Artsy Fartsy

Wizard World Comic Con in Portland is happening soon. I am featured on their site. Just thought I'd share. ;)

Click here for the details.

Mel's Sushi Shack

Another update finally! I've been working on a side project recently, and it's the most adorable thing ever. I've been making plush sushi!

I'd been using the conventions and shows as a sort of test market to see if people would like them. Sure enough, they did so today I'm proud to announce the launch of Mel's Sushi Shack on Storenvy!

Now the cuteness can be all yours! I plan on adding the smaller sushi plushies at a later date and some other great accessories and such are also on the way. Now I've got to get back to spriting for the next show!

http://sushishack.storenvy.com/

CONS FOR DAYS! (2014 convention schedule)

Why hello there, dear readers! I haven't been around a lot as of late, I know, but 3 jobs aren't going to work themselves. Anyways, I'm attending a bunch of conventions this year, as an artist/writer/guest/whatever. Please come by and say hey! I have lots of new creative projects I've been working on, some of them exclusive to certain shows. If you want more details, feel free to stalk my facebook. Here are the shows I'll be attending the rest of the year...

Vintage Gaming Fair Aug. 9 Seattle, WA

Classic Gaming Expo Sept. 12-14 Las Vegas, NV

Rose City Comic Con Sept. 20-21  Portland, OR

Portland Retro Gaming Expo Oct. 18-19 Portland 

  

Between shows and other work, I'm still open to taking custom orders. Check out my work on my Tumblr or my Wordpress sites. See you all soon!
                                                                  

Of artists and friends

Pic sort of related. Impressive.

As I sit here on my first day off since I've pretty much got my life back together, I contemplate changing the notification sound on my phone, which has been bleeping at me incessantly for the last hour or two. I've had the displeasure of dealing with one of the few difficult clients that I've had to in a while. When it comes to selling art, or making a living as an artist there are some things you should understand, or rather, things that your clients should understand. Typically when selling my pieces, people have made for a smooth transaction. Here is a piece that I want, here is the money, shipped, done. It's not that hard.

Sometimes you get a client that keeps changing their mind, and that's to be expected. As an artist, you should be able to adapt in that way. It's annoying, yes, but you deal with it. Then there's this other type of client. One that tries to hustle. Let me just put this out there for those who go to conventions and trade shows or purchase from online sellers - Unless offered by the artist (which I do for regular clients all the time), a price is a price. It's different if you're getting a whole bunch of stuff, but if there's just an item or two, it's extremely disrespectful to ask for a price drop. Like I said, I will offer a special to those who are close or have purchased from me before. In fact, there are some people that I like so much that I'll just share my art with them for the sake of sharing. They are so grateful and respectful. I love it. I love what I do.

The other type of client that rustles my jimmies is the one that calls themselves a 'friend' for the sake of wanting a discount. Most times I will give friends a discount, but they don't usually ask for it. I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is 'friends' trying to tell me how to do my damn job. I have been doing this for years. I have worked in marketing, made a living selling my art, and don't need your input. I've heard it all before, and there's a balance that comes from experience. I know how to market my own art, I've been at it for years, to assume that I don't and that I need help from you is also very disrespectful. Bespeaks incompetence. Think about where the artist is at in their career before coming at them with something like that. Does it look like they need your help? Do you think that they care? How many people have they interacted with? How many hundreds of people do you think have already asked them about marketing and promotions? It's not that I'm ungrateful, I appreciate the concern, but don't push it, I heard you the first time. If I tell you something it's because I mean it. And especially don't try to build yourself up as someone of great importance who 'deserves' a discount, that's lame and sad to watch because it won't ever happen. It's great to be confident, but when that veil is thin enough to see the gaping holes in your character, it's not charming. Be mindful of those you're talking to, especially if you're referring to them as a 'friend'.

The life of an artist is something like a roller coaster of sorts. There are times when you will be extremely busy and times when you'll be just scraping by. When it comes to my personal life, I don't really share that much with people. I can tell you though that I have a nice little tight nit group of a few close friends. There are less than a handful of people that would be there for me in a pinch, and I like it that way. Because my time is valuable, I'm very particular about the people I keep in my life. The people that are around me and that are close are the ones that have been kind, honest, respectful, hard working, shit talking, laugh having, hug giving, fantastic wonderful beautiful misfits from all walks. It's a real rag tag group of weirdos, and we wouldn't have it any other way.  So when someone that knows me from, oh I don't know, the internet(?), and says that we've been friends for a long time I have to stop and ask - Why are you only here when I'm doing well for myself? Where were you as a friend in that 6 month stretch of self destructive debauchery that followed my horrible breakup?  When I was pissed off at my shitty old job? When I was dealing with that last bout of soul-crushing clinical depression? That whole time anyone, and the best of them did, could have talked to me. See how things are going. You know, 'cause that's what friends do? Just talking to someone doesn't mean you're taking on all of their problems, it shows them that you're a friend. Communication is how you prevent tragedies. But I don't want to get too off topic here so let's finish this up.

you threw off my groove, please be more mindful

So this week was the best week that I've had in some time. My personal life is awesome, my new (part time) job is awesome, my art (full time) is way awesome, my love life is especially awesome (my boyfriend decided he wants to get into spriting too), I've been generally feeling really good. Except for today, with the incessant nagging in the back of my head which manifested itself onto my phone. No, dear client, I will not take your order and will give you a full refund based on principle alone. I'm an artist and I can do that. I really ought to change that damn notification tone...

Pixelated Madness

PICTURE UNRELATED

I'm FINALLY DONE! It's taken a few days, but here it is, I've got all of my art stuff in galleries here. I've posted all of it so you don't have to sift through my galleries on Facebook. I mean, you still can, but whatever. I constantly get messages asking "WHERE CAN I SEE ALL OF THE STUFF YOU'VE MADE?" Well, HERE! THERE! You happy now? Sub and share with friends. I spent a lot of time on this. Thanks. http://melmakessprites.tumblr.com/

And here's the wordpress version; http://melmakessprites.wordpress.com/

 

Is it an upate yet?

Ewww...I'm in front of the camera again...
Check out these games and crafty things or something...
*CLICK HERE*

Keep goin' yeah you don't stop

It's that time again! Portland Retro Gaming Expo is less than 2 weeks away! Last weekend I was at Rose City Comic Con, too busy to make a video though, sorry 'bout that. Probably won't make one for this event either. I will, however, be there with a table and my sick sprites, so come by and check them out. Mention that you follow my blog and I'll give you a free keychain! Also, join the mailing list that I've started for Pixel Art Paradise, to receive notifications on upcoming events, projects, and super pixel deals. There are some exciting things coming up. Some other site wants to re-post some of my articles, but I haven't had time to rewrite my bio yet. Been busy with work stuff. Soon as the convention season is over, I should get back to making some video content. Of course there are tons of food vids you can watch (Mel eats weird stuff), but I'll have some new gaming stuff up soon too. Stay tuned!

Plethora of drank

So I've been spending a lot of time on games, work, and cocktails as of late. I asked if anyone wanted a compilation of my Drunken Moogle cocktails to date and the answer was yes. I don't have much time to post because I have to get up early for work but here are some pics with the links to the recipes. I made it easy too, just click on the pics. Seriously, do it.

The Mudkip

The Bandicoot

The Tanooki Tonic

Not just gaming

So if the last couple months have taught me, it's that no matter what you do, there's no winning the game. What is the game? Is it the game you're playing right now, or is it this game called life? Or is that too dramatic and totally dumb? Who knows, only you can answer that for yourself.

Recently I moved to Portland. It's a really nice city with even nicer people. It's awesome. I'm really enjoying it here so far. My personal life hasn't been too super, but it's all good. I'm dealing with it just fine (I think, anyways). Got a full time job that I enjoy, work on the side, still making and selling my art, broke up with my partner, and still live in a really nice town...But something is missing. That something is, well, I haven't really met that many people that I can communicate with on a level that isn't just passing comments (and friendly ones at that!) or just casual conversation.

You see, the thing about me is that I like to have in-depth conversations. Sure, I love gaming, and yeah, I like the bar scene too, but there's a lot more than that. As far as I'm concerned, that's all pretty superficial. Those are just topics that you bring up in conversation, or that people enjoy together and exclaim, "Oh! We have these things in common!". You know, that's nice, but still, a relationship, friendship or otherwise, shouldn't be based on those things alone. Case and point; Met someone at a con, shared a common interest, that person became interested in me, and then it didn't work out because when it came time to talking about actual life stuff, they couldn't wrap their head around it, or didn't want to hear it. Tough.

I used to think that my own way of thinking was 'off', or that later on I became negative. I wouldn't say that I'm negative so much as I'm a realist. A lot of people, it seems nowadays, can't handle up-front honesty. I am a very straight forward person and I think that intimidates a lot of people (It's also cost me a job or two). I'm not the kind of person that's going to pretend to be this or that just to make someone else happy or to make a dollar. Will I say that I'm sorry? No, because if you can't handle it, then I don't want to be around you. I want to be around people that can challenge me in a way that is ego-free. Someone who can make me think, someone with whom I can share ideas, and make me think about possibilities. Someone to grow with intellectually. This and that will only get you so far. Just talk to me, openly, and see what I mean. I don't care to be in large groups and prefer one-on-ones in terms of conversation because I like to avoid the 'group think' mentality. And sure, all you pseudo intellectuals can say that you're above that, but you're not. Don't even try to kid yourself.

It's not just games, videos, blogs, and all that. I am a person, an approachable one at that, and I like to have conversations about everything. I love to learn and experience and just take it all in. That's what keeps me going. Sure I have short and long term goals, but for me it's always about learning. I love to see how things work and love to learn what it is that makes people tick. It may be my background in psychology, or background in bartending and people watching, or independent studies in philosophy, sociology, and many other topics that has set me out to be this way, but I'm cool with that. Whatever it is that you want to talk to me about, just make sure that it's deep and don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm not offended easily so don't even worry about that. Life's too short to deal with petty bullshit.

"OMG Mel, what about gaming?!" Well, when it comes to gaming, I have no problem playing games. I love games, they're a great pastime. Let's play some multiplayer games. Just so you know, I'm not too good at FPS or Fighting Games (with the exception of Guilty Gear), and I'm really good at puzzle, shmups, and racing games. I rather enjoy co-ops, especially retro games. Mario Bros (proper) and Bubble Bobble, well, those are the ones I've been playing at the arcade recently, are a lot of fun in co-op mode. It's a great way to get a conversation going. Galaga? Not so much. It's one of my favorite games, but too many people get butt-hurt when they play against me. Shouldn't it just be fun? Not just the games, but being in the company of other people and having it not just be about that. Or is that too much to ask for?

-Mel   

Objectiveness Without Objectification

Fuck yeah, EQUALITY!

Can't we all just get along?

I received quite the amount of positive feedback regarding my article on girl gamers and discussion on gender related issues. I'd like to think that it's due to my skill in being able to write in a way that people can sort of understand, but I think it's probably more likely that it's because I try to remain as unbiased as possible when approaching such topics. I try to think and write, objectively rather than subjectively, and only add personal experience where and when necessary to the information being provided. Unfortunately some so-called main stream video game and entertainment sites do just the opposite of that. They insert their opinions and tried to pass them off as facts. I don't much care for this as I can sense bullshit from a mile away. I also don't appreciate people's agendas driving their information when it should be the other way around. You should write around facts, not try to make the information suit your needs. In most instances, and with what I'm getting at here, that need is to write a sensationalist article to stir up people's emotions for monetary gain while at the same time reinforcing unhealthy stereotypes with no intent to be helpful whatsoever.

Case and point; Someone pointed out this article to me earlier today. Oh look, it's the same issues as before, not a big surprise. I won't deny that sexism exists, as it does and has for thousands of years, but it doesn't mean that you have to take it lying down (heheh, see what I did there?). It works both ways. Everyone hates everyone for something, we know that. It's not limited to just gender, but also social status, culture, location, species, etc. The list goes on and on. I've already discussed the issues regarding gender and stuff, so go read my other article if that's what you're looking for. I'll address this particular article later. The rest of this is going to be to discuss the integrity of articles like this and how they effect the masses who don't know that they're being driven by their emotions brought on by toxic, biased as hell, stories from less than trustworthy sources.

Hello, I am a human. I listen to all of the things.

How much of what you read on the internet do you believe to be true? Really think about that for a minute. There are obvious fake stories that float around that are there for the sake of entertainment, and those are easily passed off as false information. Now what about "legit" sources? How do YOU define legit? Is something more believable because someone else said it? Is it more believable because you respect or trust someone? Does that mean that it MUST be true? How often do you think critically as opposed to letting something seem true enough because it just happens to match your opinion on a particular topic? Are you afraid to question logic? Where do you get your news? Do you think that since the majority goes there, that they're that much more credible? They aren't. No one is. It's an elaborate illusion carefully constructed by their marketing department. Influence is a hell of a drug, and the media is your dealer.

Let me break it down for those who don't know. Websites, particularly big media sites, exist not only to share information (true or not) but also to rake in mad ad revenue. Dolla dolla bill y'all. They do this with clicks, page views, online shops, and more. They all do it for the money, it's a job, it's how they make their living. Sometimes big names get paid off to endorse a product, service, or agenda, whether it's right or not is subjective. That's why it's up to you, dear consumer, to go into reading all articles with a sceptic yet open mind. Some articles are very informative and helpful, while others might just be disguising themselves for another purpose. It's up to you to decide that what you're reading is or is not true. It's not about the source of the information, who says what and all that, it's about how you perceive that information and what you do with that information. So how do we go about reading or seeing things more objectively?

Uh, wrong brain...

Well, let's start with the source of what makes us feel that we should justify falsehoods as truth in the media. For one, there's cognitive dissonance. It's a psychological term referring to this thing that happens on a subconscious level where you have two thoughts or beliefs happening at the same time and your brain doesn't know how to deal with it. On the conscious thinking level, it manifests itself as fear, anxiety, irritability, etc, all of which we try to rid ourselves of as soon as possible. For most people, it's the easy route, which is just sticking to what they know. If another thought or fact comes into play, many people have a hard time accepting the truth for what it is. This is where we get the term 'ignorance is bliss'. Sometimes the truth is hard to handle, but isn't learning and growing what life is all about? What we really ought to do is understand underlying factors and look at each piece of information objectively. Take your thoughts, see them as they are (only thoughts) and pick at them until you find the right answer. It won't hurt to try it some time.

Throw away the ego too, it's unnecessary, and only adds to the problem. Some people might jump on the bandwagon because of social influence, that's fine too, just know that no one really cares about your opinion. That might be hard for some people to grasp, but read the above paragraphs again if you missed it the first time. It's all in your head, only you can decide what true and what's not, based on your evidence and facts. Fear, anxiety, oh! And hopelessness! That's the one I was forgetting. You see, you might know what the truth is but then turn away because it puts you in a situation that feels hopeless, or bad, or whatever. The truth is never a bad thing and you should always think for yourself, regardless of how it makes you feel. You are the master of your own emotions, don't let them veer you off the path of seeking the truth. To take on a critical mind, you must not only question your sources of information, but also yourself. Only good things can come of it. 

Your article; Cute, but still a pile of shit

So I suppose you want my opinion now on that article that got me going today. Well, the way I see it, it's an issue that's already been addressed. Many times, from many sources, from many angles. Who was in the wrong there? The men because they were invading the space of the women and being rude? Or the women for bitching about it and not defending themselves when they had every right to do so? Or maybe it's the website who is at fault for putting the blame more towards one gender than the other to perpetuate gender-biased hatred, and then offering no solutions. It's a sensationalist pile of garbage. Was anyone killed, raped, or otherwise irreparably injured? No? So no real harm done then, other than on an emotional bitch-bitch-cry-cry level. Oh, it happened in the gaming industry, what makes that special again?  Oh, it doesn't? I see. So what was the point of this? I'm guessing to get people riled up so they'd share the article via social outlets. Well, it worked. Hope you're happy, you pitiful excuse for a game site. Hope you do something real special for the community with that extra money lining your pocket.

SNK's tough love

It's beautiful, isn't it?

Recently I came into possession of a Neo Geo X Gold. It was a late birthday present from a friend, and I was more than excited to finally catch up on some arcade classics. As far as I knew, SNK is mostly known for their fighting games, most of which I'm terrible at. I'm not very good at fighting games. I played that Ninja Master's game, and I guess I was alright at that one, but this isn't really what this article is about.

SNK games are terribly difficult. But not to the point where you want to rage quit after each gaming session. No, there's a fine balance to it. They games are hard, yes, but you want to keep playing them because the games are such that when you make just a little bit of progress from where you last failed in a given game, you want to keep playing. Like, genuinely keep playing. The games are like crack for the senses. There's the wonderful arcade-y graphics, wonderful soundtracks, and heart-pumping action that just does not let up. You have to focus all of your gamer know-how to get a grasp of some of these games. It's really intense. SNK games, from what I can tell, are not for the casual gamer.

One of the games that I've taken a particular liking to is Alpha Mission 2. It's a shmup! I LOVE shmups! What's more fun than hopping into a space ship and shooting maniacally while dodging a barrage of bullets? Not much, I can tell you that. This game, when you first start off, seems like your typical shoot-em-up thing where you gather power ups, shoot the things shooting at you, and it doesn't SEEM to difficult at first. There aren't that many bullets flying around the screen, and you would think that would make for an easier shmup. NOPE. You need to figure out what's more important, gathering power ups? Dodging bullets? Which enemies should I take out first? And this is all happening at once, in a fairly short period of time, this is also just the first level. Trying to get a handle on things is the midst of the action. Tough love, but you take it and push forward. Just when you think you have the enemies patterns down or maybe if you're doing to well, the game will throw a curve ball at you. Alright! I got passed this part! Crap, where did that stray drone and lone bullet come from?! GAH! And you start over. You WANT to see what comes next.

 

 

That's just the first level boss, it's the other guy I'm worried about.

So far I've been able to make it to the end of the second level. Not bad, I think, for a game that's only 8 levels long. This is one of those games that you'll have to master before actually making any progress. While this might sound frustrating, I think it's a great exercise in patience and reflexes. You have to think fast if want to best some of these baddies. There's more to this game too, than just shooting at drones and other ships. The entire first half of the second level has you taking out pieces of this giant ship, one at a time, by taking out turrets that are shooting at you then shooting the ship's weak point. It's completely obvious too where the weak points are. It you're paying attention to the details you'll see, though as small as they are, the little weak points open up, and then you just fire away (While avoiding other enemies, a constantly moving screen, and stray bullets from who knows where). Also, you'll need to be sure that when your ship is powered up, to not pick up any more power ups from the carriers as they'll actually take power away. (Jerks.) These are the power ups that look like upside down purple letter versions of the regular power ups you get.

I must have played the first two levels of this game a couple dozen times over by now, and I still want to continue to play it. Level two's boss is a bitch though, with circling drones with spreadshots protecting it, having to avoid the wall lasers, and those goddamn homing missiles! The missiles are the worst! There's no avoiding them unless you shoot them, which is hard to do while you're shooting at other stuff and trying to not get hit by them. But I want more! I want to beat it and make my way to level 3! Why is this game so hard?! Why do I love it so much?!

Final Response To Tropes vs Women in Video Games

This has been a horse that's been beaten to death. So many requests for a response, I had to finally get around to making one. While I could have gone over everything else that everyone else already has, I tried to go a different angle and question her motives. If you want better explanations of why the tropes vs women videos are extremely biased and bat shit insane, be sure to check out all the links to the lovely video responses of others that I included in my description for the video. Thanks for watching.

A game by any other name - An Obligatory Bioshock Infinite Rant

Bioshock, Yay!

Do you remember that Mario movie they made back in the 90's? Remember how everyone ranted about how terrible it was? Well, it wasn't that it was a terrible movie, in my opinion, it was a great movie. It was just a terrible Mario movie. It had all the makings of a well paced action flick, awesome special effects, and decent (questionable) acting. If they had called it anything other than Mario Bros, it probably wouldn't get all the crap that it gets today. It would probably still be seen as solid film. Now, just hear me out before you start going all bat-shit in my comments, I want to say that I feel similarly about Bioshock Infinite. It's not a bad game, in fact, it's a really REALLY good game. It's got great gameplay mechanics, great imagery, a decent enough story, and sure it's got the elements to be called a Bioshock game. It's definitely game-of-the-year material, there's no doubt about that. So, I'm not putting the game down at all, I really enjoyed it and recommend it, but there are a couple of things I want to talk about...

So now where to start? How might I go about this without providing any spoilers? I'll try my best to not spoil anything by skirting around topics and...well, maybe just to be on the safe side: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Stop reading now if you're super-sensitive crazy type that loses their shit at the hint of a spoiler. Turn away now. This is your last warning. I'm serious. Still with me? Alright, let's get on with it then.

Pictured: Fan's response to first hearing about Bioshock Infinite after having played Bioshock 2.

Am I the only one that needed a shower after learning the relationship of Booker and Elizabeth? So there you are, playing as Booker, escorting Elizabeth around. What started as a mission to pay off a 'debt' became a struggle to protect her at any cost. Half way through, I started to think (because the story hadn't been spoiled for me yet), "Wow, a strong female character, and an even stronger male character. And he's doing anything he can to protect her! How romantic!" Then the twist happened and I was like "Oh..." (Poker face). "Well, this is embarrassing." I mean, at least it wasn't like that one (spoiler) Korean Film.
In that movie, the damage had already been done, that dude was fucked (no pun intended) either way. In this game? They cut it just short of reaching THAT point. (perhaps too risque for a AA title?) I seriously don't know how I didn't see it coming. Ugh. Maybe it didn't turn out that way because Elizabeth already knew? Or, I don't know, I don't want to think about it anymore.

"A merger of machine and man, that was the 

lesser of man yet the greater of both parties."

"That's what she said..." 

Speaking of character relations, a friend of mine on facebook questioned whether or not Elizabeth was engaging in solo-sexy-time up in that tower of hers. To which I replied with 'giant robot bird cock'. We have strange (fun) senses of humour over there on the facebooks. Don't judge me! The internet could use more robot dickings. But I digress.

So, yes, back to the topics that are canon to the game.
What are the other issues? Well, as another reviewer pointed out, the vigors had no other use than making Bioshock, well, a Bioshock game. They served no purpose for anything other than combat, and you didn't really need them anyways. Not really. Another thing that I think they could have improved on was the usability of the tears. I mean, you have dimension ripping powers, and you used it to what? Conjure cover for battle scenarios. That's it. There was SO much missed potential there! They could have pushed the envelope further with the gameplay but they underwhelmed by playing it safe and limiting the use of tears.

And what of the blaring plot holes? Without going into the whole multidimensional/time travel stuff, I mean, if Elizabeth got out of the tower and was able to use her powers, why didn't they just escape to Paris? SHE OPENED A FUCKING TEAR TO PARIS. (See pic below, which I'm going to lovingly call 'Game Logic')

Seriously, let's go watch French Star Wars right fucking now!

I guess the game might have been way too short if it were that easy. But it could have been an option, I'm just sayin'. Multiple endings could have been a very awesome thing with this game, especially given all the different dimensions, conditions, and other crazy influencing factors.

So here's another question; Was I the only one that thought that the whole zombie ghost part was completely unnecessary? No? Okay, let's repeat this once more before I continue (it's a buffer), I think Bioshock infinite is a GREAT GAME. But...I do feel like the creators might have been fan-pandering a bit. Not to Bioshock fans, but to fans of popular sci-fi media in general. Let's see, what's popular right now? Time travel? Check. Steampunk? Check! What else? "I know, let's throw in some zombies for good measure!" That was probably my least favorite part of the entire game. That whole thing didn't need to happen. And in an entire game with no boss battles, why decide to throw one in right there? It makes me think that maybe the developers and their artists came up with the concept of the siren and didn't know how to fit it in to the story/environment, so they just made something up because they didn't want to scrap their idea. That's what it felt like anyways. It just didn't fit well with the game or story as a cohesive whole.

Google "fancy pineapple"

Earlier I was reading this article about unanswered questions in the game and wanted to point out in particular the pineapple thing. You see, it's not just because the pineapple is full of delicious nutrients to keep your health up that they're so plentiful, it's because back in old-timey days, Pineapples were considered a luxury item denoting wealth and prestige. Back then a pineapple could cost hundreds of dollars because they had to be imported. People would even rent a pineapple for dinner parties and not eat it, just have it there to show off how much stupid money they had. It's a cultural thing I think. A nice little detail they added to the game to show just how indulgently spoiled the rich white folk of Columbia were. Probably to make you despise them even more, but it seems that went over a lot of heads and the point was totally missed by most players. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Those are my main gripes about Bioshock Infinite for now. I don't know if there will be more, probably not since the game is AMAZING. Seriously, I can't recommend this game enough. It is fun and totally worth even a second play through just to explore some more and maybe pick up things that you might have missed on your first play through. There's so much to look at, it's a beautiful game. Even if you watch someone else play it, it's still completely captivating. The good things definitely outnumber the small details, and why are you still reading this and not playing Bioshock Infinite right now?

-Mel

Next Level Perler Art

Very quickly posting to share this. It's my very first perler sprite shadow box! As you can see, it's an underwater themed Mario piece. There are elements from both Super Mario bros and SMB3 and a little splash of extra color (different shades) in the back. The background took the longest to make, of course. I have 3 more boxes so I wonder what I'll do next with them. . .

I will be bringing these completed pieces to the Controllers and Canvas show at the Mesa Bookmans on May 11th, along with whatever stock I had left over from ZapCon and maybe a few new surprises. See you there!

ZapCon video

Did you miss ZapCon in Phoenix? Well, it was amazing. Here's a video showing some of the machines and stuff.

One more show

So there's this thing I got invited to participate in. I was invited over facebook and replied with "maybe". When I got to ZapCon, my name was on the flier for the event. Guess I gotta do it then, huh?! Well, it can't hurt to do another show before I move. That's right, I'm moving away from AZ!  So come see myself, my pixely goodness, and participate in video game trivia May 11th at Bookman's in Mesa. Win some fabulous prizes and hang out with cool gamer types. See you there!

ZAP ZAP ZAP!

This weekend is ZapCon! It's Arizona's premier retro arcade and pinball convention. It's their first year and I'm very excited to be a part of it. Of course I'll be there with a table or two sharing my Pixel Art. Come get some! If you can challenge and beat me at Tetris, I'll give you a prize! :)

Mel Eats Weird Stuff

So here's a preview for our new web series about eating weird foods from around the world.

Questions requiring Answers

Every once in a while I like to do little Q&A things for this site. People want to know things! So I share the things! Here are some of the questions asked by amazing people via my facebook page. I'll answer them in the order which they were received. I hope this doesn't get out of hand...

Q: Will you marry me?
A: No, no I will not. That escalated quickly. Haha. Seriously though, aside from me not knowing you at all, I believe that marriage is a dated institution. No matter how long a relationship, I don't think marriage is necessary.

Q: Do you know the muffin man?
A: Not personally. I'm pretty sure I've eaten his relatives though.

Q: What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow
A: (approx.) 24 mph for the European swallow, apparently. You know how to use google, right?

Q: When is cheese yet?
A: Uh...When aged while?

Q: When will the debut of MEWS take place?
A: For those that haven't been following my posts on the ol' Facebeast, I've been working on a new video series called "Mel eats weird stuff". It's where myself and friends eat strange and unique foods from around the world, some good, some bad. I was going to do a formal post here, but since it's been asked I may as well just let you know now. MEWS will be debuting some time early next month, probably. Maybe even before then. I wanted to time the release with the episode of the web series "Wreckless Eating" where I was a guest for the main show. We ate some pretty terrible stuff. In addition to my show doing food reviews, there will also be trips to local foreign shops, events, and even cooking tutorials. I hope you all tune in to see what's cookin'!

Q: Have you ever played Metal Arms: Glitch in the System?
A: Nope. 

Q: Would you ever do the Harlem Shake?
A: Yes, yes I would. The real question should be, would Sammy (the hedgehog) do the Harlem Shake? I don't think he has many friends so I'm not sure how that might work. 

Q: Which is your favorit pixal art that u have done?
A: This is tough because I've done so many, with various applications. I'd have to say that I really enjoy doing the kirby power-up panels. I think the rustic "MIX" power up pixel art was neat. I also like that Amigo sprite that I made recently. No one bought it, but I kind of wanted to keep it for myself anyways. It's a win-win. On the other hand, my favorite piece of game-related art work I've done was my Katamari Damacy painting entitled "The Smallest Prince", followed closely by those Okami Den brush-god figures that I made. I sold them as a set. Recently I learned how to make molds for the clay that I use so I might end up making a bunch more of them in the near future. 

Q: Ever get turned on sexually by a game or a specific character?    
A: GIANT FIGHTING ROBOTS j/k. This question is funny, because the answer is no, because they are not real. There aren't that many video game characters that are that attractive...wait, I take that back...Snake is hot...Wesker is also hot. Hmmm...that's all I can think of for right now. I don't usually think of game characters like that. Haha. 
edit: Also, Pyramid Head...

Q: Out of the next gen consoles and looking at prices and specs etc, do you think that PC gaming is a making a comeback as the forerunner of the market?
A: Absolutely! The console market has really been dropping the ball as of lately. I think that right now, they're in a position where they're running around, not sure what to do. They keep playing the market like it's the same that it was 10 years ago, which it isn't. They need to stop focusing on their hardware as much, and get back to making games. I think that Sony and Nintendo should stop making consoles, and just stick to games. I think that Microsoft doesn't need another console. I think that it would be much simpler if there were just one universal gaming console, the PC gets pretty close with the exception of exclusives of course. Maybe if there were just one, ever growing console, we might be able to see some better games. The people will choose what games succeed and fail, not the companies that make them and pour too much into their marketing campaigns while their product suffers. 

Q: What do you love most about food?
A: Flavours! Seriously, the phrase "variety is the spice of life" is completely 100% true when applied to food. You need food to survive, so why not make it one of the most enjoyable things imaginable? You know, since you're going to be eating anyways. Every new food is a new experience. I think that's what I find so exciting about it. What do I love most about food? That it's food!

Q: Mel The Office Gamer Girl: The Game...would it be platform, RPG, or sandbox? And what would the premise be?
A: It would be a education game/simulator. You would go around finding characters from obscure games and reuniting them with their creators, then going around telling people about said games. Conversational bits with each of the characters would determine the outcome of their part of the story depending on how you answer questions, etc. There would be mini games based on those games/characters. You could also go to an arcade in-game to play some classics. There would also be some mini games involving food with mini history lessons and cultural trivia attached. I think there would also be some tools like a notepad for taking notes (on games, food, etc), a sketch book for the hell of it, and a system where you could stamp off each of the games you've played or foods you've eaten. Also, there would be patterns included for bead spriting, because I said so. This game would probably be on a handheld system or see a small release cross-platform.    

Q: If you were an 8bit character who would you be? 
A: Dry bones. You can smash me all you want but I'll still get back up.

Q: What do you think cultivated your love of cooking?
A: Well, growing up, I didn't get the chance to eat a lot of different foods. My 'family' (if you could even call it that) grew up poor. Food bank food is no good, and you'd have to get creative with it. When I was in middle school is when I started working. I used the money I earned to purchase ingredients to work with, mainly because I was curious to what I'd been missing out on. It was also around that time that I found an interest in Asian cultures and cuisine. I would check out books from the library and try the recipes that I found to see if they were any good. They were! Later on I met a lot of wonderful people, including exchange students that became some of my best friends back then. I was one of those nerds that would get picked on a lot at school and so, you know, those types of kids usually end up sticking together. I learned a lot from them and some of them even taught me how to cook some of the dishes I know today. Ever since then I've always enjoyed food, cooking, and new flavours, it's only now that I'm getting to share that with anyone who wants to share the experience. :)

Thanks to everyone who asked questions! If you have additional questions you'd like answered, send 'em to mtogg@live.com.

Also, if you dig my pixel art, be sure to grab a piece over at Pixel Art Paradise.