I wasn’t able to finished the 7DRL challenge on time, but I’ve been really pleased with how my game is looking and feeling. I’ve decided to keep working on it. I feel as though many of the major problems with the project are behind me, and I can now push forward with getting the guts of the game in place. Watch this space!

I’m participating in the ‘7DRL 2012′ challenge, with my first attempt at a roguelike game. I’ve wanted to try to make a game like this for a while, so the week long challenge is perfect for me to get my feet wet. I had a bit of a slow start, but I now have some level generation working and tile based movement. Going to work on level generator until the end of the day then press on with gameplay.

Terry Cavanagh and I worked together on a multiplayer online game called ‘Chatchat’ (I did the art). I really like how it came together, he did amazing work getting the online working seamlessly, and there are a lot of fun secrets. Honestly, I’ve had more fun playing online with this game than most online games.

Play it on Kongregate!

Over the weekend I worked on a game for Ludumdare 22 on the theme of ‘Alone’.  The original upload had some critical bugs, but I’ve fixed that now and made it available on Mac and browser too. Play it here, or download it from the LD site.

Please let me know what you think!

I just finished day one of Ludumdare, on the theme of ‘Alone’. I decided to go for something modest, and so far I’m pleased with how it’s coming together. I’ll have to see which mechanics I can nail down early tomorrow, and fix a few bugs, so I’ve got some time for level design and dialogue.

A new collaborative game by Stephen Lavelle and myself.

Play free on iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pirouette/id486442292?ls=1&mt=8
or on the web (flash): http://ded.increpare.com/~locus/pirouette/

Apple rejected this game at first, and demanded we reclassified it as a book. I find it flattering that Apple’s censors bothered to play it, I hope they enjoyed it!

I’d love to hear what you think about it.

Codemasters have announced a new Dizzy game. I’m doubtful of how it will turn out, but it’s as good an excuse as any to talk about my love for the Dizzy series. It was never more nerdy than, in 1992, my eleven year old self had a comic published in Your Sinclair. It’s a bad comic with the world’s poorest panel flow, but here it is!

I found it in the Doodlebugs section of YSRNRY.co.uk. Let me know if any of you submitted Doodlebugs to Your Sinclair magazine!

Busy rigging up characters for Bugle. The characters are 3D models rendered with a fake 2D style.

Decided to change my approach to Bugle entirely, and I’ve basically ‘gone dark’ on updates. Based upon feedback, I’ve cancelled the original development diary, but instead I’ll do some regular in-progress gameplay videos and images. I won’t do film or voice footage.

Sorry for the lack of updates on this project! I’ve had a slew of tech problems recently, from software to hardware and it’s generally been slowing me down. I recorded a video blog, but it came out blurry, so I’ll have to try again soon!

I got the iPhone 4S last week! I really love it, I’m enjoying it much more than I realised. I was long overdue an iPhone upgrade, and getting my new project on here was pretty exciting.

Growing up, I always had mac-lust.

I always saw them as unattainable. Desirable, yet impractical. In 2000 I was in a position to need a laptop for my new job, so I chose the Apple iBook, the manly graphite coloured one which had just been released. For a year or two I was travelling often, and the iBook went everywhere with me. I would work and play on the train, and the battery lasted a healthy amount of time too. Sure, it only had 64MB of RAM and an 800×600 screen, but that didn’t slow me down.

Whilst I’ve never been mac-exclusive, I love having them as part of my life. Right now I have an iMac on my desk, and a Windows laptop, and I expect I’ll always mix it up. I still find apple products to be desirable, impractical and unattainable, but they brighten up the world and pull the market forward. I hope Apple continues to drive the market forward.

Sometimes I wish laptops still came with handles.