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Editorial - October 2012

With the dawn of AGK in 2011, the number of published games created using TGC products has rocketed. So much so, we would love to feature many of them but just don't have the time to review them all.

Do you want to see your published game featured on The Game Creators News site and newsletter? As you know, we feature your games completely free of charge; the community is a great accolade to our products and we love to show off our applications through your creations. If you can spend a little extra of your time at the end of your production cycle to put together a review of your game, then we will endeavour to publish it to our 20,000+ newsletter readers, and all visitors to our news site. You can even Tweet, Google+ or Like your review on the site. We've included more details in the newsletter on what to consider when submitting your game for consideration.

This month you can check the reviews of Squashies world and F.A.R for inspiration, find out how TGC fared with their hectic IDF schedule, find out how much activity has been going on around Freedom Engine, read the final installments of the Ultrabook Challenge and more.

Until next time,

contents

(1) Freedom Engine (2) Squashies World (3) DBP (4) Ultimate Coder (5) Teach Yourself (6) FPSC News (7) App Developers Group (8) IDF 2012 (9) From the Forums (10) Facebook (11) The Game Creators News (12) Game Reviews

Freedom Engine Debuts

Freedom Engine Supercharges Game Development for PCs, Tablets and Smartphones

Game developers around the world now have their online outlet for their creativity and ingenuity regardless of their financial resources. The launch went ahead perfectly to schedule, and anyone can now use Freedom Engine which allows developers of all abilities the freedom to create virtually any game they desire and deploy their creation across a variety of platforms at no cost.

 

“There are literally millions of passionate game developers all around the world yearning for a way to bring their ideas to life,” explains Lee Bamber, CEO of Freedom Engine, LTD. “Freedom Engine offers everyone, regardless of their financial resources, an opportunity to create and deploy the fantastic concepts they’ve been dreaming up and share them across social media. In particular, we want to give indie and hobbyist developers the deployment resources they’ve always felt were out of their reach.”

With the number of application compilations fast approaching 20,000, the Freedom Engine servers are running smoothly and the surge of creativity is being well catered for. It is great to see so much activity in the first few weeks of Freedom Engine.

The forums are also becoming livelier by the day, as over 300 posts discussing the engine, the possibilities and the way our developers want to see the platform evolve have been recorded.

Freedom Engine includes all the building blocks developers need to create fully immersive games. Sprites, sound effects, music, collision detection and 3-D commands are all available in this beta release, with 3-D physics to be added at a later date. These tools are accessible via a scripting language specifically designed to give developers the power they need to create truly complex titles, and the simplicity to make coding a snap.

Developers may create and deploy titles on Freedom Engine at no cost. 10 megabytes of storage is included free of charge. 250 megabytes of storage is available for a monthly fee of $5 USD. To learn more and sign up for an account, visit: http://freedom-engine.com/

We want to know what you are creating with Freedom Engine. Email us with links to your games, apps and demos so we can take a look and feature the best ones.

 

Squashies World

 

Lee Bamber on Twitter

Everything you need to know about both DarkBASIC Professional and FPS Creator development can now be found via Lee Bamber's Tweets. You'll get to hear about every bug fix and feature as it's implemented.

Start following Lee now to get the latest news about your favourite development tools as it happens.

 

Dark Game Studio Bonanza

 

This highly popular Special offer is still available to you, proving to be the best package deal we've ever created: Dark Game Studio, Dark Physics, Dark Lights, Dark AI, Extends and a whole lot more for an incredibly low price of $49.99. Save over $170!

Creating your own PC games is now easier than ever with this special compilation of game making tools:

• DarkBASIC Professional
• DarkBASIC Classic
• DarkGDK 
• Dark Edit
• DarkMATTER
• DarkVOICES
• DarkSHADER
• Game Creator Store
• FPS Creator FREE
• Tree Magik
• Plant Life
• Cartography Shop
• Dark Physics
• Dark Lights
• Dark AI
• Extends
• Demo Games
• Physics Demos

Order Now

Save over $170 on this special deal. Be sure to check out the screen shots and the online videos. You can of course order safely and securely online, for delivery via postal mail.

FPS Creator   -   DarkBASIC   -   2000 Store Points

The Ultimate Coder: Ultrabook™ Challenge

The Ultimate Coder: Ultrabook™ Challenge is now over, in the arena where six developers compete head to head to code apps for next generation Ultrabooks. Lee Bamber and the TGC team have been invited to take part, and have blogged their progress each week.

What happened to the development time in September? Time flies so fast when the pressure is on. We'll be reporting imminently on the final week, but let's swiftly catch up on the previous two weeks, which also included time out to attend the Intel Developers Conference on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Week 4: Giant Leaps

Progress was of gargantuan proportions in week four, and Lee's blog is laid out predominantly with video footage, to cover all of the feature-leaps. DirectX and OpenGL translation is complete, the interface is quite literally full of eye-candy, and one throwaway comment simply states "I also took the opportunity to code the Accelerometer, Multi-touch and half the NFC sensor commands as well". 

 

 

The features included so far are as follows:

• Multiple Resolutions: App adjusts layout to fit any landscape resolution
• Mouse, Track-pad & Touch-screen: Accept all three input styles
• Single & Multi-Touch: Two finger moving & resizing of message art
• Rich Graphics: Use high resolution artwork for HD rendering
• 3D Graphics Performance: Engine uses GPU rendering for 2D & 3D
• Enhanced Performance: Engine uses PPL for parallel multi-core coding
• DFNAM: 100% WinRT engine (native code is old code)
• NFC Kiss: Touch Love Heart apps together to get extra credits for both
• Accelerometer: - Control a mini-game using forward tilt only

 Week 5 : Roaming and Coding

This is the week that saw Lee Bamber and Rick Vanner at IDF, hosting numerous events as well as attending others, whilst still finding the time to code Love Hearts. The IDF trip revealed more tricks and tips, which quickly found their way onto the nice-to-have list of features,such as sharing via Windows 8 built-in functionality.

Whilst Lee roamed, Steven Holding continued with virtual roaming of Love Heart messages to friends and family, as well as coding yet more mini games. Other features implemented this week by the intrepid duo include in-app monetisaton and Windows 8 notifications on the app icon. As always, all of these new features become the codebase for future versions of AGK and Freedom Engine.

"[Lee has] his OpenGL-to-DirectX 11 translation engine is working. He has NFC happening (after a little device foreplay - really, too much information) as well as a bunch of other Ultrabook specific support that is truly keeping with the spirit of showing off the Ultrabook hardware and Windows 8 API. Check out his videos if you like a little time-lapse craziness."

Chris Maunder

  

Weeks 6: Reflecting and recuperating

We all know that the final few days of a project - affectionately known as crunch time - can be quite stressful. When the final few days are the culmination of a six week project to develop a new game engine for an as-yet unreleased platform, running on unreleased hardware with never-seen before technologies, the stress levels can reach unknown heights.

The result is the final app submitted to the Windows store for publication, and yet more great features in store for users of AGK and Freedom engine. Reading the blog, you will find in-app purchasing implemented in just 12 lines of AGK / Freedom Engine code. There are stunning screen transitions as the ambient sensor detects and adjusts the app to light levels. Sending messages to other users, via email and to social networks (with one line of code) is now in full flow. The app even knows which direction it is facing! Of course, the camera is used to enhance messages to friends, the images being fully editable for even more fun.

Lee includes, as always, a comprehensive list of tips for fellow developers, particularly on the WinRT technicalities but also on how to successfully submit an app to the Windows Store. Hardcore developers will find many gems in amongst the blog to shortcut many hardships and produce great apps. And for the hobbyists among us, we can await the new features in upgrades to both AGK and Freedom Engine.

 

Teach Yourself Game Programming...

  ...for HTML5, WebGL, Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows and Mac all in one go! is now available to Kindle readers all across the globe.

The world has so many programming languages, engines, SDKs and tools when it comes to game making. They could give university degrees to those who know the differences between them all. For any new user without years of formal training and experience it’s virtually impossible to know where to start. It's possible to spend years training in languages and technologies that are virtually obsolete by the time you get your degree!

Many are put off by the thought of having to learn different languages and tools in order to publish to different platforms and devices including iPad, Android, Windows and Mac. You might even want to host it in the cloud for Facebook players. Covering all these platforms means losing valuable time recreating your game over and over again while your rivals create new market grabbing titles around you.

There is hope! Freedom-Engine does all that and more. It gives you the freedom to learn one single easy to grasp language. It gives you the freedom to write games for PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and for the cloud all at the same time. There is no need to rewrite your work over and over again! It also gives you the freedom of the cloud, you don’t need to be tied to specific devices or hardware, and your games can run directly from your website without the need for Flash.

Daniel's eBook arms you with the knowledge you need to get started. Download the book now and you will be using the very latest revolution in game creation technology to produce your very first game today. The eBook includes three courses; two primers and one final course demonstrating a working game in action. This book is ideal for users with zero Freedom Engine knowledge and limited programming experience.

Pick up this brand new title from Daniel Foreman in the Amazon Store (also in the UK or search for B009GJRH7K on your local Amazon site),  with 50% discount until 10 October 2012.  

FPS Creator 2 - Your Opinion Matters

The Game Creators are considering launching a Kickstarter fund for FPS Creator 2 and we would like know if you would be interested in backing such a development. There is a simple form available for you to provide your feedback. Phase one has already gained enough interest for us to canvas more detailed opinions on what FPSC 2 should encompass. Now we want to know what features you feel are important, what platforms you want to play on, and how you want to develop. Click here to complete our short survey and make your opinion count!

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others. Every project creator sets their project's funding goal and deadline. If people like the project, they can pledge money to make it happen. If the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are charged when time expires. If the project falls short, no one is charged. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing.

  

The Best FPS Creator Deal - Save Over $150.00!

This offer has proved so popular amongst new users of FPS Creator and those that simply want 9 new model packs at a fanatstic price, that we just let it run and run! Get FPS Creator and 9 Model Packs for an incredibly low price of $29.99 USD (€22.00 EUR, £19.99 GBP). This deal includes:

• FPS Creator
• Model Pack 1
• Model Pack 3
• Model Pack 7
• Model Pack 11
• Model Pack 12
• Model Pack 13
• Model Pack 14
• Model Pack 15
• Model Pack 25

Click here to purchase the Bonanza pack, including FPS Creator
for just $29.99 / €22.00 / £19.99

App Developers Group - F.A.R

  

by Adam Hodgson

Jordi Ramon is one of the ADG's model developers. We have witnessed many releases from Jordi and he has recently release another stunning creation, namely Future Aero Racing. Speed around race courses in stylish hover vehicles, enduring different weather conditions all whilst enjoying your favourite music tracks played by the built-in music manager. Developed using DarkBASIC Professional, the game lets you go head-to-head against your friends in split screen action to prove who can pilot their vehicle the best. We congratulate Jordi on yet another release and you can purchase the game from the Intel AppUp store or on his website here. A demo version featuring one of the circuits is also available here.

• Feel the speed as you've never done before with this amazing arcade racing.
• Be the best pilot and drive at high speed for glory in FAR Championship Cups.
• Optimized especially for your Netbook and Ultrabook, playing at at a smooth 30 FPS.
• Choose the hour (noon, afternoon, night) and weather (clear, fog, rain or storm) and prove you are the best pilot in all conditions.
• Unlock new tracks and vehicles.
• Compete in the Online Ranking of each circuit and share your best times on your favorite social networks.
• Drive to your favourite music; the game features a music manager to choose your playlist.
• Compete against a friend in split screen 2 player game mode.
• Compatible with the Xbox 360 Windows controller (USB and Wireless) and vibration function. You can use 2 Xbox 360 controllers simultaneously.

This game is Enhanced for Core. It has made use of the testing programs by Intel to ensure the graphical capabilities of the game meet the standards and are enhanced by Intel® Core^TM Processors. Enhance your game experience by playing it on hardware it is designed to excel with.
Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries

 

This article was presented in Issue 11 of the ADG newsletter. We welcome all independent developers to join us, the pre-requisite is simply that you are eager to share experience and resources with your fellow developers.

 

TGC at IDF 2012

The Game Creators, as mentioned previously, have been attending the Intel developer Forum in September. Rick and Lee's presence was in many capacities, as Ultrabook Challenge contestants, Black Belt developers, hosting live coding sessions, representing the Ultrabook program in the Expo area, and invitees to the Intel Fellowship event. Lee even had the opportunity to deliver a speech at the Black Belt dinner.

The Ultrabook Challenge did not suffer too harshly, as the hardware travelled with our intrepid duo, and coding took place in the airport lounge! Of course IDF was also the ideal shop front for the work completed so far, especially as development for the new bleeding edge hardware is almost entirely confined to the challengers.

Bob Duffy of Intel took the opportunity to conduct a quick interview with Lee and discuss the Ultimate Coder challenge. Here is that interview, which gives you a great insight into both Love Hearts and the latest Intel technologies.

From The Forums

Keep up to date with TGC on Facebook

Join over 4,600 fans on TGC's Facebook page to keep bang upto date on news, user projects from the forums and discussions.

We're keen to hear from all our avid users and we always love to hear what you've been upto with the tools we sell. So if you have something you want to share with the wider TGC audience why not post it into the TGC Facebook page?

The Game Creators News

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community projects and competitions;
you will find all of them on The Games Creators News site.

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Submitting a Game Review

As mentioned in the editorial, we want to publish your game reviews, but simply don't have the time to work through them all. If you want to submit your own game review - or even review games that you have found and played in the forums - then there are a few simple guidelines:

• For AGK games, we ask that it has been published to a recognised marketplace (such as Google Play, Apple Stores, Blackberry World). We'll also consider games privately published and available to buy from a Website. FPS Creator games should be submitted for the BOTB process, running in the FPSC forums. 

How to write a review for your game:

• You need to include the Game Title.
  Include a strapline that summarises the game in one sentence
• Describe how your game is played, using attention-grabbing words and phrases that capture the imagination of the reader. Describe how you progress through the game, level up, gain experience and collect accolades. Introduce the dangers lurking, pitfalls and strategies for overcoming the obstacles.
• Add details of game control, multiplayer, online scoring and interactions. Highlight where there are free/paid versions.
• Don't forget to provide URL links to the store pages, and platforms on which your app is available.
• Of course, you need screenshots (the more there are, the easier it is to select appropriate images).
• Your review will be professionally edited before publication, or returned to you with advice if it requires extensive modification. You are permitted to use the final edited version in your own app marketing efforts, we want you to be successful!
• Finally, submit your game reviews to the newsletter mailing address - [email protected]

The Game Creators in no way endorse or support products mentioned in this newsletter that are not specifically published by them. Always check first before parting with your money. © The Game Creators Limited 2012.