Sup guys

I did some UI art and animated some 3d Zombies (I didnt model them though) for this mini game with some great guys out in NJ. And it finally came out for the ipad/iphone

I also modeled and animated the POV weapons which was a first time for me. so apologies if any of it comes off janky.
it was a fun change of pace from flash though.

The mini-game is available for free, so do me a fav, could you grab it and rate? and get back to me and let me know how it plays. ( I dont have an iphone or ipad :/)

My Journal On  Journey….

[you can read my short review here]

I really had an amazing time with this game,and as such I wanted to write down some of the of the moments that affected me the most. I highly suggest that if you haven’t played the game, not to read this , and experience it for yourself. You owe yourself that if you have any interest in this game. If you have played I would love to compare moments with others, so please comments on your favorite and most powerful moments in the game to you.

Ok with you have been warned, spoilers ahead after the image.

                               The game starts out simple enough, with your character in middle of a desert with two markers on a mound. My first reaction is to test the boundries of the game, so I head in the completely opposite direction. I smile as  my character is blown off her  ( i think its a her, thats the vibe I get) feet, as a sudden wind storm pushes her away from the edge.  I find this to be a very creative way of creating boundaries and already know Im in for a treat.  So I explore the area, entering sand duned ruins and admire the  sunstreaks that enter the broken rooftops. Here I learn about my scarf and how it allows me to jump and glide if for just a moment. There are scarf bits that float around and appear to be alive, and when I do my chirp call they gather around me and lift me up. There were also these icons scattered about, with the symbol matching my call,these are what I needed to find, since they extend my scarf and allow me to fly higher and longer.

I notice the music, it is so amazing, and really captures the  moment as the sand sparkles off my feet.  This  area feels so big, theres buildings in a circle with gates closed, i have no idea what they are, or were used for, but I find my way to the exit.I sit down to meditate, which opens a gate. I walk into a new arena. Theres a broken bridge, and I already know I will need to collect more items to extend my scarf , and free the scarf bits  in order to get out of  area.   As I explored, something in the distance caught my eye. It was another traveler, I know that the player was chirping and gathering scarf bits, but from the distance I was at, it looked as though he was playing  among butterflies. It was a whimsical image that made me smile.

I approached the player and attempted to show I was friendly by leading them to an item hidden under a sandfall. Thats when I knew the player understood me, 3 chirps from me meant, come here!  Then there was an out of place item that I would need help to reach.  So when my companion approached, I jumped up and chirped, and he  would do the same and finally we became in sync as each chirp would recharge the others scarf for more jumps, we were able to chirp in mid air,  and pull each other up till we reached the item.  when we finally reached the item we both  landed back down to the ground and  ran around each other chirping! it was a tricky puzzle, but we got it, and we were both happy!  Now with enough scarf bits set free we were able to  progress over the broken bridge and into the new area. In this area we were introduced to a new creature. It was a larger scarf piece, that moved and acted like a stingray.  This is when I was reminded of an older beautiful game. Panzer Dragoon.  Journey had alot of the elements of wonder and awe, that I got from playing that amazing game, and watching these stingray like rugs swim through the air, really brought that nostalgia back. As my companion and I started to figure out how to call these stingrays and ride them, my companion stopped then chirped.  Just once. but for some reason I walked back to see why.. I watched as my companion kneeled down, than began to what appeared to me meditate. But I wanted none of that!, come on! there’s more to see! So I circled around my companion in a playful fashion. Just as I stopped moving my companion crumbled to dust.  I didn’t understand,.  then I realized, as this overwhelming sense of loniness hit me… that single chirp meant “goodbye”

I Stood near that small ruined building in hopes that maybe i was wrong, but as I watched the stingrays fly away into the distance, I realized he was not coming back, and it was time to move on.

In the next area I find myself in  what I could only compare it to is an industrial compound. Something is being manufactured here, Im not sure what but dust and the sand here is obscuring my vision. The loud sounds from the  factory’s machinations are loud and disturbing. I see a stingray creature trapped in a fence window and my chirp sets it free. then in the darkness I hear another chirp. At first I think its the stingray creatures, but the glow off screen hints that there maybe be another traveler about. So I chirp back, and we find each other in the  obscuring sand. This new traveler makes 3 quick tweets and immediate recognize he wants me to come to him. I find it amusing that I thought I came up with that ‘come me’ method. Looks like some things are just universal. So I approach him, and he jumps and glides over to a side of the building I hadn’t noticed before. And there lies another scarf lengthening icon.  I give back a loud chirp of gratefulness.  After we reach the top of the factory we meditate and our next area is open.  Two carpet stingrays wait for us ride us over…

This new area is simply beautiful.. It is a whole city sunken in sand dunes.  we start at what appears to be the highest peak of the city and slide down the dune as we enjoy a majestic sunset. There isn’t much room to explore here,  so we play.  The companion and I jump and glide and slide over one another in a gleeful fashion.  The sense of speed is quiet tangible.  This area immediately brings up wonderful nostialgic memories of Sonic adventures, and the Inca  levels. I could only imagine, its this type of speed, and sense of awe, Sega team was trying to accomplish there.  The amazing ride ends into  the city’s underground levels and here the colors of the world begin to turn into an amazing array of blue.

….to be continued