Computer Gaming - What's happened to it?

[Kevin]

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

I take it you're not clued into the indie scene, yet?

If you really want cool creative PC games, you need to check out the independent games that aren't made by big software companies.

I recommend anything by "Totally Screwed Software" for example.

Linkage:

http://www.giantbomb.com/totally-screwe ... re/65-978/

http://www.downloadjunction.com/company ... index.html

EDIT: Ok, it doesn't look like they fared too well. I'm sure their games are still out there, though. You just need to search around. Zombie Smashers X2 was a thing of true beauty! I think you can still get the demo from the i-mockery article: http://www.i-mockery.com/game-features/zsx2/default.php


Hey, it looks like Chronic Logic (makers of "Gish") are still fighting the good fight.

Linkage:

http://www.chroniclogic.com/

And, if that's not enough, you can always download Mark Overmars' Gamemaker (or learn a programming language, and get some professional development tools that do the same thing, but costing more money and effort), and try your own hand at it.

Linkage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Maker

http://www.yoyogames.com/


P.S. Check your PM box!

[Kevin]

I don't really consider a handful of indie companies which flop after 4 years to constitute a wide variety of computer games.

I know these games and companies still exist, but it didn't used to require the consumer to search hunt and find for something that used to sit on the top shelf front and center in the local target store.

edit:

PS gamemaker looks awesome I wonder if I can program my tora game into it :O

omg

I will see if it works.

BTW tetsu, I want an update on how far u got in my novel ;D

oh and I responded to ur pm

[Rock's Sunglasses]

My hiding from the modern world with my little folder of ancient text games and other ROMs can't be doing much to make the PC gaming world a better place, but Zork 1, 2, and 3 can never be replaced in my heart.

>HUG GAMES

I DON'T KNOW THE WORD 'HUG'

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

I don't know about other genres, but Old Man Murray had an interesting (tongue in cheek) theory on what happened to "Adventure Games".

http://www.oldmanmurray.com/features/77.html

And, yes Gamemaker (along with Flash and Photoshop) is one of the three best programs you can possibly put on your computer. It turns anyone into a potential indie game developer.

I've even got a few games of my own in the works, including a sidescrolling action/RPG I call Kou's Quest, a 2D shooter called Uchuu Keisatsu Gardro-Z, a fighting game called Senki Fist, and a brawler I call Grandpa Kicks Butt (where you play an old man with a cane on a mission to rescue his grandson. You beat crooks to a pulp with your cane shouting "Get off the goddamn lawn!" and "Where's my grandson ya little bastards?!").

Expect an update on your book in couple days. I haven't had much time to read it lately, between drawing model-sheets, and my day job riding me extra hard lately.

To Rock's Sunglasses: Nothing wrong with hanging on to old games.

[cmoon]

[Kevin]

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

Gamemaker makes creating any kind of game about as easy as playing with Legos.

It's more a matter of time than difficulty.

The development process is the same regardless of genre. The interface has nothing to do with genre. That's more up to you as you make it. You have total freedom of design!

I'd say 2D shooters are one of the easier/faster types of games. Along with top-down perspective (or isometric) action games, and point & click adventure.

More complex games, like fighting games, and hardcore RPGs are still easy to make, but take more time.

I do have a Fighting game template I made in GM if anyone is interested.

I'm not sure how it compares to Blast Works, though. I imagine BW would be faster, but won't give you the freedom of design GM does.

I will say that Agetec's "RPG Maker" games are a waste of money with GM existing.

[cmoon]

Show us some examples of what you're working on when you have a chance.

[cmoon]

This game is apparently pretty good: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=21541

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFrTjlkp ... re=related

It's called Braid and apparently takes standard platforming conventions and flips it on its head by introducing a time manipulation element.

Don't know much else about it since I don't really play PC or Xbox games.

[Kevin]

ooo ty cmoon ^_^

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

GREAT NEWS EVERYONE!

Remember, how I mentioned "Totally Screwed Software", then it kind of turned out they weren't there anymore?

Turns out they are. They just changed their name. They're called "Ska Software" now.

http://www.skasoftware.com/

In fact you can even download a few of their classics!