder: ughh
DelBiss: i like it
Ghost Dad the Elder: ok, we should call this meeting to a close soon
tronic: ahah
DelBiss: yes.. we're talking about fish... too tired...

Ghost Dad the Elder: I think we have a cool idea here
Ghost Dad the Elder: the whole thing, not the fish part :P
DelBiss: yes... I agree
DelBiss: could probaly be done in unreal or source
tronic: yes lol
tronic: i thought the fish part was my best suggestion..
tronic: :(
Ghost Dad the Elder: Louis J Cyr is my best one
Ghost Dad the Elder: what does DelBiss come from? and tronic?
Ghost Dad the Elder: the names, GDtE has a short story
tronic: :P
tronic: i didnt "create" my nickname
Ghost Dad the Elder: ever hear of ghostriding the whip? my friend combined that with the bill cosby movie Ghost Dad and made Ghost dad the whip as a saying, then I got tired of that name, and I like the painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder so I got rid of the whip
DelBiss: DelBiss come from DelMonte, my previous nick and Bistouille, a bistro where I've been DJ
Ghost Dad the Elder: aha!
tronic: i was in a counter-strike team and a betrayed my leader by joining his friend team lol (back like 6 years ago) so i had to change name, i couldnt find a good one, and they proposed me tronic when they watched a abtronic television ad
Ghost Dad the Elder: hahahha
DelBiss: lol
tronic: i was like nice nice but i didnt know about abtronic at the time
Ghost Dad the Elder: abtronic is the name now
DelBiss: lol
Ghost Dad the Elder: http://fastabs.titibuy.com/files/2008/01/abtronic.jpg
Ghost Dad the Elder: that should be your Avatar**
tronic: Did you guys have your own texture samples for LAST PAULINE CLASS!! ?? :P
Ghost Dad the Elder: i have pictures
tronic: I took my photos when i came back from campus.. which was at 8
tronic: no more sunlight :[ but wée
Ghost Dad the Elder: opa
DelBiss: yes.. i'll use my brick texture for Matt assignment.. and i have a picture with grass on it
Ghost Dad the Elder: Im gonna make a copy of this conversation to copy/paste out of in andreis class
tronic: i was having a problem saying memory usage error when trying to add my specular level layer into 3dsmax SO dumb
Ghost Dad the Elder: a permanent record of the abtronic story
tronic: lol
DelBiss: lol
DelBiss: why.. SO dump
tronic: it wouldnt let me add my specular level layer

tip of the cap: /b/ vs. sick fucks

2009-02-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

http://www.kenny-glenn.net/

http://neverforgetdusty.com/

Best wishes to you, Anonymous. Use your powers for good!

sick ish

2009-02-24T12:38:00.001-08:00

http://totoroforestproject.org/

http://www.froghatstudios.com/art/coraline/home.html

NEW SLANG: so much more than a shins song

2009-01-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

new slang: someone who gets in your eyeline is 'Oc Blocking' you.

the ocular block, new slang from the people who brought you 'flarn bombz' and 'cling clang the blink blanq'

ie. "quit oc blocking me, dude"

or

"how was the nickleback concert, bro?"

"dude with a top hat was oc blocking me, brah"

unhip? me? you gotta be kidding

2009-01-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, as if my new wall sized diagram of the starship enterprise weren't enough proof, I am now writing for the tragically unhip blog that some good ol pals run... i'll set it off with the Natalya/Magnus love story told in grand tones and with much sturm und drang!!!

New mix: in the works.

2009-01-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

So, as you all know I have had a series of semi-monthly mixtape releases over the last couple of years. Here's a look behind the scenes as I put together my new idea:

THE NEW NAMES OF PORNOGRAPHY!

I like the band 'The new pornographers' quite a bit, for whatever reason I have fixated on songs they have put out with peoples names in the titles (ie. The Jessica Numbers.) As you may know, the new porns. are a 'supergroup' made up of musicians from many other bands/solo projects. And so a concept was born, a mix of tunes whos titles have peoples names in them from the new porns and their affiliates (ie. Zumpanos - Geez Louise)

Finding all the tunes (my list is at 23 right now) is proving to be a bit costly / difficult, and there are a few 2009 releases which have applicable songs (according to wikipedia) so I'm putting this one on the backburner. I thought it would be cool to also make a nice cover for once with illustrations of all the band members. See ya then

vetiver show

2008-10-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

M. I just saw a show at Pop Montreal and it was the best of times and the worst of times. This is directed to about a quarter of the crowd at Sala Rosa, those of you who were back by the BAR because you had free passes or something. I don’t know how you got in, but you were not LISTENING to the band. You were just CHATTING. It ruins the show for the three-quarters or four-fifths of the people who are there who actually want to see the show. Every time I go to a Pop Montreal show, it’s the same thing—all these douches from other bands or assholes with week-long passes are back there drinking and chatting. In a lot of ways, it takes away from the performers, which is what Pop Montreal should be all about. So I hope your tongues get cut off and stamped on by GOATS. [BLEEP!]

George vs, the Minivan, an e-mail.

2008-10-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

I'm doing just fine, let me give you a play by play.

11:00 arrive at local soccer pitch for charity tournament

2:30 some successful associates on a competing team pull off a cheap goal and beat us, eliminating our team

3:30 after cheering against the successful jerks I get ready to leave

4:10 I am waiting at a red light on st jaques (just past the a&w), contemplating why it is that opportunists succeed in life

4:11
the light turns green
I begin to move forward on my bike, I'm on the sidewalk

meanwhile...
a mini van has advanced towards the red light I am waiting at
the light turns green before he slows down too much / reaches intersection
he accelerates into a right turn

then:
I see the minivan in my periphery
I have two successive thoughts:
1) That minivan is cheating into it's turn a little too closely and I have every right to be upset about this encroachment on my space
2) That minivan is going way to fast to just encroach

Blam.

My eyes close
Minivan hits the back half of my bike and my left ankle
My forward momentum coupled with the force of contact from the minivan throws me off the bike, to my right
My years of skateboarding and 2 years of childhood judo allow me a bonus saving throw to falls which succeeds
My body does some type of adjustment in mid air
I hit cement on my left haunch, followed quickly by my left elbow that smashes the ground and directs me into a roll
I end up on my side about 10 feet from the point of impact

Pain

Worse than any pure falling damage I've ever felt before, but missing the blinding shocking pain of a breaking ankle. I could tell right away that my legs and arms still worked, and my brain is doing ok too

George: "Faaaaaaahhhhhckkk!!!!!"
Minivan Passenger: "[need anything]?"
George: "Call the ambolance(sic).. aaaarrrghhhhh"

Not sure if my back is on the edge of more serious damage I try and keep still, lying on the cement.

A witness is also a paramedic:
Holds my head in place
Checks my vital signs
Has a nice voice

I'm shaking a bit uncontrollably as the shock/pain really kicks in, another witness has an emergency blanket.

Ambulance arrives shortly after police
Police take my bike and scattered belongings and I can hear a whiff or two of them taking statements
Ambulance shove me on back immobilization board

Drive to hospital:
Bumpy

Hospital:
Admitted, priority: not immediate.
On immo. board on gurney staring at emergency room corridor ceiling
My back, I decide, is fine. Being immobilized for so long is causing my whole body to stiffen up. This is making it more painful, head brace is making me claustrophobic.

Notes on immo. device:
immobilization device could use a movable ergonomic lumbar pad
remove metal piece that is digging into the back of my head
make board longer, my ankles are hanging off the edge and it is digging into my achillies tendon

Overheard:
[While being wheeled into the emergency room]
Unknown Male: "They are falling like apples today"
George: "I'm not an apple!"
Unknown guy pushing my cart: "[On nice days like this there are more accidents]"
(It was a lovely day)

[While in the hallway]
[Anxious Lady from Toronto who fell off her bike and broke her elbow informs nurse that she takes a pill for anxiety, then proceeds to lose her shit in the waiting room of the x-ray spot]

X-rays report: negative
Pain: positive
Walking: laboured
Thanksgiving dinner, cold, with brother from out of town and parents after a near death experience: unbelievably valuable
Spotting a wastoids/faser tag on a lamppost box while lying on the cement in great pain:
priceless?

Postscript:
Not sure how my bike is doing.

DISCOUNTANIMEDVD.COM reviewed. (it sucks)

2008-09-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

DISCOUNTANIMEDVD.COM is a terrible online vendor... follow with me the twists and turns as ALL 4 ITEMS from my original order go from in to out of stock over a period of a month. Bear in mind that if they had shipped them in the 24-48 hour processing period that they promise all 4 would have still been in stock and I would have my stuff now.

All i wanted was the Myazaki box set, but I ordered other stuff to get 'free' shipping, only after paying for the stuff was it revealed that free shipping does not apply to canadian orders...

It all starts when I request that they clarify my order so it is clear that I want the english dubbed myazaki box set and not the original japanese, and they inform me that Akira (arguably the most popular Anime film of all time, something that should be easily available) is out of stock:

22/08/08:
Thank you very much for your prompt reply and for updating my order as I requested.

I appreciate your candor about the out of stock item. After considering the three options you have offered I would like to not order the Akira DVD (FX) ( DVDCODE : 35214), and have it removed from my order for a store credit.

One of the dvd's I have ordered is for a gift, and as such I need it in a timely manner. I look forward to receiving my order and using my store credit in the future.

peace

*****
store credit code promised within 24 hours

28/08/08

I have not received the store credit code yet, though it has been 6 days. I would like to receive my store credit code and have my order shipped as soon as possible. Thank you

*****

31/08/08

Hello, I have received my store credit code, but my order has not yet shipped.
I have checked the order and one of the items is out of stock and discontinued.

I would like to receive my order as soon as possible as it is needed for a gift.
So, as previously with the Akira DVD I had ordered, I would like to remove the
discontinued item from my order. I would like to replace this discontinued item
with a book that is in stock and available.

My order number:
XXXXXXXXX

Out of stock / discontinued item to remove from order:

Spirited Away Wall Scroll (80 cm x 102 cm) (z281)

Item to add to order as a replacement:

Nausicaa Watercolor Impressions Art Book BOOKCODE : 26480

The difference in price between the scroll ($9.99 + 3.00, extra shipping = $12.99) and the book (20.99, currently listed sale price) is $8.00. I would like to pay that difference in price by using my store credit of $13.95 (code: XXXXXXXXXX).

I would ask you to please 'fast track' my order if possible as it was paid for 11 days ago and is needed for a birthday party next week.

Thanking you in advance, George

below is a copy of the email regarding my last out of stock item:

"TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK and not available for the time being.
Akira DVD (FX) - $9.95 (pre-ordered item)

ETA: Unknown,

We understand that time is important for our customers. Therefore, you may choose from the following options.

1) Wait until the item becomes available
2) Replace it with another IN STOCK item
3) Remove BACKORDER item(s) for store credit or refund

If you plan to replace the item, please supply us with the following information,
1. Order Number (a numeric seven digit number):
2. Product code and title to replace out of stock item:

As soon as the backorder/preorder items are restocked at our warehouse, your order will be processed immediately.

Thank you for your patience and understanding to this matter.

Sincerely,
D.A.D. Customer Support
Your Online Anime DVD Superstore!"

******
order is updated with the book instead of the dvd

03/09/08

Thank you very much, I expect to have my package shipped and received soon.

Have a nice day, George

******
I create a ticket to ask why my order is not processing, they switch it to processing...

06/09/08
Thank you for your prompt attention in this matter.

Best, George
******
07/09/08

Hello, My order has gone back to being back-ordered, an item (metropolis dvd) that was in-stock for the 2 weeks that my order has been back-ordered is now out of stock... I would like an explanation as to how my order has not yet shipped and a reasonable estimate as to when it will be shipped otherwise I will cancel my order entirely for a refund. This process has become a comedy of errors and I am extremely dissatisfied.

******
08/09/08

My order is backordered again because of another out of stock item. In order to speed up the process I would like to replace the out of stock item: col07796 Metropolis DVD - $24.98
with this item: DVDCODE : 16698 The place promised in our early days: 20.99. I will take the difference as a store credit.

PLEASE now ship the order IMMEDIATELY as I have been waiting over 3 weeks and have had to change the order 4 times now.

PLEASE!!!!!!

Thank you, George
******
Now my order is backordered again, the Myazaki box set - aka. the only reason for my order, is now out of stock and out of print!?!? 4 weeks into a "24-48 hour processing time"... and they send me a message with this DEAD link: http://www.discountanimedvd.com/customersupport/

10/09/08

I have not yet received my store credit code and my order is no longer being processed and is back to backordered.

I would like an explanation (not a copy/pasted response) tomorrow, otherwise I will cancel my order for a full cash refund.

I am extremely disappointed with your ordering process and in no way do I feel like a "valued customer".

*******

Postscript: found the Myazaki box set on ebay for much cheaper.

2008-08-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

(23:54) [Panda] Walkind dogs can be danerous
(23:54) [Panda] *dangerous
[GhostDad the Whip] it's a pretty small dog
(23:54) [Panda] Even worse
(23:54) [Panda] :0
[GhostDad the Whip] tripping over him into a low picket-fence, eye-first
(23:54) [Panda] Yes
[GhostDad the Whip] I worry about that EVERY time
(23:55) [Panda] Youd be amazed at how common thats gotten
[GhostDad the Whip] I only have one eye as we speak
(23:55) [Panda] Which?
[GhostDad the Whip] left
:55) [Panda] Cool
[GhostDad the Whip] lost the right one while walking a friends dog
(23:55) [Panda] Damn
(23:56) [Panda] I never walk my dog
(23:56) [Panda] It can do that on its own
[GhostDad the Whip] I wish I had space for my dog
[GhostDad the Whip] I have to leash it and dodge cars with him
(23:56) [Panda] Garage sale?
(23:56) [Panda] Hmm
(23:56) [Panda] Well good luck
[GhostDad the Whip] I was thinking of a garage sale
[GhostDad the Whip] 1 item: dog
[GhostDad the Whip] also: unused left-eye patch
[GhostDad the Whip] bundled
(23:57) [Panda] Could fetch a pretty penny
[GhostDad the Whip] I s'pose
(23:57) [Panda] Mhmm
[GhostDad the Whip] never know when I'll need that eye-patch tho
(23:58) [Panda] Yeah
(23:58) [Panda] Never know...
[GhostDad the Whip] yeah, I guess I'll keep him
(23:58) [Panda] Suit yourself
[GhostDad the Whip] whoa
[GhostDad the Whip] sorry to have offended you
(23:58) [Panda] Haha
(23:58) [Panda] I'm not offended
[GhostDad the Whip] I know I know, just looking out for me, thanks
(23:59) [Panda] I mean...I could use a left eye eye patch
(23:59) [Panda] But..
(23:59) [Panda] Nevermind
(23:59) [Panda] Hah
[GhostDad the Whip] Keep a roll of electrical tape around
[GhostDad the Whip] works in a pinch
(23:59) [Panda] Hmm
(0:00) [Panda] Next time I go to a store
(0:00) [Panda] I will pick some up
[GhostDad the Whip] Also: maybe sand down the sharp points on your picket fence
(0:02) [Panda] Does this mean I should first get a picket fence?
[GhostDad the Whip] if everyone does there part we can save upwards of 3000 eyeballs
[GhostDad the Whip] their*
(0:02) [Panda] Haha
[GhostDad the Whip] oh, if you don't have one then you are alright
(0:02) [Panda] Ok good
[GhostDad the Whip] unless you have a fence made of bear traps placed at eye-height, then...
(0:03) [Panda] Oh no
(0:03) [Panda] I have a moat
[GhostDad the Whip] woot
(0:03) [Panda] Filled with bear traps
[GhostDad the Whip] thats's the dream right there
[GhostDad the Whip] hahah
(0:04) [Panda] Damn right
[GhostDad the Whip] bear traps and dog biscuits
(0:05) [Panda] Oh boy!
(0:05) [Panda] Thats actually a great idea
[GhostDad the Whip] around here that's old news, but we use em at high school science fairs
(0:06) [Panda] I see
[GhostDad the Whip] you make a papier mache Volcano, fill it with bear traps, then pour some red food dye in, and when the judges pass by you drop in the dog biscuits,,, kaboom
(0:07) [Panda] Hmmm
(0:07) [Panda] What grade do you recieve?
[GhostDad the Whip] E for effort
(0:08) [Panda] Damn
(0:08) [Panda] Thats awesome
[GhostDad the Whip] thanks Panda
(0:09) [Panda] For what?
[GhostDad the Whip] positive reinforcement
(0:09) [Panda] Oh
(0:09) [Panda] You are very welcome

Nancy has great wallpaper

2008-08-11T21:46:00.001-07:00

Nancy has great wallpaper
Originally uploaded by floordje

testing my flikr/blog crossover moves

2008-08-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

ouch

2008-07-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

2008-06-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

sxezskoz

8bc

mission statement

2008-06-23T18:45:00.001-07:00

well, 'big tings a gwan' ie. the gblott.com website launch (soon, I promise). I thought I'd take a minute or two and post (on my parent's old pc... I'm still looking for a place with big enough windows, and waiting for my monitor [damn you canada post]).

The first thing I'm doing is finishing my Wandering Angus booklet, something to send off to publishers and other deserving pals...

been doing lots of drawing in my new moleskin and look forward to posting once I'm set up again for such things (scanner is also somewhere in Mail purgatory).

See ya around

Plans

2008-06-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Pin Machine, Linocut, Watercolour, Acrylic, Staedlter, Sun, Light Source, Abcedarium, Cast, Caste, Incant, Enchant, Shanty, System, Hour, Wake, Strategy, Set it off, Love, Beauty, Children, Border, Engraving, Grave, Moonlight, Ukulele, Angle, Fowl, Fur, Caterpillar, Talking Squirrel, Thumbnail Portrait, Sore Back...

Tant qu'il y aura des étoiles sur le bord de la route nous devrons nous arrêter.

2008-06-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Back in Montreal.

Plan:
noun, verb, planned, plan·ning.
–noun
1. a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance: battle plans.
3. a specific project or definite purpose: plans for the future.
6. (in perspective drawing) one of several planes in front of a represented object, and perpendicular to the line between the object and the eye.
8. to arrange a method or scheme beforehand for (any work, enterprise, or proceeding): to plan a new recreation center.
9. to make plans for: to plan one's vacation.
11. to make plans: to plan ahead; to plan for one's retirement.
[Origin: 1670–80; < F: ground, plan, groundwork, scheme, n. use of the adj.: flat, plane1, learned borrowing of L plānus level (cf. plain1)]

2008-06-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

hey ol pal!!!

2008-06-02T00:28:00.000-07:00

Well... it's been a while. I quit my job and am moving back to Montreal, which is 98.75% the right thing to do, for now. Just about to shut down my computer and mail it on back. Also I've been busy with tying up other loose ends and exceteras.

I also did this poster for a sun-ra arcestra show on the 13th, 2 days before I get home. I like the idea of part of me decorating post boards and lampposts, anticipating my arrival.

Before I get home I have a brief vacation in BC. So expect awesome photos and a tan when I get back.

Love you all.

Fund Drivin'

2008-05-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to my loyal reader(s) that a pledge to The Sound of Young America is like buying your ticket for a coach-driven sleigh ride on the maximum funtasm express.

Kids in the Hall, May 18th Jubilee Auditorium

2008-05-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Review is HERE!

greeneatorange muxtape

2008-05-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

for my first foray into this one I made a quickie rap megamixeroo

http://greeneatorange.muxtape.com/

some comics

2008-05-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

one

two

three

four

KIDS IN THE HALLL!!!

2008-05-15T11:24:00.001-07:00

One of the earliest influences on my own comedy stylings (after Gordon Korman) were the Kids in the Hall. I'm not sure if it was because it was on after my bedtime, or if it was because of the blue language, but I wasn't able to watch the first season or two of kids in the hall on tv (I was in grade 4 at the time). Fortunately the cbc station's audio could be picked up on the leftmost edge of the FM range on my radio. So my first experience of the show was with my boombox snuck under my bedsheet, listening. I would tape these episodes for further review and so somewhere out there are a handful of 60 minute generic brand casette tapes with most of the first season.

They are back and on tour this summer and I got tickets to the show on the 18th here in Edmonton. I am very excited.

Picking any one sketch to post is futility, so here is one chosen at random:

These guys are the foundation of my enjoyment of 'sketch' comedy, here are a few thematically linked funnies:

boatie soph

2008-05-15T00:10:00.001-07:00

I drew this mess at work in lunch hours two.

BIG NEWS

2008-05-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

Countdown timer to the BIG NEWS: 13 days!

logo writer:

2008-05-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

this was the first programming language I ever learned.

I remember making little text adventures coupled with ultra-simple animated scenes with it in grade 5.

in other news, still fooling around with logo ideas for my pals at indyish

cheering kids choir sound

2008-05-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

George: says:
Frankly I'm not sure what I'm doing in the upcoming year, any advice for me vibey ol' pal?
je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais. says:
with the strength and &hope others put into you, do great things with yourself. even when your tired or unmotivated, let their thoughts help push you there.

photo from here

aaaand here they are

2008-05-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

these is a rough couple of logos I knocked out quick fast...

tomorrow: day 8 of a lucky 13 straight days @ work... F U WORK!!!

young america

2008-05-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

"If you've never heard The Sound of Young America, then The Sound of Young America is the greatest radio show you've never heard."
-- Ira Boudway, Salon.com

I don't know who made this poster, Jesse Thorn, america's radio sweetheart, is the host. This show has been keeping me sane over the last week as I dig through the archives... good comedians, writers, musicians... check it out!!!!

yes I will donate some $$ during the pledge drive, more on that later

patton o'hearty

2008-05-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

working on some logos for indyish.com, listening to patton oswalt's newest cd, wackidy shwakidy dooo!

funny.

here's patton oswalt's anime alter-ego with some snippets of one logo idea

blue b

2008-05-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

my aunt loves the blue jays in the neighborhood, I'm going to make her a blue jay water colour as a parting gift some day, this is just a practicey prac

lazin'

2008-05-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

pbs youth

2008-04-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

here are a list of shows I loved as a kid that I would like to get on DVD one day:

High Feather

All About You

Readit/ Cover to cover

Read All About It!!!

I would say a lot more but I am falling asleep, this site Rick's TV ontario page has a plethora of content, and this site promises downloads (links appear to be broken)

also the movie: la guerre des tuques

layin out

2008-04-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

Book design

2008-04-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Saw an interesting lecture with Milton Glaser, Chip Kidd, and Dave Eggers at the 92nd street Y today (via drawn.ca). I've never written anything of note but I do have a pal who wrote a whole collection of poems, it would be a nice side-project to do a lay out of it for fun. Here is a mock up [to be scanned this evening]. This means getting my hands on a copy of Adobe in-design... good thing I've been able to save up all this money here in Alberta!

I'm on my way to get an external HD and maybe a digi cam... I'll check the adobe suite prices while I'm at it.

update: adobe suite 1400, geo: 0

dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot

2008-04-23T17:41:00.001-07:00

Fascinating stuff this, dear Ezra Cornell made his mark via the Telegraph boom of the 1840's.

"Ezra made his fortune in the telegraph business as an associate of Samuel Morse, having gained his trust by constructing and stringing the telegraph poles between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, as the first ever telegraph line of substance in the U.S. After joining with Morse, Cornell supervised the erection of many telegraph lines, including the Erie and Michigan Telegraph Company connecting Buffalo to Milwaukee. He earned a substantial fortune as a founder of the Western Union company" **

That telecommunications boom lives on today on the bleeding edge electronic frontier of the interweb!

All the attention that I seem to be getting from Ithaca's favorite (adopted) son's philanthropic zenith is humbling to say the least, and it speaks to the great success of these communications pioneers and their legacy of wondrousness that I was able to see a storied and lovely instutition I will never visit otherwise.

I did enjoy checking out your campus, from my boring 9-5 desk. I wasn't sure where I was at first, but then spied a flag, who knew a simple google search could lead to such an exciting perch? A bird's eye view on one of the United States best respected schools. Dear Ezra, if only I knew the victory song of the mighty Cornell [insert football team name], I would be humming it right now. But alas, you sing no notes to me, just nameless logs from a web tracker. Like some indecipherable morse code, half-heard, these are merely ghosts, haunting my lil' blog.

Oh, what a kerfuffle.

I spy

2008-04-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

found a c0rn3ll univ3rs!ty security cam, been moving the cam around, taking a look at this and that, fun stuff

*dear corn ell, if this is a problem pls add a comment with a contact address and I will remove the images and explain to you how the cam was accessed, thank you*

sigh

2008-04-22T16:38:00.001-07:00

2743 steps to work

2008-04-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

That's one way (give or take). I decided to count this morning.

flikr update

2008-04-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

after a long time I update the flikr, this^ is one of the new ones

and here's an oldy but goody:

I just got a pro account and haven't organized it at all, so, don't bother, but bear it in mind, you know, for the future

maria kalman

2008-04-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

My mom got me her illustrated version of Strunk and White's Elements of Style as a gift a few years ago, here's a lecture she gave about her "life and work". Kalman at TED

Love ya, Mom.

What wonderously earthy colour schemes are these?

2008-04-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

ocean's don't freeze ^ by watercolour and inksmith extraordinaire Jen Corace, I just happened upon it while combing the past archives of current fav blog spot M.L.F.Y.I.A.S.O.H, one mrs. Jen Corace, dutifuly added to the folks page A.S.A.P.

What wonderous colour schemes these are

BREAKING NEWS

2008-04-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

"Hey Bill Cosby, that's not a microphone, that's an ice cream cone!"

filming heart-shaped cookies under the cover of night

2008-04-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

So I'm listening to She's lost control by Joy division here on my Deezer playlist and got to thinking about the best movie I've seen this year (haven't seen that many tbh). Control, the very personal story of Joy Division's frontman Ian Curtis. It's a touching movie and is beautifully filmed in black and white. It's the kind of experience that I get caught up in, and the film's final image of smoke rising out of a chimney will probably forever be etched on my mind.

While thinking of that I found this ^ image of Sam Riley, who plays Curtis in the movie, it made me think of Kaneda from Akira. Which reminded me to let you know they are planning a live action version of Katshuhiro Otomo's Akira manga. Dunno what I think about that, after all, when Pioneer got the rights to Akira88 they ruined it for me by redubbing the audio. I'll say it again, they mayhaps made the dialog a bit more sensical, but they took away all the wonderful poetic natureness of the originally translation.

This led me to think of the second best movie I've seen this year (and by this year, let me clarify that I am refering to my time in deadmonton, ie. sept 2007 to now), also animated, Tekkonkinkreet.

Fourth place runner up of movies* I've seen here would probably go to The assasination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford. It's a slow burning, gorgeous movie. (plus it features a third act appearance by the always lovely Zooey Deschanel)

*Third place: No country for old men, but enough said on that.

2008-04-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

another pre-bed snoozer, trying out the trace tool :D

2008-04-15T00:45:00.000-07:00

I jammed this out for fun before bed, gotta get back my chops :)

illustrator tutorial

2008-04-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

here....

great look into frank chimero's illustrator process, i was just talking to Michelle about getting back into this program. Thanks for the timing, internet

also, added a new link to the folks post --=>
fred einaudi

101th post

2008-04-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Just realised this is the 101th post, I'll save the celebration for my 250th.

I have been sick for the last few days, really under the weather, and speaking of weather, the dryness here in E-town is killing my face.

I did get to spend some quality time cleaning my room and found my copy of Fushigi Circus in a pile of papers and newsprint. I thought it might have been pinched from my desk at work, finding it made me feel much better.

Got a bunch of new music too*, and am at the point where a new mix cd is worming it's way into my mind... that's the way these mixes have gone down in the last 3-4 years. I always think that the one I finished is my last one, but then I get some new music and after a while a couple of combinations come to mind, then a couple more, soon enough I will have thrown a few together in mixmeister. Then I'll let them settle for a bit, listen to what I have, let that simmer, make adjustments, fill it out to 50+ minutes, at this point I'll normally cut a big section or two and rearrange things. There always seems to be a hidden gem or two that reveal themselves soon after that, maybe an old overlooked tune, or a new album with a song that falls right into place. This mix I'm stewing over now is going to be based on the theme of driving east, out of edmonton and through the prairies. This will complete the last edmonton mix I made, An Edmontone: heard alone that was made in the months after I arrived here.

*Can't stop listening to Heron Song and Skeleton Aim, by Hello, Blue Roses

*******
Just the other day I re-upped my most recent mix: Rappin with the Gods .... 60-70's funk and soul.... available here for a limited time... enjoy!!!
*******

gigi!

2008-04-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a drawing of my pal Gigi for a couple of weeks and am finally done, here are a couple of steps, the watercolour base, the first inking stage, and the final painting.

whaa?

2008-04-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

I Am A: Neutral Good Human Druid/Ranger (3rd/2nd Level)

Ability Scores:

Strength-12

Dexterity-17

Constitution-13

Intelligence-14

Wisdom-13

Charisma-13

Alignment:
Neutral Good A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment because it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Primary Class:
Druids gain power not by ruling nature but by being at one with it. They hate the unnatural, including aberrations or undead, and destroy them where possible. Druids receive divine spells from nature, not the gods, and can gain an array of powers as they gain experience, including the ability to take the shapes of animals. The weapons and armor of a druid are restricted by their traditional oaths, not simply training. A druid's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that they can cast.

Secondary Class:
Rangers are skilled stalkers and hunters who make their home in the woods. Their martial skill is nearly the equal of the fighter, but they lack the latter's dedication to the craft of fighting. Instead, the ranger focuses his skills and training on a specific enemy a type of creature he bears a vengeful grudge against and hunts above all others. Rangers often accept the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. His skills allow him to move quietly and stick to the shadows, especially in natural settings, and he also has special knowledge of certain types of creatures. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw on natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does, and like a druid he is often accompanied by animal companions. A ranger's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.

Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

"heaven's holdin' a half moon"

2008-03-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

stolen from the my love for you blog, this image speaks to my attitude these days.

"you fail at life :D" - mark burke

while it may be true that some aspects of day to day functionality may escape me, I will not be perturbed: the sun is shining, trees are budding, reverse fall is in-season and I'm clam-happy and kitten minded. Catch me if you can!!!

2008-03-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

2008-03-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

2008-03-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

Nilufar has a website?

2008-03-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, Nilufar, patron saint of the cheap lunch, Saraswati to 49cent pizza's Lakshmi, home of the cornucopious 2 dollar egyptian style falafel* lunch (I guess I should say Maat to 49cent's Thoth)... has a website, and so will I, soon.. stay tuned!!!!

I used to eat Nilu all the time with dr. Digby Darbles after, and often during, class time at Dawson. I gotta say, though it isn't quite as bumping as Al Taib, it still is pretty much king in my book, peep the shoddy wall art, reminisce over the now missing 2nd floor(I hear elvis lives up there), grab some to go and go watch 3 movies for the price of 1 at the VMC movieplex. If you are in the 514 go check it out NOW!

View Larger Map

* It's green!

** Another reminder of how I dislike Edmonotone, the only real restauraunt discovery I've made here would be Joey's fish n' chips, and that's really only cause it's deep fried and a cute girl lives there.

*** Jack Welch's 3 rules of success: 1. Control your destiny or someone else will. 2. Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it would be. 3. Be candid with everyone. 4. Change before you have to.

2008-03-18T01:31:00.000-07:00

2008-03-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

The Amen Break and the Golden Ratio

links to folks i <3

2008-03-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

turf one

other flickr

kiu yi

kelly lynn jones

julie morstad

richard colman

evan b harris

amy ross

ronald searle

fred einaudi

jen corace

kev ferrara

mattias adolfsson

tiffany bozic!

samuel ribeyron

Katja MacLeod Kessin

real talk

2008-03-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

2008-03-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

burkey puked a river

MARRIAGE!

2008-03-10T23:34:00.001-07:00

OFFICIAL, Peru, engaged to be married, and I sooo happy "I SO EXCITED I CRY... HUGS, million year hugs like what makes deep canyon from river of hug juice!!!"

Couldn't have happened to a nicer pear, or such a sweet peach, I wish them lifelong cuddles and many pets and whatnots.

post card with big clouds

2008-03-10T00:36:00.001-07:00

blade runner

2008-03-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

Along with a copy of the video game that Tom T. gave me I recently picked up the 5-disc blade runner box set as a present for myself (selfish bastard that I am). There are 3 commentary tracks I'm looking forward to hearing, so far I've just watched the film itself, (and maybe it's just my screen but..), I get the feeling that the digital remastering of special effects is prone to makes those effects look a bit out of place with the rest of the visual 'palate'... for example: Watching some of the fires over Los Angeles in the wide shots in the first scene, or the lights on the hover cars gives me a feeling akin to that one I have had when hearing an album I've enjoyed on tape for years on a CD for the first time. It's not wrong, it's just not right... (see: akira VO redub)

sean young, of course, is still breathtaking

gaddamnit

2008-03-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

looking for a friend's email amongst old ones sometimes yields unwanted trips down memory lane... ughh...

dook dook dook

2008-03-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

woot, drawn.ca wins again, today I found a link to an interview with personal hero: tony millionaire... here's a memorable memento of monsieur millionaire's machinations:

"First of all I don't stipple... I don't crosshatch either...
I don't like to put a line through another line, if you look at the drawings you'll see there are little lines next to each other...
I don't like crosshatch... crosshatch is kind of lazy and it doesn't look that good, it looks like 'aah yeah, he's trying to put in a grey'...
stippling is ok, but it's kind of a gimmick. I remember Art Spiegelman once said: "Never crosshatch when you can stipple" and I agree, stippling is better than crosshatching..."

the sincerest form of flattery

2008-03-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

Interesting story here regarding inspiration vs. theft. To sum it up quickly, a guy with the same last name as a famous illustrator, is making his name by imitating the illustrator's style, albeit poorly, right down to signing his pieces in with almost the exact same signiature. The signiature thing, to me, pushes this well past imitation or influence and into the realm of forgery. But enough has been said on this issue in the link.

What I was thinking after reading the article and the subsequent replies to it relates to my own feeling as an "artist" of how fine the line is between imitation and influence. I think that many folks are unaware of this, or not concerned by it at all. I would say that you can't really afford to be a curator and a creator, one is going to overwhelm the other. This sort of thinking is often discouraging to me, and I believe it is both invalid and irrelevant, a painting isn't a pure bred pooch, or a master's thesis, there is no need to provide a pedigree, nor parenthetical references...

to expand:

Classical training

Sampling

Redefinition

Ideas

Conception

Passion -> Release, Enjoyment

Peace

AW MAH GAWD

2008-02-27T16:52:00.001-08:00

remember the Edison Twins?

2008-02-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

Starring:
Marnie McPhail
Andrew Sabiston
Sunny Besen-Thrasher

one of my childhood favorites for sure, check the entire theme song here

listening to: Ana - Pixies

2008-02-25T10:28:00.000-08:00

she's my faith
undressing in the sun
return to sea - bye
forgetting everyone
eleven high
ride away

postcard for granma

2008-02-22T01:18:00.001-08:00

postcard for my granma, hope it isn't too sinister, is it?

a place as good as any

2008-02-21T07:31:00.000-08:00

listening to:

2008-02-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

the lost scarves.

any place as good as this

2008-02-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

there's a sky light so large the whole sky could fall in
or snow when it's falling
I can hear the young ones yelping
outside in the drifts
fire in the fireplace
cans in the pantry
three cats in a pile snuggling
a place as good as this?
I need some alone time,
but did enough of that on my own time

Jaylib, The message, butter

2008-02-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

poison is every where
people wasting they whole life, it's like they just don't care
....

don't push me just cause we close to the end
I'm trying not to lose the skin I'm in

It's not worth it sometimes it makes me wonder if we're all going under X2

Jaylib, The message, butter

childhood memory 0183

2008-02-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

"I love rabbits, that’s why I don’t eat them. Bring me back one!

When are you coming back?" -JH

I'm quitting my job and moving here...

2008-02-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

i drew it so you bring the picnic basket, honey

foot down, the new del single.

2008-02-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

"you better get ready, cause I'm going to hit you three ways, hard, fast and continuously"

The first single from Del's forthcoming album on the DefJux label arrives a little late to the party, seeing as it's been years that we've been waiting for the 11th hour to drop. Oh well, better late then never...

"my temperature is burnin' hot"

The song gets better after a few listens, del is using his old 'go off beat and come back on purpose', combined with some double-timing, and the effort is far from worthless. The beat, produced by del, is a simple yet elegant little bit of bleepy funk that takes a bit of percolation to really enjoy...

"I see Def Jux out there doing their thing, I think we can help each other build new audiences. Im looking forward to working with El-P and Def Jux on future projects as well."

It will be nice to hear some of these future projects, the way del worked wonders over automator's 3030 beats but this time over El-P's blade runner meets bomb squad sound holds promise. Also maybe this will result in some more action for the rest of the hiero crew, most importantly to me that means more PepLove joints available as his oft delayed album collects dust...

It also seems to me that this is DefJux's first foray into signing a west coast artist (aesop's move to san fran. not withstanding), and hopefully both crews's extended families get a little lovelier for it... (yak ballz, cool calm pete, domino, tajai feat. goapple posse cut anyone?)

QQ

2008-02-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

fun times at work

2008-02-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

new distraction at work, socializing with co-workers as if this was a game of survivor, making comments about immunity idols and alliances off-handedly without acknowledging the basis for such comments. Speaking to co-workers about others I refer to with coded nicknames as if they might overhear and be concerned.

ie. "The snitch bird is flying the coop on a west wind."

Talking to some co-workers as if I was making an aside to the camera during the show.

ie. "All I've got are my jokes, these guys over here, they can win an immunity idol, all I've got are my jokes!"

All this stems from a lecture we term testers got yesterday about how there will only be 2 positions left once we finish our current project and how we need to take onwnership and prove we deserve the position, lest we lose our jobs or worse have our internet access cut off.

franky got mad, he nearly re-died

2008-02-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sherlock Holmes: preview post

2008-02-12T23:54:00.000-08:00

Well I got the complete Granada Television Sherlock Holmes featuring Jeremy Brett, and I plan on reviewing each episode and getting into some tangential topics in blog posts to come.

For those of you who don't know, this is the ultimate adaptation of Conan Doyle's stories.

To me, the opening theme is one of the most haunting/moving television themes ever, specifically the season 1 theme. (the themes have slight variations each season).

Choir of Choirs, Winspear Concert Hall

2008-02-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

"you're like a saint song to me, i will try and sing it pure and easily"

This was the first concert I have attended here in Edmonton, the Choir of Choirs at the lovely Winspear Center for Music downtown. In celebration of the U of A's centenary, 5 of it's best choirs performed selections of their own and all together in a sort of voltron-like super choir with over 300 singers when all was said and done. The afternoon featured the Augustana choir, the U of A Concert choir, the Chorale Saint-Jean, the U of A Madrigal singers, and the U of A Mixed chorus.

Supporting these voices were a few musicians, the U of A Symphonic Wind ensemble, the University Symphony orchestra and Philip Chow bangin' on the concert hall's impressive Organ.

There was much to enjoy on this freezing afternoon, even the lousy song (the term "shit sandwich" kept running through my mind) was worth listening to for it's comic value. The composer who wrote the piece also presented it and spent longer than the song's length describing the deep philosophical mystery put into his composition. The guy clearly is a victim of highbrow Davinci codeism and years of grant based employ. One lady I overheard on the way out summed it up best: '[the song] wasn't so bad considering the whole place hated it before it even started'.

One of my favorite songs was La Chorale Saint-Jean's 'Je te retrouve':
Quand je pense a d'ou je viens
a cette route qui m'a conduit a qui je suis
Quand je pense aux jours passes
ton nom me vient comme un refrain que j'aime chanter
Quand je pense a tous ces gens
qui ont laisse un coin d'ciel bleu au fond de moi...

The Madrigal singers were a standout, mostly because of this one beautiful girl with long straight platinum grey hair (bangs) and glasses ('sup, shoot me a msg sweetheart).

While the orchestra were nice and the organ is supposedly one of the best (certainly the best in Edmonton), it was when the choirs sung unaccompanied that the afternoon really shone. I know that in small venues, watching small choirs, you can pick out individual voices, but in this concert hall with 300+ singers that was impossible. Even picking out the seperate voice parts (soprano, alto, contralto, etc..) was tough as the harmonization was so overwhelming and, I suspect, complex, with multiple melodies for each group. Closing my eyes and just listening to these voices one layered on the next was intoxicating, and brought tears to the eyes of several concertgoers at many a point.

All in all it was a nice afternoon, and I'm glad I went. Yet another solo adventure into the marvel that is Edmonton culture.

ANNE-SOPHIE ROCHAT Je me souviens

2008-02-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

Anne-Sophie Rochat, C'est bien moi, Georges, we met in Spain, I don't know where you are now. Tell me! It was 2002, Camino de Santiago, I can't find you in Google. You were hiking with your friend Leanne and met me and Kiely, we spent some nice days walking together. You loved the cure even though you did not understand the lyrics. On avais les memes pantalons!!! Ecrit moi!

Bizous, Georges

ps. I'm hoping that you do a self-indulgent google search of your own name one day and find this, but if you are friends with Anne-sophie, you can contact me as well.

remember how it used to be
when the sun would fill the sky
remember how we used to feel
those days would never end

edmonton is a path

2008-02-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

edmonton is a path, a temperature, a name...

I go to and from work, I dress warmly.

it's located roughly 5-60 hours from montreal

people are more inclined to say 'hello' or 'how are you' doing to strangers than I am used to...

I've had a chest cold for over a month, and I now sense shooting pain in my rib area from time to time...

had some crazy dreams about two guys I used to work with being serial killers and me accidentally discovering one of their burial sites and then having to act like I don't know anything about it for fear of them killing me, I had to send my dog back home for fear he dig up a bone or two and get us both killed...

That's about it.

"concerned hater" - Internet Star on the Rise.

2008-02-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

"concerned hater", the moniker that I use on varied (read: rap) blogs is blowing up the spot.

Google that and you'll see that 2 of the top 3 entries are my own commentz, yea yeaay... contents somewhat embarassing of course...

some other jerk made a comment about indy rock, that's not me, but he sure did blow up the hits... the perils of meme life yo

on a somewhat related note, keep an eye on my youtube account for all your favorite needs: comedy, world of warcraft and art junk.

valentine's day: a preemptive strike

2008-02-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker, tagged a romantic, I miss valentine's day. An excuse to celebrate one's better half, maybe comment on a specific memory or two. Hallmark sells a bunch of stuff. Kids pass notes in school.

That was always stressful, you may recall elementary school and how kids would get a 20 pack of valentines, I choo choo choose you etc... Classes always numbered more than 20. I don't remember ever giving any, I imagine it would have been tough for some kids to decide who got one. Abberations in behavior would prove a point. 'I don't talk to you but I put your name on this and want you to have it' vs. 'I do talk to you but had too many names for my cards, you didn't make the list'. I do recall people with too many cards for names giving extra cards to you, to give one back to them. How cute. I didn't like it at all, 'why didn't sarah give me a card? or tanya?'.

I wonder what my parents are going to do for valentine's, they've been married a lot of years. Was there any great valentine's that they shared?

So why strike? Well, plain fact is I'm not going to feel lonely this time, this time I'm not going to even pay attention, I'm saving myself.

lovely old dresses

2008-02-04T16:16:00.000-08:00

I wonder if it's living with my great aunt, or watching a Jane Austen television adaptation recently. I'm inclined to ladies in lace and petticoats, constitutional walks in the garden, summers on the sea... Holding hands, quill pens and junk like that, dusty old chests in the attic, platinotypes of the family, monographed hankies... fine china...

haha, I would surely make a mess of it all

2008-01-31T18:33:00.000-08:00

shady fern colony

2008-01-31T01:21:00.000-08:00

Why just sit when you can sit AND hug!

.

2008-01-25T17:25:00.001-08:00

even when falling apart they lay in pairs