Starting Malwrath’s Tower

Since we dropped no hints about a new project last week, and we’re not serial developers you’ll be shocked, SHOCKED! to learn that we’re starting a new project. In slightly surprising news this will not be a space/scifi themed game. This time we’re working on a fantasy RPG called

Task 0) do something with that 'M"
Task 0) do something with that ‘M”

Malwrath’s Tower is currently a hack and slash heavy and story light invade the evil wizard’s tower take his stuff and kill him style game, but with roughly nine months of development time in front of us we’ll see where it goes. We’re hoping the engine will be flexible enough that we can use it for a couple of future games too.

And now the moment everyone has been waiting for the schedule update. We’re currently looking at a Q1 2017 launch. Why is it going to take so long? 0) this project is big we’ve got engine + graphics + levels that need to be done. 1) we all have day jobs so we can’t put that many hours into this every day.

red and blue lines are now 95% and 5% completion chance respectively
red and blue lines are now 95% and 5% completion chance respectively

Stoned in Space For Mobile

The android version of Stoned in Space has finally achieved escape velocity. This time it only took two more weeks than I would have liked which makes it much faster than Cosmic Bootlegger which I believe took over three months to bang into a releasable state for mobile devices. Anyway Stoned in Space is now available on Google Play

The premium version gives you access to the other 1/2 of the ship configuration options, and three free continues of each type every day.

Also, we made enough tweaks that I felt compelled to update the desktop version you can find the updated download on the games page.

Stay tuned for information on whatever our next project turns out to be.

PS new screen shots

stoned game screen 1 stoned game screen 2

stoned game screen 4 - tablet scaled stoned game screen 3 -tablet scaled

Starting a New Project

Since we released Cosmic Bootlegger last week it’s time to announce our new project! that we started work on … three months ago. It’s called
StonedSpaceDLimage
and as you can see from our handy project complete date estimator we’ve been hard at work on this project for … almost none of that time.

Project has a 25% chance of completion on or before the date represented by the blue line and a 75% chance of completion by the red line. So we're currently looking at something Marchish
Project has a 25% chance of completion on or before the date represented by the blue line and a 75% chance of completion by the red line. So we’re currently looking at something Marchish

What will Stoned in Space be about? While working on Cosmic Bootleggers I realized that my favorite part was was dodging asteroids while sneaking into systems. So we’re going to rebuild and expand that minigame stronger, faster, and with guns! (hopefully for less than $6 million.)

Now I’m sure some skintubes are asking why did we pick Stoned in Space as the name for our new project. The simple answer is we wanted to call it Asteroids Strike Back, but that, like all good game names, has been taken by a shitty Flash game, that I want to give me the 5 minutes of my life back that I spent playing it.

Cosmic Bootlegger Mobile

We’ve been online for a whole month and I’ve already failed at my personal goal of posting dev updates on the first Monday of the month.

Cosmic Bootlegger has entered mobile alpha testing, and will be ready for general consumption … sometime … I’d love to say, ‘the mobile version will be done next week,’ but we all know how release dates for games work (You increase the units twice so ‘next week’ -> ‘next month’ -> ‘next year’).

“Why is it taking so long to release the mobile version after releasing the desktop version?” the impatient among you ask. Well we decided to add some premium features. Getting those ready and working through the in app purchase flow is taking some time.

Cosmic Bootlegger Released

Long un-awaited Cosmic Bootlegger (download) has arrived.

Cosmic_Bootlegger

You have recently inherited a coveted interstellar merchant’s license from your cousin’s mother’s sister’s husband. After managing to secure a small ship you are now ready to become the local star cluster’s most (in)famous trader. Unfortunately there’s only 26 weeks before the Merchant of the Millennium awards, and you have a lot of hard work to do if you’re going to win the jumbonium tiara.

Current interstellar drives are incapable of directly taking you anywhere in the cluster; so, you can only travel to other systems connected to your present location by starlanes. Much to the surprise of those who originally discovered the starlanes and chagrin of speeders, it takes exactly one week to traverse a starlane regardless of the distance between systems, and there are no rest stops; so, bring plenty of toilet paper. Fortunately this keeps the galactic police service out of the starlanes as they stay near the ends where the donuts are.

Only two weeks to Minkar. We just have to make a pit stop in Ras Algthi for some Slurm
Only two weeks to Minkar. We just have to make a pit stop in Ras Algthi for some Slurm

When visiting a system you have the option of going through the customs checkpoint, where your ship will be searched for contraband. Your ship has a variety of locations to conceal contraband from the initial cursory inspection. If unconcealed contraband is found it will trigger a thorough inspection of your ship, all contraband will be confiscated and you’ll face a hefty fine. Alternately you can attempt to sneak into the system by navigating an asteroid field – but keep in mind that spaceships don’t react well to asteroid hits.

Dodging Asteroids - Good
Dodging Asteroids – Good
Face Planing on Asteroids - Bad
Face Planting on Asteroids – Bad

The local cluster consists of a group of 5-10 star systems connected by starlanes. Each system has passed laws making some of the cluster’s 12 commodity goods illegal; the illegal goods in each system will vary from game to game. In each system you are able to trade any of the commodities regardless of legality because, well, everyone needs 200 Proof Slurm to party, and you always happen to know a guy who knows a guy who knows a giant worm. Similar to a well known game from the historical archives the prices of goods change every time you move, vary wildly and often make no sense as everyone and their cousin’s mother’s sister’s son smuggles illicit goods into the system. You’ll start with 5000 credits and a ‘short cylinder’ class ship. It has a cargo hold with 30 spaces – 5 of which double as smuggling compartments.

The commodities that can be traded in the local cluster:

  • Spice – Sometimes called Melange. It’s the only substance that will get space navigators high enough to plot new trade routes.
  • Pentainum Ore – It’s like tri-tainium ore except two better.
  • All Beef Patties – As cows are an endangered species, beef can fetch a hefty premium on the black angus market, also good for greasing palms and emergency rations.
  • Soilent Green – Yep, it’s still made out of people.
  • Antimatter Rods – It’s the fuel of the future and incredibly explosive: handle with caution.
  • Bending Robots – They can bend a girder to any angle you want.
  • Sonic Actuators – Used in sonic screwdrivers and wrenches and hammers – oh my.
  • Intestinal Parasites – The future’s diet drug of choice because we’d rather have disgusting worms in our bowels than exert self control.
  • 200 Proof Slurm – Space’s most rockin’ adult-beverage.
  • Food Replicators – Tea, Earl Grey, HOT!
  • Plot Hole Navigators – They make all of storyline flaws in our favorite scifi and anime shows make sense.
  • Tribbles – The hamster of the future. Just don’t let them touch.