Cutting Room Floor

Dude, Neill, how goes it? I'm fucking loving the ADAM shorts you guys are doing with UNITY. I dug Unity, it was a fun engine to work with. It's what we made Moonrise in. I'm still bummed about that project. I feel like it still has some potential. Although, I have lots of projects that had potential, and never even got started.

These images were from a fun action adventure co-op game. I like my landscapes bleak and desolate. It actually got all the way to be in front of publishers, but withered there.

I still think, maybe someday something will happen with this, so I won't dig too deep into what it was. The world was cool, neat set up. I love finding stories in game world, ways to make you and every other player the 'hero', but still be you. I find open story design challenging.

It's just fun world building. When you set the mission structure right, the gamer hopefully doesn't feel like they're bread-crumbing, but instead in charge of their own decision and character progression.  Hopefully they find their own story in the crumbs you scattered on the floor. Shit like that is rad.

I can honestly say that out of a hundred or so of my game (or film, or story, or comic) pitches, only one was made. It did well. Made millions. Not me...but it made millions. I guess just keep pitching. I sure as shit am not going to stop. I have one game idea right now that features...well...maybe we wait a bit.

Long story longer, it makes me wonder what ideas of yours ended up in limbo, or in a 'someday' dreams folder. I'm guessing a chunk of Oats was born out of that, a place to at least partially realize those ideas. At any rate, I'm fucking loving them.

Keep on keeping on.

Doug "The Pitchlist" Williams

The Churn

"So...you head that way and take a left..."

Dude, yo...what is up? I just read this Rolling Stone article by Hideo Kojima. Which is crazy fucking cool that Hideo has reached that level of...uh...know-ability? Fuck, I don't know. I'm sure there's a word that sums that up.

At any rate, you be in it. Briefly mentioned, but in a good way.

The article is good, and heartbreaking, because it's a thousand percent true. I feel like the studio I'm at is a little island of creatives still trying to do something unique. It isn't perfect, but it's ours. I keep hearing stories from friends and others who have friends on thousand plus person teams. 

"What you doing there?"

"Gun sights."

"Oh right on! You always designed cool weaponr-"

"No.....just the sights."

These massive corporate multi studio assembly lines are a far cry from what this industry was in 1997. I know, I'm old, shit changes...but fuck. 

How can you really drive creativity and take chances when the recipe is always the same?  How can you really be something unique or express yourself when the safe choice is all the chance you're allowed? On the flip side, how can you gamble surviving on an indy salary with a family to support?

I don't have any real answers, but I know we're pushing against that tide. I think you and the Oats crew are too. I guess that's the only option. Do your best, and hope shit works.

What a bummer post. I don't post forever and this is the shit I spew? Cry me a river garbage? Fuck that. 

Butthole, nipples, chili-fresh, rat smells and shopping mall decor. Ahhhh. Ok, that feels more like the old me.

I shouldn't complain, I've had more chances than most, and continue to live the dream others would kill for. I'm selfish though, I want more.

Anyway, keep it up with Oats. I fucking love it, and not just because of the content. I love the idea.

Dugzilla

OATS STUDIOS

Some weird pupa thing...

Dude, Neill....I'm so sorry. It's been forever. I've been meaning to post, but life got busy. I know you look forward to each one of these blog posts, and I really dropped the ball. Now I've caused you to spend millions of dollars just to get my attention.

I'm talking about Oats Studios.

I imagine you came up with this plan for a studio that makes things catered almost specifically to me for more blog posts. Well, it worked. Here's the blog post, and I'm sure there will be more to come. I'm actually running out the door, but your teaser for Zygote made me finally sit and sign in to this dusty old blog.

Some sort of creepy mutant alien thing made of bodies in a sci-fi setting? Dude, you're better than this. It didn't have to be so transparent. You could have emailed, called or even started a blog yourself 'Hey Doug where have you gone', or 'Please post again Doug Williams'. So many different ways to reach out.

All this being said; Oats is fucking awesome. I've loved every short, and can't wait for more. So...it worked. You sly devil. It worked.

More to come! Also...maybe a tumblr...I need more boobs fro a tumblr though...

Doug "Always impressed" Williams