MEOW

It's been a while since I've made a news post, life is busy.

Here's a short note on something cool I came up with for an upcoming game with Luis:

I have a certain part of the game looking to a text file stored on my site for some variables and such that then determine what's displayed in that section. Basically it's a way I can keep updating that section of the game even after it's been stolen from NG and spread all over the web, thus providing players with regularly updated new game content post-game-release. It works on a similar principle as the NG FlashAPI but is not nearly as complex and is customized to my specific needs. The idea will also make use of NG user-pages to let players participate in the regular updates.

This is probably not a new idea, but I haven't seen it in many flash games that weren't full-on multiplayer and hopefully it extends the "virtual shelf-life" and face time of this particular game.

Sorry for the vague generalities, more details to follow when the game is released sometime this month (hopefully).

EDIT: Here's what it's like for Luis and me to work together (especially the teaching me to dance part) -

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Hmm, I dunno ... don't ask me ... Just make games I guess? Yeah, that must be it. Make games.

Anyway, I got my NG calendar last week. It came out really well. I recommend it; every single person I've talked to who ordered one has been extremely pleased with it.

Mine sits on my work-station wall waiting for January to roll around.

Get one today!

Got my NG store stuff!

I'm looking forward to seeing how the NG calendar turned out. I hear it's amazing.

Also, here's a video run-through of me playing buccaneer battle:

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I've been working out and eating right for the last 9 weeks and I just reached my 30 lb. weight loss mark! My goal weight is sill another 15 lbs. so wish me luck.

Additionally, please check out this game made by Ansel and I.

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/
467553

The back story is that Ansel's programmer (ahem, Coaly) bailed out of the project and Ansel was hoping to submit it for the MaxGames contest which ended last night.

Well, Ansel asked me to help out last Saturday so all his hard work on animating sprites wouldn't go to waste. So yeah, it's been a really hectic week as I started from scratch and programmed my guts out on the game. I can't believe it turned out as well as it did. :)

Side-Note: Check out the pause feature (press "P"). I'm using some bitmap data screenshot manipulation, I thought it was pretty nifty.

I hope you like it!

Thanks to all who participated!

http://renaenae.newgrounds.com/news/po st/212288

Well, if you haven't noticed I like to play around with artcontests. I've always been into art, but lately artcontests have grabbed my attention mainly because it is a way to play with the latest and greatest in ART technology. Something about the fact that these new ARTs can generate so much good-timez, while using far less paint than traditional canvases, is interesting to me. It is fun to keep up with the art and realize we are getting closer to the point where ARTs will fill our homes, our streets, replace our mothers' Thomas Kincaid paintings, etc.

For now artcontests are still a useful thing to have around the house, on your internetz, in your car, etc. I would be surprised if people didn't have a artcontest or two around their home somewhere, incase the power goes out, etc. Take the recent events with hurricanes. Millions of people were without power, and some probably still don't have power from Ike. What kind of artcontests are these poor souls stuck with? Attention-hungry n00b artcontests that start to be spammed minutes after starting them? Maybe they are lucky enough to have some form of NG artcontest, but unless they have something with cutting edge technology it probably isn't that good and may not win in the end.

So I thought I would recommend some basic artcontests that use cutting edge FLASH tech which are very efficient and provide long good-timez, more moniez, etc.

NG CALENDAR ART CONTEST

Some friends of mine have released their 1st game!

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/
461819

They're extremely talented artists so look for some awesome stuff from them in the future!

Also, check out their website:

http://www.flashpotatoes.com, or their userpage, http://potatobutt.newgrounds.com/

It's alright, but it lags and has a big screen. :-P

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/
459147

Guess what?!

My name is in the credits of Castle Crashers!

It sits alongside the names of my fellow creators of Castle Crashing the Beard....and Mega64.

Tom was considering including CCtB in CC as an unlockable mini-game. I'm not sure why that didn't happen, but I'm perfectly happy with my name in a real-life console game.

Maybe one day I'll actually be involved as a dev on a console game. Woogi World on XBLA anyone? :-P

BTW, I loved Castle Crashers, it was all I expected it to be and had some nice surprises too.

Click here to see the pic larger (I'm the 2nd name from the top, under Luis)