Making the most of… PowerPoint
Just because you can’t program C++ or you think DirectX is a science fiction TV series, doesn’t mean you can’t make something you can be proud of. It’s far too easy to give up before you’ve begun.
Archive for May, 2010
Splendid game ‘core mechanics’
A core mechanic is a term coined by myself so I didn’t have to write game play. It’s quite an obvious thing but if you set out to make a platformer you would most probably dive head first into making levels, characters and physics engines to make it all work. This is definitely my own and I know the majority of Psync’s approach of the past.
Origins: Part III – Mr. Sid
With University complete, the option to live in halls of residence expired and student loans spent, it was time for our four to get serious. They all needed to start looking forward, to get themselves a career, so they could put food on the table, and they needed to work out where they would be living for the rest of their lives (or at least the next few years). These were indeed critical times.
The dreaded ‘promotion’
Creating yourself a web page with your super-awesome game on and hoping people will find it is a bit like flicking a bogey on the London Gherkin and not only expecting all window cleaners from here to Australia to hear about it, but come over and give it a damn good cleaning as well. It’s very unlikely.
Origins: Part II – University Life
During their time at university a lot changed for our four, not-so-young-anymore, fellows, they weren’t all living in Coventry for a start! This, obviously, created some new difficulties for the budding games development company. Still, the long term plan was definitely in sight and each part of the Psync machine (well, at least half of it) was hard at work setting things in motion that would one day produce a completed game.
The dreaded ‘deadline’
The humble deadline has plagued everyone since at least sliced bread though I have a feeling it stretches further back in time since then. It’s a fun-sucking vampire koala that constantly hugs your head nagging and keeping you awake at nights. However, everybody loves a hug…
Origins: Part I – School Days
Whilst looking through a bunch of old files I found a little gem that I wrote for our very first website ‘way back when’ that tells the story of how we all met and started this thing we call Psync. Seems like it’s due for an update, so here goes…
Storytelling and emotional door knobs
If a film, that I only have to spend a couple of hours with, can at least cause a lump in the throat, a game I spend days with should have me in tears, shouldn’t it?