Let’s JAM With Jarod from Zivix (JAM Live Music Arcade Interview)
Interview by: Master Blud
There have been many instances where I have left the rhythm game series. I grew fond of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I slowly went in and out of my constant need to play rhythm games. As a musician myself, I found it amazing to play songs on a guitar peripheral. But it tends to get boring after a while. Then came the whole “Realistic” rhythm games such as Rocksmith and some others. I felt I was controlled too much by these games. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. I wanted to just jam out instead following a highway of notes. Even with the realistic games such as mentioned before, you didn’t have that elbow room to do what you wanted to do. So I had time to email Jarod from Zivix, to get the deets on JAM Live Music Arcade. We hope this will help answer some questions you might have had about the release of the game.
JAM Live Music Arcade is Now Available on the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN.
VVGtv: Thanks for taking the time to jam with us on some questions Jarod (From Zivix)!
Zivix: Your welcome! Its good to be here…is this mic on?
VVGtv: No, I am afraid your fingers will have to do the talking. First off, what makes JAM Live Music Arcade different from all of the other Rhythm Games out there?
Zivix: There are two separate modes in the game, JAM and Arcade mode. JAM mode is what sets this game apart because it lets you, the player, decide what you want the entire “band” to do, and when to do it. People have the chance to create music on their own terms instead of simply following a linear song experience that gives them illusion of performing.
So what are you when you play JAM…a musical puppeteer that directs the band? Sure! It gives you the ability to instantly launch or turn on individual tracks such as drums, bass, guitar, synth, vocals, etc. while they play in sync. You can start by launching a drum beat, then layering on a bass line, adding vocals, taking drums away for a break down; you can basically tell every instrument when to play and when not to play. The game lets you solo any track you want at any time. For instance, it’s pretty cool hearing the Modest Mouse vocals by themselves. It really is a different way to experience music; hearing songs you know and love from the ground up, then remixing them however you want.
The more you play, the better your timing becomes to bring in these tracks on beat, which will also score you more points to unlock new songs and visual venues. The experience gets a bit deeper as you progress, allowing you to change from Verse to Chorus to Bridge, while simultaneously turning on and off tracks. It makes for some pretty powerful transitions. We also offer “one shot” drum fills, guitar riffs, synth lead, tracks with are not in sync with the main tracks, which are fun to stutter and really get you into the JAM.
Arcade mode is based on more of the follow the leader game play. This is a great mode to teach someone how to play for themselves, and make decisions when to launch and turn off tracks in JAM mode. For those used to the GH / RB style of gameplay, it’s a nice way to give them another challenge and introduce them to our format.
VVGtv: How many tracks are in the game, and is there DLC being planned?
Zivix: 32 tracks are in the game. We have some DLC ready to launch soon after the title is out, and we’re definitely excited about providing more as fans ask for it.
VVGtv: Besides making JAM Live Music Arcade, do you have any other products or games that you have made?
Zivix: Yes, we’ve got a baked down music mixing experience called, “Just Jam” on WiiWare that we did in conjunction with Big John Games; and we’ve also got several mobile apps on the market. Some of these are music based, but we’ve also had fun experimenting with different types of entertainment apps and games. We’ve got a pretty fun one with a lot of character in the form of “Nog’s Gem Quest” coming soon to mobile. It should show off that we’re a pretty versatile team and love all types of gaming! We also have several patents for a touch sensing technology which we’re incorporating into a musical peripheral that we’ll be announcing soon; along with building derivative apps to support it. Exciting stuff!
VVGtv: If you were to give one tip to the player from your own experience while working on the game, how would they enjoy the game more?
Zivix: Forget anything you’ve known about other music games, turn up your speakers, and don’t be afraid to zone out and have fun.
VVGtv: What are some of the key features of the game that you enjoy the most?
Zivix: Personally I enjoy just getting into the “musical zone”, (which is the same feeling when I perform live), while playing in JAM mode and just exploring all the different sounds and seeing what I can come up with. I mixed and coded every-single-individual sound in this game and I still find new and interesting combinations I feel like I haven’t heard before. The artists that created the original songs are always blown away by the combinations they see people come up with when they watch them play. It’s a treat to see people have fun with what we’ve created; we still have fun with it every day.
VVGtv: I would like to thank you again Jarod (From Zivix) for jamming with us on this fine day!
Zivix: I would like to thank you for having me! –Jarod Hadaway, Music Director/Producer, Zivix LLC
Beef, Boobs and Spism (Interview with Baller Industries)
The Xbox Indie Games channel is filled with the absolutely pointless titles that includes zombies, boobs, and those voxel games. If you haven’t added any of these features in your game, you are doomed forever. One developer takes the point and click adventure genre and makes it his own. I am not really sure I understand the whole idea behind these stories Baller Industries tells us. So I had time to get the nitty-gritty out of Angus Cheng. I got the mind numbing questions out of the way, which will hope clear the air of why boobs, and why spism.
VVGtv: Hey Angus, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions regarding you and your hilarious titles you have published. Every time I see your name, I want a cheeseburger.
BI: No worries Ryan. A lot of people don’t know the name Angus, so whenever I meet new people I tell them my name is Angus, like the cow.
VVGtv: I’m hungry, let’s start with a question that usually pops into my head when looking at your games. Why Boobs? Why Spism? Why the point and click adventure games?
BI: Back in 2009, when I was in my final year of university, I was playing through a lot of point and click adventure games. I played all the Leisure Suit Larry games in order. I really liked the dated references, humour and the idea of telling a story through a video game. I wasn’t too crazy about the game play. I think for almost of them I used a walk through to get to the end. Then when I was done with them, I wondered why no one was making them any more. I felt sad for a little bit and then continued doing whatever the hell it was I did back then. Then I realised adventure games are about the easiest category of games to code. So I went about working on my first video game Get Rich or Die Gaming.
A few weeks after starting the project, I had nothing. When you launched the game, a picture displayed, and an audio file played saying “Wilson is playing DotA”, then another picture appeared. That was it. I then went out to hang out with some friends. I hadn’t seen them in a while and things were a little bit uncomfortable. So I started telling everyone about the adventure game I was making. Among the group was a great illustrator called Steve, and a really funny writer called Vishal. As I was telling them about the game they all got really interested. So much so that Steve, Vishal and I agreed to meet up the next day and work on Get Rich or Die Gaming.
The next day Vishal wrote the spism dealer scene. I think originally the drug dealer threatened to fire semen onto the player’s face. I realised this might not be something appropriate for XBOX Live and so we changed it to an offering of spism in a cup. So that’s the story of the point and click adventure games and spism. What about the boobs? I just did it because they’re eye-catching.
VVGtv: Besides trying to make everyone laugh uncontrollably while playing your games, what are some of the SUPER FUN Recreational activities you enjoy?
BI: I really enjoy playing pranks on people. Which is why I don’t have many friends and decided to pursue a career as a computer programmer. I also like hiking, I go hiking twice a week at least, I actually prefer to go on my own. I get the opportunity to think about dialogue between characters, general story lines and other planning related stuff. I drink an unbelievable amount of coke. At least two cans a day, so I need to do some exercise to prevent myself from becoming unbelievably obese.
Recently a friend of mine Wilson was applying for PhD positions at various universities in Australia. I was overseas at the time and realised if I called him up the number would be blocked and he wouldn’t know it was me calling. So I called him up and put on a thick Australian accent.
I told him I was a professor from Macquarie University, and asked him some basic questions to get him to feel I really was from Macquarie University. Then I asked him if he would be willing to bite a horses tail to get the position. This really confused him. He didn’t answer for a while then said he thought he might have heard me wrong. I repeated the question and he said he didn’t know what I meant. “It’s perfectly simple, you grab a horse by the tail, put its tail in your mouth and then bite”. He then said he wouldn’t be willing to do that. Then I burst out laughing and he realised it was a prank.
VVGtv: What has been your biggest moment in developing your games?
BI: It would have to be the launch of Get Rich or Die Gaming. I couldn’t believe how many people bought it, talked about it on twitter, made YouTube videos and sent me hate mail. It’s nice to have a high selling game, but it’s really great getting all the feed back from people. Even if it’s extremely angry.
VVGtv: What inspires all of your titles such as Get Rich or Die Gaming, Let’s get Fiscal, and your most recent title, Rock Bottom?
BI: With Get Rich or Die Gaming I was inspired by classically styled adventure games, and the XNA framework. I really wanted to make something with XNA. With Let’s Get Fiscal I wanted to make a more traditional game, something that had more game play and something that would push my technical skills. With Rock Bottom I just wanted to get back to the world of Wilson Cooper. My next game is called THE RISE OF GADDAFISH. I was sitting on gmail chat one day, and a friend asked me what my next game was about. At the time I was working on Rock Bottom and had told him about it a million times. I was so mad, that I replied to him with the stupidest game idea ever. He laughed and said it was a great idea. Then I thought about it and agreed, it was a great idea and decided to use it for the opening of my next game, The Rise of Gaddafish.
VVGtv: Do you have a sneak peek of Rise of Gaddafish for us?
BI: Here’s a sneak peek of the opening comic for The Rise of Gaddafish.
VVGtv: Woah that is nice! How good is Baller Industries?
BI: It is really good.
VVGtv: Again Mr. Cheese Burger, I thank you for joining us. As always, Live Long and Spism!
BI: Thanks Ryan!
XBLIG Companion – XBLIG Rises from the Grave (Interview)
Xbox Indie Games has received a lot of press and coverage over the past year. Both negative and positive press. It all seems to grab only a fraction of attention from consumers. We had the Indie Games Winter Uprising and the Indie Games Summer Uprising. Both which have shown us what a team of great minds can accomplish, even if it fell through it (more…)
VVGtv Exclusive: Freds Fridays No.2 Let’s eat Brains! (Interview)
Ok ladies and germs, it is time for another Freds Friday here on VVGtv. This week we have an interview with Adam, we ate his brains, so if he starts to slur in his typing, it isn’t my fault he is so tasty. Night of the Fred is currently in development by StickyDPadGames. Follow them on their twitter too, at StickDPadGames.
VVGtv – Hey Adam, thanks for taking the time to talk about Sticky Dpad Games and Night of the Fred.
A - Not a problem! Hopefully we can answer some of your burning questions! Fire away!
VVGtv- What is your background history in gaming?
A - If we are talking about playing them, it goes all the way back to the NES era. As time went on, I’ve played every console under the sun. Even today I’m a massive retro gamer. It’s great finding those undiscovered games from the past. When talking about creating them..erm.. that’s a different story. This is the first ever game I’ve worked on..
VVGtv – What inspired the game Night of the Fred?
A - With the whole sub-genre now if you will of Zombies, we wanted to try a fresh approach on something that’s been done to death (no pun intended!) With us both being fans of the old school RPGs, such as Zelda and Earthbound, it inspired us to take the whole zombie thing, and blend it with the action RPGs of yesteryear.
A lot of games today focus on just the killing of Zombies, with no objective in mind. We wanted to create a game where zombie killing is still fun and fresh, yet add quests and story to keep the player engaged. Rather than replaying the game to beat their high score, we want players to come back to unlock unique weapons, item and a few other little secrets we have up our sleeves. Or just wanting to see how the story unravels and what happens to the characters and people in the gameworld. In short, we wanted to make a zombie game where killing them wasn’t the primary objective.
It was also an opportunity for us to attempt something new, and come at the genre with a different perspective. Our goal really is for people to enjoy it, and have fun! Too many games today feel like a chore to complete, and despite being technologic brilliant, they lack a certain charm we hope to have with ‘Night Of The Fred’.
VVGtv – How do you see Xbox Live Indie Games in its current form?
A - That’s a tough question. It’s hard to say whether it’s got better or worse. The quality of games that not only are on the channel, but have been released in the last year, are the best it’s ever seen. It’s apparent just looking at the number of games that have made the jump from Xbox Live Indie Games, and have moved onto bigger and better things, like Steam. Games like ‘DLC Quest’, ‘Dead Pixels’ and ‘Cthulhu Saves The World’ have all shown that the channel can generate a great number of sales, and that the market is there.
Yet weirdly, Microsoft seem like they are trying to sweep Indie Games ‘under the rug’. Everybody knows of the problems with the new dashboard, and how ridiculously hard they have made it to even so much as browse the catalogue. Another thing I’ve noticed, from a personal point, so this may not apply to everyone, but how unpublicised the Dream.Build.Play contest has become over the years. I remember when it first came about, how big and grand it was. You’d see advertisements all over Xbox Live and a large amount of websites. Yet now, it’s hard enough finding out when the contest is held, and that’s when you’re looking for it!
I think it’s a shame that Microsoft are not paying hardly any attention to the Indie Game channel. Great games like The Dishwasher have proved how successfully independent developers can make Xbox Live Arcade quality titles, so why aren’t they paying more attention?
Ain't she a CUTIE!?
VVGtv- How many people are involved in the development of “Night of the Fred”?
A - Just the two of us. Jamie is the brains behind the game, dealing with all the technical aspects. And I’m the looks, creating all the art work for it. Between us, we are the designer’s as well. There’s not just one person involved in the creative process of designing the game. I think that’s the main advantage of working with a partner in game development. The fact you can bounce ideas back and forward really helps. You can’t imagine how bad the original concept for ‘Night Of The Fred’ was before we started brainstorming together ha!
VVGtv – On your freetime, what other hobbies and activities take your interest?
A - Freetime? What’s that? Ha! Honestly, since starting ‘Night Of The Fred’, freetime has been extremely sparse. I used to play football (or soccer!) quite a fair bit before starting development, and although I still get to from time to time, it’s extremely rare now. Obviously gaming was a big one too. I still find time to game, albeit not as much, but when I do I convince myself that it’s research to make it seem justified!
VVGtv – Is there any other projects you were involved with, that haven’t been released to the public, if so, give us the deets!
A - Literally, there is nothing! Jamie has worked on a few projects himself, for college and University projects, but this is our very first game together. It’s all quite scary and exciting at the same time really. People ask us quite frequently if taking on a game of such scale as our first project was a mistake. Coming from both of us, we completely disagree. If anything, as developers, we encourage it! Of course, making a small, simple game, like Pong isn’t going to be anywhere as near demanding. But what’s the point of creating something if you aren’t going to give it your all, and challenge yourself?
VVGtv – Thanks again Adam for taking the time to answer some important questions.
A - Thank you for having us! It’s been great speaking to you guys! We look forward to speaking again sometime! 
Breathe in, Breathe Out with The Working Parts: An Interview
You may not know who they are, but their title “They Breathe” had caught my attention really quick. The charisma of this game in initial trailer pulled my straight in to the most haunting gameplay. I had time to send John from The Working Parts Indie Game Studio some questions. We also had someone from the community Ben from XBLIG.co ask the developer some questions. We think it went really well. Do you have a question for the developer? If So, tweet them now The Working Parts
John: Hi Ryan. No problems, it’s a pleasure to do so.
VVGtv: As always I would love to hear about the background of developers and their team, what type of gaming background does your team have?
John: Sure! I guess we’ve all been into gaming since we were kids, and some of us also started to make games in an early age using tools like Gamemaker and Click & Play. While we all have kind of different tastes in games, we all enjoy games that bring something new to the table and bring interesting stories to life. Almost all of us agree that the Shenmue games are among the best ever made, for example. We’re also huge fans (more…)
A Developer in Plain Sight – Interview with Adam Spragg
VVGtv:Hey Adam thanks for taking the time to answer some very important questions that our readers want to know about.
Adam: It’s my pleasure! I love talking games and game development, and flattered that anyone would want to hear my opinions.
VVGtv: Alright, let’s get on with our first question. What is your history of gaming and developing?
Adam: I just turned 37 years old. On one hand, that is seriously pushing “old fart” territory, but it also means that I was alive to experience the birth and golden age of console and PC gaming (I can just feel IndieGamerChick rolling her eyes!). We got our first computer, an Apple ][+, when I was a young boy. I remember it came with two games: Castle Wolfenstein and RobotWar. The former got me excited about video games in general, and the latter eventually opened my eyes to the basics of programming.
I remained a PC gamer through my c (more…)
He’s Saved by the Musical Bells: Interview with Zack Parrish
- Zack Parrish
We here at VVGtv try to bring you the most variety possible in indie games. We actually have a special treat for you, not only is he a friend of VVGtv, he is also a well-respected in the community. Some of you may not know who Zack Parrish is, but he is one of the persons responsible for the Indie Games Summer Uprising trailer music, as well as games (A Turtle’s Quest,Antipole, CosmosX2, Battallion: Nemesis, Eternal Eden, and the new Xbox Indie Game that certainly has been quite the hit, Cute Things Dying Violently). We sent over an email to Zack Parrish, in hopes t
(more…)
Interview with developer Michel Gagné: ITSP
Trailer Park King Interviews @MajorNelson *Spoof* #XBLIG
Since the time I have played the game Trailer Park King, I have revisited it time and time again. Freelance Games Has made an interview video to further his promotion in his title Trailer Park King out now for 80 Microsoft Points. Don’t forget the game gives you an invisible stamp that says “I dated to Greeter”.
Honor in an Interview, Take Vengeance!
- Click to be brought to Honor In Vengeance Marketplace link
I had played the first Honor in Vengeance and was extremely impressed by the visuals and gameplay. I thought the first game had some potential. Now that Honor in Vengeance II is out, I thought I would interview Michael Hicks about his history and the past titles he had worked on and currently released. Michael had some very insightful answers to my questions. Let’s take a look.
Legend of Kilflame Q & A Interview With Small Cave Games
VVGtv XBLIG Interview
Legend of Kilflame Q & A With Small Cave Games
By: Mr. Deeke
VVGtv’s questions are written in Blue, whereas Carl Van Ostrand’s answers are written in italics.
1. What games influenced and inspired the development of Legend of Kilflame?
Without a doubt, several classics like Zelda: A Link to the Past and Diablo played a pivotal role in shaping teh game – certainly in some of the core design goals. But titles like Aquaria and Beyond Good and Evil served as inspiration in terms of the storytelling and ambiance.
2. Is Legend of Kilflame planned to enter the Dream. Build. Play. 2011 competition?
Well, we had hoped! I am a big fan of the DBP competition and love watching the bar for XBLIG titles get raised higher and higher every year. We won’t have enough progress to where I’d feel comfortable trying to release something, so we’re just returning focus to getting the development hours in.
We’ll be the drunken fools cheering from the sidelines.
3. While developing Legend of Kilflame, what was the single most difficult aspect?
Just one, eh? Right now I’d say the toughest part is delivering what gamers expect from the genre. 3-D action RPG’s are typically left up to the full-size studios (not a three-man independent team) because they are asset-heavy and very intricate.
You need full rigging/animations, a simple-but-deep interface, smooth and satisfying combat and controls, camera angles and enemy AI, a dialogue script and a story arc…the list goes on and on.
So while we’re delivering something unique to the Xbox Live Indie Games platform, we’re also volunteering comparisons to more recent games with much bigger budgets. To maintain the attention and love of the average gamer, we’ll need to polish all rough edges and meet the standards that have been established.
One chewy tidbit that we’re introducing is a mechanic that allows players to see Maya’s thought in a separate window (we’re calling it “Internal Monologue”, or IM).
Players will be able to see what’s on Maya’s mind and react to her thoughts. The benefit and practical application of this mechanic is that it helps players choose dialogue paths, solve quests in certain ways, and uncover clues. It also allows gamers to have a direct connection to Maya’s thoughts and personality, bringing a new level of interaction to the game.
VVGtv would like to thank Carl and the rest of the team at Small Cave Games for this fantastic opportunity for a Q & A Interview focusing on the upcoming Ophidian Wars: Legend of Kilflame XBLIG release.
For more information on Small Cave Games check their official studio website. For info and updates on their upcoming XBLIG release, Ophidian Wars: Legend of Kilflame, be sure to check the official game website.
Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure Interview: Ponycorn Jars for Everyone!
By: Master Blud
We at VVGtv love game stories, we happened to discover a viral game that has taken the web browser games by storm. The game was made by 5 year old Cassie, and as the title says, IT HAZ PONYCORNS!!!! With the help of her father Ryan, they were both able to make this epic adventure. I myself love kids games, for the reason that I too have a daughter and we played this for about 3 hours (Don’t Ask). It’s called parenting.
The web game takes you on a magical adventure, where you play as Sissy, and have to collect all the Ponycorns in little jars, don’t worry, no animal cruelty, these Ponycorns can breathe jar air.
I had time to send my questions to Ryan and Cassie, here is what they had to say.
VVGtv’s responses are highlighted in blue whereas Ryan from Untold Entertainment and his daughter Cassie’s responses are normal.
VVGtv: First tell us in a brief description, how you go into developing.
Ryan: I’ve always wanted to make my own games, even from a very young age. I got my first computer when I was 12. The problem is that I really didn’t understand programming, and I had no one to help me. I remember buying books that told you how to make your own games, but they’d have code errors in the first chapter. Since this was pre-Internet, I couldn’t check for errata or figure out how to troubleshoot the code.
Compiler errors are really foreign when you’re brand new to programming. It was a real shame. So I gave up on programming for a while, and scratched the itch by making games on paper.
I went to school to study computer animation and multimedia. After a few years of teaching animation and computer skills to elementary school kids, I eventually landed a job at a Canadian broadcaster that owned two kids’ teevee stations. My job was to make Flash advergames and original content for the teevee stations’ websites.
VVGtv: Tell us how you started Untold Entertainment.
Ryan: The game development job was great for a start, but I eventually grew out of it. I left to start Untold Entertainment, where my teevee contacts helped me to build a somewhat viable service studio creating games that were brand extensions of kids’ teevee properties.
VVGtv: What originally first sparked the idea to make Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure.
Ryan: Apart from the teevee world, the audiences playing on Flash games portals are jocular young males. They’re very critical of anything they see as girly, “faggy”, or childlike. That makes it very difficult to develop original content that hits with those online audiences. It started to piss me off.
The original concept for Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure was to create this overboard saccharine-sweet game packed with puppies, unicorns, rainbows, kitties, balloons, cuddle blankets … everything that the typical online Flash gamers would hate. But the trick is that the game is an incredibly difficult puzzle platformer … something along the lines of Super Meat Boy. The hope was to have all these young guys going out of their minds angrily trying to finish this emasculating, insipid game filled with little girl imagery.
The idea kind of evolved from there to include Cassie … it was a logical fit. In fact, up until the second day of TOJam, it was still going to be a puzzle platformer. It wasn’t until my laptop started groaning under the weight of the engine we were using that we I decided to scrap that plan and use UGAGS (the Untold Graphic Adventure Game System), which was much more forgiving and easy to work with.
VVGtv: How much time has Cassie put into the Game.
She sunk about 6 hours into illustrating it (all in one go!), and another 1.5 hours into the voice acting.
VVGtv asks Cassie: Are there going to more Ponycorn Adventures we can look forward to in the near future?
Cassie: “Mmm … I’ll make more ponycorn games for them if they like.” (when asked about an idea for a new game:) “Sissy finding a dragon and it’s nice and it finds ponycorns for Sissy.”
VVGtv asks Cassie: Why is the lemon so evil?
Cassie: “Because it squirts lemon juice in your eyes, and that stings.”
VVGtv asks Cassie: Are there going to be more Magical Creations other than Ponycorns you plan on making?
Cassie: “Um … okay. I’ll make some more stuff that doesn’t involve ponycorns.” (she doesn’t have any ideas right now, but over the weekend, she was busy building her own papercraft treasure boxes.)
VVGtv Asks Ryan: Have you considered porting this title to another platform, we cover a lot of Xbox Indie Games, and would love to see this game come to Xbox Indies.
Ryan: We haven’t considered Xbox Live Indie Games, but we’re working on mobile versions for the Playbook, the iPad, and possibly Android.
VVGtv asks Ryan: Furthermore can you tell us, other titles that you have made.
Ryan: We’ve developed a number of games at TOJam over the years, but every other finished product has been created for our clients. The three new, original games we have in development are:
- Kahoots (mobile) – A fun, crime-themed puzzle game modeled entirely in clay.
- Interrupting Cow Trivia (PC) – An online multiplayer trivia game where the first person to type the answer gets the most points.
- Spellirium (PC) – A post-apocalyptic puzzle adventure game
The End
For more information about Untold Entertainment, please visit their official website.
To play Sissys Magical Ponycorn Adventure Web Game, click here and enjoy the utopia of Ponycorns.
VVGindiecast Ep. 6
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VVG indie cast Ep.6(Right Click, Save As to save file {File Size Approx. 55mb MP3}) 
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Interview with Teacher at University of Utah. Roger Altizer
The Students Games:
Little Bit about the Program:
In a nutshell, we decided back in 2007, after speaking to our industry partners, to not do a games degree. There have been many, and few have career opportunities, as they teach a little art and a little programming. Industry really wants deep knowledge of one area.
We instead did an emphasis for our computer science majors and our film/animation majors. They work in teams for all four undergrad years making games. The XBLIG games are their capstone projects. They’re created over two semesters with interdisciplinary teams of 10-14. In 2008 we received a grant from Microsoft to explore XNA in the classroom, consisting of 20 Xboxes, games, software and money. This is how we got started with XBLIG games.
This year we launched the Master Games Studio, a three track grad program for artists, engineers (programmers) and producers. We’ve gotten a ton of industry support from Microsoft, EA, Disney Interactive, Zynga, Chair Entertainment and others.
Interview with “Happy” developer SOLLOMAN
Hey guys, Daizoren here. so a couple months ago I was given the pleasure to interview SOLLOMAN, the creator of the upcoming indie title “Happy”. Happy is a traditional platformer and the creator compared it to Sonic in how it actually plays. As of right now the project has been pushed back to a later release then originally intended, but it’s still under development and will hopefully be out by the end of this year. Until then, check out my interview with “Happy” developer, SOLLOMAN, for more information on this game and his next game idea.
Time to face the Music Generation an ezmuze PLUS!
ezmuze+ Hamst3r Edition
400 MS POINTs for purchase or try the trial (CLICK HERE)
Developers Website
Rating 4.5 out of 5
Written by Master Blud of VVGtv
As I had stared at this Title for the longest time, I kept forgetting to purchase such a title when having the 400 ms points to throw down on it. But nonetheless the creator (James Johnston) of this great music maker had sent me a copy. Now I choose to talk about it. Although I would like to do a video review about this, time is pressed. I entered the game and immediately got myself into a groove with the demo song put up as an example. I then started my own track, (Still working with it).
I got an utmost great sensation as any person who uses Fruity Loops, MTV Music Generator, Magix Audio Software and what not, don’t tell me you have never used any of those things (SLAP). Anyways I continued and got the groove working. There is great features in this title worth just messing around with, one of my favorites is the easy to use Automation System that you can make it so your track volume is just right blending in with the next track. As for myself I am a sucker for great features in any software/firmware/game. So as a progress I got this great 25-30 second loop that just sounds fantastic, you don’t have to be some kind of wizard Harry to use this program.
The ambient loops in the ezmuze+ as well as the other types of tracks usually have a great blend and it is quite easy for someone to just pick up and play and show your buddies what a sick beat you can throw together with a few crazy loops. I can recommend this title to anyone at all who loves to experiment, not just with music but with creativity, hey who knows you might actually have a knack for this. For me to rate this game would be great. A super duper 4.5 out of 5 for its controls, easy to use interface, and all around great experience you can share at your next house party.
Now Comes the greatest part of this article where I do a Quick Q&A With Developer James Johnston.
VVG: For many developers on XNA had a sole purpose as to why they chose this platform to work on. What was your intentions on joining the community?
James: YOU GET TO SELL ON THE XBOX!!!! seriously, that was it. been making games for a hobby for years, so when not only could I *SELL* them, but on a REAL CONSOLE too, that was like WOO!
VVG: What was the inspiration for ezmuze+ Hamst3r Edition?
James: Make it better than ezmuze breaks and house edition
VVG: What is your history of gaming and development?
James: I started making games when I was 6 on the ZX81. We couldn’t afford the tape drive so we couldn’t buy games, so we just made them. Then I got the 800xl, I had the tape drive, but in the UK there was no tapes for sale…then I got the amiga – there were games this time, but I was so used to making my own that I barely bothered with them.
VVG: How long did it take for you, from start to finish on ezmuze+
James: Including the update, 18months (first revision took 7 months)
VVG: Can we ever expect an upgrade package, say ezmuze+ F3rr3t edtion?
James: Second editions release date will be announced soon.
VVG: Can you give other individuals an idea of how to keep there progress moving in development?
James: Give up the day job. They suck anyways.
Square Bananas #XBLIG VVGIndieVerse Interview
VVG IndieVerse Interviews
With XBLIG Developer Square Bananas
By: Mr. Deeke
Welcome to VVGIndieVerse’s introductory Developer Interview with Square Bananas, creator of the fantastic MORPG “Avatar Adventurers Online”. This is our first written Interview here at VVGiv, and the format will be ten (10) Q & A’s along with two questions hand-picked from the XBLIG community.
We would like to thank Square Bananas for this opportunity–these questions offer a rare insight to the mind behind one of the most enjoyable XBLIG’s on the market today.
VVGiv’s questions will be written in Bold and will appear as white text.
The Developer’s answers will show up as blue italics text.
Q & A
#1.Why did you decide to create the first multiplayer online RPG for Xbox Indies?
The first reason was there wasn’t an online RPG game that I am aware of on the Indie Games channel, so it made sense to make one.
Secondly, I have enjoyed playing different online RPGs for the pc in the past and I like the concepts that players work together to develop their characters, solve missions/quests and work towards common goals.
#2. On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was the project altogether?
I would say an 8. Some elements of the project were harder than others, especially as this was a solo project, but I decided to keep other parts simple such as the graphics to focus on adding online play and other functionality.
#3. When developing Avatar Adventurers, what were some of the game elements you knew you wanted in the game?
The main elements I wanted were that players could meet up with others or play with friends online.
Whereas other online Indie games tend to be more competitive, this game focuses more on team work and helping others with missions & quests that you have already figured out, or even getting help yourself from others.
Also being able to trade particular items & equipment between players was an important element I wanted.
Angry Brainless Bovines
#4. How long did it take to develop Avatar Adventurers and prepare it for publication?
In total, it took 12 weeks from starting the project until having a version ready to submit for the marketplace. About 6 weeks of this was spent designing the game systems and writing the code for it, about 4 weeks were taken to create all the content.
It took a further 2 weeks to test the game both offline & online as well as make improvements suggested by other developers during the testing process.
#5. What are some of your personal favorite mutltiplayer online RPG’s?
The main one I used to play was Final Fantasy XI. Even after spending years playing, there was always something else to do.
Other online RPGs that I have played or have watched my friends playing for hours include Star Wars Galaxies, Conquer and Byond (although I never trying making a game with Byond, just played ones others made).
Between these is where most of the inspiration came from to make a multiplayer online RPG.
#6. Your game is a welcome addition to the RPG Indie Game genre. Was it your goal to expand the content for this genre with Avatar Adventurers?
That was one of the goals. Although other RPGs on the Indie Games channel don’t seem to be online, there are some very good ones to choose from still.
I’m sure this is just the beginning and I hope other developers will see the potential to make more multiplayer online RPGs for the Indie Games channel.
RC Helicopter Sim
#7. How long have you been an Indie Game developer?
For just over a year now. I first found out about “XNA Game Studio” in January 2010. The advice and tutorials found on the website (http://create.msdn.com) made it relatively easy to learn and develop my own games.
Last August “RC Helicopter Sim” was released, followed by “Angry Brainless Bovines” and “Impossibly Dodgeable” in October. The later two had online play, which then led onto the development of “Avatar Adventurers Online” at the beginning of November.
#8. Was the overall online functionality of the game hard to develop?
Developing the basic online functionality wasn’t too hard, the difficult part was testing it thoroughly and trying to carry out plenty of multiplayer sessions prior to marketplace release. Careful consideration had to be given so that the gameplay remains relatively smooth online while not creating too much network traffic.
For example when there are a number of players within the same area, the game has to decide which player has the decision of whether an enemy is alive, which way the enemy will wander, who the enemy is attacking, as well as other things. Essentially all the players need to see the same enemies doing the same things.
Therefore the game is designed so that each area is like a mini network game within a much bigger network game, that bigger game being the whole world.
Avatar Adventurers Online
#9. Can we expect more XBL Indie titles developed by you in the future?
Yes. For the moment I plan to spend more time making various improvements to “Avatar Adventurers Online” and possibly even additional content. Although there are no definite future games planned, there will be soon enough.
#10. Avatar Adventurers Online is quite an expansive game. How much time could a gamer expect to invest in the game in order to beat it?
Players seem to be spending varying amounts of time to complete all the missions and obtain the final equipment set. One of the first players to complete the game took 50 hours, although he played almost solo from start to finish.
Other players who have teamed together have managed to complete it quicker, although it still takes time if you want to get the maximum level and obtain all the abilities and equipment.
Community Questions
Original Tweet:
“If you were to interview the Developer of AAOMMORPG with one question what would it be? #XBLIG you will be credited. Enter now.” @MasterBlud
#1. I would ask “When you were a kid, what was your favorite video game, and has it influenced your products in any way?”
Courtsey of @WTG_Pandaa
I guess I have had a few favourites. Originally I use to like playing Sonic a lot, but when my friend got Final Fantasy VII that was my favourite for a long time.
With my latest game, I would say playing such RPGs has greatly influenced what I wanted to develop, although my other less serious games have been influenced more by games such as Bishi Bashi as well as Net Yaroze games for the original Playstation.
#2. What gave you the inspiration for you to come up with this idea?
Courtesy of @sploder360
In the past I have really enjoyed playing online RPGs on the pc. I like the concepts in such games where players have to work together to develop their characters and solve missions/quests.
Games such as Final Fantasy XI, Star Wars Galaxies, Conquer and Byond are where most of the inspiration came from. As there didn’t seem to be a similar online RPG game for the Indie Games channel, it made sense to make one.
That’s it for VVGiv’s first Developer Interview with AAO dev Square Bananas–we’d like to thank Mr. Bananas for this interview and for making the first MORPG for XBL Indie Games.
Want to see your questions on one of our Q & A interviews? VVGtv will select community questions for these types of articles every now and again, so stay tuned!
