Taking A Break: A Retrospective

I was going to title this post Not Giving A Fuck: A Retrospective, but that’s not quite accurate. As it turns out, it’s hard not to care. This post is also very personal, and I feel like it’s important to finally write. Not too recently I announced on Twitter that I was going on hiatus. I found out that hiatus isn’t really working out since, like I said, it’s impossible for me to not care. I did this because of an accumulation of shit and burnout that just led to me totally collapsing and feeling like “I can’t take this...

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Just going to leave this here…

With the recent renaming of the platform I feel inclined to say something, although I’m quite enjoying my “I don’t give a fuck” vacation. Feels great. I want to stay in “I don’t give a fuck” forever, but that’s not realistic. Thankfully the most excellent Joseph Labrecque wrote a post about it. It says everything. It’s also refreshingly educated, in contrast to tech “journalists” who’ve consistently spewed click-bait lies out of their ass. I’m surprised only a few major news outlets have jumped on this. I thought headlines screaming “Adobe FINALLY killing Flash!” would be all over the web by...

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“But It’s Not REAL!” (alternative title: i want my free premium content, and to complain about it too)

My grandfather had a lot of respect for what I did (art on computers), but he had a hard time understanding the value in it at first. I spend forever making something, but what is made on computers has no “real world value”, because it isn’t tangible. This is a mentality not foreign to a lot of “old people”. I remember a student telling me about how his dad had trouble understanding how he can earn any good (or respectable) living making art on computers. The mentality is because it’s NOT real, it has no real worth. Digital art is...

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  • November 30, 2015
  • Games

Electric Love Potato Playlist Player

So I’m here to make mention of my latest release: Electric Love Potato Playlist Player. You can download it from itch.io or Gamejolt: http://gamejolt.com/games/electric-love-potato-playlist-player/110084 http://alienmelon.itch.io/potato-playlist-player It’s available for MAC and Windows. It’s a small “take a break” project that I did (hoping to combat my current burnout and resulting depression). These things help. Just finish something TOTALLY different. My generators used to be that, but I’ve since graduated to potatoware. I loved this. It’s been really interesting because it’s a music player, and I’ve never *really* done that before. Like your typical Electric Love Potato this is a potato that...

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  • November 27, 2015
  • Werks

The (New) Tetrageddon Games “Art Direction” Commentary: Everything Looks Better Low-Fi!

I rarely ever do “art posts” where I explain the thought process behind the look of the game, so I thought it’s about time that I do something. A lot of planning goes into it, and I’m certain others will find the general philosophy interesting. This is about the new “desktop” version of Tetrageddon Games I’m making. It’s coming to Steam. Small video about the project: So… The new experience has a lot of new art, and animated transitions. Think of it as a very large, “interactive animation” with games here and there. The art is largely vector art. This...

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Holding Out & Thoughts About That Internet Niche ;)

It’s no secret if you know me. I have made the web my life. When I first started “web development/design” there was no name for it, UX was a non existent concept, and this wasn’t being taught at colleges. I remember my teachers ALL (no exception) telling me to stay away from the internet because it’s a niche, I’m wasting my future, or because it’s going to destroy my creativity (there where many variations of this). My interest was interactive art online. Judging by the amount of people that told me I was throwing my future away with “this internet...

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Update (my Fantastic Arcade post and stuff)…

So FROGGY (It’s Hungry!) was shown in the Fantastic Arcade “Spotlight” (those are the games on the computers). Here is some photographic proof: and even in the booklet! Frogs are awesome. I also gave a talk with Loren Schmidt (of Strawberry Cubes – it’s free. play it.). via Fantastic Arcade 2015 Day one recap, Photo by Emi Spicer If you’re interested in watching it (I discuss FROGS, and DINOSAURS), you can see it here (I talk in the second half): http://www.twitch.tv/venuspatrol/v/18243359 Highlight for me was batslyadams‘s game (Super Russian Roulette), because it’s the type of game I wish I had...

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Artist’s Commentary on Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs (and the trailer)

So this is the part, after working super long and hard on a project, where I’m generally disoriented… but all-together extra positive. Probably more air-headed than usual. People say I’m air-headed, but I think it’s more so after launch… You know, gamedevs need to also document how it’s like after finishing a project so people know what type of confused person to expect. Since May (official start of making the game) I’ve been working game-jam mode. I still need to finish the Tetrageddon Games version for Steam. NO! I have not forgotten! Ok, I’m here to put-to-rest the final bits...

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Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs – Out Now! & Notes About this Game…

Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs was released last night. I wrote that line with a big sigh of relief. It’s also a featured game on GameJolt today! I was so happy, jumped for joy! :) Update! It just made an appearance on Offworld! Play it now: Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs Leigh Alexander said you’re (basically) dead to her if you don’t play it. It’s even tagged as that. People, this is serious! I think this little “detour” turned into a pretty big deal… Like an actual “game”, although you may not call it that, but who cares anymore what a game is or...

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Electric Love Potato – Let’s Play’s

Recently someone on GameJolt made this youtube video of the Electric Love Potato. There have been a few now, but I laughed so much I feel inclined to make a blog post of it. A POTATO IS FLIRTING WITH ME!? Electric Love Potato | Potato Dating Simulator by Mickell Pickell (I also like the title. Potato Dating Simulator is a great idea.) For those interested, the other videos on this users channel are equally as cheerful. I like them. They’re fun and upbeat. It’s the sweetest thing! I so love how people have loved the potato… Wow, taken out of...

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Interview With Gerald, The Electric Love Potato

I would like to present to the world an interview with the potato-actor of the Electric Love Potato: Video Interview with the Electric Love Potato from Nathalie Lawhead on Vimeo. So… The other day I noticed my potato (Gerald) was getting a bit funky, it turned out she’s starting to get roots (not going bad, although that was a concern). It dawned on me that, before it’s time to commit her to the ground, so that she can complete her natural reproductive cycle, I should probably record a bunch of her (for posterity’s sake… and so that I can make...

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My Welded Metal Sculptures (from way back)

I used to weld a long time ago when I was living in Europe. It’s been on my mind lately to put together an image post with all the pictures of the sculptures (in one place). I miss welding a lot, almost as much as I miss my grandfather (he taught me, I’m so proud). :D Ok, here’s pictures of me doing the thing (sculptures are bellow): And here’s a gif… As you can see it’s very bright. If you look at the light (without protection) it will burn off the surface skin of your eyes (if you’re that close)...

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My Commentary on the Current Web Debacle (why Flash is more relevant today than ever before)

I will start by quoting a couple of articles, and then share my views. Java and Flash both vulnerable—again—to new 0-day attacks “There’s no indication that either of the newly discovered Flash vulnerabilities are being actively exploited…” I point out that Java has also been exploited, and this is active: Cyberespionage group Pawn Storm uses exploit for unpatched Java flaw “A sophisticated group of hackers known for targeting military, government and media organisations is currently using an exploit for a vulnerability in Java that hasn’t been patched by Oracle.” This has NOT been patched, Flash (on the other hand) has...

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Electric Love Potato (Desktop Assistant)… Potatoware

Think about it: Potatoware. Potato software. I feel like this is the beginning of something wonderful. Hopefully a trend. Thus my contribution to this (yet to happen) potatoware trend. I would like to unveil to the world Electric Love Potato! You can download it from itch.io: http://alienmelon.itch.io/electric-love-potato Or GameJolt: http://gamejolt.com/games/other/electric-love-potato/75231/ What is Electric Love Potato you may ask? Good question! I don’t really know, but… “Electric Love Potato is a virtual potato desktop assistant that offers positive reinforcement, serenades you as you work, and creates random potato recipes.” There are like 12 songs. So it’s also a potato album. Potato...

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Custom Chrome with Adobe AIR (Customizing a Desktop App’s Window with Flash) – Getting Started Walkthrough

Introduction: I’ve been working with AIR for quite some time, but have procrastinated getting into this part. The feature has been around for a long time too. With this new mini-project (Anatomically Incorrect Dinosaurs) that I’ve been working on, I decided to look into it again. I was so not sorry. AIR is amazing. NativeWindow opened up a world of possibilities for me (game design/development wise). For example, I could make the user’s actual desktop a level! There’s a lot that can be done in terms of “breaking the fourth wall”. In this case, I thought it would be cool...

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I Did It! (My Entry To Femijam) – Go Play It!!

Last night I wrapped up my submission (A Short Story) to “FEMICOM Game Jam #1: Here’s to Theresa Duncan!” and thought it warrants a little celebratory blog post. This has been my first gamejam! *fireworks* *applause* The jam’s theme was Theresa Duncan’s work. If you’re not familiar with her, KillScreen has this wonderful article “The legacy of Theresa Duncan and the technology behind its preservation” that’s worth checking out. Mine is a small interactive story, titled “A Short Story”. “A Short Story is an interactive bedtime story about a girl that goes for a walk at night, and meets a...

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Weird Alien Frogs – A Frog Generator (news and stuff…)

It’s been a while since my last update, and so much stuff has gotten done. For one, Tetrageddon Games made an appearance on Boing Boing’s Offworld, Cult of Mac has a nice little article about the project, and Leigh Alexander mentioned Monkey Fortunetell in her [really cool] article on digital divination: The divine witches of cyberspace… It’s so amazing. It feels like an unbelievable amount of hard work is coming to fruition… with that I mean people are playing the games, enjoying the games, talking about the games, which is all I can ask for… making thing that make people...

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Tetrageddon Games Wins The IGF Nuovo Award! <3 (Summary of My First GDC)

Warning: emotional/mushy content I spent three days at the IGF booth showcasing Tetrageddon Games to one person after the other. It has been a particularly touching, exciting, positively charged experience for me. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. The Tetrageddon Games boothlet. This was showing above the Exhibit Floor. Smiled to myself often. Moment of pride! Winner poster thingy! Solo-dev is VERY hard. You lock yourself away, and just work. Lots of work, bugs, work, more work. After finishing the thing you go on your own to build the website, and all the PR for it. It’s never truly...

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Monkey Fortunetell on Google Play (Free for Android) – Or How The Humans Won Their First Victory Over Skynet

Last night in the AM’s Monkey Fortunetell was finally published to Google Play. The game is FREE. LINK: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.alienmelon.fortunetell As a side note, I only tested this on my Nexus, and now received some feedback that it’s laggy on some devices so updates will be on their way soon. The Story If you follow me on Twitter then you’re probably aware that the game had a fairly puzzling setback. I published it the night before (also in the AM’s) and it immediately received a suspension notice for violation of the Impersonation or Deceptive Behavior provision of the Content Policy. “Impersonation...

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My Game Update & Other Stuff…

So after getting my controller setup with the GameInput API fully functional, I’ve now moved on to playing around with pathfinding and AI. I remembered this wonderful project called Daedalus (Fully dynamic constrained Delaunay triangulation and pathfinding). You can see Introducing Daedalus Lib here. I’m so happy I remembered it! It’s very easy to use, and an excellent introduction into doing this thing. The developer breaks down all the theories behind it too, mentioning a couple research publications. My favourite of which has been Efficient Triangulation-Based Pathfinding by Douglas Jon Demyen. It’s been quite eye-opening. For those interested daedalus-lib is...

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