saimo
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Totally retro-oriented. Challenging gameplay rocks and pixels are beautiful!
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Lately I have released updates to my games BOH and Huenison. At the same time, I have prepared also brand-new physical packages for them.
The final version of BOH (called BOH ADVANCE), after so many updates, really deserved a new edition. So I have made this:
click on the pictures to see them in full size
Features:
* latest version of BOH for AmigaOS 4, AROS, Linux, MacOS, and Windows (as released digitally a few months ago);
* Enhanced CD that be used also to listen to the soundtrack on an audio CD player;
* CD with outstanding glossy finish;
* hugely improved user's manual and developer's manual;
* brand-new artwork;
* transparent DVD case;
* double-sided inlay.
BOH ADVANCE is part of a Deluxe package that looks like this:
Then, there's Huenison. The physical release had been put aside, but I felt that this was an appropriate time to finally make it happen: releasing it together with BOH Deluxe allows people to get both in one go and thus save on shipping expenses.
This is the package:
Features:
* latest version of Huenison for AmigaOS 4 and Windows (as released digitally a few months ago);
* Enhanced CD that be used also to listen to the soundtrack on an audio CD player;
* CD with outstanding glossy finish;
* hugely improved manual;
* improved artwork;
* transparent DVD case;
* double-sided inlay.
The orders are open now and for a few more days - hurry up if you want to grab a copy!
The saga started in 2009 with BOH, where humans face the invasion of the Evil Masters.
In 2013, the fight continued, in a totally different way, with Huenison.
In 2015, MAH reveals that eventually the Evil Masters were defeated (but humans had to face an even bigger threat).
In 2016, we find the Evil Master withdrawing from the Earth right after being defeated, and bringing troubles to the peaceful planet of Suinio, where QUOD INIT EXIT IIm is set.
QUOD INIT EXIT IIo, currently WIP, will reveal more details - but here is a sneak peek:
One might wonder: but why do BOH (a dungeon crawler for PC), Huenison (an puzzle-shooter for PC), MAH (an undefineable arcade game for the C64), and QUOD INIT EXIT IIm (a platformer for the C64) are connected by such a storyline, what do they have in common? Well, you know, it was just cool to link them together! And, anyway, they do have one trait in common: they are all totally innovative, they all bring something that had not been done before!
In BOH and Huenison the Evil Masters were defeated, but the story continues with an even bigger threat... MANKIND! If you feel like saving the world (again), and have lots of fun in the process with an incredibly innovative and adrenalizing arcade game, just head to the MAH website and grab your copy!
Please note that MAH is not a new-retro game: it's a 100% authentic retro game, as it's made for the venerable C64! So, it can be actually played on one of those machines produced tens of years ago... or, if you prefer, under emulation on your PC (and even who is not familiar with the C64 or can't bother setting up an emulator can effortlesslyplay by downloading the single file Windows installer available on the website).
SPINELESS PLAYER WARNING: MAH IS NO PRESS-X-TO-WIN GAME. IT REQUIRES DETERMINATION, UNDERSTANDING, AND PRACTICE. IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO MAKE THE EFFORT, IT WILL NOT BE DIFFICULT: IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE. BUT IF YOU ARE, YOUR GAMING SATISFACTION WILL REACH THE SKY.
Finally Huenison lands also on Desura - only 1 week to go! Indiedb.com
In the meanwhile, here are some reviews that give an initial idea of what to expect...
Huenison has just been nominated for the Indies Crash E3 competition, so now it needs votes!It's late, as the competition started a while ago and will end on May 15th, but it's still possible to make it to the top of the chart with just 500 votes.If you think Huenison deserves it, please vote and share ;) Thank you!
Huenison Indies Crash E3 page
Huenison Mod DB page
Huenison website
Huenison Facebook page
What a pleasure when you get competent and insightful reviews!
The game isn't out yet (lots of work needs to be done on the website, manual, package art and trailer, and I have also to decide whether to wait for when I'll have a working AmigaOS machine again so that I can release that version at the same time as well), but, as already announced, it's complete, so I gladly let RGCD's boss have a look at it. If you want to learn more about the game, just head over to his nice review at Rgcd.co.uk.
*** HUENISON IS FINISHED ***
With this update I have the big pleasure of announcing that Huenison is basically ready for release :)
When and how that will happen is yet to be decided, but the game is ready since this January.
These are the changes since the previous post...
- Added BRAVERY bonus.
- Added ALL TYPES bonus.
- Added global hiscores.
- Made bosses speed level-relative.
- Excluded white beams for HITSTREAK bonus.
- Considered brick kills processed right after level end.
- Merged NORMAL and HARD bricks into a single family.
- Added simple success/failure effects to levels ending.
- Replaced beam, brake and chain sounds.
- Beautified status panel.
- Beautified menu mixers.
- Improved instructions.
- Randomized amplitude of wipe effects.
- Added icon.
- Made many internal improvements.
For the occasion, here's a couple of new screenshots in round 3x dots mode.
The website progressed as well (most notably, it now shows the global hiscores in real time), although it's not finished yet, and now there is also a Facebook page ;)
During the month of October Huenison has matured into what I consider the first releasable version: it's complete, fully enjoyable and more finger/mind-breaking than ever! However, I'm not releasing it just yet because I have some pixels and ideas left ;)
Let's have a closer look at what has changed (in no particular order)...
- added giant ghost-like bricks scrolling in the background, corresponding to the pieces just generated - they not just look cool, but might help spotting interesting pieces (see screenshots below);
- added level-specific introduction messages;
- added more sound samples;
- eliminated unfair points advantage given by shooting at the bricks fired by the bosses during the BOSS levels;
- made ground flash shortly in the places where it changes;
- added QUICKSHOT bonus - extra points are awarded and the ground is lowered everywhere by 1 step when 5 consecutive shots hit each time a different brick of a different color within 2 seconds (white beam shots are ignored);
- added bunches of bricks: at times, the bricks don't come as singletons, but in groups that form specific shapes (Tetris-like, screen-wide line and more);
- added RESTORE bonus - the ground is flattened to the initial state when requested after the player completes the "RESTORE" indicator, by destroying the slide bricks;
- added the WALL mode (see screenshot below);
- adjusted levels sequence and parameters;
- added instructions;
- reworked cannon: now it's bigger, so that it's easier to read the colors;
- retouched graphics;
- added more tunes and improved the pre-existing ones;
- made speed of RUSH modes level-relative;
- reworked introduction (which now transitions in the menu scrolltext), and added interludes and ending (this also increases the already strong personality of the game and the feeling of being challenged by a rival);
- added FACE-OFF level (the final battle!);
- added HIT STREAK bonus - extra points are awarded and the zapper line gets raised by 10 steps when 10 consecutive shots hit each time a different brick (white beam shots are ignored);
- made tons of (internal) improvements/optimizations/fixes.
Since all the blabbering above will probably sound vague in several places, here are a few screenshots...
WALL mode
In this mode you'll have to deal with avalanches of bricks!
Fully-lit status panel
This is just to give an idea, as not all of those indicators can actually appear at the same time. The HIT STREAK bonus indicator is not shown because the screenshot was taken before its implementation. In this screenshot it's also possible to see the bigger cannon and the "ghost" bricks in the background.
Additional screenshot
A little bit old, but why not sharing it?
Huenison development proceeds at full steam!
Most of the sound effects that were missing have been added. Several of them are speech samples synthesized with Software Automatic Mouth (a program from 1982!) running on an emulated C64! The result, in the context of the game, is just perfect - so perfect that I've used the samples to give the game a (wicked!) personality!
[C64 screen showing the phonetic strings I fed to SAM and the post-processed "game over" sample (which, eventually, was replaced by something totally different, but that's another story...]
Implemented bricks families/representatives that not only give a visual representation of the bricks in play (handy when you want to check if there's a certain piece somewhere), but are also fundamental to add a new twist to the gameplay (primary reason of their implementation).
[actual in-game screenshot]
Moreover, although it's the typical game that doesn't need one, Huenison has now also a little introduction (whose audio part will warm the hearts of many)!
[introduction temporary text]
Finally, there have been lots of improvements here and there to make the game more and more polished.
Development pace went up lately - and it shows! And you'll be able to see with your eyes, hear with your own ears and play with your own hands at the Play Expo in Manchester in a couple of weeks - just search for RGCD's booth ;)
[preliminary version of the menu music]
These are the latest changes:
* finished music - all tunes and jingles are in place now;
* added the first sound effects;
* ensured that the "8-balls" bricks, when relocated by the first hit, never merge with the ground;
* removed training levels and made pieces kinds appear progressively in the first regular levels;
* implemented hiscores;
* added cyclical messages to menu screen in pinball display fashion;
* made menu more user-friendly;
* changed handling of pause/quitting/focus - now everything is done from a single screen, and the player can always restart comfortably;
* made tons of internal improvements;
* fixed a few bugs.
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