Scoregasm pre-release demo

[charlie]

I've put a demo of my new game, Scoregasm, up for download. I know it's been mentioned on here before (and there's at least one familiar name on the high-scores), so i though i'd give it a mention. Hopefully that's not too cheeky, although in fairness i am quite cheeky.

The demo available from Rock, Paper Shotgun over this weekend. grab it here: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08 ... sive-demo/. there's a version for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux available.

The game itself is an arena shooter, with a cool skill based branching paths system and lots of varied levels. There's a bit more info here: http://www.charliesgames.com/wordpress/?page_id=21, you can also pre-order on that page, and get the beta of the full version if it's your sort of thing.

I'd love to hear what you guys think. For what it's worth, i think it's worked out pretty well, even if i do say so myself

Oh, and it looks like this:


and this:



Anyway, i'm off to play some more Ketsui. I WILL 1cc it!

Have fun.

Cheers
Charlie

[mjclark]

Hey there! Didn't know you were on Shmups Forum
Twinstick arena shooters I normally find to be much of a muchness (apart from Geometry Wars which is in a class of its own) and really there doesn't seem to have been much of an evolution in the genre since the peak excellence of Mutant Storm, so it's good to see the chaining and multiple exits mechanic in Scoregasm to give it a fresh take.
Like I said on twitter though, I'm only getting 30fps for most of the demo. I've got a humble AGP 256Mb Ge6200 but it's always been up to the job before so have you got any suggestions- maybe some tweaking in the nVidia Control Panel somewhere?

[bcass]

Looking good but would prefer it on the 360 instead (ideally XBLIG).

[charlie]

Hey there! Didn't know you were on Shmups Forum
Twinstick arena shooters I normally find to be much of a muchness (apart from Geometry Wars which is in a class of its own) and really there doesn't seem to have been much of an evolution in the genre since the peak excellence of Mutant Storm, so it's good to see the chaining and multiple exits mechanic in Scoregasm to give it a fresh take.
Like I said on twitter though, I'm only getting 30fps for most of the demo. I've got a humble AGP 256Mb Ge6200 but it's always been up to the job before so have you got any suggestions- maybe some tweaking in the nVidia Control Panel somewhere?

AGP might be your problem actually. The game was developed using a 128mb Nvidia 6800 but it was a PCI Express card rather than AGP. You could try turning off the backgrounds from the video menu, that makes a big difference on my laptop.

Cheers
Charlie

[mjclark]

AGP might be your problem actually. The game was developed using a 128mb Nvidia 6800 but it was a PCI Express card rather than AGP. You could try turning off the backgrounds from the video menu, that makes a big difference on my laptop.
Cheers
Charlie

Thanks Charlie! Turning off the backgrounds didn't make any difference, but I've got another machine with 1Gb PCI-E NVRAM if I become a Scoregasm addict ("he's always at it")
Keep up the good work

[brentsg]

Looking good but would prefer it on the 360 instead (ideally XBLIG).

Agreed. I would be excited to try it out for Xbox or PS3, but doubt I'll bother for PC.

[Observer]

Great game. But it starts on windowed mode. Funny how you put that "YESSS" sound when I confirmed I was indeed using a 360 USB pad, lol. But I see myself using mouse+keyboard for this one... I don't know, I played Beat Hazard so much with that configuration that the pad feels a bit odd.

Either way, yes, it's so much more polished than Bullet Candy although a bit less serious. Also, some of the sounds are so lo-fi... Is that on purpose? I can't help but laugh when I reach the bonus and all the moaning begins, then my neighbours ask what kind of shooting porn thing I'm playing.

[TodayIsForgotten]

I honestly don't see all the rage of geometry wars. Many other better twin stick shooters out there. As for spending some time with Scoregasm a couple months back, one thing you can count on with charliesgames, is that they are fun. He makes simple but risk- reward-styled games. Games which can become as hard (to a point) as you want them to be.

I am not sure I really understand the whole PC vs XBLIG thing. If you buy a wireless adapter or a 360, razer, madcatz usb controller whats the difference? My computer chair is plenty comfortable and i don't want to be lounging when im playing a game for score or competition. Maybe small monitor? ie., 12" ?

Anyhow, i don't really care about that. People are only jipping themselves if they use the, "are the achievements hard? Oh. Im not buying the game" mentality of today's gamers.

Keep up the good work charlie.

[bcass]

I am not sure I really understand the whole PC vs XBLIG thing. If you buy a wireless adapter or a 360, razer, madcatz usb controller whats the difference? My computer chair is plenty comfortable and i don't want to be lounging when im playing a game for score or competition. Maybe small monitor? ie., 12" ?

It's just nice to have everything on one box. For most here, I suspect the 360 is their main console so it's convenient to have it on there.

Agree about the Geometry Wars games though. Totally over-rated.

[mjclark]

Many other better twin stick shooters out there.

I've had more replay value from Geometry Wars Galaxies than any other game I've ever played, but for sure it's a matter of taste.
Please name names for some great twinstick shooters cos like I said after Mutant storm they've really all seemed the same to me...
... though obviously we've got to say Bullet Candy

[TodayIsForgotten]

Bullet Candy. You're probably right on the tastes. Geometry wars is awesome...at first, but then gets really boring, really fast.

I really liked the mechanic in Biology Battle. Stay in light-mode I think its called as long as you can to increase your multiplier as high as you can get it and then enter dark mode. I know those aren't the two game modes, but its a nice concept. Theoretically endless attempts to increase your score depending on how much risk you want to take. Plus, there is no epilepsy inducing screen colors. (:

I liked Atomhex. Neat little concept, but an extremely easy game.
Super Stardust
Mutant Storm as you mentioned - the first one
One of the games from the Radian franchise. His last one he made. Again, really fun but too easy.

You're right, though. There really aren't many that differentiate themselves. But then again, like makeup, i have no idea how GW took off.

[brentsg]

I am not sure I really understand the whole PC vs XBLIG thing. If you buy a wireless adapter or a 360, razer, madcatz usb controller whats the difference? My computer chair is plenty comfortable and i don't want to be lounging when im playing a game for score or competition. Maybe small monitor? ie., 12" ?

I work on my computer all day. The last thing I want to do is spend the rest of the day on it, or any more really. I pretty much stopped gaming on the PC years ago.

[mjclark]

I liked Atomhex. Neat little concept, but an extremely easy game.

Just had a go on the Atomhex trial and was pleasantly surprised at how unmutantstormish it was- really like the way the enemies evolve

[TodayIsForgotten]

If someone would rather have the convenience to play something on a console, that's fine. I like to have many avenue's and its a small game, so not much fuss to get it up and running. Then again i would much rather play on a computer if i had the choice.

Brent - I understand that logic, but wouldn't sitting in-front of a TV playing video games be the same exact thing as working on a computer all day? You're still straining your eyes, causing myopia to set in.

Yeah. Atomhex has a great concept. It's just, unfortunately, very basic and once you get good at it, its way easy and will eventually crash on you.

[bcass]

Sitting on a comfy sofa playing on a 50" TV is not the same experience as sitting in an office chair sat at a desk playing on a smaller PC monitor.

[TodayIsForgotten]

Alright, alright. Enough of my prying. I'm just curious. For me i leave my computer on all day and even though i work all day on a computer, when i come home I go right on the computer. Way more convenience then going to turn on xbox and situate myself to play that.

I have a 42" TV but my 22" monitor in time feels like a 40+ inch due to the size of source x 2 rule. I dont know.

Whatever, buy scoregasm.

[charlie]

I can totally understand wanting to have games on the TV rather than PC, especially if you're working at a desk all day. However, for my money the PC is easily offering the most interesting games right now, so i think people are missing out by limiting themselves to consoles. Still, it's horses for courses, innit?

Anyway, I'm taking the links down from RPS today, but if you still want a go they're available in my dropbox via one of the links below. I'd love to know what you make of it!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22560717/Scoreg ... emoWin.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22560717/Scoreg ... emoMac.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22560717/Scoreg ... nux.tar.gz

Cheers
Charlie

[brentsg]

Brent - I understand that logic, but wouldn't sitting in-front of a TV playing video games be the same exact thing as working on a computer all day? You're still straining your eyes, causing myopia to set in..

It's not my eyes so much as my legs. I just can't sit in the same position for 12 hours per day without discomfort. A bit of exercise helps but it's still nice to get more comfortable. There is virtually nothing I want to play on PC anyways.

Plus the kids and I can enjoy it together with the couch and 50" TV. Anyways, sorry for the off topic. The game looks nice.

[Jeneki]

Wow, Scoregasm is finally coming out? I remember seeing previews when buying Bullet Candy back in the day. I'm in.