Work in progress

If you go over here you'll see the new games area on my website. It's only a place holder for now, but it should make a decent title later on. Unless I decide to redo it completely, which is a distinct possibility. As opposed to an indistinct possibility. Those suck.

Anyway, I wouldn't get too excited. For a long while this section will feature game reviews only. But, fear not, I have plans.

My God do I have plans...

(Still not exited? Oh well)

The circle is now complete...

Now I am the...learner. Always the learner. Anyway, what I'm talking about is my return to the webcomic portal drunkduck.com. My new strip is up and running here. I know it's been a long time since I wandered off, leaving the webcomics scene for comicless pastures, but it doesn't feel like almost two years! How the hell? Anyway, this go round I'm hoping to maintain a modicum of sanity, which I more or less lost toward the end. Although, I have often wondered how advisable it is to be a sane person in an insane world. Not that I'm saying the world is insane but...

Yes I am.

Idea machine

You know, my brain never stops. It might feel as though it stops (especially after a beer or two), but it's just like my heart--working hard without my knowledge. Example? Just today I was thinking there aren't a whole lot of family-oriented sf films. They usually involve pretty mature themes and are often...well, horror stories. I'd love to have more high quality (note level of quality...PLEASE!) ET or WALL-E type stuff. So, here's my pitch: futuristic family travels throughout galaxy on family vacations. During these trips, kid participates in geocache-type game (objects hidden on various planets, obviously). On one of these trips, kid finds strange object (aka, the BIG MACGUFFIN!). Someone planted it, it's not supposed to there. But who? Parents kidnapped. Naturally. Because parents are LAME!!!! Baddies want kid and his MacGuffin. No, not his McMuffin. Well, okay. Maybe we can work the McMuffin in with the MacGuffin. Work with me, people!

Well, methinks that one needs years and years of development hell in a low, low drawer (the development hell drawer?). But I like the space geocache thing. Just wish my brain would shut up for a while. Hear that, brain? Shut up!

Stupid brain.

Back in action!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, dyin' time's here! Wait, no...I mean go over here to see my brand spankified new strip. It's everything you want in a strip. Imaginative. Hilarious (well, okay, mildly amusing). Colorful (hey, I spared no expense). And, best of all, it's free. Because I love you and you make me cry. Although, sometimes not in a good way.

Look for FCIS to show up on Drunk Duck as well. If all goes according to plan, which it will, because...well, there's a first time for everything, no?

No?

Okay then.

Rejection

No one says rejection is easy (or no one ever said it to me without getting a disagreement). However, it doesn't have to be all that either. I've had my creative stuff rejected again and again, and I never take it personally. Why would I? They don't know me as a person, nor do I know any of them. Also, I have nothing at stake. I'm a professional librarian. I like what I do. Any success beyond that would be gravy, but I loves me some plain ol' mashed potatoes. I view my creative work as a hobby and nothing more. I'm having fun with it. Period. Sure, I dream of taking it to a professional level, but let's face it, that ship may have sailed long ago. And, you know what, I'm totally okay with that. There are worse jobs to have. And I've worked a few of 'em.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't hold any of my rejections against anyone. Personally (I don't mean in a personal way, I mean "in my opinion"), I only take issue with publishers, studios, and others in the industry in one area (okay, maybe more, but I'm muddle-headed on most of them): there's too much talk of "trends." Look, if you want a big hit then you're thinking backward. Statistically, the big hits CREATED trends, they didn't FOLLOW them (Star Wars, Harry Potter, the list goes on) Yeah, there's never anything COMPLETELY new under the tired old sun, but great stories have lots of new and, well...great ideas in them (as well as great characters, but that goes without saying). That's what makes them exciting. If they're simply following "trends," not so much. And, yes there are those few exceptions proving the rule. Still, could we give the endless sequels (whether they "reboot" or not) and remakes a bit of a rest? Pretty please with ambrosia on it?

This is just MHO, of course. And I can hardly have it in for the publishers, and studios, that gave us Harry Potter and Star Wars in the first place. You folks are my Rock of Gibraltar. Sad, but true.

Your obedient servant.

Sean

More on board games

As a gamer, I've always loved the mini-games that occasionally show up during standard game play. As long as they are fun and don't take too long, they can really shake things up in a good way. I'd like to see that happen in a board game (if it hasn't already), and I plan to design them into mine. Along with the main board, you will print a series of "mini-game" boards which you switch to during the game; whether by choice, necessity, or random occurrence. Most of these "mini-games" will be accessed through "mission cards" you draw at various times. A mission might, for example, be to rescue a character or directing shipments of products to a general store (while dodging thieves, naturally). It is one way to gain money or points (definitely money, maybe points). In any case, as I develop these ideas into actual assets I'll offer you a peek or two. Free of charge. Out of the goodness of my heart. I do have a good heart. It beats and everything!

New comics

Remember what I said about no new comics? Well, that just changed. A strip I wanted to work on, but couldn't, is now available to me again. And I plan to pursue it. The title is FANTASY CHARACTERS IN STORYTOWN and it will be coming soon to dragonscachestudios.com. It might or might not appear on other sites as well. I'll look into that.

Oh, and I will work on the games as well. Like I said: retro game reviews first, board games second, then video games. We game on!