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Game Design Game Development Games Geek / Technical

Vote for MiniLD #20 Entries!

While MiniLD is usually much more loose than a regular Ludum Dare competition, I am running horribly late when it comes to closing this competition properly. That said, it’s time to vote!

Voting is only open to those who submitted a game. It’s an opportunity for everyone to congratulate each other, provide feedback, and play some quirky and interesting games! Even if you can’t vote, you’re more than welcome to check out the finished games yourself.

With 24 submitted entries, MiniLD #20 was one of the biggest! Considering the special rule of “Only One of Each”, a lot of people rose to the challenge. Some of the games are artistic and experimental, some were haunting, some were clever, and some were just plain fun.

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Game Design Game Development Geek / Technical

MiniLD #20 Is a Go!

I’m hosting the MiniLD #20 this month, and it starts……NOW!

Theme: Greed.

Special rules: Only One of Each.

In programming, it’s easy to make lots of copies of objects. Well, I’m putting a stop to that! For this MiniLD, you’ll need to ensure that every object in your game is unique. If you build a wall, there better be a single wall (it doesn’t matter how complex it is) and not many tiles composited together to make a wall (unless all of those tiles are completely different from each other, which might make an interesting game…) Granted, maybe everything derives from a common object, but you can’t have two objects that are exact copies of each other. If that means you can only make a few objects, then work within those constraints. B-)

Optional secondary theme: Fishing. Just because.

You have 48 hours to make a game using the above theme and rules and optional secondary theme. Go!

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Game Development Games Geek / Technical

Indie Game: The Movie

A friend of mine sent me a link while saying, “I’m sure you’re already aware of this.”

Well, I’m glad he sent it because I wasn’t aware of it, and my life is better for knowing.

The link was to Indie Game: The Movie, which is a “feature documentary about video games, their creators, and the craft.” It’s set to be released in 2011, and the Kickstarter project is well funded. There is a bit of a teaser available featuring Edmund McMillen, of Super Meat Boy and Gish fame:

Indie Game: The Movie – Growing Up Edmund from IndieGame: The Movie on Vimeo.

Are you excited about this film? Are you one of the 250+ people who helped fun it on Kickstarter?

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Games Geek / Technical

If Games Had Super Easy Mode

In the Game Balance Concepts course, someone posted a link to this video which explores what games would look like if they included a super easy mode.

In terms of game balance, sometimes different challenge modes are offered to ensure that as many people can enjoy the game as possible. Typically, Easy mode is available for more casual players, while harder modes offer something for experts. You don’t want to frustrate the player, but you also don’t want to bore them.

At what point does a game become ruined by offering less challenges, fewer obstacles, or more power-ups? Does offering a different challenge mode require the same amount of work as an entirely different game, or are a few tweaks often enough?

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Game Design Game Development Games Geek / Technical

Encourage Creativity: Addicube

Encouragement

One of elements I’ve identified for living my life on purpose is encouraged and supported creativity. Even though it is part of my life purpose, it doesn’t mean it is just for me. Part of the point of a life purpose is that it applies to everyone around me, too. I’m not only focused on making sure my own life has encouraged and supported creativity, but I want to make sure that the people around me are encouraged and supported as well.

So when I learned that Corvus Elrod, former writer of Man Byte’s Blog and current writer of Semionaut’s Notebook, was partnering up with Charles Berube of The Wasabi Project to create a game called Addicube, I thought, “That sounds great!”

But then I learned that the project won’t get started until it is fully funded. See, the project is currently waiting for enough funding through Kickstarter.com, which is a funding platform which allows projects to ask for donations from fans and friends. If enough people donate, the project happens, but if there isn’t enough funding, then no one pays any money. Well, back in January, having newly created my life purpose statement, believing in Corvus Elrod, and knowing that I wanted to encourage and support creativity, I pledged my support at the Benefactor level. Sometimes “That sounds great!” is good encouragement, but money helps, too. B-)

As of this writing, Addicube on Kickstarter has 51 backers and 89% of the $3,500 it needs to be completely funded, but there’s a deadline. If Addicube gets enough funding by April 25th, then Elrod and Berube will get started.

Frankly, I want Addicube to happen, and I’d like to ask you to help. The deadline is looming, and they’re so close to having the Kickstarter project fully funded.

Please go to Addicube on Kickstarter, learn more about the game, and pledge $5, $10, $25, or more. If you really want to make an impact, pledge to be one of us Benefactors at $250+. Let’s encourage creativity and get this game made!

(Photo: Encouraging note | CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Games Geek / Technical

Starcraft 2 Shelved?!

Zerg Scourge

After spending years developing the game and holding a closed beta for months, Blizzard announced it was canceling development of Starcraft 2. Multiple reasons were given, including poor feedback from fans in the closed beta, but most surprising was a lack of funds.

From Blizzard’s press release:

Blizzard Entertainment announced today that the closed beta test for its highly anticipated real-time strategy game, StarCraft® II: Wings of Liberty™, has ended. Thousands of gamers around the world received invitations from the company to participate in the first phase of the beta test in February. “Gathering concentrated feedback from our players was an important step for us as we headed into the final stretch of development for StarCraft II and the new Battle.net service,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “In polishing the overall experience and preparing for launch, we found that it was not going to be possible to release the game at a sufficiently high quality.”

…

“Even if we believed we would be able to satisfy fans of the original game, we frankly could not afford to continue work on StarCraft II. After years of false starts, to find that the game in its current form would have to be scrapped, it would be irresponsible to start anew.”

It seems that the project isn’t being outright canceled, but if Blizzard is putting it on indefinite hold, it sounds like bad news for players who have been looking forward to revisiting the fight between the Terran, Protoss, and Zerg.

What do you think about Blizzard’s news? Now will you go back to playing the original StarCraft with me, or are you still going to go on and on about how cool you are for getting into the private beta? Whatever.

(Photo: Zerg Scourge| CC BY 2.0)

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Games Geek / Technical

Happy Valentine’s Day!

In the world of romance, video games tend to get a bad rap. Gamers are sometimes viewed as childish, and being called immature by your impatient significant other is a quick way to feel guilt, anger, and resentment.

On the other hand, there are couples who stay together by playing together. Whether it’s a date playing Wii Bowling, surviving in Left 4 Dead, building up a farm in Harvest Moon, or creating a testament to their love in SimCity, playing games together can be just as enjoyable and romantic as dinner and a movie. I’d suggest wine and spaghetti with your gaming.

So what do you play with your significant other? Do you rekindle your romance with the classics, or are modern games what brought you together? Or are you one of those indies who made a game for your sweet?

(Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tangledcontrolpads/” | CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Geek / Technical General

Merry Christmas, Blog Readers!

I hope that everyone is having a relaxing and enjoyable time during the holidays. Last minute shopping, gift wrapping, and driving through horrible weather should all give way to the fact that you’re spending time with loved ones.

Two years ago I took a picture of me with my cats for a Christmas card. It came out funny, partly because it was obvious that the cats wanted nothing to do with the camera.

Recently I tried again, and this time I put some more effort into it. The end picture came out great, but I had to go through over 170 pictures, my ineptitude with a camera, and two cats who wouldn’t sit still no matter what treats or toys I presented.

I hope you enjoy this video I made of the process!

Merry Christmas from me, Diego, and Gizmo!

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Games Geek / Technical

Game Suggestions for the New Wii Owner, Part 5

If you’re like me, you recently obtained a Wii and have almost no idea what games released over the past three years are worth playing. I asked for advice from friends, family, coworkers, and Twitter followers, and I received quite a few suggestions. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 revealed 20 games I was told I needed to play, and today I present the next five games, in no particular order.

Mega Man 9

Mega Man 9 (rated E) is a WiiWare title takes the series back to its roots. The art design, audio, and game play are familiar to anyone who played the original game. Even the limited-edition box art was created to look like it came from the late 80s! Like most games in the series, you have to fight through 8 stages, each with its own boss. When you defeat the boss, you earn the ability to use his/her attack move.

There is even a Legacy Mode which makes the game pretend to be running a lower powered system. Sprite flicker is something any NES fans could tell you about, and now you can see it for yourself.

World of Goo

World of Goo (rated E) is also a WiiWare title, created by indie game developer 2D Boy. It’s a physics-based game in which you connect the balls of goo to form structures in an attempt to get the required number to escape to the exit. Of course, the levels are designed to make it tricky, so you have to figure out the best way to connect your balls of goo together. There are different kinds of goo, which requires you to use them in the most appropriate way.

It’s a humorous puzzle game, and the highly reviewed Wii version allows four players to participate at once.

A Boy & His Blob

A Boy and His Blob (rated E) is another game based on a blobby character and one that is a re-imagining of an original NES game. This version of the game was created as an update, and fans of the original game will find that it is a bit more casual in nature, allowing anyone to pick it up and play. Feeding the blob jellybeans turns him into different objects depending on the flavor, and you’ll make use of this feature to solve puzzles and progress through the levels.

I never played the original game, which is a shame because I always read about it in “Nintendo Power” back in the day. The new game is a beautiful update. I wonder if there is a way to turn the blob into a brick wall in this version…

You, Me, and the Cubes

You, Me, and the Cubes (rated E) is a strange physics puzzle game in which you throw tiny people at the cubes on the screen, all while trying to maintain balance. You’re trying to get as many people to stay on the structure without falling off, but it’s tricky. Some of the cubes have special properties, and they rotate after each stage.

While the controls can be finicky, especially when rotating the camera, and the difficulty curve can get steeper than many might like, You, Me, and the Cubes is a well-made puzzle game, available through WiiWare.

The Conduit

The Conduit (rated T) is a first-person shooter that has been praised for its high quality graphics and intuitive, customizable controls. It features a science fiction-based universe involving an alien invasion and conspiracy. The graphics engine was capable of creating imagery above and beyond what most people thought the relatively low-powered Wii could do.

While the story is widely considered to be mediocre, the game play is superb. There is a multiplayer option, allowing up to 12 people to join a game, and if you’re friends, you can use the Wii Speak chat feature as well.

Order Up!

Order Up! (rated E) puts you in the role of a restaurant’s chef. While Cooking Mama is the big name in cooking games, Order Up! focuses on the pressures of putting together entire meals for multiple paying customers. As orders come in, you need to optimize your movement through the kitchen. You can’t focus on making one dish perfectly because other orders are waiting. You need to multi-task, fixing various meals together.

See the Order Up! trailer on YouTube to get a better idea of what the game is like:

And that’s 25

I hope this list of 25 Wii game suggestions helps you. I had fun researching these titles, and I can’t wait to play many of them. Feel free to use one of the icons below to suggest this series to others, and make sure to leave a comment below to let me know what you think about these choices.

See the rest of the series:

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Games Geek / Technical

Game Suggestions for the New Wii Owner, Part 4

If you’re like me, you recently obtained a Wii and have almost no idea what games released over the past three years are worth playing. I asked for advice from friends, family, coworkers, and Twitter followers, and I received quite a few suggestions. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 revealed 15 games I was told I needed to play, and today I present the next five games, in no particular order.

Okami

Okami (rated T) is an action-adventure game that was originally released for the Playstation 2, but enough fans demanded a Wii port. The art design is reminiscent of Japanese ink drawings and has been highly praised by the press and players. I watched a trailer, and it felt like I was watching an animated painting. The game play should be familiar to fans of The Legend of Zelda games, so expect puzzles and action. There is a Celestial Brush, which allows you to summon gusts of wind or create columns of water to walk across, among other things. Using the brush requires ink, which is a limited resource.

I haven’t played this game, but a lot of people told me I need to play it even before I was asking for Wii game suggestions. It seems the game didn’t sell very well, and a friend told me that the Wii controls are better in some areas but worse in others. Still, the Wii version does feature a widescreen mode, and if you can get past the controls, it probably looks better on the Wii in general.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Speaking of, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (rated T) was reviewed as the best Zelda game to date by a number of reviewers. Like any Zelda game, exploration and puzzle-solving are the main focus. The general storyline involves the hero, Link, trying to prevent Hyrule from becoming consumed by the darkness of the Twilight Realm. When Link enters this parallel dimension, he turns into a wolf, which gives him certain abilities. Of course, besides the sword and shield, there are the typical bombs, arrows, and boomerangs, as well as several new items.

It was released for the GameCube as well as the Wii. I heard that the game takes advantage of the Wii remote, so I held off on buying the GameCube version. Now I have a Wii, so I can finally learn how the latest Zelda title is for myself. While some friends told me that it was a fairly formulaic Zelda game, others said it was a must-have if you own a Wii. I’m a fan of the series, so I plan on getting it.

Geometry Wars

Geometry Wars: Galaxies (rated E) is a frantic action shooter. You control a ship and can move and shoot in any direction independently. At first the enemies are fairly easy to take care of, but as you advance, more and more appear on the screen. The longer you survive, the bigger your score, and you keep playing until you lose your last ship. The graphics remind me of a modern version of the classic vector graphics from years ago.

Galaxies has both single- and multi-player options. It keeps track of your high scores and can upload them to an online leaderboard. It also has Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved included, so you can play the same game that was originally released on Xbox Live Arcade.

Baroque

Baroque (rated T) is a role-playing game that is inspired heavily by Roguelikes such as NetHack. You start outside of Neuro Tower and you are trying to reach the bottom of it. Each time you enter, the dungeon layout is randomly generated, which means that no two adventures will be the same twice. As you gain experience levels, you get more powerful, but if you die, you are returned to the outside and have to restart at experience level 1 with all of your items missing.

Sounds punishing. Interestingly enough, the player’s death advances the plot sometimes, so it’s not always bad, and you can make use of certain locations in the dungeons to keep some of your weapons, armor, and items. I’m a fan of NetHack, which is a complex, rich game, and it sounds like Baroque is similar. Reviewers and the person who suggested it warn that the difficulty curve means it isn’t for everyone, but I definitely want to give it a try.

Excite Truck

Excite Truck (rated E) is a truck racing game. If you ever played Excitebike for the original NES (which, by the way, is getting an updated sequel available through WiiWare), this game is being called the spiritual successor. While the main focus is on racing, coming in 1st place isn’t the main goal. Throughout a race, you’re trying to earn stars by doing tricks and stunts. The raceways features hills and cliffs, allowing plenty of opportunities to make crazy jumps. There are items that deform the road so it changes completely, making the tracks fairly dynamic.

It was a Wii launch title, and I remember playing it at a video game store’s kiosk. While I like the Mario Kart series, I’m not generally a fan of racing games. Still, I enjoyed trying to do tricks and jumps, and I found that you can earn stars by getting really close to obstacles such as trees and rocks as you speed past them.

20 games down…

Only one more day left. Make sure to come back tomorrow to see the next 5 games in this series. Feel free to use one of the icons below to suggest this series to others, and make sure to leave a comment below to let me know what you think about these choices.

See the rest of the series: