itch.io

Just picked up BulletStorm: Full Clip Edition, w/ Duke Nuke'm, for PS4. Why this game isn't more popular, is criminal! It's better than Duke Nuke'm titles. It's better than Bulletstorm proper. What a perfect match. If we get a BS2, smart money would be to have a playable as Duke option.

The game has been remastered, up to 4K on PC. It looks great on my PS4, 1080 plasma. All existing DLC is included. And YES, Duke is voiced by Jon St. John, with some new and altered dialogue included. "Blowin' shit up, baby!".

This game is funny, fun, cathartic, and simply a BLAST to play. It's game design that speaks to me. Did I mention it's criminally underrated? It's easily my favorite game, among a few faves, which are just different, not better. Nothing is like Bullstorm, and the BS/Duke blend is full throttle unicorn.

If you're a shooter fan, and this Remastered Full Clip with Duke Nuke'm isn't in your library, your denying yourself just oh so much fun - you deserve better!

For the record, I have zero affiliation with the product, nor it's creators. I'm just a fan they won over, who loves to gush about it.

Finally getting back to updating some things. So, it's not just EDF. Am a huge fan of the 'Resistance Fall of Man' franchise. Still have my PS3 (as well as PS4), but my controller broke for the PS3, so I can't use it atm. Looking for the used controller for cheap, some day I'll run across it and get to play my PS3 titles again. (UPDATE: Got the replacement controller. PS3 is back in action!)

Jumping way backwards, was a big fan of 'Armored Core' back in the day. Going back long time, anyone know of or remember the 'Popeye' arcade game, in the style of Donkey Kong? Loved that game! Then there was, amazing for it's day, 'Resident Evil' on PS2.  Never bought in after that, after renting (back in the day folks) newer versions, I didn't quite like it the same, so it fell off my list. Probably time to try some newer incarnations, huh?

Before I forget, remember the 'Star Trek PC game, from the 90's', that is still a good dang Trek game, and now oh so classic. Still have it, no computer than can run it!

Bounding forward, we have, the UnCharted series... first one blew me away. Brilliant. 'Uncharted 2' was, and still is one of my favorite games, ever. In my opinion, it's one of the best games of it's kind, ever released. It's perfect. I used to teach game, and used Uncharted 2 to show off just how right they got it. Anyone remember the first Christmas after it was released, the online multiplayer, they game the characters little Santa Hats! Never again after that. Bummer.

Then came 'UnCharted 3', which was good, just not the Chef's Kiss that 'UnCharted' 2 was. The online multiplayer, however, was even better than with 2. After 3, Amy Hennig left Naughty Dog, and I've increasingly hated what they've done since.  Too much bro-fest going on. I gave TLOU a shot, and it made me sick. Not literally, but I couldn't get along with Drucker with his "No Fun" sign in the Naughty Dog production rooms, warning the teams anyone trying to make the game fun, would be immediately fired. So, we got, basically, a SIM. No, I don't really need to know and feel how long it takes to actually choke a person to death. I didn't play 'TLOU 2', but I watched play throughs - the ending was atrocious. Some might say it was brilliant. It might have been, if Joel didn't die, let alone how he died, to then have Ellie let the antagonist live, to then go home to nothing. So much for a hero's journey. The game should have ended with Ellie and her companion and baby, on the farm.

Bringing up 'Resistance Fall of Man', really hope that gets picked up again. What a, ahem, fun, franchise, even with how it closed out, it was still good - once they realized the Weapon Wheel made the game. That is, after they went with a 2 weapon limit in 'RFOM 2', they realized their mistake. Insomnia always had the best weapons, why hobble to player for, what, realism? Oh, how silly. 

That's enough for this topic I think. I obviously am a fan of FPS games. Played Doom II until it started making me sick. Apparently, the low framerate and camera-on-a-spindle effect got to my nervous system, such, I can't play anything like it to this day.

Ooh, wait, there's another title I must mention, 'Bulletstorm' - I loved loved loved 'Bulletstorm'. That's another PS3 game I can't wait to play again, once I get a controller for that system again. Talk about a fun game. It's not that it was perfect, but it was, simply, fun in a way that worked for me.

At present, I'm grinding my way through EDF6, and I'm not as happy with it as I was EDF5. Sandlot was never about making polished, well-balanced gameplay. The EDF series was always more about charm, than greatness. But, with EDF6, the balance is off in a way I in no way see myself getting as far as I did with EDF5. I didn't 100% EDF5 (I'm not a dedicated completionist, folks), but I got pretty close. At least I got to the point of unlocking the Room caps on weapon levels. I don't see that happening with this one. Overall, it just doesn't deliver the way EDF5 did. It's like, EDF5, where they forgot what made it work so well, and dialed in something not as, fun.

With all that said, on to trying to figure out why my current Pre-Alpha game build of 'No wHere' doesn't want to successfully package a Distribution build...

Yes, there are two companion NPC cats in the game! Hard to say much without spoilers.

What I can share, the NPC cats are representations of my cats, both by name and breed, and in some cases, behavior. When working on the game, they are usually here right next to me!

The Siamese cat, is named, Whisper Ann Winker, aka, just, Whisper. I rescued her from my yard in Fall of 2014  - vet said she was @8 weeks old.

She's the mommy cat.

The other cat is her son, a rare black "Norweegie", aka, Norwegian Forest Cat, named Vincent Van Gogh.

I named him that because as a kitten, he had a fever coat. A fever coat means, he had gray/white hairs blended in with his black fur. Fever coat kittens lose the gray/white as they mature, thus, Vincent is handsomely all black at 6 years old - like a little black panther.

He was like a work of art as a kitten, so adorable, with these big innocent eyes. He was so shy! He often stayed hidden when the other kittens played. I felt like he needed special love and attention... the sensitive one, like an artist. I decided he would be the one kitten I would keep, to live with me and his momma Whisper.

I named him Vincent Van Gogh, after of course, the artist. And no, he is not missing an ear! :) If you love black cats, he is purrrfect. Yes, I just said that.

That's about all I can say without potentially risking game spoilers. I'll put up some photos, maybe a video, of them, because a little bird told me there wasn't enough cats on the Internet. 

There is a main and sub themes within this game, yes. These, will be blended and interactive with the gameplay. The goal is to keep things simple.

Some theme elements might be obvious, others maybe not. Again, that's the goal. I do want to be sure not to get into messaging much. If I balance it right, for the most part, things should gel organically, where things come together in the Player's mind, more than overtly presented.

Since the game is still in Pre-Alpha, a lot can change on the way to Final Beta then Full Release, fwiw. Just know, I'm happier with leaving the Player with questions than I am with broadcasting what is what - that is the place I'm working things out from. 

Expect some AI environment and decor image/graphic elements. Rule of thumb, to save time, where I can do it from scratch myself, but it's much faster to pass some things off to AI generation. As well, some images are being sourced from Public Domain libraries.

In regard to audio, we're talking music for the media players in the game. For example, radios, playing music from fictitious artists, where the AI prompts are custom as are any lyrics. Gameplay music, will be either custom from scratch, or from purchased libraries.

Sound fx, also, either custom from scratch, or taken from purchased libraries. Also, some audio fx are being sourced from Freesound.org and or Sound Bible as usage permissions allow their use in projects like this.

Concepts, ideas, creative decisions; am not using AI, they are flowing from Ripix gray matter. All lyrics and prose are custom, no AI, same. Example, 'All is Lost', custom, no AI.

Was chatting with a friend, they suggested I tell the community about kinds of game I like to play.

In considering doing so, it seems this would be a good post to also open this up to my history with games as a player. Which happens to go all the back to the first ones in the 1970's.

One day, Dad, who worked with the old school semiconductor legends, Fairchild Camera and Instrument, brought home the Fairchild Channel F, game console -  the very first home video game console to use a microprocessor and ROM cartridges!

First thing here, is to say, there's two lanes to this post.  One, is, a condensed overview of video games I came across from the Channel F, on forward. Even condensed, there's a fair amount to bring to that lane. At this particular moment I'm writing this, it's been a long and freaky day, I'm tired and worn out. I'll either come back and flesh that out later, or start another post dedicated to it, at a better time for me.

What I would like to do, is fast forward, which involves the other lane, that is, what games do I play NOW. I'll start with mentioning just one, as it's the one I have the most time invested in, far exceeding any other game I play.

That game is Sandlots, Earth Defense Force. I got hooked on the franchise since, EDF4.1. Currently most time spent is in EDF6, the most current version. I prefer playing online with others, I get lonely playing the offline campaign solo.

My username is...surprise, 'RIPIX', or 'Ripix', same thing. When I host the room, the room name is 'War of the Gargantua'. EDFers, please join in defending the Earth with me!

That, is the only game I play regularly, as in mostly every day for at least one map/level. Most of the rest of my "game time", is spent developing my games.

I should probably dedicate a post just to that game, which I'll get to another time. 

That is all for now. I'm fried, time for a slumber. What? When do I normally play EDF? There's no more suitable answer than to say, I play it when I play it. There is no rhyme or reason as to when. It's 100% spontaneous.

That is all for now. Zzzzzz...

Taking a moment for an  introduction. I am, RIPIX, a creative across assorted mediums. Game Design is a hobby for me.

Even if I don't finish a video game, I find great enjoying in creating them.

I used to actually teach game design, college level in Las Vegas, NV. I won't pretend it to be my first best area to teach in. The opportunity was literally thrown at me, so I pursued it. Until, expectations grew beyond my ability and desire, to prepare and deliver instruction at an acceptable level for myself, but mostly, my students.

My bread and butter career, was as a  dyed-in-the-wool Photojournalist. Best job in the world! For me at least. Love love loved it. My job, was to photograph, life, the World - while people lived their lives and careers, my job was to cover it. You learn about so much, interacting with all that makes our world, what it is. There is a dark side, where it all starts to run together, where fending off becoming cripplingly jaded, becomes an increasingly impossible effort.

I don't take pictures anymore. Frankly, I can't really, but I'll spare everyone my getting into it. I'll just say, I don't miss it. I had more than my fill, and it was a glorious adventure I will always cherish being a player in.

Speaking of being a Player - I'm in love with making games more than playing most of them. Where, to be perfectly honest, I do not see myself as overly skilled in making them. It's about creating. About exercising various skills across various creative disciplines. This is why I don't charge $ for what I make. At least for now. If something catches on out of my game development hobby, we'll see how I handle that then.

Not to drag out this introduction, though I must mention, I am a singer-songwriter and performer- Alt Rock, Ambient, Soundtrack, Electronic, Others. It's in my blood. It is my deepest, strongest, expressive passion. I have music on the streaming services, Spotify, Amazon, Apple, etc.. That's all I will say about this in this game developer intro. If anyone would like to know more about me and my music, feel free to ask, I will happily respond.

I'm also a published author, so yes, a writer. I won't get into it here, as I'm already at risk of turning this intro into full on resume. ;)

My station in life has at this stage, resolved itself to a very simple and reduced lifestyle. I say just to complete the snapshot of this intro. Am now in a family of two beautiful souls and me, that are my cats. Magical, wondrous creatures they are. They give me purpose, that is pure and overflowing with thankfulness.

Their names are, mom cat, is Whisper Ann Winker (she actually winks at you), and her son, Vincent Van Gogh, who sings like Pavarotti (he's very vocal and loves to project loud enough to hear on the ISS Space Station).

I put them in this game as Player Companion NPCs, just so I can have them with me not just in my heart and home, but in my art. Maybe my playthrough of 'Stay', encourage me. :) They will help you in 'No wHere'. They will vex you in 'No wHere, because they are cats, and cats don't always behave as others may wish.  Overall, you will need them to help you defeat the game. Though, I expect someone might manage to, why would you not want them to?

In any case, the game in Pre-Alpha. Much is still in flux. It remains to be seen how I finalize game completion paths. I'd like to leave room for a few, for both re-playability and Player style reasons.

To wrap up this Introduction, followers of the development of 'No wHere', I'll be doing some development streams soon. As well, dev updates here, screenshots and videos here and on YouTube. Perhaps TikTok. I have to be careful not to over promise in this area, I am a solo developer (at least for now), so my time is best spent developing, over content creation supporting it. As I get into Alpha and then Early Access, I'll worry more about that end of things.

We'll see. Sometimes, it's nice to break from development to focus in another areas for a moment, like sharing progress/promotion.

Please feel free to ask questions, make comments, interact. I'll do my best to engage.

Fwiw, I'm heading over to Steam, and try my hand with setting up a listing there for this project. I will announce it here, when that is up and running. Don't forget about the YouTube channel, please follow the project there, any and all support is greatly appreciated!

https://www.youtube.com/@No_wHere_Game

Final words for today - if you're a dev, and looking for a project to help on, I can't pay you, but am open to dialogue with those interested in helping, even for support roles. For more information, Email me at NowHere@ripix.com.

Until next post, happy gaming!

I changed the settings, you should be able to respond to your request.  Or I can add u just need your info

Hi Vivienne,

Here's my Discord is Ripix #7885. Anyone seeing this, you're welcome to connect. I'm new on Discord, it's a little wonky to me, can't be too weird, so many are using it.

Hey,

It's built with Unreal Engine 4 and this:

The template itself is front to back, meaning, it's a game already structure-wise, sparing the time to get something that runs. Just need some fun ideas and make the custom parts.
I'm on Discord. Haven't really used it much yet. Do we just exchange that number by our icons?

Hey cgprojectsfx,

Thank you for taking time to check things out. 

Regarding not being a Trump fan, I made the Pinball games (and now Mister Boppo) as therapy. The goal was to make them such that, a POTUS with a good sense of humor about themselves, could laugh along with it. A roast of sorts. Didn't want to be out an out mean, who needs that karma? ;)

Well, Orville project isn't really active. I made it for myself, and it served it purpose. The "Boom Bitch"... feature... is intentional.

 It's not a loop, where I find the (random) sponaneous combination of the broken up words in the lines hilarious.  It gets old, yep. Means I need to stop playing and do something else. It's a simple" game", meant for a few minutes of play.

I'd love to make a fleshed out game, with assorted  levels, rank-ups, the Krill, et al - but - can't justify it. Seeing that CBS just took out Stage 9 for their 3D Enterprise D, I wonder this game is just too small a pixel for FOX to have not told me to take this down yet (I'd even sent a link to actor Mr Boom Bitch, kinda think they know it exists).

At any rate, the final build was corrupted during a power outage back-up. Could have added more audio,  and an option for a less "Boom Bitch" experience, quickly.  Not now. Only way now is to basically recommit to the project and rebuild it.

If someone were to encourage me with anticipation, I'd do it... actually - guess you kinda did by commenting. 

So,  yes, I'll work up a new build, with the Boom Bitch experience perhaps limited to a dedicated level. Other levels it can be saved for more elevated moments.  Will fit this in, might be a while, but I'll get something out. Could really use some help...

There are no ads or tracking or anything going on with this game. :)

It was originally made for personal use for the developer, since there are no official Orville games to play yet. Then, it was decided to let others play it too. So, here it is. Please enjoy... boom!

Adding more sound cues this week.

Let me know what you think. This is a fan project, done for the love of the show - help me make it awesome for everyone!

Free to play and pass around

If I can stop from getting overly ambitious in scaling the betas, the goal is to have a testable beta this week.

It's Sunday December 10th, I'll be doing live streams at YouTube and Twitch over the next day.

Trumpty Trumpty POTUS Pinball Betas are available for Windows and Mac!!!

A game so great, you'll get tired of how great it is!!!

That is, unless you play the Special Halloween Edition, that, might be even greater, than the greatest great, ever!!!

https://potus.itch.io/