Download - NDS : Snake 1.0

The time has come... legend has it, long ago a giant mythical snake descended from the heavens, charged by the gods with a mission to seek out the holy jewels and devourer them. In return the snake would be allowed admittance into Eden...

Ok, maybe not, but I am releasing my first version of snake for the Nintendo DS. To run it you will need a slot 1 flash card (I have been using the CycloDS) or an emulator such as Neon. You can google NDS emulators and you should be able to find them somewhere.

Here is a screen shot:
Features:

• Two modes of play
• Traditional (collect jewels to gain speed, length, score)
• Time Challenge (start with a minute, collecting jewels adds time to the clock, survive as long as you can)
• Pause is functional by hitting start button
• Swap screens by hitting the R button
• 4 types of jewels to collect, each modifying either your length or speed.

This game was developed in 3 days, approximately 14 hours of development strictly in Frame Buffer mode. I have just started playing with the DevKitPro API for the DS and I figured I would get some practice doing some low level drawing. All suggestions are welcome, feel free to comment.

You can download the .nds or .ds.gba files here. The only card tested on is the CycloDS. If someone needs a different version, go ahead and let me know how to compile for you and I will add it here.

Game Review - Song Summoner : IPod : SquareEnix

I know that I just reviewed a SquareEnix game yesterday on this site, but I ran across Song Summoner for the IPod that has just recently been released on ITunes. I must say that SquareEnix is really trying to expand their market. I have not actually played this title yet (as my IPod is broke... hard drive crash).

I was a bit sad to see though the limited selection of IPods that this title works with. Apparently a click wheel model is required, IPod nano w/video, IPod classic, and 5th gen IPods. Apparently the touch isn't supported.

The game play reminds me of monster rancher as the premise is to use external media (in this case songs from your ITunes library) to create units called "Tune Troopers" to fight for you in a very FFTactics like system. Listening to your music outside of the game also levels up your units, presumably using the listening count feature on the ITunes/IPod players.

It's really a novel idea and I hope that it is a good game and does well for SquareEnix. I would love to see some other major developers do likewise. Simple games that are sold for cheap using hand held devices functionality is really something that we have not seen much of yet. Most games for hand held are between 40-50 dollars. Which, understandably is a much more desired market, also require end users to purchase specific devices used solely for gaming.

I think that with systems like the IPod and the Zune, there is a much larger market for developers to target, as these devices are purchased by anyone for their music and video playback capabilities and not only by hardcore gamers. Also, at 4.99 from the ITunes store, this is something that I think many people may buy just because it is cheap and really one of the only larger titles out there (other than your traditional Sudoku/Bejeweled style puzzle games).

Game Review - The World Ends With You : NDS : SquareEnix

Review time...

I've been playing The World Ends With You by SquareEnix as of late. It's a beautiful game and very well implemented for a new IP from a company notorious for re-hashing game play concepts. I was very excited when I first saw this one come out and have recently had a chance to pick it up. I was not disappointed.

At first, I was kind of expecting an emo version of kingdom hearts. Yet, when I first started playing, I had to double check to make sure I wasn't playing a new version of Jet Grind Radio. Although expected from SquareEnix, the game is down right beautiful as far as the art is concerned, and as expected, the music is brilliant. However, music in this game takes a much different approach than the standard SqaureEnix symphonic scores. Very hip, I can even stand to let the sound play at higher than a whisper on my DS, which is probably a first for me on that console.

Even as pretty as it is, the thing that surprised me the most was the innovative game play. The game is really quite unique to the SquareEnix library, and the effective use of both screens makes for quite an exciting fast pace RPG/Adventure game.

The only thing that I would have to say bad about this title is, be prepared to read a lot at the beginning. It does take a while to get into the actual game play of the title, there is a bit of convoluted back story they try to throw at you before you are allowed to fight things. But, it works for this title as the game mechanics are quite complex and the beginning is a fairly painless tutorial that may take a while but at least exposes you to mechanics one at a time.

Bravo SquareEnix, you have won me over yet again as a fanboy. I know we have had our differences in the past (FF7 Crisis Core), but you win. Keep making games like this and I will be devoted for life. Overall rating 9.5 out of 10.

Stance on Homebrew

For a while now I have been debating on how to approach the issue of homebrew. For many companies such as Nintendo and Sony, the concept of homebrew has been a black spot that has been fought viciously and lost by the worlds largest console developers. The lack of embrace and down right rejection to nearly a legal standpoint has discouraged me in my pursuit of implementation of homebrew applications for any console that I own.

It is strange how these companies, without accepting homebrew are competing with Microsoft, whom, although expensive, have allowed users to develop for their console through a supported API designed with the hobbiest in mind. Although, I have stated my opinion of the XNA platform in the past, decent as it is, lacks some more complex functionality without extensive rework. It is useful for smaller scale projects. I am of the opinion that if Microsoft were to make a hand held system that ran XNA based development projects and supported the community who uses the development platform, homebrew would have a much better place in the legal hand held market.

However, the companies that do have their hand helds, restrict the developement of homebrew so much that it makes it almost impossible to develop for the systems unless you are a licensed developer and have proven yourself in the industry as a mult-title releaser. How does one go about proving this without the ability to develop for the system in the first place? How does one go about making demo games to show off to companies who would potentially hire developers if they do not have a platform to build these demos on?

Fortunately, there are dedicated groups out there who have developed homebrew APIs for the leading hand held consoles. Buggy as they may be and questionably legal, they do allow for developers to build applications for release, and although homebrew communities have been notorious for piracy, they have also shown an avenue to developing applications to fill a niche that large scale developers have found non-cost effective to develop. I don't believe in stealing from programmers, I am one myself, but I do believe in open source, and I do believe in open platforms. So homebrewers out there, keep at it. The PC community has already embraced this ideal, so should console developers. The only way to show them that they should is to show them how impressive it can be.

( Hint Hint... look for some homebrew apps for the DS here VERY VERY soon ;) )

Update - New Project

Its been a while since I posted last time, lots have happened, and not so much at the same time. I got a PS3 (the major reason I haven't posted). This has resulted in me not working on my programming so much. I also started a new class for track B, this is an excel class... BORING!

Linear Programming is the main topic for the excel course, which I am extremely good at. I feel like it is a waste of my time. Oh well, work is paying for it (hopefully). Finals went well last semester, I got an AB (3.5 GPA), not bad for accounting.

I also started a new project. I would like to make a side-scrolling engine in Direct X. I have decided that as a single person, a 3D editor is quite a bit out of my feasable scope, unless I quit my job, which is not going to happen unless I can find a job in the Game Industry.

My game? An East meets West, ninja vs. cowboy (at least for the first level ;) ). Ill post some more stuff on this later, such as some sample art and a screen shot once I get the engine up and running. See you soon!