Kickstarter: Mutant Chronicles Warzone

Warzone

I received another one of my Kickstarter tabletop war games called Mutant Chronicles: Warzone Resurrection.  It is another space fighty game from the looks of it.  This was early in my Kickstarter "career" so it is a much smaller order than some of my more recent ones.  Anyway, below is a quick look at the set I received.

Cats!

I also had some interesting experiences with my cats this weekend.  First, the box that my new game came in turned in to a nice Cat Trap.

Then I was playing hide and seek with my kitties, and Abby (shown above) decided to hide in the bathroom.  I don't think she understood the concept completely.

When I called her out, she proceeded to find a new hiding spot.



Sorry for the blurry, moving picture, but anyway, that's what I did this weekend. 

Fun times! (Wow I need a social life....)

- Zach



Game engines and Unity practice

I love playing video games...

And since I love playing them, I think it's only natural that I want to do more with them, such as create them.  I think of myself as fairly creative, so it makes sense to me that this would be the next step in my evolution from Gamer to Game Creator.

Now as far as my background goes into programming, it is a short list.  I pretty much only know the basics of programming logic.  I took a fairly low level class way back in high school (and I don't remember much of it), I know a little bit of HTML and I have taken an actual programming logic class.  The programming logic class was very helpful.  It made a lot of the ideas easier to comprehend when they aren't directly applied to a specific language.

So in the end, I understand the basic concepts, but I don't know an actual language.  I've been told the language is the easy part; it's basically just looking up the syntax for what language you are using, and using the basic programming logic of what you think you want to do, and plugging the two together (logic and language syntax).  Example: this should repeat; that means I need a loop; where's the syntax for a loop in Java, etc. etc.  Ya ya it's more than that just that, I know, but that's the basic idea.

Anyway, I've been looking for a way to get started learning something...anything...in the game design/programming area.  I recently took a class in Game Design from the local community college for fun, but it just wasn't what I expected.  They had us working in GameMaker creating a 2D side scrolling game, and that isn't what I picture my game to be.  GameMaker just didn't seem to meet the requirements I have set in my mind for the games I want to create.  It also wasn't as much of the actual programming as I had hoped for.  GameMaker has options to code directly, but for what we were doing it was pretty much just plug and play.  Plug this "block of code" into that "loop block", and done.

So I've done some reading and decided it's probably easier for me to start with a pre-made game engine (besides GameMaker, if you count that).  I don't know enough programming at this point to be able to make an engine myself, and I've read that it is very time and energy consuming because there is so much that goes in to it...so my thought is why waste time creating something that has already been made, when I could jump to the good part of making the actual game I want?

There are a bunch of engines already out there made exactly for this type of thing! Engines where noobs, such as myself, can jump right in and get their feet wet.  Well, some are more noob friendly...but that is what I found out in my research.  I've looked at Unreal, CryEngine, Frostbite, and Unity.  I love Unreal games, but I have looked at the engine, and it seems so daunting.  There is so much going on, and most of the tutorials you have to pay for, and to be honest, I'm pretty cheap when it comes to buying something I don't know if I'll like.

In the end I would like to advance to one of those super high quality engines like Unreal, CryEngine and Frostbite, but with what little I know, I've decided to start with Unity.  My understanding is that Unity can do a lot of what the "higher end" engines can do, just without necessarily all the graphics and physics capabilities.  Also I've read it's a bit easier to learn than the others.

Then since I had some free time today, I did one of the tutorials on Unity's site.

http://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/projects/space-shooter

It's for a simple space ship, shooting asteroids game.  I did it and it seems to work, although I can't find an easy way to just share it on here.  The only way I figured out so you can check it out is to go to my dropbox with the link below.  It should load up in your browser, but you may have to install the Unity plugin.

(You move with the arrow keys, and shoot with the left mouse button)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/260910663/Space_Shooter.html

Anyway, it was fun to create, and I look forward to making some of my own games in the near future...I have sooooo many ideas...just need to narrow them down to things that are actually feasible for me to make.  Keep checking back and we will see what I can come up with.

- Zach

ps. Let me know if that link doesn't work and I'll try something else.  Thanks!

Cat pics, Dreadball, Deadzone and a little bit of League of Legends!

Welcome back!

So it's been longer than I had hoped to get this post out, but with my addiction to Netflix, League of Legends, and a new routine to get back in shape, I haven't really been focused on writing anything.  But I figured what better way to get back into the spirit of the internet than to lead with a cat picture!

I will preface this picture with this:

In Iowa, it's been awhile since the sun has been out, and so when it was shining bright and early the other day, I just had to open the blinds...but that was a mistake.  As soon as the blinds went up, my two cats fell victim to that ray of death which came from the sun.

After a few healing potions, the kitties were good as new, though.

Dreadball

Over the holidays I had some time to hang out with a friend, and we played a couple games.  The first game we played was Dreadball, which I could see myself playing a lot more of.  It is fairly simple and quick to play, but with enough depth and strategy that it will take numerous play sessions to get good with a specific team.

At this time I only have the Deluxe starter set of Dreadball which includes 2 of the first 4 teams, the Corporation (humans) and the Orcs.  I believe their actual team names in the book are Trontek 29ers and the Greenmoon Smackers...or something to that affect.  If we start a league, I think we would make our own team names and such, but since we are just learning, I am okay with the standard team names.

Anyway, I was the Orcs, and my friend played the Corporation.  It was fairly uneventful for most of the game, just Guards slamming jacks left and right, but no scoring until the final couple of turns.

It ended up being a pretty epic showdown with my Orcs winning by 1 pt in the last turn. 

We are only playing with the basic rules, and so there is a lot more we can add to enhance the gameplay, like cards and a referee to watch for fouls.  There is so much more to the game that we haven't even scratched the surface of, and so I look forward to playing more games.

Deadzone

As I said before, I recently received my Kickstarter edition of Deadzone.  I have slowly...very slowly...been assembling my guys.  I have been working my way through all of the Plague faction bags that I received. 

This is a Stage 3 human.  I believe they refer to them as Stage 3A.

These are more Stage 3A's. 

This is a Plague Teraton (teleporting turtle).  It has other names, but I can't remember them at this time.

This is kind of an in-process shot of what I am currently working on and what I have already put together.

I still have about 2 more bags of Plague after this lot.  Then I will move on to one of the 3 other factions I have received: The Rebs, Enforcers or Marauders.

League of Legends

League of Legends season 4 just started, so I'll probably be focused on that for at least a while. 

For any of you who don't know what League of Legends is, it is a computer game known as a MOBA - Multiplayer Online Battle Arena.  Basically 2 teams fight to destroy each others base.  There are tons of different characters to fight as and each has unique abilities and play styles.

There is also competitive play, called Ranked play.  Each season is the new start of the ranked season, and resets everyone's stats and usually introduces changes to existing game mechanics to make things interesting. 

It has a tiered system to show the levels of skill:  Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Challenger.  I ended in the middle of Gold tier last season, and started this season a little higher than I ended, so I am already pleased.  My goal is to get to at least Platinum and that should be doable.  I am also trying to play positions I didn't get to play much last year.  I am already feeling positively about this season, so it should be a good one.

Anyway, this is what I have been up to lately.  I plan on posting more pictures of Deadzone as I get more models put together, and I hope to play more games of Dreadball, so we can talk about that as well.

- Zach





Animations from College

So I was digging through some of my files and found some animations I did for a science animation class in college.  Figured I might share them.  They are pretty crappy, but they were fun to make.

First one is an over simplification of Evolution. 

(Forewarning: the second creature is furry; it might be hard to tell in the animation)

Below is another project I created for the same science animation class.  This one was a take on "Deadliest Warrior", the tv show.  It is also less science-y and more just whatever I wanted to do.

If I find any others that might be mildly entertaining, I'll be sure to add them. 

- Zach

Holidays, Kickstarter - Deadzone & Berserk

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I could say that I've been busy with holiday celebrations, and such, but that would only be partly true.  Yes, I did go to hang out with the family, but mostly, holidays and days off work just make me feel more lazy than normal, and that leads to a lack of motivation to do anything productive.  But I'm back in the swing of things now, and I have a couple things to share.

KickStarter

I love Kickstarter.  The thought of creating a project and letting regular people give funding or not to decide the fate of your concept is a great idea.  It allows you the opportunity to see if people will buy your product before you invest all the time and money into creating it.  Kickstarter allows that start-up "inventor" to make something that most companies would have never let off of the hypothetical "drawing board".

I have put money towards a number of things on Kickstarter that I thought were cool ideas.  I have mostly funded tabletop war games, but also some card games, a couple books and a video game.  Most of them have not come in yet, and won't probably be completed until next year at the very earliest, but this holiday season has seen a couple of them start to come back to me.  I have received the initial shipment for a game called Deadzone, made by Mantic, and a card game called Berserk: War of the Realms.  Both look fun and I have a bunch of pictures to show about both sets.

Berserk: War of the Realms

First off, in this post, I'd like to show Berserk: War of the Realms.  My understanding of this game is that it is already a game in Russia, and the Kickstarter was created to fund an English version.  It is a card game that incorporates dice into the card combat.  As with the last game I received, I haven't had a chance to read through all the rules, but I'll get to them eventually.

(I apologize in advance...some of the pictures are more blurry than originally thought)

Below is the box.  Nice colorful cover.

Inside there is the rule booklet, 2 game boards, 2 sets of counters, a number of dice, a few decks of cards, and then an expansion box was also included.  Supposedly because this is a Kickstarter exclusive, it comes with additional cards that would not come in the retail version of the game.

 Here is everything laid out.

Here is one of the deck of cards spread out.  Hard to see I know...

So here's a close up of some of the cards.  This is a dwarf deck, I guess.

I'll get some pictures playing the game when I round up some people to play it.  

Once I dig in to my Deadzone box, I'll make sure to post it as well.

Anyway, that's if for this post.  Thanks for checking it out.  I hope to have lots more stuff to share soon.

- Zach

Logic Puzzles: "Paint-Doku"

I like logic puzzles.  They are a nice change of pace from the fast paced games I usually play on my computer and consoles.  I usually enjoy them as a wind down mental exercise before I go to bed while I'm watching Netflix. 

One of the reasons I chose these types of puzzles is because I like them...and I've seen research that says working on logic puzzles increases your mental capacity, awareness, etc. etc.  These are good things in my mind (HA, get it?). 

Anyway...during college I used to keep a Sudoku book in my backpack next to my sketchbook.  That way if I got bored duri....in between classes...I could either sketch or work on a Sudoku puzzle. 

Most people have at least heard of Sudoku.  It is the number puzzle were there are 9 large squares, with 9 smaller squares in them.  Each puzzle then has a certain amount of given numbers randomly input in the smaller squares.  The idea is to use the numbers 1-9 to fill out the remaining smaller squares.  The catch is that each number can only be used once in each big square, row and column.  It is a great mental exercise as I said before.  The problem I have with Sudoku is it gets boring.  You are just staring at the same 9 numbers over and over again. 

Recently I came across a new type of puzzle in the same sort of style of Sudoku, but different enough that each puzzle feels like a new challenge...not the same thing over and over again.  The new puzzles I have been working on are called, "Paint-doku".  I have seen them called a couple of different names, but I like that one the best.  Below are the books I have been using.

There are two different kinds of these puzzles that I have been messing around with.  The first is the standard kind.  It's black and white, and is pretty straight forward.  The second kind is dual colored and requires a little bit more thinking (in my opinion).

The object of these types of puzzles is to use the numbers on the top and side to fill in squares.  Each number corresponds to the number of filled in squares in a row.  Each set of filled in squares must have at least one blank space in between it and the next number of squares (except when you add the second color).  Example: If the numbers are - 5 1 4 - that means that there are 5 in a row, then at least one blank.  Then there is a 1 and at least one blank before the last set of 4.  Once all of the numbers have been used, the completed puzzle has some sort of picture in it. 

When you add a second color, the blanks are only between the same color.  The opposite color can be touching the first color.  Example: If you had - 5 black, 1 red, 4 black, 2 black - there would be 5 black in a row, then possibly followed by a blank space, or the 1 red, which could then be followed by blank spaces or the 4 black.  After the 4 black, though, you would need at least 1 blank before the last 2 black.

Below is a close-up of each type of puzzle.  The left is the standard black and white, and the right is the dual colored puzzle.  Each dual colored puzzle has a recommended second color shown by the opposite numbers.  This puzzle's recommended second color is red.

Below are some examples of puzzles I have completed. 

I use dots for the blank spots in both sets.  In the two color version I use diagonal lines through a square rather than a different color.  I like to be able to correct my mistakes by erasing, and I make a lot of mistakes... so using a different colored pen or colored pencil that can't be erased would make it tough to complete a puzzle for me at least.

Long story short, these are fun little puzzles that work your brain.  They give me (and hopefully you too) a greater sense of accomplishment when they are complete than I get from the standard Sudoku puzzles.  I would recommend these if you are looking for something to work your brain, and get a neat little picture at the end.

If you have any thoughts or would like me to go more in depth in a step by step walk-through of a puzzle, let me know via the comments below.

- Zach



Loka: The Unboxing

So I picked up a new game this last week...well the game finally came to me in the mail...

Anyway, the game is called Loka and it is portrayed as "a Game of Elemental Strategy". I've heard it is like elemental Chess.  I haven't gotten to play it, or read through the rules, but I thought I would show everyone what comes in the box.

First off, here is the complete boxed set.

                                      

Well...cat not included...

Below is what it looks like when you open said box.

                     

The board is a nice 2-sided board.  One side looks like a standard chess board, and the other side looks like a 4-sided elemental board.
                                   

 

Here is what the rest of the set looks like inside the box.

 This is everything taken out of the box.

The rule book is approximately 20 pages.  Again, haven't read it yet...but I'll get to it eventually.

These are some sort of square counters.  Not sure what they are for yet.

Each of the elements/factions/armies, whatever you want to call them, comes in their own separate bag.

 

Below are all of the factions pulled out of their bags.  I can see the resemblance to chess pieces already. Each set contains what looks like a King, Queen, Horse, Mage, Elemental Creature and 4 soldier minion types (assuming pawns).

And last, but not least, an assortment of dice: d4, d6, d8, d12 and d20.  Not sure how these will play into a chess game, but it should be interesting.  

Well that's everything in the box.  Hopefully soon I will be able to get some people together and learn how to play it.

- Zach