Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Art & Fiasco: Stonefalcon Manor (also, FREE ART for YOUR project!)

Hey y'all, just wanted to toss out a quick post now that the thing has gone live. So, a few days ago, fella named John Adams makes this thread over on the Story Games forums that I lurk around over at (look for horn_head_o - if you didn't know, that's my standard username on places where Ego is either too short or already taken). This thread is about some cool stuff like the playset he's been working on and is putting the finishing touches on and stuff. It's called Stonefalcon Manor and it's kinda like the original Dark Shadows show from way back when (not the recent bleh movie starring Johnny Depp - which I reviewed!
), being in a UK town that's really just finally catching up with the times somewhere between the 50s and 70s. An interesting twist is it has this "Secret Dice" mechanic that throws a different little twist into the Fiasco formula. While it doesn't seem quite as simple as the base Fiasco, little additions like that that can modify Fiasco's basic equation (let's see how many math words I can use to talk about Fiasco...) to alter the way it plays are really neat. If you're curious, here's the Score for the playset so you can know if you're interested in it:
"The truth will out...

The year is 1965, and the times are slowly catching up with the quaint English village by the bay. The hemlines are rising, the necklines are plunging, and there’s even talk of finally paving the old road. But the same level of modernity cannot be seen in the large manor house looming on the hill in the distance. The past haunts Stonefalcon Manor and the people within like a vengeful spirit. Day in and day out, the Harrington family and their servants go about their business as if all is right and proper, never daring to utter the dreadful truth that they have concealed all of these years. But the Secret of Stonefalcon Manor has spent long enough in the shadows. The Secret of Stonefalcon Manor will be revealed. And when the Secret of Stone Falcon Manor is revealed, heaven help those unfortunate souls caught in its dark, terrorizing grasp."

"But Ego..." I hear you cry, "this post is tagged Art, why're you just talking about some dude's Fiasco playset?" And the answer is because posts tagged Art get more pageviews here. No, I'm kidding, that's not why (although Art posts DO get a lot of pageviews). So like I was saying, this John Adams guy posts his draft of the playbook. See, he's got this line in the post: "Also, you'll notice there is no art -- sorry, but I am not artistic!". And that is a damn shame, because it sounds like it has this kick-ass cover, and I kinda have this picture in my head that would look sweet and I think I'm good enough to make it work... So I ask him if he knows what he wants it to look like, and if it's not out of my reach I could totally try to make it, and I'd do it free! And turns out him vision sounds a lot like my vision too, so hey, I jump on GIMP and start the drawin'. Several dozen layers and a very annoying size-incompatibility later (I figured it probably should scale to Letter size, but my image, uh, didn't. So I had to clean up a bunch of lines I hadn't expected to), I had an image. I went through a couple tiny revisions to come up with something even cooler with John, and wound up with what I think is a pretty sweet final image.
So yeah, I guess I now count as a published artist! I got my name in there as a credit and a link back here and everything! (if you're coming here courtesy of the playset, welcome!) This is pretty damn exciting for me. See, I have this kind of fantasy goin' on at the back of my head that, while I never intend for artist to take any form of full-time job for me, I think it'd be pretty awesome eventually to be able to help out my income with some stuff.
However, jumping straight to taking commissions is presumptuous of me. I'm mostly an unknown factor as far as art goes! I mean, you've got the stuff I post here, and whatever I have laying around my deviantArt and PixelJoint accounts, but not much goin' on for work that's actually released and used for stuff. That's why I'm willing to - wait for it - work for free.
Yup. I figure, do some free stuff and get some work out there and visible, and then I might be able to charge a little bit for some cool stuff.
So seriously. Hit me up if you have interest in FREE ART for YOUR project. I can't guarantee awesomeness right off the bat, but I'll do my best and work with you to make sure what you end up with is what you want. And hey, I ain't chargin', so what harm could there be in asking?

Oh, and what kind of silly fella am I for forgettin' til now? This is the thread where John's talkin' bout his playset and stuff:
And here's a direct link to the playset itself, currently working through Google Docs/Drive/whatever it is: https://docs.google.com/a/plu.edu/file/d/0B0Ut5mF-spZyZ1pnTXUxRFFxOTg/edit?pli=1

Uh, let's see, talked about the art, the playset, gave links, talked about my free art dealio, oh, music now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWKO5cq-HvI&feature=player_embedded 
Revolution Roulette is both the name of the album, and the third track on the album, which is this. I gotta say, Poets of the Fall amazes me. First off, I've listened to all their albums, and love all of them. Okay, I admit, I'm not as into Temple of Thought, but hey, I still love it quite a bit. PotF are probably the only band I can think of that I absolutely love just about every track on every album they've released, even though they've released five whole albums (that's a lot of chance for me not to enjoy a song). I love the lead dude's voice. He's got a huge range, and, despite singing in perfect english and I would never imagine this guy was foreign, he's native to Finland and the band is based there and everything. They're dual-identity, Old Gods of Asgard, that they played as in the video game Alan Wake was a slam dunk (sitting inside a simply unbelievably good game). The guitar work is great, and the vocals are awesome, and they manage to change styles distinctly every album (though Carnival of Rust and Revolution Roulette have quite similar style). My favorite album is Twilight Theater - it's just perfect. You're Still Here is the weak point of that album, and it's still strong. Dreaming Wide Awake is simply perfect.
That's enough about them for now though. Gotta save something for when I inevitably repeat them in a Songaday sometime.

And one last thing: upcoming stuff. Now that I'm finally writing the GPNW stuff and I got the big Microscope piece out, it's coming a bit easier. Additionally, I'm writing up the Wrath of the Lamb commentary. Hold on, I'll review it right now:
"Hey, Edmund McMillen! Your game is fucking incredible and I've sunk several hundred hours into it and I love you, and will be buying it for every console I can when make those remakes you just announced and I can't wait for the expansion coming with that and I want The Basement Collection so bad right now!"
Also, on the Binding of Isaac note: I am a Platinum God. I am a victim of a known bug that doesn't save your unlocked secrets of Cain's Eye, Eve's Bird Foot, or The Left Hand, despite acquiring these several times and having all the achievements for them. My account will not call me one, but I am a Platinum God, and any naysayers can go fuck themselves.

There, ending on a cheery note. Later folks, enjoy the art and the playset and the music! And contact me if you want some of that free art!
End Recording,
Ego.

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