CREST OF C's ~ Archive of CSketch

Yo, I'm CSketch! That's what I go by online in most places, anyway. I'm a computer engineer from Venezuela (that's in South America, if you don't know) with a burning passion for art. Primarily videogame design and writing... But video editing, storyboarding, web development, and basically any form of human self-expression is something sets my spirits ablaze. This page compiles many of my exploits in these various fields. It's proof that anything I put my mind to, I can do, and I can do excellently. Everything here that has my hand in it is in some way incredible.

If I were to call myself a scholar, I'd say my school is life. I'm not the kind of person who's just satisfied liking a piece of media and leaving it at that. I like to play, watch and read passionate pieces of art and understand why they're the way they are. Think about their themes, look into the context, analyze the inspirations... And work my way back! I think it's important for any writer to absorb from as wide a variety of experiences as possible. At the end of the day, things like games and shows are basically "messages" made by humans for... other humans. And humans are awesome creatures. No bias. I talk to a lot of them! From all over the world, every day. I also consider that a fundamental part of a writer's journey: Understanding a wide variety of people.

There's nothing but sincerity in these bones of mine, and I want to share that with as many people as possible. Making things on my own is fun, but I enjoy being able to work with other passionate people and create a melting pot of experiences that wouldn't have existed otherwise! I've been around many skilled artists and learned not just how to be a crucial part of a team, but also lead one and guide everyone's ambitions. I personally believe that project management is a highly respectable, highly important duty that requires a lot of empathy and self-sacrifice. But the end result of a good project is something truly special! Check out some examples with the sidebar on the left.

When it comes to games, I don't like to focus on "genres" so much, either when making or enjoying. I mean, they're useful labels, yeah, but I wouldn't say I only like this genre of game, or that genre of game. I like games that make me feel things, and the more "focused" they are the better. Stuff like huge mega-games rarely grab me unless they have a very solid vision behind them. I like horror games, run n' guns, beat 'em ups, shmups, visual novels, adventure games, puzzle games, platformers... I'm a huge fan of games that don't feel like they're following a "script" set by someone else. Some personal favorites would be the Mega Man Battle Network series, Alien Soldier, Void Stranger, Cruelty Squad... And basically anything weird and esoteric, but distinctly cool. Bonus points if it has cool robots.

A lot of the same things apply to my tastes in "stories." I like the concept of "drama" a lot, the concept of heightened reality. Stories where characters' emotions shape the world around them and in both blunt and subdued ways express "humanity." A story that claims to be "realistic" just for the sake of grit but has no heart is pointless to me. Explosive comedies! Sincere coming-of-age stories! Harrowing despair and horror! To an almost theatrical degree, but without artificiality... That's the stories that shaped me and that I wish to make. My favorite novel is the Strugatsky brothers' Roadside Picnic; my favorite movie is REC (the spanish horror movie), and my favorite manga are Ken Ishikawa's Getter Robo, Kazuhiko Shimamoto's Blazing Transfer Student, and Takayuki Yamaguchi's Apocalypse Zero. All awesome stories that feel both dramatic and real.

Based on my upbringing, I really like stories that deal with people finding beauty and value in worlds that are ignorant of their struggles. A flower growing in an abandoned quarry. People shouting their ideals at an indifferent horde of monsters. Stories that can connect people and give them strength. Bonus points if they have cool robots.