ID:105507
 
Keywords: techtree

I've been spending my time off the computer playing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.  My cousin was kind enough to let me borrow the PS1 version for research on my own projects.  I beat the normal game and I'm now playing as Richter.  I don't find it as fun without exploring for new abilities...  On the bright side, Batman: Arkham Asylum has been giving me that thrill on the PC.

  • The deadline for Experimental Gameplay Workshop 2011 has been announced as February 1st.  Meanwhile, the results have been posted for last month's Night & Day competition.  This month, the theme is drawing.
  • indiePub has posted the official rules for the Independent Propeller Awards at SXSW Screenburn.  All entries must be received by 11:59PM EST on February 18, 2011.
  • The Game Crafter is now offering a Designer Table Sponsorship Program.  Participants can get some money, schwag and prizes to raffle off while promoting their personal creations at conferences.
  • The Asian and Australian winners of the second Independent Games Festival China have been announced.  At least some are free to play.  Give 'em a try!
  • The results of the 16th annual Interactive Fiction Competition have been posted.  Sadly, I'm so out of the scene that I don't even recognize some of the programs handling the file extensions.  Fortunately, it appears many are available to play online.
  • Alec S and David Prior have finished their round of Indie Kombat.  All entrants released games this time!  They didn't do a lot of trash talk though.  It's too bad that's probably what gets the views.  The next round has yet to be announced, but that could be due to the holidays.
  • While writing his history of the videogame industry, Tristan Donovan conducted a series of interviews.  Only excerpts made it into the text.  Gamasutra has now posted the full interview with the creator of the first game console, Ralph Baer.
  • Gambit Game Lab has posted videos of Scott Nicholson explaining the way in which a board game goes from completed prototype to published game.  They're from the game design class he teaches.
  • Want to see another take on managing a videogame-related link digest column?  Eric Swain has this to say about his time working on Ben Abraham's This Week In Videogame Blogging on Critical Distance.
  • Check out Mission In Snowdriftland.  It's a platformer and an advent calender.  Each day of December, downloads for indie games are made available.

Keep an eye out.  Mecha Destroyer JD will be hosting his RTS Ultra Strife sometime after the 17th.  Attendance at the previous test session was lack luster.  Despite the measures he took to return the game to the guild, I didn't list it until days later when I was writing Tech Tree.  Try to check it out this time.

Geldonyetich has actually been implementing something.  He's been merging various map generation algorithms into...  Well, he's not really sure what's it's for.  However, one of the elements is an empire-building 4X game and another is a compelling simulation like Dwarf Fortress.  If I can link to his blog when he merely talks about game development then I figure those two things are enough for when he actually performs it. ;)

Jamckell is looking for people to help test Gadalim Online.  Players will control armies of archers, infantrymen and more in an effort to capture opposing bases.  Compensation shall be offered through in-game currency.

LastonSama is looking for a programmer to help create a system for managing tournament brackets.  LastonSama himself hosts such events.  While not directly strategy-related, I imagine such a project could find a use with many of the session-based games the guild offers.

After last week's call for a programmer, SephCypher is now looking for an artist to help with his tower defense project.  No money is offered.  I assume SephCypher is completing at least some of the art himself.

I finally released my Board Game Framework.  It's a library offering multiple game rooms, chat filters, turn phases and more in a flexible and automated interface.  A demo is included.

Hopefully, Flick will be able to use the library to recreate his lost projects.  I'd try it in StarScurrier, but that's been taking long enough without scrapping what I have.  Maybe I'll use it for Genetic Fork.

Fooldom Come: One subscription. Many games.

Got news? With all of my new games on PC, I have little to do on my old consoles anymore. :(