A year in review.

2009 has a been a year of change, revisiting and revelation. Highlights for me included releasing my first EVER game as a proffessional Game Developer. The title & genre of which I'm not saying as it embarassing and not a type of game I really want to be associated with or ever find myself playing. But, hey, we go where the work is and it's a mass market industry now.
Suffice to say the company went it's seperate ways shortly afterwards, thank you global recession and pansy arsed publishers who are afraid to take a gamble, honestly, when you've got more money than God you can afford to take a risk with a low budget game.

So, my CV had three dead projects and one released/published title (if you'd even call it a game) by the middle of 2009.

During this time I was working on Shadow Agent, a flash game. Not all that interesting but consider myself and my friend Mark started this concept waaay back in 1999 it's taken a good 10 years to actually get to where it is. Not that I've been working on it solidly for the past decade. What with College and University and all the inbetween projects such as Midnight Eye and Twin Echoes which helped mould the foundations as they are all based in the same "universe".
Along side various other projects such as Ultima FFXI which helped develop the nessecary skills to actually make it, which were not taught at Uni, but entirely self taught.

With all this going on, I landed a new job as a Visual Effect Artist (yay I like making explosions!) and was introduced to the world of Autodesk Maya. Alittle different from being a Designer, more hands on, bigger paycheck and much more creative. I hate scripting anyway.
Which is where I'm at now, working on multiple projects. Aren't NDAs great, that's all I'm allowed to say.

So, onwards to 2010. Shadow Agent the flash game, has a new direction, new enthusiasm for it. It's going to be bigger and better. Not some measly 5 minute flash game on newgrounds, but a BIG game worth playing, complete with a dedicated website and stuff.

That's if I can find an hour or so when I'm not playing Modern Warfare 2...

Well it's been a while... 14th Sept 08 since my last visit/post.

As you can guess I've been working, being a Games Designer I find is bascially sapping out all my "free-time-creativity" since I have to use it at work.
But, its now 2009, and admist the recent snowfall in Britain I came to realise its been 10 years in development--- that is, the Shadow Agent concept. First started 1999 and as of yet the only "real" substance to the project is that University thingy I did which looking at it now was ... well... crap. I had an entire YEAR and thats the best I could come up with??!! What the hell. Either that or during the 2 years since I left Uni I have somehow improved and now view any work I do over a year old with disgust.


<<--- Here's all the old stuff. >_< *shudder*


Anyway .... *takes another OCD pill*


With my and project a.k.a Ultima FFXI on hiatus while he develops the story, I thought maybe its time I finally get something out there and show the Flash/Gaming going public what Broken Genome can do.
Mark (Shadow Agent Co-Developer) was more than happy to join in on the latest venture.

That is... Shadow Agent: The First Mission. Details to follow.

In anycase, work is ace, promotions are great, /cheer 1 years exp in Games Industry!!
Which reminds those of you that are interested in what I specialise in its:

VFX (Visual Effects - Particles an stuff, like fire, magic etc.)
GUI (Game User Interface - Front Ends, HUDs etc.)

Not surprising >_> If you've seen my gallery.

Its alot of fun and for the first time in a long time, I actually enjoy waking up in the morning. There's only one thing left now on my list...




One more thing... here's the Ultima FFXI demo... incomplete, unfinished and possibly broken. Don't expect to die or win.

... erm, no.

Currently working on something.. I'll have more info when I know myself. lol

As for that FFXI project, the final battle demo was almost completed, I mean it works... for about 15 turns, then the ATB goes tits up and the HP, MP etc. doesnt work either but hey, I think its run its course for now. May pick this one back up eventually...

I have however taken away with it some interesting new techniques in flash which I'll be putting to use at some point... or.. if the way things are currently going I'll be trading magic & summons for bullets & guns - which would mean I've traded flash for 3dsmax...

cryptic as always... stay tuned... or not, im sure you got something better to be doing.

EDIT:

Ok Ok, shame to let an awesome thing go to waste.. some point this week when im totally bored outta my skull I'll post the demo. there!

Well, been an interesting few months. Work is just....AWESOME, finally in the games industry at last as Designer O_O;
Got my xbox 360 back from the repair shop a few weeks ago after a long battle to prevent them for RIPPING ME OFF ROYALLY!! Peice of advice if your consoles break and warrenty is void (yeah yeah, tried to fix it myself) avoid GT Electronics in Dundee like a Malboro's Plague Breath.

Little over a week and my 360 starts red lighting on start up, takes me on average 15 minutes to get it going... its lucky really. I think they put a gremlin in there or something.
Anyway, possibily gonna get a 360 Elite if it finally flatlines for good, but that wont be for awhile as Brawl is out on the 27th.

Work is steadily progressing on the FFULtimaXI project, the battle demo is almost complete and I may be starting the next demo straight afterwards... one thing concerns me tho, we haven't really solidfied a storyline which is arguably the most important part of any FF game. gl to with that.

Shadow Agent is currently working on a promotional website designed to look like an "official" Organisation complete with a .org domain.

Lookign forward to July as me & the cheif (co-designer on shadow agent) will be heading to hampshire for some war games, quite litterly, we're going to WAR FIGHTERS!! ( [link] ) A "combat experience day" along with a bunch of the boyos from wurrrk.
We'll be taking photos for the SA website but I'll be adding a few to devart as its freakin' cool. Even sponsored by Ubisoft and based on Ghost Recon & Rainbow Six.

Apart from that, not much else been happening....

Anyone else noticed how tv gets worse when you don't watch it for a while then turn on the tv to see ANOTHER GODDAMN Series of Big Brother. George Orwell would be spinning in his grave.

..... More guns and more optimized network Play.

o_O thats all i got to say