Sci-Fi Character Model

Upon wracking my brain for ways I can update my blog more often, I concluded that it might be interesting to put up some of my work-in-progress screenshots. I've been modeling a futuristic sort of science-fiction character over the past few weeks and here's how far I've gotten so far. It's taken much much longer than I anticipated at first, partly because I've never modeled armor before, partly because of pesky classes, and partly because the technique I'm using is a time-consuming process. But I like the results, and I'm anxious to finish up. I'm waiting to do the face, hair, hand details till after I finish the armor, only because I feel like I've sculpted a lot of heads lately and I'd like to model an entire character. Anywho, feast your eyes on these screenshots:

I Don't Know What To Call This

I have descended into a pit of potential disaster, in more ways than one it seems.

How's that for an opener? It has a little bit of a hook to it, I think. More than a little vague...although far too generic and cliche I think as well. I can imagine you, the reader, breathing a sigh and thinking "Oh boy. Another melancholy entry about how difficult and unforgiving he thinks his life is when it's really quite a blessed and fortunate life."

Rest easy, this is a lighthearted entry and I am merely being sarcastic.

I recently found myself in possession of a copy of Modern Warfare 2 as well as a one month free subscription to Xbox Live gold. I figured...what the heck? Why not give it a try? It doesn't cost me anything more than what I've already spent on the game itself and the time to become acclimated to the competitive online community.

I've always, always, always been staunchly opposed to online video games in general (with the brief exceptions of Guild Wars and Phantasy Star Online); especially online competitive multiplayer. There are seriously some freaks out there when it comes to being obsessed with these games. Halo 2 comes to mind first when I think of these weirdos; These kids will play whatever game they're hooked on for hours and hours and hours and then, when I hop online for a quick game, I get completely flattened by some korean 12 year old video game prodigy swearing up and down about how lame everyone else in the game is. That's not fun for me. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's competition. I never really feel that competitive fire burn in me against anyone other than my brother, especially when I get my rear end handed to me. When I get beaten that badly in a game, I don't usually get mad. I don't often feel an overwhelming desire to beat this pipsqueak at his own game or rub his face in poo. I think, "This kid has no life and if he wants to be the king of this little virtual world, entirely insignificant in the real world, take it away man. I'm outta here." I'll check out and never play it again. For whatever reason, I've never found that hook in an online multiplayer game that makes me want to come back and kick that cocky kid's haunches.

So why do I keep coming back to Modern Warfare 2?

Well for starters, it's got a leveling system which is reminiscent of an RPG, something I am fond of. It's also ripe with unlockable content to discover as you level up and brimming with "Challenges" for each weapon - goals to accomplish with specific weapons for which you will be rewarded further. Plus (and this is probably the deal sealer for me) just because you play with players who are much more prestigious than yourself doesn't mean you're guaranteed an embarrassing defeat. Yeah, you'll probably lose, but it most often comes down to the choices you make before the combat starts. Which gun are you going to use? Throwing knife or grenade? Silencer or rocket launcher?

Anyway, that's how I feel. Maybe this game just happens to sing a tune pleasing to my ears, when others have been nothing but hollow noise. Maybe I've just been ignorant all these years - a stubborn ostrich with my head buried in the sand. Maybe these features have become standard and I'm just now discovering them. In any case, I think it's fun and I'll continue to play it while my free month's subscription plays out.

I don't know if anyone reading this is aware in the first place, but I entered a CG contest with a team of artists including my brother last month. We considered ourselves to be heavy favorites (we were biased though, of course) but we found out this past week that we did not win. We did not even place in the contest, frustratingly enough. Out of 3 teams that actually finished, we did not even garner a mention, honorable or dishonorable. What's perhaps even more infuriating for us, is that there was to be a runner up prize initially, however the powers that be decided to eliminate that prize due to "lack of entries, talent, or funds." So - either they cut the runner up prize because there were only 3 finishing teams, our stuff wasn't good enough for them, or the sponsors pulled out. We don't know which is the true reason, but to ponder it only makes me angrier. And not a passing, surface anger...a deep, resonating booming anger that makes me want to "lash out irrationally," as a wise young child actor once put it.

But on to smaller and less significant things.