Simon Says

So I've been working on my Game Maker skills at the same time I am roughing my own self up to finally just RELEASE something, anything really.

So I started working on a new idea, one that is easy, short, and somewhat cool looking. So I decided to try and make a new adaption of the old Simon memorization game. Its still the same as the old simon (the game tells you a button, you press it. Game adds new button to press after previous, you press the correct sequence, etc etc....) except that when you press the associated button, you see a character squish some kind of bug. Think, Guitar Hero meets side scroller...

I havent gotten much work done on it, but here's the first screen I took of the progress so far. It has random spawning trees that move in front of, and behind the main character. I had just started trying to get an actual Simon says terminal up but I'm an idiot and cant figure out how to have an item with multiple frames in it...

Fundamentals: Morning of DOOM

I have the books, the map creation software, the modding tools, and posters. If you have the comic, you are better than I. But we can all agree, DOOM was THE trademark design of FPS games in all generations.

When I was young the fast paced gunplay and blasting through hordes of enemies on godmode with infinate ammo was a damn sweet time. Now, as a game designer, I play it loud, alone, and in the dark. This game set the tone for all games in the future of its kind, pay close attention and you may notice this.

From the angle of design lets break down some of the fundamentals of this classic:

-Levels were designed with very open/close kinds of theme's. If there was a very open level you knew at one point or another you were going to have to get in close with some corridor enemies to get a keycard, or new weapon.

- Monsters were simple, and filled all voids of player need. Brainless/aimless zombies(fodder, aka Grunts), Fire spitting Imps that rip you apart up close(generals aka Elites), big pink hairless gorillas that gnaw you to death in the dark(Dogs of war aka Buggers), catching my drift?

- Player and game had a very understood bond over new fancy things. If you touch that keycard/weapon/healthpack/enticing thing, enemies were going to come from some secret room right behind you, and try to tear your asshole out.


ID, you guys invented the game we know as FPS. With these simple rules dozens of games have come from seemingly nowhere. Thanks guys for giving me hours of nightmares and years of fun!

-Aaron

Full Indy: Static shoulders

So I was at a really cool Meet and Greet kind of event for Indie game designers in Vancouver and it was very interesting to see other opinions of our community. I was hoping to see more... appreciation for the industry of the indie designer. In the other hand I truly understand the opposite end of this sector. There are people out there, trying to pay the bills with indie titles.

I finally may have a programmer that I can rely on though! It however wasent at the meetup. An old friend of mine is finally getting back into his game design frame of mind and wants to work with me so its a shot, but its worth it.

Some more sketches for my NEST concept were thrown together on the bus as well. Thinking of watercoloring them tomorrow. Expectations are... dismal at best on that enterprise!

Thanks for the read, and thank you to Full Indie, you guys are cool. :D

-Aaron

PS - To those that are following this blog, this is a fantastic group of people that really want to push the innovation and greatness that is the indie market! http://www.fullindie.com/

A new blog: refresh

I've been working on trying to finish a real project finally. One of my most recent ones may actually come to completion as well!

So just keep up to date on this new blog of mine and you will know my story, however short it may actually be!