Reporting on the games made in Canada and the creators behind them
The free to play mobile platformer Cally's Cave 3 is making its way to Steam. You can check out the Steam Greenlight page to vote for it. Make sure to also check out a new trailer below:
Vote for us on Greenlight!! http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=543104967 It's time for the epic battle to save your parents! Cally's parents have been abducted, as her arch-enemy Herbert has taken control of the Caves to perform his evil experiments. Join Cally and her friends in this action-packed run and gun platformer, conquering insane bosses, exploring to find secrets, and levelling up EVERYTHING.
Make sure to follow the developer on Twitter to keep up to date and vote for the game on Steam. Let us know in the comments!
Toronto developer Capybara Games is being featured on IGN at the moment, which includes the first 18 minutes of their adventure game Below. You can check out the full video below:
Check out the gorgeous and deadly opening of the much-anticipated Xbox One game.
What are you doing November 7th? Playing games? Well you might as well play games for 24 hours and raise money for kids!
Extra-Life is a 24 hours gaming marathon, where people around the world game, stream, and promote gaming while collecting donations for a charity of your choice. This year, I'll be doing it in the name of Sick Kids Toronto Hospital.
You can join the team by going to our team page. If you want to read more about the cause make sure you check out this link. I'll probably be playing mostly Toronto developed games, but I am open to suggestions. Let us know in the comments, or on Twitter if you'll be joining in. Anyone else participating I'll be sure to post here.
The IndieCade Festival is this weekend, and there are plenty of Toronto and local developed video games there. So if you're at the event, make sure to check out the games on this list! I'll be sure to add to this list as I find out more.
Plenty of developers from Dames Making Games.
@TorontoGameDevs I’m here with @SaganYee showing @PunkPrismPower: https://t.co/WYgvPni4Jw
— a lich spectacle (@swizzle_kiss) October 22, 2015
@torontogamedevs We have a booth in the Gaming For Everyone Pavilion: https://t.co/R9cYt70pYc
— Dames Making Games (@DMGToronto) October 22, 2015
@TorontoGameDevs @IndieCade I'll be there with @DMGToronto along with @SaganYee @swizzle_kiss @Rokashi @cecilycarver!
— Gabby Scary-enzo (@gabdar) October 22, 2015
At the PlayStation exhibit they'll have:
At the Nintendo exhibit Runbow will be there:
A year ago we debuted Runbow to the world at @IndieCade. We're happy to say that we will be there again! http://t.co/fgubSGCcN7
— Friday the 13AMGames (@13amgames) October 15, 2015
Is there more? Are you there and not on this list? Let me know on Twitter, or leave a comment.
Runbow, the Toronto developer party platformer from 13AM Games, was just updated to version 1.02 on Wii U and is available for download right now.
A nice big patch for Runbow just went out today! Tons of fun fixes!
— Friday the 13AMGames (@13amgames) October 22, 2015
ONLINE:
You can check out the full patch notes here. 13AM Games also said they are still working on the HDD issue. They are asking to tweet at them the kind of HDD you're using if you're having issues while the game is on a portable harddrive. Have you pick up Runbow yet?
Are you in the Toronto area for the next few weeks? Want to play the unreleased defence game Fortified? Well, you're in luck because Clapfoot Games is looking for playtesters for their game.
Fortified is looking for playtesters. If you are interested and located in the Toronto area please visit: https://t.co/cdUQVmqksm
— Clapfoot (@clapfoot) October 21, 2015
Check out this brand new trailer for Fortified, the team defense shooter set in a retro sci-fi universe. Meet Fortified's four pulp inspired hero classes!
Those interested can check out the Eventbrite page, all you need to do is pick a time that works for you.
LongStory Game, the episodic dating/adventure game, was recently updated with Episdoe 3. Titled 'The Party' the episode focuses on the party at Weasel Hieght:
Things are hopping at Weasel Heights. Colin is planning a fundraiser for the Brick Sharks and you need to decide who your date will be. Get ready to be delighted with new music, a new date and as always more drama as the story of Weasel Heights unfolds in the latest episode of LongStory game.
Hot off the heals of a successful Square Enix Collective campaign, the developer out of Kitchener Ontario made the decision to change the players perspective of the battlefield.
"As we reviewed all the feedback we’d received from the voters and fans, a change in perspective seemed to make sense. Though we are certainly inspired by the great pixel-art adventure games that have come before us, there is so much new and different about Legacy of the Copper Skies that helps it stand out from what’s come before that we felt comfortable going with a traditional view."
Here is a screenshot of the old perspective:
And here are some screenshots of the new top-down perspective:
Super Indie Kart, the 16-bit kart racer that features a wide range of characters from indie games, will include a Runbow level. The Australian developer One Legged Seagull has posted the trailer on their Youtube channel, which I've posted below.
Take up the challenge of Runbow Road! When the colour of the sky changes (which is every 6 seconds), the same colour on the track becomes a dangerous hole to avoid! Super Indie Karts is a '90s style kart racer available in Early Access on Steam (for Windows and Mac) and OUYA featuring racetrack and kart crossovers with a heap of super Indie Games.
Judging from the trailer, it will take Rainbow Road a run for its money. You can follow the developer on Twitter, but also make sure to follow 13AM Games!
We Are Doomed, the twin-stick shooter from Toronto developer Vertex Pop came out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam earlier this year, but a Vita version is still in the works.
To be honest, I thought this was new! But indie developer Mobeen Fikree, let me know this was kind of always the case, as announced on the PlayStation Blog comment page. Mobeen Fikree even tweeted some footage of the game.
With help from my testing bot, ROBOT PLAYER, We Are Doomed on PS Vita will deliver 60 FRAMES OF ACTION EVERY SECOND https://t.co/Gks6h0gKkS
— Mobeen Fikree (@mobeenfikree) October 15, 2015
We Are Doomed is currently out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but the Vita version is planned for an early 2016 release. Let us know in the comments if you want to play a portable We Are Doomed!
I was contacted about the upcoming Digifest event happening later next year that will showcase different content in digital media, art, design and technology.
Specifically there is the 'It's A Start 2016 Competition' which has open submissions right now until the end of January.
IT’S A START is an exciting and interactive pitch competition taking place at Digifest 2016. Pitch your business, convince the judges of its value, and wow the crowd in 5 minutes, and you will have the chance to win thousands in cash, incubation space, and mentorship. IT’ S A START will provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the opportunity to:
We are looking for the most innovative ideas from creative professionals, budding entrepreneurs, new startups, students or recent graduates who have special projects that they want to take to the next level.
IT'S A START is an exciting and interactive pitch competition. Pitch your business, convince the judges of its value, and wow the crowd in under 3 minutes, with a chance to win thousands in cash, incubation space, and mentorship.
There is no fee to apply, so you have nothing to lose. Once you submit, if you're a finalist you'll be contacted in February 2016. You can check out the website for full details and best of luck! Let us know in the comments if you plan on attending the event.
The indie music game Loud on Planet X was successful in getting funded on Kickstarter and is now asking for help for playtesting. Those in the Toronto area that are interested in playtesting should email Tanya@popsandbox.com to see if there are any times available.
We are conducting Play Tests for @LOUDonPlanetX throughout October. If u live in Toronto and want to get involved email Tanya@popsandbox.com
— LOUDonPlanetX (@LOUDonPlanetX) October 9, 2015
Loud on Planet X is said to be a mix of Plants Vs Zombies, and Rock Band. Make sure to follow the developers on Twitter to stay up to date on the game.
Meagan Byrne is a game designer currently attending Sheridan College, and will be showing off her game Wanisinowin | Lost at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Festival next week. She was awesome enough to sit down and answer some questions about herself and her work. A big shout out to Carson Pinch for helping set this up as well.
TorontoGameDevs.com: Thanks for doing the interview Meagan! Can you tell me a bit about yourself? What experiences got you to this point?
Meagan Byrne: Tanisi! Thanks for having me!
Well, I'm a game designer entering my 3rd year of study at Sheridan College.
Mostly what got me to this point is my love of storytelling. Game Design and narrative design for games has been something that I just took to. It was like everything I had done up to this point just culminated into game design.
TorontoGameDevs.com: You're currently doing Game Design at Sheridan College, how is that program? What made you decide to go with Sheridan?
Meagan: Any tips or suggestions for people looking into it? I love the program, even though we're the guinea pig class. Lol. I picked it mostly due to distance and how well thought out their education plan was. I felt that this was a program that had really done its homework on what the industry needed.
To anyone thinking of applying the biggest thing you need to know is that It is challenging and it's definitely is not for everyone. It's not enough to enjoy playing games you have to want to create games and experiences for someone else. Also, learn the basics. Basics first. Cool MMO design second.
TorontoGameDevs.com: Wanisinowin | Lost is a platformer-puzzle game that tells the story of a young girl resolving her identity in the spirit world. What help inspired this game? What kind of challenges will the player encounter?
Meagan: A lot of what inspired this game was personal experience. I grew up in the city, away from Protocol and Language. It was hard to want to embrace my culture when I was young because of that. Then when I became a teenager I felt I didn't have the right to claim my culture. It was a space of feeling like this is where I should be, but I don't think I belong. But I always had the stories of Creation and the Creator or Wisakedjak growing up, but it wasn't until I was older that I stopped thinking of them as "just" stories I had heard or read.
So I figured what's the best way to deal with an issue? You tell a story about it.
I wanted to express the story mainly through mechanics, because that was the feeling I had when I heard some of these stories. As Wani you have very little in the way of control of your environment, but sometimes having a choice to not do something or to ignore that nagging doubt is a powerful one. You also get a little help on your way. It's almost impossible to do the work of finding your way without someone who can help. I wanted a game that reflected that.
TorontoGameDevs.com: What's it like being a game developer in Toronto? How's the support for the scene and your experience with it so far.
Meagan: I love it! I'm actually based out of Hamilton, but I'm pretty much doing stuff all across the GTA. Lol I'm pretty lucky being a student. I can sort of go where I want. But no matter where I go every game development community I've met so far is made up of great people.
Though I have to say that Dames Making Games and Bento Miso have been my biggest supports. They're just filled with wonderful, helpful people! I'm super glad to have found them.
TorontoGameDevs.com: What's it like for you to be part of the first Digital Media Art+Cade at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts festival?
Meagan: So awesome and so intimidating! When I joined Indigicade I didn't even know that this was the presentation space they were talking about. I just wanted to make games with other indigenous women. I'm very glad I stumbled on to this chance.
TorontoGameDevs.com: Anything else you would like to share with our readers, and thanks again!
Meagan: I Hope everyone can make it out to Digital Media Art+Cade and play some awesome games!
Thanks Meagan! You can follow her on Twitter and make sure to check out the event October 14th - October 18th, and let us know in the comments if you plan on showing up!
Developer Nefarious Dimensions has released their space strategy game Planetary Prospectors: A.R.M. on Steam Early Access.
The gold rush in space has begun! Corporations and many independent prospectors have entered the race to collect the most minerals and become the wealthiest miners in the galaxy.
You have been given the opportunity to mine asteroids within an infinite procedurally generated universe that contains meteor showers, space stations, mining refineries and much more to be discovered.
You can check out the trailer and screenshots below!
Live the life of an everyday average Joe or Jane deep space asteroid miner, that wakes up everyday to mine asteroids for a mega mining corporation.
Make sure to check out the Steam page, and follow the developer on Twitter. The game is expected to stay on Early Access for 9-12 months, but also increase in price when it finally launches so get in now! Let us know in the comments what you think of the game.
Damian Sommer has released the randomly generated 'chess-like' game Chesh to iOS today. "Every play is different, meaning half of the game is simply learning and remembering how the pieces move". You can check out the trailer below:
Get it here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/chesh/id989385585?mt=8 http://www.chesh.club Randomly generated Chess. Half the fun is figuring out what you're playing.
Make sure to follow the developer on Twitter to stay up to date, since there are a few more games to check out. You can download Chesh on the Apple store which is enjoying a 40% launch sale right now.
