You sit facing the Board of Educators, their faces a range between disgusted, upset, or disappointed. You pick up your speech, appeal to them about how you'll do better in class and finish, but there's something else really bugging you.
[[Say what's on your mind]]
[[Leave it at that and take your leave]]You take a deep breath and look your Religion teacher Mr.Stryzanski straight in his eyes, and proceed to tell him that you believe he was wrong. You feel that you were sent out of class and to detention for no reason and tell the reset of the Board that you believe that it wasn't your fault. Your mother's face turns into a disgusted scowl as she places it into her palm. Your principal in a look of disbelief, stands up to shake your hand saying "We'll get back to you".
[[walk out]]After completing your year of 8th grade you decide to attend a good high school that puts you in a great position to go to college so now its time to
start [[Applying for college]] You and your parents leave the office as your head is down trying not to look at either one of them. You get in the car staring out the window, watching the raindrops fall wondering why you had to go and open your mouth...again. You get home and rush to your room as your parents yell that you shouldn't be in this situation in the first place. She gets a call, and emerging from your room you see she is crying and know that it's over. So much for private school education. With nothing left to do you sleep the night away.
[[sleep]]You wake up the next day with your mother telling you that you'll be going to a new school. You get dressed and go to meet with the faculty of 'Palmer Park Preperatory Academy', and with ease you are accepted. Class is easy, but you aren't very social and often stay to yourself listening to your Ipod. There is constantly fighting in the halls or people getting bullied and you don't want to admit it but you're afraid you'll be next. In gym you are reading a book alone and a basketball rolls at your foot. You pick the ball up and Devon a kid from your class, asks if you want to join his team. Your'e in a bad state right now and don't want to be bothered, but perhaps new friends is what you need right now in this hell. You reply with...
[["Sure sounds good!"]]
[["Nah I'm gonna just chill here"]]Devon is a cool guy and introduces you to plenty of other people at the school. You have a good game and his friends welcome you into the clique with open arms. After getting to know the kids at school, you realize sure they're a little rough around the edges but they'll have your back and you get along with pretty much everyone in your grade.You all make jokes, skip class, and ball out on the court together until Summer vacation. Summer vacation was great with them too and now its time to start high school.
[[to Loyola]] Middle School here sucks. Without someone watching your back you get into some scraps and are pretty much a pariah staying to yourself. Barely any friends or excitement, just rowdy classrooms and a miserable school year. You're constantly on edge because the place is a concrete jungle and you could be bullied at any time. You're on your own. You finish out the year with good grades, but due to your lack of social skills in middle school have a boring, shitty Summer. Summer ends and its on to high school.
[[to Loyola]] High school here is really more of the same as it was when you were in middle school just a little more difficult. You don't really like it there, but admittedly it has its benefits because its another private school. You have access to networks, and resources should you need them. Come the end of Summer Vacation it is time to decide do you go back there? or go to a new school?
[[Stay there, its not fun but it may be helpful later]]
[[New School, I want to enjoy my high school years damn it!]]You go through school locked in on your studies and pass your ACT with flying colors. You've renewed your parents' faith in you and they feel much better about the situation. You have many different schools as options to apply to so now its time to decide where you'll go to school.
[[Applying for college]]You end up going to Jameson High School, a public school in Ferndale. You attend orientation and its small, poor, and is the size of a middle school if that. After a couple weeks of going there you make some friends and even have a little crush. Its going pretty well so far and one of your new friends William, says he can hook you up with your crush. However he finds out that you had your eye on someone he had eyes for too and ruins your chances with your crush. Should you forgive him and continue this friendship?
[[Let bygones be bygones ]]
[[No way, we aren't friends]]William turns out to be one of your lifelong friends at JHS, and has your back through whatever. You even begin hanging outside of school and you get added to his clique, a bunch of nerds who hang out after school playing Super Smash Bros. and terrorizing Pleasantville. They're really great people and there isn't a day you go through school without tears in your eyes due to laughter. The Libary is where you have some of your greatest high school memories from last minute victories in Smash Bros. and hilarious freestyle rap sessions, to meeting your first love.
[[Keep enjoying high school]] High school continues as you and your pals continue meeting up at the Libary almost every day until your in your Junior year. One day you see a girl there, and she gives you butterflies.This was a new feeling, you'd never felt like this about a girl before. Sure you'd seen attractive girls at school and out and about but something made her different. She's short with long dark hair, beautiful tanned skin, and perky always pursed lips. She's cute and innocent and says 'Hi' to you as she walks away. You're not good with girls, never have been, but something in your gut says you should go for this one.
[[Go for it, a famous man once said you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. You think you read that on a poster once or something]]There are multiple factors affecting your decision, being close to home to see your girlfriend, and trying to find a place that offers a good game design program. This limits you to options in state, that are also close to home.
[[Eastern Michigan University]] Fumbling over your words you introduce yourself and make conversation. She's funny and you enjoy talking to her. Forgetting about your friends you both take a walk together chopping it up as she tells you that she goes to a different high school but is always at the library. Her name is Marissa. You've got to head home and you're already anxious that you managed to hold conversation with her, but she stops you to give you her number so you can talk to her. You take her up on that and tell her you hope you see her again and that you'll text her when you get home. Eventually you both get very comfortable with each other and even hang out over Winter Break together. One day she asks you to be in a relationship with her, but for some reason you refuse. You love your time with her but you aren't looking for a relationship and your intuition tells you as such.
[[Nope, staying single as a pringle]]
[[A Girlfriend that sounds great!]]Considering your grades are what they are you have a wealth of schools to choose from with a decent amount of school paid for both in and out of state. You've done your research and want a good school for game design since that is your career goal. So you've got a couple choices.
[[In-State]]
[[Out of State]]You decide that you want to remain close to home and go to a school in-state but you've got to go to a university to be away from home, and one that has a game design program. That leaves you with
[[Eastern Michigan]]Out of the choices you could make Full Sail University seems like a good bet for a 3d modeling career. You make the trip to Florida and its beautiful outside of some crazy weather now and again. You miss home but this new place is great to get your creative juices flowing. You make great connections, and before you know it straight from college you're offered a job in California so now you can follow your dream.
To [[Game Development-Cali]]! It's not the best school but EMU's SAG program is extremely helpful in helping you to network and flesh out your portfolio. You have a great college experience here making friends, partying and enjoying time away from home until 5 years later and its time for graduation.
[[Graduation]] You decide that even though you enjoy her company that you'd rather just stay on your own. Due to your friendship with her though you become more comfortable with women and begin to date around a bit. Junior year speeds by and its time for senior year.
[[Senior Year]] You battle yourself for about a day or two before you send that major text that will put you 'in a relationship'. You meet her there after and spend the whole day together. Before she leaves you grab her kissing in front of a sunset with fireworks going off in your head and many of the days after follow the same way. You begin seeing her everyday through out the year and drifting off from everyone else. But thats not on your mind, the only thing on your mind is her. Junior year and the summer after blazes by and its time for senior year.
[[On to Senior Year]]Your friendship with William is never the same after that fateful day and it affects you're high school experience worse than you thought. You largely stay to yourelf and make acouple friends but not with people you're comfortable with. This isn't your clique and you feel like you need to hide yourself and your personality. As a result you don't foucs on your studies and have a miserable high school experience and before you know it its time to graduate. This leads you to attend Eastern Michigan University because they are the school that offered you the most money.
[[Eastern Michigan]] Senior year is great, but lets be real you haven't really done your work as you should have. You've been having so much fun you forogt about the 'school' part maybe you should pull it together while you've got the chance.
[[Work? Its Senior Year and I've got Senioritis.]]
[[College isn't gonna pay itself.]]Considering your lack of focus lately, you've finished out the year in a relatively rough standing. You ACT score was good but your overall GPA not so much. You've got to think about paying for school and that means going places that will be cheap or give you the most money. You also want to attend a school that will offer you a game design degree. That limits you to
[[Eastern Michigan]]You decide to lock in for the rest of the year and manage to pull your grades and GPA together. You've made your family proud and feel good about yourself, good job! Time to apply for college.
[[Applying for college]] Senior year has been fun mostly due to your relationship but its beginning to take a dangerous portion of your time. Your friends and family are beginning to come to you saying they feel that she isn't good for you, and she's beginning to become a little toxic as well. She's taking up all your time and has become selfish. Maybe everyone is right?
[[No, we'll be fine everyone has relationship problems.]]
[[They're right, time to cut this off]] You decide that whatever problems you're having can be solved through talking it out and for a while everything is fine. You're both happy, spending time together and having a good time throughout the school year. But suddenly there's a shift, and its more bad than goood and it turns out everyone was right. She's beginning to accuse you of cheating and has become very mentally unstable and its draining. You still love her but its hard to enjoy your time with her like you used to as a result. The school year becomes rough for you as you try to look out for her and push your friends and family away. Before you know it, its time to start thinking about applying for school.
[[Decision Day]]It hurts, bad. You go to her and let her know that you think the two of you should break it off. She's hysterical, begging you to reconsider and change your mind but you know in your heart its best. Its Your first heartbreak and it sucks but you decide to let this relationship go and become single again, and as a result your grades improve and you put more time into your studies. This causes you to be able to bring your grades up and apply to some good schools. Senior year ends and its time to start
[[Applying for college]] You decide to attend Eastern Michigan University and room with your friend Leteef. Your wowed by the campus and just being able to finally be out the house and be in a new place, being on your own and away from home. New experiences and new people , and the 'college experience' everyone talks about beckon to you at every turn and as a result your time is a little taken up. However his causes your girlfriend to become hysterical and extremely toxic even threatening to harm herself just to have your attention. So you decide to put your attention on her and she controls all your time for a while. She even says that you aren't allowed to have female friends. However you happen to meet two girls one day that are very friendly and even offer to show you around campus. Maybe you should make friends on campus.
[[Accept their friendship,your girlfriend will understand.]]
[[Stay to yourself.]] You decide to befriend them and its a great decision. She's upset, but you get to enjoy your college xperience as a result. They become some of your best friends in college and you have a great time going to parties, getting into trouble, and making all types of happy memories. The years and memories go by when suddenly you recieve a letter in the mail.
[[Read the message]] You decide to stay to yourself and keep your relationship but at a major cost. The relationship is extremely toxic to both of you and causes you to drift further from family and friends and as a result you have a fairly uneventful and stressfull college experience. No parties, barely any social events only miserable focus on your toxic relationship and your studies. You've even pushed away your best friend in favor of your relationship. Eventually you get a message in your campus mailbox.
[[Read the message]]"Dear Marcus Jones," the message reads. It goes on to say how you no longer can attend Eastern due to an unpaid E-bill and must pack your things. So in a solemn state you say goodbye to the friends you had and must head home with questions as to what to do next. You finish packing and its time to pack and go home.
[[Go home]]You make it back home with no choice but to begin working full time. Hopefully with enough money you can begin attending school again, or even possibly go attend another school. After a couple months your girlfriend lets you know that she thinks the two of you should split. This is probably a good thing, and can allow you to grow on your own in this difficult time.
[[Let her go]]You decide she is right and that you need this time to work on yourself and figure things out. With time to focus on yourself you begin to bring yourself out of the rut that being out of school put you in. Time passes and your in a good place working and putting time toward your passion of becomng a game designer. Before you know it its time to return to EMU and you have the money to do so. But maybe you should stay home and keep working, after all the money has been good.
[[Return to EMU]]
[[Stay home]]You return to EMU and decide to enjoy your college experience as you should have before. You make new friends and connections, go out and enjoy yourself and have a great time partying and having fun. Time flies by and its time for you to graduate and decide your next step.
[[Graduation]]You decide that you'd rather stay home and work on yourself and continue working full time. You begin to make some decent money and get your own apartment and a decent car. Working with your uncle at an auto plant you work long hours and after a couple years become a supervisor. You get a nicer place move into a nice house and eventually settle down. You attempt to become a 3d artist in your free time and teach yourself, but your time is reduced. You're no longer following your passion and wonder what could have been different had you went back to school and purused your game design career like you wanted. Wih no time to put towards yourself it becomes a regret and decision that you wish you could take back. You live out your life in a very cliche fashion and spend the rest of your days in your middle class family until you pass due to old age.
The End. Its graduation and you've recieved a degree in game design, with no choice but to move from your home town and there are a couple hotbeds for game design careers you can choose from.
[[Califronia]]
[[Texas]]
[[Canada]]California is beautiful, palm trees and sun fill your view as you travel looking to make a name for yourself as a 3D modeler. You want to work in games, but film works for you too. You get an email for an offer to become a freelance artist for an ad agency advertising bathroom products. Its not what you want, but maybe the experience is just what you need.
[[Take the job]]
[[Wait for something else to come along]] You decide to move to Texas and set up shop to hopefully find a career in game dev. You work a day job while at the same time attending events and joining an organization that connects 3d modelers, artists and game developers. One fateful night you meet someone who wants to create a pilot for a post apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. He's seen your art online and wants to extend an invitation for you to work with him as a 3D modeler for CGI that will be in the show. Should you join him?
[[Yes]]
[[Not interested.]] Canada is cold, super cold. So much for escaping the cold that you were in at Michigan. But that's not why you're here. Within a couple weeks you're offered a job with Ubisoft Montreal. They are working on a new action gmae without an IP and want you to work in Environment Modeling. Once the game is released, it comes out to stellar reviews and this allows you to rise to a Senior Artist within Ubisoft. With 25 years of game dev experience behind you, you retire and return to your hometown. With this added free time you use it to create the video game you alwasy wanted to make, your 'Magnum Opus'.
The End Your boss is kind of an asshole but you've got good hours and a decent enough and livable wage. You dont' really enjoy your job and the art you're making is very bland, but the knowledge you've gained is worth even more than money. After a year of working for the company its time for you to move on and now you've got a more fleshed out resume. What do you want to pursue?
[[Game Development-Cali]]
[[Movies and Film-Cali]]You work low paying jobs bouncing from place to place from a fry cook to retail and you can already feel yoruself regetting not taking that job. In your free time you are still attempting to create content worthy of a job and your portfolio. Ten years later after putting less and less time into it you are approached with a 3D modeling job with a video production agency that produces short sci-films and advertising. Its not exactly what you wanted but at least you get to do your art and you remain there for years perfecting your craft until the company closes 20 years later. At this point you're older and decide to retire.
The End. You're portfolio represents your skill and your work and using Artstation and using a couple other sources you happen across an entry level position with a startup company aiming to create an indie platformer. The game comes out to middling reviews, but your modeling skills are defined and undeniable. This opens the door to a wealth of new opportunities and as you bounce from company to company, you gain more and more skill and work late into your life as a 3D artist. Ths is what you worked for and you've made it. Congratulations.
The EndYou score a job with a CGI studio working on sci-fi movies and films, and as a CGI modeler through the years continue working with more companies and gaining experience. Eventually you are a name in Sci-Fi and settle in creating art for for sci-fi CGI and VFX and creating original designs. AFter a long time in the industry you settle into retirement near the coast in Califronia.
The End He's excited and within the week you're working out of a small office producing weapon designs and some mecha as well for the show and it goes toward building your portfolio. It wasn't what you initally wanted but rather than limiting yourself to games this job has made you much more hirable and stacks your portfolio. Soon enough offers are rolling in leading you to more opportunities and California catches your eye.
[[Movies and Film-Cali]]You decide that you'll wait until another opportunity comes along, and you politely decline. You work a retail job as a grocery store for about two years, building your portfolio until you are approached to work with 'Bluepoint'. They are creating an original western online FPS, and even though its not the genre you'd prefer you take it and work there for 5 years. Afterward you are brought in by Retro Studios to make a Metroid reboot. Stunned with the opportunity you immediately agree and within a month you are creating in-game models for aliens, ships, and weapons in the game and the game releases to stunning reviews. You decide to stay with Retro until retirement creating sequels to Metroid and live out your days comfortably in Austin.
The End