TODAY, August 12, 2024, The Animation Guild begins negotiations with the AMPTP to win a new contract for animation. This is a huge fight with severe stakes for the future of the Animation Industry in the US, and the guild needs your support!
TAG is fighting, Right Now, to stop exploitative practices that are weaponized against animation professionals across the globe, and working hard to ensure this industry has a future here in the states.
If you are a fan of animation, whether it's major or independent studios, eastern or western, tv or movies, we need you to get LOUD in support of The Animation Guild. The crews who work so hard to bring these works to life are struggling to pay their bills, if they can find work at all, while studio CEOs are getting multi-million dollar raises to cancel projects and gut streaming libraries.
We can win this fight, but we need public outcry and support. If you work in animation, if you've ever dreamed of working in animation, or if you just love animation, please stand with TAG and support the union effort to keep animation a viable career and a valuable medium!
Yeah I getcha. I was once like you. Pure and naive. Great news. I AM STILL PURE AND NAIVE, GAME DEV IS FUN! But where to start?
To start, here are a couple of entry level softwares you can use! source: I just made a game called In Stars and Time and people are asking me how to start making vidy gaems. Now, without further ado:
SOFTWARES AND ENGINES FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO CODE!!!
Ren'py (and also a link to it if you click here do it):
THE visual novel software. Comic artists, look no further
✨Pros: It's free! It's simple! It has great documentation! It has a bunch of plugins and UI stuff and assets for you to buy! It can be used even if you have LITERALLY no programming experience! (You'll just need to read the doc a bunch) You can also port your game to a BUNCH of consoles!
✨Cons: None really <3
Some games to look at: Doki Doki Literature Club, Bad End Theater, Butterfly Soup
Twine:
Great for text-based games! GREAT FOR WRITERS WHO DONT WANNA DRAW!!!!!!!!! (but you can draw if you want)
✨Pros: It's free! It's simple! It's versatile! It has great documentation! It can be used even if you have LITERALLY no programming experience! (You'll just need to read the doc a bunch)
✨Cons: You can add pictures, but it's a pain.
Some games to look at: The Uncle Who Works For Nintendo, Queers In love At The End of The World, Escape Velocity
Bitsy:
Little topdown games!
✨Pros: It's free! It's simple! It's (somewhat) intuitive! It has great documentation! It can be used even if you have LITERALLY no programming experience! You can make everything in it, from text to sprites to code! Those games sure are small!
✨Cons: Those games sure are small. This is to make THE simplest game. Barely any animation for your sprites, can barely fit a line of text in there. But honestly, the restrictions are refreshing!
Some games to look at: honestly I haven't played that many bitsy games because i am a fake gamer. The picture above is from Under A Star Called Sun though and that looks so pretty
RPGMaker:
To make RPGs! LIKE ME!!!!!
NOTE: I recommend getting the latest version if you can, but all have their pros and cons. You can get a better idea by looking at this post.
✨Pros: Literally everything you need to make an RPG. Has a tutorial inside the software itself that will teach you the basics. Pretty simple to understand, even if you have no coding experience! Also I made a post helping you out with RPGMaker right here!
✨Cons: Some stuff can be hard to figure out. Also, the latest version is expensive. Get it on sale!
Some games to look at: Yume Nikki, Hylics, In Stars and Time (hehe. I made it)
engine.lol:
collage worlds! it is relatively new so I don't know much about it, but it seems fascinating. picture is from Garden!
NOTE: There's a bunch of smaller engines to find out there. Just yesterday I found out there's an Idle Game Maker made by the Cookie Clicker creator. Isn't life wonderful?
✨more advice under the cut. this is Long ok✨
ENGINES I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AND THEY SEEM HARD BUT ALSO GIVE IT A TRY I GUESS!!!! :
Unity and Unreal: I don't know anything about those! That looks hard to learn! But indie devs use them! It seems expensive! Follow your dreams though! Don't ask me how!
GameMaker: Wuh I just don't know anything about it either! I just know it's now free if your game is non-commercial (aka, you're not selling it), and Undertale was made on it! It seems good! You probably need some coding experience though!!!
Godot: Man I know even less about this one. Heard good things though!
BUNCHA RANDOM ADVICE!!!!
-Make something small first! Try making simple: a character is in a room, and exits the room. The character can look around, decide to take an item with them, can leave, and maybe the door is locked and you have to find the key. Figuring out how to code something like that, whether it is as a fully text-based game or as an RPGMaker map, should be a good start to figure out how your software of choice works!
-After that, if you have an idea, try first to make the simplest version of that idea. For my timeloop RPG, my simplest version was two rooms: first room you can walk in, second room with the King, where a cutscene automatically plays and the battle starts, you immediately die, and loop back to the first room, with the text from this point on reflecting this change. I think I also added a loop counter. This helped me figure out the most important thing: Can This Game Be Made? After that, the rest is just fun stuff.
So if you want to make a dating sim, try and figure out how to add choices, and how to have affection points go up and down depending on your choices! If you want to make a platformer, figure out how to make your character move and jump and how to create a simple level! If you just want to make a kinetic visual novel with no choices, figure out how to add text, and how to add portraits! You'll be surprised at how powerful you'll feel after having figured even those simple things out.
-If you have a programming problem or just get confused, never underestimate the power of asking Google! You most likely won't be the only person asking this question, and you will learn some useful tips! If you are powerful enough, you can even… Ask people??? On forums??? Not me though.
-Yeah I know you probably want to make Your Big Idea RIGHT NOW but please. Make a smaller prototype first. You need to get that experience. Trust me.
-If you are not a womanthing of many skills like me, you might realize you need help. Maybe you need an artist, or a programmer. So! Game jams on itch.io are a great way to get to work and meet other game devs that have different strengths! Or ask around! Maybe your artist friend secretly always wanted to draw for a game. Ask! Collaborate! Have fun!!!
I hope that was useful! If it was. Maybe. You'd like to buy me a coffee. Or maybe you could check out my comics and games. Or just my new critically acclaimed game In Stars and Time. If you want. Ok bye
#ThePatakisWeek FREE PRIZE RAFFLE & Fan Fest is ON!!
We got FREE PRIZES for fans, content creators & new petition signers to hype & help get Helga Pataki's teen spin-off "The Patakis" greenlit! (Just like fans did for Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie!)
Submit tickets to win! Click FREE RAFFLE @ operationthepatakis.carrd.co
Content creators, we can't wait to see what you make! Make sure to post with #ThePatakisWeek hashtag and we'll reblog!
I admit, I had a heck of a time choosing what I wanted the last picture to be. I'm not the best at coming up with things on the fly sometimes, but I thought that I should finally announce properly that I'm working on a fanfic based off of this prompt I got off tumblr with a title picture I decided to finally draw! (Which, funnily enough, is my working title. Seriously: "Hey Arnold! Fanfic From This Prompt I Got Off Of Tumblr" is the first thing in my doc file.)
Essentially, it's an AU where Helga and Curly become closer friends and all the hijinks that ensue with that. They do NOT become a couple, but they do help bring out the best in each other and help the other with the affections of their crushes, Rhonda and Arnold (who are now noticing Curly and Helga because the two have pranked [most of] PS118 into thinking they're dating).
I don't have many chapters pre-written, I'm unsure where to publish them, and I don't even have a title. But I'm having so much fun writing about these goobers that I feel as though I should publish it on one of the many sites soon... As soon as I have a title! If you have an idea for a title, comment an idea and maybe I'll use it! (And thank you, of course.)
But with that, I have successfully made it through an entire Shortaki Week! On time! It's been an absolutely amazing ride and I enjoyed every moment! Thank you to my new fans! Thank you for all your lovely comments! Thank you other artists who participated! Thank you to Craig who was so awesome to 'like' two of my pictures (at time of writing)! Thank YOU reading this! I had an absolute blast making all this art and I hope to make a lot more soon! Thank you all again!
Alright, I couldn't help myself. I had to do the two of them getting married in San Lorenzo. I chose to interpret the Green Eyes amulets as not only gratitude for saving their people, but also a symbol and acknowledgement of the wearers being soulmates. Whatever status of companionship. Joining them in heartbeat and seeing eye-to-eye.
Initially, though, I feel like they got wedded traditionally in a Hillwood church (like they both dreamed) with friends and family. But they also decided they wanted to be wed by the green eyes as well, since I head-canon Arnold would have spent his high-school and/or college days with his parents in San Lorenzo.
The three have grown up since TJM, of course, so I feel like it would mean the world if the princess-now-probably-queen wedded the two in person to a recluse audience after the traditional one. Kind of like a blessed send-off for the Volcano Boy and the Golden Corazon Girl. (And maybe a chicken wedding gift? For a future son?)
I actually made a small reference of this in the previous post! Look closer at the pictures on Helga's corkboard right near Olga's marriage picture and you'll see something similar to this pose, but in the Jungle Movie outfits. This picture is clearly more thought out than the little reference I made then, but I thought it'd be a cute little callback~ I really loved making this special moment between the two.
I really hope you liked this, I do have something planned for Day Eight, but I have thoroughly enjoyed every single moment this week! Thank you to everyone who has liked my stuff enough to engage with it. I am so elated that this week this year has been so successful and it's all thanks to you guys~ Last day tomorrow! See you then!
If I had a nickle for every time I've been obsessed with a show with a specific-shaped-head boy that have a girl clad in pink crushing on them, and just so happens to have Dan Povenmire working on the show... I'd have two nickles! Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice!
This one was EXTREMELY fun to do~ I initially thought Helga should attend the same college as Phoebe, but I then thought how great would it be if she attended Tri-State State like Isabella from Phineas and Ferb. The two certainly have a LOT in common: soccer, smart and capable at a young age, having a bully-turned-friend, childhood felt like an adventure, unrequited-turned-requited love, etc.
This one is cram-full of details in every crevice~ I tried to imply Cindi Lauper's Time After Time was playing in the background (and having the "suitcase... memories..." and a clock for the "second hand unwind[ing]). The bomb is actually a poster for another band easter egg: Sex Bob-Oms from Scott Pilgrim VS the World. It's a stretch but I'm sure those who agree Helga would have a punk phase and would listen to the underground Canadian band (I guess like I listen to Mother Mother, haha).
Every photo on the corkboard was a nice little distraction and was a great little way to pass the time. I usually go into great detail like this when I really feel confident about a piece and this one is no exception~ I really hope you like the little details as much as I do~ Thank you again for liking my stuff~ Day Seven tomorrow! Where does the time go...?
Remember those Shortaki kids I did back in 2022? No? Well here they are as actual kids! If you remember, these kids are based off of the triplets that Arnold dreamed about him and Helga having in the episode 'Married'. I decided to give a glimpse of what the three would look like if they were nine (yes they're triplets).
I feel like Stella, the Helga lookalike, would get into scrapes to protect her siblings. Phillip, the one standing, would try to de-escalate the situation (his chicken Isabelle is also pictured... kind of...). And Gertrude, the one in Arnold's arm, is the one who would usually be picked on by other peers.
I think this fight happened because Gertie is on the autistic spectrum in some way (it wasn't explicitly said in her profile I made last year, but I feel it made sense). Kids can be cruel, and misunderstandings about what she says or does can lead to confrontation (which Gertie justifiably does not care for). Perhaps with a Burman kid or something. Seeing her sister in distress, Stella steps in and threatens to get the kid to cut it out. Even with Phil's attempts to stop a fight, his slightly-older sister launches into one anyway. She is victorious and the other kid runs away, but she is badly injured.
Stella initially tries to hide that she got hurt from her parents (especially one particular wound oozing a stream of blood), but Arnold and Helga find out rather quickly, both extremely concerned. While Helga patched Stella up (in between grumbles of "Mom, you're smothering me..."), Phil explains what happened. Gertrude confirms with timid nods. Arnold thanks them for telling the truth, but suggests that Stella should apologize after she calms down.
Alright, so this one is a bit of a stretch and I had to do a lot of my explaining in the description, but I'm happy with how it turned out and that's what matters, I think. Thank you for all your support! See you tomorrow! I'm extremely excited for then!
If it weren't for the fact I aimed to do all three of these prompts, I would've chosen some different ideas. However the option of helping to retrieve a stray kitten from a cave was the one to go for (adding the warning sign was also incredibly obvious).
The sign is based off a real one I saw online when I was looking up "cave warning sign"s. A grim reaper with such strong deterring words of warning was certainly what I wasn't expecting, but it was perfect. I was only surprised there weren't many others... I tried to give the background a brush of darker blotches like the cartoon has and, well, I hope you can tell there's a cat in there, haha.
Why are they saving the cat for Harold? I dunno, Harold liked Thurston. I figured he found this stray cat in the cave and asked Arnold for help. With Helga as the voice of reason and Arnold as the good-natured heart, the two would brave the cave and get the cat back. Maybe it really was a stray this time and, with proper care and paperwork, it could finally be Harold's Cupcake. (Harold DID take care of Thurston surprisingly well...)
Thank you for all the love on the previous Days! It's been a heck of a ride seeing all the honestly astounding feedback! Hope you liked this one and I hope you're ready for Day Five!
With the newfound resurgence in interest of "the Patakis" I knew I had to do Helga Pataki, now fifteen and attending her first day of smart-people high school as a pilot episode that doesn't exist (yet). It's a little hard to read, but Helga does have the first of many letters from Arnold (who I head-canon is in San Lorenzo with his parents to reconnect and become a part-time humanitarian for the Helpers for Humanity in between school).
"Dear Helga, how are you? I'm alright. Starting school here soon. Things are definitely different... How is your school? I miss you... I hope we meet soon... From Arnold."
I did a mini sketch for this while I was visiting my uncle and aunt in the same sketchbook I did Shortaki Week 2022 in but didn't end up using it this time. Although the leaked pitch bible for the show had Helga in a blue shirt and jeans, the description says "she dons black t-shirts, androgynous jeans with big cuffs, and chunky combat-esque boots" and "on her head, instead of a bow, is a grungy stocking cap (the famous pink bow is hidden underneath)".
The Patakis show doesn't exist... yet... but with your help, you can sign a petition for a greenlight of the the show! Here's a link to the official "Operation: The Patakis" Twitter for more details! If it's something that interests you, we could have a similar resurgence to TJM!
Anywho, shameless plug out of the way, I hope you like Day Three~ I had a nice little time making it for you~
Shortaki Week 2023 - Day Two - Distance / Carnival / Routine
This was the moment I knew I was on a roll doing all three prompts since I almost immediately came up with an idea:
"What if Grandpa Phil's stories of Arnold's mom and dad being in the circus were actually true and there's an alternate universe out there where Arnold goes with them and becomes a tightrope walker? Like his parents were in his dream?" and "What if Helga sees him at a distance when she's in the audience one day [when he's performing in Hillwood] and that's how she gets her crush on him?"
Since it's easier for Helga to hide her crush on Arnold (him being in a traveling circus/carnival and whatnot), she's only really trying to hide it because she thinks it's a pipe dream. It's not like "the Astounding Volcano Boy born from the Green Eyes of San Lorenzo" had any time for silly crushes... Little does she know that he spots her in the crowd and fell in love with her.
They probably get to know each other after shows and write when he's on the road again. Y'know, this would make a good fanfiction...
Hope you guys like this one as much as I did making it! Been so wonderful seeing all your reactions!
Shortaki Week 2023 - Day One - Sweater / Loss / Train
Decided to post my Shortaki Week 2023 on tumblr as well as my Instagram since I'm doing them on time. I challenged myself to do all three prompts every day because I'm crazy like that. It's usually formatted: one is obvious, another is hidden a little, and the other is a bit of a stretch.
With this in mind, Sweater is the most obvious, Train is hidden a little, but Loss is a bit of a stretch. I tried to format this four panel comic in a certain way. One character. Two characters with one a bit smaller than the other. Two characters, the same kind of height. And a long telephone pole and the lengthwise train. If you know, you know. If you don't, thank your lucky stars.
I feel like this was the worst drawing out of the week. But even then, I'm glad that it turned out pretty good considering. Just a cute little interaction between the two. Almost like a little warm-up. I hope you like it!
I promised a long time ago to post these when they were finished, I waited way too long, eheh~ But here’s Jolteon, Togepi, Abra and Feraligatr, finally finished. I have plenty more and I hope you’re ready for some more repaints~ #pokemon #gatcha #danglers #repaint #jolteon #eeveelution #togepi #abra #feraligatr #moretocome #staytuned #thegoodenchantress22 https://www.instagram.com/p/B2D0vZCgC0w/?igshid=1a9slq77om6wz
Hey everyone~ Starting tomorrow I'm going off on a three week holiday with my grandma~ I don't think I'll be active on any social medias for that long, but I'll try... I'll try to conjure up some drawings while I'm gone~ 💙#vacation #sapphiresu #suitcase #stevenuniverse #rubyxsapphire #delmarva #sapphire #illbebacksoon #💙 #❤️💙#ribbon #summerdress #missyoualready
And all three of my babies (I have so far) have been repainted and I am super happy with the result~ :3 Thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope to post soon~ #pokemon #soperfectialmostcried #lookatmybabiesallpaintedup #firstrepaint #reuniclus #krookodile #cacturn #thesearegoingonmyeeveelutionspurseandnoonecanstopme #myboisandmygorl #myhandsarecoveredinpaintbutitisworthit #haveanurgetodrawsomestormsifyougetmyrefrence
Would you look at that, Reuniclus is done~ Much MUCH better than the original, and I even added some extra shimmer to her so she shines like her concept art. :3 #pokemon #repaint #reuniclus #shimmerygorl #improvementfromoriginal #whatababe #psychictypebabe