One of the most popular Real Time Strategy PC Games of all time, Starcraft, recently got its long awaited sequel: Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty. The game has been selling like hotcakes, and is apparently breaking RTS games sales records. Many of us have been waiting with bated breath for this game to be released for 3 years now, and the fact that it is actually out is almost surreal!

You may find yourself drawn to the highly addictive game-play and intense multi-player action of Starcraft 2, much like a moth to the flame. Maybe you are drawing the ire of your significant other for playing, you know, a little too much. And possibly you have several freelance clients that are threatening to take your time away from the best game ever! Some may accuse you of suffering from SC2 addiction and they may suggest you need to seek professional help. I’m sure there is someone out there with these problems (not me), and maybe these tips will help you overcome in this difficult time:

1. Realize it’s not your fault: The first step is to understand that Blizzard is to blame for you wasting untold hours of time every day playing Starcraft 2. It’s not your fault this game delivers on every level, with amazing graphics, pulse-pounding game play – you’re just trying to climb the ladders and increase your ranking. Don’t blame yourself, it’s not like you can help it!

2. Adjust Your Priorities: If you find that playing Starcraft 2 constantly is causing problems in your relationships and career, then you need to take a long hard look at your priorities. Is there anything else more important than keeping the zerg from taking over the universe? OK, probably not, but you need to at least pretend you’re not constantly thinking about how you could have done that last game differently. We recommend giving up sleep. That way you can fulfill all your normal responsibilities during normal hours, and still perfect that build order in the wee hours of the night.

3. Remember it’s just a game: Your real life is happening all around you, and you can’t experience it while you’re staring at the computer screen, experiencing pure joy while you cloak your banshees and take out the enemy mineral line. You could be dealing with unhappy clients, screaming children or angry spouses. Suck it up and get back into the rat race – you are not a renegade terran commander with a heart of gold and abnormally large biceps … unfortunately.

4. Starcraft 2 doesn’t pay the bills: It’s crazy, but your dad was right – money doesn’t grow on trees. And you need it to pay off that dual monitor computer, crazy fast internet connection and surround sound system that captures every explosion with perfect clarity. Plus, pesky car payments, mortgages and food – it all costs money and playing Starcraft 2 all day isn’t going to bring in the cash. Unless you start competing professionally and win some tournaments, or your spouse can take on an extra job. Or three.

Hope that helps! I was going to do some more tips but a bunch of Stalkers just blinked into my base and I need to get my other expansion going…
**Note to clients: I am working hard on your project. Right now.

I ran across a great interview from Paul at Boagworld that I thought I would share. He spoke with Nicholas Felton about his yearly reports project. Apparently he has been designing yearly reports which detail his life. They cover how many air miles he’s traveled, how many alcoholic beverages consumed, books read, movies attended, and more. A bunch of information, beautifully designed and posted online for the world to see.

I’ve never heard of it before, but apparently it’s catching on, and Nicholas, along with a partner, is launching a website designed to make tracking this information easier. I think this is really fascinating – as a designer who is interested in numbers and tracking things (ok, a little obsessive) this is a brilliant idea. Give yourself a yearly report to really see what your life looks like, what you spend your time and money on. Sure, it’s time consuming, but I’m sure it’s also rewarding.

A new year is bearing down on us. It’s the perfect time to follow in Nicholas’s footsteps and maybe gain some insight into your own life.

The first week of April found me heading over to a little place called the Greater Pittsburgh Airport to catch a mid-morning flight down to Orlando, FL. Home of Disney, Universal Studios, and retirees the world over. 2,500 creative folks were also invading this popular area for the much anticipated 2008 edition of Photoshop World. If you found yourself unable to go, let me fill you in on the goings-on!

Wednesday morning brought the opening keynote. We’re talking lights, fog machines, aged women fighting over free t-shirts (seriously) and a rather long Star Trek themed video intro. After that a hobbled Scott Kelby made his way to the stage to pump us up for the whirlwind of learning we all came for.
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I’m stoked to be attending Photoshop World in Orlando, FL this April. I’ve never had the chance to attend before, and I can’t wait. If you happen to be heading to Orlando as well, drop me a line and we can make some plans to party- I mean, network.

I will cover the show in detail at this site, with photos and reviews of the sessions. After that, we will get started on another creative project and also look to do some posts focusing on the subject of creativity, along with the occassional post covering freelance design experiences. If that sounds good, make sure you subscribe to this site via RSS or email!