XCOM 2 Announcement

A big day for Firaxis Games, and our animation team.  On June 1st we announced the secret project I've been working on.  Very exciting for all of us, and for the fans.  Stay Tuned because there are many cool things on the way.  I can't wait to update my animation reel, and share all the work I've done.

Check out the announcement here:

XCOM2 Announcement Trailer and IGN Articles

What Dreams May Come?

I came across a nice article offering a little uplifting perspective in light of the recent DreamWorks layoffs.  The industry is obviously hurting, and it's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.  The article has one line in particular that rings true to me, and is applicable across anything we do as artists.

 Your Dreams Don't Define You
When the external validation of success replaces our spiritual sense of purpose, things get messy.

 Checkout the article here:
When Jobs In The Animation Industry Disappear...

 As Glen Keane told me a few years ago.  And we do well to remember.

-Keep Animating!

Joining the ANIMSQUAD

I recently finished a fantastic three month workshop being tutored by animators from Disney Feature Animation.  The workshop was a lot of fun and I learned a ton.  There is nothing like coming up with your own ideas, and getting feedback from Disney professionals on how to make them better.  I highly recommend giving AnimSquad a try.

Happy Animating!!!

Happy New Year!

As I prepare to welcome in 2014 it's a good time to stop and reflect on the positives of this past year.  The most significant one is the arrival of my second child.  Such a beautiful little thing.  Many months old at this point it's amazing to look back and be able to experience the growth of a new little person again.  Simply amazing!  Family is a wonderful thing.
It's great to be a part of a creative team like Firaxis Games as well.  We've had a good year with regards to expansion releases.  The warm reception of XCOM: Enemy Within has been an extra treat.

Wishing friends, family, and readers a very Happy New New Year!  Stay tuned for lots of interesting work being posted in the coming year!

New 2013 Animation Reel is up!

Watch here:
 2013 Animation Reel

Read more about it in the Animation!!! section of my blog.

Thanks for watching!

Enemy Within has RELEASED!!!

This expansion pack represents a lot of work from this past year.  The X-COM team tackled a laundry list of fan requests, and have tried to make something really special.  I think we have.  What a way to end 2013!  I am personally proud of the cinematic work we did this time around.  There are a lot of in house ideas and execution happening here that I hope elevates the fan experience.

Now go out and BUY IT!!!

Enemy Within Announcement!

I can finally talk about the expansion project I have been working on since the release of XCOM: Enemy Unknown.  Slated to release in November.  Fans should keep a few weeks free during the holidays to play this little slice of awesome!  Stay tuned for some really amazing content as more info is released.

Friday Fun

There have been a few updates to this blog including the launch of a new XCOM: Enemy Unknown page.  This is a production diary style look at the past few years of work I've been involved with.  Looking at what went into it's creation and beyond.  I will be making updates regularly.

Here is a little Friday fun as we bring May to a close:



* "Make Life Epic" is about those fun moments that happen when you are trying to explore ideas, and see potential answers to creative problems with reckless abandon.  Though the problems we solve are often serious in nature, and most of our professional time is spent focused on work, it's a good thing to let loose and take the edge off.  The mind tends to be more receptive to good ideas when in a relaxed state of mind.


* "MOCAP Montage" is a collection of goofy moments during an otherwise exhausting, and very serious mocap session.  We were on site for three days, and our list of things to capture was incredibly long.  I think a twelve hour day was our shortest shoot.  Incredibly fun though.  It was eye opening to the whole motion capture process.


* "Fun at Work" is a series of funnier moments caught while filming reference for "Sid Meier's Pirates!" and "Civilization Revolution."  Again, showing a few moments of levity during an otherwise intense and focused game development cycles.  I think the fun shows through into the final games.

 Check out the XCOM: Enemy Unknown and ANIMATION WORK !!! pages respectively if you want to read my Blog entries for these videos.

Still Here

Now that we've gotten the APOCALYPSE out of the way maybe we can all look to the future and stop fighting, and shooting each other.  ...Right?  ...Anyone??

Why criticize when you can PLUS?

As a general practice I try to always be constructive in my critiques.  No one likes to be criticized without an idea of how to improve.

In that spirit, a colleague of mine shared an interesting article with me regarding a practice called "Plussing."  An obvious enough concept, but incredibly difficult to get groups of people to embrace and practice.  It's interesting to hear how very large studios that are in the business of creativity embrace this concept, and use it to facilitate clear communication and avenues for individual and team growth.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

At Pixar, the animators have developed a technique that helps keep the fighting productive and intellectual. They call it "plussing." As people criticize the work under review, that criticism must always contain a new idea or a suggestion for strengthening the original idea – it must contain a "plus." Without plussing, their morning crit sessions can get pretty negative and emotionally draining. With plussing, the same meetings are imbued with a positive tone and a direct connection between criticism and newer or better ideas for their work. The meetings still feel like a fight, but they feel like the healthy, respectful fights that keep couples, creative teams, and ideas growing and changing for the better.

The article concludes with the following thought which I agree with.

 It's a pretty simple system, and "plussing" works well for everyone involved. When you're criticizing an idea and not providing an alternative solution, or a means to strengthen the original idea, you're not really helping the situation. With "plussing," everyone on the team is forced to contribute to the argument, and make the idea better.

Just trying to keep it real!

Best of E3 2012 Announced!

BEST PC GAME

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

BEST STRATEGY GAME

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

X-COM Hits E3 in the Face!

X-COM: Enemy Unknown is showing really well at E3.  I'm super excited for our team, and this project.  It's definitely been a labor of love, and for it to be so well received is amazing.

Check out all the E3 awards!!!

XCOM is Announced!

This is the game I am currently working on.  Check out the February 2012 GameInformer cover.

Watch for all sorts of awesome "XCOM Enemy Unknown" related updates HERE.

Stay Tuned!

More from Barsoom

Work has been keeping me super busy, but I had to make a post to share my excitement.  Tiny hail stones are falling on my roof top and the holiday cold is creeping closer.  Still something warms my spirits.  What is it you ask?  A huge love of Edgar Rice Burroughs books, and my knowledge that soon I will be transported to the Martian worlds I have lived with for so long in my minds eye.  Here is the recently released official trailer for the upcoming science fiction film "John Carter."

Enjoy a look at the film's poster.  It has a fun illustrative look that I love and is an obvious homage to the works of Gino d' Achille and Frank Frazetta.  I don't care much for the font, but the image seems to have hit a balance between old and new aesthetic sensibilities.

See you at the movies March 9th!

Remember to Live

I recently read an interesting question posed to the Dalai Lama.

He was asked "What surprises you most?"

“Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”

Definitely worth a contemplation or two.

Happy Meditating :)

John Carter

 With the release of the first trailer for "John Carter" comes a great song covered by Peter Gabriel.  The song titled "My Body is a Cage" is originally performed by Arcade Fire on their 2007 album titled "Neon Bible."  For those who have been well initiated into the stories of Barsoom the lyrics is quite appropriate and sets an interesting flavor for what's coming.  Be excited!  This is going to be the best science fiction story turned movie of the past century.  The life and work of Edgar Rice Burroughs has influenced all of science fiction since 1912.

 Check out the lyrics and give Peter Gabriel's cover of Arcade Fire a try:

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

I'm standing on a stage
Of fear and self-doubt
It's a hollow play
But they'll clap anyway

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light
Though my language is dead
Still the shapes fill my head

I'm living in an age
Whose name I don't know
Though the fear keeps me moving
Still my heart beats so slow

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a

My body is a cage
We take what we're given
Just because you've forgotten
That don't mean you're forgiven

I'm living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There's no one in sight

My body is a cage that keeps me
From dancing with the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You're standing next to me
My mind holds the key

Set my spirit free
Set my spirit free
Set my body free

The Legacy Continues

A recent re-imagining of the Mortal Kombat universe has caught my attention.  In the form of a web series it has a very appealing mix of gritty realism and a dash of the mysticism we all know and love from the games.  The series is titled "Mortal Kombat: Legacy." 

I highly recommend finding your way over to Machinima's YouTube Channel and subscribing to the series.  Nine episodes are scheduled for season 1 and I've already heard internet buzz about more to come.

Who knew all this would result from that viral short film directed by Kevin Tancharoen titled "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth."

Join the Lantern Corps

I'm glad to see Hal Jordan joining the ranks of comic heroes finding their way to the big screen.  The Green Lantern is one of the most iconic heroes I can think of, and has huge potential for an interesting story.  The trailers aren't amazing by any stretch.  We'll have to wait and see if it delivers, but with the huge success of recent re-interpretations such as Batman, X-Men, Superman, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc. it seems hopeful.  I'm intrigued to see what happens with The Avengers as well.  Mainly from an art, and cinematic point of view.

Whether you are an old or new fan you should know the famous Oath:
  
In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night,
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight
Let Those Who Worship Evil's Might
Beware My power... Green Lantern's Light!

Art in times of War

In the small chance that the peoples of earth will actually read this collectively I felt inspired to post this.  I recently became acquainted with two amazing female musicians that find themselves at a pivotal point in time for both women and the people of Pakistan.  "Zeb and Haniya" together make an absolutely magic pair.  A smooth sound of instrument and poetry from the MidEast.  Give their album "Chup!" a try and look into their singles.  You can also check out Coke Studio.  Expand your world view through music.  Happy listening to all.

I will leave you with this reflection:

Never take someone for granted.  Hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one day and realize that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones...

Barsoom is Fast Approaching

This is old news for me, but I have decided to post about one of my favorite science fiction series of all time.  Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Martian Tales Trilogy."  A tale focusing on the adventures of John Carter, Dejah Thoris, and a crew of Martian characters unlike any you have known.  The series extends well beyond this to a grand total of eleven books.  However, the first three are a perfectly self contained adventure and more than worthy to be made into a proper film by a director such as Andrew Stanton.  And yes, I've read them all.

To say I'm excited is a massive understatement.  To go one step beyond I have actually begun listening to the audio books for the first three Barsoom stories.  Surprisingly fun considering I never to listen to audio books, especially for a story I've already read.  Though proper credit is deserved because the voice performance is great.

I wish that all who cross my path to have the experience of these stories and to touch, ever so briefly, on one of the greatest science fiction works of the past century.  Second only to the fantastic works of Jules Verne.  Reading these books is an absolute delight, and I highly recommend the uninitiated giving them a try.

A Princess of Mars   *   The Gods of Mars   *   The Warlord of Mars

See you on Mars!