Author Archives: GBGames

My May #1GAM’s Progress

I’ve been trying to use my participation in One Game a Month to take each game project and try to learn one new aspect of game development in its development.

One thing I’ve never done is make a platformer. I figured that it would take some time to figure out the jumping physics and . . . → Read More: My May #1GAM’s Progress

My May #1GAM’s Progress is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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April #1GAM Entry: Toytles Colors

For my April project for One Game a Month, I liked the idea of making a game for my nieces to play to learn colors and shapes. I thought of having animals to click on, and initially it was frogs, but when I settled on turtles, it all clicked together.

Download Toytles Colors for . . . → Read More: April #1GAM Entry: Toytles Colors

April #1GAM Entry: Toytles Colors is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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The Linux Game Tome Is Shutting Down

A few months ago I wrote about how it is so difficult to submit games to Linux gaming sites, based on my experience with trying to spread the word about the latest update of Stop That Hero!

One of those sites is The Linux Game Tome. It was one of my favorite Linux gaming sites, . . . → Read More: The Linux Game Tome Is Shutting Down

The Linux Game Tome Is Shutting Down is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Taking Responsibility For Your Code

When you start a new project from scratch, you have a lot of freedom. Adding lines is almost as simple as typing it out and compiling.

As you add more code, however, it starts to constrain itself. You can’t easily add a few lines here because the code over there interacts with it poorly. . . . → Read More: Taking Responsibility For Your Code

Taking Responsibility For Your Code is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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March #1GAM Entry: The New Worlds

I did it.

I thought I had a design that was a bit too ambitious, but I somehow managed to finish my March entry for One Game a Month.

“The New Worlds” is a space exploration game. Your homeworld’s star is known to go nova eventually. Evacuating everyone is the only option, and evacuation . . . → Read More: March #1GAM Entry: The New Worlds

March #1GAM Entry: The New Worlds is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Jumping Into The March #1GAM Project

Last month, I finished my One Game a Month February project on the last day, just in time to submit it and get credit for it. Whew!

February’s project was made in almost 12 hours of actual work throughout the month. That is, for about 3 hours per week, I was able to hack a . . . → Read More: Jumping Into The March #1GAM Project

Jumping Into The March #1GAM Project is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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February #1GAM Entry: Electomagnetic Play

I managed to put my February entry for One Game a Month together mostly in the last couple of weeks, sometimes with only 15 minutes at a time to dedicate to working on it. It’s amazing how much comes together in 15 minutes.

Electromagnetic Play is currently only available for 64-bit Linux as I . . . → Read More: February #1GAM Entry: Electomagnetic Play

February #1GAM Entry: Electomagnetic Play is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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I Have a Day Job Again

“You don’t know what it’s like out there! I’ve worked in the private sector. They expect results!” – Dr. Ray Stanz

I’ve been meaning to write about this topic for some time. Back in May of 2010, I put in my two weeks’ notice at my day job.

At the time, I wrote:

So . . . → Read More: I Have a Day Job Again

I Have a Day Job Again is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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January #1GAM Entry: Walls and Armies

I’m in crunch at the day job, and so I didn’t have weekends like I had hoped to work on a game project. Luckily, I had finished the design of this two-player card game, and it counts. I call it “Walls and Armies”, and the rules are below.

Setup: Take a standard 52 . . . → Read More: January #1GAM Entry: Walls and Armies

January #1GAM Entry: Walls and Armies is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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I Received My #LD48 Gift Exchange Gift!

This is the first year I’ve participated in the Ludum Dare Gift Exchange. Yesterday I received an invoice in the mail in French, but no package. I was confused, thinking, “An invoice? This isn’t how this works.”

Today, there was a knock on my door. The jolly postal worker had me sign my name on . . . → Read More: I Received My #LD48 Gift Exchange Gift!

I Received My #LD48 Gift Exchange Gift! is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Merry Christmas, Indies!

It’s another Christmas, this time with snow here in Des Moines.

I’ll be enjoying a few days with my wife’s family, feeling welcome in each other’s company, playing cards, eating our fill, and watching classic holiday films. As a tradition I don’t want to skip, I hope to convince them to watch “Santa . . . → Read More: Merry Christmas, Indies!

Merry Christmas, Indies! is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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12 Games in 12 Months #OneGameAMonth

It’s mid-December, which means people are remembering their New Year’s resolutions and rushing to accomplish them before 2013 rolls around.

Last year, I managed to release the Stop That Hero! alpha after many months of delay. This year, I similarly managed to get the next update out a few months ago after many . . . → Read More: 12 Games in 12 Months #OneGameAMonth

12 Games in 12 Months #OneGameAMonth is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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The Response to the Humble THQ Bundle

What I love about the Humble Indie Bundles is that they are DRM-free, allow me to pay what I want, and the games are available for GNU/Linux, my preferred platform. The people behind it were involved in Wolfire Games, and I reviewed Lugaru years ago for Game Tunnel, so I was familiar with them. Even . . . → Read More: The Response to the Humble THQ Bundle

The Response to the Humble THQ Bundle is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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2012 Ludum Dare Gift Exchange

The Ludum Dare Gift Exchange is in its third year, and this time I’m joining in.

The 2012 LD Gift Exchange is kind of like a Secret Santa, but it involves the international Ludum Dare community, so it is very likely that you’ll be shipping a package to the other side of the world, . . . → Read More: 2012 Ludum Dare Gift Exchange

2012 Ludum Dare Gift Exchange is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Vote to Ensure You Get Political Mailings Next Time

US Election Day is tomorrow. It’s supposedly a tight race, and a lot of us will be glad when it is over if only so we can stop hearing about how close it is.

Of course, every election cycle, there are those who don’t vote. They don’t vote because of a number of reasons, . . . → Read More: Vote to Ensure You Get Political Mailings Next Time

Vote to Ensure You Get Political Mailings Next Time is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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The 2012 0h Game Jam

For a lot of people in the world, it is time to set the clocks back an hour. Thanks, Benjamin Franklin.

During the daylight time change, there’s an hour between 2AM and 2AM on Sunday, but due to the fact that it looks like no hours have passed, the question remains: can you make . . . → Read More: The 2012 0h Game Jam

The 2012 0h Game Jam is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Breaking Down the Design of Final Fantasy 6

On Google+, Todd Barchok (thedaian) shared a link to a critical analysis of Final Fantasy 6 (or Final Fantasy 3 for those of us who played the SNES version and refuse to assign it a different number out of stubbornness). The author also held a successful KickStarter to critically analyze Chrono Trigger earlier this year. . . . → Read More: Breaking Down the Design of Final Fantasy 6

Breaking Down the Design of Final Fantasy 6 is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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LD24: Evolution Game Post Mortem #LD48

My last few Ludum Dare entries have missed the main compo deadline and had to be submitted to the Jam, but my entry for Ludum Dare #24 was finished in time to get judged along with the other 1,000+ entries. That was a big win for me, since my game development in general has felt . . . → Read More: LD24: Evolution Game Post Mortem #LD48

LD24: Evolution Game Post Mortem #LD48 is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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Join Me in the Weekly GBGames Game Dev Co-op Hour

Last week, I decided to try something new. Every week, I’ll do an hour of game development in a Google Hangout, and you’re invited to come along.

What: Weekly GBGames Game Dev Co-Op Hour, an hour of game development with you, me, and anyone else who shows up. When: Every Wednesday morning at 6:00 . . . → Read More: Join Me in the Weekly GBGames Game Dev Co-op Hour

Join Me in the Weekly GBGames Game Dev Co-op Hour is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge

Ludum Dare was originally a 48-hour game development competition. Given a theme, you have 48 hours to create an entire game using no pre-existing assets. In recent years it has grown into a huge phenomenon, expanding into a dual-event that occurs three times annually. There are also Mini LDs each month between the major events. . . . → Read More: The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge

The Third Ludum Dare October Challenge is a post from: GBGames – Thoughts on Indie Game Development

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