A Warhammer Production!

Click here to download this blogcast in MP3 Audio.


Click here to download an excerpt from Thorn and Talon.

The Warhammer audiobooks were a refreshing surprise to my senses. I believed to have been well acquainted with well-made science-fiction and fantasy audiobooks, but discovered an exceptionally made production, in this case!

In my excitement, I bring this report to you, my audience, before browsing deeply into the collection; which, by the way, spans over 30 stories! Of course, most of them are rather short. Some of those I have enjoyed, so far, were about an hour long. And what an hour it was!

The production of the audiobooks includes clear narration by a professional, who does the characters very well, and music & sound-effects, according to the situation entailed. This mixture of grand production and refined stories, brings together some of the best fiction audiobooks available! The narrator appears to be British, or at least, he is well versed in their speech habits.

I will post an update, when I find myself at the end of this wonderful collection, so stay tuned.

NodeJS, WebSocket & Elves Versus Trolls (Demo 0.2)

Oh, fantasy worlds. How amusing you are.

Finally, I have finished my 0.2 Demo of Elves Versus Trolls!~ (Link)

When I was trying to make the crappy Demo 0.1 (Link), I did not even imagine that a couple of weeks later, I would be running my own working server and simple demo game client. I must have spent pretty much every waking minute of these previous two weeks, just to get this up and live. :-D

So, what is this about? This new and exciting demo (Link) is the fruit of my previous work and vision. Those pretty flowcharts and Wiki, yes. I am actually making a game, or demo, of these wonderful ideas. While my 0.1 demo was intended as a test, just to see if C2 could deliver what I wanted, this 0.2 demo is completely different! It is far from being a real game with actual content; but, using random free sprites (and bit of music, too) to represent how the game would work, I aimed to have this demo show, generally, how I imagined this game to be. This means, very simple interface, with some basic multiplayer options, and a little bit of fun virtual world to roam.

Construct 2 by Scirra

How am I making it? I am using Construct 2 for the game itself, and NodeJS with WebSocket for a simple server, that integrates well. I wish I could buy C2 :S What a wonderful tool it is. Making cute complex games without almost any coding!

Check it out and tell me what you think! About its' potential, of course, and not about its' current incomplete state! Doh! ;-) Later on, I will start preparations for Demo 0.3, in which I am planning to set up the game World (rivers, lakes, mountains, etcetera..) and work seriously on the User Interface - all those nifty buttons and texts.

Until next time, or if I finally do the Elves article followup from last time's Troll article. Cheers.

Don't Hate The Troll, Hate The Trolling

"They see me trollin'
   They hatin'
   Patrollin' they trying to catch me writing dirty...
   Trying to catch me writin' dirty...
   Trying to catch me writin' dirty...
      Trying to catch me writin' dirty..."

So, I shall ask again, why have such annoying and rude people as Trolls in a virtual world?

The simple version of the answer is that Trolls are people, too, and whether anyone likes it or not, they compose of a big part of our online population. I will expand about Elves later on, but for now I would like to outline Trolls.

Love boxxy!

You got your annoying and uneducated junior Trolls. All those kiddos out there that do not know better, and intuitively feel that some things virtual are just not as real as reality. They are the most annoying, but least interesting kind of Trolls.

Then, there are the YA Trolls. While having more language abilities and sophistication over the juniors, they are still a menace to most people online. They put the Likes for Troll content and live the Troll way of life without shame. They are the young recruits in the holy war of Internet trolling.

And finally, we have the adult Trolls. Those with language mastery, philosophic education, and even capabilities in the different arts (images, videos.) These are the creators of Troll culture and the engine that holds the flag and then rotates it too fast for anyone to not feel sick about it. Adult Trolls are the actual community. Those who realize the power of collaboration. They are well feared and hated by the haters.

Represent! Trolls.

It is exactly this depth, organization and the hate people hold toward Trolls, that makes it sensible to have a virtual world in which Trolls are the enemy. It is to the benefit of everyone. Why have an NPC with a lack of AI as your enemy, when you could join your allies against the true virtual enemy? Right?

A Generation of Worlds

Open for 10mb 512p large version.

As I continue my journeys in the world of game development and 3D art, I noticed that my wiki, which I use to express my own ideas about game development, should have an actual game attached to it. That is to say, that while writing down technical ideas for games is great, it would also be better presented in the guise of a simple entertaining game world.

The idea came to me intuitively and by muse! Elves Versus Trolls. I have always wanted a game that lets not only all those cutsie gamer people enjoy playing, but a game world that encourages and works with internet trolls. Why? Because, I am one such troll! And I am not ashamed of it.

Internet trolling is an art form. Just like dance and reggae. It does not have to be insulting to anyone to be funny. Trolling can even be helpful, when touchy topics are highlighted, and nobody wants to get dirty, philosophically speaking. I have been active in trolling circles for many years, and I am proud of me and most of my fellows. We bring humor and joy and good company.

So, why have trolls in a game?

I would like to talk about this in my next blog post. In the meanwhile, let me tell you about http://donjon.bin.sh/world/. What an interesting world generator!!! Not only does it have many options to choose from, for your own totally unique world, it also lets you export the result in different ways, so you can have both an animated gif, an image, and a map! How awesome is that? :-)

I also noticed they have other generators in their website. Mostly fantasy gaming related, id est Dungeons & Dragons games. I have not really checked the other generators, so do share if you find anything interesting. Comment below! ;-)

Port à Folio!

So, I finally found FolioHD, a nice little website that does free and professional artist portfolio hosting. They let you add Youtube videos, and it all runs smoothly and looks good, too. I added some of my better looking renders/models and can finally attach it to e-mails, whenever I seek occupation in 3D art.

Portfolio.AssafKoss.com

Latest portfolio upload... Still honing those 3D skills.

My Gameplay Mechanics @ Wiki.AssafKoss.com

Officially, all my latest revisions for an Online Multiplayer Fantasy Action gameplay mechanics are publicly available on my wiki, at:

Wiki.AssafKoss.com

My kind of lady. - The Final Fantasy Wikia

I am trying to sort out the Do's from the Do Not's, in a manner that reflects on how such games should be, instead of what is already, obviously, wrong with them. Titles that fit into this genre description include, but are not limited, to MMORPG's, MMOTBG's, MMOFPS's & many of the modern day MMO(G)'s.

Be warned, that while this wiki is publicly visible, it is not public for editing, at all. I am glad to incorporate YOU, if you feel this is relevant to you. Simply contact me in any way, if you want in on the editing work.

Stop Copying WoW!

 It sickens me, the way developers copy WoW.

I like scripted effects.
I just don't like how they're being used.

The golden text in titles. The cartoonish looking characters that feel as if somebody just copy-pasted the same colors into their own models from WoW. To aim for the same style of items in-game with similar sets of gear. Making a game world without much sense of history or originality. Looking like WoW and giving off the same feel it has (or had, as WoW is already pretty aged, now.)

Seriously, people. Having another game as a reference, and even as a muse, is a great thing. But, simply copying what you like from another game is crap! And the results are crap, too!

I find this amusing... Image from IHateMMORPGs.com

Without a unique and well-thought of world and an original style of art, a game can not call itself a production. Without those, it would merely be a sort of practice in game making, or a bad mod, at most.

3D Models For Cash

I recently did a 20$ 3D model job for a guy from the UK, or Europe, I suppose. He wanted a quick real-life size model of some StarWars looking arm gadget.

 

I find it amusing and curious that he wanted to print it in a 3D printer and wear as part of a costume. That's pretty awesome, actually. :-D

MMORPG #4 Moods

Eventually, I arrived at the idea of sorting out gameplay by the player's mood. Moods can change and shift, and so there is not doubt that any gameplay system that cares for the players' moods, will take care to make available different styles of playing without much bother. Especially, without the need to change your character entirely or make a new one!

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Obviously, this line of thought is very limited. Never the less, I feel it is something to remember and take notice about. A game that expects you to behave in a very specific way the entire time is a game that lacks depth. While people can obviously tolerate that, it seems that such tolerance is only temporary!

MMORPG #3 Life Cycles

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For a fantasy themed game, it seems quite sensible to use Death as a living realm in itself. It does sound contradictory, though. In a more sensible game, Death could be ignored and the logic may be sorted with life cycles, instead. That is, that Life cycles and recycles, and while the soul (player) remains the same, the body (character) changes. It may be reborn, shape shift or even die and restore as a new individual completely.

I feel that most games would rather ignore this topic and issue. Simply, make the character restore back to life with a penalty, or even die completely only to remake an all too similar character once more.

I do find the idea of never dying and only losing consciousness, to be reawakened, a comfortable and kind method of practice. It's better to remove Death from the equation if it's going to be treated like a bother instead of an opportunity! :-D

MMORPG #2

Naturally, I was inclined to continue exploring these ideas, further.

An attempt at moving a step forward...
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As you may or may not see, attacking this issue from different angles is required. Natural games, such as sports or board games, have a natural flow to them - due to their instancy, while online computer games require a timing mechanism.

The timing depends on the feeling aimed at by the developers. A game can be fast-paced low-latency action, or it can be a slow-paced latency-tolerant turn-based adventure. It can be a bunch of other things, as well. :-)

I decided to conclude these ideas in a single quick and short diagram:

Just think about it. Then, do it!
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MMORPG #1

Recently, I've been giving shape to some ideas that I had regarding computer games. This is specifically about the hot-topic genre of online role-playing, or in another word, MMORPGs.

I often use Paint to quickly draw my ideas. I feel that text is generally inadequate to really show someone else what I am thinking about. Colorful boxes and lines on the other hand, with titles, sure do seem more fun! When I tried to collaborate on an idea with a friend, and even though she did not join up eventually, a website caught my attention.

Creately.com

Here is my first flowchart. It starts rather big. Then, I move onto smaller and more precise flowcharts. I should really call it a Block Diagram.

Open in a new window/tab to view full size!

Hiatus & Changes

I have decided to stop writing stories. I will keep them online for now, but I will not do anything en-towards it.

It is, indeed, a lovely thing how time does not really apply in the world of the Internet. I have had quite a hiatus from blogging, due to the emotional crash of deciding to drop my literature workings, and expected to drop the blogging, as well. Surprisingly, I found myself time and again thinking about the blog in a more personal manner - disregarding the value of it as a tool to advance books.

My muse has been faltering.
Now, it has returned!

I shall remove the "Daily" part of the blog, but still use it often. Many ideas must be discussed, and many an experience should be told! :-)

Here's a little shiny I've made after recently joining a hobby team of MMORPG developers.

Imagine someone using my sword to kill!

 

What Name Would You Choose?

Gandalf the Grey by Lucas Graciano

As part of my upcoming Flash RPG game, I was wondering about character names. This is both for the players to learn from, and for NPCs (Non-Player Characters) and the game world.

I feel that a page or a method to assist with name choice is a good step in the right direction. As such, let me share here a few interesting results I have pinpointed in my quest for awesome ancient legendary names!

"Looking For Group" Comic.
An awesome character necessitates
an awesome name!

A good start is always Norse Mythology. A second best and great for Elves is Celtic Mythology. For variation and less fluid sounds there is Ancient Germanic. Finally, for those who are interested in more finesse and modern names one can browse through Anglo-Saxon.

TortoiseSVN - Software Version Control

Lovely interface & functionality.

In relation to the flash game project I'm working on (as mentioned in a previous post), I feel that TortoiseSVN deserves some credit.

TortoiseSVN is an interface that connects and sits in the OS's shell (Windows/Linux/Mac), and allows the user to manage the source code and files of a software project. It features useful functions, such as sharing the same files online with other team members. Also, it offers a revisioning system, that makes sure all files have rollbacks. In other words, every change and update is managed and stored automatically for you.

It runs quickly and neatly. Some websites offer hosting services that work with the SVN infrastructure for free or for a cheap price, thus completing the requirements of a manageable project environment for a team.

Gaming A Make

CLICK TO VIEW IN FULL SIZE

Fighting monsters in abandoned halls. 
The Dungeon Blitz Website

Getting inspiration from the small project of Dungeon Blitz, both I and a good friend decided to make an old dream come true - and make an Online Multiplayer Roleplay Action Game (OMRAG? lol).

Making a simple Flash scroller with cartoon graphics and animations seems like the most reasonable choice for a team of two. We are both without funding, but we try to make up for that with (part time jobs) enthusiasm and dedication! He is more the artist type, and I am definitely a programmer and technical person. While we are both doing Flash tutorials, I am attempting to put into action a simple server and client.

There seems to be a variety of options to choose from for such a project these days; something that makes this easier and quicker. Flash Professional has become a powerful tool, and I only need to tweak a sample server, and insert the client code into my own project. I intend to have a basic version to show this upcoming week, and you can definitely expect to see it here. ;-)