Nicholas | March 3, 2012
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Ohai

Ok, so it’s been a while. I know.

I’ve been busy with a couple of game ideas… No I am not finished Pazaak, nor am I finished Oil Panic. Pazaak is pretty close to done, left it needing proper AI, and some small fine tuning. Oil Panic is 99% done. Need to implement a few last pieces of art, and then balance the game to scale over time, to give a challenge to the game.

I got distracted by a couple of things since my last post. We did a month of Maya in school, that was fun. We’re currently finishing up the last week of the Hammer engine. Hammer is the engine that builds source maps (for Counter Strike Source, Half Life, Left 4 Dead… and so on).

So those things took up some of my time. Of late I also got back into Minecraft. Also sucked Katlyn, her sister, and Peter into it as well. Poor guys…I think I ruined their lives.

Other than that, I have been working on a project in Flash (Codename “Fodder”) for the past couple of weeks. I’ve been slowly chipping away at it. It’ll be a pretty badass game if/when I get it completed. It’s the first game that I’ve came up with that has a pretty long term scope. This game can quite easily take a lot longer to complete than my normal games, but it’ll be a lot more awesome if I do say so myself.

And my display driver just failed while I was typing the last sentence. It is also 7:30AM, so I think that’s a sign to GTFO and go to sleep.

So I’ll finish this update later today when my laptop isn’t being a dick.

Night. :)

-Nicholas.

Category: Flash, Gaming, Oil Panic, Pazaak | Tags: , , , ,
Nicholas | February 13, 2012
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By Tomorrow

Ok, I slacked off. As usual. But I am trying to force my body out of the dumb sleep cycle that it has been in for the past 7 – 10 odd years I guess.

That being said, I’ve been awake since 9AM this morning. That’s crazy talk for me. So after playing some games, and forcing myself to stay awake, I decided to start finishing up Oil Panic.

I have the game loop running (i.e. title, game, game over, rinse and repeat). Animations working, for placeholders at least. All that’s left as far as I can tell is some extra sounds, and put in the final art. Should be able to say it’s done by tomorrow.

I also learned how to write information to a file on the local drive that the game is being played. So now I can have a persistent high score for each player. AWESOME I KNOW!!! :D

Anyway, I’m falling asleep. So I think it’s time to go shave, shower, and head in to school.

Hopefully be able to post the complete Oil Panic by tomorrow.

o7

-Nicholas.

Category: Flash, Game Projects, Oil Panic | Tags: , ,
Nicholas | February 8, 2012
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The Getting Is Getting There

I am almost sure that I’ve used that title before, but I don’t feel like thinking anymore.

I started coding at 1:10 am this morning, and I just decided to call it a night. It’s now 5:52 am. In that time frame however, I took an hour off to watch an episode of House. So I would say I only worked for about 3 and a half hours tonight.

Got some sound effects in, changed some timing of the game, which helps make it easier and more balanced. Also added in placeholder animation for when I get the final art. I think I could finish it up later today (Wednesday) as long as I put in the effort. We’ll see.

Off to watch tv for a bit and pass out.

o/

-Nicholas.

Category: Game Projects, Gaming, General Information, Oil Panic | Tags: , , ,
Nicholas | February 7, 2012
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Oil Panic v2.0

Last week Katlyn and I decided that we’re gonna finish Oil Panic by tomorrow (Tuesday). Let me say it up front, that aint happening, but it’ll definitely be done by the week’s end.

Mainly my fault. Once again over the weekend I could not focus long enough to send an email, far less think about coding a game. So I didn’t get a lot done.

But between two “big” coding sessions on the game, it’s close to being done, I would even say about 80% done. It is a simple game anyway…

First session of coding was Saturday morning (technically). I started coding at 3:00 am, and pretty much wrapped up at 7:00 am. In that time, I pretty much got all the functionality of the top screen done. I got the player moving between columns, catching oil, changing animation depending on the oil level of the barrel, and the direction that he is moving. On that note, I have to mention… we decided to add different sprites for the direction that the player is moving. So to accomodate that, we decided to take out the layer of semi transparent players (and oil drips) in the game. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out this video of the original game. At the start of the video, see how every possible position of everything is lit up? Well if you actually play any of those old Game & Watch games, you can see those images even while playing. It’s a nostalgia type of thing. Anyway, originally the plan was to put it in, but I think the directional facing feels better.

Second session of coding was this morning. Started at 2:53 am and stopped at about 5:34 am. I would say minus about 30 minutes for me stopping to switch hard drives in my PS3, as I was in the process of upgrading the HDD.

I got a decent chunk of code done. I got one of the easter eggs in ( :) ), the catcher dude at the bottom running back and forth, and being able to empty your bucket and get the appropriate score.

I was going to embed the game thus far, but I think I’ll wait till tomorrow when it’ll be closer to complete or maybe even complete. When I get all the art put in it’ll look better too.

So for those keeping score, that’s approximately six and a half hours on Oil Panic (including PS3 HDD switching time). Not too bad for such a simple game. Probably could’ve been done by now, but I’m a slacker.

To sleep!

-Nicholas.

 

Category: Flash, Gaming, General Information, Oil Panic | Tags: , , , ,
Nicholas | January 24, 2012
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Monday, And Not Done

So it’s Monday (technically Tuesday morning) and I am not done Pazaak. That’s cause my couch has it out for me, and every weekend, as soon as I sit on it, I fall asleep. True story. I’m scared, send help.

However, I just sat here for about 2 hours and started tying up loose ends. By loose ends I mean ai. Yeah that was fun…

I’ve been keeping track of how long I’ve been working on this project, I started taking notes of what I did when I did it, but I was so busy working on it at those times, that I didn’t get time to post about it, hence my memory of EXACTLY what I did when is a little blurry.

I will say at the time of this post I have worked on Pazaak for approximately 24 hours and 15 minutes…so let’s call it 24 hours.

That includes a little bit of artwork and design on my part, but VERY little. 99% of the art and design was Katlyn’s handiwork. Honestly, most of the time that I’ve spent on this project has been me redesigning the framework. Cause as the project went on, I realized how I should have been building stuff to make life easier in the long run. And this is why I like zerging prototypes out in Flash. As much as I really want to dislike Flash, and it being on it’s descendancy and dying and all that, I really do appreciate it for what it is, a R.A.D. tool.

So at this point, I would like to say that I’m at maybe 80% complete, or at least as far as I would like to get before “releasing” it. Still to do:

  • Add betting and keeping track of your money/credits.
  • Adding a “campaign” to give the game a direction and purpose.
  • Adding tooltip pop up windows that the player will use to enter bets.
  • Adding a store to buy more cards. (with in-game money).

I’m sure there is more, but I’ll remember it as I go along and scope creep rears its beautiful head and spits in my face to remind me of other shit that I wanted to get in the game.

But for now, I would like to say that I’m in beta. Mainly cause I need some people to beta test the game, specifically the AI.

Now, I go on my couch to watch some tv and then to sleep.

-Nicholas

Category: Game Projects, Gaming, Pazaak | Tags: , , , ,
Nicholas | January 18, 2012
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New Year, New Project(s)

So XNA is over. And on to Animation and Modelling. Which means I have a little more free time to program on the side. So naturally, I started a new game.

Last year some time, a friend recommended I recreate Pazaak. The card game from Bioware’s Knights of the Old Republic. After looking into it, I found many sites with the actual game online. So people have already ported it, but I figure why not still do it. It’ll be an interesting game format to wrap my brain around. I figure at the start I’ll do it in flash to get the prototype done and understand what I will need to make the game how I want it. Later on I hope to port it over to other platforms, but we’ll see.

I started Pazaak yesterday and spent maybe about 2 hours getting some artwork done (by Katlyn) and organizing and figuring out some structure and placements for the game. After that, I spent another 4 hours or so getting the card art implemented and moving around via dragging. It’s coming along swimmingly. Getting the card to drag around on the mouse cursor was a fun thought process. Feels good having that working.

Sadly, I realized while lying in bed that I could (and would need to) change the entire structure that I currently have to optimize code and simplify things.

So tomorrow I get to restructure everything. Should be an enjoyable time.

Other than Pazaak and my game projects, I am also still heading the RAID project in triOS. I started a project amongst the students (mainly the afternoon students, i.e. noobs). The aim of the project is to have a game that we could all be happy with, that everyone worked on. Headed by a student as opposed to a teacher, I hope will take some of the pressure off of the responsibilities of the project.

So far, the students are very enthusiastic and are working pretty hard. It’s tough to really get the ball rolling though, as the noobs don’t know how to code yet. So it’s a matter of trying to teach them, and also guide them and show them how group projects work. So on top of learning how project managers and SVN’s work, I am trying to get them to get used to working with their peers, and within a group.

Personally, if I had this type of thing around when I had just started school, I think it would’ve helped a lot. It would have at least helped Rob and the other teachers, since we would’ve had a headstart on the work, and understood the basics more before we were actually taught them throughout the program.

Anyway, for now, I leave with that. Before the end of the weekend I should be able to post a little more, maybe have a screenshot or two for Screenshot Saturday.

-Nicholas.

Category: Flash, Gaming, General Information, Pazaak, RAID | Tags: , , , , , ,
Nicholas | December 31, 2011
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Happy New Year!

Last post of the year. Thought I’d recap my year. At least the highlights. I’m sure I’ll forget some good stuff, but no one else will ever know. :)

This year was particularly good for me. School was great. I officially learned to code, and started coding. At this point I probably have eight to twelve games/prototypes under my belt. Some from class projects, but most from side projects that I decided to work on myself.

I officially found my place in life in coding. I realized quickly that I really enjoy it, and this is what I want to be doing, and I’m good at it. This time next year, I should be part of the working force within the video game industry, and it’ll be awesome.

I also met MANY cool people this year, all within the Toronto’s game circle and industry. Twitter played a huge part in that. That’s where most of the communication takes place. Such a great tool for networking. That Rob guy really knew what he was talking about. ;)

I beat a couple games this year too. Amazingly. I wish I had it in me to “review” them, but I don’t. Maybe 2012 I’ll do that. If I beat a game, I’ll give my completely unbiased opinion on it.

Game I beat this year (from what I remember) in no particular order:

  • Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
  • Mass Effect 2
  • Uncharted 3 (BEST GAME EVAR)
  • Batman: Arkham Asylum
  • Gears of War 3
  • Ocarina of Time 3D
  • Super Mario 3D Land (For 3DS)
  • Mario Kart 7
  • Jamestown
  • God of War 3
  • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

I’m sure there may have been a couple more, but these are all that I remember. And now that I look at the list, I beat a decent amount of games this year, I’m proud. Cause I don’t normally beat games, far less even play them after I buy them.

For 2012 I want to try to maybe make a prototype/game every month. (Or at least 12 games for the year, whichever one is easier). This does not include anything made FOR class.

Apart from that resolution, I have a couple others that I’m working on that I don’t feel like sharing. So yeah…

Anyway, for those couple of people that actually read these posts, I wish you a very Happy New Year. I hope it’s as productive and successful for you as it should be. Take care of yourselves and be safe.

Here’s to a safe and productive 2012! \o/

-Nicholas.

Category: General Information | Tags: , ,
Nicholas | December 19, 2011
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Trinidad & Updates

So I’m back home in Trinidad for the holidays. I have had many things happen since last post, and I really need to talk about them. But right now, I’m lazy. So I figured I’d write a post about the post that I’m going to write next time I write a post. SMRT aint I?

So here are the things next on the post itenirary…

GPC game and its process of creation. New people met over the last few weeks, and how awesome they are. XNA 3D project(s). A new project that I started in association with the school. Holidays in Trinidad.

I think that’s about it. I also have to start thinking about what my 2011 recap post will be recapping. It was a good year, there’s a lot I could write about.

But for now, I’m gonna lie down and maybe watch some Breaking Bad. I’m trying to beat two games this week, I won’t say which two yet, cause I don’t want to jinx it. So I started to play the first one a little while ago, but I started to fall asleep immediately, as usual. So tomorrow I start a rage run through.

Bai!!

-Nicholas

 

P.S. Trinidad is still too frigging hot.

Category: General Information | Tags: , , , , , ,
Nicholas | December 10, 2011
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GPC, XNA And The Like…

With one more week of class left in the year, I am working on my submission for GPCv10. The themes are “Dreams” and “Collectibles”. These are actually the themes from the very first GPC. As this is the one year anniversary of the GPC they chose those themes as sort of an homage to the inception of the challenge. (See what I did there? Inception, dreams…forget it.)

The concept that Katlyn and I came up with got slightly out of hand, but I think I got through the majority of it tonight. I won’t explain anything about it. Especially since there are really only three more days left in the challenge, so you’ll see it soon enough.

Also, if you aren’t following Katlyn on twitter, do it now. Best artist EVARR!!! And coolest person I’ve met, since I met myself many many years ago that time that I came back from the future… More on that yesterday.

Other than the GPC, I have a class project going on in school. It started this week. I, of course, have a bunch of shit on my plate. So I gotta finish up this GPC and start working on that stuff. I go back home to Trinidad next Saturday. I’ll be there till the new year, so I hope to get the majority of that work done while down there… in the heat. (vomit).

Anyway, I’m either going to sleep, or start coding the next part to this game. Soooo much left to do. Not sure if I’ll get it done, but I’ll sure as shit try. I’ll post a screen shot tomorrow for #ScreenshotSaturday.

For now…. Peaz.

-Nicholas.

 

Category: Dreamers, Game Projects, Game Prototype Challenge, General Information | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Nicholas | December 4, 2011
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Drunk People

Drunk people are funny.

Reason: Cause I’m sober.

- Nicholas.

Category: General Information | Tags:
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