Champion Preview: Arke – the astrophysicist.

The idea with Arke the Astrophysicist is to have a champion with a visible disability kicking butt on the fields of battle. The Astrophysicist harnesses the forces of nature via a keyboard built into her wheelchair, and is able to bend the laws of Newtonian physics to keep her enemies at bay. I invision Arke The Astrophysicist as a ranged AP carry / support type – in the vein of Lux or Orianna. Her unique Ultimate makes her especially useful as a counter to AOE teams.

Firefight design for iOS fps. Modern Combat indeed.

iOS first person shooters have several limitations that change firefight design for these devices compared to traditional console/pc design standards. I plan on creating a design document that uses those limitations as a starting point, and expands upon them. Some of these limitations are: the shorter play sessions preferred by iOS gamers, the relatively small size of the screen, and the way the game controls.

Alien worlds in our backyard, Dallol.

Welcome to Alien worlds in our backyard a potential series of posts where I look at real world locations that are as fantastic as those we try and invent.

First up, Dallol, the Ethiopian sulfur volcano.

Work is work isn’t work.

“…I decided I wanted to work with other really smart, motivated, socially-orientated people to create product that would affect millions of other people. To me, that was the most fun I could have. That was way more fun than getting on a sailing boat and going round the world. I would’ve made it half way to Hawaii, cut my wrists and thrown myself to the sharks.” -G.Newell

via

The Ludic Order of the Golden Pawn

I am co-founding a secret society for the enjoyment of games, board games in particular. And I have given this group a name: THE LUDIC ORDER OF THE GOLDEN PAWN.

Yes, and? What improv theater has taught me about video games. (part 2)

As I was discussing previously, in improv theater the performers have to play together to create a scene, they have a responsibility to each other, to listen and to contribute. One might look at games in a similar way, where we enter into what Huizinga called “the magic circle“, a relationship established this time between the player and the system.

RPS Hillarity

My favorite vg news site has an amazing 404 page, it’s a text adventure!

Press release:

At some point in the future I hope to release a puzzle platformer called Super Ourobo Bros.

Trademark’d!

Yes, and? What improv theater has taught me about video games. (part 1)

I started taking improv courses last year for fun, and I have really enjoyed them. The structure of modern improv, how improvisers play ‘the game’, is not exactly what I expected. And the more I understand how their rules allow people to play together better, the more I find parallels within the world of game design.

Made a game that got some praise :D

I’m super pleased with the reactions we have been getting to Modern Combat 3, my most recent project at Gameloft. It has gotten very strong reviews and was chosen as iTunes game of the week. Apparently it is selling well also, which is good.

Not much time to sit back and enjoy it however. On to the next!