Score: 9

"Wonderful concept"

submission: Busy Burger

date: August 24, 2005

That was one clever, entertaining game.

I love these type of games that rest on simple but addictive concepts. Who could ever think of making a flash that's about working in a fast food restaurant. Seems like one of the most boring things to do, but you've proved us so wrong. For that alone you deserve a good score.

The game reminded me alot of the old Bullfrog games. Im not sure if you used to play them, but they used to be my favorite game company when i was young. They made games in which you had to run a hospital, theme park or create your own dungeon. They were always so extremely addictive, original and fun. Too bad the company is gone and they dont make alot of those type of games anymore. It's one of the reason i dont play games anymore. Not just because i am too old, but also because there isnt alot of creativity involved in the creation of the contemporary games. It are all shooters and c&c clones. Its funny how a strong, original and different concept like The Sims, that doesnt rely on state of the art graphics or sounds, became one of the most succesful games in PC history... Anyway this is getting off topic.

The graphic design was very slick & cute and really created a good atmosphere. I also like the simplicity of just pressing buttons and operating levers to make the food. Perhaps it was even a bit too simple at points. Maybe some more interesting elements could have been added here and there, because after a while it got a tad boring.

Its very cool to see independant people create creative games in flash and such. Games that large companies would never dare to invest in because of its original and risky concepts, but which prove to be really addictive if they are made with care!

AITD

Score: 5

"Nicely animated, could be executed better"

submission: Renegades Chapter 1

date: August 16, 2005

I am a bit familiar with your work and beforehand i kind of knew what i could expect animationwise.

The simple style you have, lends itself very well for impressive animation. Characters can be rotated and drawn from all perspectives easily since they lack shading or details. It's a style similar to the one Vinnie Veritas got famous with. You can draw characters pretty well proportioned and also the timing of the movements was good. (even though you need to improve on running sequences)

However, as impressive as the actual animation was, as disappointing was the rest. The backgrounds were extremely dull and lacked the passion in which the characters were animated. The houses looked like houses the way a young boy draws them in kindergarten. Without perspective and without any further eye for detail or proportion.

The same can be said for the storyline. It is extremely simple and flat and not 1 moment was i convinced that i was looking at a cool post apocalyptic setting ran by dangerous gangs (something that for example Fallen Angel managed to pull of extremely well). The entire story and setting just functioned as an excuse to animate the action/fighting sequence.

Other details such as the ugly gun and the unconvincing acting of the characters during serious moments show that as an animator you still have alot to learn. I think you would have been better off animating a spectacular musicvideo completely Veritas style rather than to take on an ambitious project such as this. If you concentrate more on the mentioned flaws rather than just put you heart and soul in animating action sequences, then i think something really interesting can come out.

AITD

Score: 8

"Hahaha"

submission: URTUM TR33!!?? LOL!!1

date: August 16, 2005

Very funny. Even the purple hair was the same

AITD

Score: 8

"Good as usual"

submission: Objectionable Apparatus

date: August 11, 2005

Iv always loved your animations. They are stylish, surreal, macabre and animated in a very unique way. Though it isnt anything we havent seen before in your previous work it is always refreshing to see one of the better serious flash artists release a new work. The flash was really symbolic but you have to be careful to not overuse symbolism and put the other aspects as storytelling, concept and atmosphere on second place.

AITD

Score: 7

"Since you asked so nicely for a review"

submission: Shades of Grey Ep. 6

date: July 26, 2005

Interesting flash. I remember seeing 2 earlier episodes of the series and i recognised this one immediately as soon as i saw the artstyle.

Which probably is the strongest point of the flash. You chose a really unique way of animating the series. At some points it almost looks like vector rendered 3D. It kind of makes me wonder why not just make the animation in 3D if you know how to use modelling programs. Anyway, not really that relevant.

The dialogue was good and not childish, but a tad boring. I know there is some amazing story in your head that you are trying to convey to the viewers, but this will only be accomplished if you have the viewers attention during the whole flash. How exactley you can add more life to the story isnt so easy to tell. I would use more interesting camera, more animation on the emotions so the characters wouldnt look so stale and some more details in the art and backgrounds. The music on the background during the dialogue definately helped alot though.

Im also not quite sure why you chose to only use shades of gray. The kind of fantasy story you tell doesnt really lend itself that much for the only gray tones approach. An advantage is that you can put more emphasis on certain objects/personas if you give them a different color, but the consequence of using only gray is that the entire thing looks old fashioned. Is this really the atmosphere you want to give the series? If so, i think you need to exploit this idea more and put more emphasis on it. I personally find the combination old fashioned/fantasy a bit odd.

I admire your motivation to keep making these episodes. Especially since they arent halfassed pieces of work since there really went effort in them. You havent really conquered me as a fan yet, but i think with a tad more amelioration here and there this can be changed.

AITD

Score: 8

"nice"

submission: Dark Seat Comfort

date: July 25, 2005

Now THAT is a really nice loader

Score: 10

"Macromedia Flash exploited to the maximum"

submission: Xombie: Chapter 6

date: June 21, 2005

People often think of me as a 'serious' or 'artistic' animator. Whatever that may mean, it seems that their prejudgement is i can not enjoy the mainstream popular stuff on newgrounds.

This is true to some extent. Most flash movies on newgrounds are, in my opinion, overrated and can not seem to escape the average clichematic concept of a videogame parody or madness clone. Which doesnt mean that there arent some popular series here that actually deserve the recognisition and manage to show the true creativity of the artist behind it.

Xombie is without a doubt an example of this category. I have been following the series ever since episode 2 arrived on newgrounds and it kept me in suspense every single episode. Making a series is 1 thing. Developping an original story, creating the characters, finding the appropriate sounds and voice actors, setting out the direction, compose the individual scenes to a whole and animating the entire thing is another. Xombie simply seems to handle all the aspects with the care and experience only a professional posseses.

Every episode adds something new to the series as a whole and every episode shows us time after time how much time went into the creating process of this series. It seems like you already figured out the entire plotline before even making episode 1 and that you clearly know the direction the ship should sail. Unlike many other series, on which the sequels usually are nothing more but cheap creations with the sole goal to surpass the success of the original.

The visual style of the Xombie series is excellent. I know that much of it is motion tween based, but any good artist knows that it doesnt matter what material or technique you use to convince the viewer, as long as it fits with the ideas you as an artist have. If its tween, then so be it, if it are carbon figures cut out and pasted over jpegs, then thats fine also. As long as the technique connects with the ideas of the artist, then its all good. Narrow minded animators who expect every good flash to contain a hundred of scenes frame by framed, well lets just say i pity their opinions.

The choise of music is excellent. At first i thought you had people who composed it for you, but after seeing the credits i understood that it were soundtracks from video games. Its amazing how well it worked with the episode and once again it shows your understanding of reaching the hearts of the viewers with the right material.

I am aware that there are some 'animators' who like to give you a hard time. People, who hate your work because the story might be cheap, because the tweened animation is incompetent and because your dog Cerebus looks a bit like another cartoon dog Balto. These people, who in general havent accomplished anything impressive themselves, are simply jealous. And even though they are entitled to their opinions, they should ask themselves which other artist managed to win daily feature, weekly users choice AND review crew pick with EVERY single flash released. They should ask themselves what other animator has the talent to soley animate for a living and they should ask themselves what other animator has a DVD in the making. Thats right, no one on newgrounds except James Farr.

To conclude, i would simply say to keep up the good work. There isnt much advise i can give you except some fan praising. Its an honor to see this kind of quality work for free, every time again.

AITD

Score: 8

"original and interesting"

submission: Velocity

date: June 20, 2005

I really like the style of this movie. It feels really traditional and not just because of the black and white colors, but because of the way you drew the characters also. They have the same sort of look as the characters you see in the instruction manuals of DIY material or safety guides in airplanes.

The entire idea of the thing was captivating also. I like how the main character is in all the stress at start in the hostile skies and then how the animation took a really slow and peaceful turn towards the ending. Looks like you wanted to show how beloved ones can help us carry on in the most difficult of times. You also paid enough attention to the key scenes, like when the man grabbed his cellphone in the air and the transition between the hostile land and his home. A nice detail was the scene of the bird feeding her child. Id like to think that as a metaphor for the situation of the father and his daughter.

Some things werent drawn as good as others though. As said, the characters were all drawn and animated very well. Same goes for the tree and home environment. But things like the clouds and explosions really need dramtical improvement. I think the explosions would have looked better without the black outlines and the clouds if they were more transparant.

All in all, very well done animation. A really cool short story that manages to surpass the general serious flash here on NG in both concept and execution. Keep up the good work and I am going to watch your other animations right now!

AITD

Score: 6

"Nice but not impressive"

submission: The Maxwell Edison Story

date: June 17, 2005

I remember you from the Adam Android series, which was really cool. Your style can definately be recognised here and you have improved alot on the visual area.

The song was very nice also, cant go wrong with the beatles. But as always, sound and visual is nothing if they arent linked in a creative way to the idea of the artist. The main problem here is that there isnt much creativity involved.

The video literally follows every word of the lyrics and not only in drawings but also in pace. The music dictated the entire flash and all you did was literally draw the words that were sung. You can ask yourself how challenging it is to draw a hand dialing numbers on the telephone in the same tempo and words as used in the song.

I am not saying it is bad to do musicvideos, but i think a video should add something new to a song. If this really is your alltime favorite song, then give us a good reason why it is.

AITD

Score: 8

"ahhh i get it"

submission: soap opera island

date: June 16, 2005

Now i understand why you were so interested in buying that skeleton on E-Bay. Really, the anatomical accuracy of the last drawing alone made up for the money he must have costed.

Excellent stuff, as always.