Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Skulls of the Shogun heads to Steam next month, beta available now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/skulls-of-the-shogun-heads-to-steam-next-month-beta-available-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/skulls-of-the-shogun-heads-to-steam-next-month-beta-available-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/skulls-of-the-shogun-heads-to-steam-next-month-beta-available-n/#commentsSkulls of the Shogun headed to Steam A "bigger" and "beefier" version of 17-BIT's tactical strategy game, Skulls of the Shogun, will hit Steam next month, boasting six new maps, a multiplayer progression system, and a new four-chapter epilogue.

Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-a-Fide Edition features all of the content found in the Xbox Live Arcade and Windows 8 versions of the game, including real-time multiplayer, hotseat support, and asynchronous multiplayer modes. The Steam version's exclusive chapter introduces a new playable protagonist, along with a new unit type equipped with teleportation spells.

Buyers who pre-purchase Bone-a-Fide Edition will receive instant access to a beta version, which includes the first single-player campaign chapter and all 36 multiplayer maps.

Continue reading Skulls of the Shogun heads to Steam next month, beta available now

JoystiqSkulls of the Shogun heads to Steam next month, beta available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>17-bitindiepcskulls-of-the-shogunsteamTue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Benjamin Rivers' Home spooking up iOS this Thursday, OSX this summer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/benjamin-rivers-home-spooking-up-ios-this-thursday-osx-this-su/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/benjamin-rivers-home-spooking-up-ios-this-thursday-osx-this-su/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/18/benjamin-rivers-home-spooking-up-ios-this-thursday-osx-this-su/#comments
One-man indie development studio Benjamin Rivers' side-scrolling pixel art horror game Home will be available for iOS devices this Thursday, June 20. The Universal App will cost $2.99 and feature new content, new terrifying environments to explore and updated story elements.

Rivers has also established a website to showcase the spooky real-world environments people play his game in - anyone who Tweets, Instagrams or Vines their eerie gaming location of choice using the hashtag #homehorror has a chance of making it into the collection.

Meanwhile, the OSX version of Home should be released sometime this summer, Rivers announced, adding that the improvements made for the iOS version of the game will be transferred to existing and future desktop versions at some point in the future.

Continue reading Benjamin Rivers' Home spooking up iOS this Thursday, OSX this summer

JoystiqBenjamin Rivers' Home spooking up iOS this Thursday, OSX this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benjamin-rivershomehome-horrorhorrorindieiosipadiphonemacmobileTue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brad Muir on building trust with Double Fine's Massive Chalice]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/brad-muir-on-building-trust-with-double-fines-massive-chalice/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/brad-muir-on-building-trust-with-double-fines-massive-chalice/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/brad-muir-on-building-trust-with-double-fines-massive-chalice/#comments
Double Fine is using a second (and already successful) Kickstarter to produce "Massive Chalice," an ambitious turn-based strategy game that hinges on the lineage of your kingdom. Project lead Brad Muir is candid about the early delta between the game's promises - allowing you to produce and raise multiple generations of heroes in a war against demons - and the reality anticipated by those committed to its crowdfunding drive, which exists independently of that for Broken Age.

"We're gonna mess up in public, and that's a little bit scary, but it's also like - I think it helps build trust too," Muir told me during E3 last week. "We're totally fallible, and we're gonna trip up, but we'll figure it out and we're gonna make the game the best game it can be."

Muir also responded to fears from backers who have yet to see the fruition of Double Fine's previous Kickstarter project, Broken Age, and expressed enthusiasm over developing a game with "the doors wide open on the studio."

JoystiqBrad Muir on building trust with Double Fine's Massive Chalice originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-muirdouble-finee3-2013indiemassive-chalicepcMon, 17 Jun 2013 19:05:00 EST<![CDATA[DayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/dayz-creator-considering-ps4-xbox-one-after-pc-has-an-early-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/dayz-creator-considering-ps4-xbox-one-after-pc-has-an-early-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/dayz-creator-considering-ps4-xbox-one-after-pc-has-an-early-fa/#commentsDayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite Dean Hall is focused on launching the PC version of his zombie-infested baby, DayZ, but he's talked with both Sony and Microsoft about the PS4 and Xbox One, too. Nothing's set in stone, but Hall "absolutely" likes Sony's approach to indies; he's turned off by Microsoft's ban on self-publishing and history of charging thousands for game updates.

"Sony lets you self-publish and they don't make you pay for updates," Hall told Eurogamer. "Microsoft requires you to have a publisher. They have no digital distribution strategy and they require you to pay $10,000, or whatever it is, for updates."

Hall mentioned potential console releases for DayZ back in April, and said he'd already met with Sony in particular. Sony was "obviously interested," Hall said, though he didn't mention next-gen at the time.

Last week Hall said that once the PC version is good to go, a PS4 iteration is "definitely" something he'd look at. "But we have to do the PC version first," he said. "Once we get the alpha out, that's a good time for us to run it up on a [PS4] dev kit and see what happens."

Hall isn't counting Xbox One completely out, but he still has some unanswered questions about developing for Microsoft's console: "I like what I saw on the Xbox in a lot of cases as well. I'm not shitting on them. I'm kind of hopeful that Microsoft has just forgot to talk about its indie support. Maybe I'm being a bit naive."

Last we heard, the DayZ alpha was scheduled for June (that's this month) at the earliest.

JoystiqDayZ creator considering PS4, Xbox One after PC, has an early favorite originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>day-zdean-hallIndieMicrosoftnext-genpcSONYSun, 16 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[IndieCade at E3: That Dragon, Cancer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-that-dragon-cancer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-that-dragon-cancer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-that-dragon-cancer/#comments

That Dragon, Cancer is a poetic, emotionally intense story of love in the face of death, blended beautifully into a point-and-click adventure game. It tells a true tale, unfortunately, of developer Ryan Green's family life - his 4-year-old son, Joel, has cancer, and he's currently fighting his eighth tumor. Joel has survived two years of treatments, surpassing doctors' initial estimates, and Green has transformed his pain into a beautiful, introspective game.

That Dragon, Cancer doesn't naturally fit into the standard idea of E3, but it isn't out of place in the PC circle of IndieCade's exhibit space. It tells a traumatic story, but in the end it's a simple, gorgeous game.

Green explains his intent with That Dragon, Cancer, and I take a deep breath and dive into a part of it. That Dragon, Cancer is a living game, in every sense of the word - it's still being written, by real events, every day. See the Green family's efforts and development process on the game's website.

IndieCade is always a refreshing experience at E3, and this year in particular was full of surprises. Check out the other games I highlighted this week right here.

JoystiqIndieCade at E3: That Dragon, Cancer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2013IndieIndieCadepcryan-greenthat-dragon-cancerThu, 13 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[IndieCade at E3: 7 Grand Steps]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-7-grand-steps/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-7-grand-steps/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-7-grand-steps/#comments

A group of alligators are stalking one area of the PC roundtable at IndieCade's E3 expo. They're tiny and plastic, and they're all over the laptop for 7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat, the first chapter in a new series from longtime indie developer Keith Nemitz, known as Mousechief.

I stopped by Mousechief's table to talk about 7 Grand Steps, a board-game-inspired tale of ancient family drama and not getting eaten by alligators (you hope). Seven Grand Steps launched on Steam for PC and Mac on June 7, and it's already on track to bring in $100,000. So that's cool.

Watch as Nemitz and I discuss the mechanics of a Sopranos story swathed in ancient garb, and the benefits of choosing to be evil. Later today I'll share the last eye-catching game I found at IndieCade's booth, caught on video - just as it captured my heart.

JoystiqIndieCade at E3: 7 Grand Steps originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-grand-stepse3e3-2013IndieIndieCadekeith-nemitzmacmousechiefpcThu, 13 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breezing through Flower on PlayStation Vita]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/breezing-through-flower-on-playstation-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/breezing-through-flower-on-playstation-vita/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/breezing-through-flower-on-playstation-vita/#comments
Having indirectly announced the PlayStation Vita version of thatgamecompany's Flower, the Indiecade booth at this year's E3 went on to hosting a playable version of the game. Flower on the smaller PlayStation suffers no loss in its vibrancy or serenity (provided you have some headphones handy), and it offers a new control scheme suited to the platform's touch screen.

JoystiqBreezing through Flower on PlayStation Vita originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2013Flowerhatgamecompanyindieindiecade-2013playstationplaystation-vitavitaThu, 13 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IndieCade at E3: Dominique Pamplemousse in 'It's All Over Once The Fat Lady Sings!']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-dominique-pamplemousse/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-dominique-pamplemousse/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-and-on-camera-dominique-pamplemousse/#comments

IndieCade took over a corner of the E3 show floor this year, complete with giant orange inflatable chairs and almost 40 games on various platforms. Out of all this beautiful madness, I spotted three games that went above and beyond the standard indie call - they were weird, they were different, and they were awesome.

First up is Dominique Pamplemousse in "It's All Over Once The Fat Lady Sings!", a musical point-and-click investigation game from Deirdra Kiai, who is the sole developer, voice actor, singer and composer. If that sounds like a lot of work, it's because it is - but Kiai pulls it off seamlessly.

Dominique Pamplemousse is available now for PC, Mac and iPad for $5, and there's a free demo on Kiai's site. It's a quirky romp through a musical, claymation landscape, and it's tons of fun.

I feature two more games at IndieCade's E3 exhibit, both with videos coming up later today.

JoystiqIndieCade at E3: Dominique Pamplemousse in 'It's All Over Once The Fat Lady Sings!' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deirdra-kiaidominique-pamplemoussee3e3-2013IndieIndieCadeiosipadmacmobilepcThu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get down with Electronic Super Joy pre-orders on Friday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/get-down-with-electronic-super-joy-pre-orders-on-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/get-down-with-electronic-super-joy-pre-orders-on-friday/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/get-down-with-electronic-super-joy-pre-orders-on-friday/#comments

We ran into Electronic Super Joy at PAX East earlier this year, when it was part of the Indie Megabooth. It's a game that naturally stands out in a crowd, with bright backgrounds, stark platforming stages and a dubsteppy, chiptune soundtrack. Think Super Meat Boy meets Super Hexagon.

Electronic Super Joy will be available for pre-order at noon ET on Friday, June 14, for $5, and that price includes access to the beta. At launch, the game will be $8, so that's a pre-order discount of 35 percent.

Electronic Super Joy is due out between September and December for PC, Mac, Linux, Android tablets and iPad. Rock out and get your hardcore platforming on later this year.

JoystiqGet down with Electronic Super Joy pre-orders on Friday originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electronic-super-joyIndieThu, 13 Jun 2013 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[7 Grand Steps on its way to $100K in first week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/7-grand-steps-on-its-way-to-100k-in-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/7-grand-steps-on-its-way-to-100k-in-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/7-grand-steps-on-its-way-to-100k-in-first-week/#comments7 Grand Steps on its way to $100K in first week Mousechief, the veteran indie developer responsible for Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble, launched the first part of his next series, 7 Grand Steps, on June 7. Less than one week later, it's on track to bring in $100,000, Keith Nemitz (Mousechief) told me at E3's IndieCade expo.

Nemitz has been invited to one other IndieCade showing already, and he's been a finalist at GDC's Independent Games Festival three times over. Nemitz has been working on 7 Grand Steps for the past four years, and it was a finalist in this year's IGF.

Seven Grand Steps is on sale for 10 percent off on Steam, $13.50, through June 14.

Joystiq7 Grand Steps on its way to $100K in first week originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-grand-stepsIndiemacmousechiefpcsalesSTEAMWed, 12 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Octodad: Dadliest Catch on PS4 is just as wacky, wavy as the PC game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/octodad-dadliest-catch-on-ps4-is-just-as-wacky-wavy-as-the-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/octodad-dadliest-catch-on-ps4-is-just-as-wacky-wavy-as-the-pc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/octodad-dadliest-catch-on-ps4-is-just-as-wacky-wavy-as-the-pc/#commentsOctodad Dadliest Catch on PS4 is just as wacky, wavy as the PC game Octodad: Dadliest Catch doesn't need wild marketing antics. As a physics game about an Octopus father navigating domestic life on land, it has more than enough madness on its own.

Still, Sony featured Dadliest Catch during its E3 press conference, alongside a selection of indie games coming to PlayStation 4. It was a surprise for fans of the first Octodad, a free PC game that Young Horses launched in 2010 to a strange brand of public acclaim (and confusion).

As I played through the Dadliest Catch demo on the PS4 at E3, one thing became apparent: Just because Octodad had pressed his suit for major-console gaming, he was still an ambulatory-impaired octopus - and that will always be hilarious.

Continue reading Octodad: Dadliest Catch on PS4 is just as wacky, wavy as the PC game

JoystiqOctodad: Dadliest Catch on PS4 is just as wacky, wavy as the PC game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2013Indieoctodad-2octodad-dadliest-catchpcphilip-tibitoskips4young-horsesWed, 12 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Outlast carries a camera into the dark on PS4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/outlast-carries-a-camera-into-the-dark-on-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/outlast-carries-a-camera-into-the-dark-on-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/outlast-carries-a-camera-into-the-dark-on-ps4/#commentsOutlast spares no asylum It's easy to see, right away, why Sony went after former Ubisoft developers Red Barrels to get their indie game, Outlast, on the PlayStation 4. Not only is the horror/exploration game atmospheric and frightening, but it's a great showcase for the hardware.

In Outlast, you play a reporter who brings a video camera to an old abandoned asylum, in search of a story. The game is seen through your digital camera's lens, both as you wander through the empty hallways and when you flip on the terrifying black-and-white night vision filter.

Through the eyes of that camera, the whole game looks like a recovered snuff film of sorts, where you serve as both cameraman and victim. The motion and style of the game are both realistic, and sometimes (or often, depending on your tolerance for such things) disturbingly so. The camera's digital artifacts and heads-up display help sell the excellent graphics, and the whole experience found my scaredy-cat brain constantly having to remind myself that what I was seeing wasn't real.

Gallery: Outlast (E3 2013)

Continue reading Outlast carries a camera into the dark on PS4

JoystiqOutlast carries a camera into the dark on PS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2013indieoutlastpcphilippe-morinplaystationps4red-barrelsteamvalveWed, 12 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Relax and play Lune in your browser, thank us later]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/relax-and-play-lune-in-your-browser-thank-us-later/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/relax-and-play-lune-in-your-browser-thank-us-later/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/relax-and-play-lune-in-your-browser-thank-us-later/#commentsTake a break and play Lune in your browser, thank us later It's an insane week for gaming, so take a break, take a breath, and play the Lune free alpha in your browser. Lune is an exploration adventure game about controlling the moon, altering the tides and gravity, and providing light to guide your character safely across an island.

Lune comes from a group of students entering the French development competition Hits Playtime, and they welcome player feedback. This free alpha is the first step of a larger project coming this fall, designer Sergey Mohov says.

Go ahead and give Lune a try - because being the moon is probably less stressful than anything else you'll do this week.

JoystiqRelax and play Lune in your browser, thank us later originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indielunemacpcsergey-mohovTue, 11 Jun 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Octodad: Dadliest Catch heading to PS4 [Update: Trailer]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/octodad-dadliest-catchah-heading-to-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/octodad-dadliest-catchah-heading-to-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/octodad-dadliest-catchah-heading-to-ps4/#comments
Octodad: Dadliest Catch, a game about an octopus posing as a human father - yeah, it's weird - is coming to PlayStation 4. The news was delivered during Sony's E3 press briefing by Adam Boyes, Sony's VP of third-party relations. The game comes as part of a big indie push from Sony, which includes the ability for independent developers to self-publish on PlayStation 4.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch will make its "exclusive console debut" on PS4, alongside several other independent games. It will launch first on PC, Mac and Linux, via Steam and direct purchase.

JoystiqOctodad: Dadliest Catch heading to PS4 [Update: Trailer] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>independentindieoctodadplaystationps3psnyoung-horsesMon, 10 Jun 2013 22:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Insomniac on working with Microsoft Studios for Xbox One exclusive, Sunset Overdrive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/insomniac-on-working-with-microsoft-studios-for-xbox-one-exclusi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/insomniac-on-working-with-microsoft-studios-for-xbox-one-exclusi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/10/insomniac-on-working-with-microsoft-studios-for-xbox-one-exclusi/#commentsInsomniac on working with Microsoft Studios for Xbox One exclusive, Sunset Overdrive Insomniac Games' new open-world shooter, Sunset Overdrive, is exclusive to Xbox One and published by Microsoft Studios - and this partnership may require some explaining for "longtime fans," Insomniac CEO Ted Price writes.

"When we first began discussing this idea with Microsoft, we were initially hesitant to shift back into an exclusive arrangement," Price writes in an Insomniac blog post. "But as the Microsoft team began introducing us to the abilities and philosophies driving the development of Xbox One, we knew that Sunset Overdrive was a perfect fit. The Xbox One and Xbox Live will support our ambitions to create an ongoing two-way dialogue with our community. It will also allow us to have quicker production cycles, enabling timely content updates for new weapons, characters, storylines and even pop culture-relevant content like memes based on social commentary."

Independent studios aren't allowed to self-publish on the Xbox One, and Insomniac is definitely independent, Price says. This means the studio doesn't have to abandon its PlayStation roots or classic franchises such as Ratchet and Clank.

"Insomniac has been, is, and will continue to be 100 percent independent. We have treasured that independence for the last 19 years. It now allows us to own and control our IP, and find the most suitable partners to make those IP a reality. While we are excited about partnering with Microsoft on Sunset Overdrive, that doesn't mean we can't or wouldn't make games with our longtime friends at Sony."

Sunset Overdrive has an official site, and the trailer from Microsoft's E3 show is now viewable in our announcement post.

JoystiqInsomniac on working with Microsoft Studios for Xbox One exclusive, Sunset Overdrive originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indieinsomniacinsomniac-gamesmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiossunset-overdrivexboxxbox-oneMon, 10 Jun 2013 15:46:00 EST<![CDATA[The iam8bit Entertainment System's homemade console premieres in Los Angeles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/the-iam8bit-entertainment-systems-homemade-console-premieres-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/the-iam8bit-entertainment-systems-homemade-console-premieres-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/the-iam8bit-entertainment-systems-homemade-console-premieres-in/#commentsThe iam8bit Entertainment System premieres in Los Angeles The iam8bit gallery in Los Angeles premiered its latest video game-related art show last night, called the iam8bit Entertainment System. The centerpiece of the show was Travis Chen's homemade two-player console, which is a custom-made PC running MAME encased in natural bamboo, with two homemade controller boxes playing three different indie games: Canabalt's two-player version, the Sportsfriends bundle's BaraBariBall, and Chen's own Adventure Time game jam game, Bad Atticube.

Chen is a former Neversoft developer who now works on both iOS games with Scopely and his own indie creations, including the recent Typing Karaoke. iam8bit pitched the new show to him as "being kind of like a mock release of a game console" (in the shadow of next week's E3 and its two new consoles), and Chen said he emailed iam8bit co-founder Jon Gibson to say, "Jon, I'm building the console."

Chen's work is impressive: The "iES" wood case was laser-cut (though Chen says some sanding was needed to bring it all together), and the front of the console has an LED screen that shows various ASCII text. There are colored buttons on the top of the main unit, and pressing those changes whatever's shown on the screen, from crazy visualizers to a running dialogue between the console and its player.

The console is being offered for sale in the gallery, and Chen says if it does sell he wants to customize it for the buyer. But if it doesn't sell, Chen has other plans in mind. "I want to enter it into Indiecade and maybe even the IGF," he says. "Not too many guys are entering hardware, and I think that's really interesting; the idea of indie hardware."

The iam8bit Entertainment System, and the rest of the work in the show, will be on display through June 30 at iam8bit.

Gallery: iam8bit Entertainment System Gallery Opening

JoystiqThe iam8bit Entertainment System's homemade console premieres in Los Angeles originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-atticubebamboobarabariballcanabaltconsoledeveloperhomemade-consoleiam8bitiam8bit-entertainment-systemindiepctravis-chentwo-playerFri, 07 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Indie Games offers bundles, free games and special sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/amazon-indie-games-offers-bundles-free-games-and-special-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/amazon-indie-games-offers-bundles-free-games-and-special-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/amazon-indie-games-offers-bundles-free-games-and-special-sales/#commentsAmazon Indie Store Amazon launched an indie games store featuring special sales on independent games, currently hosting more than 400 titles from 100 developers. Amazon's Indie Games hub will have a rolling deal that automatically grants customers a selection of free games - the first offer runs from today to June 10 and it offers Dynasty of Dusk, Huntsman: The Orphanage, and The Curse of Nordic Cove for free when buying any indie game. A new free-games deal starts June 11.

There's also a bundle page, and Amazon sends 100 percent of the profit generated from these sales straight to the developers themselves. Current bundles include the Gaijin Tripped Out Pack with games in the Bit.Trip series and the Oh So Fine and Dandy Bundle, a collection of Double Fine games. Each bundle is $10.

Amazon will feature a new indie developer each week in its Indie Spotlight, starting with Gaijin Games. To kick off the Indie Games store, more than 200 indie games are up to 75 percent off through June 23 on Amazon. Happy shopping.

JoystiqAmazon Indie Games offers bundles, free games and special sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon-indie-gamesIndiemacpcThu, 06 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: The Novelist]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-the-novelist/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-the-novelist/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-the-novelist/#commentsIt's not that there are too many indie games; it's that there aren't enough hours in a day to play all of them. The Joystiq Indie Pitch curates the best indies to play now and watch out for in the future.

The Joystiq Indie Pitch The Novelist
What's your game called and what's it about?

The game is called The Novelist, and it deals with the question of what's more important in life: personal success or a loving family. You play as a ghost that observes the life of a novelist named Dan Kaplan, his wife, Linda, and his son, Tommy. As you learn about their lives you're presented with different situations that deal with the career vs. family question in some way, and you get to decide what they do. Your choices affect their relationships, shape their lives, and ultimately create a personal story.

Will The Novelist have a tragically gruesome ending like The Shining, or is that just my own association run wild?

I'm afraid that's just your imagination running wild. The idea of a writer alone in a house with his wife and son obviously has a lot in common with The Shining, but while I love that movie (and the book), The Novelist is an altogether more benevolent affair. There's no killing or violence in the game, although if you influence Dan to keep making decisions that are detrimental to his career or his family you can definitely create some ... depressing outcomes.

Gallery: The Novelist

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: The Novelist

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: The Novelist originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indiejoystiq-indie-pitchkent-hudsonmacpcthe-novelistWed, 05 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lune open alpha begins June 9, be the man in the moon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/lune-open-alpha-begins-june-9-be-the-man-in-the-moon/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/lune-open-alpha-begins-june-9-be-the-man-in-the-moon/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/lune-open-alpha-begins-june-9-be-the-man-in-the-moon/#commentsLune open alpha begins June 9, be the man in the moon Lune is a simplistic game that gives the player control of the moon, pushing and pulling tides, altering gravity and lighting certain areas to reveal hidden objects. It doesn't rely on words to connect with its audience - but fortunately we do, and we can write down when its open alpha begins.

Lune enters open alpha on June 9, in-browser and for free, through the game's website. The final game is scheduled to launch this fall. It comes from a group of students participating in the French development contest Hits Playtime, and the team would appreciate any feedback that benefits the gameplay.

"We will listen carefully to everything the players have to say about this alpha of Lune and use it to craft a better experience come release date, not only because we believe that people deserve to see what they buy before the buy it, but also because we know that asking for money on Kickstarter is not the only way to let people contribute to a game world and therefore experience a closer connection to it," Lune Designer Sergey Mohov tells Joystiq.

For a team that doesn't like to use words, that's very well said.

Gallery: Lune (6/5/13)

JoystiqLune open alpha begins June 9, be the man in the moon originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IndieLinuxlunemacpcWed, 05 Jun 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Humble Indie Bundle 8 adds Tiny and Big, Oil Rush, two more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/humble-indie-bundle-8-adds-tiny-and-big-oil-rush-two-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/humble-indie-bundle-8-adds-tiny-and-big-oil-rush-two-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/humble-indie-bundle-8-adds-tiny-and-big-oil-rush-two-more/#commentsHumble Indie Bundle 8 adds four more games Humble Indie Bundle 8 is already a screaming deal, and it now has four more games and their soundtracks to tickle your fancy (and vocal chords): Tiny and Big: Grandpa's Leftovers, Intrusion 2, English Country Tune and Oil Rush.

These join the "pay more than the average" tier, alongside Hotline Miami and Proteus. Whatever that price is will also get you the "pay what you want" games, Thomas Was Alone, Awesomenauts, Little Inferno, Dear Esther, and Capsized. All games and soundtracks would now cost $150 at retail, but the bundle price is up to you - though only for seven more days.

JoystiqHumble Indie Bundle 8 adds Tiny and Big, Oil Rush, two more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>english-country-tunehumble-indie-bundlehumble-indie-bundle-8Indieintrusion-2.0oil-rushpctiny-and-big-grandpas-leftoversTue, 04 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Tower of Guns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-tower-of-guns/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-tower-of-guns/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-tower-of-guns/#commentsIt's not that there are too many indie games; it's that there aren't enough hours in a day to play all of them. The Joystiq Indie Pitch curates the best indies to play now and watch out for in the future.

The Joystiq Indie Pitch Tower of Guns
What's your game called and what's it about?

My game is called Tower of Guns and it's an old school, fast-paced FPS with a ton of roguelike-ish elements. It's not a true roguelike, of course, but it plays kind of like a mashup of Doom 2 and the Binding of Isaac. You can pre-order the game now for $5 and you'll get access to all the development builds. It also just got accepted into IndieCade's E3 Showcase, so you if you want to meet me in person and will be at E3, please swing by!

What's the coolest aspect of Tower of Guns?

While the game is certainly a return to the fast-paced shooters of yesteryear, I feel what's really making it special is that the combination of random loot, random rooms and twitch gameplay lead to a lot of "surprises" for the player. I try and maintain a no-limit attitude toward development and I try to treat that "delight of surprise" as an actual mechanic, continually throwing crazier things at the player. As a solo developer I obviously can't get too ambitious with visuals or AI, but I hope I can still deliver something to players that they've never seen before.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Tower of Guns

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Tower of Guns originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fpsIndiejoystiq-indie-pitchpcterrible-posture-gamestower-of-gunsTue, 04 Jun 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam weekly deals: Anna, Retro/Grade, The Journey Down]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/steam-weekly-deals-anna-retro-grade-the-journey-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/steam-weekly-deals-anna-retro-grade-the-journey-down/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/steam-weekly-deals-anna-retro-grade-the-journey-down/#commentsSteam weekly deals Anna, The Journey Down, Chains Valve has posted new weekly deals on Steam this week, and you can pick up some excellent indie titles for the low price of cheap. The atmospheric horror puzzler Anna is on sale for only $3.39, 2DEngine's Chains is only $1.24, reverse music shooter Retro/Grade will cost you $3.40, the sticky sweet Sugar Cube: Bittersweet Factory is $2.37, and indie point-and-click The Journey Down: Chapter One is $2.80.

That's a whole lotta great indie gaming for not a lotta bucks. The whole deal's good until June 10, despite the official Valve post date being off by a week again. You're just messing with us now, right Valve?

JoystiqSteam weekly deals: Anna, Retro/Grade, The Journey Down originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annachainsdealdealsindiepcretro-gradesalesteamthe-journey-downweeklyweekly-dealsMon, 03 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Grave Digger may have all the grave-robbing, ghosts you ever wanted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/grave-digger-may-have-all-the-grave-robbing-ghosts-you-ever-wan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/grave-digger-may-have-all-the-grave-robbing-ghosts-you-ever-wan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/grave-digger-may-have-all-the-grave-robbing-ghosts-you-ever-wan/#comments

This trailer for The Grave Digger has everything - Inception horn, a Dark Knight voiceover, spooky graveyard sound effects, Holmesian investigation music and a funny teaser after the credits. The PC game itself - a third-person grave-robbing romp through ghost-infested cemeteries - might just have everything, too. It's free to find out now with the demo, or buy the full game for $6 (£4, €4.75).

The Grave Digger comes from Home Groan Games, a two-man team in the UK. It features 18 Dickensian graveyards and five ghost types, each with individual AI to outsmart in the labyrinths. See what all the fuss is about right here - but don't be too scared when the trailer auto-plays.

JoystiqGrave Digger may have all the grave-robbing, ghosts you ever wanted originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cemeteryghostsgrave-robbergrave-robbinghome-groan-gamesIndiepcthe-grave-diggerSun, 02 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie Royale 'Hammerhead' bundle includes Richard & Alice, Primordia and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/01/indie-royale-hammerhead-bundle-includes-richard-and-alice-primo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/01/indie-royale-hammerhead-bundle-includes-richard-and-alice-primo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/01/indie-royale-hammerhead-bundle-includes-richard-and-alice-primo/#comments
The latest Indie Royale bundle is now available for the current minimum price of $5.68. The Hammerhead bundle includes Owl Cave's Richard & Alice, Primordia by Wormwood Studios, Pressure by Chasing Carrots, Forge by Dark Vale Games and Pandora Studios' Gas Guzzlers: Combat Carnage. The bundle seems immediately worthwhile to us just for the inclusion of Richard & Alice alone, per our recent review of the game.

Those that pay at least $8 for the Hammerhead bundle will also receive MY OK BBS' chiptune album It's Not Great. There's also a mysterious sixth game in the bundle, likely to be revealed at a later time. The Indie Royale bundle is available on PC until June 7.

JoystiqIndie Royale 'Hammerhead' bundle includes Richard & Alice, Primordia and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundlechasing-carrotsdark-vale-gamesdesuraforgegas-guzzlers-combat-carnagehammerhead-bundleIndieindie-royaleowl-cavepandora-studiospcpressureprimordiarichard-and-aliceSTEAMwormwood-studiosSat, 01 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Paranautical Activity allegedly blocked from Steam release due to Greenlight conflict]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/paranautical-activity-allegedly-blocked-from-steam-release-due-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/paranautical-activity-allegedly-blocked-from-steam-release-due-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/paranautical-activity-allegedly-blocked-from-steam-release-due-t/#comments
After securing a publisher for its first-person shooter Paranautical Activity, indie developer Code Avarice claims that it has been blocked from a direct Steam release due to a conflict with a previously launched Steam Greenlight campaign.

Code Avarice submitted Paranautical Activity to Steam Greenlight in August last year, and later entered talks with Adult Swim Games to assist with promotion and publishing. Code Avarice's Mike Maulbeck claims that Adult Swim's recent attempt to directly publish the game through Steam was turned down because Valve "didn't want to send the message that indies can seek out publishers to bypass Steam Greenlight."

Maulbeck elaborates in the interview above, saying, "We just assumed that we would need Greenlight because everybody has to go through Greenlight now."

Maulbeck continues: "Now we're just dead in the water. We've got a Greenlight campaign that we haven't touched in months, and we have to resurrect it from the ashes, because that's our only option at this point.

"We can totally back out [of Adult Swim's publishing agreement] now if we want to," Maulbeck said. "We haven't officially decided if we want to go with them, but the fact that we have to get onto Steam [ourselves] is a real bummer."

Addressing the situation, Valve's Doug Lombardi told Gamasutra, "We review Greenlight votes, reviews, and a variety of factors in the Greenlight process. However our message to indies regarding publishers is do it for your own reasons, but do not split your royalties with a publisher expecting an automatic 'Yes' on Greenlight."

JoystiqParanautical Activity allegedly blocked from Steam release due to Greenlight conflict originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>code-avariceindieparanautical-activitypcsteamsteam-greenlightvalveFri, 31 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard & Alice review: Happy when skies are gray]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/richard-and-alice-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/richard-and-alice-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/31/richard-and-alice-review/#commentsRichard and Alice review Not happy when skies are gray I love games that are deeper, shockingly different than they first appear. Richard & Alice, for example, is a sprite-like, indie point-and-click adventure, a style generally reserved for quirky romps and fantastical stories - but Richard & Alice weaves a dark tale of death, loneliness, hopelessness and shattered relationships.

And climate change. Yeah, that's different.

Gallery: Richard and Alice

Continue reading Richard & Alice review: Happy when skies are gray

JoystiqRichard & Alice review: Happy when skies are gray originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indieowl-cavepcrichard-and-aliceFri, 31 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Night of the Rabbit mixes Alice with The Doctor, now on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/night-of-the-rabbit-mixes-alice-with-the-doctor-now-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/night-of-the-rabbit-mixes-alice-with-the-doctor-now-on-steam/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/night-of-the-rabbit-mixes-alice-with-the-doctor-now-on-steam/#comments

Daedalic Entertainment once told us its fantasy adventure game, The Night of the Rabbit, was a mix of Alice in Wonderland and Doctor Who - a combination that seemed almost too good to be true. Turns out it's entirely true, and the game is now available on Steam for $20, for both PC and Mac.

The Night of the Rabbit throws the main character, Jerry, into a world between worlds, populated by talking animals and dark forces, with overarching magical and scientific twists. Daedalic is behind the Edna and Harvey adventure series and the comedy-adventure franchise, Deponia.

JoystiqNight of the Rabbit mixes Alice with The Doctor, now on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 May 2013 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventuredaedalicdaedalic-entertainmentindiemacpcthe-night-of-the-rabbitTue, 28 May 2013 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[L.A. Noire, Whore of the Orient vets form Intuitive Game Studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/l-a-noire-whore-of-the-orient-vets-form-intuitive-game-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/l-a-noire-whore-of-the-orient-vets-form-intuitive-game-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/l-a-noire-whore-of-the-orient-vets-form-intuitive-game-studios/#commentsLA Noire, Whore of the Orient vets form Intuitive Game Studios Two former Team Bondi employees established a new, independent studio in Sydney, Australia, called Intuitive Game Studios. Intuitive was founded by Alex Carlyle, design lead on Team Bondi's L.A. Noire, and Kelly Baigent, who worked on storyboarding for L.A. Noire and has a background in animation through Tui Studios.

Carlyle was also design lead on Whore of the Orient with KMM, the studio that bought Team Bondi after L.A. Noire. KMM laid off Whore of the Orient staff and shuttered the game's division in April, multiple reports said.

There's no word yet on what type of projects Intuitive will work on, but Carlyle said it will begin by hiring a small team as independent contractors, rather than building a full-time staff. The only hints we have so far as to Intuitive's direction is a shadowy Facebook profile picture and a single-page website.

JoystiqL.A. Noire, Whore of the Orient vets form Intuitive Game Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 May 2013 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indieintuitive-game-studioskmmLA-NoireTeam-BondiWhore-of-the-OrientTue, 28 May 2013 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie demos Ouya in UK Game store: Positive reactions, poor pre-orders]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/indie-demos-ouya-in-uk-game-store-positive-reactions-poor-pre/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/indie-demos-ouya-in-uk-game-store-positive-reactions-poor-pre/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/indie-demos-ouya-in-uk-game-store-positive-reactions-poor-pre/#commentsIndie demos Ouya in UK's Game store Positive reactions, no preorders The Ouya remains a gray area in terms of profit for developers - it's still technically not available to the public, though plenty of Kickstarter backers and indies have consoles. To test out the Ouya's potential, real-world audience, UK developer James Coote took his dev kit to a local Game store and set up a demo station. After all, the Ouya is an "open" console and devs don't have to deal with any NDAs or legalese before showing it off publicly.

Coote worked with Game employees to set up a demo station on an old PS3 stand, and he spent the day showing off his own game and others on the Ouya. The tiny box wasn't connected to the internet, so players had a choice of games Coote had pre-loaded.

"The Ouya has also been criticised for having a laggy UI, but since there was no need to exit the game library and navigate around the rest of the UI, that particular problem didn't come up at all," Coote said.

Overall, the demo was a success, Coote said - though he didn't receive the foot traffic he had anticipated and he was "quite poor" at convincing anyone to throw down £10 for an Ouya pre-order.

"People responded really positively to the live demonstration, whether they were just watching myself or others play, or actively trying it out themselves," Coote said. "Also, not only being able to respond to customers' questions directly, but not being directly affiliated with Ouya, I was able to honestly address some of Ouya's shortcomings, which helped build trust and a rapport with customers."

Read all about Coote's experience with the Ouya at a brick-and-mortar store, and his thoughts for the console's future, right here.

JoystiqIndie demos Ouya in UK Game store: Positive reactions, poor pre-orders originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brick-and-mortargameIndiejames-cooteouyaretailukSun, 26 May 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: First-person mountain adventure, AscendAoN, free to climb]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/psa-first-person-mountain-adventure-ascendaon-free-to-climb/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/psa-first-person-mountain-adventure-ascendaon-free-to-climb/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/psa-first-person-mountain-adventure-ascendaon-free-to-climb/#comments

Where we are, the summer sun has been sizzling the sidewalks, melting our lip balms and turning our cars into ovens pre-heated enough for a handful of full-sized turkeys - and it's not even June. We could use a break from the heat already, and AscendAoN looks to be our respite. It's a snowy mountain-climbing adventure game featuring a grappling hook and rope, and it's out now for free on Indie DB.

"Use your trusty Grapple Gun and Rock Climbing Rope to scavenge for resources scattered around the environment and reach the top of the mountain to radio for help ... but from whom?" the AscendAoN description reads. We don't care who helps us, as long as the rescue kit includes a tall pitcher of lemonade.

Continue reading PSA: First-person mountain adventure, AscendAoN, free to climb

JoystiqPSA: First-person mountain adventure, AscendAoN, free to climb originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2-point-1-studioascendaonfreeIndiepcSun, 26 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie, but not alone: How Vlambeer's advice helped guide Dog Sled Saga]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/indie-not-alone-vlambeers-advice-helped-dog-sled-saga/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/indie-not-alone-vlambeers-advice-helped-dog-sled-saga/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/indie-not-alone-vlambeers-advice-helped-dog-sled-saga/#comments
Indie, but not alone How Vlambeer's advice helped guide Dog Sled Saga
The idea hit Dan FitzGerald in the shower last December: What about a dog sledding game? The Chicago native had been toying around with various prototypes based around a lobbing mechanic, but nothing stuck quite like this. Ideas started pouring in, and he enlisted his girlfriend of three years, Lisa Bromiel, to work on the art and help shape the exciting nugget of an idea into a fully realized video game - a concept that evolved into Dog Sled Saga.

It was the first time either had embarked on anything quite like it. FitzGerald studied communications in college, and had spent time doing contract video production (including trailers for other video games) and web design in an effort to get deeper into the gaming scene. Bromiel, meanwhile, is a trained artist with a focus on material art, though she hadn't consistently worked in digital illustration. As confident as they were about seeing the concept through to completion, they didn't have much insight as to going from making an original game to actually presenting it as a purchasable product. Well, at least until Rami Ismail came to town.

Ismail, the business and development half of Dutch indie studio Vlambeer (Super Crate Box, Luftrausers), stopped in Chicago in February to give a talk as part of DePaul University's Visiting Artists Series. FitzGerald and Bromiel attended, expecting to hear anecdotes about creating their beloved games, or the painful cloning saga that marked the development of Ridiculous Fishing.

Instead they got a real lesson - Indie Game Business 101, if you will - defined by the lecture's catchy three-word title: "Monetize That Shit."

Continue reading Indie, but not alone: How Vlambeer's advice helped guide Dog Sled Saga

JoystiqIndie, but not alone: How Vlambeer's advice helped guide Dog Sled Saga originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidChicago-Game-SceneDan-FitzGeraldDog-Sled-SagaDog-SleddingIndieiosipadiphoneKickstarterLisa-BromielmacmobilepcFri, 24 May 2013 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Adult Swim's Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe hitting Steam soon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/adult-swims-super-puzzle-platformer-deluxe-hitting-steam-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/adult-swims-super-puzzle-platformer-deluxe-hitting-steam-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/adult-swims-super-puzzle-platformer-deluxe-hitting-steam-soon/#commentsAdult Swim jam Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe hits Steam this Friday Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe, a crazy mix of Tetris and Mega Man created by developer Andrew Morrish and published by Adult Swim, comes to Steam later today. The project started as a Flash game (playable for free) in which you shoot groups of blocks that fall from above.

The "Deluxe" part is new, with the game having evolved to include eight different characters, six worlds, and local head-to-head multiplayer. Full controller support is also included, so you can play SPPD through Steam's Big Picture mode.

Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is regularly priced at $7.99, though it'll be 25 percent off at launch. To celebrate, Adult Swim's also having a half-off sale on its first Steam release, Super House of Dead Ninjas, next Tuesday, May 28.

JoystiqAdult Swim's Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe hitting Steam soon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adult-swimandrew-morrishbig-picture-modedeveloperfridayindiepcreleaserelease-datesalesteamsuper-house-of-dead-ninjassuper-puzzle-platformer-deluxeFri, 24 May 2013 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Bam fu]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-bam-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-bam-fu/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-bam-fu/#commentsIt's not that there are too many indie games; it's that there aren't enough hours in a day to play all of them. The Joystiq Indie Pitch curates the best indies to play now and watch out for in the future.

The Joystiq Indie Pitch Bam fu
What's your game called and what's it about?

Bam fu is a two-, three- or four-player game on one device where you tap on pebbles - a fancy word for the buttons in this game - as quickly as you can to make them your color. Other players are trying to do the same and the colors change in a cycle, so the pebbles will definitely not stay on your color for long. The game goes on with you trying to reclaim your pebbles as fast as you can, until all, or almost all, pebbles are your color. That's when you win.

What's the coolest aspect of Bam fu?

We think that the coolest aspect of the game is that you can play it with everyone. Any gender, age or language; literally everyone!

The rules are so simple that it doesn't take more than a second to get them. In fact, we are yet to find a player who doesn't skip the the tutorial. Plenty of thought has gone into small details to keep things simple. For example, we are using the fingers on the hand to count your points, so it's immediately clear that you play to five.

We have also made the game accessible to colorblind players, which was a challenge for a game than distinguishes between players by color. This is why the pebbles were designed to point toward a player's corner.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Bam fu

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Bam fu originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 May 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbam-fuFingleGame-OvenIndieiosipadiphonejoystiq-indie-pitchmobileThu, 23 May 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Jamsouls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-jamsouls/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-jamsouls/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-jamsouls/#commentsIt's not that there are too many indie games; it's that there aren't enough hours in a day to play all of them. The Joystiq Indie Pitch curates the best indies to play now and watch out for in the future.

The Joystiq Indie Pitch Jamsouls
What's your game called and what's it about?

Our game is called Jamsouls. We took inspiration from the famous tale of Pandora's Box to create crazy battles between naughty evil creatures in a vivid and colourful arena!

How have sales and visibility been on XBLIG? Is $1 a good price point for Jamsouls?

XBLIG has poor visibility compared to other games featured on the Xbox Marketplace. We feel that the platform is dying slowly, and that Microsoft is not really interested in this indie scene anymore, which is a shame.

We chose the price of $1 because we wanted the game to have maximum exposure. The price of 80 points is very reasonable for anyone wanting to try the game out.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Jamsouls

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Jamsouls originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chromatic-dreamgreenlightIndiejamsoulsjoystiq-indie-pitchmicrosoftpcsteam-greenlightxbligxboxWed, 22 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox One marketplace won't have separate XBLA, XBLIG channels]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-marketplace-wont-have-separate-xbla-xblig-channels/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-marketplace-wont-have-separate-xbla-xblig-channels/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-marketplace-wont-have-separate-xbla-xblig-channels/#commentsXbox One marketplace won't have separate XBLA, XBLIG channels Xbox One will not have separate sections for indie or download-only games, such as Xbox Live Indie Games and Xbox Live Arcade on the 360 - instead, Microsoft's new console will feature games, and "just games," Microsoft Corporate Vice President Phil Harrison told Eurogamer.

"In the past we had retail games which came on disc, we had Xbox Live Arcade and we had Indie Games, and they had their own discrete channels or discrete silos," Harrison said. "With Xbox One and the new marketplace, they're games. We don't make a distinction between whether a game is a 50-hour RPG epic or whether it is a puzzle game or whether it is something that fits halfway between the two."

In this new approach, indie games, AAA games and everything in-between will co-exist in the same "Games" marketplace. Harrison said this will solve discoverability problems that indie games face today, and Microsoft will still be able to highlight titles that it thinks players should pay attention to.

"We don't give up the ability to put a spotlight on the products that we think are going to be exciting to our user base, but in addition to that, what your friends are playing, what other people think is hot in your area, your country, your continent, will propagate up the most interesting and exciting games," Harrison said.

The Xbox One "Games" tab will feature game recommendations and trends, and will have catalog and search functions. The entire system is a blend of curated and popular games, Harrison said. Microsoft will maintain its current strategy with indie developers, meaning indies won't be able to self-publish their games on Xbox One, as they can on PS3, Vita, Wii U, Steam, and eventually, the PS4.

JoystiqXbox One marketplace won't have separate XBLA, XBLIG channels originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IndiemarketplacemicrosoftXBLAxbligxboxxbox-onexbox-revealWed, 22 May 2013 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox One won't let indies self-publish]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-wont-allow-indies-to-self-publish/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-wont-allow-indies-to-self-publish/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/xbox-one-wont-allow-indies-to-self-publish/#comments
Microsoft didn't have anything to say to smaller independent developers during its Xbox One announcement. Such studios might have been hoping for bigger news from the company's E3 press conference, but it looks like they're out of luck. Unlike the PS3, Vita, Wii U and, soon, the PS4, indie devs will not be able to self-publish their games on Xbox One, reports Shacknews.

Matt Booty, general manager of Redmond Game Studios and Platforms, told the site that Microsoft will "continue to court developers in the ways that we have." He did add that the company will "explore new business models and new ways of surfacing content," but ultimately concluded that "Microsoft Studios is a publisher that works with a wide range of partners, as do a lot of other people, to bring digital content to the box."

Currently, the only way self-publish on the Xbox 360 is via Xbox Live Indie Games. While the niche channel has seen a few successful developers, most see greater success on other platforms like Steam and PSN. Furthermore, the XBLIG service is stagnating according to some developers, and its future remains unclear.

JoystiqXbox One won't let indies self-publish originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indiemicrosoftxbligxboxxbox-oneWed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's message to indies with Xbox One: 'It was sort of weird']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsofts-message-to-indies-with-xbox-one-it-was-sort-of-wei/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsofts-message-to-indies-with-xbox-one-it-was-sort-of-wei/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsofts-message-to-indies-with-xbox-one-it-was-sort-of-wei/#commentsMicrosoft's message to indies with Xbox One 'It was sort of weird' Microsoft's reveal of its next-gen console, the Xbox One, was high on broad entertainment apps such as Skype, interactive programming, media management and Kinect-powered features. Games saw a smaller showing, with two new announcements and a trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts. Indie games got an even smaller nod - that is, none at all.

E3 is right around the corner, with the Microsoft conference on June 10. Maybe that's where all of the Xbox One games are hiding, along with the console's indie plan. We asked a handful of indie developers what Microsoft's presentation today said to them specifically, and what they want to see at E3. Below we have responses from Rami Ismail of Ridiculous Fishing fame, Octodad's Philip Tibitoski, DLC Quest's Ben Kane, Charlie Murder's James Silva, Retro City Rampage's Brian Provinciano and Fez's Phil Fish.

Continue reading Microsoft's message to indies with Xbox One: 'It was sort of weird'

JoystiqMicrosoft's message to indies with Xbox One: 'It was sort of weird' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ben-Kanecharlie-murderDLC-QuestfezGoing-Loud-StudiosIndiemicrosoftoctodadoctodad-2phil-fishphilip-tibitoskirami-ismailridiculous-fishingska-studiosvlambeerxboxxbox-onexbox-revealyoung-horsesTue, 21 May 2013 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Next-gen Microsoft: What the new Xbox can do for indies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/next-gen-microsoft-what-the-new-xbox-can-do-for-indies/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/next-gen-microsoft-what-the-new-xbox-can-do-for-indies/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/next-gen-microsoft-what-the-new-xbox-can-do-for-indies/#commentsWhat the Xbox can do the same, different for indies in next gen The Xbox 360 accrued an arguably bad reputation in terms of indie games publishing over the past few years. Many vocal observers - players, mostly - saw Xbox Live Arcade as a closed, unsupportive platform that asked developers for thousands of dollars to update their own games, and Xbox Live Indie Games was a stagnant hole filled with Minecraft clones and zombie games.

Microsoft may have to overcome this public perception with its next-gen Xbox conference today at 10 a.m. PT. But from an indie developer's standpoint, the issues in publishing with Microsoft are different - or nonexistent.

"Working with Microsoft is great," writes James Silva, one half of Ska Studios and creator of The Dishwasher series of XBLA games. "I have heard a few stories that contradict my experience, and I know quite a few people who are happier on platforms other than XBLA, and that's fine for them. XBLA is a closed, carefully curated platform with its own set of fairly rigid standards and protocols."

Ska Studios works with only Microsoft, publishing The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai after winning the Dream Build Play competition in 2007, and from there developing The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile for XBLA, I MAED A GAM3 W1TH ZOMB1ES 1N IT!!!1 on XBLIG and a version on Windows Phone, and now polishing another XBLA game, Charlie Murder.

Silva makes enough money developing games for Microsoft platforms to support a life of developing games for Microsoft platforms. He says that with Microsoft as a publisher, he retains full creative control, and Microsoft supports him in terms of bug-squashing, meeting goals, play-testing, and even taking him to dinner when he's in town.

"Shortly after The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai launched, I absolutely spent a night at my producer's cabin in Snoqualmie, drinking IPA and playing around with GarageBand," Silva says. "Yes, it was fine, it was fun, and it's unfortunate that 'everything's fine' doesn't really register as newsworthy, because there is currently a 'Microsoft is bad for indies' narrative trending in gaming news."

Continue reading Next-gen Microsoft: What the new Xbox can do for indies

JoystiqNext-gen Microsoft: What the new Xbox can do for indies originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indiemicrosoftnext-xboxXBLAxbligxboxXbox-Live-Arcadexbox-live-indie-gamesxbox-nextxbox-revealTue, 21 May 2013 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[More unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/more-unfinished-business-cavanaghs-vectorized-tongues-and-the/#commentsThis is the second half of a two-part series chronicling the unfinished works of seasoned indie developer Terry Cavanagh. For the first half, click all up on this.


Terry Cavanagh's next confessionary Vine of unfinished projects started with a psychedelic look at his most recently abandoned idea, a first-person exploration game. "The idea was that'd be some way to manipulate your position in the game and access areas that were outside the game world; procedurally generated noise places of some sort," Cavanagh told us.

"I liked the idea of randomly filling a world with information and abilities and letting the player figure it out by just poking around in areas I hadn't specifically designed for them - making a genuine playable minus world. Anyway, I was working on this before GDC, and when I was there I saw another game that was basically doing the same thing but better, so I scrapped my game. It happens, no big deal."

Continue reading More unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist

JoystiqMore unfinished business: Cavanagh's vectorized tongues and the RPG that doesn't exist originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-herofour-letter-wordindieisothingynexus-cityself-destructterry-cavanaghunfinished-businessvineMon, 20 May 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Terry Cavanagh picks up 'proper, meaty puzzle game,' Halting Problem]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/terry-cavanagh-picks-up-proper-meaty-puzzle-game-halting-pro/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/terry-cavanagh-picks-up-proper-meaty-puzzle-game-halting-pro/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/terry-cavanagh-picks-up-proper-meaty-puzzle-game-halting-pro/#commentsTerry Cavanagh working on 'Halting Problem,' a puzzle game Terry Cavanagh throws a ton of game ideas into the online hive mind, and it looks like he found one that sticks with Halting Problem (tentative title). Last week Cavanagh posted a set of Vines - "Pushing a block" and "Fistbump" - and this weekend he wrote in his blog that Halting Problem will probably be his "main focus for a while."

"A proper, meaty puzzle game is something I've wanted to make for ages, and I'm having lots of fun just messing around with the mechanics for this one and seeing what I can make out of them," Cavanagh said. It's inspired by DROD, but also things like Qrostar games, Zachtronic games, and my flatmate Increpare's games."

Cavanagh said he's really excited about this one - and so is that happy little sprite.

JoystiqTerry Cavanagh picks up 'proper, meaty puzzle game,' Halting Problem originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halting-problemIndiepcterry-cavanaghSun, 19 May 2013 18:00:00 EST