Spring time is picture time! There hasn’t been an update for a while so here we go! What have I been doing lately? Well… I have been working on 3 separate things in the past few weeks.
Number 1: Research. You can’t design a game about the natural world unless you have some sort of understanding of it. Those of you that are reading this understand how complex the world of insects really is. It is super complex. It makes my brain hurt. So how do you go about understanding it? Well I do it by walking through the woods. I turn over rocks, peel back the bark of rotting logs and dig through the dirt. I watch the ground. I also collect ants and watch them in captivity. This process is essential!
Number 2: Design. This process has been the most difficult of all so far. It seems to rely heavily on number 1. I hit many roadblocks when trying to design Optera, and I often realize I need to know more before I can move forward. It also feels like homework since there are so many numbers and details involved. This also makes my brain hurt, but in a much more not good sort of way. Unfortunately this is also essential.
Number 3: Art. This is very labor intensive but it can be a lot of fun as well. The beginning of the art process begins the same as the research process: with a walk in the woods. I collect leaves and sticks and flowers. I then photograph them all and organize all the images into a digital library. Those images then go into Photoshop and begin the process of becoming an Optera asset! This process? Of course. Essential. Most of what I have accomplished so far with Optera has been in the art and design category. I was working on this little guy this morning. It needs another half hour of cleanup before it’s ready for use.
Can you guess what this is? Hint: It is in bloom right now in the northeast United States. Is it wrong to include an invasive species in Optera?
