So this is a pre-launch announcement of the game I've been developing since graduating Full Sail University in June 2013. Now you might have heard some things about this game before. So that I can reach the broadest audience on a first pass, it will be getting released on the Google Chrome store.
Some things that I'm trying to resolve as I finish ironing out the last bit of the game settings based on Beta feedback: How to sell the game, how to best implement a color-blind mode, how to best implement some sort of leaderboard.
So if anyone has experience with Game Maker, or selling things in the Chrome App store, please let me know. Game is slated to come out Monday January 27th, 2014.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
A note from my older self: How to get started with coding
A lot of times I sit around thinking about how I could have gotten to where I am now, faster in my life. There were many times where I would be stuck for years, not able to figure out my next step. One of those steps was learning how to code.
Now, for a 14 year old to get started with C++ without so much as a basic understanding of ANYTHING, I can see how I was restricted. I would do things in HTML, back when it was very flat and nowhere near as dynamic as it is now.
I had a book named Learn C++ in 30 days. And the one thing that this book failed at, was setting up. So many self help books seemed to just assume that the person would know how to set it up, or how to figure it out. And at such a young age, with no experience or tutor or mentor, or anything. And with the internet at such an infant stage of information sharing, I simply couldn't find the answers I needed.
These books were supposed to teach me, and they failed to even get me started! Print "Hello World" is a horrible start. I don't want to print a message. I want to know how to even start. You can't tell me to print "Hello World" and run that. Because I had no idea how to run it! You need to go back SEVERAL steps before I can print "Hello World"!
But... at 14 I had access to a teacher in my high school. He taught Computer Math, and he was the school's "tech guy". They called him in to look at the servers and what not. I think anybody who has had that experience, of being grudgingly needed but otherwise avoided, will understand the position this man was in.
My lesson to my older self: Ask for help from your teacher. You WANT to learn, so make time. Ask for time, and seek it out.
Now, this was over 15 years ago. I think kids today have a much easier entry way into coding. So if you want to do it. Reach out there and grab your opportunity. Coding is actually easy. The difficulty of it, comes from creatively understanding and developing the solutions to get the results you desire.
Coding is an extremely creative process, that requires years of experience to accomplish through "feel" alone. As it stands, I have to sit and plan out more complex thoughts, on paper before I commit it to code. Creating diagrams, and logic trees to make sure that what I'm trying to accomplish makes sense.
Now, for a 14 year old to get started with C++ without so much as a basic understanding of ANYTHING, I can see how I was restricted. I would do things in HTML, back when it was very flat and nowhere near as dynamic as it is now.
I had a book named Learn C++ in 30 days. And the one thing that this book failed at, was setting up. So many self help books seemed to just assume that the person would know how to set it up, or how to figure it out. And at such a young age, with no experience or tutor or mentor, or anything. And with the internet at such an infant stage of information sharing, I simply couldn't find the answers I needed.
These books were supposed to teach me, and they failed to even get me started! Print "Hello World" is a horrible start. I don't want to print a message. I want to know how to even start. You can't tell me to print "Hello World" and run that. Because I had no idea how to run it! You need to go back SEVERAL steps before I can print "Hello World"!
But... at 14 I had access to a teacher in my high school. He taught Computer Math, and he was the school's "tech guy". They called him in to look at the servers and what not. I think anybody who has had that experience, of being grudgingly needed but otherwise avoided, will understand the position this man was in.
My lesson to my older self: Ask for help from your teacher. You WANT to learn, so make time. Ask for time, and seek it out.
Now, this was over 15 years ago. I think kids today have a much easier entry way into coding. So if you want to do it. Reach out there and grab your opportunity. Coding is actually easy. The difficulty of it, comes from creatively understanding and developing the solutions to get the results you desire.
Coding is an extremely creative process, that requires years of experience to accomplish through "feel" alone. As it stands, I have to sit and plan out more complex thoughts, on paper before I commit it to code. Creating diagrams, and logic trees to make sure that what I'm trying to accomplish makes sense.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter
So Cryptic has Neverwinter out on Steam, which I thought was a perfect opportunity to jump in and play this F2P MMO. Now, Neverwinter does not play like Champions Online, though I wish Champions played a little more like Neverwinter!
I'm not very far in and haven't gotten a companion yet. Here are my impressions thus far.
This is a big plus for me. For a long time, in older games, you would have all the objectives as is already on there, and you would finish a quest and get a new one added.
Even if they don't lead anywhere, the conversations are nice.
This is becoming more common as MMOs continue. This is nowhere near lets say, SWTOR, but feels more than I remember from WoW.
I suppose people who played City of Heroes might know about player created content. The Forge lets you create a series of events and combats for the player to deal with. I haven't explored it much yet, but I've played one level, and the amount of things that they did, were nice, and I can see a great deal of possibility in this game.
I feel that the game's combat is similar to videos I've seen of Wildstar. You see where enemies will attack, and you dodge those areas, while playing an almost 3rd Person Shooter. Very fun.
These like mini-instances. Go in, fight off waves with a team, and take down a big bad. Your involvement decides your reward.
10 levels in and I haven't felt any restriction to my game play. Not saying it won't happen eventually, but they have a game that is more than fun enough on its own, and they give you space for profession materials, and I've earned one extra bag so far (which I haven't even needed yet).
I'm not very far in and haven't gotten a companion yet. Here are my impressions thus far.
A) Quests auto-update and change as you go through them
This is a big plus for me. For a long time, in older games, you would have all the objectives as is already on there, and you would finish a quest and get a new one added.
B) Dialogue trees
Even if they don't lead anywhere, the conversations are nice.
C) Voice acting on the main plot
This is becoming more common as MMOs continue. This is nowhere near lets say, SWTOR, but feels more than I remember from WoW.
D) Player created Missions and stories
I suppose people who played City of Heroes might know about player created content. The Forge lets you create a series of events and combats for the player to deal with. I haven't explored it much yet, but I've played one level, and the amount of things that they did, were nice, and I can see a great deal of possibility in this game.
E) Dynamic, action based combat.
I feel that the game's combat is similar to videos I've seen of Wildstar. You see where enemies will attack, and you dodge those areas, while playing an almost 3rd Person Shooter. Very fun.
F) Group Events and Beatdowns, ala Champions Online
These like mini-instances. Go in, fight off waves with a team, and take down a big bad. Your involvement decides your reward.
G) I haven't felt the pressure to buy yet
10 levels in and I haven't felt any restriction to my game play. Not saying it won't happen eventually, but they have a game that is more than fun enough on its own, and they give you space for profession materials, and I've earned one extra bag so far (which I haven't even needed yet).
Friday, November 29, 2013
NaNoWriMo 2013
Wow! I did nothing this month. Quite honestly, between GDCNext, and overtime at my job, and a horrible sick weekend, I didn't have a single moment where I was in a headspace to write, mostly because I was walking around like a zombie.
So there you go, one of my least productive NaNoWriMo. To those of you in the same boat though... there's still 2 days left! Start writing! Have November be start writing month, and just keeping going through December, or however long it takes you!
So there you go, one of my least productive NaNoWriMo. To those of you in the same boat though... there's still 2 days left! Start writing! Have November be start writing month, and just keeping going through December, or however long it takes you!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
What I felt about the GDCNext Expo Floor
Hey fellow GDCNext peeps! Happy first year! I was very happy to be in GDCNext's first year in Los Angeles. Well, this was also my first conference, so it was a pretty special event for me!
I got to meet a lot of great people, including meeting my team for the first time in person. So all these things add up to an amazing event. With that in mind, there were certain themes that kept popping up on the expo floor.
1) Microsoft constantly kept blaring about the failure of the app, and the success of the product. That is to say, that what you make has to be on multiple platforms (to them that meant Windows RT and Windows 8). The customer needs more than the phone app, but also the ability to have a desktop app, and have the two synchronize without issues.
2) Code in One Language, and output to everything. Only know C++? They have a company that has the ability to take your C++ code and put it on android and iOS and everything in between. Over and over again, I kept seeing the build once/output to everything being sold by different companies, all with different languages as the source.
3) "We can advertise your game, or make you money by putting ads in your game!" Even Google was there with AdMob. Everyone wanted to get in on advertising in your app. And if you need to advertise, they already have SO MANY CUSTOMERS around the world!
4) Convenience. Middleware is growing, and middleware systems are also growing. Don't handle your customer's passwords! Don't worry about monetization, we can make you money!
But everything only made me want to be able to attend GDC in San Francisco! I don't know if I'll have the funds to do so, but if you can make it to a GDC event, it is a great conference to attend!
I got to meet a lot of great people, including meeting my team for the first time in person. So all these things add up to an amazing event. With that in mind, there were certain themes that kept popping up on the expo floor.
1) Microsoft constantly kept blaring about the failure of the app, and the success of the product. That is to say, that what you make has to be on multiple platforms (to them that meant Windows RT and Windows 8). The customer needs more than the phone app, but also the ability to have a desktop app, and have the two synchronize without issues.
2) Code in One Language, and output to everything. Only know C++? They have a company that has the ability to take your C++ code and put it on android and iOS and everything in between. Over and over again, I kept seeing the build once/output to everything being sold by different companies, all with different languages as the source.
3) "We can advertise your game, or make you money by putting ads in your game!" Even Google was there with AdMob. Everyone wanted to get in on advertising in your app. And if you need to advertise, they already have SO MANY CUSTOMERS around the world!
4) Convenience. Middleware is growing, and middleware systems are also growing. Don't handle your customer's passwords! Don't worry about monetization, we can make you money!
But everything only made me want to be able to attend GDC in San Francisco! I don't know if I'll have the funds to do so, but if you can make it to a GDC event, it is a great conference to attend!
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