I didn’t really knew that I will participate this year at all :D. Anyway, got bored and picked up my phone to give it a try (since my parents are pretty aganist coding 48hs next to computer lol).

This year theme was Minimalism. “Hm… it sounds a bit like all the Win8 and Metro stuff. That’s flat design…” – I thought. Cuz I do love 8bit things, decided to make a Metro-like Tetris. As you can see from the result, it went more pixel style, and that’s fine. My IDE of choice was AIDE, not because I specially like it, but since no other usable exists on Android. All the stuff looks like this:

QTris in AIDE

So I just launched the IDE and loaded sample Tetris app (yeah, bended the rule – that’s why it’s in Jam, not 48h compo). Since it was 3D-looklike, I’ve opened Pixel Paint and edited it a bit:

QTris – Graphics in Pixel Paint

I have crafted an icon, too:

QTris icon

After some tweakings, adding music and debugging (with alot of bugs still present), it finally went in roughly 3 hours into this:

QTris in action! Yay!

Well, that’s my first time LDing, so I think it has went quite good. Next time I’m gonna start on time (not 5hrs to end) and do my best.

See you next LD!

I wanted to play with you again this LD, maybe with 48h, who knows? However, though I had some trouble in real life, it seemed like I completely forgot about this edition. As I see the theme was “10 seconds”, and I think I’d have just silly ideas, maybe that’s better for me?

Anyway, hope to see you next time.

So, recently I started learning basic console Java, plus developed a few basic Android apps. Now I want to move into real Java desktop games. Can you guys recommend something good? I target 2D games (tried LWJGL but OpenGL stuff is what kills me). I can remember LOVE2D a engine that really suited my style.

Thanks for any help!

Played around with the graphics. My mom would be proud.

Before changes were made

After some changes

Tags: 2D, ld31, ld48, love2d, lua, Ludum Dare, progress, screenshot, update

First gameplay video, with maps being loaded at runtime from lua files. A hand-built map editor soon to be made.

Tags: 2D, jam, journal, ld31, ldjam, love2d, lua, Ludum Dare, motivation, progress, screenshot

Okay, I’ve started somewhere after half of the 48h time, so I’ll probably keep finishing this game after Jam ends. Whatever. It’s 5h to go and I’m coding a map editor. I’m totally not prepared 😀

5 hours left and I just started coding the map editor

While you’re here, you can check out the current version of it.

Tags: 2D, fail, game, jam, journal, ld31, ld48, love2d, Ludum Dare, progress, screenshot, update

So… this is the game. I did my best. Learnt a lot this LD. Hope I’ll start on time next LD! 😀

If you feel like doing so, feel free to check it out PS: I’ll definitely keep working on this one post LD!

Tags: 2D, epicfail, fail, failstory, Failure, FailureStory, final, game, jam, journal, ld31, ld48, Ludum Dare, post-mortem, postmortem, screenshot, update

Yes. Free. No gimmicks. The thing is every single person will ask me for some sort of portfolio, stuff I’ve done before. And I’ve had only done electronic music. As I want to get into orchestral, epic music I want to build my portfolio on something. So, whatever you’re doing – be it a game (I’d love to make music for some medieval-ish RTS/RPG), a film or whatever else.

It doesn’t cost you anything, so why not hit me up in comments? I’m looking forward to see awesome stuff you’re working on!

So… I tried coding a few times (including Jam entries that sucked) but I kinda feel it’s not where I’m best at, thus I’m looking for someone to team up with! I’ve done mostly epic orchestral music and some weird sci-fi industrial stuff (plus some old chiptunes that didn’t survive till these days). Feel free to hit me up if you think you’ll fail because of music!

My previous works

So, after my failed attempts at trying to Ludum Dare, I had a little break of it. But you’re too awesome, so I’m back here, though this time I’m organized and focused on the thing I’m best at: music and SFX. I’ve teamed up with Sigrath, he’s gonna do the actual game stuff and I’ll be doing just audio.

My setup:

• As usual, a ridiculously old laptop (Intel Dual Core 1.73 GHz and 2 GB of RAM)
• FL Studio / Reaper (depends on the style we’ll be going to use: Reaper for orchestral stuff, FL for electronic/ambient/chiptune)
• Plugins: stock FL/Reaper, Kontakt (with my favorite libraries, Kontakt 5 Factory Library, Drums of War 2, Evolve Mutations, Shevannai Voices of Elves, and some freebies here and there), Sylenth1, 3xOsc (it’s FL stock but it just had to be listed separately for its awesomeness)

Now, onto the advice part: currently I’m trying to really get OOP and generally train myself how not to fail and actually make games. It’s a sort of weekends research project, though I aim to finish a game this way. I decided to use NetBeans for a couple of reasons:

• Although I love coding in Sublime Text (I code most stuff in it, including my website), the autocompletion feature is really lacking for me (even with SublimeCodeIntel). I really miss being able to CTRL+Space and select functions from SDL/LÖVE, or my own functions from other files in the project folder. Sublime suggests just the ones in the file I’m on currently, which isn’t gonna work well when I’m trying to learn classes and code separation
• I want a sort of unified experience (same IDE) if I decide to try writing in Java (and I’ll need once I get to university) – NetBeans supports both C(++) and Java
• It’s free and open source, and I like free and open source

My piece of advice I’ve learned while coding: make a test run, write a game a week or two before Ludum Dare actually starts using the setup you’ll be on. You can’t afford losing first 5 hours reinstalling MinGW, setting up your environment variables, changing compiler settings and adding include directories. Have your libraries installed, tested working, with a skeleton project ready to code in. Make it already include loading settings, main menu, renderer code, audio engine. You’ll have time to focus on the game, not the engine. More time spent on what your game is about = more fun coding and more fun playing.

Second advice: team up! You don’t have to make a formal team and code together. Have a friend (or a whole bunch of friends!) with you, so you have someone to talk and give ideas for your game. Plus, hopefully, you won’t lose sanity that fast.

I guess that’s pretty much it for now, can’t wait for Ludum Dare, good luck everyone and most importantly, have fun!

Tags: advice, game, help, jam, java, ld32, Ludum Dare, motivation, music, tools, update

This Ludum Dare I’m not coding, decided to go with what I’m best at: sound! Teamed up with a buddy who makes the game, and I focus on just the audio part. Anyway, a happy Ludum Dare chiptune for you all

Tags: 8-bit, audio, chip, chiptune, chiptunes, music, progress, sid

I finished music for the game with @Sigrath and am sort of bored so hit me up if you need anything audio. Pretty much anything, from chiptune, through industrial to orchestral epic stuff will do (though silently I’m wishing someone with an art-like game will get in touch with me – think Nihilumbra, Journey)!

Clickies for listening to help you decide!

Tags: audio, jam, music, resources, tools

A lot of response from people asking for music, made music for everyone! It was a lot of fun this Ludum Dare and I have practiced some composing along the way. Just finished making music for kill0u, he makes a game where during the day you play as your old mother who tries to visit all the places on the checklist (think market, church etc.), while avoiding annoying youngsters. It’s (almost?) impossible the first day (too many youngsters).

However, during the night you play as her son and you make a game for Ludum Dare and distribute it to these youngsters, so they will keep playing the game at home for the next day.

Fun gameplay design, it was just a breeze to make music for it! Decided to make it so the tempo stays the same and both themes are in the same key (for perfect transition between day and night). Eventually, it became that the night theme is sort of a adaptation of the day one. Anyway, have a listen!

Tags: 8-bit, chiptune, final, jam, journal, ld32, motivation, music, post-mortem, postmortem, SuccessStory, update

So, seems like the best (music-wise) Ludum Dare game I made music for scored #84 out of 1468 (in Jam). Not bad, glad I focused on just audio this time. Looking forward to beat the record next time!

Tags: audio, jam, journal, ld32, ld48, music, post-mortem, postmortem, SuccessStory

I love recording those for fun, but making the actual game is the hard part… anyone with aliens in the game maybe? Something?