Category Archives: Game Development

Skin Design Tutorial

by

0

Base Skin Color

This is a research and learning project for me. It will be a multi-part series as I work my way through it. The series will have the best of the information I find and the information I feel is important for a new skin artist, much of what others have left out as they covered the basics in their tutorials. The first article on skin design is: Skin Design – The Windlight Age

For a skin design it is often easier to work with a larger canvas/image. A 2048×2048 is reasonable. The templates others have made are mostly 1024×1024. You can save yourself some effort on you first attempt working at 1024. The larger sizes are easier to paint, IMO, and mistakes and paint strokes are minimized when reduced in size for use in-world. Reducing can help.

Continue reading →

Using Audacity

by

0

Audacity

Audacity Interface

Audacity is a free sound editing tool for Windows or as technically known a Digital Audio Editor. It is great for making sound clips for import to Second Life. If you are doing voice, there are some basic tips one should know for handling voice. I’m no expert but I have learned a few things using it.

The program as well as a number of others, twenty-four actually, are listed here: 25 Free Digital Audio Editors. Audacity is the editor of choice for Second Life types. There are in-game classes by various groups.

Continue reading →

What Makes Virtual Worlds Successful

by

0

Enacharys_002

Enacharys in Second Life - Puzzle Game

Many game fans are considering whether they can build a game better than the one they are playing. They are looking ahead and trying to work out what will make their game viable and entertaining enough to survive. James Portnow has written a blog post titled Designing a Single Sever MMORPG at GameSetWatch.com discussing what is need to make MMORPG’s successful. JWPlatt founder of OpenUru.org posted about it in a post in that forum. I’ve been looking at RPG’s and MMO’s to find the differences between successful and not so successful RPG’s.

One of the things important to MMO’s that is so basic to Mr. Portnow that it is not even directly mentioned as a requirement in his lists is player population… concurrent participation. He goes directly to population density, game area per player.

Continue reading →

Myst-Uru: Crux Isle

by

1

Myst-Uru Style Crux Isla

Myst-Uru Style Crux Isla

This is the semi-secret build that Jandai Writer and Taimaru Hak are working on with maybe a hand given by a few here and there that are sworn to secrecy. Its Jandai’s build. Originally code named Puzzle Island (I’m being dramatic) a few of us have been privileged to see it. We had to promise secrecy. Since Jandai put pictures on her blog and linked from the ECC (Explorers’ Community Chronically – SL Group Newsletter), I figure I can let that much out of the bag.

This is a Myst-Style build and game. You are not going to see any of the Myst/Uru ages (regions) in Crux Isle, at least as far as I know. You may see an artifact here and there that reminds you of something in Myst-Uru. This is all new puzzles and I think new story. We will have to wait until it opens to find out. But you can see pictures now on Jandai’s blog Coffee Break: Crux Isle and learn al little about the Isle.

The PushButton Game Engine™

by

0

Tech, tech, tech and more tech… its freaking everywhere. Today I just came across another game engine, open source (MIT License) that makes it easy for anyone to make their own games. Seems New World Notes is on top of everything.

This engine rides on Adobe Labs’ Flash engine, which you likely already have installed on your computer. Since it is Flash the graphics are probably going to be cartoonish. The Pushbutton engine™ is being developed by seasoned game developers. They are unleashing some amazing tools. Their business model is unique for a game engine development company. Give away the engine and sell the professional plugins. Plus one step more. Anyone can write plugins. They will be sold through the Pushbutton company with Pushbutton taking a 30% cut. This is another way for people to make money with games.

This is another engine that runs inside a web browser. It is currently in Beta testing. It made its showing at the Game Developers’ Conference.

Visit their site: Pushbutton Engine