thought I'd try a blog entry.

Fun time for KotM #4

So maybe I was cheating a bit by thinking what I'd want to do. And that was: a game based on cellular automata, specifically, John Conway's Game of Life.

(Wikipedia has a great page on that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life )

I didn't think KnP was up for it so I went back to processing.org, like I did for most of the 100-in-1. (I think I got a little intimidated by what I forgot about KnP)

I warmed up in the afternoon on this: http://kisrael.com/temp/conwayice/
that's 3D plotting and rotation of generations of Life.

I thought about trying to do a platform game, I really love the idea of unsual platform game setups (esp. because of KnPs weird and wonky default behavior... too bad it's not easy to make platform-y enemies, except ones that just walk back and forth)

But anyway, the event started, and I started from scratch, except I lifted the actual life code from elsewhere. I also tried to grab some of the movement code from http://kisrael.com/features/java/cosmicarkatamari/ -- originally the player controlled quite a bit more like the ghost, but i realized making the player constrained to the grid felt better .... )

So anyway, the game. I had some different ideas, like having multiple enemies making "bombing runs", but this kind of organically emerged. The ghost farting out random blobs worked at least well as I hoped it would, in terms of triggering "Life" events. The gameplay, grab the treasure, health depletes, is nothing too special, but I think it works, more or less. Other details: the ghost is actually using a nice transparency effect. the goal cross wasn't obvious enough so I had it flash colors.

At one point, 90 minutes into it, I thought I lost EVERYTHING of the game, but few, the processing editor unlocked.

You can also see the game online at http://kirkjerk.com/features/java/conwaywest/ and the zip is at http://kirkjerk.com/features/java/conwaywest/conwaywest.zip

If you look at some of the other games I've done in Java, http://kisrael.com/features/java/ , penultimate section, it looks like I'm developing a bit of a visual style. Just like my HTML style though, it's very utilitarian, based as much on what's easy to do than aesthetic goals... just blasting text to the screen for title and/or ending screens, and score/live read outs along the top or bottom. Plus I tend to use the gray background a lot, which is kind of a "processing" thing.

So, I really liked some of the other works this time, especially the great SFX of "Klik of the Kollossus" -- the use of a tiny character was quite striking, I always dig stuff like that. And "Assassinatrix Adventures" was right sexy.

I managed to haul myself out of bed and do a second entry within the usual time window: Zm, the sequel to Mz.

Due to my time zone placing the Klik of the Month event at an ungodly hour, I have made my entry early. Attached is my very first complete Klik 'n Play game, Mz.

I've decided to join the fold and dabble in Klik 'n Play trainwreckology. I'm currently working on a an experimental 41-screen game utilizing a concept never before seen in Klik 'n Play (probably), but I need your help. The first person to answer this question gets their selection used.

Which word is better: Entrashulate or Engarbefy?

So, because next Saturday is my wife's birthday, and my parents are in town, and HEY I HAVE A NEW BABY, I participated in this month's Klik of the Month Klub a little early! Inspired by captaincabinets' brave gamebloggin' efforts, I present: FATHERHOOD, EPISODE ONE.

Most of the balancing effort went into making sure it was possible. Not representative of actual fatherhood.

Like sands through the wheel of time, so are the mixed metaphors, my relationship, and this sprawling bliggity-blog.

Chapter 5 is here, ladies and germs! Steer clear if you are at all hesitant about emphatically shaking hands WITH YOUR SOUL.

Johnny Charisma in: Viva Las Emotions! (Director's Cut)

PRETTY IMPORTANT:
The reason it's a directors cut is thusly: My original idea was to be able to choose all of the "inputs" before the game ended. Klik & Play, or Fickle & Play as I like to call it, had other ideas, throwing its digital hands up in the air(like it digitally just don't care) with General Protection Faults every time you chose a second item. SO, it ends after the first item. I left the previous conditional in there, so feel free to edit the game and see if you can make it work.

I offer up another Johnny Charisma adventure, aka chapter 4 of the book of revelationships, two hours in the making:

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

I am mindful of burning out on this project, as who knows how long it will last? But i'm afraid this new game, this potent allegory which taps directly into the poisoned crux of relationships during this Age Of Terror, could not be left unmade.

Attached is the mind blowing spectacle, created in 1.5 hours, the third chapter in this relationship-game-o-bliggity-blog:

Johnny Charisma in: The Quest for Emotional Autonomy

Secondly, I would like to share the delightful

Entertain Olya! Quickly! (attached)

Which is more or less self explanatory.

I got klik & play for christmas, sometime around 1995 I think, from probably my favourite uncle of all time. I never actually finished a game with it , preferring instead to try and make ambitious multi-genre 007 games, which I would get bored of halfway through developing the tank level.

Now, after the Pirate Kart Meltdown, my mind has been re-blown about how AMAZING this program is for really quick game development. Not only that, you can make the games as pretentious and emotional-subtextually loaded as you like, because the sheer crudeness of the mechanics and hilarity of the clipart will lower the gravitas like nobody's business.

Now, there are two other factors:
a) It is in my nature to get over any fervent interest (like K&P) within a month or so, and not return to it for a long time. So I better start making some stuff before I mentally move on!
b) I work nightfill at a supermarket, and usually finish around 4-5am, after which I generally decide it is a good idea to not go to sleep. So I have about 2 hours of dead time before the day would begin for most people.

Are you getting a picture here? Well hold your spanish dancing horses, there is one more thing:

c) I have recently begun a new relationship, with a girl I am quite fond of!

Ergo, my fellow glorious trainsurfers, I will attempt to chart the course of this relationship, or at least thoughts pertaining to it, with multiple Klik & Play games, each made in less than two hours and fuelled by Ballantine's Finest. They will be pretentious, they will make you cringe, and they will occasionally be loaded with subtle references only I will understand. And oh yes, there will be plenty of horrendously fast-animated cheerleaders.

To begin, I re-submit to you something I made for the pirate kart:

Walk You Home Tonight (attached)