I’m a huge fan of FORA TV. The guest speakers that they get are always fun and entertaining. And though there are a TON that don’t relate whatsoever to the design scene, I watch alot of them for my other interest: Information. I have always assumed that I have an undiagnosed form of overdeveloping brain. (My friends call it, “ADHD” but whatever.) But I digress.

As I was flipping through the videos, I caught, Mythbusters own, Adam Savage discussing colossal failures in his career and how he knows the difference between failure and not. It made me feel like my adventures through life are going to have many MANY failures. From a social aspect to a career aspect, I’m gonna screw up from time to time. But it’s how I look at those failures at the end that define my as a person. I won’t say much more. The video is very motivating. Make sure to watch the full program!

• 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!

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, allow us to order food for the company, and for under 1000 dollars.”

Okay, I made up that part about the food, but you get the idea. IMPOSSIBLE TASKS for under 1k?! Young Sean… So innocent… So young… 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.

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.

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 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.

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’  while smashing their laptop on the ground.” (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 hit you with their Mercedes in front of the Chief of Justice, 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.

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.