Of misbehaving canines and extended hours...

[zrath]

I've got a little time to kill while waiting for my buddy Warren (No LJ) to show up, so here's a quickie little update:

So I've started working for the game design studio I mentioned in an earlier post.
The studio is Naughty Dog, a wholly owned subsidiary of SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment of America).
Which is pretty much the American Sony PlaySation arm. So I'm at Sony again, except I'm testing REAL games.
Tee-hee!
Okay, the game I'm testing is "Jak X: Combat Racing". It takes the various souped-up buggies from the
"Jak 3" action-adventure game (third in the "Jak And Daxter" series) and puts the Wipeout/Twisted Metal
spin on them. There are circuits and arenas, offensive and defensive power-ups, as well as boost and
healing packs. It's multi-player online or off. There are about 12 different game modes in multiplayer.
It's looking pretty fun so far.
I started working there Tuesday, and was already asked to do some overtime.
Matter of fact, I worked overtime all 4 days this week.
I'm taking the weekend off because I want a nice breather (today), and I have some stuff to deal with (tomorrow).
Today, I'm going down to an Orange County park with my pal Warren to attend the annual Fur-B-Q.
It's a chance to be out in nature, get some fresh air, and talk with some friends.

(checks watch)
Where the hell is he?
(calls his cellphone)
Z - "Where are you?"
W - "Sepulveda Pass, going 2 miles an hour."
Z - "Blargh!"
W - "It's the 405, whattayagonnado?"
Z - "Yeah, that's true. Well, I'll see you when you get here."
W - "Okay, bye."
(hangs up)

So anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, work.
I don't know what next week is gonna be like.
I do know one thing: I must go to Trader Joe's and buy food I can take with me to work.
Because I wind up eating both lunch AND dinner there if I do OT.
Oh yeah, food at work: there's plenty of free snacks. And the sodas are dirt cheap!
A quarter for a can of Coke or Dr. Pepper, and a NICKEL for a can of Squirt! W00T!!!
So I've been drinking a couple of Squirts a day. I do need to bring water though.
Sparkletts water is le yucky supreme!!
Probably should get a case of Crystal Geyser at Trader Joe's...

No time to talk about "Lords Of Dogtown", except to say that Pascal and I both loved it.
It's really well done and a tribute to its source material.

More later!

Comments

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Doesn't Collabi work there?

[zrath.livejournal.com]

I don't know, does he?
I've chatted with him a few times on FM.
I don't know his RL name though.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Yeah he does, I looked it up on his website. :D

[bigevilogre.livejournal.com]

Playing games... for money.
My GOD man... how do you tolerate all that strain and work?

[zeeth_kyrah]

Actually, it is. You have to be able to identify and write down all kinds of glitches in modelling, animation, set construction, graphics rendering, textures, and so on; as well as why you've got that vague and itchy disappointed feeling about the story and/or gameplay. Not to mention replay the game until you're sick of it most times and can't play the post-release version.

[bigevilogre.livejournal.com]

Didn't think of all that, I mean, I considered screen freezes and "invisible walls" and so on. I am about the biggest videogame junkie I know (Though I'm pretty selective of my games)Generally I don't even wait till a good game hits US shores... I imported a PS2 from Japan just for Gran Turismo 4.
But, he's got me sold on this game... Twisted MEtal is my favorite videogame series involving cars next to Midnight Club 3. Anything similar should be a good time.
It's a job I'd try if I wasnt so selective. I have been perceptive of glitches all my life.

[zeeth_kyrah]

Yay Naughty Dog. I'd like to see Daxter get his own adventure game, full of sneaking around, snitching things, and fast-talking his way out of trouble.

[zrath.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad idea!
Kind of a "Sly Cooper" sort of thing, except less Nintendo-y.
If I have an opportunity to talk to a producer, I'll mention it.