GameCareerGuide.com has this bi-weekly game design challenge where people from (supposedly) all walks of life can send in their game design idea, then several of those sent in will be featured. It's a good way for us 'robot' designers to stretch our legs a bit (unless I'm a rich independent game developer, which I'm not) and not be concerned of the project timeline, budget, manpower, whatever. This, I think, is design at its purest--but necessarily best--form: an idea without boundaries.

WTF, what am I talking about? This isn't supposed to be a lecture; I'm in Dtoid blog for crissakes! :-)

Anyway, the real point of this post is because my game design entry was included in the Top 3 (hehe!). Click here for the article's front page, and here for my design.

Another fun part in pitching ideas is that I can draw the concept art myself. That's usually my method of developing a game design idea: write an outline of the design, draw a couple of artworks, derive new design ideas from the art (that always happens), start writing the pitch.

Of course, +10 if your concept got included. +100 if the pitch becomes reality.

[EDIT] To cblog recaps, this is NOT an indie game. It's a game concept, nothing more. ;-)

Alas, a failed Little King's Story fanart. August is becoming one hell of a month, especially now that we're in a crucial deadline. And because of that (among other things), I give you a failart of royal proportions:



Maybe after I'm done with everything I'm doing right now I can reboot this and draw another LKS stuff. Or maybe someone from dtoid can finish this for me, I'll send over the PSD file (okay, that was me asking too much).

==

PS3 slim doesn't look half...good. It looks cheap and ugly and most of all, like a samsonite product (not that they're crappy, but you get the idea). Whereas the X360 and to some extent the Wii both have a unique--but necessarily iconic--look, this piece of boring here almost seems like a quick-fix attempt at appeasing the loud minority who already bought the original, 599-dollar monster (not monstrosity, 'cause I like the ps3 phat's design better). Anyhoot, it's the games that count, right? Riiight?

And the logo? I know you're channeling the uber-successful PS2, but that just looks...well, kinda okay actually. It doesn't stand out, but the softer edges remind me of Wii's super safe logo.

==

I just have to rant against some iPhone devs who design (or port) their games with buttons on a button-less device: STOP IT. It's bad enough to see the umpteenth version of Resident Evil 4 (who just can't die, like many of its characters), but now we have to play a button-based game on a touchscreen-only device? Putting virtual analog nubs/button is never a good idea.

1) They cover a good amount of the screen.
2) If you put your thumbs on the screen, they cover double the space. Amazing!
3) No tactile feedback. 'Cause, you know, it's fake.

Sorry guys, but some games just wouldn't work on the iPhone (I'm looking at you too, Terminator Salvation). Put them on PSPgo's minis, I don't care, but please don't use fake buttons.

Subject: Members of my Royal Guard are left behind--idiotically, I should add--when climbing stairs.

Description: Whenever I bring a throng of Royal Guards (in 3 columns, not less than 10), a couple of them will have trouble following my lead. They will stop climbing and just run head on against walls or any elevated grounds. That was just stupid. To solve the problem, I would to resort to using the Evade stance then return to Attack stance after climbing.

Reproducibility: Always.

Possible solution: Improved path-finding AI. That is the only way.

I gotta admire Platinum Games for doing away almost all color in MadWorld. It's just black and white (though with dash of red and yellow, too) and nothing else. It hurts the eyes at first, but by the first hour you'll be more distracted by the over-the-top violence and the many ways to kill an enemy. Still, I have to wonder how Jack would look like if we put him in an environment common in other Wii games; a quick sketch below:



Nope, it wouldn't work at all. Back to the two-tone world, you.

BTW, maybe we can convince Nintendo to put Jack as a playable character in the next Smash Bros. Just an idea.

*MadWorld logo by Sega/Platinum Games

A little lighter

After almost 3 months of not touching (or stepping on) the Wii Balance Board, I was again tempted to try it. You know, just to check how I did.

And the latest report? I'm now around 126 lbs. Last time, I was hovering around 132, which is weird because I thought I was gaining some. Apparently that white mascot knew better, telling me with that magic BMI counter that I'm nearing the underweight level. This does not pose a concern for me 'cause I've always been underweight, only now at the age of 24, it's getting a little long in the tooth. I'm 5'8" before any of you ask.



MadHeadache (vroom, chainsaw, vroom)

I just played the brief tutorial level of MadWorld and within that period, I was already having a headache with all the squinting I have to do just to make out what's out there. Good thing there are yellow signposts dotting the scene because I can't distinguish a heap of metal with an enemy at a distance. It's fun to play, don't get me wrong. I liked the combo system (tire+sign+trash bin = lol) and the overall style, but I have to train my eyes a bit first before I can enjoy the whole package.

There's something strange with the wiimote configuration

I don't know if I'm late noticing it, but with the two games I recently played (Resident Evil Remake Wiimake and MadWorld), I notice that I'm missing a regular controller. There's something unnatural with the way you hold the remote + nunchuk combo, as if your hands are doing two different things. There are questionable control configuration in both games (C or Z to run in RE, Z to jump in MW), but they're noticeable only when you go look for it. It just feels strange.

Anyway, MadWorld fan art later this week; I'm still waiting if I'm going to love it or not.

Good catch

I was just visiting a popular bookstore to have a couple of documents photocopied when my eyes wandered near the "Sale!" area. I saw a familiar face on one of the books and...wow, a 30-dollar book now on sale for just over 3. No other copies were on sale so I took it without even thinking.



I know it's not the best-looking one out there, and judging by the cover alone I know it won't be a particularly intellectual source for video game character creation, but I still find it quite enjoyable and informative. Besides, some of my colleagues are already offering almost double the buying price just get it off my hands. Haha.

Good read, especially for the price of $3. Last gen characters and art, but still mostly relevant.

Speaking of game characters...

Art team finished with the concepts, hoping for good feedback from publisher.