Hey in my travels around the internet I stumble across some really neat things. Case in point is a great tutorial for animators about how to animate smoke. It’s really worth checking out if you are an animator like myself.
Here is a link.

So last summer I started a project with another developer online.  To make an action puzzle platformer game.   I have been working on this game for months and months now and after many ups and downs it’s nearly done!   I have spent all night putting elements into the game such as leaderboards, an intro and ending animation.    I’m working on the menus tonight, I am still waiting on some new music for the game to be completed but hopefully that won’t hold us up to much.

The game’s name is Primary.  It is about your character named Roy who is a man made of color, he can phase between the primary colors, red, yellow, and blue.  When he phases his body and his powers change, allowing you to solve puzzles and fight enemies.

It’s hopefully going to be popular, though you can never really tell.  I have been developing flash games for a long time now and this is one of my more complex personal endeavors… and though I don’t expect it to be a Bejeweled type hit I do hope for a few million plays in the first month.  That would be nice.

I have had several things happen to me while I was developing this game.  I became an uncle, I started freelancing again, and I started the meetup group that I have been leading.  I’m sure there are many more things but those are the big ones that come to mind.  It’s funny how I look back on my games and I don’t think about the games or the money that I get from them… I think about what happened to me in the time it to to develop the game.

When making a game the developer knows that game inside and out, and honestly by the time you are done developing and testing a game you can’t stand to see it anymore.  It’s a ton of work and anyone who creates games does it cause they love it.  So I’m really excited to be done with my new game and about ready to send it out into the world to sink or swim.  I’m so nervous… I hope it makes friends.

Here are some screenshots:

Hey I found a really nice tutorial on Lip syncing animated characters in flash. I already use most of these tips but the order that the phonims are added was something I never thought of. Here is a link.

Here is some interesting information about me, I run a meetup for independent video game developers in the Chicagoland area twice a month.  We set a topic to talk about a few weeks in advance and we all come to the meetup and hash that topic among many many others.  We have a wide range of participants in the meetup and I really like going and talking with people who love this stuff as much as I do.

We have been having the meetups for almost 6 months now I believe.  We are working toward teaming up on projects and actually making games in the group.  Hopefully in a few months we will have a playable game or two.

So, I just thought I would post and say that I am really happy with how the work I have done on Portal-Studios.com has turned out.  I think it looks pretty snazzy if I do say so myself.  I have been working hard to get more work lately,  the jobs don’t just fall into your lap or anything right?

I am going to be setting a goal for myself with this blog.  A post a week minimum.  Not just some fluff about a picture of a cat I saw on some website either.  I want to convey something with every post… though I bet they won’t be the most educational.

If you would like to comment on the design or you have found an issue you would like to bring to my attention please contact me about it.