Cancer Wars 100% of revenue for cancer charity!

Going to put Cancer Wars up for the October Challenge but with a twist the game is for charity, it’s already out there on Kongregate, so you can play it there and know that all add revenue is going to charity.

It’s made with Unity but is not quite 100% complete, please play it because I could use some helpful feedback on what it needs to give it the best chance to make the most money for Cancer Research UK.

Will work on it this month and look to launch it on PC / Mac and Mobile platforms by the end of this month!

The Challenge:
I have a 365 day runway (until 9 Sep 2012) to earn £20k (about $32k) from games development.

The earnings value is based on a UK minimum wage calculation of about £6 per hour 9-5 job, and factoring in that I will have to pay money to make them, buying in music ect, and overheads for payment providers?

Resources:
Me, Unity, PC, Mac, iPod, Android.

Currently I manage to produce game ‘Prototypes’ like these http://www.kongregate.com/accounts/Arowx/favorites

Hurdles:
Art, 3D Animation, Procrastination, Funds, Motivation, Experience, Marketing

Forfeit:
If I have not hit or exceeded this target by the deadline and proved I can make a living from games I have to dust off my CV and get a job!

So what advice would you give or better still how do you do it?

You can play it on Kongregate – HMS Lightning BETA v0.2

Just an Update on my LD20 project, added in a menu (see below).

Improved the intro graphics, couldn’t resist adding a Scuba HUD.

Music and sound effects added but still quite a bit I would like to add!

Please give it a whirl and let me know what you think, on LD or Kongregate.

Cheers

Play them on Kongregate.com

The idea is to progress these games polish them and improve them over time.

So don’t just leave your LD game on the shelf go back to it improve it, enhance it and get it out there where people can see, play and enjoy it!

Here is the Timelapse for my Jam entry, for Ludum Dare 21, BEF.

I was using Chronolapse 1.0.7 on a two monitor setup, but some entire sections of the capture were just blanks, which was annoying as I did some serious modelling the first day, troops, tanks, aircraft and a ship (only the ship and french trooper appear).

This is a good example of how not to do a LD, don’t just model everything first at least model and develope or better still build the mechanics then bring in better models.

Play the game.

Wow it’s done kind of BEF

Not sure if it’s a fun game but mechanically it ‘works’.

Quick Postmortem:

(more…)

‘Dunkrik the Great Escape’ WIP.

I’ve just got this to appear doing it all the wrong way round this time, modelling, graphics interface then mechanics.

Going for a Jam entry.

Hi LD’ers yay why am I so hyped at this rate I will be tired before the event begins!

Just a quick line to say that already 385 people have played Energy Island Conquest (the enhanced beta of my LD mini 28 entry) on Kongregate.

I was just thinking of what Music I should line up for my Ludum Dare Weekend?

I recall a scientific article that said classical music is supposed to be good for your brain.  I know I’m a BG (before Google) nerd, my introduction to my first computer was the ZX81 and they did not have a internet search bar, or browser or internet!

So are you a BG (before Google) or an AG (after Google)?

LD Tip: Play Ludum Dare like a fighter pilot!

Fighter pilots train themselves so they instantly forget any mistakes they make, as even a split second worrying about something that went wrong could take you down in flames.

So for Ludum Dare expect failures, mistakes, errors, dead ends but prepare to forget them fast and fix/drop/work around them faster.

Quick update on my miniLD 28 entry, it’s gradually progressing…

You can play the Work In Progress Version on Kongregate

If you are ‘In’ could you put a tag on your posts for the technology you are using e.g. Unity, Flixel, GameMaker.

Because it would be great for people to know who else is using the same game development technology as they are and what tech was used to make each entry (especially the great ones)?

The plan is to get Energy Island Konquest up and playable on Kongregate…

It’s a 3D version of my LD17 none-entry reworked for the MiniLD28.

The aim is to get it looking like this…

This is what I like about LD it gets you to build up your game development skills and push the boundaries of what you can do!

This is it in the game so far still a WIP thought!

Tools Unity, Xara, GIMP, Blender.

See if I can improve upon my last entry, with models/textures and maybe even animation and sound/music!

15:18 and uploaded, not an official entry as it is based on my own start time!

Follow this link for the details, instructions and link to the game!

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/minild-28/?action=preview&uid=680

What went right, got the basic mechanics working and more gameplay than the original just by concentrating on the basics!

Got the control mechanism wrong should be mouse look 3rd person, got around it a bit by adding in a jetpack jump mechanic!

No Sfx/Music/Main Menu/Repeat Plays (without reloading browser ;o)!

With a template I could have done better or if I had gotten the control mechanism right the first time, spent far to long trying to tweek it when it just needed to be ripped out and replaced!

Bring on LD21! ;o)

12:02 Energy Hubs Added and can be Captured!

Game displays Won  Message when all Captured!

But the game is almost unplayable, low frame rate, no woking hud, poor control mechanism!

And Missiles don’t work, a key feature of the original was the sub being able to launch missiles at targets and the marine being able to ‘laser designate’ a target and launch a missle from the sub!

Still 3.5 hours left to my 48, going for coffee then need to see if I can get it working better!

Good Morning Ludum Dare,

Well it’s day 3 for me, and I’m up very early 07:24 now where was I…. (48 hours can span 3 actual days honest, I think it’s early! ;o)

That’s it targeting definitely needed, then hubs!

09:35 Arrgh targeting/control mechanic is a pain, given the marine a jetpack, more chance to hit the targets! (Need to figure out an auto-targeting system or mouse look control!)

Right next up going to add the Hubs and Decoding system for island control!

Yay, damage works but still need auto targetting, very hard to aim in 3rd person with locked forward firing!

Tired going to miss the deadline but will continue with this tomorrow on my own 48 hour timeline (one day to go!).

Good Night!

7. Energy / Resources / Unlocks

6. Hubs / Decoding

5. Shooting / Damage / Explosions [22:32 - 27 hours in]

4.  Turning Turrets and Shooting [13:57 - 21 hours in ] and Moving Shooting Robots  [16:09 - 25 hours in]

Sleep – Day 2 11:23 UK  [Zzzz from 23:59 - 19 hours in]

3. Marine Moving  [Done 22:48] 7 hours in

2. Sub Movable [Done 19:45] 4 hours in

Tea Break

1. Landscape Sea and Islands [Done 16:40] 1 hour in

Phase 1 – Mechanics and Gameplay – First 24 hours

Started -  15:41 UK 30/07/2011.

Hmm, having a bit of bother here, thought I could just add Stats as a GameObject and then hook it all together, well it’s not working so far but going modular is definitely the way to go with Unity IMHO.

So going for tea break… then giving Damage stats another go!

Also need to sort out some mechnic for aiming/locking on nearest target either mouse or automatic.

Is this a strict miniLD or more relaxed?

As I started late ;o) !

Robots Open Up

Robots (Red/Pink Cubes) Marine (Green Blob) Turrets (Red/Orange T’s)

Robots move towards and shoot at marines or subs – Running behind schedule (Slept in!)

Next up – Shooting Back Marine / Submarine Missile – Damage and Explosions (Yay!)

7. Energy / Resources / Unlocks

6. Hubs / Decoding

5. Shooting / Damage / Explosions

4.  Turning Turrets and Shooting [13:57 - 21 hours in ] and Moving Shooting Robots  [16:09 - 25 hours in]

Sleep – Day 2 11:23 UK  [Zzzz from 23:59 - 19 hours in]

3. Marine Moving  [Done 22:48] 7 hours in

2. Sub Movable [Done 19:45] 4 hours in

Tea Break

1. Landscape Sea and Islands [Done 16:40] 1 hour in

Phase 1 – Mechanics and Gameplay – First 24 hours

Started -  15:41 UK 30/07/2011.