My TV broke last week and it's amazing just how many games and films you desperately want to watch all of a sudden when that happens! Although, in fairness, I actually did! I had been busy with my Open Uni work and had said to myself that once I'd finished I'd give myself some solid gaming time, but the evening before, it broke...
Arg!
My work is getting rid of some of their store TVs, so I should be getting one of those, which is very fortunate timing, but they haven't confirmed yet and I have a feeling they'll go back on their word.
Also, and this is a big one, my brothers had finally sorted their porting issues out last weekend! People should break their TVs more frequently if it's going to inspire this sort of enterprise.
Not having a TV has allowed me to crack on with other projects though. Wastelands is ready to go for the next play test and the draft rules are nearly complete.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Machinarium, Double Fine and Humble Bundle
I have just completed a point and click adventure called Machinarium, where you play a robot, who goes through an adventure to find his girlfriend, foil and evil plot and save the city. You have to solve some quite tricky puzzles and think very laterally to figure out how to progress. I think the game probably didn't take much longer than 5 hours, but it felt so much more than a quick game. When I completed it I felt I'd really experienced something engrossing and fulfilling, like finishing a really well written, thoughtful book.
Point and click adventure games are something that have really passed me by. I remember kids playing them when I was young, but I never really thought much about it as I was much more into RTSs, shooters and RPGs. I remember games such as Sam and Max Hit the Road and Sercrets of Monkey Island being popular, but just never thought about trying them out myself. In some ways I feel like I've missed out on a really interesting and enjoying genre of game and intend to rectify it by checking out some old classics, when I get the opportunity. I know you can get all the Monkey Island games from XBLA. I'll check out the first, then see about the other/rest (can't remember if there's more than 2...).
In the new year Double Fine have a new adventure game coming out called, The Cave. This is more of your more up to date platformer/adventure game - not a point and click jobby. And with multiplayer support I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some mates over to indulge in it when it comes out.
If you have never tried a point and click adventure, or are a big fan and appreciate a great sense of humour, then try Host Master and the Conquest of Humour. I spent a good hour hunting down the various hidden jokes, and laughing and how bad they were, the other day. Well worth a look!
Any finally, if you like sticking it to the system and supporting up coming games and game ideas, then head over to Humble Bundle. They've just finished collecting for their last one, but they'll no doubt have another going soon. Basically you can donate however much you want to the site and divide what you have given to either the developers, charity or the website, in which ever proportion you like. I was drawn to it because Double Fine are doing their Amnesia Fortnight, where they put down all their game development projects and spend 2 weeks making prototype games. If you're interested go over to Humble Bundle and follow the link at the top. There are some really interesting ideas and I look forward to seeing what comes out of it.
Point and click adventure games are something that have really passed me by. I remember kids playing them when I was young, but I never really thought much about it as I was much more into RTSs, shooters and RPGs. I remember games such as Sam and Max Hit the Road and Sercrets of Monkey Island being popular, but just never thought about trying them out myself. In some ways I feel like I've missed out on a really interesting and enjoying genre of game and intend to rectify it by checking out some old classics, when I get the opportunity. I know you can get all the Monkey Island games from XBLA. I'll check out the first, then see about the other/rest (can't remember if there's more than 2...).
In the new year Double Fine have a new adventure game coming out called, The Cave. This is more of your more up to date platformer/adventure game - not a point and click jobby. And with multiplayer support I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some mates over to indulge in it when it comes out.
If you have never tried a point and click adventure, or are a big fan and appreciate a great sense of humour, then try Host Master and the Conquest of Humour. I spent a good hour hunting down the various hidden jokes, and laughing and how bad they were, the other day. Well worth a look!
Any finally, if you like sticking it to the system and supporting up coming games and game ideas, then head over to Humble Bundle. They've just finished collecting for their last one, but they'll no doubt have another going soon. Basically you can donate however much you want to the site and divide what you have given to either the developers, charity or the website, in which ever proportion you like. I was drawn to it because Double Fine are doing their Amnesia Fortnight, where they put down all their game development projects and spend 2 weeks making prototype games. If you're interested go over to Humble Bundle and follow the link at the top. There are some really interesting ideas and I look forward to seeing what comes out of it.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Double Fine Adventure and other things
Last week I became a "slacker-backer" for Double Fine's Kickstarter project called Double Fine Adventure. Being a slacker-backer basically means I missed the kickstarter itself but have hopped on the bandwagon before release of the game. For $15 I will get access to a digital download of the game, I have access to the backer's forum and the documentary series, which is being made along side the side by another company. The documentary series was my real motive for pledging.
Since last week I have watched all the documentary videos so far and have found them facinating! Watching how Tim Schafer and co go about constructing their game world through concept art, story boards and test programs is inspiring. I cannot imagine ever working in an environment like that, it seems like a dream world that doesn't actually exist.
My Open Uni work is currently getting in the way of making amendments to Wastelands, which is developing nicely. I was able to play an ENTIRE GAME of it this last weekend with my brother and a mate. There were some trials rules which we discussed when the arose, which I think we resolved pretty well, but the game took less than 2 hours and I think once you get people who know the game it'll be more like an hour to 90 minutes for 4 players - first time through always takes a little longer!
My brother won the game by getting a V10 engine and all the parts within the first 15 minutes of the start!! I think I should have shuffled the cards better, or he has the luck of the devil... But despite this it still took the full amount of time for him to win, as we all fought to win Championship Races and play cards to slow his progress. I came so close to installing a V8, which with my supercharger would have been a match for his V10! But I couldn't get to where I needed to buy a car part I needed before the next Championship Race came around.
I'm so pleased at how Wastelands is going! At the moment though, I must focus on Open Uni work; it is important and once I get through this course I'll be able to start taking some more practical courses, which might lead to the dream...
Since last week I have watched all the documentary videos so far and have found them facinating! Watching how Tim Schafer and co go about constructing their game world through concept art, story boards and test programs is inspiring. I cannot imagine ever working in an environment like that, it seems like a dream world that doesn't actually exist.
My Open Uni work is currently getting in the way of making amendments to Wastelands, which is developing nicely. I was able to play an ENTIRE GAME of it this last weekend with my brother and a mate. There were some trials rules which we discussed when the arose, which I think we resolved pretty well, but the game took less than 2 hours and I think once you get people who know the game it'll be more like an hour to 90 minutes for 4 players - first time through always takes a little longer!
My brother won the game by getting a V10 engine and all the parts within the first 15 minutes of the start!! I think I should have shuffled the cards better, or he has the luck of the devil... But despite this it still took the full amount of time for him to win, as we all fought to win Championship Races and play cards to slow his progress. I came so close to installing a V8, which with my supercharger would have been a match for his V10! But I couldn't get to where I needed to buy a car part I needed before the next Championship Race came around.
I'm so pleased at how Wastelands is going! At the moment though, I must focus on Open Uni work; it is important and once I get through this course I'll be able to start taking some more practical courses, which might lead to the dream...
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Wastelands v2
I had a brain wave the other week and have completely over-hauled the game mechanics for Wastelands: project rage, which these days I'm just calling Wastelands.
Last wednesday I got a chance to play test the new rule mechanics with my usual play testers and it was a success, but we weren't able to finish the game! We played enough for me to know how I want to push forward and I hope to have a proper play test soon, maybe tomorrow day or evening...
I'm really excited about Wastelands at the moment, I really feel like it can be a work out. I joined Deviant Art just over a week ago, but I just don't know how to approach potential artists without sounding like a weirdo! I'd love to get in touch with some old friends, but I'm apprehensive as to how they would react as I haven't spoken to some of them for years... maybe 5 or more years?! How crazy is that!
How I really want to progress is to get friends together who have the talents or the desire to develope their talents in such a way that we can push the game forward and have fun on the way. The core game is down, or at least very close to being down.
My job list for Wastelands is now:
- playtest, playtest, PLAYTEST!
- finish writing new rules with new mechanics (I'm very close to doing this)
- find art or artist and then get some preliminary black and white sketches to start fitting onto the cards.
- look at ways of producing better quality cards.
- Website...?
So yes, I've still no idea how I'm going to tackle this, along with my Open Uni work (which I enjoy), learning Swedish (which I do out of interest and I enjoy) and my job (which I loath with every fibre of my being).
Here's to progress!
Last wednesday I got a chance to play test the new rule mechanics with my usual play testers and it was a success, but we weren't able to finish the game! We played enough for me to know how I want to push forward and I hope to have a proper play test soon, maybe tomorrow day or evening...
I'm really excited about Wastelands at the moment, I really feel like it can be a work out. I joined Deviant Art just over a week ago, but I just don't know how to approach potential artists without sounding like a weirdo! I'd love to get in touch with some old friends, but I'm apprehensive as to how they would react as I haven't spoken to some of them for years... maybe 5 or more years?! How crazy is that!
How I really want to progress is to get friends together who have the talents or the desire to develope their talents in such a way that we can push the game forward and have fun on the way. The core game is down, or at least very close to being down.
My job list for Wastelands is now:
- playtest, playtest, PLAYTEST!
- finish writing new rules with new mechanics (I'm very close to doing this)
- find art or artist and then get some preliminary black and white sketches to start fitting onto the cards.
- look at ways of producing better quality cards.
- Website...?
So yes, I've still no idea how I'm going to tackle this, along with my Open Uni work (which I enjoy), learning Swedish (which I do out of interest and I enjoy) and my job (which I loath with every fibre of my being).
Here's to progress!
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