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Dec 28 2009

I hate top ten lists…

In: Gaming Posted by: Sean

I really do. You can’t sum up an entire year with top 10. Why? BECAUSE! This life wasn’t meant to be summed up in ten points. So I give you, Sean “Bluefox” Blake’s Best Games of 2009.

• Soul Caliber: Broken Destiny (PSP)

I like my PSP Go. I will admit, I did buy it with the assumption that it would be revolutionary with having no more UMD to deal with. So I bought Soul Caliber and downloaded it. Since then, my PSP hasn’t left my side. Soul Caliber: Broken Destiny to me, has been hands down a console selling game.

It brings almost everything that I had in Soul Caliber 4 for the PS3 to my PSP Go with what feels like very little change. From character customization, to online play, Soul Caliber is the most played game on my PSP.

• Punch-out!!! (Wii)

Nintendo’s Mike Tysons Punch out is a legendary game which keeps us adults alive with our childhood memories. Punch Out for the Wii re ignites the flame for what I haven’t felt in a long time. Punch out uses the Wii controllers in a not so stupid way. You box as you would in real life, and it uses the buttons on the controller which doesn’t make your hand cramp in any wierd way.

The original music is used from the first game and you still play as Mac to take on some old familiar foes as well as some new ones. Playing it just brought instant smiles to my face and it did not fall short in making me remember my childhood.

• Phantasy Star Portable (PSP)

Phantasy Star Portable is a unique game in itself, where you are taken back to the Gurhal galaxy to fight more dragons, more wierd SEED monsters, and collect more cool Mags and sabers. I started playing the phantasy star series when PSO came out on the dreamcast. And it has always been a favorite of mine. Me and my good friends have memories forever sealed into that game along side Phantasy Star Universe.

Though the gameplay lacks as far as a decent plotline and story goes, it still remains original to PSU. There may not feel like too much open world gameplay anymore, but the customization of weapons, armor, and appearance is stil quite there. If you are a fan of Phantasy Star Online or Phantasy star Universe, then pick this up. You won’t regret it.

• Uncharted 2 – Among Theives (PS3)

Uncharted 2 has been the game that has got alot of hype. And I’ve played enough to know that it is worthy of all this hype. Uncharted 2 offers the best script and story to any game since Metal Gear Solid 4. From plot twists, to beautiful animatics, the game makes you feel like you are right there with Nathan Drake.

I really think if Naughty Dog sticks to creating such inviting video games, that they will be one of, if not already, the best video game companies to exist. The amount of detail in this game is amazing. The lighting was perfect, posters where culturally correct, and the dialog is one in a million. I’m a firm believer of games like this.

• Left 4 Dead 2 (PC)

Left 4 dead is a fantastic game. I will say that I was extremely hesitant when it came out. Even though I’m a huge zombie fan, I was not going to fork out an additional 60 bucks to Valve for what should of been an expansion to L4D. Left 4 Dead 2 does offer a completely new experience in the zombie apocalypse.

The new characters bring a second life to the game and makes you feel included in the madness of the zombie world. And with new special infected, you don’t know what to expect when turning the next corner! I had a Jockey jump on me off a building while a spitter spit on the ground, killing me within seconds. I was angry, shocked, and excited at the same time!

And with 5 campaigns, and a few more extra gameplay modes, this is worth the on sale $32 price. Is it worth the ful retail price of $59.00? I don’t think so.

• Demon’s Souls (PS3)

Demon’s Souls brings something to the table which has not been brought in a long time. Difficulty. I was getting so sick and tired of spending 60 bucks for a game I beat within hours just to find it sit on my shelf and collect dust. (Sorry MGS4. It’s true…) Yes, you can throw Ninja Gaiden Sigma into my face, but this is a different difficulty. This is the kind that makes me feel awesome when I get a real life body. I feel a part of a community too.

When I can leave a note or read a note, or see how someone died, it’s as if we are a community of people working through an almost impossible game. Demon’s Souls offers a fun gameplay, a well working control system, and a gameplay difficulty that makes the game both frustrating and fun. I still can’t put this game down.

• Shadow Complex (Xbox 360)

Not much to say about shadow complex. It brings you a side scrolling shooter with a twist. An awesome EPIC TWIST WORTHY OF BEING CALLED BEST GAME ON XBOX360!

You play as Jason Flemming going through an underground complex to find out what happened to his girlfriend, Claire. From cool shooting mechanics, to taking you from the 3D sidescroll to non sidescroll cinematics, is really effective. I pray every day that more games come out like this.

• Assassins Creed 2 (PS3)

’nuff Said.

• Modern Warfare 2 (PC) **honerable mention**

Before you get after me, let me explain. The single player story was very much like a Michael Bay Film. Explosions, Gunfire, More explosions, Nukes, etc. There was even a almost laughable point where an EMP nuke goes off in space taking out astronauts, leaving you on the ground dodging falling helicopters from the sky! With plot twists and random cameos from characters I barely remember, it was a good 5-7 hours I enjoyed. Spec ops provided just as much enjoyment. I can’t remember screaming so hard when trying to get from one side of the map to the other with my brother controlling the AC130 at night.

As for the multiplayer, it is highly addictive. There is a TON of things to keep the multiplayer interesting like unlocking weapons and psudo-acheivements. And there is so much strong gameplay, you can guarantee it will be played for the next few years. Modern Warfare 2 is another excellent game from Infinity Ward that includes subtle, yet effective improvements from the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. But, this is a hard ” Best game for 09′ ” to give. For such an awesome game, they cripple it with IWNET and no dedicated servers. And I mean CRIPPLE. I disconnect all the time, rerouting to different hosts becomes and issue, and the lag is unforgivable. Sorry MW2. You are fun. You are alot of fun, but you had to ruin it with IWNET.

I would include more games such as Fat Princess, Prototype, Borderlands, DJ Hero, Rock Band: The Beatles Edition, Flower, Resident Evil 5, Scribblenauts and many more, but I’m gonna have to throw all of those in the Honerable Mention section. So here’s to 2009! Onto 2010! See you next year!

Posted on December 28th, 2009 No Comments »

Dec 4 2009

What can you do to releive stress on your job as a designer?

In: Graphic Design Posted by: Sean

Love it or hate it, A designers job can be very VERY stressful. I mean, marketing what is potentially, a piece of art, is tough! It’s not like number crunching or getting that possible sale. A designer must be able to design something that will be visually appealing to an audience that the company needs. From A/B tests, to creating hundreds of logos, templates, websites, and so on. It’s madness. And this is just the design part! Most companies won’t even hire you if you don’t know how to code either! And even then, you are asked alot of the time to code in a language you hardly know.

But who am I to complain? It’s the career I chose. What I’m trying to get at here is how you, the designer, can manage it! You are in a unique position to make yourself needed in the design field by everyone! Here are a few ways how.

1. Be honest!

If something takes a week to design, say it will take a week and then some! It won’t hurt the clients feelings. It just gives them a proper estimate so they can plan things out on thier end. Obviously, the sooner the better for you and the client, but giving outrageous deadlines is career suicide. It makes you look undependable WHEN (not if) you don’t make the deadline.

2. Don’t stress over all the work! Baby steps!

I used to look at the list of design work I had to do and just freak. When I freaked, I would put it off because of the anxiety issues I have and then, on the last possible day, I would just crank them out in a nervous wreck. The problem was that I would make mistakes, and just end up getting discouraged and contemplate parking my car into the nearest wall I could find. Now, I just take work I can do, and do it at a moderate pace. And if something takes longer than expected? I usually just stay up and do it. Sleep can always wait. Why? Because I want to make deadlines. I want to make the client happy. And more importantly, I want to get paid.

3. Cut out distractions that put you in a bind!

“But Modern Warfare 2 came out and I got to play it!” “But My girlfriend wants to go to a dinner and a movie!” “But I downloaded new songs for Rock Band!”

But But But BUT NOTHING! I’ve personally used these excuses when I’ve fought against myself to work. But as I’ve grown older, I’m starting to realize that I have a job to do. I have obligations. And though games can wait, sometimes a social life or a relationship can’t. So in this situation, I look at a at this for a reward process. I am able to play games because I work hard. So when I finish, I can then relax with a stack of cash by my side, and a controller in my hand. I can take my special gal on a cool date because I work hard. So rather than taking these distractions and think “I wanna do that over work” Think “I wanna do work so I can bask in the fruits of my labor”

4. Stop being a WUSSY! Get off your ass and GET TO IT!

You know why people are successful? Why they are on TV promoting their own self brand or their own company? Cause they work their ASSES OFF! There’s no secret formula. Add Liquid, make awesome company. No, this is fairly simple. If you want something to succeed and make your clients happy, then go out there and get it! If you have a day time job that you think prevents you from doing it, you’re SO wrong. You can devote your extra time off work to work freelance or on personal projects. fro 7PM to 1AM are perfect times to work on your other money making ideas.

The more you can focus on these 4 simple steps, the more of a necessity you will become to the business industry. There’s no doubt about it.

Posted on December 4th, 2009 No Comments »

Oct 19 2009

5 reasons every independent web/graphic designer is overrated.

In: Graphic Design Posted by: Sean

People assume that every independent graphic artist has “the gift” to grace their business with the best web design and assume that the designer can code them an entire back end system along with it. All while keeping it under a low low budget and a next to impossible deadline. But I can’t blame the client. The only person I can blame is the designer! Here are the reasons why:

step1

1. The designer commits to projects they can’t do.

I’ve been in these shoes. My second project I ever worked on, I met with the client on the phone at first saying, “Sure! No problem!” Once we meet up, they give me details of what they want. “We want a website with a complete tracker system to follow each sales lead through a very complicated, yet simple structure that will also give us email access, hot coffee to order, and for under 1000 dollars.”

Okay, I made up that part about coffee, but you get the idea. IMPOSSIBLE TASKS for under 1k?! Young Sean… So innocent… So young… So SO naive. Young Sean said yes. The project went slow, the clients got pissed off, and I dropped the project out of frustration. As a designer, it’s never a smart idea to commit to something that you don’t have a skill set for.

step2

2. Independent designers (99% of the time) never can meet proper deadlines

I originally wanted to put this under the subject of “designers commit to things they cant do” but this NEEDS a subject on its own. Designers have a very bad habit of wanting to please the client in fear of losing them and the potential job. But you, the designer, don’t have to give the client unreasonable deadlines that you cannot meet! All it does is puts the designer in a stressful bind and frustrates/angers the client when (NOT IF) you don’t meet the set time those two discussed.

Now, I think about my schedule, tell them what it looks like, and I always ALWAYS tell them to attach on an extra couple of days for revisions or hiccups. I have YET to have a client tell me that the extra buffer time is unacceptable and they drop me as a designer.

step3

3. Designers aren’t the messiah for marketing the clients product.

There is a constant idea that floats into a clients head. This is, “The designer will know how to market this.” when the reality is that THE DESIGNER HAS NO F&%$ING CLUE HOW! This is where the client and the designer argue alot. But the client can’t blame the designer and visa versa. This is just a matter of loss of communication. The designer assumes that the client will give them the info, and the client assumes that the designer has done their research.

As a designer, you should know that the client has 99% NEVER gone to a designer for web work, so it is your duty to make sure to ask them if you would like them to give you the information or, if they don’t know, offer to do the research for the client. This insures that the product will A) go to the right target market and B) not have that discussion where the client and the designer just talk behind eachothers backs about how neither of them know what they are doing.

step4

4. The designer is (usually) a prick.

Because the designer has a very awesome set of skills, their pride goes WAY up while productivity goes WAY down. I’ve worked along side many designers that do freelancing on the side and I can tell you, the conversation I LOVE to turn into an argument is when the designer(s) will say, “The client wanted this and that. I said no! They are crazy if they think I will do that.” or “The client is stupid. They wanted this and that and I told them to their face, ‘No one likes you and I wish you would die in a fire’ all while taking a crap on their floor.” (Yes, I’m over exaggerating again.)

The reason why I like this argument? I always win. The designer always has a bad habit of down talking the client when most times, the client has a stack of degrees and has so much money, they can shoot you in the face in front of a cop, in broad daylight, and get away with it. Work with eachother and instead of saying, “That’s impossible!” Just tell them what the side effects might be and why you can’t or shouldn’t do it.

Untitled-2

5. Independent designers are INDEPENDENT! A.K.A. Cowboys of the internet

There are no rules here people. Designers don’t have a set code of ethics, or a standard of practice which, yes, is messed up, but that’s how it is. And with the business market going the way of the internet, designers are needed every day! But what can you, the client, do about it? It’s quite simple.

Ask the designer the process of THEIR standard. If you two can figure out what the process is, the time line will be more accurate. I really hope this helps the designer realize, that it’s not the end of the world if you contest with the client about deadlines and what you can and can’t do! Work with the client, be friendly, weigh every option the client gives, and ALWAYS take the initiative.

No matter where I am, and no matter what social setting I’m in, once someone finds out I’m a graphic artist, I get drilled with questions like “My brothers cousin does web design for 5 dollars an hour. Can you do that?” Even if I tell them, “With all due respect, your brothers cousin designs like a kid with parkinsons and a cocaine addiction” They still push me to do a professional design for next to nothing. This is the part where I mentally picture myself driving a golf club into their chest, sending them flying into something awesome like a bowl of punch, or a wedding cake. But I digress. If you are a designer and have these habits, please do two things for me. Either clean up your act, or get the hell out of the design field.

Dissagree? Agree? Want to talk about it more? Maybe punch me in the face? Leave a comment, follow me on twitter at twitter.com/bluefox or email me at sean [at] sean dash blake dot com.

Posted on October 19th, 2009 No Comments »

Oct 15 2009

I have been reborn!

In: Uncategorized Posted by: Sean

From a no good, wasted talent designer who will amount to nothing in life, TO a working, motivated, passionate designer who is loving every minute of my life. Why?

Everyone has a turning point in their careers. Now that I’ve got the proper attitude, the right motivation, the positive demeanor, I can’t look back and be lazy. I’m so enthusiastic to help others and help SO MUCH that I’m starting a show devoted to just that. The pieces are in place, the resources are there, and I’m dedicated to creating content for YOU! The user. There is no better feeling than teaching someone how to create something that is both visually stunning, and marketed towards their target market. Well… After eating cake, there is nothing better. Cake is #1.

I feel really motivated as of late from finding some amazing videos from Carsonified that are helping me use what valuable internet resources there are to create a solid, motivating, and emotionally engaging series of shows that will both teach, and interact with you, the user, on a level very few achieve in the web video business. No “Pirillo” videos that can be crapped out in minutes with no attention to the people who watch. I’m talking COMPLETE social interaction in and outside of the video series.

If you are a designer, and would like to help contribute ideas to the upcoming show, PLEASE leave a comment, and I’ll get to you ASAP!

Excited? I know I am. Here’s one video that I love in particular. *strong language*

Posted on October 15th, 2009 2 Comments »

Oct 5 2009

Brrr! Why so cold so early?!

In: Uncategorized Posted by: Sean

Utah is absolutely FREEZING right now. From freezing rain, to overcasts all day, I’m pretty much screwed when it comes to transportation. Reason? The car has a broken clutch which I cannot fix till probably next week. Yes, life sucks, but hey! What can you do.

Apart from my life of lament and solitude, (yes, I’m being ironic) I’ve officially said bye to Summer. I stood by it’s side as it gasped it’s last breath while Fall held a pillow over its face. And now that Fall is here, we are trying to get along. Fall keeps putting my hair where it wants it, doesn’t agree with me wanting to ride my scooter, and doesn’t keep me warm at night. I mean, sure Fall is a pretty face, with all its beautiful reds and oranges, but at one extent is it worth keeping Fall around?

I’m still scootering though. There’s one last ride before I retire The Albatross back to her fortress of Justice. Once she is laid to rest for the Fall/Winter, I’ll finally have time to work on those side projects. I wish there was more going on in my life, but I guess at this time, I’m quite predictable. I guess during the Fall and Winter season, I just kinda hibernate socially! Strange, I know. But, I can tell you that the start of January will probably be the best month I foresee coming. To all my East Coast buddies, I’ll be there with my scooter soon enough. To all my West coast friends, party on garth. I’ll be there to hang and party! Here’s to next years adventures!

Posted on October 5th, 2009 2 Comments »