Damnation & Redemption: A Look Back at Fallout

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Today, I'd like to have a look back on one of my favorite game franchises; Fallout.
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 Fallout Background Info

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On October 23rd, 2077, the Great War started and ended, lasting only two hours. No one knows who attacked first but every country responded at once, dropping nuclear warheads and bathing the world in atomic fire. Before the Great War, a nuclear holocaust was in plain sight and was fast approaching. Hundreds of large underground bunkers were built and called Vaults. The Vaults were built by Vault-Tec, a scientific corporation with a dark agenda hidden behind a friendly exterior, built them. The Vaults were really controlled scientific experiments, though they did provide shelter from the radioactive blasts. The Democratic nations and the Reds were at each other's throats and the world had reached its breaking point.

The United States had annexed Canada as China invaded Alaska. With quick timing, the US retook Alaska but had problems on the homefront. Soldiers were falling out of the ranks and riots were rampant. The soldiers that went AWOL were sent to military prisons while the President and his secretive military organization, the Enclave, retreated to an Oil Rig for safety. A plague breaks out as the F.E.V. (Forced Evolution Virus, a biological chemical that mutates genetic data in organisms) is leaked and the world goes up in fear.

At this time, Captain Roger Maxson and his men kill the researchers they were assigned to protect after finding out they were doing horrible experiments on military prisoners. Maxson and his men desert the army and move civilians into the research base they were guarding. After the bombs stopped falling, the research station was unharmed. Maxson led his men and their families to a fallout shelter in what is known as "the Exodus". The years passed and this group became known as the Brotherhood of Steel, an organization dedicated to retrieving technology and storing it. They didn't believe people were responsible enough to have it after the events of the Great War.

Life went on and the Wastleland remained. Vaults opened and people spilled out, those left outside that had survived set up settlements, and factions formed. In California, the NCR (New California Republic) formed and set up a democracy. In the Midwest, a faction based off the Roman Empire formed, known as Caesar's Legion. They gathered slaves and conquered all in their path. Splinter chapters of the Brotherhood of Steel showed up across the country and the Enclave spread across the United States. All manner of people roamed the wastes. Raiders and settlers, Vault dwellers and soldiers, traders and mercenaries. Though purged in atomic heat, the Wasteland held many new creatures, products of mutation from the radiation and the F.E.V. that lingered in the air. Men lived, fought, traded, worked, survived, and died under an uncaring sun.

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Fallout

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The place where it all began. Set in a world that mixes the 50's style, futuristic technology, and Cold War fear of nuclear conflict, Fallout came out in 1997 as a spiritual successor to the 1988 game Wasteland. Taking place around southern California in 2161, 84 years after a nuclear conflict known as The Great War, Fallout stars the "Vault Dweller" on his quest to find a water chip for his home within 150 days, yet the game has a 500 day time limit. His home happens to be number 13 of the Vaults. Fallout brought something new to the RPG table, the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck) system. Your base S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats reflect the skills you may have and your interactions with the world. The game was a new experience, based on exploration and time managing. It was fun and definitely not forgettable.

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Fallout 2

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The sequel to Fallout, Fallout 2 brought improvement to the series. It brought many more items, improved AI, better companions, a more expansive story and world, karma, and large scale effect of player's actions. You start in the town of Arroyo, started by the Vault Dweller in Oregon. As the grandchild of the Vault Dweller, you play the "Chosen One", chosen to find the Garden of Eden Creation Kit (G.E.C.K.) to help rebuild the town to ideal conditions. During this, the Enclave has reared its head for the first time since the Great War and has surpassed the Brotherhood of Steel in technological sophistication. You are given your grandparent's Vault suit, Pip-Boy, a flask, and some cash as you set off. As you play, you begin to uncover the Enclave's sinister plots and deeds and you take it upon yourself to fight them. Fallout 2 contained some silly content, but also came with much more than Fallout and came without that timed quest. For that, Fallout 2 was a great experience.

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Fallout 3

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The third game in the series and first developed by Bethesda, Fallout 3 continued Fallout's original style. Often characterized as "Oblivion with guns", this comes from the fact it uses the same engine and gameplay mechanics as Bethesda's fourth Elder Scrolls title. The game brought Fallout into the third dimension and was a dramatic change. The point-and-click system and turn based combat were replaced by an over-the-shoulder view and real time fighting. The auto-travel map was replaced by a seamless exterior world. The VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System) introduces itself as a throwback to the old combat style of the previous two games. It freezes time and allows you to auto-aim at body parts, giving you a certain chance to hit or miss. The game also moves to the East coast in the Capital Wasteland, Washington D.C. As a survivor from Vault 101, you go amongst the world in search of your father and then get wrapped up in much more than anticipated. This game was a welcome change of pace, combing Fallout with the system of Oblivion, another of my favorite game series.

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Fallout: New Vegas
 
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The second Bethesda published Fallout game was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and was heavier on inspiration from Fallout 2. With a much larger game complete with many more items, factions, and quests, it is easy to see how it draws from Fallout 2 (especially with the "Wild Wasteland" perk that makes events happen that tend to be pop-culture references, much like Fallout 2's random encounters.) Featuring the power struggle between the NCR and Caesar's Legion, you play as a simple courier that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A quest for revenge becomes a quest for power as you determine the fate of post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. To me, this is the best Fallout game yet. It didn't have the drive of Fallout, the open-endedness of Fallout 2, or the tone of Fallout 3, yet it brought something else. It combined the best of all the games into an outstanding title and my choice Bethesda game. Good show, Fallout: New Vegas, good show.

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Closing

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Wait, aren't you going to do Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel? No. Though I do like the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel, I never played Tactics. Also let's just pretend Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel doesn't exist. Like it was a bad dream. In fact, its not even canon so to hell with it. Bad game anyway. So, in conclusion, I thank Fallout for its contributions not only to RPGs as an industry, but its contributions to me. It expanded my horizons in a genre sense and a creative sense. Oh what the world would be like without Fallout... nothing but fantasy RPGs and that's no fun. Need a little purgation to have a good time. Well, that's it for me. Until next time folks. See you in the wastes.

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Ogachi's Top 10 of 2011

Alright! Video games! So! I suppose I should make one of these. So I will.

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10


L.A. Noire
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L.A. Noire is an interesting experiment in game design. With unique gameplay and fancy animation technology, L.A. Noire set out to do something different. Though it had it's flaws, (Most particularly with a robotic main character and lack of detail on anything that is not a face. Hell, even the faces were not very well textured though they sure were well animated.) L.A. Noire still brought something new and interesting to the table and it did it well.

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9


Batman: Arkham City
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Batman: Arkham City is the sequel to Arkham Asylum and does a good job carrying on tradition. In fact, it doesn't really bring much new to the table but more of the same isn't a bad thing. The game still handles well and is filled with fun Batman villains! Even with the lack of new ideas, Arkham City is still a great game and has earned its spot on this list.

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8


Deus Ex: Human Revolution
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Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a long awaited addition to the franchise and it carries it on well. With gameplay reminiscent (if not a dumbed down version) of its predecessors, Deus Ex continues the focus on playing the game as you see fit and leveling accordingly.

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7


Brink
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Brink successfully combines the movement of Mirror's Edge and the style of Team Fortress 2 into one package. Though the story is kind of silly, the game pulls through on its gameplay and the amount of fun it can provide.

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6


Dead Space 2
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Though not as suspenseful as its predecessor, Dead Space 2 is able to carry the Sci-Fi horror's legacy well. Leaning even more towards the Action Horror genre, Dead Space 2 still is able to satisfy with its dark environments and flowing gameplay.

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5


Portal 2
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Portal 2 follows suit of Batman: Arkham City in that it also gives more of the same, though lacking much innovation. The slime and co-op modes are welcome additions nonetheless and the game still shines amongst the crowd. The witty dialogue, stellar soundtrack, and seamless gameplay combine to make this game number 5 on this list.

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4


Warhammer 40,00: Space Marine
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Though it does not have all the amenities the other games have, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine does bring one important thing to the table; Gameplay. It performs masterfully and feels great to play. Charging down groups of Orks and just hacking through crowds is a great time.

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3


Total War: Shogun 2
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What can I say? Total War: Shogun 2 is everything a truly large-scale strategic RTS should be. With the ability to command armies and sabotage cities on its turnbased overland map and siege your foes in battle mode, the game is easily the best RTS I have played in a long time. Add all that to the fact it is also the prettiest RTS to come about lately and Total War: Shogun 2 rightfully claims the number 3 spot on this list.

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2


The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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Imagine Oblivion. Now make the graphics better and the character concepts more gritty. Now put the civil war from Star Wars in there. Put snow everywhere. Skyrim has been made. It is also more of the same but brings a new(ish) combat system to the fray as well as a new leveling system. The game is a great time and (with modding communities like the ones Bethesda games have) will be around for a good long time.

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1


Dark Souls
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Oh man you guys. My number one game. What else could it have been? Of course its Dark Souls! A Medieval fantasy setting with fun controls and a good difficulty curve, it is a game that achieves being challenging but not frustrating. It easily worked its way to this spot with its infer-your-own-story and 3rd person sword fighting. Dark Souls earned everything its gotten from me. What can I say? It was a fun roll through hell.

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And that's the ball game. Until next time folks. See you online.

Lightning Warfare: A Look at Tribes: Ascend

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Foreword

This is my first look at the beta of the free-to-play adaption to the Tribes franchise; Tribes: Ascend. Alright, I'll admit that the only Tribes game I've played is Tribes: Vengeance and only after the multiplayer was thoroughly dead. So, don't expect a nostalgic look back. Instead, expect a look into the future of frictionless warfare!

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Concept

The game focuses around the conflict between the Blood Eagles and the Diamond Swords, leaving out the Children of the Phoenix and the Star Wolves. It is always possible that the two factions may be added at a later date.

The game has twelve different classes to choose from. There are four light , five medium, and three heavy classes. Each class has its own unique gear set and purpose. Light classes are flag cappers while heavy classes are made for defense and medium classes tend to be general purpose.

There is a leveling system in T:A. Each class has an XP meter. The more you play that class, the more XP you will get for it. With the XP, you can buy upgrades for that class. The upgrades tend to be ammo, damage, speed and capacity boosts, though there are others. The XP is specific to each class and cannot be used for others. Also with the XP, you may buy perks after finishing a class's tree. Each class has two perks and the perks can be used for any class, no matter which you got them from. "Convert to Shared XP" is a feature currently in the menu of the game, though it is listed as coming soon. It is unknown when it will become functional. Shared XP may allow a central pool of XP that can be used for each class, though you will likely lose some XP in the transfer.

Along with XP as currency are tokens and gold. Tokens and gold are used to purchase classes in the game, the gold price being lower than the token price. Tokens are earned through playing while gold is bought. You may also buy boosts with real money. After your first purchase, you get VIP status that gives you a permanent 50% boost to token and XP gain. The boosts you can buy double your XP and token gain for 10 or 30 days. They cost $7.95 and $14.95 respectively. Therefore, T:A is not a pay-to-win game, it just gives you a bit of a headstart. There is nothing you can get with gold that you can't get with tokens.

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Gameplay

Tribes: Ascend uses the same formula that previous Tribes games have used. Movement in the game consists largely of skiing and jetpacking. You ski downhill and across flat ground while you jetpack up slopes and over obstacles. Skiing is a function that lets you move without friction, basically sliding around with your only limitation and booster being gravity. When mastered, extreme speeds can be reached this way, especially in light armor.

Weapons are varied throughout the classes. There are two classes unlocked as you first begin to play: The Soldier and the Ranger. The Soldier uses the classic spinfusor and energy pistol combo while the Ranger uses an assault rifle and a thumper grenade launcher. Both wear medium armor. The rest of the medium classes tend to use grenade launchers and automatic weapons. Also, there is an engineer class that can build turrets. That's pretty cool. The heavy classes use large weapons like the Doombringer's chain gun and saber launcher while the light classes are the most varied with sniper rifles, shotguns, and SMGs. Each weight type has its own spinfusor class, which is great because the spinfusor is probably the greatest gun in history.

There are currently three gamemodes: Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Rabbit. Team Deathmatch is your standard kill-them-because-they-look-different mode with one difference. In T:A TDM, there is a flag that drops after the first death. The team that holds the flags gets more points for kills. Capture the Flag is just standard CTF except you gotta go fast. Rabbit is a mode where there is a single flag. The player that gets the flag becomes the Rabbit and is marked for death. The rest of the players then chase down the Rabbit and kill him. The flag is dropped after the Rabbit's death and the person who picks it up becomes the Rabbit, continuing the cycle. The person who has held onto the flag the longest wins.

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Conclusion

Conclusion? What? Aren't you going to do Generic Technical Reviewing? No. This is a beta. A closed beta at that. The review will come when it's done. As for now, enjoy my phrasing. Anyway, Tribes: Ascend is great fun and is shaping up nicely. I can't wait to see all the features that will be added by release. As for now, it is only a PC game though the developers have talked about a console possibility. Not the Wii though, that would be silly. After this comes out, the developers will continue their work on Tribes Universe, the upcoming Tribes MMO. Oh the wonderment yet to be seen. Until next time folks. See you on the slopes.

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Hardships & Perseverance: A Review of Dark Souls

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Foreword

Remember how at the end of my Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine review I said my next would be Dark Souls? Well here it is. Finally. I've been procrastinating. I actually beat the game last year but am just getting around to the review. Don't let this dishearten you though, I promise I'll make it extra amazing, just for you. Also, you can think of it as consolation to you for waiting so long.

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Introduction

Dark Souls is a revisitation to the lands the sadist minds at FROM Software have created and released for the masochist inside all of us. This time around you fight your way through the region of Lordran, the Land of the Lords. As the Chosen Undead, your job is to usurp Lord Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, and take his crown for yourself. In doing so, you may continue the Age of Fire- or usher in the Age of Dark. With an array of sharpened metal sticks, large blunt objects, fiery hand gestures, and magical twigs, you fight your way through hollow undead legions, trying to fulfill your one destiny and decide the fate of the Undead.

Now it is true that Demon's Souls is my favorite game ever, so of course I was going to buy this. Hell, when it was announced I felt like riding a blazing horse through the ruins of a castle, sword held high and folk metal playing me through. That's how awesome I knew this game would be. Was it? Keep on reading.

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Challenge

The big selling point behind the "Souls" games is their difficulty level. The slightest mistake, missing your timing by a second, swinging at the wrong moment, all of these can and will get you killed. That's the beauty behind it, though. No matter what happens, your misfortune is your fault. Even if you hit for next to nothing and can't take a punch, you can still outmaneuver and outfight your opponent. I played Dark Souls the exact same way I played Demon's Souls. I was a realistic Knight. I got my Elite Knight's Armor, my Crest Shield, my Longsword, my Mace, and my Dagger. That's it. I relied on my skill and wits from there.

Now, the big question is, "Was it harder than Demon's Souls?" Well, yes and no. Dark Souls is harder in the way of enemy types, tactics, and resources. The healing grass in Demon's Souls has been replaced with an Estus Flask, which can have a maximum of 20 swigs. Of course it refills at every bonfire, but depending on the kindle state of the fire, it may not fill as much. In Dark Souls, some early bosses can and will be encountered as normal enemies later in the game and their strength is horrifying in every way. A boss fight a minute is a terrifying prospect, especially if you don't have the environmental advantage you had earlier or you are facing multiple bosses. The enemies themselves are much more varied, some undefeatable without a certain item or upgrade. This does not mean you cannot advance without the item, but you'd be crazy to try it. In the way of tactics, some enemies require quick maneuvering in small or deadly areas and some need a hit and run tactic in an infested area.

The beauty behind the Souls games is the level design. It is truly magnificent. The reason Castlevania was such an amazing experience was because it was so well thought out. The enemies were placed just so because the developers knew players would try something there or take that route. The Souls games mirror this, never passing up the chance to ruin your day by placing a snake-man with a large sword on a narrow bridge that is littered with bladed pendulums every few feet or placing archers that fire GOD DAMN TREE TRUNKS at you while you are on a thin arch.

But, Dark Souls is also easier than Demon's Souls in a way. The bonfire system is a godsend. Instead of dying and restarting the entire level, you go to the last bonfire rested at, which is a lot closer than the start of a zone. When you die, you no longer go into soul form and lose half your health. You instead "Hollow" and become an icky-nasty zombie. Whilst icky-nasty, you cannot kindle bonfires to raise your estus capacity, nor can you summon, though you also cannot be invaded. Also removed is the load weight, so now you can carry a billion pounds and not give a damn. But, the equipment weight is still there, so don't expect to roll around with that 500 lbs armor anytime soon.

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New Features

So what's new? What's different from Demon's Souls? Well laddie, the game is open world, for one. Instead of a central "Nexus" like in Demon's Souls, you may freely travel from zone to zone. It's not open world in a Skyrim sense, but more of a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. sense, allowing specific paths between zones, just without loading screens. The fun part about it is the fact there is no map. Exploring for yourself and finding hidden shortcuts between zones is a relief and suspenseful, never sure of what's around the corner or where the nearest bonfire is.

The bonfire system is new as well. When fully upgraded, the bonfire serves as a med station, Blacksmith Ed, Stockpile Thomas, Maiden in Black, and courage booster. With the purchase of smithing tools, you can upgrade and repair your armor yourself and the bottomless box allows you to store weapons and items.

Also new is Pyromancy. Instead of being classified under magic, fire and poison arts are classified under the primitive art of harnessing natural power: pyromancy. The Pyromancer class is the new Royal class, the spells are surprisingly strong, but not exactly varied.

Finally, there is the covenant system. There are nine covenants in the game, each with its own perks and purpose. They are highly recommended due to the spells, items, or assistance they may give. The Warriors of Sunlight, for instance, give you lightning spells and turn your summon sign gold. When you see a gold summon sign in the game, you rush for it. The "Sunbros" are the most sought after phantoms there are and have no problem being summoned. Conversely, the Darkwraiths gain the "Red Eye Orb" and invade worlds for the sole purpose of being a dick.

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Generic Technical Reviewing

Graphics- HOOOOLY FUCK THAT'S A DETAILED GOD DAMMIT I'M DEAD. The graphics look pretty nice, the only real issues being clipping. Two-handed weapons tend to enter pauldrons all the damn time. But hey, to fix this, they would need to make custom animations for each armor and fuck that. In large areas, the game tends to lag a bit. Blighttown is a big perpetrator of this. Parrying enemies in large environments or when large bosses do large attacks tend to lag it as well. Other than that, it's quite pretty, especially the cutscenes and more scenic spots in the game, such as Anor Londo.

Gameplay- WHACK THAT TAIL! I love the Souls gameplay. The lock-on system still works and it all flows together right well. The game is only difficult if you are brash or clumsy and that's how it should be. Also, a lot of bosses involve getting something if you hack off their tail. I thought that was worth mentioning.

Sound- PWSH! RAAARGH! FWOOOSH! The game only has music at the zone entrances, "safe" zones, cutscenes, and boss fights. It's damn good too. The voice actors are actually pretty good and portray their characters well (Plus Siegmeyer's battle chant is epic). The only problems I have with the sound effects are that, from time to time when you parry or backstab, it makes a jet engine noise, kinda a PWOOOOOOOOOIISSH noise. It sounds silly.

Multiplayer- OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK PLEASE DON'T FIND ME. The Souls game's dynamic drop-in multiplayer system is fantastic. The sheer relief of finding of a summon sign before a boss or the terror of hearing the noise of a rising phantom you didn't summon is lovely. Rolling through undead while helping a beginner or stomping a veteran into the dirt is a highly satisfying experience. It's a shame the servers aren't optimized for shit. People sliding around and backstabbing from a mile away aren't as prominent anymore, but goddammit that is not okay.

Overall- I loved this game. It was amazing for me and it will be fun for a good long while more. So, what's better? Demon's Souls or Dark Souls? Sorry Dark Souls, but Demon's Souls still holds that title, though you aren't far behind. If you aren't sure about these games, don't delay. Get them. Until next time folks. See you in hell.

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(Yet Another) Katawa Shoujo review

Apparently, some people here are interested in my take on this little ditty, so I'll just get my two cents in and be gone.

I'm skipping the whole describing the game bits because it looks like the other three stooges have already gotten it pretty much covered.

When I had originally heard about KS some time ago, all I knew it to be was a crippled girl dating sim that got a bit of attention from a certain online imageboard. Soon, some of my associates started playing it as well, so I figured, "What the hell, why not?" I'm not a very clever man, so I'll just describe my experience in the order that it happened, instead of worrying about trying to make a sensible review.

First impressions for Act I were pretty favorable, considering the type of 'game' this is. It was written pretty well, and I could sense the effort those fellows at fourleaf put into the game. Art was pretty decent, and the music worked alright for the scenes. The characters were interesting and I was having a good time of things. Something I noticed was that, although, at times it seems like the choices you make in the story don't really impact that much right away, some of the decisions will end up with much different outcomes from the others. Subtlety is nice, but some might not enjoy that as much as others. Take the statement as you will.

After my decisions were processed from the first act, it seems that I ended up pursuing the path of the energetic track-star, Emi. I won't lie, going through the first scene of this path was quite disgusting for me at the time. It was so sugary-sweet, I felt like someone was injecting pure cane sugar, with a needle, directly into my eye. I actually had to step away for a while. Perhaps I'm just too cynical, I dunno. BUT, I decided that I wouldn't be deterred, and kept trucking. Past the first nauseating scene, things calm down a bit, and eventually I start finding that the rest of this isn't so bad. The story arc rolls on as you get to know Emi better, sharing laughs, tears, and eventually learning of her tragic past, before finally reconciling in each other and going on to live happy lives together(Maybe!). Oh, there's also some sex scenes here and there. (Emi's a bit too loli for my tastes, her MOM though, WHOA-OA) All in all, it was a cute, engrossing little tale of romance between 2 young people, and I was quite pleased with the read.

That was my take on my run of the game, so this is the part where I give my last thoughts on the piece as a whole:

Overall, I enjoyed the story enough to stick it out to the end, considering all I knew about it was that it was Cripple Porn: The Game. The presentation is swell, and the menus and options are all super easy to navigate. If you don't like romance novels or things of that nature, then Katawa Shoujo probably won't sway your opinion on the matter, but I invite you to give it a shot. It's free, after all. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon. I still feel it's important to remember, however, that it's still a game to try to get into the pants of a bunch of crippled high school girls. Though, if you're like me, you might find the story engaging on its own.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to unlock the rest of the paths and hundred-percenting this tale. 'Til next time.

-shadonickles

Drawing Judy Garland

Aint she purdy?

My reference image.

This drawing is a big deal to me because it's the biggest one I've ever done on paper, the biggest one I've inked, the largest portrait I've ever drawn, and the biggest thing I've ever had framed. It was a big deal. GET IT?! It came out pretty good, so good in fact I thought I'd share how I did it with you fine people.

This project started out as me needing something to put on the bare walls of my room. Normally I would break out the ol' 9"x11" notebook and go to town but for this I knew it wouldn't cut it, I wanted something I could actually show off and look almost professional that wasn't a poster. 9"x11" is great because it easily fits on a scanner and you can shove it into your backpack or what have you with ease but I stepped up to 11"x14". I know it's not a huge jump in numbers but it's a pretty big jump in drawing terms, for me anyway.

I chose to do a portrait of Judy Garland because I wanted to create a vintage image but felt that Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Betty Davis, etc. were too overdone and there's a ton of posters and stuff for them out there but hardly any for Judy Garland in her later years. In case you don't know who she is she played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz! That bright young lass who lead the children of the world over to somewhere over the rainbow without even having to show her boobs. Magical. She really is an interesting person who lived a hell of a life and I felt she deserved my small tribute.

These are my super expensive art tools. Mechanical pencil, sharpie, and wax paper.

I didn't think I was gonna ink this at first, to be honest I didn't know what I was doing other than drawing the outline.

The reference picture I had was the most legit I could find on Google Images and looked the easiest to draw.

The basic outline was done and I didn't feel like drawing surface maps or shapes so I started filling in the details a bit.

I've learned to start at the top and work my way down to keep from smearing the lead so much, the wax paper helps too of course. Come to think of it this is actually the first drawing I've used wax paper on...

By this point I knew I was going to ink this thing so instead of shading in the areas I knew would be black I just scribbled in them so I would remember to blacken them.

Happy little details.

Drawing is like building a house. You start with a foundation and then build up from there, adding layer upon layer until it doesn't look awful.

I was bored with penciling at this point and started inking. I was scared as all balls while doing this because unlike everything else I do I can't erase my inevitable screw up.

The face was especially scary.

Shading large areas with an ultra fine sharpie is really lame and tedious.

I hated Judy's lips by this point and chose to try my hand and making them less stupid.

God, that pillow took forever.

The hardest things in the world to draw are hands, hair, folds, and feathers. I hate them all.

By this point I knew I was almost done but I realized how fat her face looked. If I knew how to shade with ink this would be an easy fix as I knew just what the problem was. Too bad I don't.

This is just about done. After I tweaked the nose and added those lines to the background I spent about an hour working on the line of her face, trying to thin it out and make it look neat. I also adjusted the eyes and a few other things, mostly borders.

And done.

In all it took me four days until I was satisfied but I think it came out okay for someone who doesn't do this very often. Hope you enjoyed the show! Maybe Ryan's review will be done by the end of the week then we can push KS aside forever.