End of Week Update - 006

By A.A. Lopez

    This is the actual EoW update for this week. Gods, I did a lot this week, and yet I did basically nothing at the same time. Or at least that's how it always feels when it comes to Sundays, especially if it's 3 in the afternoon and the only thing you've seen outside your apartment is the local 7-11 for an apple and some Monster.

    But in all honesty, I did do quite a bit. Heck, looking at just my posts today, I worked on nearly all of my would-be nice list. And while I don't have it listed, I also have the GUI done for the coworker's tool. Actually, let's break down what happened this week.

Tool GUI

    For the coworker's toolset, I went ahead and created a PyQt5 GUI that uses his JavaScript, allowing for a modular design and updates. Even did some UI design work, focusing on the color schemes and design. Ended up using Adobe XD as a playground for designing instead of using Lucid this time.

    Honestly, for full design, XD is nice, but I think I'll keep to Lucid for mockups since it helps to get the color palette section with the UI designs as well. I ended up having 20+ PNG files of the same UI with slightly different colors.

Silver Forest

    If you haven't seen the recent update for the Logging extension, it's nearly done. I've had quite a few updates thanks to the users giving me feedback. And testing it out on my own, it seems to be running pretty well so far. I'm hopeful that I'll have this out to the rest of the team by August.

OST Detection

    I have an Alpha user testing this script out. She's found quite a few bugs that seem to be popping up due to the skip ability, as well as a static bug function I placed in there. My main concern is timing and processing power over the use of the skip. I think I'll provide her with 3 versions: 1 with no-frame skip, 1 with 5 5-frame skip, and 1 with a 10-frame skip.

    But she seems adamant that this is a helpful tool even as it is right now. And suggested bulk uploads for the application. If I did do that, I'd probably go with a staggered upload, similar to how things like Steam will update in order rather than concurrently.

Project://JUNO

    I've made a few leaps and bounds here. Mostly with getting the flowchart logic for the sign-up and login complete. As well as laying out the idea of JUNO in a clear, concise way in a devlog, which should have been the first step, but better late than never.

WT: Thrift Tycoon

    This game got a devlog and some actual practical code created. It did take up most of my time on Friday and Saturday. But I think I addressed this in my devlog. I do think this is something fun to work towards, and can't wait to see it unfurl.

    As for everything else (Caps Cleaner R and Full), they are sidelined for a bit. Not because I don't want to do them, but because I need to put something on the shelf while I stretch myself to the point Mr. Fantastic is jealous. 

    But to end on a more level-headed note, I really have put a lot of work into these things, even if I couldn't see it while I was doing so. Oftentimes, I think I'm being lazy or not doing that much, that I'm just blowing smoke. Yet, when I look back, I do way too much for one person. No wonder people tell me that I have way too much on my plate; when it's as full as this, you can't even see the plate anymore.

    So I think this upcoming week I'll focus on Silver Forest and OST Detection. Until the next one!

Lesson of the Week: Recognize when you do a lot

End of Week Update - 005

 No update, just making this to keep the numbering convention consistent between EoW and SoW updates.

Silver Forest (Originally Logger Extension) Devlog - 002

 Silver Forest Devlog - 002

By A.A. Lopez

    This will be a quick devlog following the Logger Chrome extension that I've been working on for work. The main focus will be the updates from Alpha 1.0 to Beta 1.1.1 and not much else. There is mention of a companion extension called Ash Leaf (introduced as Ash Branch but changed in 0.0.2). 

    Outside of the name being updated to Silver Forest, to be named after the coworker who came up with this idea, there's really not much else I can add. I'll most likely put a more in-depth log later on this or next week. But without further ado, here is the list of updates from Silver Forest Alpha 1.0 to Beta v1.1.1 and Ash Branch 0.0.1 to Ash Leaf 0.0.2.

Silver Forest Alpha v1.0

• Note-taking text area
• Multiple notes
• FPS attained from DOM
• Issue Level Drop-down
• Issue Type text area
• Sidebar location

Silver Forest Alpha v1.1

• Shortcut key added to open new notes, “z”
• Timecode attained from the DOM
• Issue Type Drop-down
• Screenshot capability (Video only, no captions)
• Permitted to only 2 websites
• Export CSV button
• Export TXT button
• Export All

Silver Forest Beta v1.0

• UI Design update
• 600×400px Window
• Scalability
• Min/Max toggle
• Opens as minimized
• Draggable
• Color scheme matches specified websites
• Note-taking text area
• Shortcut key for new notes, “z”
• Delete option for notes
• Issue Type Drop down
• Color Coded Issue Types to match with: Nigh Impossible, Difficult, Moderate, Easy, and KidVid
• Timecode attained from the DOM
• FPS attained from DOM
• Title attained from DOM
• Screenshot capability (Whole screen to include captions)
• Screenshot shortcut key, “x”
• Export CSV
• Export CSV shortcut key, “q”
• Copy to clipboard button
• Creation of “Ash Branch v0.0.1” to handle CSV to Airtable
• Exported CSV titled as “coc_notes_Title.csv”
• Exported screenshots titled as “title_timecode.png”

Silver Forest Beta v1.1

• Min/Max toggle shortcut key, “w”
• Frequency buttons added to notate if an issue occurs once or happens throughout
• Once or Continuous
• Implemented use to extend to a third website
• UI positioning moved down by 10 pixels
• Exported screenshots and CSVs will now ignore “Content – Item -” in titles

Silver Forest Planned for Beta v1.2

• Save functionality
• UI size retention for users

Ash Branch Alpha v0.0.1

• Uploads and extrapolates information from CSV files created from Silver Forest
• Upload multiple CSV files at once
• Recognizes Issue Types, FPS, and Notes
• Places notes in a Rich Text Field in the following fashion:
• Timecode || Issue Type || Notes

Ash Leaf Alpha v0.0.2

• Name has been updated to Ash Leaf
• Recognizes Titles and Frequency markers
• Places note in a Rich Text Field in the following fashion:
• Title || Timecode || Issue Type || Notes || Frequency
• Respects numeric order for episodes when listing (1, 2, 3…) or (1, 5, 12, 20…)
• “Copy All” button functional

Planned for Ash Leaf Alpha v0.0.3

• Recognize the episodic number list and place it at the top. If Episodes 1-13 are listed, it will reflect as follows:
• Title Eps 1 – 13
  Title 1 || Timecode || Issue Type || Notes || Frequency
  Title 2 || Timecode || Issue Type || Notes || Frequency
  Title 3 || Timecode || Issue Type || Notes || Frequency
  …
• Separate files based on similar/different Issue Types. If in the case Episodes 1 and 2 and have Issue Types 3 and 5 and Episode 3 through 6 only have Issue Type 3 these should be separated spaces.

Project://JUNO Devlog - 003

By A.A. Lopez

Introduction

With the longer and louder cries of folks talking about hating on dating apps, I feel like that is a call to really dig down deep and work hard on JUNO as much as possible now. It might just be my algorithm being playful, but I can’t really ignore the fact that it’s nearly constant. People are complaining about the current dating culture/environment.

After all, I’m in the same boat as them, just annoyed at the end of the day that it seems like apps are festering fields of bots, scams, and people too wary to be sure that anyone is actually there to date beyond hookups. So let me finally break down what Project://JUNO is.

Breakdown

Honestly, the fact that I’ve gotten this far in the devlog series for this project without explaining what it is is both impressive and just head-shakingly worrisome for my marketability skills. As pointed out that Project://JUNO is an application that focuses on the dating field, which hopefully is not too surprising.

What makes JUNO different is that rather than the blind leading the blind, it focuses on a communal outreach. Focusing on helping friends meet other people and reach out to one another. It’s about teamwork, community, and trust between all parties.

How it would work would be the following:

• A person looking for a partner, the Seeker, would sign up
•  To ensure that it is not a bot, scam, or anything malicious, the person would need to go through 3 security checks
•  Phone verification
•  Email verification
• Physical verification via ID and verification video
•  NOTE: Any data taken this way will be wiped after security is cleared
• NOTE: If flags are raised via any Law Enforcement information, it will be alerted to both the user and the Devs to ensure safety for all users, and will have a delay on profile creation by 3 days in the event that it is a case of mistaken identity.
• Once they pass the security checks, they will be instructed to make a Username and a Password
• After they create their Username and Password, they will need to fill out their: Age, Gender, Sexuality, Location, Dating Preference, and Biography; they will receive a Matchmaker Referral Code (MRC)
•  The Seeker will then send the MRC to the person they would like as their Matchmaker
• The Matchmaker will choose the sign-up option for Matchmaker and use the MRC
• They, too, will have to go through the security checks to ensure it is not the same person attempting to game the system
•  Once the Matchmaker passes the checks, they will be instructed to make a Username and Password
•  Now that the two are set up, the Matchmaker will review and look at the Profiles of other Seekers and attempt to find matches for their Seeker
• The Seeker will be blind to other Seeker Profiles and will only be notified if the Matchmaker
• A match will be made if the Matchmaker of the Seeker and the other Matchmaker of the other Seeker both choose to inquire (swipe right mechanic)
• The swipe naming convention will be slightly different than contemporary dating apps
•  Swipe Right – Normally called liking, here it will be called “Inquiring”
• Swipe Left – Will keep the nomenclature of “Passing”
• Once two Matchmakers match their Seekers, the Matchmakers will message each other and see if the two would be a good fit
• If the Matchmakers don’t agree, they can “Pass” on this match
• If the Matchmakers agree, they will show the Seekers the other’s profile and suggest a Blind Date
• The Seeker may say yes or no to this proposition
• If one Seeker says no, they “Pass” on this match
• Either Matchmaker may inquire about the No before the “Pass” is initiated to see if it can be changed
• If both Seekers say yes, the Matchmakers will set the date and time
• This will be added to a shared Calendar in the app
• On the day of the date, the Seekers will have the following actions:
•  Alert the Matchmaker that they are at the location at the start of the date
•  If one or both of the Seekers are running late, they can inform the other party
• If one or both of the Seekers feel like they no longer want to do this, they can opt out and leave
• Mid Date Check In
•  Allows the Seeker a “Get out of Jail Free” card in case the date is not going well
• Location Movement
• If the Seekers move from the location, it will alert the Matchmakers
• Post Date Check In
• Alerts the Matchmakers that the Seekers have returned home safely
• Also alerts the Matchmaker if the other Seeker is still nearby
• Gives Seekers assurance that someone knows where they are at all times
• Post Date Review
• The Day after the Date, the Seekers will have a review text set up with their Matchmaker to let them know if they would like a second date or not
• Based on that information, the Matchmakers will confer and then go back to the Seekers with the info
• If the date was good/decent, the Seekers will be given the green light and have messaging capability enabled between them
• If the date was bad/not worth it, the Seekers will be wiped from the Matchmakers' search view
• This will continue until a Seeker finds a Match
• Future Plans:
• Work alongside businesses to give discounts, announcements, and deals to Seekers going on dates
•  Work alongside businesses to give those same things to Matchmakers as gifts for helping their friend out 
• After a match is made, give the same gifts to the now matched Seekers as a way to keep them members of the app

As you can see, the app is focused on giving people time, freedom, security, and community. It is a large mountain to move, but given the dating landscape, I believe that this is needed more than ever.

UI Mockup & Flowchart

This is no far-fetched dream of mine either. I’m currently working out the basis of the logic for the code, as well as designing the UI for an alpha version of this app as I write this out. On top of various other projects that I would love to see the light of day.

Here is the flowchart detailing the Sign Up/Log In Logic (which you can also see on my previous devlog)

This is the UI for the Homepage, the Seeker Profile Page, the Potential Match Page, and the Matchmaker view:

Closing

I will admit this is nowhere near done, nor has it started. I came up with this idea back in November of 2024, and we’re already past the halfway point of 2025. It’s insane that I thought I could get even a fraction of the way done by today, especially being the n00b I am at tech and coding that I am. However, even though I am very much that guy who decided to do something with no experience, I’m still trying.

There’s a good chance that this goes nowhere. That this is just an idea that will hit the bin in a few more months, maybe in a year. But I can’t ignore that little voice saying, “This needs to happen.” Cause I really do feel like people are asking for something like this. Maybe there are things in here that I’m missing, maybe there are aspects that I’m just not comprehending really well. Whatever they may be, I’m going to do my best and get them, fix them, implement them, and see this done.

After all, I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Sometimes you need to try. With that said, I think I’ll wrap up this log. See you at the next one.

WT: Thrift Tycoon Devlog - 001

By A.A. Lopez

Introduction

    I don’t really play many mobile games; actually, the only ones I play are chess and a crossword game. But seeing the success and replayability of match-3 games such as Candy Crush or even Magic: The Gathering PuzzleQuest, I’m intrigued by attempting to create my own.

    Taking inspiration from my own mother’s recent obsession with watching thrift Etsy resale and YouTube videos, I figured that would be the baseline for the game. A match-3, crafting, resource managing, decorating game. It’s a bit ambitious in scope, I’ll admit, but the challenge of it is pretty fun for what it is. And as someone who enjoys games like Alchemy2 and Minecraft, there’s a certain dopamine I’ll get from creating something along those lines, or similar.

Gameplay

    The basic idea for the gameplay would be as follows:

• Starting on an 8x8 grid, 3-5 different items of various item types will be displayed, with differing rarity amounts based on the item type.

  • Item Types would be:

    • Non-Item – Super Common (95% drop rate)

    • Junk Item – Common (80% drop rate)

    • Threads – Common (80% drop rate)

    • Fabrics – Uncommon (50% drop rate)

    • Materials – Ultra Uncommon (35% drop rate)

    • Furniture – Rare (15% drop rate)

    • Clothes – Rare (15% drop rate)

    • Shoes – Super Rare (10% drop rate)

    • Accessories – Super Super Rare (5% drop rate)

  • Each item type will also be flavored to a different item you might find in a thrift store, like a non-item might be a hanger, a junk item might be a teddy bear, fabrics could be blankets or shirts, etc.

• Players will move adjacent items to get a 3+ match vertically, horizontally, or diagonally

• Once a player gets a match, they will get the item they matched, though depending on the higher rarity, it will have a lower chance of being the exact item and might end up being the items that make it in the crafting area

• Each item that the player gets can be crafted or sold, so even if they fill their inventory, they are still able to have some use.

• Recipes for items are as follows (Will be updated for balance and flavor in the future):

  • 1 Non-Item = 1 Junk Item

  • 1 Junk Item = 50% of 1 Thread or 1 Fabric

  • 3 Threads = 1 Fabric

  • 4 Fabrics = 1 Materials

  • 2 Fabrics + 2 Threads = 1 Clothes

  • 1 Materials + 3 Fabrics + 3 Threads = 5 Clothes

  • 5 Materials + 4 Fabrics + 3 Threads = 1 Furniture

  • 2 Materials + 10 Fabrics = 1 Shoe

  • 3 Fabrics + 3 Materials + 3 Threads + 1 Furniture = 1 Accessory

• As players fill their inventory at higher levels, instead of moving adjacent items, they can choose to swap out an item with one in their inventory. This ability will have a cool-down time based on its rarity and level.

• Each level will be completed by completing several task types

  • A player gets a score equal to the level times 1000 (level 1 = 1000 points, level 2 = 2000 points, …)

  • Gets a set amount of rare items

  • Gets a certain number of items within a timeframe

• As players level up and purchase items, they can choose either to use those items in the match portion or they purchase items to decorate their shop

    As it stands, while this is still in its nascent stage, the foundations for this game are there. Not only that, but the logic is taking hold on the backend as well.

Proof of Concept

    While I still flesh out the ideas and the mechanics of the game itself, I wanted to ensure that the logic and actual code of the game work and does as I intend it to. Using Python CLI before going into Godot 4 for the final product, I have a working version of the match logic. In place of the items, we’re using the letters A through E to represent them, on a grid of 0 to 7 on both the y and x axes. To move items around, a player inputs the coordinates of both “items” and then the grid is swapped, the matches are noted, then they are deleted and replaced (or cascaded).

    In the following video, you’ll see me play a quick game with two instances. While not graphically engaging, it still shows that the logic is sound.

Closing

    I’ll be honest here, namely cause no one ever gets to the last few paragraphs. When I started to look at this game, I figured it would be a get-rich-quick scheme, clone something that’s just been shown over and over again, and just make a quick buck. But that’s just not really who I am. Even if a project starts out like that, I can’t help but like the thing I’m working on.

    Maybe it’s integrity, maybe it’s being a fool. Each time, it just becomes something that I want or feel that I need to do. And if this is just a flash in the pan, cool, then I can wash my hands of this, but if the chance people like it, I will be so dang proud.

    For now, this is just one of many projects that I’ll be working on for the rest of this year. I hope to update you more and more on this title. See you soon.

 Start of Week Update - 006

By A.A. Lopez

    All right, so two weeks of relative silence aside from one journal update, not great, but sometimes it happens. I can't get hung up on that too much. So what happened in these past two weeks?

    Let's see: 

• Did get the logger extension, now called Silver Forest, up and running along with a companion extension. 
• Recorded, edited, and have a rough edit of "Voices in Transit" spec ad done. 
• Worked and have a near working version of the On-Screen Text detection software done, just have to get a few more tests done with some edge-case uses. 
• Working on creating a Creative Brief for "Monterey Grove" a 4 episode TTRPG podcast (I'm pretty sure I've made reference to it at the very beginning). 
• Updated the pseudo-code to Project://JUNO and on the first part of creating the flowchart for it as well

    I believe that's all I had done... Oh! Right, also working on making a match 3 mobile game just to see if I can do it. And also applied to over 153 jobs over the past 2 days because I thought: "why not?"

    It's very apparent that I have a problem of never really staying on task and jumping around. Then again that is part of the mission statement of this blog after all. Everything is here so it's easier to jump around and see where development is for each item, and knowing how far along everything is.

    With that said, I think this following week will be (gods, I hope) slow so I can ease up on the burnout feeling. This week:

• Monday:
• Refine GUI for a coworker's JavaScript application
• Create a GUI for the OST Detection App
• Get an Alpha Tester
• Get some edge case material
• Update code to ignore static bugs
• Tuesday:
• Meeting with Beta Testers for Silver Forest
• Update based on notes/feedback
• Wednesday:
• Create clearance window for Caps Cleaner IMDb scraper
• Look into Pyannote for diarization
• Thursday:
• Start on the match 3 game idea (Working Title: Thrift Tycoon)
• Friday:
• Create a backwards flowchart for Monterey Grove
• Saturday:
• Enjoy an anime afternoon
• WBN:
• Devlogs for:
• Project://JUNO
• Silver Forest
• OST Detection
• WT: Thrift Tycoon
• Caps Cleaner Full - MajuMini
• Caps Cleaner Reduced

    This seems pretty doable for this week. I don't know what's going to happen, or if anything will happen, hell I don't even know why I'm saying anything will happen, but I'm positive I'll at least get some of these projects out of the way.

    That sounds like I see them as some type of inconvenience when these have been some of the most fun things I've done in a hot second. Guess that's just how burn out from work and being in the world feels sometimes. Either way, this time I will have a proper EoW update this week, I'll probably have to call it 005, unless I make one that says, "skipped." Honestly, that might work.

    No matter, see you in a few days, hopefully after a lot of posts.

Building Up Anytime and Always Studios - Studio Journal - Issue #3

Lego Coding

A Simple Way to Learn How to Code Using AI

 By A.A. Lopez

Introduction

                  I am not a huge fan of the use of AI in various forms, especially those in the creative realm. Does that mean I think AI is the devil and should be tossed out? Not entirely, I do believe that there is some use out of this tool, but I do believe that it needs to become more refined and set up in a way that it is not damaging to the environment or be used as a substitute for actual knowledge. As I said, this is a tool, and like any other should be limited in what it does and how useful it is. After all, while you can use a screwdriver to hammer a nail in, a hammer will do a much better job.

                  So why then am I writing this post about using it to learn how to code? Doesn’t that take away from actual coding teachers, professors, writers? I’m not going to lie to you: Yes, it does. But it is my hope that those who see this might be able to take what I’ve found helpful from AI might be able to take it back and make something even more useful with that “oh-so-human-touch.” Cause while I may be learning to code via AI, there’s always a limit to what a machine knows verses a human.

Why Did I Start Using AI?

                  In my current role we have been asked to take up AI and find spots where it can be helpful to us. A lot of the major things that have been suggested was note-taking. However, as someone who mumbles and speaks at a rate that makes hummingbirds dizzy, I doubt that what I said would match the words written. So, I opted to find other issues that I could use AI for that might be beneficial to me and my team. One of these items had to deal with organizing files into their own CSV file.

                  There are several books that take several coding languages and tell you how to build out a code that can parse files and export CSVs. The main issue there is that it focuses too much on the general, and not what I needed specifically. Due to how my mind works if I can’t fit the puzzle pieces of my issue into the solution then I don’t understand. So, I decided that, if my employers want me to us AI then I’ll use it to do this.

                  Inputting the request, I asked, “Can you help me create a script or program that can parse a large amount of files and output one CSV file?” It responded in the affirmative and asked which language type I would like to use. Not knowing much about programming languages, I asked which would be the best option, with its suggestion being Python.

                  From there it generated the script, and because I was curious about it, rather than copy/pasting the script into a script editor, I decided to type out the code it generated. Getting a feel for each definition, function, letter, indentation. Even learning how to run it on Visual Studio Code and in my computer’s terminal. And when the first instance did not do well, I informed it of the error and asked it to tell me to check where to troubleshoot.

                  After about an hour and half of back and forth I was able to parse 1500 files in about 40 seconds with the script created. But now, I wanted to learn more about Python, more about coding. I had always wanted to learn more about these things, but after finishing a functional script that was for something I wanted to do, not just part of a classroom curriculum, it felt more tangible than ever.

                  I gathered books, watched YouTube tutorials, video essays, everything I could, but the itch of AI crept back. Wanting to get that feeling of getting something I wanted it done without having to worry about substitutions or needing to have to go through the start of every “hello_world” lesson there is. But I couldn’t just ask for it to generate the script… or at least not fully.

Lego Coding

                  This is what I’ve come to find has been helpful in me understanding and getting more in tune with programming languages, a system I’m calling, “Lego Coding.” Instead of having the AI generate the script in a whole form, I’ve asked it to break it down to snippets of itself, out of order, with no knowledge of what to import, or sometimes with misguiding function names and even red herring snippets that are there for no reason. Just like a kid with a Lego set, but with no true instructions.

                  I then interlock the pieces, find what’s working, what isn’t, run the code and keep going until I get it right. Unlike with the most standard ways of teaching programming this gives me a sense of accomplishment and lets me understand how the language interacts with other pieces of itself. I’ve come to understand Object Oriented Programming form this method, I’ve come to understand how to set up creating new version names for output files.

                  Just like a child with that colorful box of Legos, I first started making simple brick houses, then square castles, to landscapes, people, and other fantastical things others can only dream of.

Closing

                  With all that said, do I think AI should be a way to learn how to code? No, definitely not. Does it work for me right now? Yes, but doesn’t mean it always will, especially like a lot of folks I’m prone to shortcuts, and eventually I’ll go ahead and say to the AI, “Just do it for me.” That is something I don’t want to happen.

                  But do I think that something like Lego Coding would be helpful to people? Yes. I think there are people out there who relish the puzzle, the challenge, and the satisfaction of putting all this together. I think it should be a method that people teach to the next generation of programmers. I may be wrong, I’ll fully admit, but I do think it’s something that has a possibility of bringing in folks to something they might feel is out of their reach.

 

 Start of the Week Update - 005

By A.A. Lopez

    Been a second, huh? Well, I'm finally back from a well earned vacation. One that wasn't tied to any family tragedies, mental/emotional breakdowns, or happenstances beyond my control. Just a relaxing time away from work and focusing on just being with family and sleeping past 6 in the morning (which is honestly very hard to do no matter how late I went to bed).

    So what does that mean for me and these next few weeks? Well if you read the previous "Building Up" journal entry you saw all the things I'm trying to learn to show off to actual hiring managers, with 9 roles in total to try my hat at. Then on top of that we still have all the other projects I have going on, so I think the best thing before we layout what this week will entail is layout what's pulling me in every which direction.

The 9 Roles: So I have 9 roles that I'm trying to emulate with the help of AI being my boss and giving me items to work on. These roles are: Creative Lead, Production Designer, Copywriter, YouTube Strategist, Podcast Producer, Creative Director, Game Narrative Designer, Creative Technologist, and Researcher.

Right now the ones with the most work done has been Creative Lead and Production Designer, and I still need to figure out the best methods to tackle the other roles. But for now I think I'll stick with those two.

Workplace Projects: Not the best name for them, they're more like projects that will help in the workplace, but I digress. These are the Caps Cleaners (2 now), The On Screen Detector, Multi-Spreadsheet Parser, and the Logger Extension.

All of these took a backseat when I went on vacation, so I'll need to take my time and look back on what is what, and how best to approach them. Most likely starting with one of the Caps Cleaner and with the Logger Extension.

Personal Projects: These would be the ones that I'm doing for myself, and for the wider world with no intention of just being portfolio fodder. This would be Project://JUNO, the two audio series, the Bob Ross inspired horror video game, and the wedding officiant business.

It's nice that a few of these are pretty heavy in their workload, though part of me thinks it's too little. Until I realize that I'm saying that about making a dating app and a full ass video game, on my own. Scale is not something that comes easy to me...

    So those are the projects laid out. No wonder I always feel burnt out, look at how much I'm trying to do on my lonesome! I really got to start giving myself some slack on those days where I do nothing. Sure I could argue that, "No! You sitting on the couch scrolling TikTok and YouTube doesn't help anything when you could just have it as background noise as you work on any one of these NINETEEN projects." Seriously, do I think I'm Superman or something.

    Anyways, let's go ahead and get into the week and see what might be the best way to use my time getting readjusted to work and self improvement:

• Monday
• Adjust Logger to export CSV files, that currently is a dead button
• Adjust the IMDb scraper in the Caps Cleaner Reduced to show the list of names and allow you to delete them
• Check IMDb to see if the scraper tool is still functional or if that might need a rotating update
• Tuesday
• Record the lines for the Creative Brief for "Voices in Transit"
• Organize desktop folders [REMINDER - Make sure any items that connect to anything currently being edited is updated in their associated software]
• Wednesday
• Office Day - Just do your best
• Watch the latest ep of Cloudward, Ho! [Get a bag of salad as a snack]
• Thursday
• Check out Project://JUNO [UI mockup is looking good, might want to finish up pseudocode]
• Work on the 3d Modeling for the Botanist's Study
• Friday
• Edit the lines for "Voices in Transit"
• Watch the new eps of Dan Da Dan and My Dress Up Darling
• Play a video game (maybe get BitCraft Online)
• Saturday
• Have fun, need it when the world feels like it's always ending

    Honestly, this feels like a good way to put this list together. It's not keeping me to much of a schedule, but the outline helps, and makes me feel like even if I don't accomplish everything, at least I know I'm trying. We're getting closer to how this should look.

    With everything going on that I really don't want to think too much about right now, making these small wins, these small tasks, gives some type of agency I'd probably feel lost without. So I'm going to keep trying, and let's see if it's worth doing. See you in the EoW Update.

Building Up Anytime and Always Studios - Studio Journal - Issue #2

 

Building Up Anytime and Always Studios

Studio Journal - Issue #2

Production Design - Botanist's Workshop - Portfolio Build

By A.A. Lopez

Quick Learning

    There are times when I hear the words "quick learner" and get reminded that you shouldn't put that down on your resume. I forget the exact reasoning why, though. It's either because it's something a lot of folks think is just a flash in the pan sentence, or that there's really no way to back it up. But whenever I look at the stuff I do, that's just the reality.

    From my current day job to these creative briefs I'm doing, I'm diving headfirst with little to no understanding of what I'm doing. Heck, for the first six months of my job, I was certain I was gonna get canned cause I didn't understand a bit of the business jargon they were spouting, and I still don't. But I was able to figure out what the things they wanted me to understand, find the spots to finagle with, and see what I was able to get away with, and what could make the system stop working. Now I understand our systems to the point that the people maintaining and updating them ask me for advice about them.

    Though I guess you're probably wondering where I'm going with this, huh? Trust me, the fast learning and implementing portion of this is important. But let's catch up on what this is about.

Too Many Roles

    In the last studio journal issue, I mentioned how I'm using AI to give me prompts to build out my portfolio. It's a decent, low-stress environment that gives me space to learn each skillset I've either been curious about or have always wanted to explore. Such as: Researcher, Production Design, Copy Writer, Narrative Director, etc.

    All of these roles are ones that I've always wanted to try out, but without a direction, it's been hard to find a starting point. Cause I know that some folks would say, "Oh, just make something up on your own and work from there." Like doing a spec commercial or something similar, and that is an awesome idea. The problem I have is that if I don't have a voice that says do THIS ONE specifically, I'm going to do every single one of them at once and burn myself out.

    So by using AI, I have it give me only snippets of what I want to do for each role, and then ask me for the most likely deliverables I would need by the end of each of these roles.

    Here's the breakdown of the roles it has given me and the deliverables it's asking for:

• Role: Researcher - Case: The Great Train Robbery of  1963
• Goal: Build out a factual report that helps a creative team accurately portray the event's timeline and media coverage
• Deliverables:
• Verified timeline of the robbery, arrests, trial dates + outcomes, significant aftermath
• Primary & Secondary sources
• Format in a Deck and Doc, include citations, links, and image credits
• Role: Creative Technologist - Project: Nova Bike Interactive Ad
• Goal: Click a bike icon and have it zip across, leaving a light trail
• Deliverables:
• Prototype Script
• Spec sheet
• Run QA on Desktop & Mobile
• Minify + Package code for handoff
• Role: Game Narrative Designer - Project: Echoes of the Garden
• Goal: Explore a ruined mansion's overgrown garden to uncover family secrets
• Deliverables:
• Write a narrative design doc w/story beats, key choices, branch map
• Build a Twine Prototype for the intro choice
• Script sample dialogue + tooltip text
• Write a lore snippet or item description
• Role: Creative Director - Project: Nova Bike Co.
• Goal: Urban bike brand rebrand for sleek commuter appeal
• Deliverables:
• Design a new logo (sketch or digital)
• Build a style guide snippet (color, font, logo use)
• Mock an Instagram ad or digital billboard
• Draft a creative rationale deck
• Role: Podcast Producer - Project: Static Signal
• Goal: Sci-fi audio drama about eerie space station transmissions
• Deliverables:
• Script 1 minute cold open
• Record + edit (clean, EQ, fade)
• Add 2 layers of SFX (e.g. static, hum)
• Create a run-of-show doc
• Draft show notes + ID3 metadata
• Role: YouTube Strategist - Project: City Sketcher
• Goal: Artist sketches street scenes + narrates architecture
• Deliverables:
• Build a 30-Day content calendar (titles, posting dates)
• Design 5 optimized video titles
• Sketch/descript 5 thumbnail concepts
• Write a report outlining a growth strategy + engagement plan
• Role: Copywriter - Project: Summit Flask
• Goal: Rugged insulated bottle for extreme hikers; tagline: "For those who don't quit."
• Deliverables:
• Write 10 new tagline options
• Write a 30-second ad script (visuals + voiceover)
• Draft 3 social ad captions (witty, inspiring, minimalist)
• Create a copy matrix (show headline + subhead + CAT combos for testing)
• Write a rationale explaining your copy choices
• Role: Production Designer - Project: The Botanist's Study
• Goal: A recluse scientist's study filled with exotic plants, dusty books, strange tools, and a massive terrarium lit by moonlight.
• Deliverables:
• Build a deck with moodboards, material swatches, color palette, and lighting reference
• Sketch a floor plan + elevation (hand or digital)
• Draft a sourcing + build budget list
• Write a 1-page rationale explaining how the set supports the character's story

    ...

    ...

    ...

    Gods Damn! I didn't realize it was that many. Like seriously, it feels like I'm biting off more than I can chew. My inner-Californian is coming out with all these likes, like you know?

    The best thing I can do now is breathe and take it one step at a time, and focus on the one I'm working on now. Especially since that's the one in the title of this journal entry.

Flora, Fauna, Don't you wanna?

    From bottom to top, I'm currently working on the Botanist's Study. Mostly cause it seemed the most fun. Who doesn't like the excuse to draw and think about what a madman who observes plants and the like might have around? Especially a recluse who studies exotic plants, I just can't help but think of "Don't Go Into the Basement," from Goosebumps.

    This is also where my introduction portion comes in. You see, I started to sketch, but I'm not a great, or even a good, artist. Not to say I don't know how, but rather I'm just always attempting to adjust to a style I have no idea how to do. And so my work always comes out crooked, warped, at odd angles, and never exact. Yet, I still try, and here, as I couldn't get it right in the two-dimensional, I thought, why not the third?

    I've had practice in SketchUp, but given that subscription model it has I'm staying away as my wallet really can't handle any more subscriptions right now. And while I have used Blender, it's still a bit overwhelming for me to get the shapes, placement correct. So I decided to look for a free online software, where I found TinkerCAD (this is not a sponsorship, if it were, it's a really lousy spot to put in).

    Never having used it before, I played around with it for a few minutes and decided, well, let's try adding shapes together. And there are definitely a few things going on here: 

1. TinkerCAD is very beginner & user friendly
2. Having minor knowledge of similar software, as well as things like Lucid help
3. Even a minor understanding of shape breakdown in art is helpful

    But just as luck is a combination of timing and preparation, so too is being a quick learner. And it's here that you can see what I was able to accomplish after 30 minutes of using this program.

Pat Yourself on the Back

    While it's not much, I still have to give myself a pat on the back for what I was able to accomplish. Just like quite a few of my friends and contemporaries, I suffer quite a bit from impostor syndrome, feeling like I am unable, or rather unwilling, to see my abilities for what they are. Perhaps it's mistaking a healthy bit of pride for overindulging in self-adulation and overcorrecting, but it's hard to see past it.

    But right now, I have a list of eight, or rather nine if you include the creative brief from the previous issue, of roles I am looking to put together for my portfolio. So, each time something like this pops up where I find that I'm doing better than I thought, or that I'm more experienced, I'm going to give myself a well-deserved high five.

    It's too often that we forget that doing these things, while great for money, are there for us to be creative. To make worlds others can enjoy and fall into. Or that's just what I want to do. Either way, with each new addition to each of these roles, I'll be sure to add the updates for each here in the Building Up series. See you next time!