THE BLOG HAS MOVED

Now taken over by the main site

www.pengink.com

first job

These past few months of unemployment have been quite interesting. Most people around these parts have had jobs lined up since January, and as such I’ve developed a reputation for being “too picky”. But life is short and opportunities are rare.

I think the post college job search process is almost like gambling. Some people hit jackpot early, cash out immediately, and retire. Others might exchange their chips as soon as they make a profit. As for me? I go for broke.

777

Video Game Name Generator

I recently participated in the Video Game Name Generator Competion, where the tigsource community took randomly generated video game titles and brought them to life. With the glorious prize of “indie street cred” at stake, I threw together Pro Mushroom Slam in three days.

Pro Mushroom Slam is a game in the vein of those clunky NES fighting games, like Karate Champ and Kinnikuman Muscle Tag Match, before the genre matured with Street Fighter II. I did all of the sprite art, coding, music, and sound effects all by myself; in other words, this means that your ears will bleed.

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the art of play

COME. That is all.

art games podcast

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“Heather Kelley, Rod Humble and Gregory Peng — all experienced game designers — give a look into the process, people and resources involved in creating a video game. Aside from a game’s plot, art and music, they argue that game developers offer an artistic statement in controlling, through “rules,” the way a player interacts with the game’s environment, characters, and what they have to do to win.”

WARNING: I am ask to define an art game, as well as what indie means. Tread at own risk.

jobs

Trying to get a job these days is strange. Everyone’s got a role for you to fill. “Hey, I can do that!” I think to myself. “Sorry, we’re looking for somebody more senior,” they return.

Rather than simply filling a role, I’d like to carve my own niche in the games industry. The games industry, however, is averse to carving, running away as soon as I draw near. Maybe one day I’ll get tired of chasing, and take out the “indie axe of mightiness” and chop a hole so big, a manbaby could fit inside of it. But until then, the resumes go out on Fridays.

GDC was amazing. So amazing that attempting to describe it might cause the writer to undergo convulsive seizure due to overexposure to awesome. I dare not tread those waters.

pew pew dice

Made a quick little game for Game Design class, integrating physical die with a digital game. It actually doesn’t work too badly (and is still somewhat playable without the die, though not nearly as much fun).

The best parts are the sound effects, made with the super awesome indie sound tool sfxr. Honestly, I don’t know how I ever got by without it. There’s only so much I can do with Audacity and a Singstar mike.