Hi, all. My name is Jason Holm. I tried to make this shorter, but as I wrote I kept remmebering more and more things that led to how I made it here.
Way back in the day, my parents had some type of black and white Pong television game (I can't remember exactly which one). It was fun, but pretty limited. Therefor, I spent more time playing with my "Lock Blocks" (Lego knockoffs), Lincoln Logs, and various board games. I also enjoyed drawing and coming up with my own paper-based games.
Eventually, we got the Atari 2600 (woohoo) and after that, a Commodore 64. It wasn't long before I learned about BASIC (anyone else remember typing in games from the back of a magazine?) and began editing the various Text Adventure Games I enjoyed. I also loved such games as the Pinball Construction Set and the Adventure Construction Set. Other games such as Wizard, Boulderdash and Lode Runner came with level editors that helped me see games as something I could create and not just play.
In school, apart from the familiar Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego games, I learned about creating computer graphics - often pixel by pixel with code (Apple IIe days: SET COLOR RED, POINT 23,127... LINE 104, 73 TO 78 or something). Eventually I learned how to cycle the images, and I had primitive animation. I found myself writing stories even when it wasn't a class requirement, and soon I had inspired the whole class to do the same during recess and after school. I also began making comic strips, and took a class in stagecraft.
I was lucky enough to be in a special class where I got to do more creative things than the other kids, such as helping create a large (wood frame and miniature railroad props) board game with card-based RPG actions. A friend and I also created a 20 minute long claymation movie (with a camcorder that didn't have a "single frame" option... it moves veeery slow).
I had a NES, and playing the many early games (and seeing the maps drawn out in their entirety in Nintendo Power Magazine) gave me the idea for creating my own games. I didn't know how the pros made it happen, so I was stuck with graph paper, but the characters, power-ups and level designs were still fun to make.
Around this time, my father brought home a "dumb terminal" - a computer with no hard drive or anything... but it had a modem. So I discovered the wonderful world of local Bulliten Board Systems. Oh, the joy of Tradewars, Inn of the Red Dragon, and various MUDs. It was in the message boards I came to enjoy writing cooperative stories and playing (virtually) pen and paper Role Playing Games.
Outside the BBSs, I played various RPGs, mainly from the Palladium system (TMNT, Heroes Unlimited, RIFTS). I also discovered Steve Jackson's TOON.
Eventually, we got a PC at home. DOS at first, which game me access to the lands of ZZT and my first introduction to script-based game design. I also played Wolfenstein and DOOM, and discovered their graphic and level editing programs, where I made some early MODs. I also got a program called Disney Animation Studio (or something), which let me make frame-by-frame animations, with color and sound! Using my trusty Preston Blair animation book, I jumped into learning computer animation.
Around this time, Image Comics had just been formed. I was convinced the comic book industry was the wave of the future! I found an ad for the Art Instruction Schools (you know, "Draw Tippy the Turtle") and signed up, but eventually just didn't feel it was for me (they took my payment, of course).
In High School, I took some creative writing and sci-fi classes. I also took an acting class, leading me to take the lead in the main one-act play (imagine a 6'2" chunky guy wearing bells as Harlequin). I took a computer programming class where I used QBasic to create SPACE MONKEYS, a sort of Space Invaders clone. The teacher used it for years after to show other classes what was possible in that class. I took a technology class, in which I got my hands on a scanner (I could now put images I drew right into the computer!), photo editing, drafting, CAD, 3D Modeling, and video editing (Video Toaster anyone?).
I joined the newspaper staff as a cartoonist, making both comic strips and political cartoons. This choice would direct the next 10 years of my life (for better or for worse). When I graduated, both Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes were retiring, so I thought I was a shoe-in to be the next comic strip artist the world would love. I thought I could get by on talent alone.
After graduation, I wanted to go to a big art school in New York, but a lack of guidance on my financial aid options lead me to the local Community College. Still convinced I didn't need a degree (or a decent portfolio, apparently) I just took classes at random -- Zoology, Fencing, Stagecraft, Art, Children's Literature, Music Fundamentals... I did a lot of traditional art classes (sculpture, life drawing) as well as commercial art classes (in which they didn't see the computer as a very useful tool).
I joined the college newspaper, starting as a cartoonist, but moving up the ranks from tech designer (learning Quark and Photoshop) to managing editor. I was still hand-inking my illustrations at the time, but I experimented with digital coloring. One day we received a press kit about the movie "Hackers" which included a link to a "World Wide Web site". Heading up to the computer lab, I asked them how to access the "internet". Wow.
It wasn't long before I was teaching myself HTML, making animated GIF files. I found game companies online and started offering my illustration services. I actually got a chance to interview with the guys who made WORMS, but I didn't think I could really move to Europe at the time. I did, however, create illustrations for the Mac game "Solitaire Til Dawn, which was reviewed in MacAddict magazine (so if I squint, I can see a tiny image of mine on the back of a card in a screenshot...).
I started playing around with video editing, experimenting with blue screens and 3D image composition. I used Specular Infini-D back then. My friend introduced me to MYST so there was a brief period of trying out hypercard and 3D scenes.
Unfortunately, I stuck with print media. I moved to do video editing for a band (which fell through) but my day job was ad design at a newspaper. I finally got a drawing tablet and tried out digital inking, and I also played around with MIDI composition. But I wasn't happy.
I eventually learned Flash, but it took a long time for me to make progress with it back then. I messed around with Director and made a simple dress-up game. At another job I finally got the hang of Illustrator.
Finally, I had had enough of the string of jobs that seemed to lead farther and farther from my creative side. I quit and became a caricature artist at a theme park. It didn't pay well, the environment sucked, but I was being creative. However, it only lasted a season, and I now had a family to support.
I got a job with a technology curriculum design company. Through them I created applications using HTML, Javascript, as well as some Flash ActionScript. I learned to control FLVs. We made a curriculum on Video Game Design, and I started seeing an area I loved -- I wanted to be creative with my art, but I was a natural at programming. I created a series of tutorial videos and sample games using DarkBASIC, and the curriculum became our top seller. We also created one for Web Game Design using Flash and AS2 (but not using OOP)
I still looked for other opportunities. I learned how to build and script in Second Life. I played around with Squeak and Scratch. I learned more about ActionScript.
Eventually I decided I wanted a job where I could combine my programming and art skills. I knew I needed a degree if I was to get into the game biz. I only had a tenuous grip on OOP having started in BASIC and taken so much time away from that world. I went back to college determined to get a degree this time. I signed up at Stark State for my Asssociate of Computer Science (Game Design Path). I've taken classes on Visual Basic, C++, 3DS Max and Game Design Theory. I made a few simple games in C++ and VB, and even tried making one in Excel.
I still couldn't decide what to speciliaze in, until someone mentioned programming was less competitive, paid more, and would let me keep art as a hobby, so I decided to get more programming skills.
Next week I head back for more C++ (including Allegro), Java, and some Flash.
In the mean time, I'd like to have a project to apply my skills to - whether art or programming or something else. My friend and I were working on something in Flash, but the Wife/Kid/DayJob think is kind of keeping him busy. Is there anyone here looking for help, or should I start my own project. And if so, what?
http://www.inflatablestudios.com
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