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Lost Garden's new prototype challenge: CuteGod
Similar to his previous Spacecute prototype challenge, Danc of Lost Garden has issued another call to programmers looking to flex their muscles. Using the provided tile set, designers are tasked to create a small-scale casual god game. Think Populus, but ... cute. Programmers send in their prototypes for discussion and critique, all in the spirit of making a better indie game. If you've got the urge to get some game making done, most of the design document is at Lost Garden, you simply have to fill in the blanks.
Stargate Atlantis lovingly rendered in Line Rider
The unassuming webtoy created by Bostjan Cadez, Line Rider, has inspired thousands of creative gamers to construct unique/crazy/inane tracks for the tiny sledder to skate through. This latest video from YouTube member unconed shows a surprisingly detailed track based on Stargate Atlantis. It's also one of the most impressive theme-based Line Rider worlds we've seen to date. The stage makes extensive use of the background drawing tool while the sledder's path runs smoothly through isometric scenery. We barely have the patience to draw a successful half-pipe, let alone decorate dozens of screens with background art. Check out a more abstract and artistic video after the jump.Line Rider is a free Flash game anyone can play around with, and publisher inXile recently announced it will bring the game to the Wii and DS systems later this year.
Flash game N+ getting official DS release
Metanet's N is a physics-based platformer in which players run and jump around a big room collecting coins. It's a simple concept that is executed so well that it earned the game an Independent Games Festival Audience Award. Next on the list of honors: an official retail release on the DS and PSP from Atari, to be called N+.We don't know how the game will be changed, other than the addition of, as Metanet puts it, "pretty cool new features and graphics." Really, we hope it isn't changed much at all-- especially the level-editing feature. Atari, we've never asked you for anything before-- let us make and trade N+ levels online.You can download the Flash version of N here. Try it out and see how you'd feel about a DS version!
DEFCON in your pocket
According to CVG, indie studio Introversion (Uplink, Darwinia) is looking for developers to help create a portable version of its "everybody dies" disaster game, DEFCON. With simple visuals, an emphasis on multiplayer carnage, and highly addictive gameplay, DEFCON is an ideal candidate for cell phones, the PSP, or DS. The project is still in very early stages, so no details or platforms have been announced.Earlier we reported that Introversion co-founder Mark Morris was looking to bring a few games to the home console market via digital distribution. DEFCON on your computer, on your TV, and in your pocket? Time to take the "everybody dies" slogan a bit more literally.[Via PSP Fanboy]
Ninja-based indie platformer coming to PSP
Raigan Burns and Mare Sheppard of Metanet Software have gathered plenty of praise and awards (such as Audience Award at the 2005 Game Developers Choice Awards) for their 2004 indie platformer, N. You take the role of a ninja who must flip, walljump, and climb your way through hundreds of levels, many of which were created by fans using the in-game editor. It's a simple game on all fronts that captivated players with realistic physics and plenty of non-violent ninja-ing.Now, Atari and Silver Birch have announced a publishing deal to bring N to the PSP, cleverly titled N+. The game comes packed with over 500 levels, including 50 user-created stages from fans of the original game. The PSP incarnation doesn't appear to contain any additional content over the free PC/Mac/Linux game, but portability (and a decent PSP title to own) might be the biggest selling points.N+ has also been announced for Xbox Live Marketplace and is scheduled for release this fall.[Via PSP Fanboy]
The Arsecast reborn in bite-sized bits
The world's greatest indie gaming podcast, The Arsecast, has gone through a metamorphosis. Instead of 30 minute episodes released every month (or, uh, 6-8 weeks), the new format treats us to shorter, more digestible blog-style bits at a comparatively rapid pace. This allows the 'cast to cover breaking indie news with the usual dose of arseness we love so much. You can grab the final old-format episode from The Arsecast website. Mini-arsecasts have already been released and will devour no more than a few minutes each.
Indie developers argue their way into selling a game
Game Producer's recent Convince Me To Buy Your Video Game competition tossed the ball in the indie developers' court and made them argue their way into selling a copy of their game. Wild promises were made, editors had their posteriors smooched, and a few devs went so far as to brag about the game's actual features! With the post-contest fog starting to clear, three arguments emerged as the most convincing sales pitches: The Witch's Yarn by MouseChief made a sale by boasting quality illustrations, a real-instrument soundtrack, and interactive sitcom gameplay. The Code Zone convinced Game Producer to pick up Duck Tiles by offering several discounts along with ... a pony. Kudos to Cliff Harris for selling a copy of his game, Kudos, by boldly asking "Can I enter twice?" A contest like this isn't the best way to uncover hidden gems of the indie world, as offering ponies says very little about the quality of a game. On the other hand, it is a good way for indie developers to stretch their PR muscles.
In the Flash: Four Second Firestorm
Every week on In the Flash we sit down with the creator of a free online game to unravel their secret plans of world domination ... and to talk about their game: It's a coffee buzz without the coffee. No no, wait! It's a sugar high without the sugar! Even better, it's the rush of adrenaline you get if a two-ton vehicle pinned you to the ground and you had to lift it with your bare hands. Except Four Second Firestorm does it without the loss of blood! Firestorm is the third in a series of frantic micro-game collections from jmtb02 Studios. Similar to Nintendo's Wario Ware titles, you have a few seconds to figure out and win each mini-game before you're thrown into the next. Over 170 of these tiny diversions will flash before your eyes in what feels like an exercise in trying to not have a seizure.We sat down with John Cooney, the creator of the Four Second series, to ask just what was on his mind when he decided to unleash these games.
Unraveling the Indie - Loonyland 2: Winter Woods
Every other week on Unraveling the Indie we sit down with an independent developer to unearth the dark secrets of indie game creation: Don't let its colorful, cartoon-like appearance and cheeky humor fool you: Loonyland 2: Winter Woods is a whole lot of game. This massive action RPG from indie developer Hamumu Software features over 50 unique quests, 100 hidden achievements, and dozens of skills and talents you can use to customize your character. It's a deep and rewarding RPG that will satisfy most hardcore fans without alienating casual players.We sat down with Mike Hommel from Hamumu Software to get some inside information on Loonyland 2, Egyptian laborers, and the history of Hamumu. As an extra special bonus, he wrote us a haiku!
Video walkthrough released for freeware adventure La-Mulana
Created to celebrate classic MSX games such as Maze of Galious, La-Mulana is one of the most difficult platforming adventure games in the freeware world. Think Cave Story meets Metroidvania with an Indiana Jones theme and the difficulty level ramped up three or four notches. It's a long adventure filled with mysterious puzzles, dangerous temples, and tense exploration. It's frustrating at times, but boy is it fun.Until now, clueless adventurers have had only a translated item/location guide to go by. Now, thanks to DeceasedCrab and a little YouTube magic, a complete video walkthrough of La-Mulana has been released. There are more than 50 videos containing over seven hours of hand-holding spoilers and cheesy narration. Each video walks you through a specific part of the game, so do yourself a favor and only start watching when you're stuck.Download the game and English translation patch courtesy of Aeon Genesis.[Via Independent Gaming]
Acidbomb 2 gets a commercial release as ShellBlast
Dave Galindo of Vertigo Games dropped a few hints in our recent interview that Acidbomb 2: Rearmed could be going commercial. Now it's official: casual gaming publisher Oberon Media will be distributing an enhanced version of Acidbomb 2 next month. The commercial version will be renamed ShellBlast and include content from Acidbomb 2 (which will remain free until the day Jack Thompson joins Mensa) as well as a few exclusive game modes: Virtual Bomb Simulator - create your own bombs and try to disarm them Endurance Mode - a gigantic bomb with seven quadrants and more pistons as you progress Vertigo's next game, King of All Cooks, will also be released commercially later this year. No word on pricing for either game, though expect it to cuddle up to the magic number $19.95.
In the Flash: Makibishi Comic
Every week on In the Flash we sit down with the creator of a free online game to unravel their secret plans of world domination ... and to talk about their game: Point and click, room escape, and adventure games are a dime a dozen in the Flash gaming realm. But every once in a while a game comes along that's more than just an entry in the list of clones. Makibishi Comic blends Japanese-style manga artwork and storytelling with richly varied gameplay. Your goal is to find five ninjas hidden in five different environments. By clicking characters or objects on the screen, you set events in motion that will lead to their capture.In true manga-style, events rarely connect to each other in a logical way. How do you get rid of a gigantic gorilla? By calling a massive bear that shoots an energy blast out of its mouth, of course. It's that sense of wacky fun that makes Makibishi Comic so enjoyable. The stages you'll search through are also very creative, such as in Warashiamata where an endless stream of characters come marching out of a gigantic naked man's butt ...We crossed the language barrier for a short-and-sweet interview with Shinnosuke Kumazawa, one of the creators of Makibishi Comic.
DigiPen student games released
DigiPen Institute of Technology has unveiled most of the student games created for the 2007 academic year. Nearly two dozen projects will available by the end of the month covering a wide range of styles -- from space shooters, to puzzlers and the popular "riding a motorcycle in medieval times" genre.Unfortunately the most interesting games are still unavailable, but with just a few days left in the month, the wait will be short: Bossinabox - a fast-paced arcade-style shooter based on the idea that boss fights are awesome. Your goal is to annihilate the boss as he splits into an army of minibosses. Empyreal Nocturne - a third-person aerial action game in which you combat enormous flying monsters by commanding a legion of birds. Gigoon - a 3D, third-person action game in which the player takes control of a giant monster rampaging through the tropical city of Rio De Janeiro PHLOP - a 3D physics-based puzzle game that asks the player to manipulate simple objects to create complex device in order to complete the puzzle. RydenStryke - a third person action game set in medieval times where the player gets to control a character from the future on a motorcycle. A well-respected school with game developers, DigiPen's student projects have turned more than a few heads over the years. The team behind Narbacular Drop was snatched up by Valve, and the group behind the block-tossing Toblo have gained a lot of attention for their project.
Freeware downloads site GameHippo sold
Nearly a decade old, freeware PC game download site GameHippo has recently changed owners. Founder and writer Boson (who apparently can't blow bubbles with bubblegum) made the announcement over the weekend. GameHippo features only legit freeware games, unlike many of the sketchy sites lurking in dark corners of the web. No demos, no shareware, and no ruddy Mac titles (all eight of them). The purchasing party was not revealed, though Boson did say "he's just a good old guy like myself". The site has been stagnant over the last few months, so the first order of business will be to push a few new games onto the front page.[Via Independent Gaming]
PyWeek game challenge results announced, winners include a seahorse
The results of the latest PyWeek game design challenge have been released! Several dozen games were submitted to the latest competition, all with the theme of "the only way is up". Winners were announced in both individual and team entries and games are available to download from the PyWeek website.Winning entry Which way is up?, a puzzle/platformer game by Hectigo, uses levers to rotate the game world as you pick your way through blocks and enemies. The top team game, Barbie Seahorse Adventures, doesn't seem to involve plastic female body parts at all. Instead, it's a great looking 2D platformer where you play a seahorse trying to reach the moon.Also worth checking out is Trip on the Funny Boat, an arcade-style game where you pilot a ship with a cannon over treacherous waters.
Unraveling the Indie - Acidbomb 2
Every other week on Unraveling the Indie we'll sit down with an independent developer to unearth the dark secrets of indie game creation: Terrorists have scattered bombs across the country. It's your job to disarm them. Acidbomb 2: Rearmed is everything a sequel should be: bigger, badder, and infinitely more polished. Combining elements from Minesweeper and Picross, Acidbomb is a challenging puzzle game with the added tension of watching a bomb's timer tick down to zero. Using latitude and longitude-like information, you must determine which areas of the grid are pistons (bad) and which are safe. Mark them with the corresponding symbols, then watch the countdown and hope you got it right. If not ... kaboom. We recently sat down with Dave Galindo of Vertigo Games to get some inside-information about Acidbomb 2. Read on for the full interrogation.
In the Flash: Bloons
Every week on In the Flash we sit down with the creator of a free online game to unravel their secret plans of world domination ... and to talk about their game: Combining monkeys, darts, and balloons would normally be a bad idea. But Stephen Harris and his brother Chris, the pair behind Ninja Kiwi, made it happen with the elegantly titled Bloons. Aim the dart and release to see how many balloons you can take out with each toss. The first levels are simple and straightforward, but as you progress new obstacles and power-ups are introduced to add puzzle-like spice to the mix. There's even a Pac-Man cameo! It's one of those games that hooks you early on and won't let go until you've played through your entire lunch break.We recently sat down with both Chris and Stephen and coaxed some information about Ninja Kiwi, Bloons, and Barry Mann. Read on for the full interrogation.
Lost Garden's game design challenge supplies the graphics, you supply the game
Being a talented programmer and an accomplished artist can be two separate skills. Just because you can string lines of code together doesn't mean you can make pretty pictures people want to look at while playing your game. Enter Danc of Lost Garden and his new design challenge that gives you everything you need to make a game -- except the programming muscle.Danc provides the graphics, including character sprites, items, and backgrounds. He also has a gameplay outline that is constantly being refined. The game, SpaceCute, should be a single player golf title with a strong focus on physics. Because programmers don't have to be concerned with graphics or basic gameplay mechanics, they're free to experiment and make the game as crazy as their imaginations can conjure.The challenge is well underway (a few prototypes have already been released), but if you've got the skills and the game idea sparks your interest, it's never too late to jump in.[Via Independent Gaming]
Indie gaming site to fund 'fresh and funky and innovative and exciting' game projects
Indie developers have the luxury of toying with experimental ideas and releasing quirky games that would never sell in the mainstream. The catch is there's rarely any profit to be had, and developers only work in their spare time after the good ole 9-to-5 comes to an end. Dozens of innovative ideas surface, struggle, and sink each year because the creators don't have enough time or money to invest in their project.Dan Marshall of Gibbage.co.uk is tired of seeing the good die young. Starting the very moment you read this sentence, profits earned through Dan's indie news site will be stuffed under the mattress and saved. When a promising game idea comes along that needs a monetary push, Dan will hand the team an envelope full of cash with the inspiring words "Go, my friends. Work full-time on this, your fresh and funky and innovative and exciting game.".The Gibbage initiative will help indie devs hire artists and programmers to make their game a more polished experience. We just hope the flood of cash-hungry wannabe programmers tossing half-baked ideas around doesn't make Dan regret his offer.
Cave Story music inspired by ... polka?
By now we've all played, re-played, and generally gushed over Pixel's freeware platformer Cave Story. The game is so good, we've even fallen in love with the soundtrack. But did you know one of those tunes is a remixed polka song? Yes, polka. And we're not talking Weird Al-style Polkamon, either.The music that accompanies the Finnish dance Letkajenkka (often referred to as Jenkka) bears a striking resemblance to Jenka's theme (track number 16) from Cave Story. And by "striking resemblance" we mean it's the exact same song morphed into a chiptune-style piece. Kinda makes us wonder if, deep down, some twisted part of our being actually enjoys polka.[Via Independent Gaming]
