Barony – Game Design Chat Episode #9

Podcast

Game Design Chat is a monthly podcast by members of the Knoxville Game Design Meetup discussing a single game each episode. Please be aware the full game is discussed and the entire episode should be considered a spoiler for anyone who has not played the game.

This month’s game is Barony and next month’s game will be Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

The hosts this month are:
Dylan Wolf – @dylanwolf – dylanwolf.com
Levi Smith – @gatechgrad – levidsmith.com
Michael Neel – @ViNull – vinull.com

Knox Game Design
Knox Game Design
Barony - Game Design Chat Episode #9
Loading
/

Summer ’16 Game Jam Results – September 11th, 2016 Meetup

Game Competition Entries, Meetings

This Month’s Topic:  Game Jam Results

Last month was the game jam and we had seven(!) entries from members of Knoxville Game Design.  Join us this month as we share our entries and discuss what went right, what went wrong, and what was learned.

The theme was “Ancient Technology” and here are the games submitted:

Legend of the Psychedelic Skull by Paul & Marc

Watch the compass arrow, it will point towards the skull you need to pick up (if it points all the way up, you’ve already collected it)
Get past level 9 and………well, lets see what happens.

35368-shot0-1472515449.png-eq-900-500

Orecka The Alien-Sweeper by Ruth Ann

The unexplainable complexity, size, and precision in constructing The Great Pyramid at Giza (completed around 2560 BC) has led some to conjecture that aliens had a hand in building the pyramids in Giza. This simple action game designed for my preschool grandchildren tests speed and reaction time as they help Orecka The Alien-Sweeper vacuum the Alien Building Supervisors away from the pyramids.

 36059-shot0-1472429558.png-eq-900-500

Clockwork Man by Jacob

A game about a clockwork man that fights of intruders.

52596-shot0-1472425738.png-eq-900-500

Khufu’s Delivery Service by Joe

At KDS your job is to sort the incoming cut stone from the quarry for sending to the builders at Giza. Efficiency is the goal, sending a full load means less time wasted counting on the other end and a quicker turnaround for that team for you.
Oh, and the builders also offer a bonus for color-matching boards of any size, as it helps them utilize the stone quicker.
Keep the process flowing and everyone stays happy, got it?

109750-shot0-1472404694.PNG-eq-900-500

Ancient Adventure by Levi

Find the eight ancient artifacts in the ruins to become the supreme being!

19778-shot0-1472428962.png-eq-900-500

Retrofuture Archaeology by Dylan

Use the parts provided to activate the indicated devices.

20078-shot1-1472426659.png-eq-900-500

Cave Escape by Mike, Rachel, and Hannah

The goal is to escape the cave you have found yourself in.

19362-shot0-1472438778.png-eq-900-500

Next Game Design Chat Podcast Game is Barony: Cursed Edition

This month’s game is Barony: Cursed Edition (available for Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Barony is a 3D, first-person roguelike. The goal of the game is to descend to the bottom of a dark dungeon known as the Devil’s Bastion and destroy an undead lich named Baron Herx, who terrorized the peaceful town of Hamlet in life and is now harboring a curse against the land from beyond the grave. To aid you in your quest are friendly humans who have been eeking out a rough life within the dungeon for generations, as well as any friends you can bring with you in real life: Barony is the first of its kind as a first-person roguelike in that it fully supports cooperative multiplayer for up to four players.

The podcast is recorded after the regular meetup ends.  Anyone is welcome to join the discussion with the only requirement being that you have played the game.  I highly recommend taking notes while playing so you have a good set of taking points for the podcast and have less of a chance of forgetting something!

You can check out all previous episodes at knoxgamedesign.org/podcast and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Google Play or via the direct feed.

Location and Time

The meetup will be held at the Technology Cooperative located at 13 Emory Place, Knoxville TN.  Parking is available in front of the Technology Cooperative.  We start at 2PM and open with some roundtable discussion and a Show ‘n Tell where everyone can show a bit of their in progress game, favorite tool, mechanic they love in another game, or anything they find helpful and want to share with the group.

Summer ’16 Game Jam: August 26th – 29th, 2016

Meetings

It’s time for another game jam!  If you’ve been to a jam in the past, it will be very similar.

We will meet Friday August 26th @7PM at the Technology Cooperative – The game jam officially kicks off at 9PM when the game theme is announced.  This will be a good time for any last minute questions on the jam, software, or process you have for making your game.

From Friday until Sunday work on your game.  We won’t be keeping the Techco open the whole weekend for the jam.

We’ll share and recap our entries at the next meetup on September 11th, 2016.

Some Notes:

Your game does not need to be complex and you don’t need to spend every hour of the jam devoted to making the game.  Simple is better, and seeing friends and family is a good break to keep you fresh.  The goal is to finish, and the reward is having completed a game!  You can enter solo or as a team and parents, this is a great activity to do together with your kids.

What you should do before the jam:

  • Read over the rules of the game jam and decide if you’ll be doing the “compo” or “jam” version.
  • Get your development system ready to go – figure out what software you’ll be using and make sure it’s ready to go.
    A list of common tools others have used in the game jam is listed on the Tools page, and links from previous meetups can be found on our site.
  • Make an account on the game jam website
  • Make an account on Itch.io (optional, but great place to host your entry)
  • Check the game jam site to vote on themes
  • It’s common to live stream your game development – if you plan to do this then:
    • Setup a Twitch.tv account
    • Install Open Broadcaster Software – a free, open source app for live streaming
    • Test out Twitch and OBS (don’t wait to the jam to start learning about live streaming!)
  • It’s also common to make a timelapse video of your development, and there are some tools to help with this too.  Again, test this out on your system before the jam beings.

Anodyne – Game Design Chat Episode #8

Podcast

Game Design Chat is a monthly podcast by members of the Knoxville Game Design Meetup discussing a single game each episode. Please be aware the full game is discussed and the entire episode should be considered a spoiler for anyone who has not played the game.

This month’s game is Anodyne and next month’s game will be Barony: Cursed Edition.

The hosts this month are:
Dylan Wolf – @dylanwolf – dylanwolf.com
Levi Smith – @gatechgrad – levidsmith.com
Joe Miller – @DoublesquareJoe – doublesquarellc.com
Michael Neel – @ViNull – vinull.com

Knox Game Design
Knox Game Design
Anodyne - Game Design Chat Episode #8
Loading
/

CodeStock Recap and Upcoming Events – August 14th, 2016 Meetup

Meetings

Coming Up Soon:

Emory Place Block Party August 20th 2PM:  Very similar to the Knoxville Open Streets, the Emory Place Block Party is a free public event taking place around the TechCo.  The block party promises to be a fun filled afternoon with activities and entertainment for the whole family! The event will highlight local businesses, vendors and artists. Live music and performances are planned throughout the day.  Member of Knoxville Game Design are encouraged to come out and setup a demo station of your games for the public to check out.  We’ll discuss event details at the meetup.

Game Jam August 26-29:  It’s Game Jam time again and after a shaky start it looks like the game jam is a go for the month.  We’ll discuss our participation at the meetup and details will be posted to the group.

This Month’s Topic: CodeStock Recap and Upcoming Events

This month we’ll be discussing the upcoming Emory Place Block Party and the game jam as well as recapping CodeStock events.  Members of Knoxville Game Design held a panel discussion on participating in game jam’s, which was posted to the podcast feed and is available to watch on youtube.

Next Game Design Chat Podcast Game is Anodyne

This month’s game is Anodyne (available iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux)

In Anodyne, you explore and fight your way through nature, urban and abstract themed areas in the human Young‘s subconscious, evoked by a 16-bit-era visual style and a moody, dream-like soundtrack.

The podcast is recorded after the regular meetup ends.  Anyone is welcome to join the discussion with the only requirement being that you have played the game.  I highly recommend taking notes while playing so you have a good set of taking points for the podcast and have less of a chance of forgetting something!

You can check out all previous episodes at knoxgamedesign.org/podcast and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Google Play or via the direct feed.

Location and Time

The meetup will be held at the Technology Cooperative located at 13 Emory Place, Knoxville TN.  Parking is available in front of the Technology Cooperative.  We start at 2PM and open with some roundtable discussion and a Show ‘n Tell where everyone can show a bit of their in progress game, favorite tool, mechanic they love in another game, or anything they find helpful and want to share with the group.

CodeStock 2016 Game Jam Panel – Knoxville Game Design

Podcast

Welcome to the bonus stage! This is the live recording of our panel at CodeStock 2016 discussion game jams and our experiences with them. Recorded on July 15th, 2016.

The Panel Speakers are:
Jacob
Jeffery
Dylan Wolf – @dylanwolf – dylanwolf.com
Levi Smith – @gatechgrad – levidsmith.com
Michael Neel – @ViNull – vinull.com

Knox Game Design
Knox Game Design
CodeStock 2016 Game Jam Panel - Knoxville Game Design
Loading
/

Fran Bow – Game Design Chat Episode #7

Podcast

Game Design Chat is a monthly podcast by members of the Knoxville Game Design Meetup discussing a single game each episode. Please be aware the full game is discussed and the entire episode should be considered a spoiler for anyone who has not played the game.

This month’s game is Fran Bow and next month’s game will be Anodyne.

The hosts this month are:
Dylan Wolf – @dylanwolf – dylanwolf.com
Levi Smith – @gatechgrad – levidsmith.com
Joe Miller – @DoublesquareJoe – doublesquarellc.com
Michael Neel – @ViNull – vinull.com

Knox Game Design
Knox Game Design
Fran Bow - Game Design Chat Episode #7
Loading
/

Which Framework Is For You? – July 10th, 2016 Meetup

Meetings, Presentations

Coming Up Soon: CodeStock – July 15 – 16

Knox Game Design will be hosting a panel this year at CodeStock on game jams.  The panel time is 12:55 PM on Friday July 15th and will be in room 301-A.  If you will be at CodeStock this year make sure to drop by!

Next Game Design Chat Podcast Game is Fran Bow

This month’s game is Fran Bow (available iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Fran Bow is a creepy adventure game that tells the story of Fran, a young girl struggling with a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.

After witnessing the gruesome and mysterious loss of her parents, found dismembered at their home, Fran rushes into the woods, together with her only friend, Mr. Midnight, a black cat that Fran had previously received as a present from her parents.

In the forest, Fran goes into shock over the loss of her parents and when she recovers, she’s at Oswald Asylum, an oppressive mental institution for children, and Mr. Midnight is nowhere to be found.

After having a dream about her beloved cat, Fran decides to escape from the mental institution to find him and go back home to Aunt Grace, her only living relative.

The podcast is recorded after the regular meetup ends.  Anyone is welcome to join the discussion with the only requirement being that you have played the game.  I highly recommend taking notes while playing so you have a good set of taking points for the podcast and have less of a chance of forgetting something!

You can check out all previous episodes at knoxgamedesign.org/podcast and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Google Play or via the direct feed.

This Month’s Topic: Which Framework Is For You?

There are a lot of game engines and frame works available and it can be daunting to know which one is the right one for you.  This meetup well go over many of the options and share thoughts and experiences from the group.

Location and Time

The meetup will be held at the Technology Cooperative located at 13 Emory Place, Knoxville TN.  Parking is available in front of the Technology Cooperative.  We start at 2PM and open with some roundtable discussion and a Show ‘n Tell where everyone can show a bit of their in progress game, favorite tool, mechanic they love in another game, or anything they find helpful and want to share with the group.

Shovel Knight – Game Design Chat Episode #6

Podcast

Please note we had some audio issues this month and bits of the podcast had to be replaced with a backup microphone. It’s heavy at the start, but is less of an issue as the show goes on.

Game Design Chat is a monthly podcast by members of the Knoxville Game Design Meetup discussing a single game each episode. Please be aware the full game is discussed and the entire episode should be considered a spoiler for anyone who has not played the game.

This month’s game is Shovel Knight and next month’s game will be Fran Bow.

The hosts this month are:
Dylan Wolf – @dylanwolf – dylanwolf.com
Levi Smith – @gatechgrad – levidsmith.com
Michael Neel – @ViNull – vinull.com

Knox Game Design
Knox Game Design
Shovel Knight - Game Design Chat Episode #6
Loading
/

Game Design June Meetup – June 12th, 2016

Meetings, Presentations

Coming Up Soon: MakerPalooza 2.0 – June 18th

Knox Game Design will join Pellissippi State at MakerPalooza 2.0 to celebrate the National Day of Making (and all things STEAM)! The event will be held Saturday, June 18th from 9AM to 4PM at the Megalab on Strawberry Plains.  If you would like to show off your game at our booth and have not contacted Michael please do so ASAP!

Next Game Design Chat Podcast Game is Shovel Knight

This month’s game is Shovel Knight (available Wii U, 3DS, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox One, Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Shovel Knight is a sweeping classic action adventure game with awesome gameplay, memorable characters, and an 8-bit retro aesthetic created by Yacht Club Games. You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small knight with a huge quest. Shovel Knight has come to this valley with two goals: to defeat the evil Enchantress and save his lost beloved. He wields a ShovelBlade; a multipurpose weapon whose techniques have now been lost to the ages. Always honest and helpful, Shovel Knight is a shining example of the code of Shovelry: Slash Mercilessly and Dig Tirelessly!

However, between Shovel Knight and his beloved stands a cadre of villainous knights. These terrible foes, known as The Order of No Quarter, have been dispatched to prevent Shovel Knight from reaching the Enchantress at any cost!

The podcast is recorded after the regular meetup ends.  Anyone is welcome to join the discussion with the only requirement being that you have played the game.  I highly recommend taking notes while playing so you have a good set of taking points for the podcast and have less of a chance of forgetting something!

You can check out all previous episodes at knoxgamedesign.org/podcast and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Google Play or via the direct feed.

This Month’s Topic: Things and Happenings

This month is an open Q&A / Show’N Tell but with some known topics of discussion.  Well talk about recent Unity and Itch.io news and changes, and discuss plans and promoting your game for MakerPalooza with knowledge gain from Open Streets.

Location and Time

The meetup will be held at the Technology Cooperative located at 13 Emory Place, Knoxville TN.  Parking is available in front of the Technology Cooperative.  We start at 2PM and open with some roundtable discussion and a Show ‘n Tell where everyone can show a bit of their in progress game, favorite tool, mechanic they love in another game, or anything they find helpful and want to share with the group.