Welcome to my blog!

I don’t post as often as I’d like, or on every topic I’d like to comment on. Sometimes that’s because I’m not allowed to post on a certain topic. That’s been the case with this one, but now it can be revealed.

As you know I work at bottleRocket Entertainment. I’m the lead AI programmer and for the last several months I’ve been working on the revival of a little title that some of you may know. EGM broke the news in their latest issue so I’m finally allowed to say what it is. Splatterhouse!

I’m not really allowed to say much, but if you were a fan of the original games, I think you might like our version. If I may say so, the art and animation look great and all of the programmers and designers are working hard to make sure the gameplay will be the best we can make it. We’re scheduled to release in 2009 for the XBox 360 and Playstation 3.

Checkout EGM’s article for more details and lots of pictures.

I went to Wizard World L.A. last week. It was the first time for me at this particular con and I have to say that I was disappointed.

I’m probably not your typical comic convention goer. I rarely go to the panels and I don’t have much to say to the big name professionals. I figure that I can find more news online than I’ll ever get at a panel, and as for talking to the pros, well I really don’t have much to say. That is I don’t have much that I can say in 30 seconds and not sound like a jerk. I do like to talk to some of the independent creators as they are generally more able to take the time to have a conversation.

So if I don’t like panels and I don’t talk to the pros, what do I go to a con for? That’s easy. The dealers room.

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Half a year or so ago I found a new comic published by Ape Entertainment called Bizarre New World. It was a fun mini-series about an ordinary guy, Paul Krutcher, who woke up one day to discover that he could fly. I was quite pleased with the book and gave it a pretty good review.

Well the writer/creator, Skipper Martin, apparently liked what I had to say because last week he sent me a preview copy of his new one shot, Bizarre New World: Population Explosion. My one word review?

Wow!

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Richard Hamilton obviously remembers what comics are supposed to be about. In this age of cynical characters, pointless cross-overs, and editors in chief who dictate abysmal storylines, he has given us all a breath of fresh air in “Return of the Super Pimps.”

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I’m a comic book fan. Comics were pretty much the first things I ever read and they’ve fascinated me ever since. They’ve entertained me, taught me right from wrong, and been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I’ve been out of work and out of money, I still found a way to buy comics.

The thing about comics, and super-hero comics in particular, is that they tell stories where the hero always wins. No matter the odds, no matter how fearsome the villains, no matter the consequences, the hero always, ALWAYS, beats the bad guys and saves the day. He does this not for money, not for fame, and not because it’s the easy thing to do. He does this because it’s the right thing to do.

Until now.

Until Amazing Spider-Man #545.

Until Joe Quesada, the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, decided that today, Spider-Man was going to act completely out of character and make a deal with the Devil.

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I just got in a half hour or so ago. The house and everything else is fine. There is a light coating of ash on everything outside, but not inside. As far as I can tell the fire didn’t come to this side of town. On the way in I could see no fire damage at all. If it wasn’t for a persistent  smoky smell in the air and the ash, you wouldn’t even know there was a fire.

I’m sure the other side of Fallbrook was not so lucky. I’ll drive around later and see what’s what, but I know there were more than a few homes lost. I wish all of them my best.

My plan for the rest of the day is to unpack, get something to eat, keep an eye on the news - just in case - rest, and drink beer.

When I went to dinner tonight I checked my home phone one more time. It picked up and it had the correct time. It seems that my phone line went out, not my phone. In any event it is back.

When I got done with dinner I went online and found that the evacuation order for Fallbrook was mostly lifted. The area specified is a little unclear, but I think it includes me. I will call in the morning to find out.

I am currently in Malibu, so I will not be going home tonight. First thing in the morning though. I’ll post again when I get settled.

The fires around Fallbrook seem to be either out or contained. They are letting some people go home in the Olive Hill Area. They say that they will open the downtown area some time with in the next 24 hours. I’m losing my patience and so are a lot of people.

The downtown area was not damaged by any fire. It still has power. Several stores are open. One of the gas stations had a tanker truck make a delivery yesterday. If it’s safe enough to bring a truck full of gasoline into the area, it should be safe enough to let us go home!

Arrrggghhhh!!

Earlier this evening things seemed to be looking better in Fallbrook. I was hearing that the winds had died down and the fires seemed to be under control. My answering machine was working until about 8pm or so and I had relaxed a bit. I called again around 10:30/11 pm and the machine didn’t pick up. It still won’t pick up now around 11:30 pm.

I’m not too concerned as I expect that the power has just gone out. I’m kind of surprised that it hasn’t gone out before this, but still… it was nice hearing that mechanical voice pick up the phone.

Another thing that is bugging me is that my news sources seem to have dried up. I was getting information from bloggers on the nctimes.com web site, but the one blog hasn’t updated since 8:20pm and the other hasn’t had anyone from inside the village from a while.

It’s probably nothing but…

I’m hearing that it might 2 days *at least* before they let us back in. There is supposed to be an update Thursday late morning/early afternoon, but who knows.

As of 8:25 am Wednesday my answering machine still picks up.

Things seem a bit better. The 5 South just re-opened. Fallbrook still seems to be there. More when I know it.

Update: 9:25 am. The machine still picks up. I’ve heard that some areas of Fallbrook are losing power, but this isn’t surprising. I’ve heard no info about flare ups in the area.

Update: 10:55 am. The machine is still picking up.

Update: 11:35 am. I still get an answer from my machine.

Update: 2:15 pm. The phone still works. I’m hearing we might be let back in somewhere between later today and all the way to Friday.