At long last, it’s time to honor another one of the team’s alumni. This is Rautakoura’s final message to the fans of MLI, so I hope you are ready to hear some more insight from the team! I have nothing but praise for his incredible work in the cutscene art, setting the bar high for his successor. As he ventures off to more time in college, I and the rest of the team wish him the best of luck in his endeavors.
The floor is yours, Rautakoura.
Time sure flies fast. Hard to believe it’s been almost two years since I joined the project. And finally, we’ve got the game out! Bit of an accomplishment even I’d say, we’ve all seen how easily fan projects like this can grind to a halt; be it due to problems within the team, real life getting in the way, or getting slammed with the dreaded Cease & Desist letter by a paranoid company. Sure, our project wasn’t immune to some of these problems either. There were hitches along the way. But then, what project doesn’t have? Though there might have been problems, we pushed on through! We FOUGHT! WE NEVER GAVE UP! BY CELESTIA’S BEARD, WE HAD SWORN TO —
*cough*
You get the point.
Gotta say, the day Gabu sent me the email telling me they’d chosen me for the position of the cutscene artist was very special to me. It was a milestone; my stuff had actually impressed someone enough to make them want me to join them on a project that was no doubt extremely dear to them. It was also my first step into making art for games, and working with others when coming up with a picture. So far I’d only doodled and drawn for my own amusement, now I was actually helping someone else achieve their vision. It was a refreshing and a teaching experience.
The very beginning after joining the team was quite challenging. The bizarre resolution the cutscenes required due to the dialogue box of the game taking almost half of the available vertical space was something I’d never worked with before. A pretty big change from your usual A4-ratio of drawing space. It was always bit of a hassle to fit all the required characters in the scene, while keeping it dynamic. I had to play with perspective and depth more than I was used to, which is I’d say was only a good thing. The only way to get better is by doing. That being said, sketching the picture was often one of the lengthiest stages when working on scene. This was only made worse by the fact that I’m slow as a snailsloth when it comes to drawing, I often make mistakes and need to constantly redraw lines (ctrl-z, where would I be without you).
Then there were the other factors that made making the scenes interesting, like having to fight my bitter arch-nemesis, Background in most of the scenes. When coming up with the backgrounds PonyArtist and I also had to collaborate and try keep the scenery of the game as identical as possible between the cutscenes and the actual in-game backgrounds. We actually had quite a few people in the team doing research about the scenery of Ponyville and the interior of Rarity’s boutique, trying to figure how their layout went in the canon. That was actually pretty fun, if only for the sheer weirdness of it. Searching the internet with your serious face on for pictures and other sources of information about the layout of a fictional town of cartoon ponies… Haw. This wasn’t made easy by the fact that the layout seemed to change drastically between episodes in the show. Rarity’s boutique’s interior was a particularly bad offender. The animators probably weren’t expecting people to pay attention to the continuity of the backgrounds. Clearly they underestimated the zeal of the fandom. In the end we came up with something between canon and “I have an artistic license and I’m not afraid to use it damnit!”
Yeh, each cutscene presented a new challenge, be it a new strange perspective that I wanted to try, or some element in the background that I had no experience with when it came to drawing (which meant practically everything…). Pretty much every picture involved some experimentation, which is partly why it took so long to make them. Looking back at them now, some scenes I’m actually quite proud of (crying Scootaloo, diamond dogs chasing the thief through their tunnels), while some others… Not so much (Scootaloo seeing the diamond dogs escape from the boutique, and especially the scene with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon bullying Scoots. I tried to fix Tiara who knows how many times, and she still looks like a freaking gremlin). Still, the team accepted them, and that’s what we have to go with now. Can’t spend an eternity working on one scene if there are a lot more to be done, that way leads to a vacation in a mental ward.
Anyways, it’s certainly been a fun and informative two years with the team. This makes is even sadder to leave them. With the release of the first case for the game, I relinquish my position in the team. With university and other stuff pushing on (pesky life getting in the way, just like I told ya in the), I can’t stay fully dedicated to drawing art for the game. Last year especially was tough at times, having to juggle both school work, My Little Investigations and other projects that I couldn’t pass up (working as a con artist for Galacon, etc). With my studies nowhere finished yet, I believe it’s time for someone else to step in. Whoever it is I pass my mantle to, I wish you best of luck, and also would like to inform you that the chewing marks on the mantle were most definitely made by the dog, not me. Definitely. Even if I step down from active duty, I’ll be valiantly lurking in the background, following the progress of the new case.
Hm, I guess there’s one plus side to this.I get to play the case 2 without actually knowing the whole plot in advance. YISSSSSSS
Rautakoura over and out.
*Rides towards the sunset, falls into a ditch*
I agree that its the critical creative moment when ideas must be translated on paper/screen can leave you dead in your tracks by the many possible shot angles and prespective that are just waiting to be used.
Backgrounds can be hard to incorporate in a scene without a detailed idea of what should be there and not; I go as far as draw a detailed 2D overview and 3D hovering view of a house or area if theres a use (Comic pannels, RolePlaying visual aid).
Even if your not drawing for the game anymore, keep drawing stuff for yourself Rautakoura, your a great artist and should keep oiling up that creativity boiling Inside you!
*Draws a step ladder, and a ladder, not knowing the difference and throws them both in the ditch*
/) Nice, TurnAbout Storm ref.
Thank you for your hard work!
And best of luck with your future endeavours!
Rautakoura, at first place, Thank you very much for your full dedication works at Case 1! I’m a big, big big… big…. (1 million times) fan of this game and I wish you best luck, as I wish for the next honored person, man or woman, who will have the honor to use this mantle!!
I really hope this job continues! Unfortunately, i don’t know how to do anything, but at least I can cheer up the project and still believe in people like you, who make worth play this game, putting special personal dedication, that is passed to the gamer in every single touch of drawing!!
Im Nervous about part 2 of MLI and i can’t wait enough because im a brony ardent an actualy good luck whith part 2.
I simply can’t wait for you guys to release the next case, or the case creator. I’ve already made 7 pages for the case I’m working on XD
Also, I’m glad you were on the team Rautakoura. Your art certainly gave the game some more feel.
I have lurked on /mlp/ for some time, written stories for people who often just laughed at me when I was done (sometimes I got legitimate praise). I have weathered the storm of shitposters to see amazing fancreated content be written and drawn. The depths that true fans will go to to show love for their chosen show, anime, or comic is incredible. This is evident in your work. I was so impressed by what you and the others who work on My Little Investigations. I want you to know that you have real talent, that you should always strive to do better than you were before, and that your work is some of the best my eyes have laid eyes on in a long time. Keep up the good work and never forget…
>The Ride Never Ends
Thanks for your kind words – they’re most appreciated. 🙂 Glad to have had a part in entertaining you. All my best.
I think im doing this right I love this game is it still being made? also to the artist or artists you left im sure your work was amazing and I wish you luck.
Yes, case 2 is still in active development. 🙂
This is certainly very sad to hear, but it’s understandable, what with how some peoples’ lives are. Also, I’d like to say this. It was thanks to My Little Investigations that I even bothered to check out Phoenix Wright. For the longest time, I always was of the mindset that Phoenix Wright was stupid…despite having never played it. I know, I know, that’s really silly, so sue me. But, after playing the first case in this game, I was hooked. It was so awesome. The voices weren’t PERFECT, but they were pretty awesome. The storyline was clever, hilarious, touching, and smart all in one. The backgrounds and ponies were all spot-on and detailed. The dialogue did honestly have an error here and there, but mostly it was very literate and nice, too. I loved the game. Everyone that has worked on it and is still working on it has done an incredible job! So much so that I went ahead and found the very first Phoenix Wright game at my local Gamestop. I bought it, and naturally, I loved it. So, thank you all so much…for everything! I really can’t wait until the second case comes out! And I hope and pray you guys aren’t too hard on Trixie; she’s my favorite pony.
P.S. If you guys ever needed an editor or something, I’m always available. I sadly have no life, but I have been writing for over 15 years. Even tried to get a few books published, but sadly never succeeded. So, yeah, just thought I’d offer my help if a position ever came open.
Oh hey, I’m so glad that you both liked it and that it got you into the Phoenix Wright series. 🙂 Obviously, we’re pretty big Phoenix Wright fans as well, so I’m always happy to have played a part in getting someone else into it. Thanks so much for your kind words – I’ll be sure to pass them along to the team.
You’ll have to wait and see what case 2 has in store – we’re not at the point that we really want to say much about it yet. 😉
At present, we don’t need any new team members, but we’ll definitely let everyone know if we do – thanks for your interest!
Yep! Actually, the very ‘first’ Phoenix Wright game I played was Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, and combine that with the lovely little game you guys made off it, and that’s what led me to the series. I really do love it and I commend you guys for doing such an amazing job with it all!
Yes, that’s understandable. Just an honest wish, that’s all.
You’re quite welcome. Good luck with the second case. I really can’t wait to see it!
I absolutely loved MLI, it was absolutely awesome! The cutscene art was brilliant, fitting in perfectly with the story, hard to top! And you’ve most probably already got a new artist, but I’m willing if my art meets your expectations, I can always make small modifications if needed! 😀
I can not wait for the new Case . The first one was fun
I got in to my little pony when i babysitting my brother’s daughter.
Thinks for making this game.
Nice to see equestriandreamers are still going! usually large projects like this get forgotten and die 😛
I just find it too bad we’re not getting updates that much. Though I can’t blame them for not wanting to reveal much about case 2
to be honest I just hope they don’t quit 😛
Of course. We all hope for that 🙂 And if they do quit eventually, let’s hope they’ve brought out the case creator before that then 🙂
Glad the games still going. Sorry you had to go.
The game, as I saw from the earlier post, is looking great! Hoping AJ and FlutterShy can make more of an appearance this game (Of course AJ will)
And before the possible next OC contest, are license-based OCs allowed? If not, that’s fine. I just wanted to know before I ever recommend.
Anyways, you did well with art on the first case! Nobody can replace you with better art!
My original comment didn’t post, but I said how sad it was to see you go, and a question,
If there will be another OC contest, will licensed-based characters be allowed?
And, I know AJ will, but will Fluttershy (and maybe some background ponies) get more of a role this time?
I can’t speak for another OC contest, but if you actually scroll down to the previous announcement, you’ll see all of the speaking roles for the next case. Fluttershy will indeed have a part, and a few of the classy background ponies will be stepping it up too, specifically Lyrica Lilac, “Royal Ribbon”, and “Caesar”.
Also, what do you mean by licensed-based characters?
The name “ThatWiiPony” is meaning my OC, Motion Control, is based off a nintendo Wii. But yet again, in official marketing of Dr. Hooves, his name is a clear pun. And this is a fan game, so I’m sure it won’t matter.
But, I don’t care if no OC contest is intended again, because they won’t do much in the story but appear for 5 minutes.
Anyways, thanks for replying, and I will note that I myself should state that developers should wait for the Background Ponies episode before adding them. That would help with the personalities. We only know one background pony personality, and barely any voice. Just a heads up.
It’s been awhile since the last update. Are you guys still in development? I like this game alot and would be very sad if the project were dead.
I think the main page of the site should just lead directly to the forum page as its only collecting dust. It might save us a few clicks. Any community I know atleast wishes its denizens a merry Christmas, a happy new year, even happy easter sometimes, but their just too scared to say anything without some progress report behind it. I dont really care, im happy with the first episode of the game, but it pains me to see how dead the main page is, any new arrivals might just turn around and leave seing the last update being from august last year before realising theres activity in the forums. Wont you just put up a fan art picture or put a new dev talk in there, heck…anything will do.