In my spare time I have been slowly chipping away at an XNA game that I hope to release for Xbox Live Indie Games. I'm now at a point where I can focus on real game content and design. Basically, I can do almost everything except for one very crucial aspect - artwork. I can't really do any music or sound engineering either but that is farther down the line.

So, right now the immediate requirement is artwork. Oh dear lord how I suck at art. I would seriously be hard pressed to draw a stick man, let alone a full suite of art.

And now I beg before you, Dtoid Community: Do you have some spare time that you want to throw at this project? There's the possibility at the chance of maybe making a bit of money too, but, well, that depends on how well it sells on Indie Games and how we decide to split revenues. (If your game doesn't completely suck you can make good money, nothing to quit work and indulge in hookers and blow over, but good money.)

What I'm looking for is 2D artwork, I have a general idea of what I'd like to see which I will discuss with whoever wants to help out.

I have a very rough over view of the game design here. It's pretty basic at the moment, and only outlines a few specifics. I haven't fully decided 100% exactly how I want the game to play but it's a good starting point.

If you're interested, shoot me a PM over the forums. In the meantime, I have a small youtube clip that demonstrates the current state of my codebase below.

Thank god you're here, Commander Shep- I mean, uh, Locke.. no, no let me think, I'll get it don't worry. Link? Gah, there's so many of you Hero types that I can hardly keep track. You know what? Forget it, there's a line forming.

Look, Hero. We got a problem. Well, we got a really big problem and a few dozen completely non-related and trivial problems.... and a few that are related but gotta be done a few times over. Don't look at me like that, nobody said this was easy, or even fun. If you don't like it those four guys behind you are more than willing. (Seriously, where do we get these guys?)



First order of business: the really big problem. The Nefarious Villain has occupied a planet, or was it a town? Actually, I think it's a giant pile of junk. In any case, he's posing an immediate and serious threat to the safety of our world, end of freedom for all, yadda yadda you know the drill. Hey, would you stop looking at me like that? I don't got the time to be all dramatic for you guys. Do you see all this paperwork? We got a lot of problems here you know! You think you're the only ones doing all the work? Who do you think takes care of your pay roll and managing your progress? Yeah, that's right "you're sorry." Whatever. (Freakin' stuck up heroes think the whole bloody world owes them a free life.)

Sigh, anyway. This Nefarious Villain must be defeated a-sap. Nothing else must stand in your way. If you could just get to him that'd make my life so much easier. What's in it for you? What's in it for you?! You get to go home to a parade, a nice relaxing credit sequence and probably a little action with whatever bimbo you end up saving. You wanna know what's it in for me? Shitty coffee and a nagging wife. (God damn Heroes!)



What do you need to defeat him? Well, let me look up your save file. Hmm... well for starters you're only level 35. You'll probably want to be at least 50. That is, if you don't want to get wiped in the first precious moments of that encounter. So, it probably wouldn't hurt if you squeezed in a few of these trivial problems. The town of Noughwear has a problem with docile wolves, there's a collective of cultist crazies that are about as scary as kittens compared to The Nefarious Villain. And, well, you'll need a key to access his Space Fort, which is scattered all over the place in tiny pieces. I think 40 last I checked. Oh, and you'll probably have to pay for the priveledge of knowing where they are, so.. don't roll your eyes at me! You signed up for this gig, this is what you get. Maybe you want a transfer to the Tetris department? Sure it sounds easy, but that shit just keeps coming you know.



Anyhow, because you've been slacking off and just going through the main story points of your overall assignment, you're basically gonna have to fix all these other problems first. Great. Man you guys are a piece of work you know that? You get to go all over the known bloody universe, nailin' broads and killing monsters while I sit here, slowly dying inside. You know all that time you spend out there is billable? Who do you think gets to explain that to them, huh? yeah.. hey, where're you going? You forgot your.. aw whatever.

Why did I stop smoking?

Next! Ok, thank god you're here, blah blah.. look, we got a problem....

We, the mainstream, cannot - nay will not tolerate Jim Sterling any longer. He is, at best, a smart-aleck buffoon. It's time he cleans up your act or hits the road. We will no longer allow him to weaken our stance with our respected partners. His very existence is a mockery of everything that is pure and sacred to our long standing tradition of shameless shilling.

In an attempt to engage the slobbering hordes here, I will point out to them but a few reasons as to why he is an inferior and even dangerous "journalist."


He has a mind and opinion of his own and expresses it freely.




The gaming industry has a tight, firm grip on gaming journalism's neck. This is to ensure that real journalists do their job: To promote and market the industry product. Not criticize it for lack of quality or innovation. Both of those are totally and utterly subjective anyway, and if it weren't for sarcastic unprofessional writers like Mr. Sterling they wouldn't have to keep such a tight leash. For shame, Jim. For shame.



He responds to comments on his own articles and viciously attacks people who don't "get it."



A game journalist's only purpose in this world is to write a favorable review on a product. Nothing more, nothing less. Under no circumstance should they directly speak with the mindless rabble that is their readership. If readers are taking time to respond to an article then that's time wasted not buying an overpriced collector's edition package. STUDIES have conclusively proven that the typical gamer is a mindless buying machine with a fragile ego. Engaging with them, only to sling insults and smilies, just keeps them at their keyboards and away from their local EB Games. (Check out our trade-in deals for this month!)



He repeatedly disrespects Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony.



Jim Sterling has written not one, not two, but - yes - three articles demanding that the above companies all "STFU." For those of you not well versed in the primitive grunts and various slang that make up the gamer language, it is simply an abbreviation for Shut The F-word Up.*

Quite simply, Mr. Sterling, if it were not for these three companies you would not have a job. You should show them due respect. These companies have all scratched their ways into the hearts and minds of gamers from virtually nothing. When you slither up to your keyboard and spew your vitriol it is nothing short of despicable, sir.



Conclusion

Jim Sterling, you are an unforgivable monster. I demand nothing less than your immediate resignation and execution by fire. And in fact, I will be staging your execution by fire in effigy every night until the gaming industry has seen the last of you.

* - I apologize for my language, if you would like to complain please contact the FCC and I will take full responsibility

So, I'm not sure if I've been living under a rock or what not. But it just seems that the MadCatz SFIV Fightsticks are impossible to find in Canada. Well, if that's still the case then NEVER FEAR - NCIX has MadCatz TE Fightsticks IN STOCK ZOMG


Mmmmm, Tournament Edition



So for any Canadians dying for a good controller and got screwed by EB Game's shady "pre-order" business (as in, you pre-ordered and never got one because another outlet was more important) go hit NCIX up! Especially if you live in the Metro Vancouver area, you may be able to pick one up at one of their storefronts.

Respective Links:

MadCatz Tournament Edition Fightstick for Xbox 360
MadCatz Tournament Edition Fightstick for Playstation 3

I think a lot of people will agree with me that this is one of the greatest websites in general. It's a list of people who digest their hilariously depressing lives into short messages. Sort of like Twitter, except these people realize that their posts make them look like assholes or losers or sometimes both. (Never mind that I'm on twitter too.)



Here is a choice FML post :

"Today, was my birthday. After hinting for almost 2 months for a Wii, my dad pulls out a shiny new Wii Package. The only problem? The box didn't have a Wii in it. My dad gave me a Wii box with my VCR inside and a note saying "This is life. Once you think you're happy, someone crushes it". FML"

Not unlike the douche-bagged parents that got their poor kid an empty Xbox uh.. box. But hopefully this person is old enough that he can suck it up and just get a job to buy one.

But, if only because the word Wii is contained within, all the fanboys come out of the woodwork. It's interesting to point out that the post itself isn't about the Wii at all or it's perceived quality what so ever; it's simply the attack vector for his dad's asshole assault.

But that doesn't stop.... THE FANBOYS.

It only takes ONE comment before the whole bloody thing devolves into out-right flamewar.

"Considering the Wii is the crappiest console out there, the kid actually got pretty lucky" is the preemptive strike.

Thankfully the site has a comment flagging feature that will hide the retarded comments after enough users have flagged one; but the fact that these people make it a point to come out and spew their idiocy still kind of disturbs me:



I guess it's not just the idiocy that disturbs me but that people still invest themselves so heavily in a video game console. Any console for that matter; still to the point that they sling insults at people who don't love their console as well.

Blegh, I know this is old territory. I know these are old questions. I know there will never be a straight answer. I'm just shocked that the poison of video game fanboyism can and will spread into totally and utterly unrelated discourse and platforms.

This is why I'm excited for Street Fighter IV, because Sakura will be in it. I probably do the best with Sakura in Street Fighter Alpha 3, not that I'm a pro or anything.

She has the best combination of reach and speed in my opinion. And unwitting opponents will be distracted by her skirt and tight underwear. The fools.



I'm not a pro, but one way or another I will kick your ass. I will kick your ass with a japanese school girl. It may take me a few tries but when I do kick your ass you will be the guy that got his ass kicked by a schoolgirl. A fucking school girl.

How does one go home to their wife and kids after that? More importantly, how does M. Bison go back to leading his global network of terrorists and organized crime after being destroyed by some 15 year old girl?

You just fucking don't, because you got your ass kicked by a schoolgirl.

It doesn't matter what you say about a grown man playing a schoolgirl. Not to me at any rate. I'm comfortable with myself, and I'm comfortable kicking ass with a japanese school girl.

Now, undeserved cockiness aside. I just like playing with Sakura, she's fun and she plays to my sensibilities in Street Fighter.

I can't express enough how excited I am for this game. I've been playing so much SFIII, SFA3 and SFII remix that it's insane.

BONUS : What controller should I get? A stick or a pad? Which do you, the reader, prefer?