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Thursday, April 30, 2009 Ritz in Arizona! Listening to: Nothing. 
Ritz the Robot finds himself in front of the Fujifilm offices in Arizona! Both Ritz and I thank Malia for taking him around the state and visiting all the sights! If you have any Ritz photos, be sure to upload them to the Flickr group! Flickr Group: Robot in the City Flickr Group Get Your Own: Plushie Order Form posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:58 PM Permalink | | Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Free games at Big Fish Games! Listening to: Nothing. 
Just wanted to post some news about some free games over at Big Fish Games! They're free for a limited time only (end of May) and at least two of them (Azada and Fairway Solitaire) are totally worth your time. Personally, I'm not a fan of the "hidden object" games, so I'm not going to mention them. Hrmph! I have a feeling this may be a way to combat the cheaper price point that Amazon.com Game Downloads currently offers. I mean not only have these existing BFG games been around for some time, I'm sure they've made quite enough money already. If you can give these games away for free and retain the paying user base, you're good to go. In any case, drop what you're doing and go play some games. Link: JayIsGames Free Game Offer posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:32 PM Permalink | | Monday, April 27, 2009 Secret Identities Released! Listening to: Nothing. 
So "Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology" was released a few weeks ago and I just received my copy in the mail today! I'm pretty stoked about the entire thing as this is the first time I've been published in some type of "comic form" that wasn't independently self-funded (unless you count that one educational book for 6th graders in Canada that licensed a few Gashapon Shop strips). It's also very exciting to be in the same anthology with other amazing Asian American artists in the community like Gene Yang and Hellen Jo. I've also never been in a comic situation where someone else did the writing and I interpreted that into panels on a page. It's truly a fantastic feat and I'm happy this book came into fruition. It reminds me of my short lived attempt with Sprout, the Asian American comics anthology that never got off the ground. I'm not quite sure what the standard bookstores are like and if they carry the anthology, as there has been confusion whether is should fall in "graphic novels" or "Asian American studies". In any case, you can pick up Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology over at Amazon.com. Below I posted a few photos of some of the pages that I did.  My work on the left and Greg Larocque's work on the right.  The start of the five pager that I did. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 10:38 PM Permalink | | Friday, April 24, 2009 The stench! The stench! Listening to: Ne-Yo - Nobody 
The other day I took the train into the work, as usual, and was bombarded with a stench that made me want to become blind in the nose. Two people sat behind me and smelled like curry. It wasn't the fragrance of curry, as I actually enjoy curry, but a stench. It was thick and it was staining my clothes (which it had apparently done on their clothes already). Combine that with the overpowering fortitude of body odor and you've got yourself a military grade weapon. Solution: I had made dinner the night before and my hands still had a slight smell of garlic to them. I stuck my garlic fingers in my nose and hid under my jacket for the remaining 40 minutes. This was B.O. Curry and smelled like the sins of the fathers and I question what sin I had committed that was so great that I was to be punished so. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 5:59 PM Permalink | | Thursday, April 23, 2009 BYTEJACKER! Listening to: Joe Wong. Habba habba ho! That is my current temporary exclamation of joy! The folks over at Bytejacker have released this week's new episode and they have (Don't) Save the Princess! featured in at 8:20! They also have a voting poll for best indie game of the week. I'm extremely flattered to be even in same running as Auntie Pixelante's "Tombed" (Mr. Driller lovechild) and Noonat's "Deathbeam" (chunky pixel awesomeness). So go over to their site and vote... today! This is exactly what I imagine it feels like to be Johnny Depp. Exactly. Vote: Bytejacker (Don't) Save the Princess: Shen Games Link posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 9:53 AM Permalink | | Tuesday, April 21, 2009 Flirting with Magic! Listening to: Nothing. No, I'm not a weirdo. I seem to just keep stumbling upon these awesome videos. It's all because of the YouTube user BargainBinofOblivion. Perhaps I should go around to different discount stores and pick up these old 80s VHS tapes for laughs. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 9:44 PM Permalink | | Phone Manners Waiting for: An opportunity to use my new found knowledge. Person: Hi, Alex. My life is terrible. Alex: It sure is. [hangs up] Person: I love you. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 2:30 PM Permalink | | Stella now on Hulu! Listening to: Nothing. 
I just found out that they have put all Comedy Central's Stella on Hulu! I'm not sure if it's old news or not news at all, but I wanted to share. I'm particularly fond of the series and would recommend it to anyone that I liked. If I recommend you to watch The View, you know where we stand. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 9:15 AM Permalink | | Monday, April 20, 2009 Snakes on a Plane - G Rated Listening to: Nothing. Background: this is a clip from the "made for television" version of Snakes on a Plane. I do not recall any monkeys, let alone any monkey fighting, in this movie. I do not recall the plane being available on weekdays only. In any case, feel free to show your ten year old cousin. I'm sure he'll be equally disappointed with the lack of monkey fighting. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 6:26 PM Permalink | | Robot in the City - 1-15 Listening to: Wicked Soundtrack - Defy Gravity 
A new Robot in the City is up today. Josie and I caught Wicked this weekend. I enjoyed it a lot. The most enthralling scene was the Defy Gravity scene. My eyes were on the verge of exploding out of my head. The musical's story was significantly different from the book, but it was quite fantastic nevertheless. It definitely was less dense than the book, which was ultimately like taking an optometry exam through a swamp. Recommended! You can listen to the track below. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 11:50 AM Permalink | | Wednesday, April 15, 2009 INDIE INTERNET FAME! Listening to: DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 
The fantastically awesome folks over at the IndieGames.com Blog have done a post of my latest game (Don't) Save the Princess! I'm extremely flattered and grateful for the post. It's like God coming up to you and saying, "you are validated for your work", placing His hand on your shoulder and you turning into a Pegasus with laser eyes. It also seems like people are playing all the way through, which is also very flattering. I'm all giddy inside like a energy ball of cotton candy that's on its way to explode all over your stomach. My next game is currently in the works and it's called Sheep!. It's a very simple card game where you place fence cards on different sheep cards that require "X number of fences" to pen them up properly. Fence them in exactly and you get a bonus. Link: Indie Games Post posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 8:01 AM Permalink | | Monday, April 13, 2009 (Don't) Save the Princess! - Release Listening to: Nothing. 
(Don't) Save the Princess! just got released over on the Shen Games website. It was quite an exciting experience to prototype and finish off the game in one week. I'm kind of in a place where I need to figure out what the next big game project is going to be. I'm leaning against my "barnyard animal + fences" card game or a straight up point-and-click adventure featuring one of my webcomics characters (Ritz the Robot or Mr. Goh). Any thoughts? posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:19 PM Permalink | | Friday, April 10, 2009 Some DSTP Sprites! Listening to: The O-Jays - Backstabbers  
Thought I'd share some of the sprites that are in my newest game: (Don't) Save the Princess. Originally, the monster was nothing more than a stationary green block. Many of the folks over at the forums suggested that I change it into something a bit more lively and I took the advice to heart. The game's in complete working order and can be downloaded at the DSTP game profile page over on Shen Games. The game's nearly done. I have some polishing to do. I'll probably be holding a contest for custom levels in the near future and release a new version with just levels made from the game players out there. Have a good Easter weekend everyone! posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 6:37 PM Permalink | | Ricky Gervais + Elmo = Gold Listening to: Nothing. I had to post this because it made me laugh like the clip below. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 3:59 PM Permalink | | Drumming For The Win! Listening to: Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgetting For those who do not want to sit through the whole thing (of amazing), highlights are located at 1:10, 2:12, and 3:00. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:24 PM Permalink | | Thursday, April 9, 2009 Robot in the City - Internet Fame! Listening to: Michael McDonald - For Once In My Life 
Ritz the Robot is internet famous! I visited the ToyCyte offices today for lunch and had a nice sit down with Jeremy Brautman and Jason Babler, talking about video games and toys. I was also fortunate enough to check out the Watchmen version of Bunkbots as well. They're definitely worth taking a gander at! I'm going to have to get some accessories on Ritz. Maybe I'll make some claws for the upcoming Wolverine movie release or a green apron from his barista job or a cup 'o coffee. Hopefully this is the start of something good, n'est pas? ToyCyte Link: Robot in the City Drops by SF posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 2:35 PM Permalink | | Monday, April 6, 2009 Robot in the City - 1-13 Feeling: Fatigued. 
You know, outside of the Robot in the City Plushie, I don't think I do enough promotion for the comic on my blog. In any case, the latest strip/installment for the comic was uploaded today. I'm surprised that it's already been three months since I started the project. A part of me feels saddened by the amount of time I spend at work or commuting. The main reason being that I used to do comics of this detail three times a week with Gashapon Shop. Granted, I was in college then, but still. How I long for the days where I can draw and make games all frakkin' day without a worry in the world. [puts nose directly on grindstone and proceeds to shower self in a flurry of blood and cartilage] posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 11:02 PM Permalink | | (Don't) Save the Princess! Listening to: Nothing. 
I'm working on a new game called (Don't) Save the Princess!. It's a puzzle game where your mission is to use magical launchpads to send the knight (the hero) to his death. It's been a pretty rewarding experience as I'm working on something that feels so open ended. I'll have more updates as I make them. You can download the PC demo (first seven levels) now. Download: .ZIP (1.8 MB)   
posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 11:26 AM Permalink | | Saturday, April 4, 2009 William Adama knows Calculus! Listening to: Nothing. 
Okay. This probably isn't news to many people, but this is news to me. I didn't really put it together at first, but I realized something while watching Battlestar Galactica the other night. William Adama is Jaime Escalante from Stand and Deliver! He's the teacher that taught those intercity children calculus! This lone fact has made the already fantastic Battlestar Galactica even better. I mean he taught people how to multiply nines with their fingers! Get that damned Lou Diamond Phillips (no offense, Lou, I'm sure you're a nice guy) off the DVD box and put William Adama on it. I think it's time I commissioned a piece of Jaime Escalante standing proud (and possibly delivering something) with the deep space in the back and the majestic Battlestar Galactica flying in the background. I think I'll also throw in some cut apples in the painting too, you know, to teach people about fractions. Ooo! It gives me chills. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:49 PM Permalink | | Hello Giant! Listening to: Nothing. 
Just a little something I whipped up tonight with the tablet. I always wondered what it'd be like if I came in contact with a giant robot just hanging out in my backyard. I'd probably first ask where it came from and then would ask to see if it could fly me to Target... er, I mean the moon. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 1:12 AM Permalink | | Friday, April 3, 2009 Wolverine: Origins Action Figures Box Art Listening to: Hall & Oates - Sara Smile 
I was at Target the other day and came across some of the new Wolverine: Origins action figures. The figures themselves looked like any standard movie-licensed, grimacing, perhaps constipated, action figures. The imagery that caught my attention, however, was the box art for the figures. Clearly that's supposed to be Hugh Jackman's version of Wolverine. It also looks like a can of mousse exploded all over his head. I'm pretty sure that if the film studio knew that Wolverine would end up looking like You Don't Mess With the Zohan, they would have at least shelled out the extra couple bucks for the laser background. I am, however, very excited for both the movie and the game. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 11:12 AM Permalink | | Thursday, April 2, 2009 It's a little warm in here! Listening to: Nothing. 
This is an idea that I've been playing around for a little while. It's simply adding a face to your coffee mug. For the most part, I'm filling my mugs with hot liquids and soups. I can only imagine it being just a little warm for the mug. Can you imagine what it would look like if your toilet had a face? It'd either be really happy all the time or the saddest thing on God's green Earth. Take your pick. I'm not biased. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 11:22 AM Permalink | | Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Shen Games Launches! Listening to: Hall & Oates - Camellia 
I opened up the site that will house all the games that I'll be making from this point on. The only two things you'll see on it is the Naked Skull Man game and Left2Die: Louie Flash dress-up game. I should be taking this a bit more seriously if I ever plan on being a respected (even half-respected) force in the indie industry. Just a news update. Nothing else to see. Move along. Link: Shen Games Site posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 10:14 AM Permalink | | Dr. Manhattan Listening to: Diana Krall - Where or When 
I have yet to watch Watchmen, but I did happen to read through it a few months ago. It's a pretty interesting graphic novel in that the story it tells is quite different when compared to the usual "superhero fights bad guy" stories we're used to. There is a clear villain causing the murders, but there's more in regards to the character development and the times in general. In any case, I just felt like playing more with the tablet and trying fully digital work. It's weird not being able to see my hand directly making lines on paper, but rather strokes of my hand equating to lines on the monitor. It's an interesting disconnect that I'm still slowly getting used to. Until I can afford to buy myself a Cintiq, it's just something I'll have to keep practicing in and (hopefully) get better at. posted by Mr. Alexander Shen @ 9:52 AM Permalink | | |
      
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