All Sorts of Stuff

Do you know how long it's been since the last PROPER Final Fantasy? Six years. Six years since Final Fantasy X. My room mate and I played the shit out of that game. He's got almost 200 fucking hours logged in. I've got well over a hundred. We've played every FF since VII religiously, and we even played through IX as a team. Unabashed FF fanboys, which we are.

So, you can imagine our disappointment when FFXI was announced to be a MMORPG (not something we could play at the time) and FFX-2 turned out to be Charlie's Angels.

That said, the arrival of FFXII could not come soon enough. Now that it's finally - FINALLY - here, it has pretty much consumed our souls. The PS2 is weeping at this point. I don't think it's been turned off in days.

FFXII is incredible. While I think it will drive off a lot of old-school FF fans, I feel sorry for them; I think that their predisposition towards what the series "should be" is going to make them miss out on a glorious re-invention of the genre. Strip out the awesome characters and the engaging plot - the gameplay alone is fantastic. I was skeptical of the change right up until the moment I first put sword to enemy, but no longer than that. It took about five minutes for me to go, 'Yeah...this feels GOOD'.

Now, understand this: On the 14th of this month, Final Fantasy III comes out on the NintendoDS. You aren't going to see me after that. I am going to be in the Gaming Chair, with a PS2 controller in one paw, playing FFXII, and the DS in my other paw, playing FFIII. My soul will be totally enveloped at that point.

In other news, I was pointed to this editorial (http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId.....UserId=5380367) by the almighty Penny Arcade. While the specifics of the incident don't interest me, the look at editing and publishing articles is something that I think you other writers may find worth a read. In lieu of my recent re-do of Carnal Combat Part X, I can see where these guys were coming from.

Speaking of Carnal Combat, expect the second story arc to start this week (perhaps even in a few mere hours). I wanted it up this weekend, but various problems contributed to me getting NOTHING done.

Finally, I'm going to sneak in my opinion on the whole 'cub' debacle that's been going on. I can sum it up with one line that I stole from an episode of Battlestar Galactica (Black Market, to be specific):

"It's hard to find the moral high ground when we're all standing in the mud."

So, having said that, tally ho! There's more anthro smut to be found, specifically of the tentacle-ravaging variety.

Seriously, it was AWESOME. A fine piece of storytelling if ever I saw one, and character-driven at that.

Plus, it's Christian Bale versus Hugh Jackman. If that doesn't set your geek-senses a-tingling, you should not be allowed on the internet.

I've been AWOL lately due to the joy that is moving. However, I am FINALLY settled into one place now, so I can get back to work on stuff here. This is a good thing, as moving stresses me out to no end. >.<

Just for giggles:

http://snappoll.com/poll/134472.php

Do it! Do it now!

I figure I'll try this again, as now people are actually watching me and this may go somewhere.

I have a Nintendo DS with the following games:

Metroid Prime: Hunters
Animal Crossing
StarFox Command
Mario Kart DS

I am, of course, on Nintendo Wi-Fi. If you have a DS and you're on too, let me know! I'm particuarly eager to get more Friend Codes for Metroid and StarFox.

Of course, I reserve the right to wipe you from my Friend List if you're a weeaboo, so don't be a weeaboo.

I just figured I'd throw you kids a little tidbit that might amuse you.

Go find a copy of the song "In The House of Stone and Light" by Martin Page. As the title of the song no doubt gives away, I got the idea of 'Houses' from this song, as well as another element of the stories that some of you may pick up on if you listen closely.

Anyhow, it's a good song. It's been a favorite of mine since it came out back in, like, '96, so it's funny that all these years later it's inspiring me to write anthro smut. Go figure, eh?

I just wanted to throw out a quick 'thanks' to everyone who has commented on, watched me for, favorited, or in some other way supported Carnal Combat. I'm having a great time writing the stories and drawing the dossiers, and knowing that the series is growing as it is really helps motivate me.

So, thanks to everyone!

Sorry about the delay in getting CCIII up. I just got a chance to finish the first draft today, so I'm going to polish it up and sit on it for another day before posting.

Guess what! No, guess. Okay, fuck you too. I finally got a system down for colors. Can't want to try it out. At long last, it has CLICKED.

Lets see, what else...oh, yes. Go look at http://www.furaffinity.net/view/198616/. It's awesome.

Also, have you read StrikerSA's "Runaway Experiment" series? You should. You're gonna' like the things you read. I guarantee it.

It is made of fail and AIDS and whatever else failing internet stuff is made out of.

So, let me get this straight: On top of having to wait for moderator approval on EVERY CHANGE I make to EVERY STORY EVERY TIME I POST A STORY, users can vote a story up and down without having to leave any reason why they did so.

Yeah, good idea. I'm not getting enough feedback here, so let me go to Yiffstar where on top of getting no feedback I can see the numerical equivelent of some wanker going 'LOL SUXXOR'.

Good grief.

Just as a little FYI, I'm going to be taking the next month off from working on new pieces. I want to focus on improving my colors as well as a few other things. Trying to learn that stuff in the process of drawing pieces for folks and/or for posting just isn't working out.

So, I'll be back to drawing stuff for public consumption within a few weeks.

Ortiz/Shamrock was BS.

That is all.

Just FYI, I moved some of my stuff around. A bunch of sketches got moved from the main gallery to scraps, so if you're lookin' for somethin' it may be there now.

I broke 500 hits? Whoops. I was going to do another picture for the event. Okay, it'll be a belated 500-Hits pic. You know, somewhere around 600 hits.

I haven't felt like drawing lately, though. No ideas, no interest. I'll be back soon, though. S'just a matter of time.

I currently have OpenCanvas 1.1, given to me by a pal. I just found out that there's freaking OpenCanvas 4. Is there any version that's better to have? Hit me up with a note if you can advise! Over!

Finally hit 200 I see. Figured I did awhile ago, but FA's view counter was down at the time. Anyhow, it is time. Enjoy the 200th hit pic!

Colored version of That Tower Sketch is finally up. I'll be preparing a special picture for my 200th hit (which is just on the horizon), and after that I plan on opening shop for commissions.

I was also considering putting some ACTUAL PHOTOS up. Of my environment, and all. Certianly not ME. I wouldn't dream of doing that to you wonderful people.

Wonderin' if anyone out there (here) has a DS and Mario Kart. If so, give me a shout or an email or something, and maybe we can swap friend codes. I need someone to race!

Oh, and I'll have new content soon. I promise.

Well, it's up. A rough, still-under-construction edition of my illustrated and un-named furry series is here. There is still MUCH polishing to be done, I know; therefore don't be suprised to see different versions of it appearing.

No new (good) art. I'm in a major slump. Just can't get down the hang of doing really good colors, so I'm probably going to crawl back into my OC watercolor hole.

Of course, one has to get at FAR as the coloring stage. I haven't been able to draw a stick figure without screwing up for the last few days. ;_;

Got a lot of stuff in the works. The Mighty Kasedries gave me a new coloring program that I'm hoping to use to color in that Tower sketch, but since it's new to me it maaaay be a bit yet before you see the final product.

Seeing as how my new personal rule is to not start new art until the old stuff is finished, that may hold me for a bit. Bare with me, kids. D:

However, I shall not leave you smut-less! I've got a little something special in the works for y'all, so the drought won't last TOO long.

Finally...is anyone interested in commissions? I am NOT taking any yet, but I figured I'd test the water a bit, to see if I should get a bigger boat.

I've been hot on discussing the topic of furry art and 'art theft' lately, so I figured I'd indulge myself and put together a little entry about it, mostly because THAT'S WHAT I DO.

I've been in the furry 'scene' since the early 90's. It was a time when Furnation and VCL were pretty much the only games in town, save for a few bad HTML fests full of links and BBS archives. Back then, the only 'pay-for' stuff was the occasional compiliation CD or new issue of Genus. Everything else was free, and done out of love for the subject matter to boot.

Then, a few years ago, a furry paysite popped up in response to a certain artist's art being distributed against his wishes. Now, that ain't nothin' new. It's something artists have had to deal with since day one, and only an idiot would post their stuff online and think that somehow they are exempt from this trend.

Not this guy. He decided to deal with the issue by forcing his fans to pay a monthly fee to get in and look at his stuff. As I see it, that's where it started.

Now, you've got half a dozen furry pay sites, many of them run or posted on by artists who previously posted their stuff for free. If you stop and think about that, you should start to boggle. Artists post their stuff for free, see that there are people out there willing to pay every month for what they'd been getting for free, and they jump in. I don't want to name name's, like an ebony lapine for example, but there are artists out there gleefully rubbing their privates with the money drawn in by zombie fans shelling out for what has become mass-produced art to meet a monthly quota for the monthly fee. Frankly, it's a brilliant example of the adage that a fool and his money are soon parted.

To expand a little further on the point above (two points, actually), the pay site trend has led to artists who once took their time to produce original, engaging art now churning out rushed pieces of bland garbage to meet their weekly deadlines. On top of THAT, they've adopted the practice of filling in deadlines with art by mid-card artists who normally couldn't draw a dime on their own paysite if they wanted too. So now you're paying a monthly fee for rushed art AND art you didn't want to see in the first place.

The other point is the fool and the money he parts with. These artists think paysites will save their art, or so they say. Who are they kidding, though? Anyone with patience can just wait a month or so and download an entire site of content from one of the many, many torrents offering it. Now, I'm not going to condone art 'theft', but frankly if you have one MP3 on your computer that you Kazza'd, Napster'd, or WinMX'd, you have no place weeping about your art being distributed.

So, what is the artist in need of cash to do? Well, get a real job for starters. Don't expect to make good money drawing naked anthropomorpic rabbit girls. You can, however, make some nice pocket cash (maybe even pay a few bills) with a wonderful form of artistic expression that is not only WORTH a fan's hard earned money, but gives back to the rich furry culture we've built over the years.

It's called a commission.

Draw. Commissions. It's something personal, something you can put real time into, and something that you can charge a tidy sum for that's more than deserved. I'm not talking about con sketches done in 30 seconds in someones sketchbook either. I mean a real, take-your-time commisson. It's worth it for both parties, and furthermore it's a great way to meld with your fans.

In closing, I'd question the sanity of anyone subscribing to pay sites. I know that's going to get me on a lot of folks sh*tlists, but so be it. Frankly, I imagine those who take real issue with my stand are either rabid fanboys of an offending artist, or feeling guilty because they know that deep down they agree, but they just want that fapping material THAT MUCH. Think about it, and see if that $10, $20, $30 wouldn't be better put towards a rendition of your fursona by your favorite artist instead of Porn Studio Vixen Humping Random Slab of Meat, #22.

P.S.

I'm not taking commissions at the moment. I need to finish up a few personal favors, and then I'll post open call for requests.

P.P.S.

Physical furry content, such as CD's, Portfolios, and comics should be payed for. They may not be worth it most of the time (*coughGENUScough*), but they do cost money to print and thus deserve a return.

So, I got some more money out of my insurance company, and I decided to take $160 of it and put it towards...

A NintendoDS with Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow.

The system's physical design sucks; it's simply awkward in every area. The hardware however...oh how it shines. The prospect of fully realized wi-fi, portable gaming is just, well, orgasmic. Animal Crossing is next on my list to get, and maybe Mario Kart.

I loves me my old school gaming machines!