Auckland Game Works

NZ Story Tribute: A Kiwi’s Tale

Our entry for the Retro Remakes competition is coming along nicely.

You can download a work-in-progress prototype here (2.3MB Zip).

The game engine is getting there, some level designs are underway, but the main thing we need are more graphics (enemies, backgrounds). 

If you’d like to get involved, email us, and check out the Google Group we’re using to coordinate the game project with. A bit over 1 month to go!

Add comment October 23rd, 2008

NZ Story Tribute devlog

The foundation of our NZ Story 2/Tribute is in place. Check out our Google Group, which we’re using to post ideas and discuss progress. A weekly build of the game is there, with up-to-date builds maintained using subversion control.

So far we have:
- the basic game engine (jumping, riding balloons) written in Blitzmax
- an agreed level format, so anyone can create levels using the free open-source editor Mappy
- basic level graphics (but they can be altered for each level, so you’re not stuck with them)
- a whole of draft gfx in the pipeline, which haven’t made it into the game build yet.

At the next AGW meeting (Sunday 5 October, 12.30) I’m confident that anyone could come along come along, get familiar with the level editor and engine and then go away and contribute.

Since we’re mostly New Zealanders, it’s proving a project that people have lots of ideas about (”what about a Pukeko enemy? Can one of the levels be the Sky Tower”, etc.). The answer is: Yes. If you can draw it or build it, then we can easily include it in the final game.

We only have two month left to finish the game. In practice this means complete it in October, and spend November polishing it. So, all contributions are welcome.

Add comment September 28th, 2008

The New Zealand Story Tribute

At today’s Meetup we discussed the idea of entering the RetroRemakes competition starting on 1 Sept and the idea of a New Zealand-based team doing entering a tribute to the 1998 arcarde game ‘The New Zealand Story’was mooted.  The NZ Story was one of those awesome, incredibly cute, cleverly playable platform games that Taito came out with in the late 80s (along with Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, etc).  However, it was obviously put together by a Japanese tourist to New Zealand who instead of subjecting his family to a slideshow of his trip, decided to make a computer game out of it based on his hazy memories.  Needless to say, to most true New Zealanders, the game only occassionally resembles the real Aotearoa.  So this project is our chance to set the record straight.

At its heart the game is a simple platform game with some added features (flying vehicles, water), so it should be technically feasible.  Its levels are fairly diverse, meaning we can delegate out level design. And we have the opportunity to update it with real NZ locations, memorabilia and parodies.  So it should be enjoyable. 

Before the competition rules are announced on 1 Sept, we thought we’d start brainstorming ideas, so we’ve set up a Google Group to act as a Wiki Game Design document.  Go sign-up to the group and jot some ideas down.

Add comment August 3rd, 2008

Retro Remakes 2008 competition

The crew over at Retro Remakes have announced the 2008 remakes competition. Details are still mostly under-wraps, but great prizes are promised and a start date of September 1st has been announced. This will no doubt churn out a lot of great new remakes of old classics.

The original post is here http://www.retroremakes.com/wordpress/2008/07/16/retro-remakes-2008-competition/

Add comment July 16th, 2008

Derelict goes Gold!

One of our members Erik Hogan has just completed a full game (with some help from friends of course). Derelict is a 3D real-time tactical strategy game where you control a team of space marines uncovering the alien menace on a space station.

You can download the full game here (36MB), and those of you interested in game development (why else would you be reading this website?) can check out his development posts on his blog.

I know it’s taken Erik a lot of dedication, focus and perserverance.  He’s always had a clear idea of what he wanted to game to be like, even when he started adding the ‘little touches’and extras towards the end of the project.  Congrats, Erik.

Add comment July 12th, 2008

New venue: RvB on K’Rd

We’re moving again to a more computer-game themed venue: a new gaming lounge downstairs on K’Rd called RvB. (geddit, Halo fans?).  We’ll be meeting in the bar area, although not necessarily drinking at 12noon on a Sunday.

And if anyone wants they can hang around to play on RvB’s copious range of consoles and games.

Here’s a roundup of some of the projects our members are currently working on:

• Derelict by Earkok
• Attack of the Meeplings by Tiny Frog Software
• Caverns of Underkeep (Beta) by Tiny Frog Software

2 comments April 30th, 2008

Meeting Venue: MDS

This is just a quick note to clarify that we’re back to meeting at the Media Design Schools, fortnightly on Sunday lunchtimes.  Checkout meetup.com for the next meeting time: http://gamedev.meetup.com/155/ 

Add comment March 14th, 2008

First meeting for 2008

We’re meeting this Sunday 13 Jan at 12noon.  But with a temporary new venue for this meeting: the Music & Audio Institute of NZ at 150 Victoria St.  Please be there at 12noon sharp as we need to be let into the building. 

Call Stephen on 0274438125 if you need to be let in.  There is often good parking across the road on Graham St.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the Beta of ‘Derelict’ at Earok’s blog, and the Alpha of ‘Caverns of Underkeep’ at Peachysoft.

Add comment January 9th, 2008

Christmas Break

We’re not meeting up officially over the Christmas, Summer break as many of us are out of town or at the beach, and our venue the Media Design School is closed.

Watch this space for notice of our first meeting for 2008, likely to be on Sun 13 January.

Add comment December 21st, 2007

Monthly Mega-Meetings

In addition to our weekly Sunday meetings, we’ve decided to hold larger meetings on the first Sunday of each month where we also talking about, bring along and play our favourite games or projects.  Let’s face it, we’re not just interested in making games, we also like to play them.

This also allows some of our irregular members who only come along now and then to know that there is one meeting a month where there will be a good turnout of people and something for even non-technical contributors to do.

The next Mega meeting will be Sunday 4 October, although we also have a regular meeting on 28 October. (Note: 21 October meeting is cancelled due to Labour Weekend)

Add comment October 15th, 2007