Super Curiosity Blog

There's No Place Like SandBox : Pre-release discussion

2011-10-17T17:30:00.004+01:00

The Homeless Sandbox will be released very soon. The plans were to have it released this last weekend but unforeseen technical problems and cross-platform bugs hindered progress tremendously.

Anyway, the Sandbox will let users run their own maps (we're including the editor template used in homeless) and toy around with what we have so far. Enemies do not harm you yet and their intelligence is not as strong as the finish product will be.

Essentially, it's a toy build that you can play with. We're also accepting submissions of levels. The best ones by the time we're done with Homeless will be added into the game and you will be noted in the credits (and maybe called upon in future games).

You can submit them by emailing us, posting below, or using our forums:

http://curiositylabs.forum-invision.co.uk/

The Sandbox will be updated regularly so that users can continue expanding on their levels and the Homeless world (with more enemies and items).

The idea is to let the community we have gathered help us with feedback in the game so far and let you all feel like you're working with us. Also, they can contribute directly!

Enough blabbling. Here's some screenshots of the Sandbox and maps in progress:

Homeless Design Discussion

2011-08-06T20:17:00.006+01:00

For those of you interested in game design processes, there's a lot that goes on behind the scene. A lot that cannot be "screen-capped" and thrown up on this blog.

For Homeless, the smallest detail to game mechanics has to be thought of. Me and Ben usually discuss these things over skype or chat. In fact, some of the biggest ideas have come when I was eating breakfast. Odd times, but hey, it's got to happen sometime.

The reason for this post was to look at some of the game mechanics in Homeless we haven't told you about. Let's start!

[Note: these were taken from our Curiosity Labs forum. If you're interested, you can sign up and participate in the creation process as well! ]

Brian Peppers:

But here's my design so far:

The objective is to get the Bum from the start position, to the exit (represented as a cardboard shelter) at the end of each level. However, levels will not be entirely linear. Each level will have it's own specifically designed layout. The main enemies will chase the Bum throughout the level trying to capture him.

There will be a point when the enemies stop chasing the Bum as soon as distance is great (or out of their field zone) so they don't start out looking for him at all times.

Now, these levels won't be easy in the sense of "just make it from point A to point B". Enemies will be placed strategically to make the Bum backtrack and explore new areas of the level to get around and back to the exit.

For instance, one level idea I has consists of a ledge too high for the Bum to reach. The idea is to make on of the Snatchers chase the Bum to the ledge, and as soon as he is in close range, jump OFF the Snatcher's head (mario style) to reach the higher platform.

So for this scenario, needing to go back and USE an enemy for leverage is a must. And that's the idea I want to give the game. You can't KILL enemies, but you CAN use them and avoid them.

Avoiding enemies is a patience. You can hide in trash cans to inch your way slowly around or you can stick to the shadows momentarily. In some situations it's better to hide than to act while in others it's better to act quickly than to hide.

Other enemies are for the stealth. Such as Spotters. When they find you, radio-broadcasts spawns a series of Snatchers at your position making life hell. When Snatchers manage to catch you in the net, you lose a life. Losing all life ends with a gameover.

Another type of enemy is an indirect enemy. Their goal isn't to stop you. They can be pedestrians that knock you back if you get in their way or follow you, making hiding difficult.

I have plans for some items that may be purchased with the bottle caps (hence giving some real purpose to bottlecaps besides just collecting) such as reducing the number of Snatchers spawned by Spotters. Or increasing the Bum's jumping distance. Besides "purchased" upgrades, perhaps other items on the map that can grant momentarily invincibility or slowing time (aka Snatchers). Once these items are touched and their special abilities are done (use on-touch aka mario style) they are discarded. They can't be collected or purchased.

As far as NPCs and the such go, I just want to bring these environments to life. Give each level some sort of defined characteristic.

Ben Johnson:

Brian those are some awesome ideas I hadn't even thought of. Collecting Bottle Caps to upgrade/buy things is awesome. Maybe have it so that you only obtain the Bottle Caps once you complete the level, any bottle caps collected will then be stored for you to upgrade the Bum. This way you could theoretically keep going back to levels and collecting Bottle Caps to allow the Bum to jump higher. This would then allow backtracking to get to heights previousely un-reachable.

Brian Peppers:

Yes,  basically! Bottlecap-whoring. But you never NEED to collect them. The  idea is, if you spend the time collecting them, you will benefit. 
Ben Johnson:

Also  items that freeze the Spotters in their place sound really cool aswell,  or make them half speed is pretty cool. Or add a timer and make it so  you can collect Clocks to add 30 seconds to your time or something.

Brian Peppers:

Yeah,  freezing is the concept. Especially in the situation of being caught by  a Spotter. Freezing all main enemies when 20+ Snatcher's are on the  screen will be a very relieving!
Ben Johnson:

Jumping on an  enemy sounds pretty cool as well, we could position Spotters that stay  in same place to allow bouncing off of them and whatnot.

Brian Peppers:

Exactly.  Take advantage of the enemies. Most games influence you to stay away  from enemies. Heck, why shouldn't you? However, if you want to get  somewhere in Homeless, you have to be quick and use them. Hopefully this  idea, will keep players "on edge".

Ben Johnson:

Spotters  should have a line of sight too. Spotters don't move but if a Bum is  seen by one then he radio calls the Snatchers and it takes about a few  seconds for some to magically spawn near the Bum, giving him a moment to  hide. Maybe when he is inside a trash can/against a wall he can knock  against it which would attract the Spotters attention or make Snatchers  run towards him. They would then walk past you allowing you to un-hide  and run away? Clearly stolen from Metal Gear but whatever.

Brian Peppers:

I  was thinking the Spotter's line of sight will be the screen's width  (when they are on the screen) and +-32 for the height. Of course, any  tiles in the way will stop the "sight test". But to avoid instant  detection, have a grace period with an exclamation mark above their  head. Paper Mario style.

As far as avoiding detection, I was  thinking you could throw a bottle cap (you could lose a few for your own  safety) to lure the Snatchers over.

Text-box system

2011-07-06T19:08:00.003+01:00

We have a fully-functioning text-box system for our games. It scrolls and displays character images correctly. Here's an example from our Salem game.

More updates on the way!

There's No Place Like Homeless - First Tech. Video!

2011-06-17T00:19:00.007+01:00

It's finally here. Proof of all of our slaved labors. Unfortunately, there's still not everything to see such as the enemies, or NPCs, but no worries! You will see them soon!

Until then, enjoy what we give you!

Sorry for the bad audio quality. This is a prime example of why we ask for donations. To BUY software instead of using cheap free crap.

Enjoy anyway! <3

Want to discuss There's No Place Like Homeless? We have a public forum now! Check it out and sign up here!

Curiosity Labs Rebooting!

2011-06-08T07:25:00.003+01:00

After months of inactivity, Curiosity Labs is back up on its feet! We also have a new member to our staff! Everyone say "hello chum!" to Nathan Shortsleeve!

Nathan is another programmer who knows what he's doin'. You could say he has gusto!

Not only will Homeless be kicked in gear now, but Nate is also bringing Curiosity Labs a new game to the table! Salem! A 2D platformer with shoot-em-up aspects. A humble Contra if you will. With programming already near completion, Curiosity Labs will have a new title to its name.

Why don't we show you a video? Do bear in mind it is raw engine you are going to see and we need Ben to whip us up some graphics! Enjoy anyways!

And don't forget to help donate, please! We want to give you our best but sometimes we all need a little something. :)

Indie Game of the Week - Coma

2011-04-14T22:29:00.001+01:00

Let's try something completely different shall we - Coma is a neat Flash game where you play as 'Pete' who seems to be trapped inside his own subconscious. The game has beautiful graphics and a melodic and sometimes creepy soundtrack. Sounds intruiging? - well it's better to play the game then try and explain it.

Click to play Coma!

Indie Game(?) of the Week - Minitroid

2011-04-04T23:01:00.000+01:00

The reason I have added a (?) to the title is because our indie game of the week is actually a tech demo.

If you couldn't tell from the name alone then the picture should certainly give it away - it's a low res Metroid game inspired by the classic NES title. Featuring a brand new chiptune soundtrack, classic enemies and cool transparency effects - this is certainly one game to look out for when they have everything sorted.

That said, Metroidvania titles have a huge fanbase (myself included), so when this gets a full release it is going to blow minds.

Check out the tech demo here and remember to email about any bugs you find, the sooner we get this baby complete the better!

Indie Game of the Week - Ninja Senki

2011-03-21T20:38:00.001Z

Ninja Senki has everything a classic 8-bit platformer should have - catchy music, variety of levels, simple storylines and stupid jumping frogs that always manage to jump into your jumps and kill you.

This excellent platformer game from Canadian Johnathan Lavigne (under the name of PIXELTAO) follows the story of our beloved hero Hayate out to revenge the death of Kinuhime. But no one ever really cares about plotline in platformers. Ninja Senki has plenty of charm and everything is true to life of an 8-bit classic, right down to the skill level required to time crazy ass jumps.

I would totally recommend this tasty title for anyone who is a fan of challening, I repeat - challenging platformers who isn't afraid of getting their ass handed to them multiple times.

Download this epic title here, Windows only for now!

Super Music Happy Fun Time GoGo!

2011-03-01T10:44:00.001Z

So I havn't been updating this as much as I should have, due to lack of stable internet connection STILL!

Thought i'd keep you guys entertained with this monster medley by our local programmer-turned-musician Brian. Keeping with the old-school pixel look, this tune is done in classic 8-bit style but is nothing short of epic!

Click here to listen to the tune! - and remember to listen out for the tune in Theres No Place Like Homeless!

Oh God Transformers 3 All Over My Face!

2011-02-07T00:40:00.000Z

So the Transformers: Dark of the Moon trailer just aired during the Superbowl (so i'm told - this English gentleman isn't even sure what the Superbowl is) and oh god it looks so good.

Transformers 'Dark of The Moon' Super Bowl Trailer (720p) from Michael Bay Dot Com on Vimeo.

A dragon-like Transformer, pure unadulterated hotness of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and shit blowing up left right and center. Seems as if Michael Bay is really going over the top with the final movie in the trilogy - and I for one can't wait to see it.

Forgive me, I need a tissue...

Theres No Place Like A Harbor?!!

2011-02-04T01:43:00.003Z

Don't worry guys we're still here and slowly working on Theres No Place Like Homeless. After myself and Brian suffered head injuries recently, we are currently typing from a vegetative state and have employed a team of Canadian gazelles to do the work for us.

So far it's produced good results, with the combined effort of these arty antelopes they have produced a new level - we initially thought this was going to be some sort of forest level (or something equally stereotypical) but we we're unpleasently suprised when it turned out to be a harbor. Oh dear....

Indie Game of the Week - Super Smash Land

2010-12-18T23:32:00.001Z

Now as you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of de-making modern titles into NES/GB games and the like, such as the awesome Left 4 Dead NES-remake by PixelForce and Eric Ruth.

Over the past few months developer Dan Fornace has been taking one of my all time favourite franchises Super Smash Bros. and shrinking it down to Game Boy style proportions.to resemble that of what would be a Game Boy version of it - and it looks and plays FANTASTIC!

Currently, the demo that has so far been released has 2 playable characters (Mario and Kirby respectively) and 3 classic stages. The pace and gameplay surprisingly resembles the latest entry in the legendary series- Super Smash Bros. Brawl - best, which is a good thing as that was by far my favourite entry in the series (and one I hope they top on the Wii HD or 3DS).

Anyway, enough blabbering - watch the video above and head here for an interview with the creator as well as a download link to play this fantastic demake!

Best Pixel Art Ever?

2010-11-21T14:04:00.001Z

Bold statement to make, thats why I put the question mark. I don't know if this piece of work is the best piece ever, but it's certainly breathtaking - especially when you consider the whole animation uses only 4 colours. 2 of which being your standard black and white.

Terry and his Motor by Stickman

I was just talking to Maverick about an 8-Bit version of Left 4 Dead and this is how I envisioned it would look like... minus the non-zombies walking around. Sure there is a Left 4 Dead remake already been done for the NES, but I'm thinking more of a 8-Bit styled version on modern hardware, something which would allow for hundreds of zombies to come running at you just to be hacked apart by a chainsaw.

Yum, gore.

Gears are turning once more!!!

2010-11-20T17:31:00.002Z

That's right. Things are going down. And in the good way. I have been slaving over and editor as you all may know. Well, no more!

Did I finish the editor?! Well... no. However I do plan on it. BUT- I found our alternative. And it's better to find 3rd party tools than slave over them.

I present to you: Tiled Qt!

It is cross-platform (a must in my book)
Has two modes: orthographic and isometric.
Support for layers and object layers
Object properties can be modified
Easy to use

It pretty much has all the specs my editor was going to have. But better. Can't complain. I'm stilll gonna finish it, but hey- I don't want to wait any longer. Might as well get the game done then worry about making an editor, right? Right.

Until then, really expect some real updates!!

iPadding it with Archo?

2010-11-06T15:03:00.002Z

Hey gang! Hope you all had an amazing 5th November Fireworks Night (and whatever it is in America), I know I did.

So progress is slow as per usual, I am informed that the Map Editor is causing alot of bumps and shunts, and hopefully something we'll be able to iron out in the next few weeks. In the mean time I'll give you guys a wee look at what i'm working on.

If you have been following Curiosity Labs for the past few years, and lets face it - who hasn't been, then the piece of concept art I am about to show you will remind you guys of where we all started - a puzzle game called Archo. This is the game we'll be working on after Theres No Place Like Homeless, and we're planning to release it on iPhone/iPad etc as well as PC/Mac.

Click to enlarge

The final product might not end up exactly like that, but I think I've nailed the look for what I now call the Archo World Tour.... menu... screen. Yehp, if you guys can't remember what the in-game graphics look like, then heres a concept shot of the old style - expect a new one in the next week or so!

Click to enlarge

Until then, peace out and share the love!

Indie Game of the Week - Sonic Fan Remix

2010-10-25T23:55:00.001+01:00

Hellooo CLEVELAND. Hello Peter.

I am very aware that progress has been slow recently, both me and Brian have had a lot on our hands in regards to school work and the likes. Rest assured we are still working on getting the Bum running around and frolicking in the sunshine, and hope to give you a video of the game shortly.

In the mean time I turn your attention to a game that has recently been released... and hopefully does not get shut down - Sonic Fan Remix. It's being hailed as the Sonic 4 that should have been, instead of this clusterfudge that Sega has recently released which is raping my childhood memories one year at a time.

THE COLOURS, MY EYES!!!

This game gets it right, beautiful colours (sometimes a bit overwhelming), spot on physics and varied levels even in the same act. Bear in mind that this muthas will rub your PC specs red raw, and unless you've got a heavy quad core 8GB PC like mine, then you might have to crank the settings down to play this as a good speed.

Anyway, head to the Sonic Fan Remix site to get a download of the demo that the guys have got going on so far, it really is one of the prettiest platformers I've ever seen which is a far cry away from the shambles of Sonic 4.

Come in Star Fox! We need you to protect Corneria!

2010-10-11T15:26:00.003+01:00

We are most certainly not Star Fox. But do you know what we are? Terrible time managers. You may have been wondering "Hey. Where's that Homeless game?" or "That guy stole my wallet."

Have no fear, we are still working very hard on getting our bad boy out there. You see, we estimated that we would have everything done and set in stone this past September. We were quite off to make a short story... shorter.

Patience is a virtue, and we suggest you have patience with us, now. We are but humans and we make mistakes. On top of mistakes, we also make games. So stay tuned! We will have game-play videos and more proof nonsense very soon! Also, the game too of course.

(P.S. We're still asking for donations. We'd like this on the iPhone App store when we're done misjudging our time management skills)

-Maverick

Interface In YOUR Face!

2010-09-20T01:28:00.008+01:00

Hey guys, apologies that I havn't updated in a while but heres something new that you guys havn't seen - the interface for Theres No Place Like Homeless! As you can see there are a number of new things that havn't been seen before, like collectable bottle caps (no Coke, Pepsi) and mysterious box pieces. As well as that the Bum can now collect randomly floating 6-pack of beers. Oh it's a hard life being homeless!

I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation and the only explanation I can find..!

Fantastic, I stuck the lives icon in the bottom left corner because Sonic games on the Master System do that, and I like those games. As you can see the Bum has earned the Top of the World achievement for simply hanging upside down, so... y'know, theres a hint already.

Bear in mind that the level design is not final, so the level you see may not be in the final game. Or it may be. Who knows? Probably will be actually since I quite like that, what isn't featured though are the Spotters which will be patrolling just to the right of the sacred 6-pack of Beer! We wouldn't want to make things too easy for you would we? Anyway, expect a video of the game in action very shortly, we are making progress believe it or not.

Indie Game of the Week - Under the Garden

2010-09-16T11:31:00.002+01:00

TIGsource recently ran a competition where coders could turn a fake game cart and turn it into a real game! The competition has ended now and was won by farmergnome (as he is known on the TIGforums) and his masterpiece Under the Garden - inspired by a video game cartridge titled A Bit of Garden.

The original (fake) cart that acted as reference for the game

The game is a sort of survival game, vaguely reminiscent of the under-received GameBoy Color game Survival Kids and more recently Lost in Blue. Boasting absolutely beautiful and very atmospheric rich graphics, you play as a (what i think to be) lumberjack whose house has recently been destroyed in a storm and you must explore your surroundings to kind of make the most of what you have. There are some adventure game elements in there, such as clicking to pick up items and using them on other items to make new items! Such as chopping a tree to make wood for your fire, which acts as a save point and stamina restoration (since stamina is constantly going down, even more so in certain weather conditions such as heavy snow). You can even picks up parts of your house to re-build or even build another one elsewhere to provide more shelter from the random weather conditions.

A well written engine allows trees to realistically sway from side to sidedepending on weather

The game really makes you explore and make the most of what you have. A few times my stamina dropped below zero, and instead of dying you restart at the home but the lumberjack progressively gets worse for wear such as memory loss, suffering random stamina drops from health wounds, and becoming so weak that it makes him impossible to weild a shotgun. All these things make the game even more immersive, and make you want to keep playing even to see what kind of disease the lumberjack picks up next!

The game always manages to keep you guessing whats around the corner.

It's something you really have to experience yourself and is such a beautifully made game, hats off to the developer and the fact he could create something so immersive in such a short space of time.

Download Under the Garden
Check out the devlog here

The Bum is Reborn!

2010-09-15T20:06:00.001+01:00

Here ye, here ye! From this day forth I pronounce our leader Sir Bumsworth new and improved!

We can now offer the following features without compromising on the high quality you expect from us at Curiosity Labs.

More frames per animation!
More detail on clothing and face!
Smaller, fatter and cuter!
Can climb ladders without looking like an alabaster retard!

This new and improved Bum comes free with every copy of Theres No Place Like Homeless sold. Which is free anyway, so hoorah!

Here is a sneak peak at what you can expect from your 100% official Bum.

Spare Any Change?

2010-09-15T20:05:00.000+01:00

You might have noticed a certain Bum sitting under all those tabs on the left hand column of the blog wanting some spare coinage. Well, I think you should be nice and donate a few pennys into our virtual jar.

Well, you don't have to, but our hosting runs out end of September and it would be sweet if we could get the blog on an actual page and not just on this '.blogspot' nonsense. Any donations are highly appreciated and as a little bonus if you donate at least $1, £1 or even 100 Rupees, drop us a line and we'll include a little pixelated version of yourself in Theres No Place Like Homeless!

Also, we are aiming to get the game on the App Store once we've finished the PC/Mac version - and the more donations we get the quicker we'll be able to get our App Store license and the quicker you can have a Bum in your pocket.

Chiptune To My Ears!

2010-09-12T16:10:00.001+01:00

Before our next big update, I figured I'd just share an amazing piece of music with you guys - it's called Ophelia by Smiletron.

He usually does loads of upbeat chiptune sounds, all of which can be found and downloaded on his myspace, but this one really called out to me.

Check the tune out here

Much Ado About a Crane!

2010-08-23T02:36:00.001+01:00

So, progress is slow a the moment on the graphical side of things. I'm having to move out of my apartment, away from my wonderful girlfriend and move back with my parents all while attempting to crawl back into University and find a job. Damn, life is hard these days.

Y'know whats also hard? Choosing a decent colour for a crane. So I've pretty much finished on the City Streets levels (graphically) and have now moved back onto the Construction Site to add a bit of decor to the seemingly bland heights of Somewhere City.

Just a city boy, born and raised in Soouthh Detrooitt!

Yeh the crane was actually a nice pale blue, with decent shading and whatnot. Looked lovely but looked like something out of Habbo Hotel - and being a derelict construction site a coffee colour seemed a bit more appropriate. However, don't be fooled by the levels simplicity, there will be tonnes of guards on the look out for the Bum and also bottomless pits. Though they probably have something at the bottom, we don't really feel like showing you what. Somethings are just best left to the imagination eh?

So hopefully the graphics will be finished this week and we can give you guys a video of the Bum running, jumping, climbing and hiding in shadows.

Programmer's Update - Fanciful Map Editting Indeed.

2010-08-18T23:38:00.002+01:00

Just wrapping up the editor. The next video will most definitely be the last related to the editor. Afterward, my updates will be solely about There's No Place Like Homeless.

It features the tiles for the game and me making a map! Not a very good one mind you but one for testing purposes. Drawing speed has increased ten fold since last time. I optimized most of the drawing code to boost performance.

It also features silly music in the background. That way if you are interested in watching, you won't be too bored out of your mind.

Until next time, this is Maverick. Over and out.

Indie Game of the Week - Arvoesine

2010-08-18T03:23:00.001+01:00

It's been too long since I last shared with you the magic of indie games so I figured I'd give you guys a real treat.

This game is a true-to-form NES inspired game called Arvoesine that seems to be mildly inspired from the devilishly hard NES classics such as Ghosts n Goblins and Castlevania. In Arvoesine you play as a Roman warrior equipped only with your trusty sword, shield (which I found out you can use by holding down, and trust me - you WILL need to use it) and a lance used to defeat all sorts of weird and wonderful ancient critters such as fireball breathing plants, Roman guards and of course f@$%*ing birds that fly from trees and don't stop until you're dead!

Trust me, it's got everything it needs to be a true NES classic (were it released 25 years ago) including a super addictive chiptune soundtrack and blippy-bloppy sounds. Try out the demo right here, but if you want to experience the full game (let me know how it is since I'm so poor at the moment I can't even afford it :( ) then you'll have to dish out a small fee of $5. I do think it is well worth it though if you can afford it since the developers have got major talent creating such a gem!

Arvoesine Demo | Full Game

Theres No Place Like The City Streets

2010-08-15T17:36:00.005+01:00

It seems like it's been forever since my last update on this thing - figure I'll let you guys know all is not lost in the land of homeless. Far from it, while Maverick has been hard at work on the level editor I have started work on another level for the game - the city streets (ooohhh).

In this level The Bum will be hiding under canopies and climbing onto balconies all while trying to escape from the ruthless catchers & snatchers. However, this level provides The Bum with the ultimate challenge - seagulls. He is very protective of his Bum jacket and does not want it to turn into a white mess.

This level serves as the midway point between the slums of Bum-town (not really the name) and the city rooftops where The Bum's destiny will be untold in the most brutal, honest and pure sense.

Notice the seagulls?

Programmer's Update of Redemption

2010-08-11T19:33:00.003+01:00

This weeks Programmer's Update is brought to you by the programmer who kinda forgot to update in the last few weeks. I had better have a good excuse to as why and provide an awesome flashy finished product! Right?!

Eh. My bad peeps. There has been good progress though. The editor is closer to being done. All buttons work and tile placing is extremely simple. The editor won't be "finished for good" but it will be at a great stopping point so we can change our focus back to making games. :)

What's left then for the editor? Objects. Gotta code object adding/managing in the editor. Sounds like another good week's worth of code and I'll stop to finish our Homeless game for all to play.

Our goal is to have There's No Place Like Homeless wrapped up and released before September, though we might leak a little into mid-September. Which is still acceptable.

Usually I stick an awesome screenshot of our progress, but alas I did not provide one today. Instead, I'll give you a video of the editor (so far) in action. It has awful quality, but get over it.

Indie Game of the Week - Frogatto & Friends

2010-07-27T01:37:00.002+01:00

This charming little game is called Frogatto & Friends and features some incredibly lush 16-bit style graphics and and sound! The screenshot above to me looks like a concept shot you would find on PixelJoint or something but it's one thing to see if in a screenie and it's another to see it in motion! Check it out below!

If that hasn't convinced you then maybe realising that the PC & Mac downloads are free, thats right - FREE! But if you'd like to pay for it then by all means downlaod the iPhone/iPod version on the app store. While I havn't given the portable version a go yet (due to the £1.19 price tag and my general cheapskate-iness) it seems to be a direct port of the PC version with some sexy touch screen virtual D-Pad and buttons tacked on so by all means give that a blast if you like sitting on the toilet playing games - I know I do!

If you're a developer then you can also download the Frogatto source code and see how exactly the team made this sleek sunuvagame!

Holy Snazzlefraz and a Milkshake!

2010-07-21T02:18:00.003+01:00

This screenshot was made in about 6 minutes. It's time for your weekly Programmer's Update!

Lot of stuff has been updated in the Level Editor tool! The Map Properties Dialog is filled with proper content and fully functional. Notice those cool buttons on the top-left? The Pencil, Fill Bucket, Eraser- All functional as well! I also reduced flickering when drawing on the blank map. Everything is coming along great.

So what's next? Well, I need to add some more buttons such as a tile-picker tool. I need to add the ability to create new layers to draw on a fix some minor bugs. More importantly, I need to get to the point where you can save and load the files flawlessly. Afterwards, we'll be through and back onto the game code and hopefully release our first title in a month!!

Until next week, that's Programmer's Update!

Now leave before I call the cops.

Indie Game of the Week - Run, Jesus Run!

2010-07-14T16:36:00.007+01:00

It's practically the Bible in 10 seconds. Even for those who believe in another faith entirely; Run, Jesus, Run! Is a work of art in perfection in which anyone can enjoy and become addicted to and fast:

What exactly is the goal and how do you do it? Left and Right Arrow Keys to run and Space to perform "Jesus like things". The levels take place in various scriptures and even keeps up with the overall theme in them. At the end of the game, you gain apostles depending on how well you did "Jesus like things" in the previous levels. And at the end, you are rewarded with crucifixion.

The art and music is also quite perfect. The music is an 8bit rendition of a real song. Upon further investigation, the music is "Jesus is a friend of mine" by Sonseed. This only makes it more hilarious. he art is mind-blowing if you have appreciation for 8bit graphics (which I do). There is no difficulty trying to figure out what is what. The smallest things have enough detail to figure it out. The animations are hilarious as well. Most of the time, when you perform a miracle, the people's eyes pop out and their mouth is agape. There's not a lot of pixels so it's all the more impressive and funny. Also, I get a kick out of Jesus' running animation. When you're not moving, he's still running in place like he's busy! busy! busy! Heheh.

Overall, Run, Jesus Run! Is a hilarious game that no one should miss out on. It's short, it's fun and funny, the music is catchy and fits the game perfectly, and it's something you'll want to replay over and over.

If you yourself ever become mixed up as a prophet and become accidentally crucified, take Brian's advice from Monty Python's the Life of Brian and always look on the bright side of life. *whistle music here*

Direct link to play as Jesus!

Indie Game of the Week - Fishbane

2010-07-11T12:34:00.002+01:00

Fishbane is a tricky platformer game where you play as a diver attempting to recover golden harpoons. The main game mechanic is in the form of a single harpoon you can fire (as many times as you like, but only one harpoon at a time) which you can jump on and use it as a platform.

The game doesn't show any mercy at all, within the first 5 minutes you'll be thinking 'what the...' and you'll probably die many times attempting to traverse the tricky pixellated depths. I highly reccomend it as it has sweet achievements, collectable fish and an alternative suit for maximum replayability. The only thing this game is missing is a level editor, but maybe I should finish all the levels that are available first before wanting more... if it's possible to finish them anyway!

Play Fishbane now!

Holy Flapjacks In a Toaster!

2010-07-11T04:09:00.006+01:00

New blog! Do you like it? I don't care. Anyway, it's time for your weekly Programmer's Update! I've taken a break from game code and switched my focus to what's truly important right now: the level editor! It is programmed with wxWidgets/C++.

As you can see, the user may load any tileset and create instant scenes for the game! As you can also see, these are not our tiles for the game. These are just some free tiles I found on the internet for testing purposes.

Did you notice that blank dialog on the right? It's the map properties! Or at least it will be. It will allow attributes such as the map's width and height to be modified as well as the map's name. Things are coming along smoothly. Until next week, that's Programmer's Update!

Now shoo.