Project: Syndicate

I had some serious trouble sleeping last night. Came to the conclusion that the main reason I’m so frustrated about things right now is that I’ve not been creating. I haven’t been advancing my goals. One of the keys to my success is going to be the Intellectual Property that I create and own. I’ve been lazy as hell about building a solid library of work. I woke up in a sweat determined that all of that ends today.

I’ve begun work on a moderately scaled project called “Syndicate.” While I’m going to be very tight lipped about the details of the project for now, I can say that it has two primary objectives. The project is based on a very exciting business model. It’s core aims are to serve as my first, fully completed venture proposal and to be aggressively pitched to investing angels. More to come in the days ahead.

Down Under a worthwhile market?

Not a week goes by where I don’t hear about some video game being denied a rating or being banned completely in Australia because of content. The standards  on allowable violence levels within games seems to be so low there that anything not aimed at the Disney market seems to get flagged instantly.

I see a lot of companies try to appease the Australian regulators by changing game components, removing story elements, and toning down violence levels so that in the end what’s left is chopped up version of the original game vision. Now, I’m not a game snob…but it seems to me that these changes are being made to satisfy a tiny market. In addition to that, my personal instinct is to simply say Australia doesn’t get to play my game. That it’s not my fault; it’s their government’s fault for treating the population like infants.

There might be some financial justification for making those changes for that market but I’m not aware of them. Maybe I’m out of step with other media creators but I don’t think I should have to water down my vision to meet some silly standard in such a small market. Maybe if publishers would stop bending to the will of their ratings board and simply said you don’t get to play our games until your standards become reasonably in line with other markets, game players would being putting pressure on their own government to ease off the babysitter treatment.

Motivation from others chasing the dream

Got no idea who this J. Reyez kid is but this video caught my attention right away. This Chris Jackson has a damn good voice too. I’m really feeling this song. I know the delivery isn’t top notch yet but I expect to be hearing more from this team in the near future.

The biggest thing is that I’ve been thinking about how to get where I want to be. It’s an uphill battle full of non-stop challenges. I just can’t let go of the dream…so I grind even though I feel like I have nothing left. It’s automatic, robotic, which I’m grateful for. If moving forward was a conscious choice I had to make I don’t know I’ve I’d have the inner strength to keep on the grind.

It’s important to be reminded that others are on the grind too. It’s important to know that even though you feel like you’re alone in your struggle, that there are others out there who are feeling the same things. Even though you don’t know these people it somehow makes you feel connected. Big props to these guys…dude has skills with the video directing too.


Patient Squatters are Bad for Everyone

I’m so sick of seeing no name companies come out of the wood work years after a product has become successful, claiming patient infringement for technologies they may have put to paper but never developed. This is like somebody claiming they thought of flying car but never makes one, only to sue an ambitious company that actually gets off their ass and makes one.

I honestly feel that if a company files a patent but makes no real effort to develop it into a commercial or public product then it should lose rights to it. In addition, I think that patients should be more narrowly defined in their actually claimed usage. Pushing a button to make a CD play seems way too expansive for a patient but so many of them sound just like that.

Allowing people to sit on un-worked patients, only to ambush industrious companies that actually make use of them is unethical, harmful to the progress of our industries, and a danger to any company seeking to push technological boundaries. It’s a practice that needs to stop. This is one area of business that the government should do the job its supposed to, and end this form of corporate piracy.

Building a Foundation

I plan on making major moves this upcoming year. I expect it to be my breakout year where all the pieces of the puzzle come together. In anticipation for January 1st, I’ve come to the realization I need to strengthen the foundation of my goals. For me, that foundation is the Intellectual Property that I’ve created and own.

I have a lot of half completed documents and proposals stored around everywhere. I’ve got everything from nightclub proposals to movie script outlines. While networking is going to be my largest key to success, organizing a completed library of my body of work might be my next. Besides, I’ve always wanted to have organized, final copies of all my work anyway. With just over a month to go before the new year, now seems like the perfect time to get off my ass and get it done.


EA Closes Pandemic Studios

Giving me yet another reason to hate them, an internal memo acquired by Gamasutra confirms that EA has closed Pandemic’s Westwood office. They were once a rising developer with some of the best, original releases in recent memory. The Mercenaries, Full Spectrum Warrior, and Destroy All Humans series were all very successful. They had joined with RPG powerhouse Bioware in a joint venture that made them one of the more powerful multi-studio development companies in the industry. That all came to an end when EA managed to buy out the company and add its IP to the list of other enslaved properties.

 

I’m not a fan of EA, never have been. This kind of bullshit just adds to my dislike for them. I’m hoping Activision-Blizzard continues to chop away at them. Best wishes to the Pandemic team and like Cliffy B says…they are hiring.

Empire State of Mind

I’m a big believer that surrounding yourself with powerful, inspiring creative media is a sure fire way to unlock your own creative inspirations. Just like the sci-fi movies of the past inspired some of the hottest film makers in the industry, anything that speaks to you can be a source of creative inspiration. I piece of art can inspire music. A video game can inspire a movie. A naturally occurring pattern in a forest can inspire a fashion designer. Truth is everywhere to be found, you just have to open your eyes to see. Sometimes that inspiration requires an extensive journey to reach, other times it’s delivered to your TV in the form of a music video.

This is a video that’s inspired my vision of what Guerrilla Empire Global is about.

 

Guerrilla Empire Global releases “DJ Puppet” Board Design

Guerrilla Empire Global is pleased to announce the first skate deck in a line inspired by the urban lifestyle, hip-hop music, and the DJ culture. This run of “DJ puppet” is by special order only but plan on seeing it in South-Western skate shops in January 2010!

Guerrilla Empire Global to launch in January 2010

The official launch of Guerrilla Empire Global has been delayed until January of 2010. The first wide release of its skateboard line will be in April of 2010. Leading up to those important dates, Guerrilla will continue to design, manufacture, and release small quantities of test decks into its local markets. Its designers are hard at work laying the foundation for the six product lines that will make up Guerrilla’s first year offerings.

 

In addition to its skateboard lines, Guerrilla is hard at work designing its first products for its Guerrilla Streets clothing line. An initial offering of t-shirts and light hoodies should be available in early April. The company’s designers are working at building a large library of cutting-edge designs aimed at capturing the essence and magic of the urban lifestyle.

Foundation of business and creative ventures.

Every building and organization has to have a sound foundation if it wishes to last. Building anything of significance on top of a weak foundation is a recipe for failure and ruin. Determining what a strong foundation is can be difficult though.

For me, my belief is that when planning on building something great, a profit motive alone cannot be the soul ambition. Money is important and I love it. Even so, the grit, passion, hunger, fearlessness, and strength needed to build something significant requires far more then the goal of extra money in your pocket. I’m convinced that those who strike out to build an empire for the soul purpose of getting rich are setting themselves up for failure. On the other hand, those who strive to better the world, help people, solve a real problem, or share a true expression of personal truth are setting themselves up for success.

Building anything of real value is difficult. Often, there are countless challenges and obstacles that make the journey a difficult one. I believe you need to have something more then making a quick buck as your ultimate goal if you’re going to weather the storm. Companies that exist as a good example of this are Microsoft, Apple, Disney, Google, Legendary Pictures, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Airlines, etc. These companies are striving to do more then just make money. They are changing the world. They present new and powerful ideas to society. They change culture and personal identity. The improve life, make people more creative and productive.

It’s good business and serves as the cornerstone of my commercial and creative ventures.