Posted by Tim
Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:18:00 GMT
Since BMcC let the proverbial cat out of the bag, here’s another community project that has been going on for about a year now. Anyone can participate in the development of SPHINX, though there’s plenty of work left to do as the massive project will span over four episodes in total.
Design and production are actively discussed in the forums, while an outline for the first chapter has already been written. Background artists have a handy style guide to refer to.
With more progress, the act one might see a release some time next year.
Posted in Previews, Adventure | 3 comments
Posted by Tim
Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:07:00 GMT
The only online game that I’m mildly excited about right now. This horror is being resurrected for the new millenium thanks to bob, smila, the guys from Ovine by Design, scottige and whoever I neglected to mention.
bob posted a trailer video on his web site to whet your appetite. (spot the PHP in screenie for ten points)
See you and your Willy there when this abomination launches.
Posted in Previews, Multiplayer, Windows | 19 comments
Posted by Derek Yu
Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:50:00 GMT
Joystiq reports on a video of Mutant Storm Empire in action. I was a fan of Mutant Storm and I like the direction this game is heading. The neon look of the original MS was cool, but I’m digging these “realistic” environs a lot more.
Posted in XBox Live Arcade / XNA, Previews, Shoot-em-ups | 11 comments
Posted by Derek Yu
Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:17:00 GMT
Edmund McMillen threw me an email after reading my post from yesterday, wanting to clarify his role in creating Blast Miner. I definitely owe him that much!
He basically explained that Cryptic Sea is a two-man team who wanted to make a small game to get back into the swing of things after their break from Gish. And he totally stands by the game.
Which he should! And honestly, a creator should never feel obligated to do a certain kind of work to please an audience. As someone who likes to develop and draw, I’ve been on the wrong end of that stick. So I feel terrible for pushing it on Edmund and want to apologize to him for that.
Does it really change my mind about Blast Miner? No, it doesn’t. I still think there are flaws in the gameplay and presentation that add up significantly. And I really would have liked to see something a little more bizarre in terms of a theme. But to assume that he did not stand by the game himself was a bad way to illustrate that point. Sorry, man.
Posted in Community | 1 comment
Posted by ithamore
Wed, 18 Oct 2006 01:52:00 GMT
From the Land of the Rising Sun
From the Land of the Rising Sun, comes Logic
2.5 (click on the HTTP… link to download), which is described as a "refreshing, soothing
3D action game." Since it’s more concerned with exploration and
discovery than consequences and survival, refreshing and soothing are good
descriptors but not completely defining. It’s also curious, challenging, and occasionally
frustrating.
It isn’t as easy to get into as fighting and STG dojin soft, but that’s part
of the appeal. And it’s not difficult simply because of the language barrier:
Logic’s creator says saving has been enabled because the game
is "hard to understand" or "incomprehensible." But a language barrier still exists: the in-game help directions are much easier to figure out when using a
keyboard than a joystick (since the joystick help includes even more Nihongo),
and whatever the Japanese text included in
the opening demo is supposed to mean continues to mock me.
To actually get into the game, it helps to know you need to pick up a plant
and hit Tab to enter it, and a level is selected by jumping
on one the maps and entering again with Tab. The three small plants
contain the same two levels, which are deceptively simple and seem to have little to
do in them. However, there are unlockable cards that grant new abilities or can be used
to change settings (from the strength of the wind to the size of the yellow
character and the number of creatures), and this is the core of Logic, since
saving only preserves card placement. From the start, all 30 cards are available
for use with the large plant’s quite altered versions of the levels.
Between the large plant and the introductory demonstration, you can get a
good sense for what is possible in the game, but firguring out the games how-to’s is the fun of it all.
Plus, the ability to adjust more than the difficulty, video, audio, and
other such generic settings is a nice addition.
As for negatives: Logic isn’t for the impatient or those in love with eye
candy (but at least the textures are very skinable, so the game can be modified to be softer on the eyes),
it doesn’t work nicely on all systems (it works perfectly on my P4/Nvidia
powered desktop, however, even after adjusting
the logic.ini, my weaker AMD64/ATI powered laptop still had issues with
the transparencies of the dust, clouds, fire, and spirits), and I haven’t yet been able to figured out how to completely unlock the swan.
Posted in Windows, Freeware, Action / Arcade, Unique / Bizarre, Doujin | 7 comments
Posted by Derek Yu
Tue, 17 Oct 2006 05:34:00 GMT
Limbo is a game that people have been talking about recently, although I hesitate to call it a game yet, since my impression right now is that it’s nothing more than an idea and some beautiful conceptual artwork. The trailer just doesn’t look like in-game footage. Although it would be awesome if it was!
Word on the street is that Arnt Jensen, the game’s creator, has a grant from the Danish government to work on the game and is currently seeking a C/C++ programmer. What either of those facts says about the status of game’s development is a mystery to everyone.
Posted in Previews, Platformers | 11 comments
Posted by Derek Yu
Mon, 16 Oct 2006 19:45:00 GMT
I have a conjecture as to why this game got made:
Even though Edmund McMillen struck gold (no pun intended) with Gish, his partners still don’t trust his ideas. Maybe it’s because he wears all black to the office, or maybe it’s just the natural distrust of marketing people and programmers for artists. In any case, they promise him that they’ll let him make The Book of Knots if they get to pump out a few Tetris clones and bridge-making games first. (After all, we all know that casual games are where the real money is!) Edmund, remembering that he had to bitch and moan like a broken record for many months to get Gish made, acquiesces. Blast Miner is conceived because studies show that physics, explosions, and Tetris are “in” right now. Confusion ensues amongst Gish fans.
I don’t know, see the website. Try the demo for yourself. This is not – CANnot – be Edmund’s game. I just don’t believe it. It’s like the Blast Miner website doesn’t even believe it.
Also, see attached photo for one of the most confusing menu screens I’ve ever seen. Try and figure out what you can and can’t click and where the options are.
Or maybe I’m just dumb and the game is brilliant.
EDIT: My conjecture was completely wrong, not surprisingly. The game isn’t brilliant, but I am dumb!
Posted in Windows, Puzzle, Action / Arcade, Physics | 20 comments
Posted by Max
Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:59:00 GMT
RED, by Armor Games, is a nice riff on missle-command style shooters. Its minimalist approach, coupled with its billiard-like projectile physics has pretty much devoured my break time at work and school. God forbid other classic games should be re-made with snazzy new physics, or I may give up sleep entirely.
Also snazzy music until, you know, the 50th time you play.
Armor Games home here.
Posted in Browser Games, Shoot-em-ups | 7 comments
Posted by Tim
Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:41:00 GMT
Just because it’s so cool to see a b-.. dog get slapped in tha face. The Puyo remake will probably include an online multiplayer mode and world peace.
Hawt.
Now will someone remake Super Puzzle Fighter already? Zulu Gems and Angry Drunken Dwarves don’t count.
(Can’t wait? Pushover and Clockwiser have been out for ages)
Posted in Freeware, Puzzle, Windows | 11 comments
Posted by Tim
Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:28:00 GMT
Practically the best indie game podcast right now, because the rest of the competition just closed shop and disappeared.
You’ll hate listening to the programme if you make crap games and throw a tantrum when receiving constructive feedback. Others will enjoy the honesty, something most indie game sites lack.
(Photo stolen blatantly from oddbob’s blog)
Posted in Community, Podcasts / Audio | Tags GrahamGoring, TheArsecast | 11 comments
