Month: August 2010

A Few Days Off…

August 29, 2010
Game ProgrammingInaria
3 Comments

So.

I’m looking at my SVN repository.

I’m supposed to be working on Zeta.

But instead I open the Inaria project. See, back before I started working for Stardock I was making an iPhone version of Inaria. I had greatly expanded the game, with new maps and NPCs and…well, everything. I didn’t get a chance to finish it before I lost access to the Mac Mini I used for Mac development, and I started to think that it was a real shame I never got to publish the new version of Inaria.

So I will 🙂 Zeta’s on hold. Yes, I’ll get back to it, but in the end we game programmers are crazy. We have to work on what draws us.

Plus, I think you guys are going to love the new version of Inaria.

Elemental: War of Magic is OUT

August 24, 2010
Games
5 Comments

It’s out in both the normal and lovely collector’s edition. Go! Go, my minions and purchase copies!

Now it’s possible I might be able to sleep soon.

Did I say that work on Elemental had slacked off?

August 11, 2010
Uncategorized
3 Comments

Well, I’m big and fat. I’m also a liar. I guess that makes me a big fat liar.

Name That Game 70!

August 5, 2010
Name That Game!
12 Comments

This poor game…ahead of its time, developed by a small, easily-overlooked company, with a couple of absolutely cripping design decisions…everything that makes for a great tragedy.

Name and developer, please! If you win, I’ll mention you in my next video!

A Welcome Return!

August 3, 2010
Cool People
5 Comments

There was this guy, see. He went by the handle Arkiruthis, and he was going to do a remake of Powermonger. He had a blog and everything, and some excellent screen shots and video. This got me really excited, and I did some work to help him out.

Then real life intruded and his blog went defunct. And I was sad.

But now he’s back, baby! Tanned, rested, and ready for another go-round! And you can see what he’s doing here.

Now, I have to reveal that one of the reasons he became disinterested in the project was because he got some flak from people when he revealed he was going to update the game rather than do a “straight” remake. Most of those people found out about his project from the Retro Remakes forums…because I posted about it there.

So, I’m sorry Nick if I brought unwanted pressure upon your project and maybe gave it more exposure than you were ready for at the time.

Begin Again

August 2, 2010
Game Programming
1 Comment

Work on Elemental has slacked off slightly, so it’s time to ramp this blog back up again!

I’d like to talk about Stardock and Elemental; I really would. But…well, if you want information about Elemental, you should be going to the official website, and while Stardock is an excellent place to work, I don’t have lots of goofy stories about working there yet.

Except one.

Once Brad took us out to look at some of his abandoned beehives, which were being scavenged by other bees. Because these bees weren’t defending their hive, they completely ignored us – we were standing right in the middle of a cloud of them and never got stung. Then I reached into the hive and pulled out a handful of just-made honey and ate it, just like Winnie-the-Pooh.

That sure as hell never happened at any previous place I’ve ever worked.