[Drem]

Saw this pop up on the Playstation Blog: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/01/16/how-to-kick-butt-in-gunhouse/

This is the same Brandon we know and love, right? Tim got a game on PSM, now Brandon. Did anyone else have one? Who's next?

[meauxdal]

This is indeed Brandon Sheffield's (of Insert Credit) game. I almost made the music for it, but you can't go wrong with Disasterpeace.
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[Felix]

is playstation mobile still supposed to be a nominally cross-platform thing like when sony put out those android phones a few years back or is this pretty much just vita only?

[Drem]

Aaaaahhhhh I wasn't logged in and now my entire post is gone.

Summary: At the bottom of Brandon's post is a link to download the PlayStation Mobile apk file (its not in the Play Store. Maybe because it's an alternate appstore like Amazon Appstore?). Edit: http://us.playstation.com/playstationmobile/ The game list doesn't seem to have Gunhouse and many other games I've seen on the Vita so I don't know how up to date it is.

Lots of weird stuff on PSM. The puzzle game of What Did I Do To Deserve This is apparently available in the US and might be worth checking out. Numblast too if it's been rebalabced to get more challenging at a quicker rate. Tokyo Jungle strategy is surprisingly faithful to original PSN game.

Played some game called Fleet Connection last night that was about optimizing tech progression and unit build orders in an rpg/strategy game. It was very easy to make the gane impossible to win within a few turns of starting.

For the past several weeks PSM has been having two free games per week. This is the last week so you can still grab a couple of games. I have no idea how good they are this week.

[Felix]

huh. can anyone who has a newish android phone share any testimony?

[Booter]

I don't have a PS Mobile device but would love to hear impressions of this game.
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[Drem]

That tiny Supported Devices list probably killed any potential momentum this initative could have had. Anyway, I tested the app on my HTC One and it works alright. The interface looks exactly like the PS Vita store except it doesn't have a search bar meaning you can only filter the list by "New Releases", "Featured", or "All" (the latter of which, now that I look at it, is subdivided by genre). There's also a bar of images at the top featuring some games that you can scroll through. The games you download aren't added to your phone like any regular app but are instead added to a "Library" section where you can see all the game's you downloaded. I played 10x8 (Tim's game) and while it runs completely fine it's techincally running within the PSM app since you can hold the menu button to pull up PSM controller options or to quit the game and the App Switching function of Android lists the screen as "Playstation Mobile." Weird stuff. Even all those chat networks like Kakao Talk and LINE that require you to have the main chat app installed are able to have the games run separately.


There's a series of adventure games developed and voice acted by some Maid Cafe in Akihabara that they even translated completely into English. The description says your interaction has no effect on the game's outcome and asks you to go visit their shop. It's nice that the game descriptions list what languages the games support but there's a lot of quality game descriptions in this store. For the game "Shiro-kuro hakkiri tsukeru kuma" (I have no idea what this game actually is. It looks like a lot of menus.):

[Felix]

ah, thanks. so I guess it's basically Sony and HTC only. weird. that explains the lack of enthusiasm I guess.

[exodus]

well, I hit the wrong button and now my post is gone.

so now I'll do this in bullet form instead:

1) yes this is my game
2) I made it with jim crawford (he made frog fractions) and disasterpeace, who I got when I needed music ASAP for an E3 build. also he lives near me. But thank you for your early efforts zaneball, you're still in the credits <3
3) I actually got signed up to do PSM games a couple months before tim, but my game came out way later because of how long it took to get my team right. embarrassing. I still have one more to go, working with decinoge of SB fame(?)
4) if y'all have a device that can play it I guess let me know and maybe I can give you a code, depending on how many of you there are.
5) don't get too excited
6) here's a trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB0yAm6iXEw
7) my day 1 patch isn't out yet and it makes me sad

ok bye
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[This Machine Kills Fascis]

[exodus]

as far as I know frank is not doing any PSM games!
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[Drem]

How did you manage to get a front page post on the official Playstation blog?

[Rud31]

exodus I am happy to give you 3.50 for your efforts.
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My Hawt Blog Vita Games

THERE ARE DEFINITELY WORSE VIDEO GAME PODCASTS

[This Machine Kills Fascis]

[exodus]

[exodus]

3.5 out of 10? that sounds about right
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[Rud31]

breaking our formatin'
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My Hawt Blog Vita Games

THERE ARE DEFINITELY WORSE VIDEO GAME PODCASTS

[Schwere Viper]

I've got a Z Ultra, so let's see here...

Okay, Playstation Mobile store doesn't have a search function! And the Crap-to-Good ratio looks to be pretty skewed in favour of the former!

I'd like to try your game exodus, but I simply can't find it!
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HeavyViper@Twitter ~~~ HeavyViper@Soundcloud
Blog: Machines That Sing

[exodus]

yeahhhhhhhhhhh I bet
I don't frankly know how you get one on your dang phone, but it should be in new releases if they have that?

they are going to give me some sort of playstation store link at some point, but it takes a week apparently.
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[Schwere Viper]

I figure it's just not on the store yet down here. I'll check back later in the week.
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HeavyViper@Twitter ~~~ HeavyViper@Soundcloud
Blog: Machines That Sing

[Drem]

It's on the store for me, both cell phone and Vita. I saw it both in the top image bar and the New Releases section.

[Takashi]

I worked on this too! Find my real name in the credits!

Exciting!
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low-end.net | Whimsy (soon) | Serfdom 2.0

[Decinoge]

You don't have a real name.
You have a facebook name.
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[GOOGLE TRANSLATOR POWAH][MY POST ARE TRANSLATED BY GOOGLE TRANSLATOR]

[Takashi]

Don't be rude, it's my LinkedIn name.
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low-end.net | Whimsy (soon) | Serfdom 2.0

[Drem]

I played a little bit of this while half asleep last night and suffering from acid reflux (or maybe I'm dying, I'll find out today). I enjoy the sliding mechanic you made for the puzzle segments although I am still learning how to see and setup formations. It's neat and requires a different mindset from the falling blocks and swapping blocks designs that are more prevalent. It's interesting how the big blocks provide greater power boosts but once formed are more difficult to work with; it feels like in most situations the big blocks will be stuck to the side of the field it was formed on and can't easily be manuevered to the other side. So if you want to make a big block for either a gun or special attack you have to plan its creation rather then making it and worrying about it after the fact.

The puzzle blocks turning into attacks is cool but I feel like the combat segments need a better sense of progression and clearer feedback for the player. I can't pinpoint any way to see my progress through a particular wave which leaves me to just keep putting the guns on until the game tells me to stop. I think some indicator of what you're working towards. whether overall progress or enemy lifebars or something, would help give the player something to aim for especially if you die and see how close you were to winning. Maybe this is just a beginning-level thing but I also can't find too much need to worry about which guns you build at any particular moment outside of the position of those guns that don't aim. It's not clear how strong they are in relation to each other and it doesn't seem like there are benefits to using certain guns on certain enemy types (except for maybe using ice attacks on the faster walking peons to slow them down). When building guns I haven't worried too much about which guns I get despite the multiplier bonuses because they all seem to do the job just fine at the moment.

Is there a limit to how strong a weapon can get? I can see them shaking as they get upgraded but I'm not sure if there's a point of diminishing returns where I can focus on another gun afterwards. I think it would also be useful if it was easier to judge how much more damage you can take. The hearts look like they can shrink in very small increments so I'm having trouble telling how many more hits I can take when it comes down to the wire. I also feel it's little out of the way when I'm looking at my guns and the enemies but maybe I just need to make sure to look up every now and then. Speaking of life I have no idea what the deal with the orphans are. I can't tell how many I have or what happens if I lose one. Is there a meter I'm just missing? I'm not sure whether the losing condition is losing orhans, losing life, or both. The little robot driving around at the bottom of the screen is cute. Does each coin give a set amount of money or is it variable?

Sorry if I'm coming off too critical. I really do think the game is cool and I'll definitely play it more. The concept is great but those were just the strongest thoughts that came to mind as I played. :(

Edit: I can't stop laughing at the dragon. It looks so goofy.

[Drem]

Just wanted to say that many of those complaints are remedied by playing while awake.

[exodus]

FUCK I hate how I can type a whole giant post but if I'm not logged in it just deletes it.

I'll reply to you later because I spent 15 minutes on the last reply and don't feel like doing it again BUT: all your concerns are valid.
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[nkcyborg]

I'm thankful for indie mobile games like Gunhouse and its ilk now that even Popcap are seemingly subsumed into evil. They are only similar on a superficial level, but this game is nice to have after trying Plants vs. Zombies 2.

For me, the elements that are frustrating to Drem help build anxiety that makes each stage a test of endurance. I like that I don't know how close to the end of the stage or killing the boss I am - it's like Monster Hunter in that aspect.

The only rough part is the performance, but Super Crate Box has the same issue so I think it's the PSM runtime on Vita.

[Drem]

The game runs a lot better on my HTC One so yeah, it must be a Vita thing. Now that I've gotten a better grip on what's going on and gotten farther the lack of visual progress isn't bothering as much because, as you said, it has become a test of endurance. I am taking damage much more and am more concerned with surviving rather than simply completing the level. I always seem to tiptoe on the brink of death every 10-15 seconds.

[nkcyborg]

Haha, yeah, to be sure, I'm dying and dying a lot. I'm more motivated to try harder at a game fraught with failure than keep playing a game where the inertia's been excised by design.

By the way, Felix, et al., non-HTC/Sony Android devices can run PSM if you have root access. I did this on my Moto X and 10x8 ran alright.

[exodus]

okay, I'll try to quickly burn through these.
Suffice it to say, the game's biggest problem is *feedback* - that is to say, there's not enough of it for the player, but we had to ship this thing or not live in our houses anymore.

- orphans getting stolen contributes to your health declining
- blocks can be moved to either side if you pro up and make 3x2 blocks instead of 2x2
- it is unfortunate that we don't give you a "length of wave" thing. we thought about a lot of options but didn't want to clutter the hud, and just left it out, but I'd like something of that nature in there. fyi health bars look a horrible mess. in the patch all bosses will have damage states, which helps A LOT. this patch was ready a month ago and it is incredibly frustating that it's not in there yet.
- health, as I'm sure you've noticed, gets more important and more noticeable as you move forward, get more hearts, and enemies do more damage to you. the klaxon when you're low hopefully helps.
- the game starts super easy on purpose because the mechanic is new.
- gun placement should be important as you move on - flying enemies and tough ground enemies stealing orphans require different guns/tactics, but it's true that no specific enemy is weak to a specific gun. I didn't want people to have to try to figure that out.
- there's no limit to how strong a gun can get, but there are limits on bullet size and ammo count. but you won't run up against that too often.
- this game lasts forever, so ultimately it gets real tough.
- maybe if you get to day 10 you'll have a Fun Time there
- yes, takashi did a lot of work on it! yay!!!

I hope you guys like it okay! the thing I'm actually most disappointed in is the sliding not feeling perfect, but maybe we'll fix that later if we figure out how!
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[Drem]

This is the longest I've played a mobile game so I think it's safe to say I'm really enjoying it. I could definitely feel the difficult pick up on Day 4 and it forced me to learn each weapon's uses a bit more. The later enemy behaviors and positions definitely force you to plan out gun placement and usage more, like you said it would, and I appreciate this design decision you chose. It's probably less restricting that doing a simple X-beat-Y approach. Day 4 made me lean to love to the shield special attack and it was funny when the Day 5 boss was a huge jerk who just reached over the shield and started picking up babies. That guy made me love that ground spike thing the Sine Gun special attack does.

The Day 6 enemies dish out damage very quickly so right now I'm learning how to balance defense and offense and trying different approaches. At the moment I'm trying to reserve most if not all special attack slots with Sine Gun and using the gun slots for everything else, the dragon guns.

[Drem]

Spoiler: I knew something was up on Day 10, Night when there was new music!


Edit:




Great game.

[DJ]

[Decinoge]

Kasia and I played mostly one of the developing builds, that still had some bugs and a rather different difficulty curve.
That version also didn't had an ending... I think.
I wasn't able to pass day 14, and all I did was farming, having all the guns I used at level 10, 6 hearts and already quite a few armor.

She played for 2 day and got to day 25 -____-;;.

Well, of course she used my upgraded guns and all... but she didn't purchased any... more... upgrades so... -____-;; again.

*Sexist Mode* Har Har... I always said this puzzle game stuff was for girls... Har Har...

[edit]
Also... that ending screen made me wonder what will the game(s) I am working will say O___o.
Portuguese guy, living in Poland....
I guess multinational is also a good thing to be proud off...
Actually... It is a fantastic thing to be proud off.
[/edit]
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[GOOGLE TRANSLATOR POWAH][MY POST ARE TRANSLATED BY GOOGLE TRANSLATOR]

[exodus]

I will never learn that this site doesn't keep me logged in, and that when I type something and log in after, it deletes everything I did. I'll never learn. It is SO FRUSTRATING THOUGH, so again you get a condensed version of something I spent 15 minutes writing.

Deci - yes, that's one thing that gives me confidence in the game, that some people just "get it" and can power through.

note that there's actually no "ending," just a story-ending event eventually, and credits which you can access at any time from the store. it gives you $100 for watching :3

for our game I thought we might have some coat of arms style logos representing where we're all from.

Drem - at this point I'd suggest health upgrades. I'm glad it's starting to gel for you! [oh - I see you've beaten day 10 now. well, it's all just "play forever" from this point on, so it's really just about how much you enjoy the mechanic at this point. hoping you understood who that boss was.]

DJ - it's not cert, it's a submission bottleneck. actually, cert and nearly everything else is really easy with PSM compared to other platforms (I hear), and all annoyances are super minor. I just want this dang patch to come out!
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[Felix]

[This Machine Kills Fascis]

[Pat the Great]

yay gunhouse!
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-pat m.
twitter

[radish]

Hey I was planning on buying this today. It looks neat!

[exodus]

those who have played the game (and others?) may be interested in this interview from Mathew Kumar in which I talk about the design decisions that went into how the puzzle system works.

http://everygame.tumblr.com/post/75492471510/gunhouse-playstation-vita-developed-published
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