Greetings everyone. Sorry for the lack of updates this year. We have had it rough over here at my house. My website was hacked and most of the data was lost. Also, my son was born prematurely and required an extended stay in the hospital. He is fine now.
Despite all this, production is marching on. We had our first playtest this month and the numbers were very useful. My current goal is to have the final game finished by February 17th, 2016.
Thank you all for your support, this is shaping up to be a great game, and I'm glad you are all a part of it.
Friday, December 25, 2015
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Maya Breaker Update 15: Screen Shots and Playtest information
Hey everyone.
You can download the test Build here:
MAYA DEMO
This will be deactivated at Midnight, today the 12th of December, so dl now!
Here is the survey to fill out when you are done:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Q5J22W
You can download the test Build here:
MAYA DEMO
This will be deactivated at Midnight, today the 12th of December, so dl now!
Here is the survey to fill out when you are done:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Q5J22W
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Maya Breaker Update 14: Super Tester Saturday
Greetings!
Many things have happened since out last update. Most of the visuals have gotten an overhaul, and we've even added a new environmental artist. That's a fancy way of saying I hired someone to make pixel trees.
There have been many advancements in the code, and I got a lot of positive feedback from Game-a-con in Atlantic City. Special thanks to everyone who played. I managed to fix many gameplay issues, some while people were playing on the show floor.
We had a great time, but that was the last appearance we will be making. We need to get the final build done. I also said that the con would have the last playable build before release. That wasn't true, obviously, is so much as we need to have beta testers.
I am currently compiling a list of testers. They will be emailed a special link on Saturday the 12th. The link will only be up for 24 hours. Testers will need download the test program before it disappears.
After that, there will be a short online survey. At the end of that survey, there might be a secret code for you to enjoy.
Also, new screenshot on Saturday.
Thank you all!
Many things have happened since out last update. Most of the visuals have gotten an overhaul, and we've even added a new environmental artist. That's a fancy way of saying I hired someone to make pixel trees.
There have been many advancements in the code, and I got a lot of positive feedback from Game-a-con in Atlantic City. Special thanks to everyone who played. I managed to fix many gameplay issues, some while people were playing on the show floor.
We had a great time, but that was the last appearance we will be making. We need to get the final build done. I also said that the con would have the last playable build before release. That wasn't true, obviously, is so much as we need to have beta testers.
I am currently compiling a list of testers. They will be emailed a special link on Saturday the 12th. The link will only be up for 24 hours. Testers will need download the test program before it disappears.
After that, there will be a short online survey. At the end of that survey, there might be a secret code for you to enjoy.
Also, new screenshot on Saturday.
Thank you all!
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Maya Breaker Update Vlog 13: Screenshot Saturday
I'll be away this weekend, so Screenshot Saturday will have to come early this week. I redid the "platforms", the surfaces you can jump down from. I had to make them pop out more against more detailed backgrounds.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Maya Breaker Update 8
[Cross posted on Kickstarter and Dev Blog]
Greetings everyone. I have good news. My son, Skylar, was born on July 14th. Despite being more than a month premature, both mother and son are healthy and home.
Truly a surprise for all involved, this does push back my production schedule. I had been planning on my son being born sometime in the month of August, and the first release of the game should have been finished by now.
I am taking assessment of the situation and will be returning on September 1st, with new images, videos and demo for the state of the game. I'd like to thank you all for your patience.
Mike Hayes
Greetings everyone. I have good news. My son, Skylar, was born on July 14th. Despite being more than a month premature, both mother and son are healthy and home.
Truly a surprise for all involved, this does push back my production schedule. I had been planning on my son being born sometime in the month of August, and the first release of the game should have been finished by now.
I am taking assessment of the situation and will be returning on September 1st, with new images, videos and demo for the state of the game. I'd like to thank you all for your patience.
Mike Hayes
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Friday, August 7, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Maya Breaker Blog Update 7
Hello, thank you all for your patience.
The game is progressing well. I am still working on secrets and 'cutscenes' so I won't be showing any screen shots right now. I am approaching a shippable build, hopefully withing two weeks from now.
For those who haven't heard, I had a baby. A full month ahead of schedule. As you can imagine that has thrown my schedule off severely. Both baby and mother are doing fine, though.
Hopefully, the dust will settle soon and I can get back to making regular updates with screenshots, videos and demos.
Thank you for understanding!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Update 5 on Maya Breaker
Hi everyone. This update will be posted in several places around the web.
Sorry for the absence as of late. I have had personal matters to attend to in the past month, but I'm back with regular updates from here to the end. You see I'm going to be a father in August, so there were some Bob Vila tasks I had to attend to. On top of that, I had a crash. Luckily, I was able to recover the data.
There is good news is many improvements have been made. New particle effects have been added as well as new art. New abilities and usable objects have also been added. The game is shaping up to be much more that initially promised.
Also there will be NEW game modes:
Boss Rush
Speed run
Score attack
Also, a difficulty select has been added, giving a point of entry for younger players and greater challenge for seasoned veterans.
Look for new images every other day here.
Thank you for your patience.
Michael Hayes
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Indie Game Beat 2, Game Maker Studio
Indie Game Beat 2, Game Maker Studio
Special guest Heart Beast of Youtube comes into the beatbox to talk about developing games with Game Maker Studio. Check out his game, Grain War.
Here we talk about the history of this 2D game engine and some of the hit indie games that have been made on it!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Shooti
Hi guys. I would once again like to thank everyone for their support for Maya Breaker. I'd like to say every minute lately has been spent making the game perfect. However, part of being an indie game developer is doing marketing and PR for your game. Such as it is, I have a lot to learn in this field. As sort of a practice run, I have created a small retro-shooter and am marketing it right now. I would really like feedback. Feel free to email me not only about the game, but how its presented and marketed.
The game is a simple shooter, but there are... surprises. See if you can make it to the end.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Friday, March 6, 2015
Maya Breaker has been Greenlit!
That's right folks! You'll be able get Maya Breaker in your Steam Library.
Maya Breaker Greenlight Page.
Thanks to everyone for your support! You've really made my day! Thanks to you, this game will truly be something special!
Maya Breaker Greenlight Page.
Thanks to everyone for your support! You've really made my day! Thanks to you, this game will truly be something special!
Monday, March 2, 2015
Maya Breaker update.
Had a great day of coding yesterday. I implemented a sound test, volume controls and finished up the customization of the Keyboard page.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Hudson Arcade, Demo of Maya Breaker
The Hudson Arcade: The Sheep's Meow
With this new data, a release build is right around the corner!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
New Sprite Art
Also, new design for the spikes.
Monday, February 16, 2015
The Angry Video Game Nerd Movie Review
I have followed James Rolfe for many years. I was on Youtube searching for clips of the old Karate Kid cartoon show, when I came across his review of the NES game by accident. That was back in 2007 and I've been a fan ever since. I am also a fan of his Monster Madness series, and I have the t-shirt.
When I heard that his crowdfunding was funded and he was making a movie, I was overjoyed. I would stop by Cinemassacre.com on a daily basis looking for updates, but they were few and far between. I could understand this. AVGN was a small movie with lots of post production special effects. Most filmmakers do something simple for their first indie film, like Juno.
Still, James pulled through. After a year he announced the premiers at several theaters across the country. I wanted to take a road trip to the on in PA with my friends, but we couldn't get it together. So I waited until the special edition Blue Ray was released. Lo and behold, that day came and I ordered it. Before I knew it, it was in my hand, but I was resident to put it in my PS3 and watch it. I had waited for so long... what if it sucked?
With much trepidation I forced myself to watch the movie. I was relieved to find that it lived up to the promises. Retro game references? Check. Cameos by other online reviewers? Check. Homages to shlock B-movies? Check. It was all there on the screen.
But there's more to a movie that just checking off a list of features. A movie needs characters and plot, so lets review this.
Nerd is an angry man who makes retro video game reviews in his basement. He has obtained fame and respect from fellow gamers, yet there is one problem. He can't bring himself to review the 'worst game of all time' E.T. However, they could not secure the rights to use images from the famous Spielberg movie, so it's depicted here as "Eee Tee".
That's the weirdest thing about this movie. Where the online videos had Fair Use, the movie doesn't. Whenever a game is shown on screen, it has to be a flash animated recreation of the game--a parody. That alone must have taken months of post-production.
Nerd travels to the desert to try to dig up the landfill and prove that there is no conspiracy to cover up the destruction of E.T. cartridges. With the myth dispelled, there will be less interest in the game itself, and he will feel less pressure to review it.
The only problem is that the conspiracy is real, and it's even more deep and interesting than he had bargained for. At first Nerd tries to cover up everything and make it go away, but later is forced to confront it and overcome his fears to review the terrible game. Also save the world from a giant monster.
All I wanted was a fair watch of a film. But after watching it once, I found myself re-watching several times. I got more than a simple plot from James. Here, we have a hero who starts off in the wrong and is only forced onto the path of truth and freedom after being pushed several times. Nerd generally acts selfishly, but deep down he wants to save his fans from playing terrible games. However, what the fans need and what he thinks they need are very different.
While everything else is silly, the motivations of the protagonist are complex. This juxtaposition is what makes the movie work. I would definitely recommend this film.
When I heard that his crowdfunding was funded and he was making a movie, I was overjoyed. I would stop by Cinemassacre.com on a daily basis looking for updates, but they were few and far between. I could understand this. AVGN was a small movie with lots of post production special effects. Most filmmakers do something simple for their first indie film, like Juno.
Still, James pulled through. After a year he announced the premiers at several theaters across the country. I wanted to take a road trip to the on in PA with my friends, but we couldn't get it together. So I waited until the special edition Blue Ray was released. Lo and behold, that day came and I ordered it. Before I knew it, it was in my hand, but I was resident to put it in my PS3 and watch it. I had waited for so long... what if it sucked?
With much trepidation I forced myself to watch the movie. I was relieved to find that it lived up to the promises. Retro game references? Check. Cameos by other online reviewers? Check. Homages to shlock B-movies? Check. It was all there on the screen.
But there's more to a movie that just checking off a list of features. A movie needs characters and plot, so lets review this.
Nerd is an angry man who makes retro video game reviews in his basement. He has obtained fame and respect from fellow gamers, yet there is one problem. He can't bring himself to review the 'worst game of all time' E.T. However, they could not secure the rights to use images from the famous Spielberg movie, so it's depicted here as "Eee Tee".
That's the weirdest thing about this movie. Where the online videos had Fair Use, the movie doesn't. Whenever a game is shown on screen, it has to be a flash animated recreation of the game--a parody. That alone must have taken months of post-production.
Nerd travels to the desert to try to dig up the landfill and prove that there is no conspiracy to cover up the destruction of E.T. cartridges. With the myth dispelled, there will be less interest in the game itself, and he will feel less pressure to review it.
The only problem is that the conspiracy is real, and it's even more deep and interesting than he had bargained for. At first Nerd tries to cover up everything and make it go away, but later is forced to confront it and overcome his fears to review the terrible game. Also save the world from a giant monster.
All I wanted was a fair watch of a film. But after watching it once, I found myself re-watching several times. I got more than a simple plot from James. Here, we have a hero who starts off in the wrong and is only forced onto the path of truth and freedom after being pushed several times. Nerd generally acts selfishly, but deep down he wants to save his fans from playing terrible games. However, what the fans need and what he thinks they need are very different.
While everything else is silly, the motivations of the protagonist are complex. This juxtaposition is what makes the movie work. I would definitely recommend this film.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Star vs The Forces of Evil is a cartoon about a 14 year old girl's sexuality
If there's one thing I love as much as video games, it's animation. Cinema and animation in general are a great pastime of mine. It's a great way to unwind and not think about writing code. The rule is that most new animation just-aint-as-good as the cool stuff we grew up with, e.g. He-man and the Transformers and such.
Lately, things have been changing. Adventure Time, Legend of Korra, Friendship is Magic and others are changing the landscape. TV animation is now capable of great characters, stories and even subtext. And that brings us to Star vs the Forces of Evil. It recently premiered on Disney, but it will be a while before we get another episode, giving us just two short stories to speculate on. So, let's start speculating.
I could talk about the creator, or how it has great animation and theme music, but others have brought that up. I want to talk about the subtext. Spoiler alert. The show is about a girl being unable to control her sexuality. That's right, I said it. I don't have a problem with this. In fact, I give the creators credit for making such a bold choice. Sure it won't dawn on the kids watching it now until they are much older. I can see them having a forehead-slapping moment.
The show starts off with the precocious voiceover of Princess Star as she receives the Royal Septer on her 14th birthday. This is followed by a smash cut of her nearly destroying the city with its uncontrolled power. This begs the question, why give her the Septer is she's not ready for it? They answer this in the voiceover, "they have to". PaleoSterno called this a flaw in the show. But we both know the creators are too smart for that. The reason they have to give her the power is because it's not really a magic wand, it's her budding adulthood.
"But Mike!" you say. "There are lots of shows about the fear of growing up and life changes. Just look at Steven Universe." Very true, but there is other evidence that points to this being about her sexuality in particular. It's not about her learning to drive or something--they would have made Star 16 instead of 14. The age they chose is a good median time for a girl to reach puberty. When she first shows that she can't handle her new power her first thought is that she will be sent to "St. Olga's School for Wayward Princesses". This is obviously either an all-girls Catholic School or an outright Convent. It's exactly the kind of place parents would send their daughter if they suspected she could not handle her newfound powers of procreation.
They don't send her their, obviously. They send her to Earth. Here she can engage is all sorts of quirky misunderstandings. They pair her up with Marco, a "Safe" boy. Yes, they use that word. Marco is just the type of boy parents can have around their daughter without fear. He's a passive B-type personality. No testosterone to be seen. I love Marco. He's a great character--a B-type personality living in a world where A-type personalities are given all the fame and fortune. He is conscious of this and doesn't want to be left out. There is so much potential for this character.
Back to Star. There is one last clue that shows the subtext. It's the wand itself. I'm not going to go into the irony of a woman's sexuality being represented by a wand. I'm just going to say that if you observe closely, you will see that the wand has the power of creation only. They say that is has destructive power in the wrong hands, but the wand only creates things. Rainbows, puppies, narwhals, monster butterflies--these are all acts of creation. It never "zaps" anything or blows it up. Granted, it creates thing that light themselves on fire, but that is still a form of creation. This is much like a girl gaining the ability to create new human life when she reaches puberty.
Is this going to be a show about a girl discovering her body during puberty? No. That's the subtext. This is a show about friendship. Star really needs a safe boy to be her friend. Marco really needs an A-type personality around to learn from. We need more shows that emphasize the value of friendship and how its not just a consolation prize for not winning romance.
Or maybe I'm wrong. Either way, it will be a while before we see more of this show.
Lately, things have been changing. Adventure Time, Legend of Korra, Friendship is Magic and others are changing the landscape. TV animation is now capable of great characters, stories and even subtext. And that brings us to Star vs the Forces of Evil. It recently premiered on Disney, but it will be a while before we get another episode, giving us just two short stories to speculate on. So, let's start speculating.
I could talk about the creator, or how it has great animation and theme music, but others have brought that up. I want to talk about the subtext. Spoiler alert. The show is about a girl being unable to control her sexuality. That's right, I said it. I don't have a problem with this. In fact, I give the creators credit for making such a bold choice. Sure it won't dawn on the kids watching it now until they are much older. I can see them having a forehead-slapping moment.
The show starts off with the precocious voiceover of Princess Star as she receives the Royal Septer on her 14th birthday. This is followed by a smash cut of her nearly destroying the city with its uncontrolled power. This begs the question, why give her the Septer is she's not ready for it? They answer this in the voiceover, "they have to". PaleoSterno called this a flaw in the show. But we both know the creators are too smart for that. The reason they have to give her the power is because it's not really a magic wand, it's her budding adulthood.
"But Mike!" you say. "There are lots of shows about the fear of growing up and life changes. Just look at Steven Universe." Very true, but there is other evidence that points to this being about her sexuality in particular. It's not about her learning to drive or something--they would have made Star 16 instead of 14. The age they chose is a good median time for a girl to reach puberty. When she first shows that she can't handle her new power her first thought is that she will be sent to "St. Olga's School for Wayward Princesses". This is obviously either an all-girls Catholic School or an outright Convent. It's exactly the kind of place parents would send their daughter if they suspected she could not handle her newfound powers of procreation.
They don't send her their, obviously. They send her to Earth. Here she can engage is all sorts of quirky misunderstandings. They pair her up with Marco, a "Safe" boy. Yes, they use that word. Marco is just the type of boy parents can have around their daughter without fear. He's a passive B-type personality. No testosterone to be seen. I love Marco. He's a great character--a B-type personality living in a world where A-type personalities are given all the fame and fortune. He is conscious of this and doesn't want to be left out. There is so much potential for this character.
Back to Star. There is one last clue that shows the subtext. It's the wand itself. I'm not going to go into the irony of a woman's sexuality being represented by a wand. I'm just going to say that if you observe closely, you will see that the wand has the power of creation only. They say that is has destructive power in the wrong hands, but the wand only creates things. Rainbows, puppies, narwhals, monster butterflies--these are all acts of creation. It never "zaps" anything or blows it up. Granted, it creates thing that light themselves on fire, but that is still a form of creation. This is much like a girl gaining the ability to create new human life when she reaches puberty.
Is this going to be a show about a girl discovering her body during puberty? No. That's the subtext. This is a show about friendship. Star really needs a safe boy to be her friend. Marco really needs an A-type personality around to learn from. We need more shows that emphasize the value of friendship and how its not just a consolation prize for not winning romance.
Or maybe I'm wrong. Either way, it will be a while before we see more of this show.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Heads up: Maya Breaker
Just a heads up for everyone. I'm going to be making some other posts on my blog from now on. I'm reaching the testing phase of my game, Maya Breaker, and I haven't had a lot of screen shots to show. That should change in coming weeks, but for now, I want to keep the blog going though the end of this development and the time til my next one.
I'll be reporting on animation, movies, current events and whatever I feel comfortable commenting on. But mostly games
Here's a screenshot for ya.
And a special thanks to NYU Gamecenter.
I'll be reporting on animation, movies, current events and whatever I feel comfortable commenting on. But mostly games
Here's a screenshot for ya.
And a special thanks to NYU Gamecenter.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
Maya Breaker at Arcade Night NYC
Maya Breaker was featured at Arcade night in Times Square last night.
It was an amazing experience. There were a lot of great games there, like Skyhook. It was in the Microsoft building in NYC. Murder getting into the city with traffic, but I got there eventually. Had to wait on line to get through security. They gave me a unique printed pass with a bar code on it. I had to go through a turnstile to a specific elevator that took me to a specific floor. This was the first time an elevator told me where I was going, instead of vice versa. The room was alive with energy. I wouldn't have time to play all the great games, even it I wasn't presenting.
I had some trouble with my demo, but nothing major. I got some good feedback and people were really excited for my game.
It was an amazing experience. There were a lot of great games there, like Skyhook. It was in the Microsoft building in NYC. Murder getting into the city with traffic, but I got there eventually. Had to wait on line to get through security. They gave me a unique printed pass with a bar code on it. I had to go through a turnstile to a specific elevator that took me to a specific floor. This was the first time an elevator told me where I was going, instead of vice versa. The room was alive with energy. I wouldn't have time to play all the great games, even it I wasn't presenting.
I had some trouble with my demo, but nothing major. I got some good feedback and people were really excited for my game.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Maya Breaker Steam Greenlight
Maya Breaker Steam Greenlight
Just wanted to point out that we need some votes.
Also we are changing the main company name to "X-ray Games".
Just wanted to point out that we need some votes.
Also we are changing the main company name to "X-ray Games".
Monday, January 12, 2015
Screen Shot Saturday
Lots of changes coming up. The name of the company will be changed from Xanthous Ray to X-ray Games. Perks from the Kickstarter should go out soon. New demo and Trailer forthcoming.
Also I'll be at the Arcade day at Times Square, NYC.
The NYC Arcade: Jan 15th
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