Wow! So we're live. (Actually, we've been live for over a week, thanks to my inferior ability to write a blog post in a timely fashion)
Anyway, if you couldn't tell from those categories I oh-so-cleverly placed in the blog post headers, I'm the web developer. I'm also responsible for that mysterious spinning gear that runs the scrollbar. (If you're on IE right now, nevermind. Move along, move along...) I love that gear.
There's not a whole lot to say about the website at this moment, but I've heard the game is going to be done in about 6 weeks, so definitely expect to see a ton of new content soon! Meanwhile, you can follow me on Twitter (@Kludgist) where I'll be sure to scream to the internet in all caps (in less than 140 characters) that the game is *finally* done!

Because this is on the internet (version 2.0, so I've been told), I'm obliged to present you with some interesting content. So here you go: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/02/10-ways-to-a-geeky-girls-heart/
Wait, nevermind. That article was AWFUL. "10 ways to a geeky girl's heart," or cute ideas to do for the normal girlfriend of a completely incompetent, socially-awkward... ohhh, their target market... oh, wait.

Well, nothing to see here. Move along, move along.

The bodies are buried, and no one will ever find them. I had just come back from a job gone rotten wrong, washing the mud and dirt and grime from my hands. The shovels were still in the trunk, crusted with specs of blood, but if ever questioned about that I’ll just respond “Hey, I like to dig ditches. If there was blood on the ground I don’t know how it got there. That’s YOUR business.” I dropped my keys into the mosaic bowl on my dusty kitchen table. It’s always filthy. Looking back, I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten a meal there. The closest I’ve ever come to eating at that table was the night I had that tall blonde over who was constantly throwing eyes my way. I supplied the booze and she decided to show up in her husband’s trench-coat with nothing on underneath. The details are hazy but I remember it being a somewhat decent night. The heels of her shoes scraped my goddamn floor. I haven’t heard from her since.
So I stared at the bowl that sits on a kitchen table that’s never used for eating food when I had the bright idea to check my email. I sauntered into the den, constantly thinking back on the rainy field and the mounds of fresh dirt. The computer, which I can hardly utilize, sat buried under a pile of coffee stained letters to an ex-lover that will never be sent. A copy of Catcher in the rye I never returned from high school, with the latter half of the book missing was neatly placed on top. It all made a madly fascinating geometric pattern that boggled my mind. After losing myself in that striking yet gloomy reflection of my life I became furious and swept it all onto the floor. I’d probably leave it all there until I trampled it all into grainy powder. The shovels are probably dirtying the hell out of my trunk. And there sat my computer. The horrid creation of modern man.
I opened up the cursed machine, remembering that this type of computer was called a laptop. I used to believe it was labtop, and spent excruciating amounts of time wondering why it had such an odd title. The day I was finally corrected I spent the better half of an hour laughing at my stupidity. The great beast, the devilish creature known as The Internet was still functioning through a company error; I stopped paying the bills long ago; and managed to find my way to the page which allowed my access to my email. Browsing through the unending piles of garbage I spotted a hidden gem, like a gold Canadian coin lying next to a bloodied rag stuffed in a sewer grate; it was an email from my old contact Greg. We all called him the Midnight Apple on jobs. I opened it up expecting a notification of me owing him large amounts of money, but I got hit like a ton of bricks. First of all it was pleasant enough, but secondly, and more amazing it was an offer. “Hey loser, do you want a writing job? It’s for a company that someone like you could never be lucky enough to work for, so don’t say no. you’ve burned enough bridges in your sordid lifetime and if you want to be a real writer that people aside from yourself have heard of, just do it and shut your mouth. I don’t want to have to bring up the past. By the way, the company is called iPWN Studios.”
All I could think was yes of course I want a writing job. Followed by the idiotic response, well hey, could you at least be a little more specific. But then I remembered the dirt. The shovel. The mattress with no box spring sagging in the middle and the endless nights with no sleep. All I had to eat the previous week was a box of supermarket brand cereal, and not a flavor I would have chosen. The box was damaged so it was cheap. Cheap as the dirt that had crusted over my half deflated tires. I began to write my response. “You are a God who has swept down and given me a second chance at life.” Scratch that. I’m somewhere on my third or fourth…

As a First Blog post, and by Githinji's request, I will take this oppertunity to introduce myself.
My Name is Mike Donaghey, but I go by Danger or T3h_Danger.
I am the Lead Tech artist, which involes a great spectrum of responsibilities and tasks from getting the art into the game, to getting bone structures into models so they can be animated.
Aside: For rigging purposes iPwn Studios Uses my very own Danger5000 Rig-0-Matic "from Biped to wings, it rigs things!"
I also Model, Texture, and manage the QA portion of our Project.
my Story starts at middle school playing and painting Warhammer 40k miniatures, specifically the orks but ranging to Necrons and tyranids. Converting your own models was the only way to play the often leftout and forgotten Ork army.
GamesWorkshop was IMO a company built on failed business tactics of alienating customers, then drastically dropping prices to boost fan morale. GamesWorkshop's antics pushed me toward one of my favorite companies, Reaper Miniatures, Whom produces generic Dungeons and dragon models of excellent quality.

if I can name drop real quick, Sandra Garrity was a strong influence on me seeing as she sculpted 75% of the models I painted.
The only thing I knew in my life at this point was that I wanted to sculpt and paint, but didn't want to be stuck in HobbyBunker my entire life.
My CG enthusiasm started with the special edition Unreal Tournament 2004, complete with tutorials and the Maya trial software.
In Nov. 2006 I was first in line for the PS3 Launch, about the same time I was looking through schools for art and computer graphics.

I visited through a couple places, including ITT Tech, which has mixed demographics, older teachers, and only uses 3ds max.
I quickly settled on the Center for Digital Imaging Arts, to build off my foundation of self taught Maya knowledge.
I animated for Boston University Corporate Education Center twice as a contractor and started at iPwn immediatly after my second BUCEC contract.

I also enjoy Dungeons and dragons, miniature wargaming, Building computers, and nerf guns.

At the outset of this project I vowed not to shave my face until the game was released, Due to Many pushbacks and delays My beard has become wild unruly and sentient, eating small children that wander close by.
My greatest condolences to everyone subjected to the malicious intent of my follicles.
My Beard and I get along ok, until it comes to prime time television, then my beard wants to watch deadliest catch and I want adultswim... people DIE man!

-Mike "Danger" Donaghey,
Cg Artist Extraordinaire!

I guess I should start with a short introduction of sorts. My name is Greg Matisoff, and I'm the Art Director here at iPwn Studios. Growing up I wanted to become a comic book artist, I loved the Saturday morning cartoon line up and never missed it (R.I.P Saturday Morning Cartoons). I've been drawing my entire life, and did some writing in middle school and high school. I liked to read comic books as well, so that seemed like a logical choice. In college drawing became mroe of a chore than something I enjoyed doing. Maybe it was because I was forced to do this, maybe it was because my professors and I didn't always see eye to eye, maybe it was another reason. After I left college I decided to take the 3D Animation courses over at CDIA, and loved every second of it. I always loved video games, and I decided to take the journey into becoming a 3D Artist.

Shortly after graduating CDIA, I got a job over at Hangout Industries as a 3D Artist Intern, which shortly turned into me being the 3D Artist there. Things were going well there, unfortunately in this economic climate, start up companies don't always go as expected and I found myself unemployed. From there I knew that the 3D field was for me, I had so much fun doing actual work there, which was not a feeling I was familiar with.

When I was approached for the position of Art Director at iPwn Studios, I was hesitant. The student loans were stacking and the job market wasn't looking all that bright. After carefully weighing out my options, I decided to take the job, and I haven't regretted the decision yet. We have been working on BloodKnight for six months now, and already there's a dozen things I would do differently on the next game, so needless to say it's been a learning experience.

It's been a long journey, the road paved with nothing but the promise of our dreams being realized. A company that not only puts out great games, but a place where talented people gather to grow as artists and as people. I have been priveleged enough to work alongside some of the most loyal people I know, and have a good time doing so.

So, that's enough out of me for the time being. I hope everyone who reads this enjoys the BloodKnight games, as well as the other great series we have planned, and takes full advantage of our website for news/media/whatever.

Sincerely,

-Greg Matisoff-

a.k.a- gMad

a.k.a- NLG

a.k.a- Greggersoff