Blog for Julian R at GarageGames.com

Building Modules Kit #1

Julian R — 2008-10-17T10:14:24+00:00

I'm currently working on a building modules kit that has a bunker / underground network feel to it. Each module can be attached to each other in the game to form a network of tunnels, stairs and different room sizes. Most of the modules can be flipped upside down and become multi-purpose.

There will be various textures to fit in to many game types. Modern, Sci-Fi, Desert

Here are some screenshots;

After this kit has been finished I'll be working on a second module kit with exterior buildings that these modules can fit inside, with the best of both worlds, an underground network and top side.

Survival Strike - TGEA - Work in Progress #4

Julian R — 2008-10-11T17:36:27+00:00

Survival Strike - Industrial Zone 1 - one of the biggest mission areas being worked on at present - plenty of ground and air strike access.

Layout;

Industrial Complex
Nuclear Reactor
Train Network
Dockyard
Underground Military Complex (1 Level)
Missile Silos - See TGE test Video below (conversion to TGEA in progress)

Missile Silos

One of the core features of the game is Missile Silos - providing you have accessed a military complex with a command centre you can launch a Strike attack at anything that is targettable in the game. We're currently looking at rewriting this for the TGEA port as there are some incompatibilities.

More screenshots will be available from our website once the Industrial Zone 1 is complete www.something2play.com

Survival Strike - TGEA - Work in progress #3

Julian R — 2008-10-03T21:42:18+00:00

Not a great deal of progress has been made on my side of things since the last blog entry - I've been working on several contracts developing and project managing other peoples games. Currently on Survival Strike I'm working on the fine detail, everything down to collision boxes in the right places so that all parts of buildings can be walked on without the character looking like they are floating in mid air on slopes and external walk ways. Code differences such as sound and particle effects/nodes need a rethink since TGE and are now being worked on to bring the core but improved functionality back to the characters, such as the Jetpack and one of the weapon systems in the game, once this is done I should be able to show you a video of the progress made so far.

Screenshot; shown from a buildings walkway - just about to take out another player!

Meet the rest of the Survival Strike team of Soldiers; (without shaders)

Latest YouTube video on the Monorail Transport System - watch the better quality version if you can. There is slight camera jerkiness, this is due to the camera being positioned inside and slightly outside of the monorail car causing it to transition between in and outside of the monorail car when moving - fixed in the next video.

Our website is being revamped; www.something2play.com

That's about it for this update.

Web Based Score Ranking System for Torque

Julian R — 2008-09-06T14:17:52+00:00

This is more an introductory blog to get some feedback on the interest of this as a useful development pack for Indie and Commercial game developers, as we originally intended this to be used for our own games. We're about 50% the way through developing a Web Based Score Ranking System for Torque. The administration of this system will be handled with a php/mysql back end along with other conversion of flavours appearing on the success of the first platform, such as a .net version.

It will be capable of recording usernames and scores for single and multi-player games with multiple missions. It will also support multiple games over a large number of servers on different IP addresses with some security features added to help protect the score system.

Other functionality will include public side Team & League Table scripts for you to display rankings on players for multiple games and embed them into your own website.

Later; We'll also be looking at how your games can be ranked on servers that you do not own where you can be sure that the score system has not been tampered with from the game build. This will be ideal if you are looking to host your game with game server providers to take advantage of them hosting your game on multiple servers for free in order to increase your sales. Gamers love ranked servers!

Once we have some screenshots to show you I'll post a new blog with all of the features available. Feel free to drop me an email to show your interest and we'll keep you informed of it's progress.

Survival Strike - TGEA - Work in progress #2

Julian R — 2008-06-13T22:18:29+00:00

- Futuristic Soldier -

We've placed one of the new generic soldiers in the game for testing, making sure that all the default animations are working, and then we'll start to add some featured moves, add some additional weapons to compliment the number of troops with faces, then some battle testing with a movie.

- Monorail Transport System -

Most of you will probably remember the mono-rail transport system we were working on in 2007, just to recap here's the link. Well, it's now time to migrate this baby over to TGEA 1.7.x and give it some needed shaders, and hopefully fix some pending bugs by moving over! It will be sweet to take a ride across several terrain blocks :)

This will probably be the last update until we have some solid screenshots and a movie to show some of the gameplay after moving everything into TGEA. A tough time ahead with my mother being diagnosed with cancer, step dad has late alzheimers and needs 24/7 supervision, and a baby on the way! I'm surprised I have time for this, but i'm more determined than ever to get this game out this year.

So you want to be a games producer eh?

Julian R — 2008-06-07T22:28:04+00:00

When you decide to go down the path of producing your own games, is it really the end of the road for your career in the games industry? Unless of course you make it in games and you will not have to look for employment within an already established games company? I've been in the gaming industry for 3 years now after deciding that I needed a drastic change of scenery from the IT industry, I've slogged my way up from the bottom of the ladder to middle management working for someone else and getting paid a salary to working for myself, enjoying it so much more, but being an Indie developer is tough especially on the pocket and to make ends meet you end up developing games or assets for other people, and your own games tend to get put on the back burner. The only solution is to get a job, while you work on your project, but can you really get a job in a games company with a relaxed contract enabling you to work on your own game too? I very much doubt it, so the only way is to go freelance.

There was a time when I had no choice but to look for a job, as you know game development doesn't pay until you've got something to sell, and would any of the major games companies out there hire me? Would they hell, even when they were very interested in what I have achieved and examples of the work to show it I think they find it hard to take someone onboard that has actually setup a business and achieved something all by themselves in such a short space of time compared to a team of 30, or the person looking to hire me felt threatend in their own position, and so you were discounted. Getting back to you with a decission takes forever, and you end up having to deal through an employment agency. Many games companies also find it hard that you have setup a games business, developed games of your own and wonder why you would want to go work for them? If you love games, breath games, put your mind to anything that is thrown at you, does it matter? Ahh, well .. their loss not mine... I'm not bitter about it, in fact it did me a favour, a while back now I setup a Viral / Flash Game development business under Something2Play to keep things afloat, until at least the bigger projects were complete. I don't think I'd bother applying for any more jobs now, unless someone approached me with an offer I couldn't refuse, then I'd consider it.

My advice to you is that if you are serious about setting up a games business, always have a backup plan, or enough funds in the bank to keep you going and keep that project going to the end, set yourself some goals and do your best to complete them and it will hopefully pay off for you in the end. Lose track of your project and it can have a knock on effect, leaving you with no funds and having to get a job. Specialise in an area that is in demand and you can use your skills to get work, especially if you are good at what you do, you'll have no problem - but if you do get a full time job in the industry, make sure there are no contract restrictions that prevent you from completing your own project. Does it pay to be honest about what you've been doing for the past few years on your own projects? No not really, it doesn't do you any favours and can lose you a job/waste of your time, but better than being found out, right? Hmmm.

Share your experiences?

Survival Strike - TGEA - Character #1

Julian R — 2008-06-05T14:27:27+00:00

Things are progressing nicely with the move over to TGEA, which means a completely new overhaul of the missions with more detail, characters, and gameplay. Survival Strike for TGE was more of a prototype, and a steep learning curve for me, whereas now TGEA is more serious and a step up in the right direction. It does seem like the norm, start with TGE - see if the engine is for you and then move over to TGEA, which I am sure you will agree is the best approach.

For now, a teaser screenshot of one of six futuristic characters in the game;

Until the next update, we should then have some in-game screenshots for you to drool over :)

Animated Free Gate Pack

Julian R — 2008-01-20T20:11:27+00:00

As promised, an animated gate (portculis) with two rusty textures. This will compliment the also free Lever & Gears Pack I posted, shown here. You can use this pack in your game title for indie or commercial release providing you do not repackage/distribute the pack as your own, and a mention of Something2Play in your credits would be nice but not required.

Idea for using both packs;
click on the lever, the gears move and lifts up the gate. The gate can be stretched by editing its scale within the object properties of your game. What a combination, and all free :) Enjoy!

Click here to download

More free packs to help the Indie community soon.

Lever & Gears free pack

Julian R — 2008-01-02T22:30:35+00:00

It's now 2008 and I cannot believe how time has flown by! I'm giving away a free art pack, which you can use in your game title for indie or commercial release providing you do not repackage/distribute the pack as your own, and a mention in your credits would be nice but not required. At Something2Play we originally created this Lever and Gears combination to be used with a castle gate and drawbridge for a project that has been shelved for now, and decided that it might be of some use to you in your game. (Source is not included).

You may change the textures to match your game style, and these can be used with triggers by linking them together from the available resources on the GG website, but if you do not know where to begin, feel free to kick off a resource here.

Each dts has animations that can be demonstrated within Showtool, or click on the video below to see what they do.

View the Lever and Gears YouTube Video

Download the Lever and Gears free pack here

Enjoy!