Hello

[Enlia]

I just stopped by the forums to say hello from Jackson.

I downloaded Strange Attractors today and will definitely be playing it more as it took me a second to get a feel for it. I have never actually played a one switch game before so I was delighted to see how difficulty was implemented. I was wondering if there is a high scoreboard anywhere besides that listed in the game? I have to make sure I own my friends at it you know...

Anyway hi guys! I look forward to more games!

[Eric Walker]

Hey! Welcome to the forum!

There is no scoreboard for the original SA. We are looking at doing something like that in the sequel, but we will see where we end up...

What exactly did you like about the difficulty? We had kind of a hard time implementing any kind of 'difficulty' for the player. Originally you could take damage from things, but we ended up with too many arbitrary deaths. We switched it over to a time base, but it isn't balanced very well.

We have a link to some other One Switch games. Some I like better than others, but I love the spirit they all put into designing around that constraint. If I ever again find myself with too much time on my hands, I think I would like to design an audio only game. I haven't come up with any great ideas yet, but the concept/challenge seems like it would be fun.

How did you find us, if you don't mind me asking? I love that the first 'non-employee' to post on our forums is a fellow Michigander =)

-Eric

[Enlia]

As far as difficulty goes, I had no idea how to play when I started of course. I specifically found it difficult to maneuver around and learn the game using only gravity and different balls. When the level came in with bars to hit as targets I thought it was a lot more fun. Also gathering fuel was a clever idea that seemed easy to do initially but it's like my brain couldn't remember how to move throughout the levels haha... I mean just at first but then I kind of got a "swing" method down and could do it easily. The timing and scoring still somewhat confuse me to be honest, but as an indie game it kicks butt. What do the kills offer long term? I haven't completed all levels yet so I'm curious about the kills in the end?

I found you guys through here:
http://gamedevmap.com/index.php?query=MICHIGAN&Submit=Search
a while back and decided to check you guys out again lately to see what might be happening.

It's interesting you talked about doing an audio only game. Assuming you would only use voice for the game? That is an idea that has been thrown around in game design for some time, but no one has marketed a fantastic idea/game yet (probably because of monetary expenses involved in audio development). That is something I've always been interested in as well. Audio has come  along way, I'd be interested in hearing your ideas on that, and wish you well in the endeavors (still wondering if that's what you meant by audio only). One huge problem is people having a dry throat from playing hardcore in a game mandated only by voice. Well... that would be my problem at least since I am such an addict. There must be a way around that though, I mean most of us do a lot of talking all day, and during games we use ventrilo often right? So it shouldn't be too much of an issue unless people had to scream into the mic. :p

There are so few game devs. in MI... I am thrilled to see something being done about that.

[Eric Walker]

We found that a lot of people didn't really 'get' it until the first 'Challenge Level'. The timing and the scoring are a bit wacky honestly. If i remember correctly, you get some points for killing guys, completing rooms, and getting fuel stars. The kill count is really just for reference, I don't think it actually gives you anything.

For an audio only game, I wasn't so much thinking of a voice activated game as I was a game where there are no graphics on the screen, and the environment is communicated completely by sound. A voice activated game could be neat too though. I imagine it could be very immersive if it was done correctly and not as just a gimmick.

Also, thanks for the link. I'm not sure how we ended up on that site, but it is always interesting to look around and see where everyone is.

-Eric

[Enlia]

So would your audio game be intentionally for the those with poor eyesight? I have actually never even heard that idea, it's great. Do you know of any games for the blind otherwise? It's really exciting to think about games that might work for those who aren't typical gamers. That really drives innovation.

You've been on that site for a while also, at least since I started checking it out. Who does the artwork for your games? I really like it...

[Bret Alfieri]

Thanks for your feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the artwork.

[Eric Walker]

^^He does.

Yeah, as with a lot of accessible games, there are a couple out there for vision impaired/blind people, but the mainstream doesn't often consider them.

Text adventures work well for that demographic too. They can use speech synths to read the text off of the screen. I would be interested in trying something more like what these guys do:[url=http://www.audiogames.net/playcenter/]http://www.audiogames.net/playcenter/[/url]

I met them in California when we were there for the IGF. They've got some neat stuff.

[Enlia]

Thanks for the reply Bret, very cool work again.

Also thanks for the link Eric, that made it clear what you meant by audio only. I had seen a show about using braille in the past for gaming or computer usage in general, but like you said... mainstream doesn't appreciate it. Still it's cool to see different types of edutainment and work being done for the impaired. Speaking of.. what drove you to create Strange Attractors in the first place? Friends, family, or just the inspiration to make something easy and innovative? Maybe something else entirely drew you in, I'm just curious. 

I'd definitely love to play around with audio game designs, it sounds like a fun venture regardless of the payoff.

It's a long stretch but do you guys think about doing anything with VR by chance? I know it's kind of a side thought for a lot of devs but I'm still interested in finding a crew out there toying with ideas. VR excites me simply because it's most likely the next step of course, and if you've ever seen ExistenZ... well that's the kind of movie that makes me dream up ideas of meshing our world with the game world. Anyway it's so great to meet you guys on here, I look forward to seeing more from you guys in general. You're so uber for attending the IGF, I can't wait until I'm able to attend one day.

[Eric Walker]

First, I haven't thought too much about VR, but have you seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

If I end up with some extra time this summer, I might give that a try.

As for the first Strange Attractors we were in between projects when I read about a competition at Retro Remakes (.com) It gave us a month to make a game that used only the space bar. Many many years ago we made a gravity game, and before I read about the competition I was thinking of remaking it with our more advanced technology. After I read about the Comp, I started to think about ideas, and the gravity one stuck.

I sketched a screenshot up that night, then I spent the weekend writing a demo. I showed that to Bret, he thought it was entertaining enough to invest time in. The rest is pretty much history.

Before doing that I never really gave any thought to making games for people with disabilities. After working on it and seeing how people played it, it really gave me a better understanding of how immersive games can be if you move more of the game into the players mind. In the case of SA the player doesn't need to think about how  to control the avatar, only when to exert that control. The link between the game world displayed on the computer and the game world in the players mind is separated only the space bar. The player will never have to worry about 'hitting the wrong button'. That's only my theory, but I really think it has a lot to do with the game success, and I think its a valuable insight into game design.

[Enlia]

That video clip is great. We're taking small steps closer every day. There isn't much ado about VR but I do love reading or hearing about ideas like this.

I had not heard about the retro remake competition. I just adore retro games and casual games ever since my obsessive Tetris days, and when Geometry Wars Evolved came around I was hooked again on the retro craze, so SA is right up my alley.

Speaking of games.. do you have any current addictions, all time favorites, etc? We just sold off our Wii to buy an Xbox360, and so far I'm pretty happy about the trade, though it's only been a week. I still wanted a couple games for the Wii, like Wii Fitness.. but eh I can go for a jog myself right? I heard Nintendo had an idea for what looks like a wii biking game too... um they already have that USB port biking game so that's kind of bleh. Anyway I'm enjoying gears of war and some other games I missed while obsessing over WoW... how about you?

[Eric Walker]

I would have to say my all time favorite was the original Doom. I used to play the 10 shareware levels a lot. I've purchased and played through all the rest of Doom and Doom II, but those first 10 are still the ones I enjoy the most.

I'm a fan of the Halo series, but I've never really played it online. I just really love the universe they have built to tie the game together. I understand it was originally supposed to be an RTS, which might help explain the oodles of backstory they have.

Tie Fighter was another awesome game. Starsiege was the game I played online the most (Cybrids FTW). I really liked all of the games Dynamix made. Cyberstorm is not too well known, but it was a hex-based turn based strategy game with giant robots. It was awesome.

Right now I'm playing Resistance: Fall of Man, Guitar Hero III (which I need to practice more), The Orange Box, Mario Galaxy, and Zack and Wiki. On top of programming, and my real job, I sometimes don't get a lot of time to play.

I'm looking forward to The Force Unleashed, and I want to pick up a copy of 'Uncharted: Drake's Fortune', but I need to finish something else first. That's always been the rule: "You can only get a new game if you finish one of the ones you already have".

I've never played WoW. I'm a little afraid it would suck me in and offset the delicate balance of me not getting everything I want to do done anyway.

I just got a PS3 as well. I was really really close to getting a 360, but I figured everyone else had one and I should try something different. I would like to play Gears, and I need to spend more time doing fun things to zombies in Dead Rising.

I don't know what the other guys are playing right now. I'll try to send them this way and see...

[Enlia]

Well they do say the PS3 will be the hot console in about a year, with tons of games being finished. Lilttle Big Planet alone is probably worth the price of the console. I will be purchasing one after the 360 in a year or so I presume.

I did beat Mario Galaxy, that was a fun one to unlock luigi on... but oh thanks.. now I can play it all again... with another dude.... who is a little faster... eh didn't leave me open for replay value really. It was a great game though, definitely don't waste your time with books or looking up anything, it's easy to just go right through. I'm kind of anti getting help, cheats, or anything like that... and I still have this one puzzle on Polarium for DS that I just never got because of it.

Anyway, the Orange box is a lot of fun, I really liked the added challenges after you beat Portal. I'm going crazy right now having a bunch of new games to play and final exams as well.

You're probably right about WoW, it certainly sucked my life away while I played, and I never got anything done it seemed. After quitting I've even made a "things I've done since quitting WoW" list to motivate me to stay away from such games in the future.

Gears of War was fun but we beat it quickly. Then again not on insane mode yet, which is significantly harder, heh, so we're working on that. We're definitely borrowing Dead Rising from a friend, everyone keeps saying how fun it is so I'm excited to try it.

Halo 3 is still one I need to buy, and I think I want to put it off because I need to beat all these other games first before dishing out the money. So many achievement points yet to obtain makes me mad I didn't get this before Christmas break when I had some time to play.

You'll have to let me know how the PS3 games treat you, I'm curious as it seems to be the last console for me to buy for a bit.

[egoflux0]

tbh, the last console I really enjoyed to no end was the SNES followed by the PS2.  Is it wrong to feel that I actually enjoy making games and programming more than playing them these days?! =/

[MrToc]

Hello everyone !

It's good to talk about videogame with people interesting in playing differently, discovering new way of interacting 

Here's how I discover Strange Attractor 1 :

- while reading my favorite IT/videogame news website (pcinpact.com), I found a link to IGF
in the LIDD (Liens Idiots du Dimanche ~ "Stupids Links Of Sunday" (ironic) )

- on the IGF website, I looked for downloadable games (because I was going on holiday, without Internet for 1 month), to play on my notebook (and I couldn't wait to try these innovative/original games), so I downloaded the installer of a few of them, then traveled to Germany, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intervac]Intervac[/url] rules !

- I install the games after visiting few cities, at evening. Strange Attractors was a very good surprise !


About videogame, as "oldies", I remember :
- Extreme Prejudice and other "little" games on SVM Mac CDs (mac)
- Dark Forces (mac),
- TIE Fighter & X-Wing (mac), later I found another Star Wars game I played at a game convention on the N64
- all Mario Kart and Zelda from s-nes to gamecube
- most of Super Mario
- Secret Of Mana (s-nes), the only RPG I ever played. After playing it, other RPG seem boring, low quality.
- Mario Paint, many other games on s-nes
- Goldeneye, Body Harvest, Jet Force Gemini, Worms Armageddon on Nintendo 64,
- Dungeon Keeper 1, Street War,
- a very scary FPS I can't remember its name (mac),
- Duke Nukem 3D ,
- Doom I & II,
- Quake 1, 2 and 3 Arena,
- Half-Life 1 and 30 of its mods,
- Command & Conquer (before the "Generals/etc" stuff)
- Operation FlashPoint and 5 of its mods, Vietcong,
- Mafia and its mod Cold Mod,
- Trackmania, Ballistics (the fastest race game of all time)

And recently :
- Orange Box
- many HL² mods
- Red Orchestra & ArmA

Who said video game was a stupid and not creative thing ?

[Eric Walker]

That's a pretty good list. I did get Drakes Fortune and I really liked it. It was a little awkward in a few spots, but it was certainly entertaining. I also have the Lego Star Wars game for the Wii. Its great for company.

Right now I'm playing Metal Gear Solid 4. I have never played any of the old ones. Its a weird game for sure, but I find it strangely entertaining. Its a little like watching anime without subtitles, I guess.

As for the IGF, I think that's how most people found out about us. It was really amazing to make it to the finals on our first attempt. A few weeks ago, I found a folder full of video game ideas we had in high school. In the back, there was an entry form for one of the first Independent Games Festivals. We didn't even have a game to enter back then, but the prospect must have appealed to me enough to print out an entry form =)