WINNER ANNOUNCED - Sprite Jam: Gamer

[Hannah_Banana]

Better late than never (over a year sorry everyone) - but here is the next Sprite Jam!

Theme: Gamer

Your typical gamer is a snack-fueled, controller-wielding legend, balancing epic victories with questionable life choices (like staying up until 3 AM). With quick reflexes and a penchant for trash talk, they live for leveling up—and they might just have a better social life in their virtual squad than IRL.

This month's mission (should you choose to accept it) is to create a 'Gamer' character (taking the term loosely to allow for your own interpretation of what a Gamer looks like to you).



The rules of this Jam are simple:
1. Draw a 'Gamer' character - digital, pencil, whatever floats your boat
2. No size or colour limits
3. Multiple entries are allowed.

Entries close 26th January with voting following until 31st Jan.

Time to get sketching!

[pell]

I have a couple of ideas.

[Hannah_Banana]

Excellent @pell ! I look forward to seeing what you come up with

[Creamy]

Does a sport player count as a gamer?

I supposed not, but then I saw Diddy Kong in your picture.

[Misj']

So here's my entry. He's still quite young, and I call him Jasper.

Fits the theme perfectly so I don't think it needs an explanation...but should you want one just ask (or read the spoiler section below)

Spoiler

It's a 'brakkehond' (Brak or brakkehond in Dutch, Bracke in German, Braque or Brachet in French, Bracco in Italian...in English the closest thing would be a (breed of) hound (no, not a beagle)). I based him mostly on the Deutsche Bracke for his colouring, but combined a few of the breeds for his overall shape.

Game was traditionally a reference to wild animals - especially birds - that were hunted. That logically leads to the fact that anyone involved in said hunt for game was a gamer. A 'brak' is among a scenthounds (hounds that hunt primarily by scent not vision) used in - you guessed it - the hunt for game; similar to the before-mentioned beagle (yes, they are related). So that by definition makes the 'Jasper de Brakkehond' a gamer.

ps. yes, the English word 'brackish' is derived from the same origin as the word 'brak'.

[close]

[jahnocli]

...

ps. yes, the English word 'brackish' is derived from the same origin as the word 'brak'.

I don't understand -- I always thought "brackish" meant salt water mixed with fresh water, like in a salt marsh...

[Misj']

I don't understand -- I always thought "brackish" meant salt water mixed with fresh water, like in a salt marsh...

And that is absolutely true. But the origin of the word is a bit more complex than its meaning. The mixing of salt water with fresh water makes the water 'go bad' (in the sense that it's far less ideal for drinking) and makes it taste bad. In Dutch the word brak has the same meaning when applied to water.

But it goes further than that. For example if you feel horrible after a night out you can also call that 'ik voel me brak'...I feel rotten. This 'rotten' in turn has a relationship to something that smells rotten which brings us full circle as to why a hound that hunts by smell/scent is called a brak (the word hound is derived from the Germanic word 'hond' (Dutch) or 'Hund' (German)...and simply means dog; and as far as I've been able to find (in like two minutes on the internet) the English word hound has nothing to do with the verb 'to hunt' even though it feels like they should since in English they are hunting dogs).

Long story short...words are fun/weird, and I don't think Creamy should be allowed to be too creative with the theme. Because that's my thing. 

[jahnocli]

He he -- ok. Thanks for the lesson.

[Creamy]

...

ps. yes, the English word 'brackish' is derived from the same origin as the word 'brak'.

I don't understand -- I always thought "brackish" meant salt water mixed with fresh water, like in a salt marsh...

I only knew its very specific meaning of a Mexican adopted into Norwegian turned into American who feels a Mexican.

I don't think Creamy should be allowed to be too creative with the theme. Because that's my thing. 

I found this definition of a gamer:
"a person known for consistently making a strong effort, especially in sport."

And so I drew:

Spoiler

Philippe Croizon, who became the first person without arms and legs to swim across the 33.5 km English Channel.

[close]

[Hannah_Banana]

Calling for final entries, closing soon ready for voting. So far we have two entries:
- Creamy with Philippe Croizon (English Channel swimmer)
- Misj with a Brakkehond ready to hunt some game.

[Hannah_Banana]

Roll up, roll up and get your votes in for this month's round of Sprite Jame: Gamer.

First off, we have Creamy with Philippe Croizon, the English Channel swimmer;



Followed by Misj with a Brakkehond ready to hunt some game.



7 days till votes close, so get your votes in fast!

[Hannah_Banana]

And the winner (with a close call of one vote difference) is *insert drumroll*: Misj with the Brakkehond!!

Nice work - and over to you for next month's Sprite Jam!

[Misj']

Thanks! - I'll get to a new Jam right away.

@Creamy: I really loved the animation. Would have been proud to have lost due with that as my competition.