I can't legitimately say I'm confident in the fact that this is the 76th progress report I've posted, but it's probably around there. It's been awhile since I've let whoever's reading these know what's going on. In short, it's been both physically and emotionally busy and stressful for this poor devil lately, but I've been pulling through. For the month of October, I pretty much spent it all drawing; making pieces that I published up on the internets as well as just sketching and practicing. Since this month, I've been working on Team Fortress School again, and it hasn't been the most pleasant of experiences considering I started it nearly two years ago, so I've been seeing all the mistakes and roughness that I feel needs to be polished and re-tuned. So needless to say, I've just been fixing up and even redoing a few segments of the animation. Not very fun.

However, I'm finally about ready to move on from what animation has initially been completed and to the next few sequences the video has. Hopefully I'll be able to just plow through it, because this thing has been hanging around for so long and I keep getting people telling me they want to see it. Hopefully it'll do well and people will like it.

After that, I have countless ideas of cartoons I want to do, but it's such a shame considering there's so much to be done and even then they'll take a long time anyway. Either way, life's been pretty good, and I'm happy the way things are turning out and shaping up. 2017 has been so much better than the last 2 years I've been through.

​-T4k

So, out of nowhere, now the www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3E8RXV9d1kHearthstone Minion Impersonation video is getting recommended to users on YouTube, as its views are going up and up. That really took me by surprise. But that being said, there's something I've been pondering and wanted to mention... and I normally don't do posts like this, but...

The reaction it's been getting so far has been the most mixed response I've ever gotten on anything I've ever made before; there's plenty of people commenting on the fact that they think many of the impressions were "spot-on", while there's a good chunk of people who just want the video to go down to the fiery depths of Hell. I've really thought about this for a while and tried to figure out what's going on here, and what it is exactly that's making certain people hate the video so much.

I wonder if people thought I was trying to be this professional actor who knew what he was doing and was trying to impress everyone, and when they got a video of just some random guy trying to plow through every minion's voice in the game (which was the point of the video, I felt), they found it laughable that so many of the voices were off. Not that I really care, but it's just silly to me that these people are getting boners over the fact that this one guy can't pin-point the exact voice of every single minion (including the females... seriously?) in the entire game. I tried explaining it in the description and a pinned comment on the video, but people tend to not read stuff, I guess.

Either way, it's nice how the video's popping up in various places on that dreaded site, because, remember: any publicity is good publicity. :)

-T4k

So I finally finished this montage of me attempting to do voice impressions of just about all of the Hearthstone minions' battle cries. It was an absolute nightmare putting it all together. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3E8RXV9d1k

-T4k

Well, all I can say currently is that I'm amazed at what's been going on this last week. I never thought that Hearthstone animation would get as popular as it did so quickly. If you were to ask me, I would have assumed that it would have gotten maybe a couple thousand views, and then a few months later get a little more recognition, sort of like how An Animal Crossing Tale did. But out of nowhere, apparently it's been appearing in random YouTube users' recommendations, regardless of whether they searched up anything involving Hearthstone or not... but hey, I'm not complaining! It's fantastic to know so many people have seen it so quickly, and as I'm typing this, those views are still counting! It's been so motivating for me to try and get some more stuff out, hopefully at least one more cartoon before the year's up.

Y'know, I think I kinda found my "style" of movies, as of now... for years, as I've been experimenting and trying all kinds of different avenues, I think I now realize my "thing" is making slightly more "serious" videos... like, battle scenes, stuff that makes you go "woah, that's awesome". Not trying to sound arrogant or anything, but I'm just stating an observation. I've tried doing stuff that I mostly saw on the internet, like weird, screamy, disoriented comedies, but for years I always had this want to create content that people would find "cool"... if that makes any sense at all. So, I went all-in, tried it out, and got a pretty awesome response. So, I think I'm gonna continue to do that!

And just FYI, no, I'm not stating that there's anything wrong with making "weird comedies"; I'm just saying, I'm doing something different than that. Recently I've been discovering that, in life, you gotta be you, and you gotta discover yourself. Do what YOU like, create what YOU would be entertained by... and that's when things will start to turn around.

I'm just so happy with the way things have been going this year. Like I mentioned previously, it's been LIGHT-YEARS better than the last two years were for me. Thanks so much for everything, everyone. I can't wait to see how everything unfolds from this point on! So many projects, so much excitement!

​-Twisted4000

So there's been a turn of events. I'll just leave it at that.

Bottom-line, it appears that the Hearthstone animation, and I'm proud and elated to announce this, will FINALLY be released within THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS!! I just cannot tell you how happy I am to finally get this thing done and published. I ended up finishing it much faster than anticipated. There's just some editing and slight kinks that need to be worked out and the audio needs to be done. THAT'S IT. I just can't wait. I'm like, anxious about it. Hooooooolllyyyyy WWOOOOWWW!!!!!!

After that, there's the Team Fortress School cartoon that needs to be done. Then there's commission work... but this thing being done REALLY frees up A LOT. Can't wait! STAY TUNED!

​-T4k
​

The past month or two, things have been considerably better; not only has progress on these projects been increasing and getting more efficient, but I've been doing emotionally better. Been less bothered, less anxious, generally just feeling pretty good and enjoying working. The Hearthstone cartoon is getting there, and I could rush it to REALLY crank it out and upload it soon, but obviously I don't really wanna do that because I want it to look as good as possible.

There's just so many movies I want to make and I have so many ideas I'm in love with, but I need to finish what I've started to actually get them started... that alone has been a huge motivation for me to finish this stuff up. And yes, The Team Fortress School cartoons are in production as well. I get asked about that a lot.

In other news, occasionally I work on that novel (it's close to 90,000 words and still has a few chapters to go), and I've also got commission work to do on top of my personal projects. Not only that, but I do have a night time job so I can stay alive. So if you're wondering what's taking so long, there's a couple of reasons there. But we're gettin' there and I'm feelin' pertty gud about it!

​-T4k

I literally cannot believe it's been like 4 months since my last post. I could've sworn it was NO MORE than 2 months ago.

So it's 2017. The year started with lots of enthusiasm and excitement, and had kind of a major drip during the start of February, but it looks like things are improving now. Progress on all these projects has been very good, I've been a bit overburdened by work and other obligations, but overall things are going well now. I've been so excited for the moment I'll finally release all of this stuff, it's been so long but things have been taking forever for a good reason, I feel.

That's it. Yeah, I know, the one and only update in months and it's basically saying like nothing, but oh well.

​-T4k

It's just one of those phases, I guess; it sucks. I've been doing my usual thing and trying very hard to get this cartoon done before the year's up, but my motivation just hasn't been around. I've been so disappointed, and I've been through these feelings so many times already, but it's been at an all-time high as of late. It's like, I feel as if I don't even have a meaningful outlet, even when I'm feeling down and want to draw something or write a song, when I publish whatever I've finished, it's like no one really sees, hears, or cares for it whatsoever. I don't know why it seems like it's been this way, I mean, WAS it this way a year or two ago? Was it worse, was it better? Regardless, it feels like things have been better back then, and even though I did release a successful video, finally, it's like nearly everything that I did after that didn't matter. Maybe it's because of contrast, but I dunno, it seems like the comments and interactions just haven't really existed lately. I don't really know what's going on, is it because everyone wants something like what I did before? Are they not into the new and expect the same thing again? Does it seem like the fan-base has finally increased (or finally been created), but they're only into what they followed and not what's currently surrounding it? I guess so, but it's only an assumption. I'm generally incorrect when I make assumptions.

So to sum it up, it feels like what I've been doing and trying to put out hasn't really been getting to anyone; no one really cares, it feels like wasted effort, blah blah blah. I think, maybe, just maybe, it'll all change when I finally get this video done, but if it doesn't, I just don't know what I'm gonna do. I really want a career doing stuff like this, but I just don't see it anywhere in sight right now. Even for stupid little things, like, when I finish this novel, now what? Send it to who knows where to get it published and never hear back from them? Like, what do I do when it's all over and done? It's the "now what" phase of things; oh boy, I FINALLY finished this project! It took years and it almost killed me, but I did it!

...Now what?

​-T4k

I've just recently come to a sort of conclusion that, although lifts up a dark weight in a sense, also is just incredibly sad to me. But oh well, the bad must be taken with the good, in this world. I really just am uncertain to do with the game I've been developing for these last few years. I mean, I haven't been like, working on it 24/7, obviously, but it's been a LONG time; I remember so many distinct moments of figuring out certain parts of it, figuring out how to code things I couldn't code before, getting the animations to look right, coming up with all the character designs, making the music, setting up the sound effects, drawing the backgrounds... and, at the end of it all, for what, really? I guess that was a question I was afraid to get the answer for for some time, honestly. When I made a little ad for it, finally, it basically didn't get much of a response other than triggering people I didn't know to attack it. People think subjectively, and with that in mind, I felt like the project became completely tainted over, well, nothing. But that's how it probably is. Not to mention there have been some issues or two that I couldn't for the life of me fix involving the game, so, there's that. I mean, why would I put all this effort and work even more so into this project that won't really get anywhere because of people's initial assumptions based on hardly anything? I guess i got a lot of practice out of it, THAT'S for sure, but other than, it was kind of just a waste to me. I guess it might just be time to close the book on it until further notice. I mean, no one was OBLIGATED to like it, so I suppose I can't exactly get upset over this, but at the same time, for some reason I feel a little surprised and disappointed over it. It was just so much work, all that effort, time, and thought... and then, it all just stops. I still feel, at the end of the day, it's a fighter that people would've enjoyed. But then again, how many fighters are already floating out there on the gaming platforms for cheap? How would this one stand out? I TRIED to make it stand out, but that backfired on me miserably, regardless of whether I was also being sarcastic or not.

So, unable to really decide on what to do, I just won't work on it for now. That's basically it, I guess. Maybe it won't ever get released, and that really is a shame considering I really, REALLY thought I was finally going to finish the thing at some point, as I never really have finished a game I put this much time and effort into. If people are interested enough, though, I don't know what to do with it.

​-T4k

Might as well put this to rest at this point so you can hear the truth rather than whatever ELSE you might hear SOMEWHERE...

I deleted the little promo video I made on the game I've been making. Someone in the game development community made a post on it basically saying "if this video speaks to you, don't make a fighter." To sum it up, they were saying I pretty much didn't know what I was doing. And this is coming from a fairly-well-known voice in the fighting game-area of things. And, just as you'd expect, it baited in a little mob of angry gamers and developers to vilify it. First off, I'm still incredibly infuriated over this, what was this person thinking? He should've expected that response to come from his followers, and if he WAS, that's a REALLY low-blow, and for what? This one little 20-year-old over the internet trying to make one little game? People just keep surprising me, more and more, every day.

Now as for their REASONING, they felt like what I said I was doing in the game was, well, impossible; like, you "can't make a game in any genre with that philosophy." And, at this point, I can somewhat see where that thought would come from, because I was snarky and sarcastic in the video. I did say there wasn't any invincibility or when a character gets hit, etc., but some people started saying that "there was no hit stun in it"?? I NEVER said that. Obviously shit-talk and rumors were already starting to spread about it, and it was only going to get worse, so I decided to take it down; what good would've come out of it if I left it up? So more people could spread slander about a game they never played before?

Not trying to gloat, but all I'm saying is that the game functions just fine; you don't get permanently locked into combos or spammed by the same move over-and-over. You don't get ledge-guarded easily. It works. I played around with the stun-times and knock-backs, and it works. I'm not saying that you can take any game and remove its invincibility functions and everything would be just fine; you'd have to make a game with that particularly in your head, first. Just because I say one thing in a video and this one guy badmouths it publicly, everyone decided to rush in like a little mob and work together to attack it. It's funny how people function, considering if the guy said something really positive about it, everyone would jump on it and start liking it. People.

And the video had like a 90% like rate on YouTube before this mess happened, so OBVIOUSLY people were at least moderately-interested in it. But no, one person says one thing, everything can go down to the depths. They're subjective-thinkers and take things out of context. Whatever makes them feel better, whatever makes them happy, I guess. It's just incredibly sad and disappointing that someone this reputable would do this, and who knows, maybe he WASN'T expecting that sort of response, but I doubt it. It's funny how you can try so hard to get something publicized and get the word out there, and all these higher-ups wouldn't DARE share it, but if it's for a NEGATIVE reason, oh, you fucking better believe it, they're ALLOVER it now. I've been dealing with shit like this for years and it just makes me sick. People.

I guess the lesson here, if I can learn ANYTHING from this? Don't be sarcastic, don't be snarky. It doesn't matter if what you're saying is true, people will assume things and take those assumptions based on what little info they have and do everything in their power to drag you down because of it. For now, I'll have to just continue to work on the game, and when it REALLY looks like it's ready, I'll make a little ad for it (probably a voiceless one). You could consider this whole situation a cover-up? But well, that's probably what I SHOULD be doing at this point; it's not a good idea to let a bunch of lies spread continuously, so I did what I could to stop it. Whatever. I'm pissed-off, I'm disappointed, and, honestly, a bit hurt from this. Oh well. Lesson learned.

​-T4k