Update

Haven't posted in a while, I've been very busy at work and very busy at home working on personal projects. So back in Nov., the game I spent 2 years working on was released, Tomb Raider: Underworld. Since then I have moved on to another project, where I have been able to start working from a nearly clean slate. When I started at Crystal, TR:U was nearly finished with preproduction, and it was my first job ever so needless to say, mistakes were made....by me. I was trained in film, and as an animator and I felt I knew that pipeline pretty well from my schooling, but this was a game studio pipeline that I knew nothing of when I started. I learned TONS of priceless lessons by going through that experience, and two years later we shipped a game with a functional pipeline. It's great to take what I have learned over the past two years and start fresh from the beginning of a project. My co-workers and I have accomplished so much so far and I am excited for what we have in mind down the road. Meanwhile, many of the people who worked on TR:U are still plugging away to bring the fans some download-able content available on the Xbox 360 which is looking good.

Meanwhile, when I'm not watching Brit work on her paintings for WonderCon, I have been trying my best to help out with Joe's project. He is making a trailer for a concept he has been developing called Star Fish Ninja. I have been helping out with the rigging, and I can't wait till you guys can see it.

I also have been passing the time teaching myself how to model. I haven't modeled since my Sophomore year when I just shoved cylinders and spheres together.

It has been really helpful as a Rigger to do some modeling. I have learned a lot about how to model for good deformation, and it has also been good practice for translating someone else's design into 3d. Brit was kind enough to let me work on one of her Hawaiian god's Kane. Here is the painting and my work in progress.

Anyways, that is what I have been up to. Learning lots and being greatful for the opportunity to do so.

Crystal D

So here's a mini tour of work. I'm going into my 3rd month at Crystal Dynamics as a Technical Artist. It's going great. I do a bit of coding and a little bit of art. I am working on the next Tomb Raider game -- scheduled to be released in 2008. We just finished up a Demo for the "suits". We start production in a couple weeks. From what we've done this game is going to be pretty awesome. It's amazing what next gen. games are capable of.Here's the front door. Pretty awesome isn't it?

This is Gex. He's a character in one of their claim to fame games.

This is the front lobby decked out with Lara Croft. Crystal Dynamics took over this franchise a few years ago. Their first Tomb Raider game was number seven: Legend. They are about to release an anniversary addition, which is a better looking version of the original game.

This is my new office. I was next door with the animators but I am so awesome they kicked out the boss and put me in his office......or maybe its because they needed my old spot for a new animator.

Here's the next corner. I get a big white board to scribble down ideas on. As you can see I'm not doing a very good job at filling up the bookshelf.

They sure did hook me up. Two 19" monitors and a big ol' widescreen TV monitor (that's for testing out the game on the xbox 360).