http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php This is a discussion forum powered by vBulletin. To find out about vBulletin, go to http://www.vbulletin.com/ . en Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:42:15 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/images/Darkness/misc/rss.jpg http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=59 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:44:23 GMT Pluto is annoyed at not being a planet any more, to it takes up a baseball bat and start hittin asteroids into the other... Pluto is annoyed at not being a planet any more, to it takes up a baseball bat and start hittin asteroids into the other planets.

http://www.fun-motion.com/physics-ga...-strikes-back/

It's a great little game, with some good music :D ]]> Charcoal http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=59 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=58 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:10:16 GMT We like to kick lots of ideas around the office. Sometimes we kick them until, like the poor fellow in Clockwork Orange, they lie twisted and... We like to kick lots of ideas around the office. Sometimes we kick them until, like the poor fellow in Clockwork Orange, they lie twisted and bleeding on the ground with Singing in the Rain playing cheerily off to one side.

For example, the other day I heard some members of the Neopets team discussing the idea of breeding a dolphin with a chimp. Nobody was sure if it would result in a chimp with fins, but if it did, Deanna - the gameplay lead on Neopets - assured everybody that she would be happy to look after it.

Aside from the inappropriate hybridization of wildly diverse species, the most interesting ideas we talk about are naturally ideas for games.

Daniel, our DS Lead on an almost-announced project, asked the other day how we could write Battle Mahjong. It's been spinning around in my head for a few days now and the best way to get stuff like that out seems to be to vomit my thoughts up here in my blog, thus clearing some room in my skull for more important ideas like, oh I don't know... how to make a cocktail that includes beer and raspberry cordial.

After my initial mental images of Battle Mahjong that included two chimps with fins gleefully hurling bone tiles at each other until one of them lost an eye, my brain switched out of idiot mode and into game designer mode - a movement that is usually akin to leaping across a tiny crack in the pavement.

To begin with, there are two different types of Mahjong. There's real Mahjong and then there is the one many of us are probably more familiar with: Mahjong Solitaire. Since real Mahjong is already a competitive game, I'd rather think of how to bastardize the solitaire version into something cool. Since it's a game about matching pairs of tiles and clearing a board, it'd be pretty easy to have each tile type represent some resource or action in the game that either benefited you or harmed your opponent. Because it is naturally turn-based, and could be comparitive in effect rather than destructive (think compare final scores, rather than do actual damage), I think it could be easily adapted to greater than 2 players or even for cooperative play.

Anyway, it sounds cool to me. So if anybody reads this and thinks it sounds cool too, please write the game, because Daniel and I would both like to play it.

If it's good, we'll even send you one of our chimps with fins.

Cheers

-Steve ]]> SteveFawkner http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=58 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=57 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:24:26 GMT what does one say? , workin hard........ exciting stuff... I dunno any comments . lets give this dialogue ball a kick in the .... ball? what does one say? , workin hard........
exciting stuff... I dunno any comments . lets give this dialogue ball a kick in the .... ball? ]]> paulbowers77 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=57 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=56 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:03:54 GMT I watched something today called the Top 10 OMGWTF moments in gaming (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36111.html) It was interesting because I... I watched something today called the Top 10 OMGWTF moments in gaming

It was interesting because I had a WTF moment myself the other day:

I recently picked up Ninja Gaiden II, it's quite frankly one of the most violent games I've played (and to be honest the violence factor makes up for the lack of story and clunky controls).

There may be some spoilers ahead if you don't want what little story the game seems to have spoiled then you might not want to continue.

I just fought the boss guy of the Bad ninja clan (whatever they are called) and they got their hands on the demon statue thingy that my clan was supposed to protect (and a great job they were doing with apparently 2 people to do it)

The game cuts straight to a semi ruined New York, and I was expecting to get attacked by more bad ninjas, when i got attacked by a pack of dogs; wielding swords.........

Yes, sword wielding dogs. The only thing i could think of was WTF, why would any sane person put sword wielding dogs into a game. and why could they seemingly fight with the skill of the other ninjas that I'd come across.

I'm kinda worried as to what the rest of the game will bring. But that alone would be near the top of my list of stupidest things in games.

So for the few people that read this, what are your biggest WTF moments in games? ]]> Si_ http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=56 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=55 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:26:56 GMT BLOG BLOG BLOG BLOG! finally got round to sorting out my password etc stay tuned for september when i might have something intersting to say ;) BLOG BLOG BLOG BLOG!

finally got round to sorting out my password etc

stay tuned for september when i might have something intersting to say ;) ]]> paulbowers77 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=55 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=54 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:42:50 GMT So... what is Neopets?

Well, if you've never heard of Neopets, and your workplace firewall has blocked both Wikipedia and www.neopets.com, I'll give you a brief rundown...

'Neopets' is the online home of a persistent world, in which you create and care for, one of 50+ customisable, fully equipable 'Neopets' and embark on adventures across the virtual fantasy world of Neopia.

The site has been running since 1999 and provides all the usual MMORPG swag with avatar creation, evolving storylines, quests, economy, community, PVP, and importantly... gaming... but that is just the tip of the Neopet tail, expanding beyond the .com into an industry all of it's own... soon to include Neopets: Puzzle Adventure!

Now, I'm an older 'hard core' gamer (whatever that is), hand twitching atop a warm X360 controller, but as we started down the NPA journey and were consequently drawn into the world of Neopets, I was pleasantly surprised by two things...
Firstly, that anyone, regardless of age or experience can jump straight into a veritable cornucopia of instantly playable games and secondly, how involved and engaging the history and back story of Neopia was.

Many people are justifiably happy playing the games stand alone, but the real fun for me was in the various story arcs and quests that led to the creation and evolution of Neopia itself. As a developer we had unique access to comprehensive guides detailing the history, geography and personalities of Neopia and as an avid table top roleplayer that was what piqued my interest as a starting point for how we would visualise NPA.

But more on that next post... Meanwhile, I suggest you check your friendly neighborhood search engine if you want any more info on Neopets. ]]> The Omen http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=54 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=53 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:47:08 GMT I'm really lazy on posting sometimes, you may have already seen the photos that Charcoal posted from Friday night.

I got some shots too, from after the main Warioware games when we were playing Bungee Buddies

Aaron (Charcoal) doing the Discard form


One of the 2 person poses in Warioware (Aaron and Andrew)


Aaron and Johno after a decent game of Bungee Buddies doing their pose


And again


Aaron after playing by himself, doing the 2 person pose



Edit: Pics should be working now ]]> Si_ http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=53 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=52 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:23:19 GMT Hi folks

My name is Damien and I'm the lead artist on Neopets: Puzzle Adventure. Or, as we call it here at I2... NPA. In fact we don't call it that at all, It just seems cooler and simpler to write NPA than 'Neopets: Puzzle Adventure' every time I need to mention it...

What is the purpose of this Blog? Well... I guess we'll find that out together, but essentially it's a Blog about the development process of NPA, primarily from the perspective of the art team.
That said, I must start my Blog with an apology... Due to the fact that this game is still deep in production, I can't provide any juicy hard and fast details outside of the official media channels, but I CAN provide you with something of a 'developers journal' from my (hopefully) unique perspective.

NPA went into production late last year, which is when I came on board, both as lead artist on the project and as a senior artist with I2. In the spirit of some fantastic spin I've been reading lately on other game sites, I have to say that I2 IS a great place to work (which I say sincerely WITHOUT any spin) and NPA has equally been a great title to work on.

Who am I? Essentially I'm a geek, in the personal and professional sense. I've been working in the Oz games industry for over a decade as well as illustration and graphic design.
Personally, I'm a devout roleplayer, comic reader, movie buff, (learner) scooterist, Star Wars nut, and episodic T.V. watcher (more on that in the future), husband, father and in the tradition of all great, self indulgent bloggers, will bore you with my own take on all those subjects sometime in the future!

Well, I have to get back to work now, there's a Mynci with my name on it, but I'll see you back here soon! ]]> The Omen http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=52 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=51 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:31:04 GMT Every month, at the end of a long week, we have a games night.
With free pizza, beer and games, it's always fun.

This time Simon (Si_) brought in Wario Ware Smooth Moves.

Here's some pictures:


Steve Pointing.


Rhiannon, with a mohawk!


Steve is the Big Cheese!


Andrew's fast wiimoting.


Johno, Steve and Me.


Rhi-a-phant


Steve, with a mohawk!


Andrew and Haggis, looking on.


Deanna and Simon


Steve Wins (we keep our jobs)
]]> Charcoal http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=51 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=50 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:56:27 GMT Since I have been sick since Sunday, I haven't been riding my bike into work.
So public transport is the order of the day.

Last night, after a long day working on Neopets, I was travelling home.

While waling between two tram stops, one of my feet started slipping.
I fell forward and landed on one of my knees.

I felt like an idiot, but I got up and dusted myself off.
Then I looked around to see what caused me to fall over.



I had slipped on a banana peel. ]]> Charcoal http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=50 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=49 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:53:37 GMT OK, so I've been playing both for years now, the former for far longer then the latter so you'd think that i'd know that I can't actually play like the pixellated 3D superstars in the game but when it comes to pull on the spandex shorts for Real Life Tennis, I ready myself for a night of smashing the ball directly at my opponent at 200 Kph, hitting some meaty aces and playing like a pro. The moment comes, I serve and bam it happens. My virtual world comes crashing down around me revealing... my rather average excuse for tennis skills.

*sigh* Ah well I think to myself after once another tennis night is over, "next time". Will next time ever come? Probably not but it's nice to dream. Back to Virtua Tennis 3 for me! ]]> Haggis http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=49 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=48 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:21:01 GMT So Diablo 3 was announced on the weekend, which made myself, and I'm assuming a lot of other people pretty excited, especially after watching the gameplay trailer.

I played a lot of Diablo 2 during my high school years, so knowing that a nice new one is coming (eventually, everyone knows what Blizzard is like with release dates) is great, especially seeing as good old Diablo 2 doesn't look so great running at 800x600 on my nice 22 inch screen. (although that wont stop me playing it again)

I also got Smash Bros Brawl last week, and played that quite a lot over the weekend (damn aussie release dates), Its definitely a great game and one that I'll probably keep going back to. Even after the slap in the face of having to play for ages to unlock Snake and Sonic.

So with all these games, and not a great amount of time to play them, and with more coming (must have Spore) it seems like my gaming needs should be satisfied for a fair amount of time yet, which is good. ]]> Si_ http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=48 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=47 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:00:57 GMT It would be fairly obvious to anyone visiting here, that I2 is filled with geeks. Not all of us are, but most of us. And being geeks, most of us are... It would be fairly obvious to anyone visiting here, that I2 is filled with geeks.
Not all of us are, but most of us.

And being geeks, most of us are reliant on our morning, mid morning, lunch, after lunch, early afternoon, mid afternoon, late afternoon and end of day coffees.

To cater for this, we have a very nice espresso machine.
It takes whole beans in the top and water from the back, then spits out pure black gold.

Well, it did, until yesterday.

It seems it's now broken.

And it won't be fixed for another two weeks.

There are sad faces all around :( ]]> Charcoal http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=47 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=46 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:45:50 GMT I like cooking. I like watching people cook. On TV. Well, in TV shows, on my computer... One of those shows is called Top Chef. It takes some up... I like cooking.

I like watching people cook.
On TV.
Well, in TV shows, on my computer...

One of those shows is called Top Chef.

It takes some up and coming chefs and pits them against one another.

And it has some professional chefs to judge it.

One of those chefs is Tom Colicchio:


Now, here's a picture of Steve:


Is it just me, or are they clones? ]]> Charcoal http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=46 http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=45 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:53:29 GMT I never like being sick, I'm generally pretty resilient when it comes to getting a cold, usually once per year I get a mild one and after that I'm pretty good.

Except this year; I'm now fighting my third bout with this tenacious bastard of a cold thats just going around and around and around. It's really starting to get annoying.

But I keep on going, most likely doing my part to keep this virus circulating, and most likely annoying other people around the office with my coughing.

Thats really all I wanted to rant about, so until next time...... (if this cold doesn't kill me that is) ]]> Si_ http://forums.infinite-interactive.com/blog.php?b=45