Xylemon
joined
Hi, I am Xylemon, a freelance artist with a multitude of past and present works under my belt. Currently, I work at Vera Visions LLC with some long time friends.
My Blogs (0 - 10 of 14)
Since I haven't posted anything on here in a year, I thought it would be appropriate to post this. Please visit this URL for my latest blog posts:
It's been a while hasn't it? The biggest change you may be noticing is that my old blog is gone! Well, get some popcorn and a drink and I'll tell you all about the recent changes.
My Site has been through some radical changes, and I'm happy to announce what may be my final design of mod pages, comments and of course my blog:
Above is the brand new design for the projects page! While the layout hasn't changed much, the code was cleaned up (tons of organized classes) and colors were added to make it more alive.
In addition to this, I've also made preview headers when browsing mods/maps also use their animated counterparts on mouse hover. This feature is still work in progress, as I have to figure out how to make it stop from loading the gifs when you load the page itself and to add animated headers to others that don't have them.
Finally, the new comment system. While I used Disqus (which is a great service I'd recommend to anyone) since February, I decided to tap into Google's new G+ Comment system. I was very satisfied with how it works, with features such as sharing each post with your G+ and showing those who +1'd the page. Please note: This is uses an unofficial method to do this. Google's API does not support comments on third party websites yet, so it may be subject to change or not work at all anymore (if this happens I will move back to Disqus). It does not also support anonymous posts (yet). Hopefully as time goes on, Google will update this service to include this feature. Have fun! And feel free to follow me on Google+.
Now, once again, I'm sure you're all wondering about Overturn. Well progress has been slow but advancing. Right now we are really just waiting for the code to be finished, and when that's all said and done we'll have the demo shipped out and ready for everyone to play! I hope we can see a release by the end of June.
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out Bloodbath Softworks and Dethklan Games!
I know what's on your mind, where the hell is the Overturn demo!?
Well I wish we could have done it, but life has been rather hectic lately. We got a considerable amount of progress done, but alas, it wasn't enough. So Overturn didn't make a Christmas release, or a New Years release. Though it's been a month, where is it now?
Rafael, Overturn creator, has been on family vacations, and should be home within the week. He's tried contributing what he has been able to in the past couple of weeks, but it has been proving to be extremely difficult.
Joe, myself, along with our current coder, have also been working at a slow pace. For right now everything is very slow. However, we are about to kick it into gear and we will have this demo out, for it has been haunting us for almost two years now! I can't give a definitive date, but it will be very soon, I can tell you that much.
Comments! Something that has been very lacking on this site, finally has arrived with Disqus, a service which provides a comment system for sites such as mine. You don't have to have a Disqus account to comment on here, and I don't filter out any comments (unless it's advertisements/spam or something highly illegal). Free free to post your thoughts properly now!
Note: Comments for blog posts will be viewed on all blog posts, so be sure to state which blog post you are referring to in your comment. Also, for the time being, ignore "Comments are not allowed", for that is referring to my blogging system and not Disqus. This will be fixed soon enough.
Last but not least, Vektar is a modification for Quake developed by my good friend Marco (same guy who did Qreate), and quite a fun mod too. It basically involves players finding a randomly placed statue and destroying it to collect a "Vektar". The one who collects the most wins! Be sure to check the page I created for it to download the mod.
Along with this release, Missing Signal: Part II was released, the second part of my compilation album containing various unreleased songs I've composed over the years. Part III, the last release of this set, is coming soon.
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out Bloodbath Softworks and Dethklan Games !
As tis' the season, Merry Christmas! Below is some exciting news involving Overturn and the current Multiplayer Demo progress!
In the last couple of weeks we have been struggling to find a coder and have begun coding ourselves. Fortunately, we have found a temporary coder who will help us ship out the demo hopefully within a week. Currently, the mod refuses to work with Steam (this will be fixed ASAP) and we were dying to test out some maps over MP. This lead to us using WON2 and so far it has been a blast. After the experience of getting WON2 to work, it has been decided that we will host a WON2 and Steam server when we go live. Also included in this upcoming demo along with new weapons and maps, is the revised Downzone! The first released content from Bloodbath, now is back and better than ever including new traps. Stay tuned!
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out Bloodbath Softworks and Dethklan Games !
This post will be quick, but needed!
Ash_Link being the kindhearted soul he is, allowed me to host off of his newly purchased domain. My site now resides at Xylem.buffdrinklots.com and I plan to stay there quite a long time. My previous domain, xylem.netne.net, will remain up to redirect any visitors and to host Fast DL for my Killing Floor server.
Duel_Dust is a Team Fortress 2 map I have recently released. Originally it was created out of an overnight competition between a friend and myself to make a map before dawn. After winning and some playthroughs, I left the map buggy and overall incomplete. With it just sitting on my HD for well over a year, I had to finish it and finally release it onto the public. So if you're wanting to duel a friend in TF2 and need a new map, then check it out here!
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out the recently renamed Bloodbath Softworks and Dethklan Games!
Since it's one of my favorite holidays, I'd thought it was time update this thing with media!
Last week I finally shut down the first domain ever made for my personal site, Classic-HL. The shut down was pretty obvious, for the name itself was dreadful and what I would consider my favorite game has definitely changed...
Anyhow, with the site it was all part of this idea I had for a mod-based company named with another awful name I can barely remember. Despite all the unwise decisions and names I came up with in 2010, it was this time period that lead to many memorable things: The Axel Project, meeting Joe from Bloodbath, and just overall evolving in mapping. Yes, it was quite fun thinking back on it now.
Eventually I was embarrassed with how poorly written and hideous my previous site was so I started working on this in December 2011, in which I chose the name "Xylem" after hearing it in Biology class and thinking it just sounded just right. After several major redesigns, and meeting up with Ash_Link to code my site, you have what we see here today (really, thanks a lot for all of this Taylor).So after all that back-story, here are some images of various designs I switched from over the years:
Design 2 - June 2010 (missing header):
Design 3 - Early 2011:
Design 4 - December 2011:
Design 5 - January(?) 2012:
Lately we have been a bit more active at Bloodbath with Overturn. We may very well have a release this year (fingers crossed!) This isn't a singleplayer demo, but in fact an action packed multiplayer demo! Be sure to get your weapons loaded, but this could be a very bloody Christmas!
Last but not least, Happy Halloween! Collect all that candy you selfish little brat!
It's been a while, and there have been some notable events, however, things have also been rather slow...
Unreal has been an engine I've overlooked, and was extremely foolish to ignore. Earlier this week a friend and I have been learning the Unreal 2k4 engine and so far the results have been fantastic. I intend to switch over to this engine completely by the end of the year or later. First I have a couple projects to finish.
Typical Indie Game (The Game) is also closing it's door. Sadly after finding some members, the interest in the project slowly dropped, and so did my interest in the game itself.
Some of you may have noticed that Open Katana is absent from my site, there are a few reasons for this. Due to many internal conflicts and lack of work from myself, I left OldTimes Software and it doesn't look like I'll be coming back anytime soon.
On a brighter note, I have released Missing Signal: Part I, a compilation album of my older songs. I will probably end up releasing the other two sets before the end of year.
I feel very unorganized this year for I have flipped-flopped with teams and projects, however despite how the year has gone, it's starting to shape up and I finally am on a road with a light at the end of the tunnel. Everything is improving and all is going on a steady course, hopefully it will stay that way...
Also on: My Site
Although I'm not much of a patriot I feel the need to say "Happy Independence day!" As follows are some small updates.
OpenKatana finally has a ModDB page, I'd recommend you check it out! In celebration of this I have also added OK on my site. There is no page yet but I will be working on one as soon as Ash_Link finishes an exciting update for my site.
Today I'd like to announce a project I've been debating on, "TYPICAL INDIE GAME(THE GAME)" as it's called. You might be wondering to yourself what exactly is this game? It's a satirical game that's based on the recent popular "Indie Scene" taking various cliches from indie games such as, "retro" pixel art, infinite lives, and so forth. It will even include some famous titles and people in the indie scene. Now please note, this is a joke. This game is all for fun and I'm not trying to upset anyone, just trying give a good laugh for those who enjoy or hate the indie scene. So whatever side of the fence you're on, I hope you enjoy this up-coming title.
A new section labelled, Music has been added on my site. It's a page for my discography and I will be having some releases very soon. The page will also be gradually updated over time, so keep an eye out!
Last but not least, I can confirm that I will be contributing to Bloodbath Software and still help them on their endeavors. The inner conflicts were resolved and I look forward to working again on Overturn.
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out the projects from OldTimes Software, Dethklan Games and of course Bloodbath Software!
Also on: Xylem
In with the new and out with old, it's time for my semi-monthly blog. This one is a bit short, I'll have a longer post this month.
Xylem, my home site, has gotten a complete re-code and makeover from Ash_Link! Including a new blog system. So far I've been incredibly happy with his work and can't wait to see what else he adds to the site.
Open Katana has been in development for over a year now, and there is some exciting stuff to show soon!
Bloodbath, as you know, I left earlier this month. This was a mini brawl initially at my leaving but all has been resolved. I am not returning to Bloodbath per-se but I may help with their projects later on.
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out the fabulous projects from OldTimes Software and Dethklan Games!
Also on: My site
Once again life got in the way and I've post-poned this for much too long! So here is my semi-monthly blog post. Get ready, this is a long post.
Summer is approaching and so is the end of my school year. With this brings a lot of new changes, first one being is my departure of Bloodbath Software. We had various views and outlooks on our projects and couldn't come to an agreement. So I have left and will no longer be a part of development on Overturn. I wish luck to the rest of the Bloodbath team and hope their projects go well. In spite of this I have been accepted to Dethklan Games(creators of the great Half-Screwed). I know this is a big change but I feel overall happy with my decision and I won't disappoint.
*Note: Under my projects page I will be puting Overturn under my past works section.
WON Doctors was started after this post, and it left quite a nasty taste in many people's mouth upon watching it. Reflecting back at the video I released, I should havve done a more quality job. For one, I did not have any logo at the time or any other indicators of the production. The major flaw, however, was how I narrated and played through Cry of Fear. I didn't talk very loud or clear, often repeating words and not explaining in full detail. In my defense, it was a pilot and a playthrough(this doesn't excuse anything though). You'll see a further explanation and review of Cry of Fear and the team behind it in my CoF 1.2 review coming sometime this year. I can say this, lessons learned: Don't rush into a video just to get it out there first, don't ever do another playthrough(they do get rather tiresome don't they?), have better production quality, and most importantly, double check if the issues experienced are just myself or global. I apologize for any wrong information I said in the video, one or two things were incorrect. So again, expect a review of CoF and the first episode of WON Doctors.
Qreate, developed by eukos and with some additional maps by myself, is a small sandbox mod for Quake that eukos had lying around and decided to release it to the public. Currently on Alpha 0.5 and can be downloaded off of ModDB or my site. *Note to Darkplace users: Please type the following in console upon starting the mod, "exec quake.rc". If any other issues occur with any other Quake engine, please let us know. Thanks.
Last note, and I can't believe I'm still talking about it months later myself, Streetlevel did loose MOTM on TWHL. Released in late January(probably just a bit of bad timing) I lost out to hlife_hotdog's Apartment X2. Not a bad map per say and pretty nice for a small little remake. It's worth a try at least, I have some different thoughts about it winning MOTM but fair is fair and congrats hotdog!
That's it for this blog post. Be sure to check out the fabulous projects from OldTimes Software and Dethklan Games!
Also on: My site
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