WHAT I'M READING AT THE MOMENT

This writer got me rolling with AS2 last year, so I thought I’d read through his AS3 games update…

DESKTOP TOWER DEFENSE

Desktop TD is my kind of game. I discovered it when reading a Gamasurta article: The Lone Coder. Which I found to be a motivating read.

Anyway’s… check out the Flash game Desktop Tower Defense, it’s such an addictive play! Below is a screen shot, the background photo is ace, I love the low rent visuals. It’s all in the coding and game design, that’s where the effort has clearly been focused.

Desktop TD designer Paul Preece - handdrawngames.com

DEVELOP EXPO 08

Here’s an interesting episode of 'Start / Select' from GameSpot UK down at Develop 08 in Brighton last week. I find Little Big Planet’s section more appealing than the latter, the in-game footage looks so innovative and FUN!

FURTHER CLIENT PROJECT THOUGHTS

I’m still mulling over the different routes that I could go down with my upcoming 3^rd year client project, but I’m still on the fence, so to speak, when it’s comes to making a decision. (Maybe some tutor guidance / advice might be of help… hint, hint!)

No offence to basically ALL past game students on my course, but I don’t fancy going for the Unreal map / level option. This seems to be the only type of project I’ve seen produced in recent years from NTU games students. Some of them where top notch maps, don’t get me wrong, but still… YAWN!

There are also other reasons why I’m less tempted to pursue the UT route, except avoiding the norm, as just pointed out…

My 3D skills are basic; I can navigate my way around 3DSM (version 8+) comfortably, but when it comes to complex modelling and all the other cool animation jazz, I’m not cut out for it, or better put, I’m not that interested in the 3D / Art side of the industry. The standard of games art today is outstanding! You have to be the best of the best to even stand a chance of getting a 3D / Art job interview! It's not my forte, so I don’t feel I should waste time pursing that route.

Most UT projects (even stand alone MODS) seem to always be FPS orientated, maybe because that’s what the Unreal engine is best at, that was it’s initial purpose after all. Around 90% of the Western games market is FPS based. I feel like that’s a genre that already has enough people pushing the boundaries. Also, most of my design ideas and thoughts don’t seem to be FPS related. Don’t get me wrong... again, I love FPS but I’m enthralled with a lot of different game genres and I’m always playing around with diverse concepts for puzzle and strategy systems, these ventures intrigue me a lot more.

Why am I spouting all this self reflective crap I ask myslef?! Because I’m trying to argue reasons for my client project to possibly be Flash based.
I want to develop my coding skills further, which is going to be vital no doubt for my prospective role as a designer (here’s hoping). I had great successes with my Flash game project (Duck Pond) during the 2nd year and I feel it’s the project where I gained the most technical knowledge, programming / coding. Flash also acts as a good blank canvas for me to test out a huge range of design ideas and concepts.

I also have several solid game systems that I’d like to work into the project, only if plausible of course. One of the designs would be a re-worked digital version of my card game Connect Wars. As developed for a brief set last year... further explanation and reasoning HERE.

I guess at the end of the day it’s all down to the client (if I can ever secure one) to set the brief… or is it? Would it be best to locate a client that is already in the industry? Or would it be better to find a client from a different sector, who requires a multimedia / games based product but tailored towards their needs and outputs?

I’m making slow progress over the summer with regards to my ‘pixel monkey skillz’, I really need to start getting some practical work down. Working this s***ty job to keep myself afloat in the absence of student financial support is taking up all of my time, but I’m trying to keep ideas going when I can...