Yet Another Technology Status Update (Gaslamp Games)
“Last time I wrote a programming team update about Clockwork Empires, I made a comment that was somewhere along the lines of “the game is starting to hit that point where it transitions from a bunch of technology bits to something that looks like a game.” Well, we’re a lot closer to that goal than we were last update.”
Race Selection Screen (StarLife)
“Our new race selection screen. The custom race button will take you to another screen, which I will be working on the next few days.”
More about the complexities of Democracy 3 income… (Positech Games)
“Wealth is a complex thing in Democracy 3. far more so than before. I’ve been wrestling with bugs in it today which have reminded me how intricate the new income simulation is. How does it work? Well here is a rough synopsis.”
XXL Love for Serious Sam Double D (Mommy’s Best Games)
“Serious Sam Double D XXL is out now on XBLA–go download the demo if you’ve not yet! Critics are chiming in with some intense praise, see what they have to say.“
Oddy Smog, Oddy Smog EVERYWHERE (PlayMedusa)
“What a huge week for Oddy Smog’s Misadventure. The game that was our second title, back in 2010, has been released for Android and has received a big update in the App Store.”
Playnomics partners with Unity to help indie developers (Polygon)
“Games-focused data science company Playnomics has partnered with the Unity Technologies Asset Store to provide indie developers with better tools to engage audiences and monetize their games, Playnomics announced today.”
RADical ROACH is a fast paced shoot-em-up, set minutes after a nuclear hell falls from the sky engulfing all but a few tough little bugs. Play as a super radiated roach with new-found powers, and get to safety before the army of fleas get you.
Black Annex from Man Fight Dragon is an upcoming isometric espionage action game. Currently, the developers are seeking support through Greenlight, and developer Lance E. McDonald’s Twitter feed is always full of Black Annex media.
Announced last May, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing has received a promotional “Pre-order and play the Beta” trailer, for the game’s impending May release. Neocore Games put The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing through a make-over last fall when they announced that the original concept of playing as young Van Helsing didn’t feel adequate. They allowed fans to choose from three new character-concepts (The Mysterious Stranger, The Chevalier, and The Veteran) and fans ultimately chose The Mysterious Stranger concept.
“Being indie is a great challenge and a very exciting experience with incredibly long working hours and plenty of difficulties,” Neocore says on their developer’s blog, “but it’s worth it! We consider it a gift that we can create something permanent and fun. Independence allowed us to keep you up to date during every phase of the development. Thanks to you, now we already have a very supportive and active community who are eagerly looking forward to the launch of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing.”
Visit the official website, where pre-orders are being taken. Pre-ordering gets access to the current Beta-build as well.
Gunpoint Gadget has been floating around for awhile now. For at least two years, Tom Francis has been developing this quaint spymaster game that relies on player’s cunning to successfully complete the missions presented. A recent trailer, narrated by Francis, demonstrates a number of the tools at the player’s disposal, to solve the various puzzles in each level. In the trailer, Francis also reveals that Gunpoint Gadget will be coming to Steam, when the game launches. Steam contacted him awhile ago, but now is the first time he’s been allowed to say anything about it, Francis explains in the video.
After the success of their previous titles in the well-received Iron Grip universe, ISOTX has moved out of their elaborately created universe to make space for a new one in March of War. March of War is a free-to-play turn-based strategy set in an alternate universe during World War II. March of War calls itself dieselpunk, so expect some twists you wouldn’t normally see in a 1940s strategy game.
One of the most interesting aspects of ISOTX’s description of their cross-platform game is how the story will work in the game’s universe. The tagline goes “rewrite the twentieth century – join forces in March of War.” There is a lot of potential in this, and I am curious about how it will all come together with the game’s optional pay-to-play system. Playing games will earn the player gold and research points, but the player can “speed up some of the game elements” by using real world money to buy gems in the game.
Do you think this sort of system encourages a form of ‘cheating’ by letting players speed up, or even bypass the more tedious moments of the game? Or in a social game does this make things easier for those who do not have time to invest? Let us know in the forum thread here!
If you want to see the game in action, why not sign up for the recently released beta? All you need to do is sign up on the March of War website, and you are all set.
The Indie Game Magazine and IndieGameStand have teamed together, and are proud to announce the first ever IGM Developer Competition! Between May 3rd and May 10th, any one signed up for the IGM Community forums will be able to participate in a contest to create small games that fit our theme. The best entries will be featured in a game bundle at IndieGameStand for a “pay what you want” price, with proceeds going to a soon-to-be-announced charity.
We will announce a theme on May 3rd, and the developers will start work on their prototypes on May 6th!
This is a great time for us at The Indie Game Magazine, and we look forward to seeing what everyone is capable of creating! If you are interested in learning more, why not introduce yourself and ask whatever questions you have over on our forums.
But I can’t do How can I enter?
People are looking for someone like you! We have a team building thread where plenty of people are posting what their skills are, and what they need. So post your own skills, and send whoever a message to ask about a team effort!
I have a great idea for a game I’ve been meaning to make. Do you think it will fit the theme?
It might! The theme is still a mystery, but if you are able to justify it to us when you submit your entry, that’s fine with me.
Where do I sign up?
Just post in this thread to let us know you’re interested. We need a proper tally of people who want to join the contest so we can plan properly.
This week seem to of mostly focused on the rather simplistic pixelart arcade games and today fits into this idea rather nicely. Bat Country by Greg Sergeant is a point and click helicopter shooter that is almost entirely mouse controlled and contains a rather interesting running narrative and bats… lots and lots of bats.
In Bat Country you take control of a helicopter and must make it through the four levels whilst avoiding the rather large and sinister looking bats that keep flying at you in an attempt (I assume) to clog up your rotary blades with bat entrails.
The game follows some very basic pixelart style with rather standard simplistic backgrounds, but everything comes together rather nicely to give Bat Country a genuinely retro arcade feel that is just brilliant, showing that sometimes the best ideas are the simplest.
Average play time – 20 minutes
Bat Country is an intensely challenging game that throws everything it can at you from start to finish. Unrelenting yes, but the game does contain a suitable amount of variety and story that you are compelled to play through the levels and exterminate all these massive bats.
If you are a developer with A fun indie game that can be played over a coffee break, we want to hear from you! Private message us on twitter @IndieGameMag or shoot us an email at editors@indiegamemag.com with the subject “Indie Intermission” and you could be our indie intermission pick of the day!
This issue features a ton of great in-depth interviews with some rising indie game developer stars. Learn more about LeGrudge and Rugged – the 2 man team that took their prototype to full commercial release with KRUNCH. Learn about the Husband and Wife team behind the epic RPG Adventure Driftmoon, and don’t forget to checkout McDroid, the cel-shaded tower defense game. Check out an early preview of Delver’s Drop, the Zelda inspired adventure game that raised over $150k on Kickstarter last month. There’s also reviews of Richard & Alice, 99 Levels to Hell, Book of Unwritten Tales, and Driftmoon. Stay up to date with the indie game scene by grabbing this issue of the indie game magazine.
Do you want this Issue in Print or do you want a simple PDF download link?
—
If you answered Yes, Magcloud is where you want to place your order. You can order a direct PDF download or a Print issue from Magcloud. Ordering in print comes with a free PDF version of the issue as well so there’s no waiting!
This issue features a ton of great in-depth interviews with some rising indie game developer stars. Learn more about LeGrudge and Rugged – the 2 man team that took their prototype to full commercial release with KRUNCH. Learn about the Husband and Wife team behind the epic RPG Adventure Driftmoon, and don’t forget to checkout McDroid, the cel-shaded tower defense game. Check out an early preview of Delver’s Drop, the Zelda inspired adventure…
—
Do you want to read the Magazine on your iPhone/iPad?
If you have an iPhone/iPad, you can grab our App for Free and download individual issues. You can buy future issues or get a subscription from right within the App. Plus the app allows us to embed some sweet indie game videos, trailers, and reviews – which is pretty cool.
Were you one of the lucky 18,000 or so people who nabbed the most recent Indie Royale bundle? Well, you’re the proud owner of one copy of Escape Goat. It’s a great game, and the PC version is twice as long (and thrice as hard) as the original Xbox Live Indie Games release. It can be even longer (and harder) if you like it that way; the game includes a full level editor, and easily shared level files. The only thing it was missing was an official place to share your custom dungeons full of goat-torture with other, like-minded people.
Thankfully, the developer has opened an official Custom Worlds page. Currently it only contains one new world for the game, although that number should increase quickly as word spreads that there’s an official level-sharing page. No worries about file-hosting either, as it lets you upload the levels direct to the sharing board. If you’ve made any Escape Goat levels, share it with the world and let the puzzle-platforming fun continue. And if you don’t own Escape Goat? Go buy it on Desura. It’s really good.
Testosterone-pumped behemoths built like blocks of flats will be treated to a blast from the past next week with the news that Oniken will be available for purchase from Friday 22nd June.
Created by Brazilian workhorses Danilo Dias and Pedro Paiva, Oniken is an 8-bit action platformer that makes no qualms about its purportedly punishing difficulty. Put in general terms, it’s cut from the same cloth as the original Ninja Gaiden, gratuitously handing out the keys to the 2D hack-and-slash sweet shop to anyone with a quenchable thirst for shoryukens perforated enemy lungs. Blissful Oriental sadism aside, players will be forced to keep a watchful eye on a mind-addlingly enfuriating distribution of insta-death traps and obstacles, ranging from flaming pits to hulking six-foot spikes up the rectal passage.
