Untitled

Rocket Ride

Creation

The Normandy

Okay.
Today I started reading a fan-produced "rewrite" of Mass Effect 3, called ME3: Vindicated.
Overall, it's not terrible. The goal of the document was for one fan to address the dissatisfaction he felt from playing ME3, which goes beyond the typical "the ending sucks!" posts - that still persist today!
Almost two years after its release and so many fans (well, the most prominent people to share their negative reviews seem to be a majority) still slam the game, BioWare and EA. Myself, as a big fan of the Mass Effect fanchise, it's quite heart breaking to see such hateful comments from fellow fans of the series.
I'm glad to come across the comments that I share views with - that support BioWare's creative vision, the end of Shepard's story, and the close of the trilogy. I never really invested in the Indoctrination Theory, although I did find it really interesting.
It's also nice to read that there are fans that are still displeased with the ending, even after the Extended Cut, but they moved on! They don't begrudge the company.

Also, in the intro to this document, he mentions that the two BioWare co-founders and CEOs  left the company as a direct result of the backlash to ME3's ending. False! That is his unsupported theory. I hope people don't read this and think that it is true.

What I'm slowly starting to understand by reading through Vindication is that firstly, it's a glorified fanfiction. Second, it's a fan's reshaping of the game into a vision that is suited to his satisfaction. Third, despite all the nasty things he says about the writers, pretty much slamming their talent and tooting his own horn at his creative writing efforts, is that this is the work of a very dedicated fan. I don't agree with it, but in some way it is nice to read about the vision this really invested fan has.
I feel like I'm wording it poorly, but pretty much, despite the overwhelming negativity that saturates the document, you can tell it's from a honest place and this guy really does adore the series, despite what he says about ME3.
Sigh. But credit where credit is due, I really like his idea about a new class for Shepard. I forget what he called it, but it is a combo of biotic, tech and soldier - made possible from the implants Shepard received from the Lazarus Project. Conceptually, I loved this idea. Adding a class to the game would have been quite an addition. However, his specs for this class seem too OP. He doesn't come from a game design background though, so the unpolished feel of this character build I can overlook. You want to make your own creations to be tha BEST creations, so I think that's what happened there. Still, like I said, I really liked that idea.
 That said, I think it's only a nice idea in retrospect.
When I loaded up ME3 for the first time, I didn't huff and puff over the classes and wish for something new. I think now that I'm presented with the idea for a new one that I found it exciting.
But then, I don't really thirst for it, y'know? We didn't see new classes, but in the multiplayer we got to play as the different races and explore their talents. The Talon Mercenary, omg. I love that omni-bow. I don't have that character, but gosh I love being on a team with someone who does! :D
I like the Alliance Infiltration Unit too, with the defence matrix. That shit is sweeet. Again, I don't have one. With the Reckoning DLC I got the Krogan Warlord, and I lovelove him.

The worst part of this document tho. De romances. :T
Um. He suggests Khalisah be a legit romance option too.
And he included a romance scene for Kelly for the Citadel DLC.
And his James romance is brutal man. A lot of punching, hitting, and sex (or just makeouts). The inclusion of these scenes he wrote out is why I don't take this document so seriously, it's so eyeroll worthy and reads like fanfiction. Because really, that'd be the right word for this whole document.

I've stopped reading at the 250 page mark, where he's just starting to dive into the Khalisah romance. I might continue reading through the document more tomorrow after my brain has refreshed.
This document is pretty annoying to read, but it's worth it to read some of the ideas that I can agree with him on.

Crystal

Sally Owen.

Leave Her Johnny

untitled

Liberation was my whole today.

An Uncertain Present

Finally. Something that isn't a character.

It's been so hot lately that I don't have a lot of time to play around with drawings, so the past few days of doodles are shitter than usual. I've been avoiding the laptop too because its quick to overheat in this hot weather we're having. I get about 20mins before my laptop starts to lagtop, so I have to smash something out pretty quick.
So not a lot of work done. Been gaming for most of the past few days. Started a new ME1 playthrough that I finished today. Trying to get the last handful of Achievements, and bought Bringing Down The Sky and Pinnicle Station.

But today I bought Liberation HD. I'm about to jump into the second mission of Sequence 2, and so far it's pretty cool. It's a tiny game though, only 1.75GB, so the graphics aren't mindblowing, but it plays and feels like an Assassin's Creed game. All the menu sound effects are the same as AC2 and Brotherhood, which is a bit nostalgic!

I wanted to do an Aveline doodle today, but it ended up being a bayou speed paint.

Video Phone

idk was supposed to be coconut.

Burn This City

It is... so hot....
there is sweat dripping down my legs from having my laptop sit near them...

untitled

Jumped on to do a quick doodle. Laptop was lagging so much from the hectic heat, so I had to open Paint in a hasty attempt to get SOMETHING done. When I was drawing the lines weren't appearing for about 2 seconds afterwards. Sigh.
I made a new Shepard that day, male adept called Jelly.

No You Boys

 

When I'm dry for ideas, I'm going to resort to drawing Onis.

Stylo

Quickie.

Pyrates Beware

Speed paint of James. Tried to focus on his masculine appearance.

Crushing on James Kidd/Mary Read pretty hard.
Shoutout to 3D Models Sanctuary for posting the character model references.

Only This Moment

Something for my mum.

Into the Depths

While playing D&D tonight, had this idea to draw Vice transforming into his demon form to the Sailor Stars transformation theme.
Tried sketching him as a woman - just to get ideas flowing. It looked horrible because I don't have his proper male design down pat, so here he is, male. Still playing with his design. His look involves a white hood crafted from ice dragon hide, as well as his studded leather armour. I want to keep his arms bare somewhere to show his arcane familiar in his passive, tattoo form.
I keep forgetting the name I finally found for the familiar. All I remember is that he talks and sounds like a vorcha.

I'll Be With You

Mary Read.

I have wanted to paint her ever since she revealed her character in AC4.
I definitely need to work on realisms.

Touched up ver:

I've been browsing the AC Confessions tumblr, and I submitted something I've been thinking about lately. Here's what I threw out there:

I wish Ubisoft would release more DLC for Black Flag that explore other character stories. Freedom Cry was a nice way to look into Adewale's story and character, and also to see what's happening in the Carribean after Edward had departed for London. In the same way Tyrrany of King Washington had three episodes, I'd like to see two more "episodes" for Black Flag: something shortly prior to the story we play in Black Flag, and something for immediately after Black Flag. For the prior, to explore another fan favorite character I'd love to play Mary Read when she joins the Assasins, or when she loses her husband. For the after events, I'd like to either follow Anne Bonny or Ah Tabai and the Assassins settling into their new home.

Invader Invader

 Didn't turn out how I had hoped. Didn't know how to make it hyper colourful without just looking like a highlighter war.

Ninjari Ban Ban

This is a toy my mum bought me for Christmas 2010.
I remember she said she bought it in Brisbane from a store that sold handmade crafts from recycled materials. He's a lovely little toy.
Practice doodle of him today because I'd like to include him in a picture I plan to draw my mum for her birthday in a few days time.

Main Theme (AC4)

Something really ugly happens with my symetry whenever I try to draw faces. This Adewale portrait looks bad when its been horizontally flipped. Working on fixing that now.
Ahh, good ol' DDs. Getting back into the drawing swing of things! For the moment I actually feel happy with how these pictures are coming out. They're not at all outstanding or very detailed pictures, but I haven't been able to produce anything of this "quality" for a while, so... it's... nice to know... I can still do... something.... :D

I was finally finished editing the Nezra video!



Took a bit of time to upload too. Only a bit over 2BG, not even HD res, and this took a day and a half to upload. Sheeshhh.
I had problems with trying to render this into HD avi file. Next time I'll have to play with my options more.
Sort of regretting not recording today's DD. It was ugly to draw, very messy.

--
but FREEDOM CRY, omg.
The Season Pass went on sale on Monday. I don't have a lot of money this week but I couldn't pass it up. So I'm pleased I got to play Freedom Cry sooner than I thought I'd be able to.
Sad to say, but I wasn't in love with it. It was a nice addition to play as Adewale and collect all the weapons and upgrades. But otherwise it was a bit mreh. I encountered a few glitches too, but what's an AC game without a few good glitches.

EDIT:

Slighty improved Adewale.

Prayer

Team Driftwood!
No Thierry here because I haven't really made a start on what he looks like. I'm only 90% convinced that he should be a half-elf. Still playing with his story!
Drawing these guys here though helped me understand what design elements I want to work on them. My Deep Roads elf is going to be hardest. I want to combine Dalish arcane warrior with dwarven, Legion of the Dead-ish armour. Hmmmmmm!

Gotta think about the design of my sylvian here. Doesn't have a name, or much of a design. Somewhere on his back he is to have two names carved on his back: his own and another. All part of his story! Hmm!

Legacy feat. Zef

Getting back into creature drawings is something I hope to do this year.

ドレス

Jhonevin might be sharing his name with my Deep Roads mentor mage character. He needs a name, and I've been trying to come up with something elegant, and Jonevin came to mind. I might play with the spelling and sounds more though. I was temtped to just outright give him the exact spelling of Jhonevin, but then I would confuse myself when talking about the two different characters. I also want original Jhonevin to retain his name... he was one of my first ever OCs so he is special ;__; and I feel as though I musn't spoil it by cloning his name.

Anyway. So that's where I'm at with... Dragon Age: Driftwood!
Yeeesss. I came up with a name for the story of my little band of heroes. My Deep Roads elf, Kossith warrior, Orlesian arcane mage and... sylvian! They have a docile sylvian friend now. I came up with a story for him while I was in Sydney for Christmas.
EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS NAMES. I hope to get better at naming.

Sigh. So, 2014.
Last year I gave a piss poor effort in my DDs. Here's to having another NYR for posting here more!
My aim for 2013 was to post here 200 times, I think? This year I want to shoot for 250. If I try, I can get it done.
I have a whole bunch of project ideas I'd like to see through this year. So far some of them are

• Fenris Cosplay - this I have to HAVE TO do. Plan for a PAX Melb debut.
• Clay busts - I want to make Aria T'Loak and Garrus Vakarian. Recently someone commented on my Arashok bust I created in sculptris on dA, inqiring whether or not I had revised and remade it yet (which I hinted at hopefully doing in the description of the pic). It kind of made me feel like... yay, someone cares xD I want to challenge myself to see if I can do it. A simple comment like that just... fueled me a bit! 
• Dragon Age: Driftwood - I want to put this out somewhere. I sort of want to have a crack at writing, comics, and possibly even printing out my own comic and seeing how they look. This project needs A LOT of work, especially the story. It has no body, just an idea for the characters and for how the story might end. But how the characters meet, what is their purpose to come together, their journey/adventure? Nothing yet. :T herp.
• Hybrids: Introduction Comic - This will either be done before or after Driftwood. The story of Denzel and his gang of genetically altered vigilanties. Their story also has no body, but maybe it doesn't need to. Hybrids (I never settled on a name for this) is just a coctail of my social observations, cool things I found out about science, cool geneology & evolution info I come across that I want to remember so I condense into character bios, aaaand other stuff. Also needs a lot of work, but I've had a backbone for a story of how the group get together and start their story, and what direction I hope to send them off in. With just that I want to get something of an introduction for the different characters and what setting they'll be playing in as a comic.

Not a big list, but I will take a while doing them. Fenris comic is going to strain my fucking wallet, but I want it to be worth it. I'm going to have to learn how to sew, so before I tackle the big task of making my first ever cosplay, I hope to do some smaller projects like making a hanar plush (that I might morph into a Blasto plush 8D with velcro guns?) that I plan to add bendable wire into the tentacles, so that the toy can be molded into shapes and the arms to hug someones face mehbeh.

That's it then. 2014, will I still be a piece of shit by the time 2015 rolls around?
My brain is already talking to itself, questioning if even if I only get 3/4 of these jobs completed, will that be enough for a pass? I'll be content and feel successful having accomplished more than half of the tasks, so I don't have to do them all, right?
Ugh. So it's this kind of talk that I have going on right now that needs to stop. I will do them all. I don't have a choice if I want to get better, as a person.