Elemental: How I Spent my Christmas Vacation

How this Stardockian Enjoyed His Time-Off

from Elemental Forums
Remember Christmas-time back in grade school? You'd wrap up your assignments, have some parties, then go home for TWO STRAIGHT WEEKS of toys and relaxation? Well, because of the way things fell this year, the staff at Stardock was also granted the gift of 14 days of off-time over the holidays. It's been great, and while visions of Elemental still dance in our heads (I have some new ideas about population growth for next Monday) we're all thoroughly enjoying the time away from our desks.
 
I've actually been out of communication with most of the team, but I thought it'd be fun to show how Elemental's Producer (me) unwinds before the tasks of 2010 are laid at our feet.
 
 
 
For my neices' Christmas present, I drew and painted them up as Disney princesses. I think my sister and brother-in-law were more excited than the girls, but I'm sure in time they'll appreciate the hand-crafted gifts over the store-bought ones ;)
 
 
I've also been working on a pipeline for making backgrounds that look deceint with my characters (who's pipline I've settled upon). I think I like the results (the above is just done in vector, like the characters, but sans outline), but there are a few more styles that I'd like to try.
 
 
Even though I haven't had much time to play it, I've been slowly making my way through TLoZ:Spirit Tracks for the DS. Love the attention to detail Nintendo puts into their titles, but I'm trying my best to enjoy this one without analyzing it too much.  :) 
 
 
And, of course, this was my second Christmas with my son Ethan, who certainly enjoyed the celebration more this year than last. I was planning on implementing the converstaion editor in my spare time, but due to this little guy my spare time was pretty non-existant. His companionship grows the older he gets (currently 22 months), so you can blame him for me not coding more while at home...though I'm certainly not complaining ;)

Had a great vacation, and I'm really looking forward to getting back to Elemental to make it one of the best games of 2010!!!
47,571 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Even though I haven't had much time to play it, I've been slowly making my way through TLoZ:Spirit Tracks for the DS. Love the attention to detail Nintendo puts into their titles, but I'm trying my best to enjoy this one without analyzing it too much.

I got Spirit Track for Xmas, too! (well, I bought it afterwards with the gift cards I got, but same thing, really:P ) I haven't actually started it yet, too busy with Dragon Age: Orgins (which I finally got) but I just love The Legend of Zelda\o/

And that car Ethan is in, I swear I had the exact same one when I was little.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

For my neices' Christmas present, I drew and pained them up as Disney princesses.

I always thought Disney was a 'painful' experience. :D

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

(I have some new ideas about population growth for next Monday)

Yay!

And whoever blames you for paying more attention to your family over your job during your vacations, deserves some serious psychiatric attention.;P

Your art is amazing but surely you already knew that.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I always thought Disney was a 'painful' experience.
I'm sorry to say I haven't even seen half the disney movies due to a childhood spent watching Star Trek. I've never seen Mermaid, Snow, or Beast, and only got exposed to Aladdin in seventh grade health class (why we watched it, I have no earthly idea......)

Even though I haven't had much time to play it, I've been slowly making my way through TLoZ:Spirit Tracks for the DS. Love the attention to detail Nintendo puts into their titles, but I'm trying my best to enjoy this one without analyzing it too much.
Speaking as a proud nitpicker, you can never analyse something too much.

It's a shame about the conversation editor, but I suppose family must come first.................

why am I posting here? I have absolutely nothing important to say......

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

For my break I moved 10 minutes drive east. So much work is involved with moving now that we have 3 small children. Phew!

A few years ago before getting married, moving was a very simple thing. Now it is horrendous. Anyways just got internet back today.

Glad to see you spent more time with your kids than working on Elemental. Got your priorities in the right place :D

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

but I'm trying my best to enjoy this one without analyzing it too much.

This is an extremely advanced skill and I empathize entirely...writing ruined my reading for years before I managed to rescue my sense of wonder from the cruel tower of criticism.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Rishkith, reply 5
Glad to see you spent more time with your kids than working on Elemental. Got your priorities in the right place

That's it! :thumbsup:

 

Stay cool and relax :beer: , Boogie, the game can wait a few days.

 

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah kids change life !

Nice drawings by the way

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds like a awesome break my friend, glad you enjoyed it. I'm not a father yet, but being a great father at Christmas time is one of the aspects of raising a family I'm greatly looking forward to.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

kyogre: Zelda is fun, but I died 4 times in the first village after knocking down bees from a tree. Turns out 'run into the water' means you have to jump off a cliff into the water, not run into the water from the beach. :(  I'm sure there's a game design lesson to learn there, but I'm to embarissed to really think about it.

And yeah, that car is the 30th anniversary version of the little tikes Cozy Coupe. He opened the rest of his gifts while sitting in it :)

jinksy: edited, thanks ;)

everyone: Sorry I didn't have more Elemental stuff to talk about, but yeah, having way too much family fun :) Oh,and I went to install hardwood florring and found out my current tiling has abspestos that needs professional removal :(  That was NOT fun.

Just wanted to let you know that we're thinking about you guys and can't wait to get the Dynasty and Quest systems hooked up and ready to roll!  :)  Cya monday!

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

The critical mass of smiley faces has been reached! Glad to hear you had a good break Boogie!

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Lol, they'll be quite flattered when they get older and bring smiles to their faces, even if you get called a cheapskate now ;-)  I did the same thing--- I wrote my kid cousin a super hero short story with him as the protagonist (he's a nerd, so I made him "book boy."  His power?  A super human thirst for knowledge.)  Sounds like you had a lovely vacation!

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

And yeah, that car is the 30th anniversary version of the little tikes Cozy Coupe

We got my daughter Addison that same car for her birthday last April.  She loves it.

Addy in Car

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

My daughters each have one too.  The youngest has CrazyC0330's model pictured above.