Dear mother, this is just survival
So, I sent a resume in for a job at Bioware Austin. For those not in the know, Bioware is the company that made the Baldur's Gate games (including Neverwinter Nights), as well as Knights of the Old Republic. They were looking for a writer to help create quests for an as-of-yet unnamed, top secret, big project. All the world knows at this point is a) It is an MMO ala World of Warcraft and b) They've teamed up with LucasArts to make it. A KOTOR MMO? Maybe. Who knows though, they didn't make KOTOR 2 because they wanted to focus on their own internal projects. Guess I'll find out if I get the job!
The process of creating a resume, writing sample, and realizing I had yet to even start to organize anything I've written into any kind of comprehensible form, least of all a portfolio, was an eye opening experience. As a writer, I tend to be pretty disorganized in terms of outlining stories in advance, preferring to let it flow naturally then weed out inconsistencies through revision. I can't say if the same is true for others.
So, in lieu of printing a 300 page portfolio containing one of the novel-ish length things I've written, as well as a few shorter pieces, I opted to create an online portfolio. You can take a look at it here if you like: http://michaelgilday.wordpress.com/ Just don't plagiarize my shit, and keep in mind I was rushed when I made it to try and get it, along with a resume, cover letter, an in game writing sample made in Bioware's own Neverwinter Nights level maker, out asap. While I don't think anything I've put on there was bad per say, I think some of my better pieces are more recent works like Dual, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Six Demon Swing...but I haven't even re-read them yet. It's hard to find time working as much as I do.
I think I'm finally starting to break the hold WoW has on me. I've realized it's closed me off to a lot of good games, like Dead Rising, which I abandoned playing mostly because of a cheap boss fight/event, but also largely because WoW made me lose interest. Going back and replaying and finishing it was almost a relieving experience. I have to say, Dead Rising is one of the best games I've ever played even with its flaws. You can't really go wrong with a game where you can beat zombies to death with a giant teddy bear, or get experience points for taking upskirt pictures of zombies or humans, put novelty masks, buckets or road cones on zombie heads, or slice and dice your way through the mall with a katana. I mean seriously. I could write a whole entry on the game.
Having beaten Dead Rising into the ground, I started playing Mass Effect, BioWare's latest. It's pretty fun so far, I just sort of got into the real game I think. It reminds me alot of KOTOR, but it's different enough that you don't get deja vu. It's more in the mechanics of interacting with NPCs and exploring. Combat is quite a bit different.
Something has to change. I feel like I'm stuck in a loop, like one of those Star Trek episodes where everyone dies and the day resets. I have to figure out what's going on with my warp core and fix it before it all starts over again.
The process of creating a resume, writing sample, and realizing I had yet to even start to organize anything I've written into any kind of comprehensible form, least of all a portfolio, was an eye opening experience. As a writer, I tend to be pretty disorganized in terms of outlining stories in advance, preferring to let it flow naturally then weed out inconsistencies through revision. I can't say if the same is true for others.
So, in lieu of printing a 300 page portfolio containing one of the novel-ish length things I've written, as well as a few shorter pieces, I opted to create an online portfolio. You can take a look at it here if you like: http://michaelgilday.wordpress.com/ Just don't plagiarize my shit, and keep in mind I was rushed when I made it to try and get it, along with a resume, cover letter, an in game writing sample made in Bioware's own Neverwinter Nights level maker, out asap. While I don't think anything I've put on there was bad per say, I think some of my better pieces are more recent works like Dual, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Six Demon Swing...but I haven't even re-read them yet. It's hard to find time working as much as I do.
I think I'm finally starting to break the hold WoW has on me. I've realized it's closed me off to a lot of good games, like Dead Rising, which I abandoned playing mostly because of a cheap boss fight/event, but also largely because WoW made me lose interest. Going back and replaying and finishing it was almost a relieving experience. I have to say, Dead Rising is one of the best games I've ever played even with its flaws. You can't really go wrong with a game where you can beat zombies to death with a giant teddy bear, or get experience points for taking upskirt pictures of zombies or humans, put novelty masks, buckets or road cones on zombie heads, or slice and dice your way through the mall with a katana. I mean seriously. I could write a whole entry on the game.
Having beaten Dead Rising into the ground, I started playing Mass Effect, BioWare's latest. It's pretty fun so far, I just sort of got into the real game I think. It reminds me alot of KOTOR, but it's different enough that you don't get deja vu. It's more in the mechanics of interacting with NPCs and exploring. Combat is quite a bit different.
Something has to change. I feel like I'm stuck in a loop, like one of those Star Trek episodes where everyone dies and the day resets. I have to figure out what's going on with my warp core and fix it before it all starts over again.