Hey there everyone,

I’m really lazy when it comes to writing to actual people (whereas I love writing fiction), but still I decided to breathe some life into this neglected blog and keep anyone interested updated on my current game projects.
From now on, every week at least one new entry shall be made and I really want to stick to this rule as much as I hope YOU stick around (more bad puns will definitely follow, it’s my destiny).

As most likely nobody may have noticed, I’m writing this entry not as buttoned up and ‘professional’ as previous ones and that’s simply because I think it’s useless to imitate a style that really doesn’t feel natural. So from now on I write the way my brain comes up with stuff without wanting to sound nice all the time.

But enough of that, let’s get to the topic, shall we?

I’m in the middle of my latest project ScapeGhost, which I am entering for the WinBig competition by YoYo Games – the company behind Game Maker – and Microsoft – the company behind (you probably guessed it by now) Windows 8. Goal of the competition is to get more games into the Windows Store and by offering a nice first price of $10.000 they were quite successful to convince me to enter.

But what kind of game is ScapeGhost?

It is a classic platformer in one way, but more like a hybrid of puzzle solving and action-packed running and jumping with a twist: You play two characters at the same time.
To be true, it’s more one character that has been split in half by a thunderbolt. As gruesome as this sounds, it actually frees the protagonist from the cell he’s been living in for years. Both his head and his body survive the shock and need each other to escape this nightmarish prison.
Playing as two players at the same time might sound intimidating at first, but it’s really simple. The head is controlled with the mouse and can fly through the levels like a ghost. The body is controlled with the keyboard and moves like most characters in platforms. He is still bound to the physical world and cannot move through walls and such. That’s why he is also still vulnerable to attacks and has to be protected by the head.

The goal for me was to create two characters that need each other but also have both strengths they can use to escape the prison. This creates a dynamic relationship between the two figures, as one cannot escape without the other.

Later in the game, the head can learn new abilities like morphing into a platform the body can stand on and many more.

You can watch this video to get a first impression of the gameplay (it is still WIP, though):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qJYwuoj_Is

The only two parts that still need to be done for the competition are the boss fight at the end of the prison levels and the intro.
Next week I’ll present you the boss in more detail and in the week after that I’ll show a sneak-peak of the intro.

Hope you got the end despite the wall of text.

If you want to hear more of my ramblings, follow me (Rebusmind) on Twitter.

Have a nice day everyone!

-Constantin

A completely overhauled version of the fast-paced bullet hell shooter Dot. has been released for iPad devices this week.

Survive as long as possible as a blue sphere in a world full of deadly enemies by shooting and evading bullets all around you. Enjoy complete freedom in 360° with digital twin-stick controls. But beware, every enemy hit makes you smaller.
Emerge yourself in this strategic shoot’em’up and use your shrinking and growing abilities to your own advantage to outwit your countless enemies.

Dot. features an infinite number of enemy waves, intense boss fights, colorful and stylish graphics and an adrenaline-pumped electro soundtrack.

Dot. comes as a free download with a single in-app purchase to unlock the full game. An iPhone version will follow soon.

 

To get you in the right mood for Christmas, Rebusmind has released their own Advent calendar in the form of the physics-based platformer Santa’s Quest.

 

Help Santa find all the presents that are scattered around the world. Jump, roll, fall, and fly through 24 varied levels to collect presents and save Christmas!

 

Every day one new level is unlocked, so make sure to come back every day. The game is for free and available for PC and Android devices.

You can download the PC version here: Direct Download

The Android version can be found on Google Play.

 

Rebusmind wishes all our fans a great Christmas season!

For one of our next projects, the collaboration of a skilled 2D artist is necessary.

The project has the working title “Eternal Eden Puzzle Challenge” and is a mix of rpg and puzzle elements.

In the game you play as Noah, who is challenged to climb the 15 floors of the tower of Eden. Each floor has its own distinct characteristics and consists of ten puzzles he has to solve. To spice things up, Noah also has to beat his three competitors, who have the same goal.

In order to solve these puzzles, the player moves Noah through the puzzle environments just like in a typical 2D rpg. He then solves the puzzles by activating switches, pushing stones, jumping over gaps, etc.

Graphical specs:

We need highly detailed 2D assets for the game. In detail, the following assets are needed:

• 5 characters (4-directional movement, 3-5 frames per walking cycle)
• 18 backgrounds (one for each floor of the tower + three for cutscenes)
• 15 Tilesets (one for each floor)
• 20-30 objects (things Noah can interact with)

The resolution for the game is 1920x1080px.

Pre alpha footage

If you want to apply, please consider the following facts:

• We are still a very young and small studio, mostly driven by passion.
• That said, we are very limited when it comes to our financial possibilities.
• Of course we want to make money with our games, but to get there, we need to stay focused and concentrate on delivering the best possible experience.
• We are willing to pay a small wage for the work and cut you in on the profits. The details will be discussed after the application.
• The estimated release of the game is March 2013.

If you are interested in our work and want to complete our team, please send a detailed application (who you are, what you do) to kinta@rebusmind.de or use the contact form below. You can also apply for a part of the work (e.g. if you want to design the characters).

[contact-form subject=”Application for EEPC” to=”kinta@rebusmind.de”] [contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /] [contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /] [contact-field label=”Portfolio Website” type=”url” /] [contact-field label=”Application” type=”textarea” required=”true” /] [/contact-form]

Thank you very much! If you should have any questions, please use the comments section.

Regards,

Kinta

So, the time has come. Almost.

I filed in my diploma thesis on Wednesday and my head is in a permanent state of overflow since then. There’s so much to do and so much to organize, like

• in the case I go ‘indie’
  • register a business
  • request welfare to bridge the lack of income
  • polish this website and all the public channels
  • start finishing game projects
  • publish them on Android
• else
  • look for an employment or an internship in a video game company

I have to admit that I really would like to make my own games in a small team, but as I have no seed capital, this is going to be hard (especially as I don’t know how much money I will get from the state).

The good news is that I already have more than enough concepts that are developed so far that a realization is possible. They vary widely in their scope, though, but that also makes it even more interesting. A combination of short, but fun casual games that can be completed in a very small amount of time and a more traditional long-term project would be great. Anyhow, there’s a lot in the pipeline for Rebusmind.

An official introduction of Rebusmind will hopefully follow soon, as we are still in a testing phase to find our workflow. Then, a lot more information about our future projects and what can be expected from us will be published, so that this lonely and small blog can finally shine. 🙂

Until then, enjoy your stay.

Kinta