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Nine indie developers on the secret to making multiplayer magic
Ten years ago, multiplayer-only games went through a severe identity crisis. More people than ever were gaming together, but they were increasingly playing online only. The small-stakes joy of twitchy experiences like Street Fighter II and Super Off Road, games meant to be played in short sessions preferably in the same room, weren't feasible anymore. Video games have always been expensive to make, so multiplayer modes had to either come packaged with other content -- consider Halo's famed multiplayer tucked alongside its single-player story -- to flesh them out or be custom built to serve hardcore players meeting up on the internet, a la Team Fortress 2, Valve's modern-day equivalent to the easy-access multiplayer of yore.
Dueling Bushido game Samurai Gunn out now
Teknopants' stylish Bushido brawler, Samurai Gunn, has launched on Steam and through the developer's website today. You can grab it for $12 up until December 17, at which point it'll revert to its full price of $15. Samurai Gunn is a 2D deathmatch-style game for two to four players. Each samurai, armed with a blade and gun, must duel to the death because that's just how samurais solve disputes. The game is characterized by its quick-paced combat and pronounced retro art style. Samurai Gunn was an IGF 2013 stand-out and was also a featured game in the EVO 2013 Indie Showcase. PS4 and PS Vita versions are due sometime next year.
Samurai Gunn nets investment from Cards Against Humanity designer
Samurai Gunn, the precision-based Bushido brawler from developer Teknopants, was nominated for Excellence in Design at the 2013 IGF awards, is one of the eight Spotlight games at this year's Fantastic Arcade, was a featured title in the EVO 2013 Indie Showcase and it has a spot in the PAX Prime Indie Megabooth, among other accolades. People seem to like this game. People like Cards Against Humanity designer Max Temkin. Under his company, Maxistentialism, Temkin provided an angel investment to Teknopants, insuring designer Beau Blyth and his team can finish the game on time and to its full potential. "I first got to play Samurai Gunn at GDC and I was immediately hooked," Temkin says. "Beau shared a build with me and I started taking it around to parties .... Whenever I brought it out the party would grind to a halt and everyone would gather around the laptop. I want to share that experience with everyone." Samurai Gunn is a local multiplayer extravaganza, which jives with Temkin's expertise. Blyth is pretty fond of that aspect, too. "The conventional wisdom is that you need to have online multiplayer for a game to sell, but I guarantee that getting a bunch of your friends in a room together will always be more fun," Blyth says. Samurai Gunn is on its way to PC this holiday, via Steam and direct purchase. It's also (be)headed to PS4 and Vita in 2014.
