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Plan for Chris Labombard

Name:	Chris Labombard
Date Posted:	Aug 08, 2005
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It's been a while since I've given an update on Basic Bob: Island of Misfits. So here goes...

It's been a while since I've given an update on Basic Bob: Island of Misfits. So here goes... I even have:

PICTURES INSIDE

Right... So I've gotten lots done. Bots are finally done, including there models. Almost every island is set up. My to do list is getting shorter and shorter, and almost every milestone in my dev stage doc is complete :)

Unfortunately I'm really starting to feel that 80/20 rule with the last milestones being pretty fierce... But I dont care. Bob will live !!!

I had a GG employee take a look at the game a few weeks ago. He pointed me to some areas that needed improvement, but removed a lot of my "Is this actually fun" fears when he said I had hit that fun factor quite well!!! :D Thanks Matt !

Ok, some of the things that have went into Bob since the last update:

3D Grass covering island number 2:

Bob all pimped out in gear (with explainations)

and Bob on the magical forest island:

I also finished off the pause menu. But I don't want to show a ss of it... Since it only has programmer art :(

I am still in need of art. And since I don't have someone to do it for me... I have taken to doing it myself... Or rather, I have found an art pipeline that I think will work well for me. I just need the cash to purchase the last tools I need.

Another bit of news... I registered my busineess with the Ministry (I am canadian)... I am now the sole proprieter of "Spunky Games" :)

And most importantly... 23 days until IGF submission cut off. :S It's going to be a tight deadline... But if I find an artist right quick who can pull through I am sure I can make it (so long as the girlfriend can handle spending even less time with me)

Well, please let me know your thoughts... I love criticism. :)

Recent Blog Posts

List:	05/01/08 - leaving the independent games industry 03/02/06 - My first drawing ever. 02/15/06 - Unanswered posts 02/08/06 - A new partner, a new game 01/23/06 - I'm looking for a partner 01/17/06 - The Funk has finally hit Beta 11/08/05 - Plan for Chris Labombard 10/31/05 - Plan for Chris Labombard

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Anders Linder-Noren (Aug 08, 2005 at 14:07 GMT)

I believe it is looking pretty nice. I love the grass. Any chance the beta will be up anytime soon?

Sean H. (Aug 08, 2005 at 14:15 GMT)

looking nice chris. do you plan to go the retail route with this title?

also if i may make a suggestion. all the screenshots you show look fine except for the magical forest. i think if you really want to go for a forest feel you should either 1. increase the density of trees using lower-detail tree meshes like in the second screen, or 2. use identical colors for all the trees. it looks a little strange to see three different tree bark and leaf colors in the same general area.

sorry but thats the only criticism i could come up with. =)

nice work chris!

Chris Labombard (Aug 08, 2005 at 16:42 GMT)

@Anders - It's difficult for me to show my work to the public, seeing as I always see so many things that need work.

Don't quote me, but maybe in 2 weeks or so I will have a beta ready.

@Sean - Retail is the goal :) And I agree about the forest. I have already rebuilt it a bit. Put in more trees, and used mostly the same coloured tree. It was the direct result of my new NPCSpawnMarkers crashing TGE and losing half the .mis file I hadn't backed up yet :(

Unsung Zero (Aug 08, 2005 at 16:53 GMT)

Bob looks a little 'tweaked', as characters from twisted metal are tweaked.
Is bob able to swim with all that gear on?

Sean is right, the forest is a little harsh on the eyes. You can lower the poly's on the trees if you make the leaves more dense and then remove the branches or reduce the poly's on the top of the tree branches.
I'd like to play with the giant chicken tenderizer on his back!

Andy Schatz (Aug 09, 2005 at 02:02 GMT)

Rubber ducky grenade launcher??? Gigantic mallet? Did you lift those from Whacked!? (I did the AI and the Xbox Live stuff on Whacked!... the first online console game -- my claim to fame)

Not too many people played it, because it got panned by the press, but its too bad. It was the best 'worst' game I've ever worked on.

Chris Labombard (Aug 09, 2005 at 10:56 GMT)

Whacked ? Never heard of it. Did it have those weapons in it as well ? Got a link or something ? Send me a private email if you have further concerns... but those weapons probably aren't going anywhere. sorry man :( I wish someone would have said something 3 or 4 .plans ago.

Andy Schatz (Aug 09, 2005 at 16:45 GMT)

Ha, no there's no concerns. I was just happy that someone had played the game... haha I guess not.

It's worth picking up, though, if you've got an Xbox. Especially since you are building a game that incorporates humor into the gameplay itself.

Chris Labombard (Aug 09, 2005 at 16:49 GMT)

it's only on XBox live ? I have an XBox... but not live :(

Andy Schatz (Aug 09, 2005 at 16:55 GMT)

No, its not only Live, though multiplayer is by far the best way to play (up to 4 can play in split screen). There were about 15-20 weapons that were things like the Shish-ka-bob, that stuck enemies to the wall, the staple gun, a pitchfork, on which you could stab another enemy and carry him around the level until you wanted to throw him over your shoulder, etc. Characters included Lucky, who was an irish, trash mouthed bunny rabbit that had tournaquits on all his limbs because they had been cut off to make lucky charm rabbit feet, and Lucy, who is Naked the entire game except for the 2 black bars that hover over her 'parts'. Joe Lieberman rated it one of the top 10 games you SHOULDN'T buy your kids. That was probably my proudest moment -- my game being shown in front of congress.

http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=167394
Edited on Aug 09, 2005 16:56 GMT

Chris Labombard (Aug 09, 2005 at 17:22 GMT)

Wow... that sounds really cool. And you own the ip? or worked on the game ?

Why didn't it do well? Lack of marketing?

Chris Labombard (Aug 09, 2005 at 17:27 GMT)

If you're around I'd like ot talk to you on irc tonight. Get some pointers on the strong and weak points of your game :)

Nigel Budden (Aug 10, 2005 at 01:09 GMT)

Chris looking really good there, nice job.

On a side note, Whacked was one of the first games I bought for the XBox, along with Fusion Frenzy, the kids loved it, and I have to admit to enjoying the odd game of it myself, the commercials in the single player game rocked, so someone here has played it Andy.

From a gameplayers point of view Chris, Whacked really didn't have that many weak points, it was fun for a quick pickup game, the single player was full of chuckles, and nothing says friendship like whacking a mate around with a baseball bat or cooking him with an oxy torch on the back of a ute. I'm not sure why the ratings would have been so bad, I know it really did get played alot at our house, by children and adults alike......until I got burnout3 that is :) (kids like smashing cars up too heheh )

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