DeeSymphony startup

I've started development on DeeSymphony. Currenly doing some GUI and basic greeble tests in Maya 2009. I'll post updates here as I progress.

One major change from DeeGreebler is that DeeSymphony will be split into several scripts for easy maintenance; and it wont be as experimental.

2D Game Development

I've been working on a 2d engine in linux and windows, ever since I started playing Cave Story I've had the urge to create a 2d game; and I'm currently writing an engine with a game/editor ontop which should be pretty versatile and support any kind of 2d game project. Below is a current screenshot from the editor in action in Linux.

PowerCell follow-up

Yes, there is continued progress on PowerCell.

Currently PowerCell is developed 100% in Linux, and even though my initial goal for the game was a free, easy to pick up and play game, I have a couple of other guys working on it now who might think otherwise. It's too bad though since I think the linux community could use more free, open source games to forward and expand the linux gaming community.

There's also been talks of a PowerCell sequel with better graphics and physics. The current version of PowerCell is nearly complete as is, it just needs more content and a few final touches here and there, but overall I feel that the current engine is more than enough to create a release.

The first release should be coming soon enough, and in what scope that will be remains to be seen. I'll probably do a post-mortem on the game as well.

Dee...Symphony?

DeeGreebler is returning, under a different name which I haven't decided yet. It'll be a complete re-write and will support Maya 8.5; though I intend to make it as backwards-compatible as I can, it'll be virtually impossible for me to make it work with every version spanning from 6.0 and up.

A plug-in based version has also crossed my mind, but it'll have a larger maintenance overhead and it's harder to make a plug-in work for more versions since it needs a fresh compile afaik from previous experience.

As for a name, DeeSymphony is probably the name of the development version, since I intend to include some other scripts as a "toolset" of sorts.

New games I'm looking forward to

Here's a list of games that caught my attention at E3 (to be updated):

• Mirror's Edge (X360/PS3/PC) (gamespot search)
• de Blob (WII/DS/PC) (gamespot search)
  
• Halo Wars (X360)
  
• LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
  
• Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)
  
• Castlevania Judgment (WII)
  
• Sonic Unleashed (X360/PS3/PS2/PC)
  
• Flower (PS3)
  
• Tomb Raider Underworld
• Resident Evil 5
  

PowerCell

PowerCell is my most recent hobby project, I'm working on it alone when I feel like it, it uses Irrlicht and FMOD.

It's meant to be a small and lightweight project, with brainstormed gameplay elements; my primary goal is to make it fun to play and replay.

PowerCell gameplay preview 1 at YouTube.

It's been a while since I uploaded this video, and since then the game hasn't seen many updates. What I've been tackling since is mainly two things, the movement system which I've been trying to get to work properly scaled by time rather than FPS, and compiling and running it in Linux.

Linux is once again my main platform at home and while compiling and running the game in Linux have been pretty straight forward, converting the content to a Linux friendly format hasn't. The main problem is that I've been using IrrEdit as my main level editor, which is only available for windows presently. The XML files saved from the editor of course can't be opened with a default text editor in gnome since it doesn't recognize the format, not a major issue since vi takes care of that, so after going over the level files and changing case sensitivity issues, paths et.c. I've run into another issue, which is with the models themselves; it seems some of them have lost polygons on the way somewhere. Most likely a normals issue.

Now I just have to find a different way of getting 3d content into PowerCell, CSG modellers have crossed my mind and even the possibility of creating my own level editor for placing elements. Though the easiest and most painless way right now seems to be a windows partition where I can still run IrrEdit.

I might have to find a willing programmer to help me with the character movement issue and possibly adding a better physics engine.

More updates to come. I'm not ready to drop this project yet, unless it starts to deviate from my main goal.

Some of my E3 press conf impressions

I saw a recorded feed of the Microsoft press conference this morning. My general thoughts after seeing that is that they seem to shamelessly steal concepts and idéas, an avatar system which immediately made me think of the Wii's Mii avatars. Lips, well clearly someone's been playing Singstar. And last but not least the Buzz ripoff.

All is fair in love and games I guess. I wasn't too impressed with the Microsoft press conf. in general.

I watched the Nintendo and Sony press confs. through the gamespot live feed and I was really looking forward to see what Nintendo could possibly conjure up, I did feel a little disappointed after their show. I had heard some things about a "secret game", and I had also read some stuff about MotionPlus. One of the bigger announcements were defenitely Animal Crossing City Folk and the new WiiTalk, and I was pleasantly surprised, certainly exceeded my expectations, even though an AC announcement seemed likely; I wasn't really looking forward to it before the show started. The MotionPlus apparel also seems promising, I guess it's hard to tell until I actually have one plugged to my WiiMote. I had my hopes up on some F-Zero Z news or other major titles we've come to love in previous Nintendo generations, but no such luck.

The Sony conference was definitely the top of the three for me, now I don't own a PS3 but I've been looking forward to getting one down the line and a lot of what was showcased really wet my appetite. A bunch of nice titles and exclusives. And the ending presentation of MAG, which seems to promise those kind of massive, frantic and tense battles I've been dreaming of in a multiplayer setting; were more players work together to hold off an ambush or assault in large numbers. I just hope it can live up to some of my expectations.

Deesine's Personal Blog

This'll be my first post in a new blog where I'll post things related to my personal life and interests. I'm doing this to keep my portfolio clean from ramblings.

Some things this blog will most likely touch upon:

• HMI
  
• Computers
• Drawing
  
• Games
• My personal life

Et.c.