ThaDamnItalian’s Blog

Post Mortem is coming up next week: note that the meeting is Wednesday, not Tuesday as you might guess (the Skellig was booked, sorry). Our speaker will be Alex Engel from Turbine, and here’s the info on his talk.

Title: Exploring the Exploitation of Online Games: Real Money Transactions

Description: The explosion in popularity of online games such as World of Warcraft has created a lucrative secondary market for virtual items and goods. This has caused friction between players who engage in these activities and companies who discourage it. Drawing on experience from several Massively Multiplayer games, Turbine’s Alex Engel will discuss the problems and challenges of dealing with groups that play your games for profit, not fun.

Logistics:
Wednesday April 9, 7pm
The Skellig in Waltham
Directions here: http://bostonpostmortem.org/SkelligDirections.htm

You can view the original post here.

We have a special treat for the March Post Mortem, in the form of an out-of-town speaker. Coray Seifert, Associate Producer and Cinematic Director at THQ’s Kaos Studios in New York City, will be giving a talk about the cinematics of Frontlines: Fuel of War. Coray is also on the IGDA Board of Directors, so if you’ve got IGDA-related questions it might be a good idea to talk to him! Here’s the “official” description of the talk:

From Boards to Binks: Creating the Cinematics of Frontlines: Fuel of War

Delve into the occult world of cinematic development for Frontlines: Fuel of War from THQ’s Kaos Studios. Join us as Coray Seifert presents all of the nitty gritty details, from early storyboards and ritual sacrifices, to final export and playing Dungeons and Dragons. Takeaway is a deeper knowledge of this studio’s cinematic process, and a resonant fear of your neighbors to the south.

On a sadder note, I’m sure you all saw the news that Iron Lore has closed down. We’ll be offering some time for people to raise a toast and maybe even have some former employees share a few favorite memories of working there.

Logistics:

Wednesday March 12, 7pm
The Skellig in Waltham
Directions here.

You can find the original post here.

I fixed up the color maps a little bit. I added the 512 x 512 size and edited the colors. I also included the .PSD file for both sizes. Enjoy.

Preview:

Here is the new download: Color Maps Version 2 Download

This is the very basics of getting started with XNA Game Studio. Here we will cover installing and setting up everything that’s needed to start programming. This article is intended for users with little knowledge of the Microsoft website.

Required Downloads

• Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition - Download

• You will also need service pack 1 - Download

• Microsoft XNA Game Studio Express 2.0 - Download

Installing Visual C# 2005

Step 1: Go to the Visual C# 2005 download page. I provided the link above. Navigate down the page until you see a box titled Microsoft Visual C# Express Edition.

Step 2: Select the language that best suites you and click download.

Step 3: Run the installer. Let the wizard will walk you through the install process.

Note: I would recommend installing the MSDN Library for Visual C# Express Edition. You will see the option as you work your way through the install wizard.

Updating Visual C# 2005

Step 1: Click the update link I provided. Once on the page, look for a link that says “Download files below” and click that link.

Step 2: Now lets find the correct download. The file name is VS80sp1-KB926749-X86-INTL.exe and it’s size is 24.3 MBs. Click the little download button to the right.

Step 3: Once finished downloading. Run the installer and allow the wizard to walk you though the updating process.

Installing XNA Game Studio

Step 1: Click the link I provided on the top of this tutorial.

Step 2: Navigate the page until you find a link that reads “Download”.

Step 3: Once finished. Run the installer and let the wizard walk you though this process.

What’s Next?

You and XNA.

I uploaded something new for all you level designers. Since most of the new designers focus on having really cool textures. I have upload something called color maps. Use them while you learn how to make levels. Focus first on the game play and balancing of the map then work on the detail.

You can download these 5 color maps on the downloads page.

Next day delivery. Great parts. Great Prices. No DOA’s.

Really, I paid for standard shipping. I ordered it yesterday. I’m using it right now to post this blog. Great service as always.

Now to start programming again.

In my fight with myself to get more content on this blog. I uploaded the unfinished Number Worms game. This will give you a little taste of what I’ve been working on. It’s buggy and not optimized at all, hell much like my life.

I started this project to better understand the XNA Framework and make my transition from level designer to programmer. You will see the cEngine is being used in this release, that would be the frame rate counter you see at the top.

Once I receive all my new computer parts from Newegg I will be able to start development on the two again.

Please visit the downloads page to find out more.

I will now be helping out a game development company called Atlas Artisans. You can check them, I mean us out at http://atlasartisans.com/.

Currently I’ll be in the role of Project Manager / Level Designer. I will let you know as time goes on. These guys seem like a great group to work with. I can’t wait to start contributing.

The economics jokes are free.

Well my development computer died the other day. My MSI motherboard failed me yet again. This means I’ll be going back to Gigabyte! So for now development on Number Worms will be paused.

Now I planned to have a more detailed update. I wanted to tell you all about cEngine. However the progress I was making is little compared to the research I’ve been doing.

cEngine is the game engine for an adventure role playing game I’m currently working on. Right now I will tell you that this engine will be using the Microsoft XNA framework and will be sporting it’s own networking infrastructure.

We realize that games really have no room on the market without some kind of internet playability. We also don’t want to soil our unknown company with the MMO genre that seems to plague the industry these days. So we decided that as a player you will be able to start your own server and allow your friends to join via IP address and/or a server list.

I would also like to say that the art department consisting of my very talented friend Matthew Abrams have been producing great concept work for the project. Seeing the characters and world come together on a piece of paper is really helping bring life to the project.

Well that’s it for now. I wish I could say more but as you know things change over the course of development.

Game Play > Graphics.

It’s true! No really it is!