Most students filled their studio with paint and canvas, I just lugged my imac up every friday.Also, Ghetto setup.

So, this year was my last at University. As part of my Honours degree I applied to a special course in which a few students were granted residency at a local gallery - pretty awesome, and a lot of fun. Students are free to create what they want in this course (based on their applications from the previous year) and this is where I created my art games but that isn't what this post is about.

At the beginning of the year instructors wanted us producing art right away (last year's group was not so productive I guess) and so they gave us three options to cover for the first three weeks; Text, Event, and...Well I can't remember... at all. Anyway, this SNES installation was what I called an event.

It's super simple in it's concept. A personal recreation of a pivotal event in my life - beating Super Mario World.


Yep, this is where my Banner comes from. Photo by Dario Ayala, another student in the class.

So basically the story goes like this. Before I was 10 years old, I can't remember exactly when, I got an SNES and Super Mario World for my Birthday. I must have begged my parents for one after playing at a friends because before that I had no knowledge of Videogames or Nintendo or anything like that. Super Mario World was the first game I beat and to kid under ten who had never played Videogames that is a pretty oustanding moment. Emotionally I was sort of torn. I was so proud of my achievement, I was so happy that I saved the Princess, but I was sad that it was over and, more importantly I was terrified to turn the thing off.

The way I saw it was that after months of playing the game my adventure had finally come to an end, I had resued the princess, the evil bowser had been slain and then I got to the 'THE END' screen



This is where it leaves you. I thought it was SO AWESOME that the sprites I had been controlling were now blown up and detailed and addressing me! I thought that I would never see it again because the journey had been so long. I didn't understand, or care, that the game was a program, that I could do this again next time I turned it on, it was far too real to me at the time and I left that TV on for 3 days as a reminder, as a precaution.

This is where the installation comes in. As you may have read on my side profile thingy I've come to really appreciate retro games and this moment being so potent to me seemed like the perfect way to start my development of Videogame based art, a reflective piece.

I set the old school TV up on the ground and the night before the critique brought my brother up to the studio and we played through the game in under 3 hours. I was amazed at how much we remembered at how fun it was to relive that with him. We would laugh for no good reason, a bad jump, a memory of a level or enemy. I wanted to fill the room with that same energy from the mid-90s and I think I was successful in doing that. Once we reached the end we dropped the controllers, shut the light and left the gallery.

When I got home I decided to add another level of my childhood gaming experiences to the work, music. The music played from a closet in my studio very faintly. I downloaded a midi of Super Mario World's title music and edited it's tempo and instruments to come up with this lullaby sounding rendition,

HEY LISTEN! [also, hit Download for Free near the bottom of the page.]

What this represented was a strange phenomenon that I'm sure isn't unique to me. I didn't stop playing games when I went to sleep. I would constantly dream of gameplay. A typical scenario would have been dreaming the ending to a game, I did this with Super Metroid. When I woke up to find my brother playing the game I'd ask. "What are you doing we beat that already." [as if returning to a beaten game was against the rules...] to which he would respond with confusion...I'd figure it out and we'd have a laugh. But I thought you would all enjoy the score to the gameplay in my dreams.

It was a really great experience and I would be lying if I said that I didn't get emotional during the production more than a few times. It really has been one of my most meaningful, personal works to date and one that had an unexpected affect on me.

Good excuse for me to use this image again.

Hey everybody,

Thought I'd give the return/new format it's own post, just to get back into the swing of things.

I've redone my banner, sidebar information has been updated [read it!] and I've got a few announcements.

I've got a couple of things in the works including some on-going series' I want to do:

1. "Almost Videogame related" [or AVGR]

This series would document things I notice in the real world that reminded me or flat out reference videogames. I've got a couple things for the first few, hopefully the world will provide me with the rest.

2. "What if?"

With this series I'll be examining hypothetical videogame mash-ups. For example, What if Chrono Trigger was done in the Windwaker art style. Most of these will probably be art related, with drawings!

uh...Thought I had more, that'll do though! So, look forward to these...Or don't? That's what I'll be doing! along with typical blog stuff. Oh- don't expect these to be happening on a regular basis, I'm anything but consistent.

Something else I thought I'd share. I'm Graduating - as my side bar will also reveal. I'm pretty excited to get out of school and into the 'real world'. By the way the 'real world' is the same as university, with less distraction(read: assignments) I'm still going to keep learning, it'd be hard not too. More importantly I can finally catch up on a ton of games I bought but haven't been able to play. I'll give a brief update:

1. Bought Deadly Creatures on release; just beat it: Surprisingly satisfying gameplay, intriguing storytelling, ended before it got too repetitive.

2. Bought MadWorld I've only played it for about two hours, combat feels soo so good. Funny, haven't gotten anywhere.

3. WarioLand: Shake It. Pretty good, needs to be harder- half way through.

4. WiiWare: Bit.Trip.Beat, Incredible game, only on level 2. Bought Mega Man 9 when it came out, nowhere near beating that yet.

5. Virtual Console: Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana, Mystical Ninja, Mega Man, Kirby's Dream Course, Link to the Past, and...some more. I haven't beaten any VC games yet, ugh.

6. Got Bootcamp up and running on my iMac, Tons of stuff there: A couple hours into Bioshock, got Orange Box when it was on sale and beat Portal, no time to describe how amazing that game is. Still have to get to Half-Life 2 +episodes and Braid!

7. PS2/GC gems I missed and got on the cheap. I love this generation because it makes all the last generation games so much cheaper! I picked up Shadow of the Colosseus, 11th battle. Castle of Shikigami 2, Silpheed, Killer 7, Eternal Darkness, Silent Hill 2.

9. Some retro games I bought but haven't beaten: Mega Man X, X2, Super Ghouls n' Ghosts (ya right.), Adventure Island (ya right again), Aladdin, Lion King, Kirby 64, a few NES games that are too broken to beat.

10. DS Games: Moon, Castlevania PoR, Pokemon Diamond,


Bored yet? Also- this is not me, Thanks Google!

So that is my epic backlog, most of which has accumulated during the last school year. Making a list actually horrifies/excites me a lot more than just thinking about it. There are also a number games I still want to buy! Like Kirby Super Star Ultra, Professor Layton, Punch Out!! (I can wait on that one though), I dunno, enough lists...

If anybody wants to suggest an order I should play these in, that'd be pretty cool.

So- I'm back, again. This is the second, return post I've done- not a good sign.

welcome to Perritoid,
art, games, awesome.

I love Destructoid. This is the coolest, simplest meme ever. I don't know who started this but, your awesome.

These are in no specific order, just as they came to my head.

1. When I was little I used to tell people that I was going to work for Disney.

Ya, those people must have thought I was pretty cute. Cartoons fill me with a sort of awe and inspiration, always have. I think it's because of the potential they hold. I always thought I was going to be a world famous animator. Still hoping!

2. I've only ever been with One woman/girl and wouldn't have it any other way.



I have the slash in there because I met my girlfriend in highschool, we were both 16. It turns out she was having trouble meeting a 'nice guy' and confided in a friend of mine at her school. We talked on the phone shortly after and to escape the embarrassment of my home ('you're talking to a girl!') I went outside on my dad's cell (young!) and talked to her for two hours, despite the rain. We're 21 now. Love you Ro.

3. I applied to the Chemistry program at my University.

I am horrible at math. It's a sort of legendary amount of misunderstanding. I'm just not a logical sort of person. That said, I love science and applied to the Chem department at Brock [notable allumni, Dennis Dyack...] I didn't get in, thankfully. But I was at a point in my life where I was not so confident about using my art as a way to support myself and family in the future. So I decided to throw caution to the wind and become...an art teacher. Ugh. I'm boring. To be fair though I've abandoned that too, which leads me to my next point...

4. I want to make games for a living.

I've been an art student for almost four years now and I keep coming back to games. I've done some graphic and design work in different independent projects sometimes through my old job at a university run graphic design house, and also at my current job where I'm lead artist for an upcoming iphone game. A friend and I have since begun designing a game and hope to become some sort of note-worthy indie developer. Fingers crossed.

5. I'm almost immediately embarrassed of all art work I produce.

I look back on work and just do not like it. I find myself thinking that I can do much better, that it's irrelevant and contrived. Ugh. It's frustrating. That is probably why I haven't posted anything to dtoid, despite being on youTube for the purpose of a job application. This may also explain my pessimistic prologue to the RFGO animation.

6. Pascuz46 is my FOIL and one of my closest friends. PARADOX.

Pasucz46 is a new community member, he posted a similar point in his list. We have completely different tastes in...Well frankly everything. Most music, most games. Despite our differences though we always end up having a great time together, especially when games are involved.

7. My strange obsession with Pokemon has been rekindled.

I picked up Pokemon Diamond a year ago (or was it two?) Anyways, I LOVE THIS GAME. It is flawed, sure, but for some reason, maybe it's the simplistic way it presents it's narrative, maybe it's nostalgia, or the simple mechanic that I'm raising these animals but I cannot stop playing it. I'm heading towards 80 hours, haven't beat it yet and legitimately am proud of the pokemon in my party who have been there since the beginning. That said, I get incredibly disappointed when the youngins underperform. I want to be the very best, like no one ever was.

8. I was unhealthily obsessed with Spider-Man in High School

I've always been a spider-fan, drawing him my entire life. Watching the cartoons and reading comics. When the cartoon went off air It sort of went away, when the movie came out though these suppressed feelings returned, in a big way. I was Peter Parker for Halloween 3 years in a row, I made my own mask and shirt (spandex) That were actually awesome. My gr.10 science teacher actually called me Peter, which I also signed on my tests... Maybe that's why I applied to Chemistry... Ya, It sort of alarmed my Girl friend after a year or so it stopped being cute apparently...

8.5 I Love Cosplay



Since I told you all I made a spider-man costume I should note that I've also been Link (because I am so original) and Falco (because my friend is original) for Halloween. It's pretty fun recreating those costumes! Probably going to do it every year.

9. My cat, Luna, just threw up on the couch.

I cleaned it up, crisis averted. Yes- she shares a name with Chad's Dog, but unlike his pet, shes named after Sailor Moon's cat.

10. I became a member of Dtoid years ago so I could comment on Summa's obnoxious reporting.

Ya, Kotaku actually sent me here via a link and I was intrigued by the graphics and entertaining writing. It was the early days of Dtoid and the community was young, I didn't join because I thought 'These people are AWESOME' I joined because Summa was pissing me off and I needed a voice. In my first post I said something to the effect of; He ruined joystiq for me but I won't let him do it again...blah blah blah. guess what; I won.

Sorry I'm late to the meme- AGAIN. Wish I had more pictures!

I know that there are a lot of people out there anticipating 'Fragile' well here is your chance to taste it before it comes to NA. If it ever does...Strong first week of sales in Japan though!

Anyways, part of the Majesty of all the Trailers they've given us is the incredible Music. I absolutely love the Theme, Hikari By Aoi Teshima, really sets the mood. The OST doesn't include this theme but it is not light on atmosphere. Some really nice stuff, should get you even more excited about this beautiful game [especially if recent gameplay vids put you off a bit.]

Here is the OST.

AND Teshima's Theme from the Trailers.

Have to mention that these links were provided by youTuber, NeoG0han. Yep- Neo Gohan.

Thanks! I've been looking for a long time!

and Enjoy!

I know. Forums are down though so I come here.



I've got a 6yr old Sony vaio laptop. Probably the worst purchase of my life. It was quite good for a year but has degraded into little more than a heavy space heater. The thing runs incredibly hot, I'm pretty sure that it's actually crippled itself because of it's P4 brain. Anyways, I've all but given up on it, I use it solely for typing up papers when nothing else is available. I've got a lot of software on it that I don't need and think I'm going to reformat.

Here's my question;

Can I do more with it?

It has a pretty nice screen which would be cool to use for...well anything else, don't know how to do it.

I was considering modding it to help it run cooler...Like a steel mesh case, but I've never done anything like that before.

What do you guys do when your computers die?

Hey Dtoid. I know my telling you what to do with your money is sort of pig headed of me and I apologize. I just wanted to get my point across.



Via Gonintendo I was made aware of an Interview on MTV's Multiplayer blog concerning developers over at THQ who are making 'Deadly Creatures'. The game looks pretty unique, and actually good, in my opinion.


This is sort of a theatrical trailer, its a little lame but it sort of encompass all that I think makes the game look promising.

The unique perspective.

How often do you see the world through the eyes of an arachnid. The environments are varied and detailed. More effort put in here than in the average Wii game, it's true. The sense of scale is an interesting change as is the lack of human enemies, which brings me to my next point...



Interesting Narrative presentation.

If you didn't notice Dennis Hopper and Billy Bob Thorton are providing voices for the only human characters in the game. They seem to have something to hid- presumably a body- and we are drip fed simple narrative points as eavesdroppers. This technique should bode well for suspense. It's something unique and I'm always looking forward to new experiences.

Buggy Gameplay.

That IS a horrible pun, yes. As far as I've heard the game runs well. Moving on, combat looks methodical, this isn't God of War, there will be no hack n' slashing going on here. It seems to depend on beating bugs in until they're weak enough for a final QTE, which may get annoying I'll admit. What is welcome though is the fact that we won't be controlling one but two different arachnids. The Scorpion is the 'tank' character while the Tarantula offers stealth game play. I'm looking forward to the mixture, hopefully they can pace it out right.



If you haven't read the brief interview I'll fill you in. Essentially the sales of this game decide the fate of this developer. If the game sells, they will continue to feed us these sorts of unique experiences, if not, they are again relegated to Mini-Games.

I'm just trying to do as much as I can to save these artists from having to create something they hate- I know how it is, its a horrible thing to be forced to. I won't lie though, this is also a bit selfish of me as I really really want to see more from these guys, and less mini-games on my Wii.