No, Mine! Studios is going on a short break starting this week and should be back at the end of 2025/ beginning of 2026. Have a safe and happy winter!
Cheers!
Suzanne
Taking a Short Break
Author: Suzanne Skaar
Tacoma based artist and writer. Currently working on as yet untitled video game with support from the City of Tacoma Artist Initiative Program. You can follow progress on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok: @nominestudios. E-mail: nominestudios@gmail.com.
Arts at the Armory Wrap-up
A belated thank you to all who stopped by the No, Mine! Studios booth on Saturday and/ or Sunday! And a huge shout out to Tim Kapler for doing all the heavy lifting, and even some last minute button-making/ packaging for the event!
As mentioned at the show, I would love your support in getting the word about “Yeetcosystem: The Game!” This comedic take on the luxury housing industry will be No, Mine! Studios’ first game made in collaboration with a whole team and we’re going to start fundraising in the early part of 2026! (Because paying indie game devs and creatives for their work rocks!)
Like, follow, and subscribe on the Social Media Platform of your choosing — particularly BlueSky, YouTube, and Instagram — and help us reach a wider audience!
Cheers!
Suzanne
Weekend Happenings
It’s that time again: Tacoma area friends, will I see you at the Arts at the Armory?
Stop by the No, Mine! Studios booth to say hi and check out what’s on the docket for 2026, including how you can be a part of the studio’s efforts to launch the demo for the studio’s first team project: Yeetcosystem (the Game).
While I’m still dealing with my wrist injury (surgery is finally scheduled!!!), the dino game (a.k.a., The Suciasaurus Scrolls: A Grit City Adventure) has been on a temporary hiatus. This project started as my baby, and I’m going to resume babying the heck out of it once I’m feeling better. That said, I will have my projector and screen with me for anyone who wants to play through the dino game. If it’s not up on the screen when you stop by, just ask. 🙂
Stay safe, stay warm, and talk soon!
Suzanne
Follow No, Mine! Studios on social media!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nominestudios.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nominestudios/
Happy October!
Long time no blog!
No, Mine! Studios has been going through some major changes, as have I, as has everyone else. [Skip ahead if you just want happy news. I do not blame you in the slightest.]
WHINY RECAP HERE
For the last two years, I have been dealing with “temporary” mobility restrictions for one hand, thinking that I was going to get surgery any day now. This sad excuse of a Sam Beckett play called “Dealing With LNI” left me worried about starting anything major lest it mess with my treatment or recovery in terms of timing and pain, stressed that insurers would blame me for making the situation worse, and overly anxious to be near other people outside my immediate circle. The most important lesson I learned from this is that LNI doesn’t need an excuse to deny surgeries: that’s what third party reviewers are for. Ba-dum-dum-tsss (insert drum sound effect here). I’m still anxious to be in public, but I’m trying to fix this. If you see me, approach slowly and don’t tap on my [sun]glass[es]. (I mean, that really should go for everyone.)
HAPPY PART HERE
So as I start making my way out of the Shire again, like a disheveled little hobbit, here are some updates:
1: No, Mine! Studios was accepted into Tacoma Arts Live’s Accelerating Creative Enterprise (ACE) program! I have the opportunity to start crafting community events for others interested in animation and game design at the Tacoma Armory. Details coming soon, but if you have special requests or would like to help out, please email nominestudios@gmail.com.
[One of the other unofficial yet amazing benefits of ACE is that a cookie from The Cookie Clubhouse just magically materialized before me while typing this. Go buy some delicious cookies!!! )
To learn more about ACE, click here.
2: Before getting accepted into ACE, No, Mine! Studios was also accepted into the City of Tacoma’s Arts at the Armory festival! More details about all the amazing artists that will be there can be found here.
3: A group of stellar volunteers has formed to help make a prototype of one of my game ideas. From sound design to programming, this team is doing a lot of heavy lifting. In addition to wanting to make the game demo available to the public as soon as possible, I want to make sure everyone who works on this project is equitably paid. Part of that rests on building up a strong social media presence so we can get the Kickstarter funded as soon as it goes live, so, without further ado:
FRIENDLY REQUESTS HERE
Please take a minute to encourage your friends to subscribe to this page. Also, please like, subscribe, and follow @nominestudios on Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram. If you’re interested in being contacted for one of our live game test sessions or helping get the word out about this project, reach out to nominestudios@gmail.com.
GRATITUDE HERE
Thank you for your supporting a woman-owned/Tacoma-based animation and game studio! Comment below if you’re in ACE too, I’ll see you at the Armory this November, you shared and subscribed, or if you just want to say hi. 😊
Suzanne
Collaboration Opportunity
The prototype process of a new “super top-secret” PC game project is now underway at No, Mine! Studios!
It takes a few hits at capitalist excess, but at its heart it’s a lot of comedic fun. A small team of volunteers is on board, and we would love to bring more collaborators into the mix. If you’re interested in learning more about this latest antic, email nominestudios@gmail.com.
Game Update
In late 2024 I was given a super quick turn around time to produce a 3-7 minute long demo trailer that would be played at Seattle’s SIFF Downtown Cinerama during the ConSpire Holiday Party and that I would need to speak over, or not — I wasn’t sure.
This deadline was complicated by two things:
1: One hand was (and still is) in a brace while waiting for surgery.
And
2: I had a long standing dentist appointment with nitrous the day before this was turned in. I was assured it would wear off quickly. Um… 😐 I don’t know if the latter impacted my judgment, but… I did not make that 3-7 minute goal. Also, 3-7 minutes is wayyyyy too long for a trailer. But the video was funny to me at the time it was submitted, so… Here you go. May I present the most recent look at The Suciasaurus Scrolls: A Grit City Adventure (Working Title).
Like and subscribe on YouTube to help a small Tacoma-based indie studio grow!
Cheers!
Suzanne
Update
Hi, friends!
I have been away from my studio for way too long due to an on-the-job injury. Teaching at a public high school is dangerous for all sorts of unnecessary reasons. After an upcoming surgery, I’m looking forward to finally jumping back into animation, game design, community education, and all sorts of other mischief again.
In the meantime, I have been granted an Equal Opportunity Attendance Expo pass to the 2025 GDC in San Francisco, CA. It’s a huge opportunity to network and get my projects out there. The train ticket has been bought, and now staying in San Francisco is my biggest financial hurdle. If you like what I do and want to help me take this next step, please consider donating to the cause at Buy Me a Coffee.
Otherwise, if you have remote work [consulting, research, writing, curriculum design, etc.] that you need done within the next month, email me at nominestudios [at] gmail.com.
Thank you for your support!
Suzanne
Adventure Game Fan Fair
I am excited to announce that No, Mine! Studios will be at the 2024 Adventure Game Fan Fair! Come play game demos from across the country – including my as yet untitled dino game based loosely on Tacoma, listen to talks by the original devs behind Sierra On-Line (!!!!!), and make new friends July 26-28 at UW Tacoma’s Philip Hall.
[The fair also happens to fall on my birthday weekend!]
For more info, check out adventuregamefanfair.com. Thank you, Adventure Game Hotspot, for the invitation!
Greetings!
It’s been a while!
Thanks to support from Women-Led Games, I’ll be attending the 2024 GamesBeat Summit in L.A. May 20-21! If you want to connect at the conference, let me know! I would love to discuss potential collaborations/ writing opportunities. I might also have some dino game and Yeetcosystem(TM) Licensed Sales Agent stickers/ buttons on hand. 🙂 Email me at nominestudios@gmail.com, or send a message through the conference attendees app. Or just walk up and say hi, because I will say hi back.
Thank you to those who have reached out regarding animation classes and club meetings. I’m still recovering from a wrist injury, but I’m hopeful to get back in the swing of things soon. Unfortunately, classes/ meetings are on hold until I get the all clear to lift the necessary supplies and equipment. If you’re interested and willing to help in getting this back up and running, or want to be notified when classes are offered again, email nominestudios@gmail.com.
Ways to Support No, Mine! Studios
If you’re not yet following No, Mine! Studios on Instagram, click here! If you’d like to sport some No, Mine! Studios gear, this hoodie is currently on sale at Redbubble, along with several other designs. Or, if you are feeling generous, you can also buy a dino a coffee.
Thank you for your support, and see you soon, California!
Suzanne
2023 Out!
It’s December 27, end of the year, almost made it through another one. Woot woot!
This year was jam packed with activities and new opportunities. I had the chance to help artist Mauricio Robalino complete a series of videos on his working process. I taught Game Design and Animation for two terms at Tacoma’s School of Industrial Design and Engineering, and mentored student interns through the Next Move program. I can’t wait to see what kind of projects my students and interns create in the future.
I directed “Parenting GO!” for the 72-hour 253 Film Festival, my short animation “Yeetcosystem” premiered at the Tacoma Film Festival, and I launched the South Side Animation Club (a City of Tacoma 2023 Community Arts Project): all three of which wouldn’t be possible without The Grand Cinema. I shared my in progress game demo and Yeetcosystem sales training manuals at the City of Tacoma Arts at the Armory and met and reconnected with a lot of great folks. (It’s not too late to get your training manual and complimentary sticker!)
In not-so-great news, in-person animation club meetings are on indefinite hold. My car decided it no longer wants to shift out of first gear, and the lack of a working vehicle has made hosting the free in-person animation club meetings too daunting a task given the amount of equipment and supplies that need to be moved back and forth. I’m holding out hope that this will be figured out by Springtime. (If anyone wants to donate a Vespa with a cargo rack, or a more practical working vehicle to the studio, now would be the time.) The next virtual Animators meeting be in February; the registration link will go live in early January. Pre-registration is required, but the online meetup is free.
The month of January will be dedicated to studio time and planning. I have a lot of new goals and projects in the works for the studio next year, including collaborating with other artists as possible. If you’d like to work together, reach out to nominestudios@gmail.com.
Thank you for supporting No, Mine! Studios. If you haven’t yet done so, follow @nominestudios on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. (No, Mine! still has a Twitter account, but … yeah. Not on there so much for some reason…)
Cheers to the New Year, and thank you to everyone who made this year possible! A special thanks especially to Tim Kapler and my Junior Tester Izzy, both of whom helped behind the scenes on many of the studio’s projects.
All the best,
Suzanne
No, Mine! Studios 