Monday, December 31, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy 2013 Everyone!!!

Hello Word 2013

'Tis that time of year when we reflect on the passing of one year and prepare to usher in a new one!

2012 was an emotional roller coaster that saw tragic events that will be remembered for years, but also great celebrations of life and joy!

I for one am looking forward to 2013! 2012 was a year of progress for me personally and professionally, and I am pumped to turn that forward momentum into a year of success and growth! With the preparations for the One Game A Month Challenge underway, I am poised to make a name for myself and Stinky Pixel Entertainment, taking one giant step forward into the industry I've hovered at the edge of for so long!

Plus, the world didn't end in December 2012... you can't ask for more than that!

If you haven't yet, check out One Game A Month on twitter and check out the Profiles of the 2,354 Developers signed up to participate!

Stay Kilted My Friends!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

3D First Person Maze Game Under Developement

Stinky Pixel Entertainment is beginning development work on a yet unnamed "Rat Race" Maze game, built in Unity and modeling the maze levels in Blender. Based on the late 80's Maze Game Genre, and using the First Person viewpoint to navigate the complex mazes, Stinky Pixel hopes to blend the frustratingly enjoyable mechanics with an extremely outlandish and funny back story and in-game effects to create an addictive time-suck to keep everyone entertained.

Ten mazes have already been drafted and modeled for inclusion in the testing phase of the program, which is expected to begin in early January 2013.

A release date has not been given, but as this project is being developed as part of the One Game A Month Challenge, it will be released in 2013. Possible platforms include the PC, Mac, and Social Media sites such as Facebook. It is unknown if this game will be ported to mobile devices or console markets.

Below are some early screenshots of the levels created for the game:





Monday, December 17, 2012

'Tis the season...

Holiday Time is Family Time!

Make sure all of you take time and unplug for awhile - while (most of) you aren't a machine, you still need a break to recharge the batteries! Burn out and stress will ruin your project just as quickly as a bug in the game!

Happy Holidays, and stay Kilted my friends!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Family Who Kilts Together, Stays Together!

My 5-year old has been bugging my for months for his own Kilt, just like his old man. I surprised him this morning with an early Christmas present; his very own Irish Revenge Sport Kilt, the same style and pattern yours truly wears!

Stay Kilted My Friends!

One Game A Month - Make Games, Not Excuses

~ By Ed Smith

Recently, I ran across the One Game A Month Game Development Challenge on Twitter, and was instantly intrigued. I've had fun doing GameJams in the past, and have posted several Game Prototypes online, but the premise of this particular challenge is to produce 12 completed games, 1 per month, for the entirety of 2013! Now THAT is a challenge!

"No prizes, No Awards, No Rules... so what's the point?"
It's simple - self improvement and experience!

Starting a game is easy, as is creating the basic game play mechanics and art. What many Independent Game Developers, including myself, struggle with is FINISHING a game; melding the various pieces and parts together with a nice overall flow, refined user interface, and making it for people other than ourselves to play and enjoy... that IS the point of why we do this after all.

Indie Games have existed since the 70's, but it's only been within the past decade that the popularity of this genre has taking the industry by storm. With the availability of low-price but equally advanced Physics Engines such as Unity and 3D modeling software, and a very active community, some of the most fun and engaging games scattered across the internet were built by a few people in bedrooms and basements... without the huge teams and budgets rivaling some movie productions.

Another unique element of this challenge is the Gamification of Game Development, earning "Experience Points" throughout the year by hitting various landmarks. Gamification is defined as the use of game-thinking and game mechanics in non-gaming contexts in order to engage users and solve problems, and its use is becoming more and more prevalent as companies continue to find ways to engage their customers and employees. There are several companies specializing in Gamification of ideas and applications, ranging from large corporations to smaller, more specialized firms such as Click the Toad, blending Neuroscience with Gamification to create Brain Engine Optimization.

No matter what your skill level, this challenge is for you! Sign up using your Twitter Account and start making games, not excuses!








Tuesday, December 11, 2012

"Zombied" a fresh take on the Match-3 Game!

A few months back, I started work on a project called Zombied!, a new twist on the traditional Match-3 puzzle game. This popular genre, including titles like Bejeweled and Bubble Witch, has it's roots in what is perhaps the most popular and well-known game - Tetris!

What's so special about Zombied!? Simple - it combines a very addictive game-play mechanic with pop-cultures newest favorite pass time... Shoot Zombies in the Head! With highly successful shows like AMC's The Walking Dead, Zombies have become a household name.

I've posted a Concept Demo of Zombied! online, with some coder art while I continue to work on advancement and leader board integration. It's free to play, and I'd love your feedback on the project. The goal is to have this game released in conjunction with the February 10th return of The Walking Dead.

You'll need to download and Install the Unity Web Player to play the game, which is a small and safe download allowing you to play ANY of the thousands of games built with this powerful engine!

It's a simple mechanic: when three or more of the same colored Zombie Heads are adjacent to each other, left mouse click on one of them to score points - the more that are together, the more points you score. Be careful though... clicking only one head will COST YOU points! If more than three Zombies escape the cemetery gate (by overflowing at the top left or right) YOU'RE ZOMBIE CHOW!

BRAAAAAAAAAAINS NOM NOM NOM!!!







Monday, December 10, 2012

Stinky Pixel Entertainment's Action Platformer

Thunderpig: Trials of Grimlock

Newly christened Viking Grimlock of the Thunder Pig clan must avenge his fallen kin, who have been inflicted with illness by the enemies of the Gods and sent to Hel, ensuring they will serve Loki in the final battle of Ragnarok. Can Grimlock prove the intervention of Loki and spare his Clan's dishonor?

"Thunderpig: Trials of Grimlock" is the first in a trilogy of action platformers developed in Unity that follows our hero, Grimlock, through an epic saga of adventure in the nine worlds of Norse Mythology.

Presently under development by Stinky Pixel Entertainment, Thunderpig: Trials of Grimlock is slated for release on Windows PC & Mac, as well as future ports for iOS and Android.

We're also trying to get our hands on a Developer Kit for the upcoming Ouya Console, and would appreciate any retweets you can give us with the #myouyagame tag!

Below are just some of the 3D artwork being that is being put together for the game - Subscriber for more updates, as I'll continue sharing along the development milestones!