CGN Newsletter #69 – Dec. 16, 2022
Risky business.
Derek Yu Still Hasn't Finished UFO 50
As a reminder to his millions of fans that he still hasn't finished UFO 50, Derek Yu has once again strayed into the realm of displacement activity by publishing a lengthy article about assessing risk in indie game development.
This would no doubt be a topic paramount in Yu's mind, considering that he has committed to releasing a commercial software product that contains fifty (50) games in one. The Steam Store page was launched over three years ago, and the game appeared to be in an advanced state of development at that time.
But just what is UFO 50? The gimmick is that it is supposedly the complete software library of a forgotten 1980s-era video game console. When eventually released this will not be a package of mere mini-games; each will be a complete full-sized game that could be sold in its own right, each lovingly crafted with a limited resolution and colour palette, each a tribute to one of the myriad sub-genres that flourished in the primordial pre-history of gaming.
An ambitious project! And, perhaps, a risky one.
From Mr. Yu's new essay:
“In this article, I share a framework that you can use to help you evaluate the risk of a game concept and compare the riskiness of one idea to another. It's one of the things I think about when I'm deciding what I want to work on next. Regardless of whether you want your next game to be a paradigm-shifting smash hit or you just want to make something you care about with some pieces of you in it, the goal of this framework is to try and make development feel a little more predictable.”
You can read the whole thing here.
Final Beer & Pixels Event of 2022 a Tremendous Success
The final Sydney IGDA 'Beer & Pixels' event for 2022 was held on Tuesday the 13th at the 'Game Plus' office space, and it attracted well over 100 attendees. Present were students and alumni of AIE College, indie developers demonstrating their games, members of the press, and even a washed-up voice actor who used to work on Good Game Spawn Point.
Projects showcased included the GTA 1-esque The Godfeather and the Power Stone-esque Retail Wars, but the most intriguing game on display was a top secret new puzzler from P11 Games, something of a cross between Wordle and Pengo...
Hylics 3 Confirmed
Mason Lindroth, the creator of Hylics and Hylics 2, has tweeted out some animated gifs representing his recent Blender creations, and they're even weirder than the distinct kit-bashed doll monsters that have traditionally populated his games.
While Hylics 3 has been confirmed as an upcoming release, there is as yet no potential launch date, or indeed, any concrete details at all. Lindroth simply keeps making very weird animated .gifs and posting them on Twitter with the accompanying word: '#Hylics'.
All Lindroth will reveal, as of November 29, is that Hylics 3 won't be out any time soon.
As he is a true iconoclast of game development, I'm sure Lindroth will only release more intel if and when he's good and ready. But it is abundantly clear that he is still evolving as an artist, growing ever-stronger in both ability and ambition...
The ABC Wants YOU on the 'Tik Tok'*
ABC Gamer, the video game journalism division of Australia's national broadcaster, is now seeking to recruit a TikTok video creation specialist.
This will be a full-time job on an 11-month contract.
ABC Gamer, the successor to Good Game, has gained little traction on YouTube, with videos struggling to crack four-figure view counts. But apparently they've enjoyed greater success with their experiments on the TikTok platform, so Auntie is going all in.
Would YOU like to work a full-time job making viral web videos for the government in Sydney's trendy Ultimo district? Applications are open until January 9...
More details here.
* Latest Fad.
Star Control II 30th Anniversary Downloads Galore!
To Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Control II, Stardock has published some brand new remixes of classic musical tracks from the legendary comedy space combat RPG. They've also published an in-depth interview with composer Riku Nuottajärvi about his experiences creating the evocative score for one of the most beloved PC games ever released.
There are new high-res wallpapers to download, plus fan art, and more!
You can join the celebration here.
The Best Gaming Tweets of the Week
