Archives: January 2006

Civilization IV – Game of the Year!

by Og
Categories: the day job
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Published on: January 11, 2006

Many outlets in the game press have been showering Civ IV with accolades, including Game of the Year by several notables (GameSpy, GameSpot, Time magazine, IGN…). I’m not going to sit here in false humility and say “Aw, shucks.” To the contrary, I’m honored, and very happy that our hard work was recognized by our peers. And to be completely immodest, it is a good game.

But it’s a funny thing. I’ve released several games, and worked equally hard on all of them. Anybody in the game industry will tell you, you work equally hard on every title, whether or not it’s successful, whether or not it’s critically acclaimed. But it’s very rewarding to work on a title that is both.

In this case, as Art Lead, it’s particularly rewarding that Firaxis is beginning to lose the Bad Art stigma. Time was, every article you read about our fine company said something along these lines: “Firaxis, despite its lackluster graphics, has shipped yet another solid game…” I have yet to read negative art comments like that regarding Civ IV, and I’ll take that. We set out to elevate the graphics, and although I know we still have a long way to go, the proof is there that we’re getting away from the ghosts of our past performance.

Everybody worked really hard on this title. I’m very proud of my team.

Discipline

by Og
Categories: process, theory
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Published on: January 11, 2006


It has been tempting for me, for many years, to think that the creative process is independent of discipline. They seem to be polar opposites – creativity thrives in wide open places. Discipline is restriction.

Yet, my most creative moments have been in response to restriction. Workarounds to get decent looking art despite the punishing limitations of realtime game engines. Nice looking renders and sketches, songs written, recorded, and sung, all done in my limited free time.

Yet when it comes to my writing, I resist discipline. Force myself to write when I don’t feel like it? Won’t my writing come out forced?

Maybe. But at least I’ll be writing.

Came across some interesting quotes on the subject today. Thought I’d pass them along.

“Discipline is remembering what you want.”
David Campbell

“He who lives without discipline dies without honor.”
Icelandic Proverb

“It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest.
– Brutus Hamilton

For more like this, see HERE.

3D World article – The Potter

by Og
Categories: Film
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Published on: January 7, 2006

The Showreel article I wrote on Josh Burton’s excellent animated short film “The Potter” for 3D World magazine is out in issue #75.
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