{"id":3289,"date":"2014-12-30T15:15:10","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T22:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nathalielawhead.com\/candybox\/?p=3289"},"modified":"2015-01-03T12:11:42","modified_gmt":"2015-01-03T19:11:42","slug":"monkey-fortunetell-new-game-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nathalielawhead.com\/candybox\/monkey-fortunetell-new-game-release","title":{"rendered":"Monkey Fortunetell: New Game Release!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I’m delighted to announce that Monkey Fortunetell<\/a> is not live. That’s the game I’ve been busy with.
\nYou can play it here: http:\/\/fortunetell.alienmelon.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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The [True] Story…<\/strong><\/p>\n

This game came about after I, partytimeHXLNT<\/a>, and a few others went to an arcade (during Fantastic Arcade<\/a>). I almost didn’t have enough tickets (just a few short) to get the Monkeys In A Barrel<\/a>, and then torahhorse<\/a> (creator of Donut County<\/a> ) donated tickets so I could get it.
\nSuffice to say that my life changed after Monkeys In A Barrel. They complete me. Everyone needs a Monkeys In A Barrel.
\nOk… So what does one exactly do with Monkeys In A Barrel?
\nSo many things…
\nI and partytimeHXLNT had a mini-game-jam and came up with the game. She made the original unicode surrounded game board (download it here<\/a>), and we discussed all the possible meanings.<\/p>\n

After that, the game grew into this! <\/p>\n

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My sister dressed as a monkey, and I used her funky dance moves as animation references (pixel art).<\/p>\n

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I also wanted to have a music visualizer in the main menu, and was pretty set on the idea. I ended up email-chatting with this amazing musician, TORLEY – http:\/\/torley.com<\/a>, who gave me permission to use his songs. I love his work! It was a blast working with and programming for it.
\nThe visuals, all the colors, and animations (character, and backgrounds), in the main menu are completely controlled by the music. The animation’s playback is determined by the music, as part of the visualizer, and the playhead moves forward or backward depending on the song’s fluctuations. So you end up with something that is super colorful, electric, and never plays the same (always random).
\nThe “shake the barrel” part is similar, also controlled by the song… so music has a big role here.<\/p>\n

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In terms of programming the game… things where pretty straightforward. I just copied the concept from paper to digital. You cast monkeys on a circular board and the places they land tell you about your future or present. Elaborate instructions are in the game, but you don’t necessarily need to read all that to enjoy or play it. With the help of partytimeHXLNT, I had much fun coming up with a way that the game can generate a little interpretation — sentence structures.
\nI have a simple set of conditions that evaluate the placement of the monkeys and what symbol they are on. A number of variables save this state, and then a sentence is constructed based on all that (string a sentence together).<\/p>\n

For those that are interested, the sourcecode<\/a>, files<\/a>, website<\/a>, sound FX<\/a>, and art<\/a>, are all freely available for download (HERE)<\/a>. It is an open source divination game! :D
\nDOWNLOAD IT ALL HERE.<\/a>
\nNOTE: Although everything is open source, the music is not. Those are totally not up for download. You need to ask the artist<\/a> permission first. <3<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would also like to make an iOS and Android version eventually available. So, yes, that is something in the future.<\/p>\n

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In conclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

@brandonnn<\/a> @partytimeHXLNT<\/a> @alienmelon<\/a> I wonder how many other games are born out of @fantasticarcade<\/a> friendships<\/p>\n

— Lewis W (@bowtieshark) December 30, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n