Hi guys! UPDATE (2010-06-22): LandFormer will be available on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. For full details, you can check out the LandFormer site. I'm also posting a brand new gameplay trailer for your viewing pleasure: It's me, Owen! I'm here to announce my new game: LandFormer! I'm posting the first screenshot that's been seen publicly. This is still a work in progress, so things may change before the game is released: This is a game that I prototyped at the 360iDev Game Jam night in September. You can read the Touch Arcade write up on the event, along with a description of how this game is played. The prototype was called "UpDown", but it turns out there's already a game on the App Store with that name. Now it's called LandFormer, which also makes more sense with the new theme of the game. That's it for now! Subscribe to the thread if you want to see updates on the game as I continue progress. Got questions? Let me know. Owen
Looks interesting Owen, can't wait to see the final game. The green / black 3x3 patterns are the various raise and lower "brushes", right? Have you considered putting either some fake or real 3d relief into them? Just green and black doesn't fully convey "up and down" to me> Sorry if I'm jumping the gun a bit
Looks pretty cool though more likely than not that game would make me go insane. Those sliding puzzles with one piece missing have it in for me too
Not at all jumping the gun! Thanks for the feedback. I'm not happy with the look of the "brushes" yet either. I like your suggestion about giving them a 3d look too. I'll definitely try that. Thanks! I'm planning to have a free version available at launch, so you can try it for yourself and see if it makes you go insane. Not necessarily single solution, but fixed puzzle levels, yes. The goal of each level is to get everything flat so that the little people can live in their huts. However, right now I'm working on an in-game level editor. I'm hoping that I'll be able to distribute it with the game so that people can create and share levels. This is a lot of work, though, so I'm not promising that for v1.0 just yet. I'm still trying, though! Haha, it's very true. If you can think of a good way to work a monkey into the game...I'll give it some thought...maybe. Owen
Thanks. The first screenshot was taken from a prototype that I built overnight in about 6 hours of work, so I really hope the new one looks better! Owen
Quite promising Owen! This is what have evolved from the gamejam prototype? I can say WOW! Me who though the original was more like a geometry/math puzzle The current isometric look with village/mountains remind me of Populous on the Amiga. I really like this look so far. Did you also do the graphics yourself like when you did it for Monkey in Space? Ill have to re-read the concept of your gamejam prototype to have a better ideas how it could play as now you are teasing us with a screenshot . I am definitely looking forward to hear more about your new project, maybe you can do a video blog like last time? (I enjoy to watch them)
Thanks, guys! The gameplay is basically the same as the game from the Game Jam. The game is still a puzzle game, it's just the graphics and way you interact with it that have changed so far. Haha, yeah, a few people have mentioned the comparison to Populous. I played a lot of Populous as a teenager on my parents' Atari ST, so I guess it must have influenced the design subconsciously. And yes, I'm doing all the artwork for the game again. I don't think I'll be doing another regular video blog like I did for Monkeys in Space. It was surprisingly time consuming! I might do one or two to show the game as it develops if I have time, though. Owen
I just posted a status update to my blog on the progress with LandFormer. Check it out here if you want to know more: LandFormer Status Update However, I thought I'd also post an updated screenshot with new art for the game right here: I announced over on my blog that the game will feature a level editor and a sharing system where you can send levels to your friends! I'd love to hear what you think of the new artwork! Owen
Hi guys, I just uploaded the first gameplay footage to youtube. Check it out if you want to see the game in action! Questions/comments, fire away! Owen
ah so that's how you play it awesome, but are you going to expand the terrain and make different tools?
That's a really interesting idea... Definitely not something I'm planning for v1.0 (as it would be too much work to do with what little time I have before I want to submit to Apple), but I'll give it some thought for future versions. Thanks for the suggestion!
maybe instead of having only 6 tools, 4th and 6th tools are just the same as 3rd and 5th except rotated, add a rotate button, allowing more room for tools and increasing puzzle difficulty can't wait to see it in Apple store
That might work, but I'm hesitant to add more buttons to the UI, as things are already pretty busy on the screen. And I'm not sure increasing the puzzle difficulty with the current tool set will be a problem. Most people who have played the game find it to be quite challenging...especially once you get up past the 6-moves-to-solve puzzles. Thanks again for the suggestions!
Hi again guys: LandFormer is coming along...it's SO CLOSE to being ready to submit to Apple. If everything goes according to plan (and lets be honest, how often does that happen?) , I hope to submit to Apple within the next week. I wanted to share a new theme I've been working on for the game. You've all seen the standard Earth theme, but I've been working on a new theme called Colorful Blocks. Here's a little sneak peek: This theme will be available for purchase in the game when it launches. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a game to finish making! Owen
