ShadowWarriorLuke
At 7/5/06 09:15 AM, ShadowWarriorLuke wrote:
... anyone got any tips for getting back into the swing of spriting? I wanted to get a flash I'm working on finished before the 10th but I just can't seem to get motivated. I open flash and then just sit and stare before I go back to doing something else.
Ah, the search for motivation, I know it only too well. As a freelancer, getting a paycheck is motivation enough, but when I work on my own stuff, sometimes the motivation is lacking. Here are a couple of things I've found work for me that may help you out:
1) Story - though I work with a full script 99% of the time, there have been moments where I haven't. I've found motivation to be hard to come by in those situations because a story pulled out of the ether becomes an amorphous thing and tends to change each time the wind blows. When that happens, I tend to lose interest because I've found I'm only working against myself. Working with a black and white script on the printed page, helps move me along more smoothly and I tend to see things through.
2) Breaking it down - when you have a complete script in front of you, it can sometimes feel like a daunting task to get it finished and motivation can leap out the window. Break the script down into much smaller scenes and set various goals to finish certain scenes by such and such a time. By breaking the workload down into smaller, more easily attainable goals, you'll find your motivation to finish much easier. Eating a pie is much easier and neater if you eat it in slices rather than trying to cram the whole thing in your mouth.
3) Read or watch something similar - I've been writing a script for a project about zombies. I've been reading a book of zombie short stories during my down time and I've been watching zombie movies. These things help motivate me since it's in the genre I'm writing in and they help give me various ideas. Now, I know it's hard to find books and movies on sprite cartoons, but if your sprite toon is action oriented, watch action movies. If it's fantasy oriented, read fantasy books. You get the idea.
Well, those are the kinds of things that work for me. Hopefully they can help steer you down a path that will help you in your projects. Best o' luck!
Ghaleonx5z
At 7/5/06 10:18 AM, Ghaleonx5z wrote:
... the police aren't taking chances. They don't know how who/what/it is getting in, and there is stairway entrance at the top. So there doing there best to guard each area. I know maybe 2 up [on the roof] isa bit much. 1 at the most seems more realistic now that I think about it. But then again whenever somoen goes off by themselves they well you know lol
I only asked to make sure I got it right. I wasn't sure who it was up there and thought you might have slipped some other major characters on the roof that would play a role in the upcoming chapters. I think having two guards up there makes sense since, as you said, people who wander off alone in these kinds of stories tend to end up as ... well ... can you say "monster chow"? ;)
Chapter 2 Episode 8 I'm completely aware of how un-needed this is. But I wnated to giev a little insight into what the mayor is like.
On the contrary, I think it's absolutely necessary. You're working on character development and, if the mayor is going to be a big part of the story, this particular episode is very important. Other people would simply cut to the chase and let the reader fill in the holes, but you're centering yourself on story and character development which I think is great! You'll still have readers (who can get passed all the spelling errors ;P) long after the flash-in-the-pan comics lose theirs. You're doing an exceptional job, so far! Keep it up!