Indie Game News

MUSIC REACTIVE SIDE-SCROLLING PLATFORMER RUSH BROS. DROPS ONTO STEAM FOR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD TONIGHT!

2013-05-25T22:17:00.001+01:00

Crank up the Volume with XYLA’s Side Scrolling Platform Racing Action Game featuring select tracks from Infected Mushroom

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, NORTH AMERICA – May 24th, 2013 – Digital Tribe Games, an emerging indie publisher established to service the rapidly evolving digital distribution segment of the video game industry, have announced that Rush Bros., a side scrolling action game featuring music-reactive level design, will be available this evening for Mac and PC on the digital download service Steam.

Rush Bros. will be available for a limited time at $8.99 as well as in a special 2-Pack Bundle at $14.99. The suggested retail price for Rush Bros. is $9.99 (£6.99, €9.99, 249p)

Rush Bros. is a platform racing game like no other, featuring both local and online competitive play between two players, with fast and furious reactive level design where the music you play directly affects the movement of traps, obstacles and backgrounds while playing. Rush through unique levels jam-packed with puzzles and obstacles while trying to thwart and crush your competitor in a breakneck race to the finish. Online Multiplayer supports cross-platform play between PC and Mac gamers.

In Arcade mode you can learn the levels and race against ghost versions of yourself to perfect your best times. Remix allows you to alter your gameplay by turning on Fast Forward to speed everything up or Survival Mode where the stakes are even higher, as there are no checkpoints and once you lose your life, you have to restart from the beginning.

Featuring select tracks from international music sensation Infected Mushroom, players experience 41 levels of hardcore side-scrolling platform racing action, including a special themed level where you play as Infected Mushroom founders Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani. Alternatively, turn DJ and rock out to your own MP3 or OGG digital music library.

Rush Bros. features Steamworks™ integration including Big Picture Mode, Leaderboards and Achievements. Developer XYLA Entertainment will expand the universe with a series of updates featuring new level packs, game modes and more, including a ReverbNation level and showcasing ReverbNation artists that win their current Beat Battle contest. Rush Bros. is available in eight languages, including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian Portuguese and Turkish.

The game is available for purchase at: http://store.steampowered.com/app/234490/

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New Update to Directional for iOS

2013-05-25T19:35:00.001+01:00

Directional Dash is an addictive & intelligent puzzle game for iOS by indie dev Mike Hince:

✓ 3 Game Modes, Classic, Expert & Limited
✓ 9 Game Types, Quick & Extended Play
✓ Universal with iCloud Scoring
✓ Game Center Leaderboards
✓ 18 Game Center Achievements
✓ Share your scores on Twitter & Facebook

It's recently been updated with the following features:

* Universal with iPad Support
* iCloud Scoring
* iOS6 Sharing
* iPhone 5 Support
* New easier "one swipe" way to play.

Directional Dash is available in two versions:

Directional Dash Screenshots:

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Skyward Collapse - released today!

2013-05-23T20:17:00.000+01:00

Well, has been / will be released, not entirely sure...

Anyway, a fascinating game by all accounts. It's kind of a mixture of Populous and Civilisation, except the goal is to maintain a balance between the two sides rather than lead one to victory. A proper review soon... but looks very good so far.

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Indie Narrative / Strategy Game 7 Grand Steps Will Release June 7 for PC and Mac

2013-05-23T11:10:00.001+01:00

SAN FRANCISCO - May 22, 2013 - Indie developer Mousechief is announcing that 7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat will release on June 7, 2013 from Steam and Mousechief.com. This unique casual game was a finalist in the Nuovo category of this year's Independent Game Festival and received an honorable mention in narrative. A 15-20 hour experience not including replays, 7 Grand Steps will sell for $15 as a PC / Mac download.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is a strategy game that uses a board game mechanic to advance a rich, intimate narrative. Via brief text vignettes that add up to the length of two novels, see how the trials our western ancestors endured influence our lives today. Playing as dozens of generations across four social classes that change with the ages, players assume a formative role in the evolution of human history, discovering more than 70 inventions that changed the world, braving a score of heroic adventures, and facing the challenges of three mini-ruling games.

In February, Mouschief released a beta version of 7 Grand Steps through the Humble Store. The game has since been updated and refined based on player feedback. At launch, beta purchasers will be able to download the finished game and receive a free Steam key, if desired.

From the sweat of laborers to the perspective of kings, 7 Grand Steps allows you to experience the drama of a family lineage that survived the changing ages -- or did they survive? How you guide them determines their fate. Learn more at:http://www.7grandsteps.com

Advance Praise for 7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat:

"There's a synergy between mechanics and story that keeps you moving turn after turn." - G4TV

"It's a simple looking game, but as I played the demo I found myself unable to stop..." - Kill Screen

"7 Grand Steps is enticing and almost entirely apart from the hundreds of games that have passed through my PC in the last twelve months." - RockPaperShotgun

"The writing is packed full of entertaining wording so as to create images in your head..." - IndieStatik

"...the kind of game that will sneak up on you—yet very likely to ensnare you in its slow-paced strategy after just a few minutes of play." - GameZebo

About Mousechief

Mousechief, since 2003, has been an independent developer of sophisticated, casual games with meaningful stories. Our previous, critically-acclaimed title, Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble!, was nominated by the Writer's Guild of America for Outstanding Script, an IndieCade finalist, and winner of the Casual Game Association's prize for Most Innovative Game. Other games include The Witch's Yarn, an IGF finalist in 2006, and Flagship Champion, an IGF finalist in 1999.

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Announcing Baby Race - build a car and take a ride!

2013-05-23T11:02:00.000+01:00

Milano, Italy - Independent developer Fabio Bassan introduces Baby Race - build a car and take a ride! 1.0 for iOS and Android, a funny toy app with an innovative gameplay suited for 1-4 years old babies.

Choose a car body, customize color and wheels, add your favorite decoration and take a ride in one of the 6 colorful scenarios! During the race two random items will appear, one of them will make your car advance while the other one will slow you down. Whichever car wins, there will always be applause sounds and a trophy for the winner! Baby Race is a secure game for children and it is free of advertising.

Feature Highlights:

* 12 amazing vehicles to choose from and customize

* 6 colorful scenarios

* Many customizations (colors, wheels and stickers)

* Funny race with interactive objects which increase or decrease the speed

* Kid friendly interface

* Lots of funny and realistic sounds

* No advertising

Language Support:

English, German, Northern Sami, Spanish

Device Requirements:

* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

* Requires iOS 5.0 or later

* Universal app optimized for display on all iOS devices

* 16.2 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Ultra Reaction 1.0 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide through the App Store and Google Play in the Entertainment category.

Based in Milan, Italy, Fabio Bassan is an independent software developer whose passion is creating iOS and Android ppp.

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Guns of Icarus Online Adventure Mode Funded

2013-05-23T10:56:00.001+01:00

Guns of Icarus Online Adventure Mode Funded

Over $200,000 Raised!

May 21, 2013 –Muse Games' Guns of Icarus Online has completed its Kickstarter project to create Adventure Mode, which expands the original co-op airship combat game to include full co-op player vs. environment (PvE) settings. This monumental step will takeGuns of Icarus Online to the next level, allowing for player progression, questing, and an immersive setting within the Guns of Icarusworld. More information at www.GunsofIcarus.com.

CEO Howard Tsao had this to say about where the funds will go and what features to expect, "First I would like to thank all of our supporters, including those that purchased our current game as well as those that are helping fund the next phase. We're absolutely certain we can deliver a PvE experience that will live up to everyone's expectations and be a blast to play and explore. On top of that we're going to strive to deliver the Econo-Political structure discussed in the Kickstarter event, adding dynamic quest and political relations to the PvE framework. While we fell a little short of the funding goal for that addition, we believe it is still within our grasp.

Guns of Icarus Online is the premier airship combat game where up to 4 players man a single ship in their attempt to coordinate with their team to bring down the enemies in a variety of game modes. Adventure Mode expands on this format, creating a living online world with true player, town, and meta progression.

ABOUT MUSE GAMES

Muse Games is an independent game development studio in New York City that creates original 3D games using the Unity engine. Their flagship products, CreaVures and Guns of Icarus Online, are available on Steam. Find out more at www.musegames.com

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Corel Offers Powerful Alternatives to Creative Cloud

2013-05-23T10:53:00.003+01:00

Potentially of interest to some indie developers?

Maidenhead, UK – Wednesday 22 May, 2013 – Corel today announced a special pricing program specifically for Creative Suite users looking for an alternative to Creative Cloud. As some software companies move to subscription only models, Corel continues to offer users the flexibility to choose how they want to purchase and experience Corel products. Creative Suite users are invited to try or purchase award-winning Corel software including CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Painter, PaintShop Pro,VideoStudio Pro and AfterShot Pro at a special price (ranging up to 60% off SRP).

“We strongly believe that users should be able to choose how they would like to purchase their software,” said Nick Davies, EVP & GM Graphics, Digital Media & Productivity Software at Corel. “We recognise that there isn’t one solution that will work for everyone, which is why we have different offerings for the diverse products in our portfolio. We will continue to sell perpetual licenses in both the box and download format, in addition to offering CorelDRAW subscriptions and more, in order to meet the needs of our users.”

Corel Offers Best of Both Worlds

Whether users are looking for a short-term commitment or want to always be up-to-date but own their software, Corel delivers the options and flexibility to cater to diverse users. In addition to a subscription or perpetual license of CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite, the CorelDRAW Premium Membership program adds the benefits of a subscription (always up-to-date, exclusive content and more) to the perpetual usage right of the product, offering the best of both worlds.

Take Corel Products for a Test Run

To experiment with the tools, features and workflow of Corel products, free 30-day fully functional trials can be downloaded atwww.corel.com/cs Learning resources are available within the product and through the Corel Discovery Center to ease into the transition and become more familiar with the power of Corel products.

“I'm a graphic designer by trade and I've tried just about every professional design application out there, but CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6 trumps them all” said Scott Huff, CorelDRAW user. “The streamlined interface is highly customisable with dockers and tools that are useful and intuitive. The integration within the applications means I never need to leave my Corel environment. From initial sketches to final proof I complete my work in a fraction of the time it takes using the competition's top tools.”

Pricing

The following offer is available for Creative Suite users in North America until August 30, 2013:

CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X6 – £215 (SRP £479)

Painter® 12 – £143 (SRP £275)

PaintShop® Pro X5 – £44.99 (SRP £59.99)

VideoStudio® Pro X6 – £44.99 (SRP £59.99)

AfterShot™ Pro – £59.99 (SRP £80)

To learn more about the special offer or to purchase, visit www.corel.com/cs.

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New Twist to RPG Dungeon Crawler, Puzzle Based Combat

2013-05-21T17:19:00.004+01:00

DUNGEON OF ELEMENTS MASHUPS TILE MATCHING WITH RPG DUNGEON CRAWLING

Indie Studio Creates Gateway Game to Bring Casual Players to RPGs

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY -- May 20, 2013 -- Dungeon of Elements, merging an RPG dungeon crawler with classic tile matching mechanics, delivers an engaging and quite different gaming experience that can be enjoyed by both core and casual players. Indie game studio Frogdice plans a July launch.

In Dungeon of Elements, players take on the role of an alchemist exploring a huge world for rare elements. They will battle monsters in 45 different environments while gathering materials and basic gear. Back in the lab, they perform experiments that unlock recipes for items based on the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

The hardcore RPG fan can wallow in awesome gear, leveling up and crushing bosses. The casual player can delight in nostalgic, match 4 style tile matching puzzles, collecting pets and a branching storyline.

Dungeon of Elements takes place in the world of Primordiax - a fantasy world shared by all of Frogdice's games. This dates back to Threshold RPG, a text MUD RPG launched in 1996 that is still enjoyed by thousands of players.

The game reflects Frogdice’s design philosophy of taking casual game elements and merging them into core game genres. The studio's goal is to appeal to core gamers while also creating a gateway to introduce casual players to more core games.

“We love playing RPGs and we really want to introduce new people to the genre with Dungeon of Elements,” Michael Hartman, CEO & President, Frogdice Games, explains. “The tile matching puzzle mechanic is fantastic for combat because it is familiar and inviting to casual players, but as any hardcore player can attest, it can be used to create extremely complex and engaging gameplay.”

Frogdice is reaching out directly to RPG and casual game fans with a Kickstarter campaign that will give them early access toDungeon of Elements. The company has self-funded the development and the title is almost complete. Kickstarter funds will be used to do the final polishing of the game as well as hire a sound engineer to add music and sound effects.

Frogdice estimates backers will receive their copy of the game within 30 days after project funding, a full month before it goes on sale to the public.

Game features:

· Match-4 combat inspired by some of the most classic puzzle games of all time

· Deep crafting system where recipes are unlocked through experimentation

· Hundreds of gear options

· Collecting pets, bestiary

· Achievements

· Highly customizable character creation

· Branching storyline where choices change the game

· Huge world to explore with 45 different environments

Dungeon of Elements trailer:

ABOUT FROGDICE

An indie studio based in Lexington, Kentucky, Frogdice is active on social media and employees loves engaging with their community. Since 2000, the studio has hosted an annual convention for their fans. Interact with Frogdice here:

· Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dungeonofelements

· Twitter: http://twitter.com/frogdiceinc

· Forum: http://forums.frogdice.com

· Website: http://doe.frogdice.com

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PuzzME: puzzle becomes social

2013-05-21T17:07:00.001+01:00

The rules are always the same: putting together the pieces to reassemble the final picture. The classic jigsaw puzzle is a game that fascinates millions of people around the world and today it can be played on smartphones and tablets ...

Puzz-Me has a time limit to complete the various tables and the player can choose three different difficulty levels. The more he goes up, of course, the more time decreases, the tiles become small, numerous, and everything is more complicated!

There are 30 tables, some of them can be played freely, for others it’s necessary to have accumulated enough experience points. These points are credited to the player at the end of each game and they vary according to the difficulty.

During the game players have a small magnifying glass that can be useful to place faster the tiles in the right place. However there is also the Training mode that allows to play with no time limits.

At the end of each game, if the player wants, he can share the result on Facebook and Twitter. All Puzz-Me’s tables are works of artists Gloom82, Ivanandreevich and Lindelokse, belonging to the digital community deviantART (www.deviantart.com).

Puzz-Me is the first app developed by Indie Construction, a small indie Italian studio focused on casual games.

Puzz-Me is already available for free on Google Play (in May also on the AppStore).

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First look at ARKADIANAX a 2D/3D shooter

2013-05-21T16:12:00.000+01:00

Santiago, Chile - May 15th, 2013 - Independent game developer Sumersión Studio is pleased to release a unique first look of their action/arcade shooter, ARKADIANAX. The title will blend a mix of 2D and 3D in a fast paced shooter like never seen before. The title is currently on Steam Greenlight seeking support from the gaming community.

Shoot your way though hordes of enemy ships, tanks, mine fields, wind mills, lazer beams, massive boss fights, planes, trains and possibly automobiles, all in a multi-dimensional shoot em up like never seen before!

As pilot of the "ARKADIANAX" face both 2D and 3D enemies blended into a whirlwind of nostalgic and modern gameplay, grab items and upgrade your beastly cannons to take down anything and everything that appears to be in your general shooting direction. Discover a colorful multi-dimensional world that requires your expert knowledge in arcade classics to protect and guard the universe; shoot bullets, bombs and massive fists of fury in this explosive space-age shmup!

Features:

- Single player and local coop campaign - Fight with friends!

- Password enabled save feature - Protect your save!

- Full controller support - Defend from the comfort of your couch!

- English and spanish language - Viva Nostalgia!

- More than 30 unique enemies

- Original 8 bit inspired music to motivate your journey

- Oh so many surprises- there's a decent chance you'll be surprised!

ARCADIANAX is set for a release in the Summer of 2013 on Mac and PC. A trailer has been released in conjunction with the press release and can be seen via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kQ5NuiBYEU Fans of the game are encouraged to visit the Steam Greenlight page and vote to see it available on the distribution platform. For additional information on ARCADIANAX, visit http://sumersion.com/studio/arkadianax/

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Junk Punk 3D released for Mac

2013-05-21T12:40:00.000+01:00

It seems to have been a while since I posted about a new indie game release for Mac. Anyway, here's one...

Kokkola, Finland - Eerie Studios is pleased to announce that a game that we've been working on for a while, Junk Punk 3D, has been officially released and is now available on the Mac App Store. Junk Punk 3D is a universal game, so it is also available for all iOS devices. A Mac with access to the App Store is required.

Junk Punk 3D is a fast-paced action game about free running, fast reflexes and competition. As the player, your ultimate goal is to get as far as you can, without falling down, in which case your only option is to try again. The game was entirely developed by Pauli Jokela (CEO of Eerie Studios and Didstopia), excluding the music, which was done by John Cape (Juha Niemi).

Features:

* Fast-paced action that sharpens your reflexes

* Gorgeous 3D graphics

* Compete against yourself, your friends or the entire world with Game Center-integration

* Looks superb on all devices

* Amazing music from John Cape

System Requirements:

* OS X 10.6.6 or later

* 30.4 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Junk Punk 3D 1.0.1 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Games category.

Eerie Studios: http://eerie-studios.com

Didstopia: http://didstopia.com

Junk Punk 3D 1.0.1: http://eerie-studios.com/app/junk-punk-3d/

Purchase and Download (MAS): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/junk-punk-3d/id599964386?mt=12

Located in Kokkola, Finland, Eerie Studios was founded in 2011 by Pauli Jokela. Eerie Studios is an independent game development studio acting as a subsidiary of Didstopia.

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Unity Empowers Games Industry with Free Mobile Publishing Tools

2013-05-21T12:30:00.000+01:00

Malmö, Sweden - May 21, 2013 - Unity Technologies, provider of the Unity multi-platform engine and development tools, is pushing the democratization of game development further than ever before by making its basic mobile tools completely free to independent developers and small studios. Starting today, Unity’s gigantic indie developer community can publish their games and apps to iOS and Android in the build menu. Publishing options for additional supported mobile platforms, such as BlackBerry and Windows Phone 8, will be included at no additional cost once they are released.

Unity, the most adopted game engine, holds a central place in the videogame industry for driving the explosive growth in independent studios. By making basic add-ons tools completely free that previously cost $800, Unity is widening the path for developers looking to take steps towards creative and fiscal freedom. Individual developers and small studios using the free version of Unity can commercialize their games without buying licenses or sharing their revenues with Unity.

“We were able to make Unity free for the web and for desktop computers a while ago, but have been dreaming of doing the same for mobile for what seems like forever,” said David Helgason, CEO, Unity Technologies. “Mobile games development is possibly the most dynamic and exciting industry in the world, and it’s an honor to be able to help so many developers be so successful in fulfilling their visions and in building their businesses.”

With a high-powered engine rendering the most visually stunning mobile games, a deep and intuitive editor for fast-paced development, and ability to deploy across a multitude of mobile platforms, Unity has become the number one development tool for game developers.

In 2012, Game Developer Magazine conducted a survey that found 53% of mobile developers were using Unity and Apple named 17 Unity-authored mobile titles to their “Best of” awards including The Room which was named Game of the Year on iPad.

About Unity Technologies

Unity Technologies is the creator of Unity, a flexible and high-performance development platform used to make creative and intelligent interactive 3D and 2D experiences. The "author once, deploy everywhere" capability ensures developers can publish to all of the most popular platforms. Unity Technologies boasts a thriving community of over 1.8 million developers including large publishers, indie studios, students and hobbyists. To remain at the forefront of innovation, Unity Technologies tirelessly re-invests in its award-winning 3D development tools and its democratization initiatives, such as the Asset Store digital content marketplace and Union game distribution service. Unity Technologies is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Singapore, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit: http://unity3d.com.

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Darts Up announced for Wii U

2013-05-21T12:25:00.002+01:00

20th May 2013, Barcelona, Spain. EnjoyUp Games announces Darts Up on Nintendo WiiU™.

EnjoyUp Games: http://www.enjoyup.com

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EnjoyUp/102050359833234

Twitter: http://twitter.com/enjoyupgames

DARTS UP

The ultimate darts game is now on Nintendo WiiU™.

Darts Up is a fun game of darts in which you will have complete control over aiming thanks to the Gamepad motion sensor. You can play with your friends and family, up to a maximum of 4 Players, using the Mii™ to create your profile.

Darts Up has several playing modes, including the famous 501.

Features of Darts Up:

- Use the Gamepad motion sensor to aim and view the surroundings.

- Create your own profile using the Mii™.

- Three playing modes, including 501!

- 4 Players.

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Tasty Tadpoles - A Casual Pond based Puzzler

2013-05-21T12:22:00.002+01:00

Melbourne, Australia - From ex-Firemint graphic designer Mark White comes Tasty Tadpoles, a casual stealth/puzzle game that puts you in charge of guiding a series of little tadpoles to safety across 3 puzzling ponds and 75 deliciously challenging levels. Tasty Tadpoles is a deliciously addictive trial of survival, available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Dip your finger in to twist, turn and tap your tenacious tadpole through three puzzling ponds of peril!

You'll need fast fingers to flash past the fleet green tadpoles, a keen sense of cunning and craftiness to overcome the territorial yellow tadpoles along with tremendous timing and precision poking to swim under those tedious turtles. If push comes to shove you can always eliminate these eclectic enemies with the zap of an electric eel. The game is played with a simple one touch mechanic. The goal is to guide your little tadpole to safety, collecting stars along the way to unlock more levels.

Highlights:

* Delectably elegant controls crafted for touch devices

* Prod frogs, poke turtles, nudge water beetles, hide in bubbles, swing open gateways, zap electric eels, spin into whirlpool portals with a feast of other features

* 3 puzzling ponds - garden, murky and amazon

* 75 deliciously challenging levels, plus a mind-chewingly challenging 'puzzle mode'

* 4 scrumptious characters to unlock and 14 yummy challenges to tackle

Device Requirements:

* iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch and iPad

* Requires iOS 5.0 or later

* Universal Application

* 37.1 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Tasty Tadpoles 1.02 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category.

Tasty Tadpoles 1.02: http://tastytadpoles.com

Purchase and Download: https://itunes.apple.com/app/tasty-tadpoles/id479840373

Independent developer, Mark White has been working as a digital designer for 6 years beginning in advertising before escaping to the games world at Firemint, where he soaked in as much as he could. After EA took over he moved on to Millipede Creative and have been working on Tasty Tadpoles in his spare time for the past 2 years.

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Competitive space combat sim, GoD Factory: Wingmen seeking support for their Steam Greenlight campaign

2013-05-21T12:19:00.002+01:00

GoD Factory, Wingmen is a competitive space combat sim MOBA with extensive customization options. The vivid space game offers extensive ship customization where players can create unique ship hulls, cockpits, wings, power cores, shield generators, special ability devices, weapons, thrusters and more. Nine Dots Studio has been making this over the past few years and is finally able to showcase the game to the public. The game is currently on Steam Greenlight seeking support for it’s impending release on PC in 2013.

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Skyward Collapse Launches May 23

2013-05-18T19:49:00.000+01:00

Unique turn-based god game to be priced at $4.99 for Windows PC and Mac OS X

Arcen Games is pleased to announce its turn-based god game Skyward Collapse is set to launch on Steam next Thursday, May 23rd.

How do you balance a war between towns without letting either side obliterate the other? How do you rule over gods, creatures, and men who refuse to obey you? How do you build a thriving landscape of villages against the threat of bandits and mythological powers? Skyward Collapse places you into the role of The Creator, and frees you to tackle these problems your own way.

Create -- but not control -- gods, creatures, and artifacts from both Greek and Norse mythology. The power you wield with these is immense. Your task is to keep both factions alive until The Master calls you home -- but this is harder than it sounds. Bandits, along with periodic Woes add to the variety of challenges that you'll face in any given game. Every game plays out completely differently, and you'll need even the craziest of your powers in order to survive what lies in store.

A short trailer for the game can be viewed now, showcasing both showcasing both sides of the fight. Additionally, Nick Trujillo of Penny Arcade’s Strip Search has created a series of web comics based on Skyward Collapse – the first of which is out now.

The Skyward Collapse OST was also just recently completed by composer Pablo Vega, and is now available for purchase through Arcen Games BandCamppage – where the entire soundtrack can be previewed online.

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Rotoscoping Tutorials

2013-05-18T19:16:00.002+01:00

Grundislav, creator of the Ben Jordan adventure game series, has produced a couple of very useful tutorials on rotoscoping. Very useful stuff if this is something you're thinking of using in your own game development.

"Rotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators trace over footage, frame by frame, for use in live-action and animated films." - thanks Wikipedia, although you have of course forgotten one the most important uses for rotoscoping - computer games!

Follow his blog for more tips! Of course don't forget to keep tabs on his new game project, A Golden Wake.

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BattleCraft shows off an engaging online card-trading strategy game

2013-05-18T19:08:00.001+01:00

The World of Asteras awaits...

BattleCraft shows off highly customizable, collectable cards and an engaging online card-trading strategy game

San Francisco, California - May 9th, 2013 - Independent developer Proteus Games Technologies is pleased to release a new gameplay video for their free web-based online trading card game, BattleCraft. BattleCraft offers immersive fast-paced tactical combat and vivid collectable cards within a full interactive strategy game; players can learn by trading and playing their cards. Players can engage in multiplayer and take down challenging bosses in raids, combat each other in worldwide PVP arenas, and explore the Lore and Factions of of Asteras through a repayable campaign mode.

In BattleCraft, players take on the role of a Commander that assembles a squad of heroes in the war-plagued world of Asteras. Players craft their deck to suit their individual play style and strategize by gathering heroes and mythical creatures from various factions in Asteras. Players grow and customize their squads through battling and trading with other players.

Game Features:

Free to Play, everything in-game is available by playing

400 + unique cards and growing

5 unique Factions with varying play styles and strategies

Strategize using Support Cards and Formations

Auction and Trade your cards with other players

Engaging single player campaigns that can be replayed

Challenge other players in PVP arenas and tournaments

Multiplayer co-op play with raids

Unlock new cards and earn in-game achievements

The gameplay video features the new Public Card Tool, where the BattleCraft community can create their own heroes; each featuring their own unique skills. Players have the ability to improve card collection, general gameplay and balance, and even win prizes if their cards are selected. “The Public Card Tool opens up new opportunities for even more customization and character strategy,” states lead developer Mohan Low. “This tool allows the community the ability to vote on characters and skills that they’re interested in playing. This should result in a even more diverse and interesting card set for players to use in their battles.”

BattleCraft is currently available to the public via Kongregate and Gameshydra.

For more information about BattleCraft, visit the game website (http://www.gameshydra.com/) become a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter .

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A new place to sell your indie games - IndieSale.com

2013-05-17T12:03:00.000+01:00

This was posted on the AGS forums and it's worth putting here as well - I have no personal experience of this site but every new digital distribution platform for indie games is at least worth a look!!

"I am part of the of a team that built a new free digital marketplace we call indeSale. (www.indesale.com).

The idea is that indeSale will be a marketplace for everything indie and digital, including music, ebooks, games, software and so on.

Anyone can signup for free, start their own store, upload products and sell them online, all you need is a Paypal account.

Then you just click "add a product" select "game" and start entering the game's information and upload it. You can upload screenshots and even a fee demo. You can also indicate if the game has adult materiel in it. When someone buys the game, they are paying at Paypal directly to your Paypal account, then they receive a download link to their purchase, which expires after 3 days or 3 download trials.

We also offer the ability to completely design each store page and each product page, to the level where you can just click and drag elements of the page to where you want them, then change their colors, text colors, borders and pretty much everything about them... Thus giving each product page the taste and feel of the product.

We also offer the possibility to offer special offers and discounts on products, and will introduce new promotional tools in the near future.

Our motto is that indeSale is your independence to be creative!

The deal is that everything is free, and if people make a sale, we collect a 12% fee. So we collect a fee only if and when people earn.

But now we are at our alpha trial stage, so anyone who will sign up before June 1st, will get the services completely free(we WON'T COLLECT ANY FEE) for the next 6 months.

We really want people to try the system and send us some feedback about their experience, what is good, what is bad, what we can improve and so on... It would be really great to hear your opinions as game designers as well as players.

You can send us feedback or issues to feedback@indesale.com or support@indesale.com

The web address is www.indesale.com

Thank you very much, The indeSale team."

Obviously if anyone has any experience of using this distributor, I'd be very interested to hear it in the comments section!

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Yet Another Bird Game Launches on iPhone

2013-05-16T15:27:00.001+01:00

Yet Another Bird Game Flies into the iOS Store

Action, comedy, birds, what could go wrong?

May 16, 2013 – SuperSike Games (http://supersikegames.com/) is a flutter with the news that Yet Another Bird Game (YABG), 2012's Square Enix Game Development Contest Runner Up, is now available on the iOS store for iPhone and iPod Touch. In YABG a mad scientist who hates birds has developed "Current-X" to rid birds from their natural habitat: Electrical wires. This action game of positioning includes 6 bird types, each with their own very distinct personalities and abilities and an endless high score mode that will put players' finger tapping to the test.

Join Beanbag, Forkwing, Spartan, Scarecrow, Dr. Strangebird, and Ben in a wacky action game that takes place high above the ground on the power lines above a fair city. Screen management skills will be put to the test as each bird, with its own unique abilities and problems, has to avoid the deadly current-x! With a wacky story and strange characters Yet Another Bird Game will really worm its way into the heart of even the most hardened bird hating mad scientist.

Yet Another Bird Game is now available for iPhone and iPod Touch with a full range of achievements and leaderboards. Get it now at iTunes.

ABOUT SUPERSIKE GAMES

SuperSike Games is an independent mobile development studio located in New Dehli, India. Their first game, Yet Another Bird Game, was Runner Up in Square Enix's 2012 Game Development Contest and was selected for the Indie Showcase at Casual Connect Asia, 2013.

Yet Another Bird Game - Screenshots and Trailer:

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Zenith Chronicles

2013-05-15T12:23:00.001+01:00

What do you get when you cross a visual novel with a 2d arcade game (and add DRAGONS)? Why, you get the Zenith Chronicles of course!

Gameplay:

Missions are where most of the action takes place! Each mission is an arcade-style shooter level. Goals range from destroying a certain number of monsters to protecting a building. Actions taken during missions can affect the story as well, such as killing or saving civilians.

Dain's choices during the story and missions determines his companions' affection for him, as well as their destiny. Multiple plot branches and more than 7 endings let you enjoy the world of Zenith for several unique playthroughs!

Features:

Intended for ages 15+ due to suggestive themes, mild adult language, and violence.

Engaging story with three main paths and over 7 endings
Customize your characters with dozens of special abilities
Three difficulty settings ensure an enjoyable challenge for gaming novices and experts alike
Enjoy hours upon hours of arcade-style shooter fun through 40 missions
Mission select: Replay any missions you've completed whenever you want
Achievement system: Fulfill "Legends" to unlock tons of bonus content!

Recommended System Specs:

Windows 7/Vista/XP, OpenGL v.1.1+ capable video card with at least 64 MB of video memory, 1 GB of RAM, 200 MB free hard drive space, 800 x 600 or greater screen resolution, 1 GHz or faster processor

More info / demo / purchase

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Assault Android Cactus

2013-05-14T23:36:00.003+01:00

Assault Android Cactus is a fast-paced (often manic!) single or local multiplayer arena shooter that's currently looking for support for it's Steam Greenlight campaign. I've just played a preview build and have to say that it looks and sounds pretty darn impressive. I'm also grateful when developers remember that some of us aren't blessed with powerful systems (my gaming rig kind of imploded on me ages ago and I've had to use a borrowed laptop ever since due to lack of money) - the game looks fantastic but there are also options to par down the options so that it will run at a nice speed even on this decrepit machine.

Assault Android Cactus Screenshots:

Remember, the game is currently on Steam Greenlight seeking votes to be released in the Summer of 2013 on Mac, PC and Linux.

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"Hope: The other side of the adventure". Playing with the frontiers of video games.

2013-05-14T23:05:00.000+01:00

So we've all played the handsome prince dashing to the rescue of the princess who is, invariably, imprisoned in a tower somewhere. But what's it like for the princess? That's the unusual scenario that Madrid-based indie studio Mr Roberto have taken with tier debut title "Hope". Even stranger is that they've described their first game as an "anti-game". It's designed as an experience that takes you 5 minutes per day for 6 days, allowing you to share the experience of the imprisoned princess.

It's the sort of thing that you would never get from mainstream gaming publishers. I don't know if it's weirdly wonderful or just weird, but you can play it for free and find out yourself. Here are some screenies:

PLAY IT FOR FREE NOW:

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Darts Up 3D announced

2013-05-13T17:05:00.002+01:00

Enjoy Up have announced Darts Up 3D on Nintendo 3DS - here are the first screenshots:

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SEAVEN STUDIO REVEALS ETHAN : METEOR HUNTER

2013-05-13T16:58:00.002+01:00

"After the release of our enigmatic teaser, here is the big announcement: we are delighted to reveal our first game currently in development: Ethan : Meteor Hunter, release aimed for this summer 2013 on digital platforms on PC and Playstation 3.

Following unknown events, Ethan got touched by meteorites giving him the power of telekinesis. In a journey through 3 different worlds and 50 levels, Ethan will try to regroup all the pieces of the meteorite that hit him in the first place in a tremendous puzzle-platformer adventure."

Trailer looks interesting... a combination of platforming action and logic puzzling:

Links:
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SeavenStudio
Twitter @SeavenStudio
Steam Greenlight page: http://www.seaven-studio.com/greenlight
Alpha demo download link: http://www.seaven-studio.com/alpha_demo_download

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