Blimey! Celebrating 1000 tweets

Blimey! Another Friday Post!

Hey Guys Rowan here for another Friday post

First off another slow week, Ive been concentrating on my Uni assignments more than my games. I have got an extension on my module so that's great news. It loosens up my time some so I can get things done.

I'm thinking about migrating to another blog or just turning my whole main website into a blog using a plug-in. I haven't really got the time to make a whole new site so I'm going to look into it more next week. What do you think?

I had a meeting with Game Horizon (Which I'm on their member directory!) on Tuesday and went really well, we talked about what we both were doing and bouncing ideas off each other. Great experience and I'm looking forward to doing my presentation on the 16th.

I've went back to the drawing board with my zombie game: This is a Zombie Town! meaning new ideas, new levels, new game modes, new zombies and new characters. I really want to make this game 2 player co-op so I'm catering the design from the get go to that. I'm going to start making the assets next week and see how it goes. Essentially I was doing far to much work on it, it was getting to the size of a Arcade game. I've just taken a step back and I've got a fresh new perspective on things. Size issues have always been a problem because of the Xbox Indie Games pricing system so I've got to cater to those needs. The project was getting out of hand and I can put down to experience considering this is my first major game project.

I'm hoping things will pick up next week, get back into contact with a few people about various things like my games and my website. I'm looking forward to getting them sorted. I've got a surprise in store for my Twitter account! I'm about to reach 1000 tweets, it's going to be a good one so stay peeled!

Later for now.

Zombies like you've never seen them before!

Hey folks, its Rowan, a very late blog post, I forgot all about it!

There's not much that has happened this week besides getting the revamp of my zombie game started!

The original preface I had for the game is what I've originally went back to. I was going to do the assets in 3D with a 3D character program and found out later I couldn't use them...great. Ah well back to the drawing board so then I went with stop motion. Thing is with stop motion its very...very time consuming and with my final submission in my master degree it's just not physically possible.

So I've went back to my cartoon-ish type graphics, it'll fit the overall humour to the game as well as making the game light a fresh. A great game to play and get into, with the revamp comes new game modes some of which haven't been done before, soon as I get the new build I'll be able to introduce them to you all. I'm really excited about these new game modes, honestly it's nothing you've seen before.

I've got more going on next week, two meetings: one with Dave Sharp on Monday and one on Tuesday with GameHorizon. I'll let you know how they both go.

Again I've still got my poll up so don't forget to answer it! I'll be posting up mock-up HUD comparisons next week to see what you guys like the most.

Revamp

Hey Folks, Rowan here.

My first title 'This is a Zombie Town' will be going through a lot of major changes in the coming months up until December and I need your feedback. Each week I'll be asking a different question in my poll for you to answer, It's appreciated, I'd give you cake. (if I had any)

The first question is about the HUD design, Would you prefer the old health bar indicating your health? or no health bar? so you die instantly or would you like some kind of regenerative health much like on a FPS?

I'll also be asking questions on my twitter so all feedback is great! and appreciated. If I like your feedback so much I'll even put a special mention up on the games credits. You'll be famous!

More news to come about the game shortly, I'm just revising everything at the moment.

I'll be back on Friday for my obligatory blog post, have a good one!

I had a funny title but I forgot it

Hey folks, its Rowan and its that time again for the obligatory Friday blog post.

Getting work done has been tough this week, I've been suffering from a bit of insomnia (which usually happens to me every summer) so I haven't had much sleep this week. I've also been concentrating getting University work done, what's frustrating me is that I have no clue when it's supposed to be in for, presumably my course isn't long finished so it feels more like a rush to get it all done. It's the final module and the most important one so getting this work done is pretty important. I've got a good head start on it so that's good...right? wrong. Lack of sleep has caused me to get right stressed out about things ah well...I aim for next week to be different!

I really need to get a few things clarified about my zombie game and whatever so I aim to get most of those things sorted next week.

I've also been working on my other games, sketching, composing music and also making the story better, giving it a bit more meat and life. I know there's only one of me and I should really concentrate on one game at a time I've just been so stressed with the zombie game, I needed a change of pace and one of my new games encompasses that. I've also done a couple new blog posts about me and how I work, I hope you all checked them out =P I'll be doing more soon.

I've also set up a couple of meetings in the coming weeks and I snagged my 5min slot at the new Game Horizon member meeting. Good stuff! I'll also be meeting up with them next week sometime. (I was originally going to meet them this week but I wasn't feeling to well)

Well I'm hoping things will be better next week (I said that last week) but I'm going to make the most of it and get things sorted.

Stay tuned for more updates!

The power of the sticky note

What helps me the most when I'm making games? (or doing anything for that matter) The answer was simple, sticky notes.

One of the walls is my room is plastered with sticky notes, some of which are just random sayings or words and others are reminders and other things. The best thing you can ever do when starting off a new game project is buying some sticky notes. Usually I've got so much going on in my head at one given time I need something to remind me, this is where sticky notes come in handy. For example if I have to remember what the co-ordinates are of a certain object in the game - if I write it down on the sticky note it's easily remembered. I wouldn't have a clue otherwise because I'm off doing something else somewhere else.

Think of it as if you were working with a team of people and you have individual tasks for each member, instead of meeting each one individually wasting your time and theirs - use sticky notes to your advantage. Go see what they're doing and then write them a sticky note of what needs to be changed. It's a lot more productive.

Sticky notes have got me out of one or two pickles, they get to the point (because you don't have the space) and are great reminders.

(You can also doodle on them when you get bored ;) )

Get some sticky notes, they rock.

Why do I make games?

I was recently asked to do an interview for a 3rd year university student. Various questions were asked about my favourite game, least etc but what I need to ask myself is: 'why do I make games?' and then you have to stop and think and say: 'hang on, why do I make games?'

I could give the most generic answer and say 'I love games' but I'm never about the straight forward, never excepting something 'just because'. The more I think about it the more reasons I come up with, like a checklist I could mark them off one by one and tell you, but that's boring and it would bore me telling you.

Some of my early memories are playing the Super Nintendo with my brother and father, we had it for so long and accumulated quite a collection, first the cable went from the SNES (snez ;) ) to the TV so that ended up being replaced then the power cable went and had to be expertly positioned for it to turn on. Ah the memories. I also found out that I was quite competitive when it came to games, I could never beat my brother or my father but I found out during the years I got better and better and then eventually I was able to beat them. (Yes!)

To me games encompass all of my creative strengths, I love music, art and games, but surely that means I just love games the most because art and music are what make games. That's not to say my world revolves around games. I've studied Art and Design for 4 years and I've also been in a band writing a lot (and I mean a lot) of lyrics and music.

What I bring from my background is reflected off my games, I'm under this notion that I want to do things differently. There's nothing to say I should do things a certain way because no one else has bothered to break the mold for years. I'll try something new out and if it doesn't work then I'll try something different. Games allow or these changes to be made for example: why is a tree called a tree? because no -one has bothered to say otherwise. I could create a world where tree's are named something completely different. That's the difference between other interactive media's. If anything games can be called and expression like a piece of artwork, it's modern day art. In which I intend to utilize to it's fullest potential.

(Some people may disagree with me, but I don't care. These are my views in which I am entitled to.)

Screenshots, all in one place!

Ladies and Gentlemen, It's Rowan here. (Lead designer and pretty much everything else)

I'm proud to present all in one place some screen shots of my game 'This is a Zombie Town!' feedback is welcome so send a comment below! I've got to note that these are early images (many which have been seen before) I'd just like to gather some feedback on them, what's good, what's bad and suggestions for improvement. I'm thinking more along the lines of the HUD. (head-up display) There's only me left to say enjoy!

(Yes there is a dynamic zoom feature in the game, it relates to how many zombies are on screen at a given time)

(You've got to use your surroundings to your advantage, the 'depth mechanic' means that you can shoot over the barrels and the zombies can't attack you)


(Zombies have a behaviour mechanic mean that some zombies are really aggressive and will go for you instantly, some are minding their own business until you come closer in contact with them)

Fridays here, another obligatory blog post!

Hey Guys, it's Rowan

Welcome back to another exciting Friday blog post, although not so because it's been another stale week. Along with the beasty module I've got for my final submission on my Masters course I've also been working hard on my games. I've been concentrating more on 'This is a Zombie Town!' and I've finally...finally! been able to get all the maps done for the main story of the game. whoo! *sticks a party hat on* It's about bloody time. The reasoning behind this is because the program I use to create the maps can't handle huge sizes (it's either that or my computer). The maps are ranging from 5000px (pixels) with 100dpi (dots per inch) so they're really high quality, but again they need to be for the game. Here's a little sneak preview of map 07, this will be the last preview for the games maps until release (I don't want to give it all away! ;) )


So what else have I been up to? Well I've been finilising some articles Ive been working on so I'll be posting them fairly soon. I've also had word that GameHorizon are doing another member meet up so I'm striking up the opportunity so show progress on 'This is a Zombie Town' as well as announcing one of my new games. I'll also be having a meeting with some of people at GameHorizon next week, just to have a general discussion on things.
I have been working on my secret projects this week, I'm really excited about them but I have to fight the urge to talk about them till the time is right!

I spent some time composing some music this week, it's something I have a passion for and I'm working on one of my games soundtrack, I maybe posting some sneak previews of some music in the foreseeable future.

Also I've set up a Friends section on my blog, If you want to be affiliated with me, just let me know through my twitter. @Grimlegacy


Well that's it for Fridays post, I'm off to have a cool beer.

Hospital Map

Hey, Its Rowan

I managed to complete the 'Hospital' map for my game, This is a Zombie Town! this week. It was a pain with all the crashes I had trying to complete it -_- but it's finally done! Here's a sneak preview of it.


As you can see from the preview there will be lots of tight spaces to get trapped in. On the side is an spawn point for Zombies so I wouldn't spend too long in one place. Hope you all enjoy it once it comes out!

Later.