Yesterday I did a test run of the 1st minizine from “The Pink Series.”
Not sure where these will land yet, but I’m open to suggestions!
—Suzanne
Minizine!
Tag: Art
Game Progress and Other Updates
Happy Wednesday!
It’s been a while since I’ve shared new game updates on the website. Allergies really kicked my butt these last few weeks and I’ve been in a bit of a fog. Fortunately, we’re just a few days away from the official start of summer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and the pollen count is only going up from here! Yay! [Wait.]
Part of my absence from posting on my site was that I was working really hard on a project for an organization that, in the end, was not set up to properly support content creators. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Not every effort is going to pan out in the end, and sometimes, the best option is to reroute our energy, especially when we don’t have much energy to begin with [see first paragraph] and mom duties call.
[Ha ha, duties.]
I also tried my hand at standup comedy for a few months, which was more an exercise in remembering what it was like to interact with other adults outside of formal meetings. For now, I love the writing aspect of standup, but not so much the standing-up of standup. I’ll give it another go again somewhere down the line, but for now, I’m gleefully back in the safety of a late Cretaceous Era Tacoma.*
Here’s some of the game progress I’ve shared on other social media sites so far. If you want to support No, Mine! Studios in the goal of reaching a wider audience, please like, follow/ subscribe, and share No,, Mine! on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and even the dusty old YouTube.
If you have places in Tacoma you want to ensure are in the game, drop me a line in the comments below, or email nominestudios@gmail.com.
Animation and sound by Suzanne Skaar, 2020-2022. All rights reserved.
As always, thank you for your support! And thank you to the Tacoma Arts Commission for providing support for this project through the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program!
Suzanne
*[I realize Tacoma would have been completely under water 66 million years ago and probably did not have any decent places to get falafel.]
No, Mine! Studios Zine #1
No, Mine! Studios Zine #1, a mini black and white coloring book with art from the dino game, is now available for download. Check it out!
If you buy a dinosaur a coffee …
Then the little dino is going to want a bubble tea… and maybe a vegetarian taco, too.
The process of building up a studio and developing a game can be long and lonely. It can especially be challenging as a mom to network through the normal avenues when many are not welcoming of children, and the pandemic has made it more difficult to depend on already limited childcare resources. Thank you everyone has cheered me on and jumped in to help along the way! I am especially grateful for the support received from the Tacoma Artist Initiative Program to focus on building up the environment of the game. [Much of the game’s background art is loosely based on real places in Tacoma, WA.]
If you would like to help offset some of the costs of running a small business (business licenses, equipment, software, food …), consider buying a dino a coffee (or a bubble tea, or a taco). I do have a limited run of work up on Redbubble, as well as buttons and stickers ready to be placed in local retail stores.
If there is a design on my site that you would like to purchase that is not on Redbubble yet, email nominestudios@gmail.com.
You can also help No, Mine! Studios reach a larger audience by following on these platforms:
Thank you for your time and support!
Suzanne
Sneak Peek
Here’s a look at the latest progress on the interior of “The Very Diverse Society for Old Dude Bros” from my as yet untitled dinosaur game. Enjoy!
For more content, please like, subscribe, and follow No, Mine! Studios on the following platforms:
Thank you for your support!
Suzanne
Audio Design
I started adding sound effects into the game engine (Unity) last week. It took me a long time to get into audio design projects, but now that I’m here, I’m having a lot of fun.
Stegos are peeping. Trilobites are shuffling. Volcanoes are blorping.
I could have been blorping volcanoes for decades!
I never felt like I knew enough before I could start, but this approach is backwards. I’ve learned so much more from the actual doing than the researching beforehand. There need to be more spaces for women and girls to fail and be encouraged to move forward anyway.
Graphics and sound by Suzanne Skaar, 2022. All rights reserved.
Game Background Art
Good morning!
As many who follow this site already know, the background art for my as yet untitled dino game is loosely based on real spaces in Tacoma. Of course, since the characters in the game are dinosaurs/ other creatures of the Cretaceous Period (for the most part), some liberties have been taken.
Here are a few examples of what I have been working on. What other local landmarks would you like to see represented?
— Suzanne
Power Lines
An experiment with color balance for this side project.
I had a much longer post, but I deleted it. My heart has been heavy lately, and I don’t want to send direct messages in case they cause issues in the current political climate. Love to my friends in Ukraine and Russia, and those who escaped but left their hearts there. Please stay safe. — Suzanne
Accessibility and Technology
A year ago, I went through the very frustrating process of trying to get help from Novation tech support to remove the unnecessary flashing light display on the Launchpad X due to flashing lights being a known migraine trigger. At the time, it did not go well, but it inspired my essay on accessibility and technology entitled “Rock Salt.” Today, I received the following message:
“[W]e have released the 1.0.5 update for Launchpad Mini Mk3 and Launchpad X that will disable the Vegas mode display when a PC connection is unavailable (as you had requested).”
Even though I returned the product a year ago, it’s good to know the company took this concern seriously. There’s always room to grow.
Suzanne
Dino Game Trailer
Good morning! Here is the latest trailer for progress on my game about power, knowledge, gatekeeping, and accessibility on YouTube.
You can support No, Mine! Studios on the following platforms:
A full list is available on my homepage as well. Like, share, and subscribe for more!
Thank you for your support!
–Suzanne
No, Mine! Studios 