So, I sit here today, extremely busy with start of year operations. Moving computers, fixing projectors, doubling up on allergy pills, and munching on some leftover doughnuts from yesterday’s staff meeting.

Then I reflect back to March, when we (Pepper, Cody, and I) spring-breaked in Tokyo, Japan. I don’t really need to be reflecting right now, I’m very busy, you see. But there it is, persisting, festering in my brain. As I eat my day old doughnut, I think about how normal it tastes. It’s almost not quite bland. It does have the familiar easy-going milk chocolate that I love oh so much, and the glaze is sweet, but hardly overwhelming. There isn’t anything notable about this doughnut. I will not call across continents and oceans to report on its flavor. (Granted, that detail is a purely situational anomaly.)

As I scarf down my doughnut, I think about the many sweets I enjoy. Yankee Doodles, imported to Texas from my loving aunt in New York, Little Debbie’s, Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream, heck, even the typical Cheeto crosses my mind. Each one gets cross-referenced with a similar treat I enjoyed in Japan. Then I start to recall the taste… I once ate a regular looking doughnut that was so chocolaty and sweet, that I reported it back home that day. The day before I ate a stack of Denny’s pancakes sweet enough to be called a desert. (Oh yes they have Denny’s in Japan, one day I’ll blog about the bell system, you’ll learn to really hate typical American restaurant service once I do!) About the only meals not saturated with sweets were from traditional shops, such as the tempura and noodle houses.

Even the chips, which were indeed salty, still had a powerful sweetener. They were familiar in many ways, but quite unique. I even recall making a remark about it when chowing down on some Japanese Cheeto equivalents from the 100yen shop. At the time I was too awe-shocked with adventure to dwell on the fact that my taste buds were bombarded with so much sweet stuff. Then, with the ruckus of homecoming and such, I had forgotten. But now, like a cold slap on a hot date, I suddenly want to know. Why?

Thus begins my quest. I type this up without a shred of googling, research, or any real knowledge, only the question. I now embark, to seek out why everything is sweeter across the pacific, and with each discovery I will update my blog. It may take a few hours, it may take a few years, but my hunger for knowledge must be fed! Shared!

Email from Kirschner, the Deadline is September 12th. Ready or not, we’ve got just about a month to finish this bad-boy up, and send him packing. With only a duffle bag in which to carry his dirty underoos into the harsh world that is the Machinima public face, we must remain vigilant and proud, that our little guy can make is own way. We pray that we did our parts to see him ready, capable.

Too soon to bow our heads in prayer! We’re not ready! It’s not finished! The hour draws closer, and we scramble to the guns, eager to shot down our enemies, the haunted souls that plague our humble flags in TF2 and DoD! Wait! No! We must animate and record, paint textures, and zap the sentries! *Gasp*

Are we lost? Can we not forge ahead to unmitigated Machinima success with a film we made, thus far, so meagerly? Are we doomed to failure in realms not consistent with digital targets, who can be found hell-bent on placing grenades on our point just… so…!?

We’ll let you know on the 13th.

Also, since it was posted, I guess it's cool to tell you we're confirmed guest at the 2008 Machinima Expo too!

For 5 weeks we were kings. For five weeks we goofed and played and worked. For Machinima, for ourselves, for our kin folk, but mostly, what we did, we did...

For Science!


And what sort of scientist would we be with out our trusty pipes?



Of course, I'm not always so good with words...



God speed Barry, may your visit to Hawaii surf you well, and may we meet again this Fall, with one bad-ass son-of-a-bitch Machinima film with which to slay the masses.

They had it coming

Barry Takes Flight!


Mike is clearly using my PC for evil.


I pitch my new ideas!


We build the great wall of mostly pure cane sugar soft drinks


It belongs in a museum... of art!



Welcome to Boom Boom Town!

Welcome to the office Lord Barricus!

Here we see Barry testing 2 of the 5 laptops he brought.




Take that Mike!




And this is for the nonbelievers... or me. I'm not certain, really.




Barry has been here for about a week now, and we're moving right along with the project. The whiteboard reflects our respective task, and by bedtime Sunday, we should be 80% out of pre-production (Scripts, storyboard, but not quite all of the concept art). Next week is voices, and I begin the moving storyboards in 3D, while also studying on various engine tools. A feature full trial run is still needed, but my gut says my plan of action will require minimal tweaking.

Also, you may have heard this already, but it looks like this year's Machinima Film Festival is go. I really, really missed it last year.