I'm coming up for air after an eventful GDC week. Did I mention: Lightning Prototypes, a group of crazy-talented folks, is now open for business?

We're only a few days old, so there's not much to tell you, but be assured, exciting things are in motion!

Once again, I am humbled to be working in the company of a truly outstanding group of visionaries, dreamers and doers.

Answer: The internet is broken.

My friends Dan Thron, Ben Hansford and their talented cadre are creating a whole series of these damn funny, love-filled tributes to the glory that is TRON.

That I have not told you about these sooner is a shame that will haunt me well into next week. But don't take my word for it. That's why they invented hyperlinks.

Episode 01: Discs of Doom

Episode 02: TV Night

Episode 03: Bikesploitation!

Episode 05: The Interrogation

Where is episode 04 you ask?

Exactly...

Links have been fixed. Thanks Mark!

This last Tuesday, the EA axe swung again, lopping off the Boom Blox team.

This is an amazing team, full of passionate dreamers and doers, who can take on a new platforms like no others I've seen. It has been my great pleasure to work with them, and I sincerely hope we will work together again soon.

All our good thoughts are with those who remain behind at EA. Good luck to you and your projects, friends!

And now...let's see what's next!

I had a great conversation recently with a couple of good friends, both grizzled industry veterans. A couple of quick introductions, before jumping in.

Gareth Hinds kicks off the conversation. Gareth is a creator of graphic novels, whose excellent adaptations of Beowulf, King Lear and The Merchant of Venice are not to be missed. He also has a dark, secret past as an extraordinary game artist.

Dave Konieczny is co-founder of Bithoard Games, whose recent release Blastination is one of my favorite iPhone games.

Gareth: What advice do you give to high school kids who think they want to become game designers? Is there anything like a recommended course of study as they head into college?

I recently got asked about this by two different kids.

Sean: You're asking me? I just made stuff up as I went along, and somehow got people to pay me. But that was more than a decade ago…not sure that works anymore. };^)

Having a background in programming and art is certainly helpful from the standpoint of effectively communicating your ideas. That has certainly been a huge help to me over the years.
There will be math. Algebra, trig, statistics. You will be happy with a strong foundation in maths. The more you know the better off you’ll be.

But the biggest thing, and here is where I think art is important, they have to make themselves keen observers. They also need to read widely, travel, go for nature walks, pretty much everything but sit in a classroom/cubicle all day. Get out of the echo chamber of popular culture once and awhile.

Tell them not to get attached to ideas. Ideas are a dime a dozen. Focus on turning ideas into a product, a demo, something real.

Very cool. Boom Blox Bash Party, which I finished up work on several months ago, has made the LA Times Top Ten Video Games of 2009. If you haven't played it, go out and find a copy. Here's a hint:

Boom Blox Bash Party

It's good darn fun!

But hey, you're busy, and who has time to click on an external link these days, so without further delay:

• No. 10: Assassin's Creed II
• No. 9: Fight Night Round 4
• No. 8: Wolfenstein
• No. 7: Wii Sports Resort
• No. 6: Batman: Arkham Asylum
• No. 5: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
• No. 4: Boom Blox Bash Party
• No. 3: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
• No. 2: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• No. 1: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Well done team!

Now, y'all go read the article, they say such nice things!

Top 10 video games of 2009

This is the next step in the evolution of the nGon toy. But into what is it evolving? That's a very good question.



Try here for a full size version.

Now it can be told. The game I've been working on announced today. Here's the skinny:

EA Will Ask Steven Spielberg To Make A ‘Boom Blox’ Level

Boom Blox Bash Party in Pictures

Spielberg's Boom Blox Bash Party Rocks Wii This Spring

I wish all games could be this much fun to work on, and the team is the best I've ever worked with.

So, first...buy this game when it comes out. It really is, no kidding, fun for the whole family.

Second...make sure to try your hand at building your own levels. It has one of the easiest to use editors out there.

And lastly, an oldie but a goodie:

The Expected Result

I'll post a picture once I'm sure the traffic-storm that was Democracy Day Patch has subsided.