IndieGames.com - The Weblog

Trailer: Blocks That Matter follow up, Tetrobot and Co., shows blocks still matter

2013-06-18T20:40:12Z

Swing Swing Submarine's Tetrobot and Co. debuts its first gameplay trailer, showing the point-and-clicky nature of its puzzle solving. Developers promise players will have to learn physical and chemical properties of tons of elements to traverse stages, including electric arcs, lasers, fans, switches, holograms, doors, water, slime, and, of course, blocks of matter.

]]> Tetrobot and Co. is due for Windows, Mac, Linux and playable through Steam by the end of the summer, with mobile ports to follow. For a look at more of the game's art and design, visit Swing Swing's blog.

New Humble Bundle debuts Aquaria, Pulse, Stealth Bastard, Frozen Synapse on Android

2013-06-18T18:50:06Z

Humble Bundle for Android 6 offers a total of 7 games to enjoy on Android devices (and 6 of those on Steam/cross-platform PC). Organ Trail and Broken Sword (Director's Cuts) join several games that are making their Android debut: action exploration swimmer Aquaria, puzzle platformer Stealth Bastard Deluxe, puzzler Fractal, asynchronous strategy title Frozen Synapse, and rhythm game Pulse. Pulse is the only game that is not on PC.

]]> Oh, Apple. When will you let iOS devs become Humble Superstars? Speaking of iOS, Curve has also confirmed Stealth Bastard Deluxe is coming to iOS soon.

Survive Disasterpeace's, Jasper Byrne's bullet beats in Bean's Soundodger (Browser)

2013-06-18T17:50:42Z

Basketbelle and ...But That Was [Yesterday] developer Bean has released his elegant bullet dancer Soundodger on Adult Swim today, with over 20 songs to weave through. You use the mouse to avoid the rhythm-based firepower, and you hold down the left-click to slow down the action. However, the latter comes at a cost to your score. Points (which convert to % complete) are only gained when a bullet leaves the arena at normal speed.

]]> You need to complete the stages well to unlock even more music to dodge. The artists you can play in this browser version are Anoctave, Delasaurus, D.Wight, Disasterpeace, Mike Forst, Bill Kiley, Lifeformed, North Base, and Sonic (Jasper B.).

While waiting for the deluxe desktop version for Windows and Mac, have fun playing Bean's Soundodger on Adult Swim.

For puzzle, chess, and roguelike lovers: Aaron Steed's Ending [PC, Mobile]

2013-06-18T16:20:11Z

Aaron Steed knows turn-based puzzles and roguelikes, and it shows in his punishing, Mercury-inspired Ending. The Red Rogue and Turnament developer offers in Ending a whole lot of meticulous gaming for free (or for $1 on mobile), including a 60-stage puzzle mode, a roguelike adventure mode, and a puzzle level editor.

]]> The overall goal is to survive until you reach the exit, but there are layers of challenge to staying alive. Enemies want to outsmart and crush you at every turn. They attack in different but visually marked ways so that you realize it was your oversight that led to your death.

You also have a limited number moves until you reach your own ending. However, destroying enemies (smashing into them before they do into you) replenishes your move meter.

The rest of the chess-like rules are up to you to uncover. Give Ending a go on Aaron's site; download it for OSX, Windows, or Ubuntu; or support Aaron by buying it for mobile for $1 on iOS or Android.

Adventure Game Pick: Jack Haunt: Old Haunting Grounds (Evolving Poet Media)

2013-06-18T10:00:00Z

If you've been looking for something (please, do excuse the choice of words) quirky yet old-fashioned and fondly remember the oddball feel of many of the earlier indie adventures, well, Jack Haunt: Old Haunting Grounds is something you should be interested in. It's a boldly coloured, humorous point-and-clicker starring a ghostly detective and a simplified interface. Oh, yes, and some smart writing and interesting puzzles too.

You can buy the DRM-free version of Jack Haunt here. It will set you back $5 and is currently available only for Windows, though future Linux and Mac versions have been promised.

iOS to Google Play: A 3-hour port log by Radiangames

2013-06-18T03:31:40Z

[written by Luke Schneider]

First, let's get the raw log of what happened while developing CRUSH for Android:

1:00PM - Copy to new project folder, Unity converting MP3s
1:10PM - Icon, splashscreen, project settings, remove plugins
1:13PM - Comment out GameCenter
1:27PM - Todolist for everything, testing orientation (on device)
1:40PM - Decide not to attempt to move status bar (would cause more technical problems)
2:06PM - Ready to test screen aspect and size differences
2:27PM - Going with simpler game links (have to update game to activate)
2:36PM - Back button and everything else apparently in, time to test
2:45PM - Done with APK? Ready to test on both devices
2:52PM - Weird color difference between splash screen and default BG... changing to black
2:59PM - Made icon have different sizes (instead of 1 that's auto-scaled)
3:06PM - Starting on the store listing
3:16PM - Need promo art, and to try different play store link formats
3:47PM - Finally got link format sorted out, extra "/" at end was messing everything up, had to figure out the company-specific format, and two of my iOS links were switched
3:56PM - More testing
4:15PM - Uploaded APK, everything on store is set and ready for the Publish button to be pushed

]]>

But even for more demanding games that do require tweaks (Bombcats), I've been pleasantly surprised by how easy the game-side of the iOS to Android porting process has been.

There are a couple downsides to porting to Android:

1) The initial setup for any new platform always feels like it'll never work until it does, and all the unusual things about Android only increases the stress. In the end it took me about a day to work out everything and get builds all the way from Unity to Android, and a few hours of that was getting my Nook HD to work (had to reinstall the drivers after being connected as a debugging device).

2) There are lots of storefronts/opportunities you need to consider if you want to maximize your game's chances of success. Google Play is just the start. There's the Nook store, Amazon, Samsung's custom store (wow, what a sign-up process), the Ouya, and plenty more. All of them want icons, and screenshots, and feature art, sometimes in slightly different resolutions.

In the end, I can't help but feeling I should have done these Android ports a while ago. So if you're feeling apprehensive about your iOS to Android port, and you're using an engine that supports both iOS and Android (like Unity), get over it and take the plunge.

Special thanks to the Android feature in Game Developer magazine for helping give me that final confirmation that I should just do it.

[Luke Schneider wrote this using sister site Gamasutra's free blogs]

Space Nomads roam Indiegogo for funding, crafting, and tower defending (alpha demo)

2013-06-18T00:10:19Z

Loading Studios's procedurally generated, first person, and cooperative tower-defense game Space Nomads is seeking funding from Windows, Mac, and Linux users and is offering a free multiplatform demo to show off its basic design. Collecting resources is as simple as pointing a scanner gun, and with blueprints found you can craft new weapons and turrets to defend against insectoid aliens. The goal isn't merely survival, though. You want to find a way off the hostile planet.

]]> The developers say to keep in mind that Space Nomads is very early development and that "the focus of this demo is set around the defense of the base and not yet around the exploration of the world." The open-world exploration part is for what they need Indiegogo funding.

Forced Recall is an Inception-esque puzzle-adventure with a time limit (Freeware Pick)

2013-06-17T20:30:00Z

Although Forced Recall was created using the trial version of RPG Maker VX Ace, it is not an RPG. The game is presented with the familiar "super-deformed" character sprites, but the gameplay is all puzzle solving with no combat, leveling, or any of the other standard RPG mechanics.

]]> In fact, Forced Recall is a great showcase for the variety of puzzles that the engine can handle. Forced Recall also has a cool plot that involves traversing the damaged mindscape of a betrayed criminal. It is the near future, and you play the role of a Memory Diver, a guy whose job is a lot like Leonardo DiCaprio's in Inception (except you're not actually entering dreams, just the subject's subconscious in general). This particular subject is the survivor of an attack and is thought to be one of the criminals responsible for a seemingly impossible heist. By projecting yourself into a sort of VR rendering of his mind, you hope to retrieve enough memory fragments to solve the case.

There are four levels (or "dungeons", if you prefer), each based on one of the unresolved emotions that the subject was feeling at the time of his injuries. You can tackle them in any order, and there are a healthy amount of save points scattered throughout. You can even skip the story and just enjoy the puzzles with no dialogue or cutscenes by playing the Arcade Mode. If you're feeling really confident, there's also a Challenge Mode with no save points, either. If you play the Story Mode, you'll engage in quite a bit of dialogue and also view cutscenes drawn in a sketchy, pen-and-ink style. The dialogue is well-written and often witty, such as when the super-deformed appearance of the Memory Diver is explained by assuming the subject must have played a lot of RPG's.

All of the controls are explained in the game, and the style of puzzle depends on which level you play. There are such obstacles as spike traps, icy floors, directional teleporters, and dark mazes. My favorite level has you stomping around on tiny cities and villages, trying to destroy as many buildings as you can while dodging exploding dirigibles. You have only 20 minutes to obtain as many memory fragments as possible, before the process drives the subject mad. There are no hit points in the game; any damage you take is deducted from your time remaining. You can add extra time by finding crystals here and there. There are multiple endings that depend on how many memory fragments you have recovered.

Developer JIHAUS originally made Forced Recall for a mystery-themed RPG Maker contest last August (and won first place), but the download was not made widely available until recently. Forced Recall is a free download for Windows.

Free Incredipede for Linux, Humble profits for PC/Mac go to open source projects

2013-06-17T18:45:43Z

Today's a great day to become a Linux user. Northway Games' gorgeous, lively physics puzzler Incredipede is now available on Linux for free.

]]> "I'm making it free because Linux users are such strong supporters of indie games and because I like Linux, and the philosophy behind it so much," Colin Northway wrote in. Linux is an open source operating system that is a viable alternative to Windows and Mac OS X. On the non-sales page, the developer explains how to get started using Linux.

Incredipede is also discounted via the Humble Store widget for Windows and Mac, with 50% of profits going to two open source projects Colin used in making his game: FlashDevelop and Box2d.

Lastly in the world of halves, the Steam version is 50% off, too. It's a full-on assault from Quozzle!

Hiversaires and Language Arts musicians performing live in Tokyo

2013-06-17T15:30:00Z

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The masterminds behind independently developed game titles Hiversaires and Mega Ran in Language Arts will be performing music at the Daikanyama M venue in Tokyo this Wednesday. Aliceffekt's first-person puzzler for smartphone devices depicts labyrinthine corridors that the player must navigate without recourse to verbal hints or clues. Last year American hip-hop artists Mega Ran and DJ DN3 Kickstarted their 8-bit styled platformer with Lunar Giant Studios, and now are funding an overseas tour and remix album through the crowdfunding service. Other scheduled performers for the Mega Ran Japan Tour debut show at Daikanyama M in Tokyo are Bit Summit headliner Professor Sakamoto and chip musician Hige Driver.

]]> Dei Dain by aliceffekt

While the spare, textless interface of Hiversaires has sidestepped language barriers to attract an international audience, enthusiasts of the point-and-click adventure title might not be aware of French Canadian designer Devine Lu Linvega's prodigious output as an electronic music artist, or his facility as a visualist in the live environment. Aliceffekt's latest album "Dei Dain" became available for pre-order earlier today, with cyberpunk soundscape "Kirleane Coral Parasols" streaming on Bandcamp.

The Hiversaires soundtrack is planned for release for free download via XXIIVV on the 25th. It will coincide with the launch of Nataniev, a mobile adventure title where gameplay is intrinsically tied to walking.

DJ DN3, aka Melvin Raymond, wrote the score to the Language Arts browser game, and more recently published an album called "Project: OchoBites," mixing hip-hop and chiptune game console sounds. He sees the late '70s as a special time for musical cultures that are thriving today, as hip-hop and videogames sprung into being and gradually took form. OchoBites is an attempt to fuse the two artistic media together, blending influences as diverse as the Nas debut album Illmatic and nostalgic chiptune effects.

Mega Ran In Language Arts - The Official Video Game Soundtrack by DJ DN³

Professor Sakamoto and Hige Driver are no strangers to indie games themselves. The former performed live keyboard covers of classic Nintendo Famicom games at the inaugural Bit Summit indie game trade festival in Kyoto. The latter's chip remix of the Dr. Mad Stage 2 theme from platformer Rokko Chan can be heard on Bandcamp. Photos from the event at Daikanyama M will be available via our flickr photo set later this week.

Release: Alone In The Park (Cheap Drunk Games)

2013-06-17T13:00:00Z

I haven't yet finished playing through Alone In The Park as it was only released during this weekend when things were ludicrously hectic, but I can tell you this: it is a truly unique text/graphics adventure hybrid and if you love your games misanthropically funny, well, you simply have to try it. It's not just all about the writing, the plot and the characters either; AitP is smart and puzzle-y and comes with an excellently designed interface that's a joy to use and should hopefully inspire many.

Alone In The Park is available for Windows, Mac and iOS.

Moebius - A Metaphysical Trailer

2013-06-17T10:00:00Z

Starting off an adventure gaming trailer with tarot cards isn't the most inspiring thing you could ever come up with, but, if you are Jane Jensen, know that you have earned yourself the benefit of the doubt. So, unsurprisingly, what you see above is indeed the trailer of Jane Jensen's Moebius and thus our first proper glimpse at the forthcoming, crowd-funded and overtly metaphysical adventure game by Pinkerton Road and the creator of Gabriel Knight. Looks properly intriguing too.

Video: Shipping Retro City Rampage on 17 SKUs at once

2013-06-16T22:15:00Z

"Retail is the past," Retro City Rampage developer Brian Provinciano says, explaining that even if the retail price was twice the digital price, he'd net less profit. He reflects on this and several more business and programming lessons he learned being a one-man developer and publisher, in this GDC 2013 lecture.

Retro City Rampage's custom-built engine created extra considerations for the developer, who says getting his game up and running took less time than conforming to platform requirements. He discusses the core architecture differences across all platforms, along with programming joysticks, leaderboards, saves, menus and more in this hour-long lecture, free courtesy of GDC Vault.

The video starts after the jump.

]]>

Session Name: One Man, 17 SKUs: Shipping on Every Platform at Once

Speaker(s): Brian Provinciano

Company Name(s): Vblank Entertainment

Track / Format: Programming

Description:This talk takes attendees through the entire process of developing and releasing multi-platform games, from A to Z, with a primary focus on consoles and Steam. From programming to business and production, it's a content heavy talk that covers a lot of ground. It paints the complete picture by detailing everything from code to contracts. The sheer volume of tasks adds up quickly when developing console games; building a game which can can fit every system's varied requirements and SDK adds even more complexity. Preparation is key and this talk provides the roadmap.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent GDC events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers. Those who purchased All Access passes to events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC China already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscriptions via a GDC Vault inquiry form.

Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company. More information on this option is available via an online demonstration, and interested parties can find out more here. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins.

Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more new content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from other events like GDC China and GDC 2013. To stay abreast of all the latest updates to GDC Vault, be sure to check out the news feed on the official GDC website, or subscribe to updates via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS.

IndieGames and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.

Nam-Cap is Pac-Man backwards, an arcade browser game by Studio Piña

2013-06-16T18:19:45Z

Not only is Studio Piña's Nam-Cap literally 'Pac-Man' spelled backwards, it also plays like a reverse concept of the iconic quarter muncher. Blank mazes must be filled with pellets that you get from eating the ghosts. A temporary heart remains where you eat each ghost, and these hearts act as the ghosts' power-pellets, giving them the hot-red courage to come after you, instead.

]]> The music is a bit annoying, but I suppose it has to be. Since you start the game in the 'almost-done' state, the short siren plays on a continuous loop until the ghosts flip the script and come after you.

The beginning music is charming, though, and should sound familiar (but also in reverse). I also appreciate the tiny details such as the ROM booting sequence in the beginning and the reverse words such as "debt" instead of "credit".

Nam-Cap is fun and free, playable now on Mochigames or Newgrounds.

I'd further recommend checking out this studio's older game, Sydney Hunter on Mochigames (or Newgrounds), a cave spelunking, fetch-questing platformer with MSX-style graphics.

Peaceful protest for Turkey's Gezi Park in the GeziJam

2013-06-16T00:19:07Z

While protesting continues to prevent the tearing down of Istanbul, Turkey's Gezi park, local developers banded together to jam out games in their own form of protest. Dubbed the GeziJam, developers have uploaded 11 games for it so far.

]]> In This is Only a Resistance, you control three protesters who use zero violence and who only try to mitigate the damage caused by rioting. Tayyo Land is a short platformer about "a greedy autocratic president and about a series of unfortunate events in a fantastic country," wherein the president-player sets off TNT in forests to bring about cities.

As shown here, I like that you can jam out your feelings or what's on your mind, especially when you're not sure how else to express yourself or get involved in something potentially dangerous. Check out all the games made for the GeziJam here.

[Thanks, Ahmet B]