Monday, March 28, 2011

To Do Lists and KEEPING BUSY!!!

Well, it's been quite some time since I blogged, might as well give it another shot right? It just always seems to redundant to use a blog, write in my calendar what happened, update Facebook and send out newsletters... I mean, really, what's supposed to keep them all so different anyway?

So I guess I'll just use this as kind of a daily wrap-up report.

Today I worked my butt off at work (Mondays are my super-long days), and then came home and planned stuff out. I didn't even really DO anything as far as actual accomplishments in game development or even web development go. What I did was PLAN. Oh, and I sent out a new newsletter for the first time in two months, that was fun :)

Remember The Milk is my new superhero for productivity! I'm not looking forward to paying for pro to keep it synced to my android phone once the free trial is over, but either way it's free for computer use at least. I spent a good chunk of time today and yesterday planning out really what it is I've got to do and when to do it by. Here's what it looks like:

Weekly Planner


Tuesday Mar 29


  • (03.5): Go through all the pages on CG and The Critterverse, make sure everything is still correct. (Website Work)
  • (04a): The Games Page Itself (Inbox)
  • (04b): ASCIIvader (Inbox)
  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Wednesday Mar 30


  • (04e): Rubberman (Inbox)
  • (04f): Springy Game (Inbox)
  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Thursday Mar 31


  • (04c): Candy Catastrophe (Inbox)
  • (04d): Make a Story (Inbox)
  • (04g): TruHangman (Inbox)
  • (04h): TruWordHunt (Inbox)
  • (04i): Word Detective (Inbox)
  • (04j): Unhide the link to the page and announce that it's ready! (Inbox)
  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Friday Apr 1


  • (05a): Meet the Critter Images and Pages themselves (Inbox)
  • (05b): Angel (Inbox)
  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Saturday Apr 2


  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Sunday Apr 3


  • (05c): Professor Bumbleslotz (Inbox)
  • (05d): Ellie (Inbox)
  • (05e): The Announcer (Inbox)
  • (05f): Rubberman (Inbox)
  • (05g): Mrs. Bookworm (Inbox)
  • (05h): Captain Candy (Inbox)
  • (05i): Mrs. Beehive (Inbox)
  • (05j): Dark Lord Critter (Inbox)
  • (05k): Bullies (Inbox)
  • (05l): Ghosts (Inbox)
  • (05m): Minions (Inbox)
  • (05n): Slick (Inbox)
  • (05o): Spotty (Inbox)
  • Check NG and Kong for new comments and reviews, etc. Thank people personally who comment nicely! Let them know about the newsletter and the page, etc (Inbox)
  • Check email for subscribers to "Evil Newsletter" and add them to the "MMM Newsletter" list. Send new subscribers a welcome email and old subscribers a daily reminder to play! (Inbox, 8:30PM)
  • Check email for new subscribers. Send them a thank you and the latest newsletter! (Inbox, 9:00PM)
  • Check email for new contributors, email them to thank them, store their contribution and send them the newest newsletter. (Inbox, 9:30PM)

Pretty busy huh??? Yep, that's just til Sunday too, still a few days planned ahead of that as well. It's nice to see it all in list form, though, and it'll help a lot for encouragement (nothing helps encourage you more than feeling like you failed for having to press that "postpone" button or have tasks lurking in the background all day!!! These things are all, of course, in addition to a normal 50 hour job, so some days seem lighter than others to make up for the fact that I have less time at home those days...

Sunday, February 6, 2011

ASCIIvader final Update: Complete!

So here is a link to the game! I realize I am posting this past midnight but I didn't start til 2, took numerous breaks and had it done before midnight, but had to upload to MochiAds :)


This is the 6 hour version (all work completed in under 6 hours, including concept and planning). Will make a better version at a later time: ASCIIvader 2 - Revenge is a Dish Best Served Square!

ASCIIvader 18:15 Update: Enemies oh my!


Look out, those things are bouncy and they go all over the place! And they just keep coming, geez! How long can you survive? Need to make the timer and health work and make a game over screen, but that'd do it! Still plenty of time :)

ASCIIvader 16:22 Update - Squareface Moves!

Squareface now has four boundaries and can move around. Up next: Enemies! But first, a word from our sponsors - coffee drinks to be made and drank! And a movie to pick to watch...

ASCIIvader 16:03 Update - Squareface is Born!


And here is an image of you, the player, Squareface! My first piece of ascii art! The little plus thingy in the upper-left is from Flash, it's not a part of him.

15:50 update - Some Quickly Made Screens



Here are a couple quick screens for the game, had to do them quickly to get a real start on the game.

Self-Challenge: Game in a Day - ASCIIvader!

Over at ExperimentalGameplay.com the monthly challenge is ASCII. It's actually a very interesting one, and the idea there is to make a game in a week. I'm pushing myself even harder, I'm going to make this one in a day! I came up with a concept that should be doable - simply avoid bouncing pieces and the like as long as you can. Survive a level to move on. Beat all 10 levels and you rock! Don't, and... well... :)

The game is titled ASCIIvader! Get it? Plus it kinda looks like Vader, Darth Vader, so that should be a draw too. I'll be updating this blog as I go. Here goes nothin!