So, even as I identified stop-gaps in my production process that I wanted to work on for my MA quite a while ago now, I’ve found myself amidst one of them. Indeed it has turned into a bit of a blind-spot, even as I was laying out and planning the project. Basically, I am beginning to be concerned with the amount of work necessary to complete The Human Trap. With seven levels and the design and animation for each, not to mention audio… well, it’s quite a bit to be getting on with. At first, I believed that working with my code-collaborator would ease things along, sharing some of the workload and helping to maintain inspiration. But since my buddy is too busy to help lately, I am faced with doing it alone. As usual, as well, there are often unaccounted for tasks that appear during any production that expand the work schedule.

Regardless, after reflecting on how to best move forward knowing that it’s a mighty challenge, I have decided to create a series of benchmark goals – focusing on completing exemplary levels, one at a time, to best take advantage of the time and resources I have. Do what I know is needed and easy to do now, and focus on completing one level at a time.

One of the goals for this project is to add some kick-ass work to my out-dated portfolio in preparation for finding full-time, long-term work in the Fall. The biggest goal still remains to create the full online experience and have it well exposed, etc. That goal has not changed, but I realise that I need to focus on smaller baby-steps to help get me there – especially if I am navigating these shoals solo. This is also necessary to minimise possible panic and freak-outs because of a “potentially” unmanageable workload – something that often set me back as well, thinking about things too much instead of just going about doing them.

So, I’ve been working on background graphics for The Human Trap to get my level design mojo flowing. I finally just had a break-through on the first, introductory level setting and had to post it. It went through many reworkings and reductions, and though it is a bit removed from my intial idea it definitely has the feel I was looking for. Since his home is a stetch of ‘pasture’ in the Realm of Myth, I was going for otherworldy, surreal and strange in varying proportions – without going over the top and being crazy colour saturated. I like to think I’ve achieve it in a subtle yet pervasive way. :-)

The Flying Long Horse isn’t posed or anything, and there’s no proper shadow (which I am hopeful to include later) but he does sit well, almost canteringly gallevanting around the landscape. Anyway, here’s the image.