Well, it's been over a year since I last posted a journal. Was I lazy? Hardly. More on that later.

Right now, I want to talk about Splatoon on the night of its one-year anniversary. It's still a fun game (despite the general salt going around), and I'm almost at level 50. I'd be there already except I don't do Ranked that much and I've cut down on the time I spend weekly on it. That said, I've noticed that despite the game having a loyal fanbase and everything, NoA and maybe NoE/Australia hasn't done much else to promote its competitive aspect as NoJ did with their Koshien tournies and other media phenomena (Squid Sisters concert, anyone?). Honestly, I wish those branches did so that we'd have a presence competing with fellow Japanese players and not get consistently bested by them in special events--the last Splatfest's Top 100s being one such example. True, we do have fan-based tourneys and conventions, but the Big N has yet to give their seal of approval for something more official like they did for Melee and Smash U in the latest CEO Gaming event. Maybe someday the Treehouse can sponsor a regional invitational for everyone in the West (like the Splatoon Koshien was for Japan). Gotta keep people interested in fighting for Ninty's respect, after all!

As an aside, who else thinks Nintendo is going to make the NX a dedicated gaming laptop with full-body-screen gamepads?

Last October, I finally got a job! Obviously I won't give exact details, but it does play to all the graphic design skills I learned in college while helping me learn other work necessities like customer service and management. The workplace is convenient as well--there's a Starbucks nearby along with some local restaurants, not to mention a donut shop opening in the summer! That pretty much means I'm set for life (or at least the next few years of it). Good thing too, as business is picking up rather sharply in only half a year.

Of course, all the above means that I haven't had as much time to draw as I used to, though I did get a Cintiq to help out with the times I do draw. Still, nothing to worry about--I'm sketching up my latest BI piece and will post it up as soon as I finish it!

Looking forward to the day I post another new journal!

I'd like to thank the following people for making this journal skin possible: GinkgoWerkstatt, miontre and SimplySilent for providing some great tutorials and resources, nichtgraveyet for providing some useful code snippets to work from (as you did for GinkgoWerkstatt), AskGooroo for showing me the basic workflow of the CSS needed, Chris Coyier from CSS Tricks for posting an article that helped me get the mood-list to stick to the right, the devs behind ColorZilla for creating the Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator (which I used to make the background), and Juan Pablo del Peral of Huerta Tipográfica for creating the fonts Alegreya and Alegreya Sans, which this journal uses. I would also like to thank my watchers as well as fellow inflation artists for inspiring me to keep drawing! You guys really deserve as much credit as the others!

So, I finished playing the last Global Testfire (read: server stress test/demo) of Splatoon just now, and I have to say it is magnificent! Not only is the game pretty cheerful and a refreshing break from the usual TPS affair, the Inklings are also pretty relatable as spunky guys and gals who fight for turf (among other things). It also helps that it's the kind of game where dominating the stage rather than the players is the goal. Most importantly, it's got the great atmosphere of a cephalopodic Shibuya and surrounding environs, right down to the writing system they use (even if it doesn't actually translate to anything)! Now then, to delve further into what I experienced.

First of all, the internet connection was incredibly smooth and reliable (even when it took a few tries to connect in the first place). Considering how much stock the game put into online multiplayer, this is a great testament of how seriously they took the game's development. Now then, the weapons:

• First off are the Splattershot and Splattershot Jr. While the Jr. doesn't pack as much punch into each shot as the Sr., it makes up by being faster in firing off rounds. I feel that this weapon is indeed a good choice for new players, though that's not to say the Sr. or the other weapons are lacking. That said,...
• There's also the Splat Charger, which is incredibly slow and can be a liability in the heat of battle. Yet it still has a really fantastic range and (with the right amount of precision) can be used to snipe Inklings. Still, it's not something I'd personally use compared to...
• ...the Splat Roller! Incredibly fast, with good ink coverage and quite a mean streak in mashing the unfortunate opponent in the way. The only drawback I can see is that its range is only about as good as a typical melee weapon--modest at best.
• Now then, the sub-weapons. The contact bombs are the best because they're pretty simple. You just aim and fire, and they douse anything with ink immediately upon contact. Timed bombs, meanwhile, are also nice but have a delay that can allow someone who saw them coming to escape before they go off. As for suction bombs, while they have a respectable radius they demand so much ink! In my experience, I had to make sure my ink tank was topped off before sending one out. Still, they're good for keeping the enemy at bay.
• Finally, the special weapons! The Bomb Rushes are incredibly useful since they can cover lots of ground. The infinite ink that you get during that time also helps make it easy to take back turf in a hurry. The Bubbler isn't too bad either, since it acts as a shield not only for you but also anyone on your side who comes near you. That more than makes up for its offensive uselessness. Finally, the Killer Wail is extremely devastating to Inklings...but not devastating at all to the turf they control. Considering what a turf war is supposed to be, the only benefit it has is to stop your foes from barging in and stealing your land--and that's if you aim it well!
  

Of course, I should also mention the stages I got to play (outside the tutorial park, of course). Walleye Warehouse is quite closed but it also has some stacks of crates and whatnot you can spray and climb to dominate the playing field. It also has hidden passageways that you can ink over to take control and/or use for stealth splatterings. Saltspray Rig, meanwhile, is comparatively spacious and full of paths and open plains to take control of. And of course, the Research Lab wasn't kidding when they said that the tide of battle can turn if someone takes control of the lower areas while all the fighting happens in the upper areas!

The motion controls were decent, but considering that I want to be able to shoot in a straight line while running I ended up opting for manual camera control. Still, it's nice they have that as an option. Of course, it would also be nice if they allowed you to play the game on the Gamepad alone, but I suppose that will have to wait for the right logistics.

And now, to talk about the combat! It's pretty fierce, to say the least, though there is the benefit of battles that are just as likely to be close calls as they'd be one-sided campaigns. It helps that the devs did try to alleviate some of the problems of multiplayer TPS matches such as spawncamping. Also, I have to say that two Rollers from opposing teams colliding with and splattering each other can never get old.

Finally, the minigame you can play while waiting for the next match is simple to control yet also quite fun, even when it can get difficult later on. It definitely beats having little else to do while waiting for eight players to come in.

Overall, I feel that the game is solid fun and incredibly brilliant. The weapons, stages, atmosphere...everything about Splatoon is a cohesive and painterly whole, and I am excited to have participated in the Testfire! I am so glad Nintendo is making this game happen, and I look eagerly forward to getting my ink on in 20 days!

I'd like to thank the following people for making this journal skin possible: Nobody, Nobody and Nobody for providing some great tutorials and resources, Nobody for providing some useful code snippets to work from (as you did for Nobody), Nobody for showing me the basic workflow of the CSS needed, Chris Coyier from CSS Tricks for posting an article that helped me get the mood-list to stick to the right, the devs behind ColorZilla for creating the Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator (which I used to make the background), and Juan Pablo del Peral of Huerta Tipográfica for creating the fonts Alegreya and Alegreya Sans, which this journal uses. I would also like to thank my watchers as well as fellow inflation artists for inspiring me to keep drawing! You guys really deserve as much credit as the others!

I just noticed that I have gotten over 100,000 hits. Unfortunately, I haven't set up a kiriban, so I probably won't draw anything about that. Still, I really appreciate your views! It makes me feel glad to draw for everyone!

Can't wait for the next milestone!

Also, I've noticed a fellow deviant Nobody had gotten Manga Studio 5 and drew some artwork with it. I was actually thinking about getting a copy for myself, since I've read that it's geared more toward drawing manga/comic-style work compared to my current Photoshop/Illustrator shtick. In any case, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter!

I'd like to thank the following people for making this journal skin possible: Nobody, Nobody and Nobody for providing some great tutorials and resources, Nobody for providing some useful code snippets to work from (as you did for Nobody), Nobody for showing me the basic workflow of the CSS needed, Chris Coyier from CSS Tricks for posting an article that helped me get the mood-list to stick to the right, the devs behind ColorZilla for creating the Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator (which I used to make the background), and Juan Pablo del Peral of Huerta Tipográfica for creating the fonts Alegreya and Alegreya Sans, which this journal uses. I would also like to thank my watchers as well as fellow inflation artists for inspiring me to keep drawing! You guys really deserve as much credit as the others!

Hey, everyone! So, I haven't done much in a month, have I?

Well, for one thing, life has become quite busy for me. I'm still looking for jobs so that I can finally begin to have a life for myself, and so far I have a promising lead or two in the nearby area. Considering that the place for one of those leads sounds friendly and yet also professional, I feel that this job could be my entry into the workforce. Also, I've started doing some regular volunteer work to expand on my skills while helping my community out in the process. Otherwise, I'm still bumming it out as usual.

Between those things and trying to find a good idea to base a drawing on, I admit I haven't been able to do much on dA. However, I do have something related to drawing in the works (as I write this, in fact). I'm planning on submitting it soon, though it probably won't be featured since it's more or less going to be a simple sketch as opposed to the labor-intensive piece for Demon Girl Appreciation Day. Still, better something than nothing, right?

Oh, and I might go to to the Super Smash Bros. Event at Best Buy during E3. Of all the possible events Nintendo had planned then, I think this is the best thing, especially since I get an early preview of the game and can pre-order it. In fact, I'm planning on buying a 3DS XL so that I can enjoy both the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game! Honestly, I don't think I could be any more excited than I am already.

Anyway, that's it for now. Until I write again!

I'd like to thank the following people for making this journal skin possible: GinkgoWerkstatt, miontre and SimplySilent for providing some great tutorials and resources, nichtgraveyet for providing some useful code snippets to work from (as you did for GinkgoWerkstatt), AskGooroo for showing me the basic workflow of the CSS needed, Chris Coyier from CSS Tricks for posting an article that helped me get the mood-list to stick to the right, the devs behind ColorZilla for creating the Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator (which I used to make the background), and Juan Pablo del Peral of Huerta Tipográfica for creating the fonts Alegreya and Alegreya Sans, which this journal uses. I would also like to thank my watchers as well as fellow inflation artists for inspiring me to keep drawing! You guys really deserve as much credit as the others!

I'd like to thank the following people for making this journal skin possible: Nobody, Nobody and Nobody for providing some great tutorials and resources, Nobody for providing some useful code snippets to work from (as you did for Nobody), Nobody for showing me the basic workflow of the CSS needed, Chris Coyier from CSS Tricks for posting an article that helped me get the mood-list to stick to the right, the devs behind ColorZilla for creating the Ultimate CSS Gradient Generator (which I used to make the background), and Juan Pablo del Peral of Huerta Tipográfica for creating the fonts Alegreya and Alegreya Sans, which this journal uses. I would also like to thank my watchers as well as fellow inflation artists for inspiring me to keep drawing! You guys really deserve as much credit as the others!