PoTN Files association

Posted by :Muhammad On : May 24, 2019

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Been quite sometime since the latest update for “Penguins of The North”, but I’ve been busy in other projects that will be covered in later posts, or already been covered in the previous couple of months, such as the rats, gamejam, tools, UE4 plugins, or even UE4 engine modifications. Anyways, after bringing my level editor to mobile & PC, and I was able to draft levels anytime, let my kids toy with the editor and make funny levels, doing that anywhere regardless any thing! But that came with an issue!!!

Every time I move the new levels from mobile to PC in order to review & edit, I’ve to [1]copy them to a specific folder in the game install, [2]launch the game, and within the game menus [3]I look for the editor, [4]open the level editor, and then within the level editor itself, I [5]prompt the “Open Level” dialogue, [6]search for the level I want within a list full of tons of levels, and….BOOM I can see or edit it now…Time waste, right??!! And that’s why i decided to work more on the file association for the game levels (*.PoTN files) and refine that workflow to the ultimate-robust-productive workflow. And the outcome was…

Now as soon as the levels copied to my PC, or even while the phone connected via USB, the *.PoTN files will be identified as level of the game, and i can just double click any to launch it in edit mode. There is only single blocker for now, which is the splash-screens and the time it takes to load, but I’ll get rid of those later for the editor, as yet the editor is based on 80% of the game framework, and that was made in order to keep things consistent between edit mode and play mode.

Anyways, that’s my quick update regarding PoTN, just wanted to let you know, it is still alive, I’ve no idea when that game is done, been many years, but I’m enjoying it as a learning experience to find new-grounds!

-m

Level design on the Go

Posted by :Muhammad On : February 27, 2019

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Category: DevLog, Games, Miscellaneous, quick stuff, Tools

Not much to say, but more to show!

In the past couple of months I’ve been working on porting the PoTN level editor to Android devices, so I can get the chance to Design level at any time. It doesn’t matter if I’m in Subway, Taxi, Queue, Bed or Toilet. I can always design new levels whenever I want, which is FANTASTIC!!!

Successfully running on all my devices despite their difference in brand, quality & aspect ratio

Most of the work went into optimizations, inputs handling & whatnot; in order to package the entire 2GB game editor, its assets and data, into 45mb APK, while keeping the same visual quality and identity and good performance at this less powerful devices.

All designed levels will be saved to the device, and then can be either synced to my google derive (which is not available without VPN currently) or just hook the USB and copy them over to the game directory!!!
I guess I might release it with the final game at some point, so android users can build on the GO as well!

-m

Penguins of The North – Editor Updates

Posted by :Muhammad On : December 1, 2018

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Category: DevLog, Games, Miscellaneous, quick stuff, Studies, Tools

By now, you probably heard about my super old game Penguins of The north, either here, FB, YT or Twitter. If you don’t, then in a nutshell, it is one of those endless games, that i never feel it is the time to finish its development 😀 Funny thing, I’ve started this game almost 10 years ago. It went from idea, to 2d game, to 2.5d game, to 2d game again, to real 3d game, to 2d game (AGAIN), to a 2d game with level editor (now)!

POTN started many years ago as a kind of jam game, called Harmonics at that time, and then been polished an updated in 2013 to a 2.5d version. Later on I decided to take it further to be a full complete game, and set the theme to be 2d rather than 3d. I felt in love with penguins as creatures to replace my unknown old Harminion weird creatures, and that was a good decision, as the game passed steam’s greenlight (oh,…when greenlight was exist!). It moved to a full 3d version that i’ll share about it later as postmortem when the game get out! But while the two games seems a lot different, but they have always been the same project, same code base & same folder!

All that was great, but the real anchor point for that project, and the reason it never ended, is the level editor!

At somepoint in the game lifecycle, I’ve decided to add a level editor to help me iterate faster in creating new levels, not only that, but i can share an editor executable with my friends to toy with, and i get their final *.POTN files to check them out, and put the interesting ones into the game.

But editor meant more work for me to do. As my goal have always been a runtime editor, where at any moment you can show the editor and edit the level, and save it. So every single element of the game have to be in a good synchronization with the editor, and the vise versa! With some exceptions in mind, things that takes time to add, but it makes more sense, something like death situations that have to be ignored while editor UI is exist, but restart the level if you are in game mode. Again, this was not means to be editor where i create the game, but editor where the game can be edited at any time!

And what i wanted to share here today, is the most recent update in the Editor, you can see it has more functions now, better and unified UI, and most importantly, better experience to have the game living while being created!

Also I’ve noticed that the game page on the Unity Connect hub became one of the most visited pages in there, it’s been long time since i created this page, but seeing this huge interest in the game is really impressive. I don’t usually keep an eye in there, but seems I must do now!

https://connect.unity.com/p/games-penguins-of-the-north

At the end, I’ve posted this over twitter long time ago, and I’ve reposed it today, but it is good one to leave you with 😉

It is a #screenshotsaturday again. Check #POTN editor. Building & playing level at the same time! #madewithunity more info at @unity3d connect:https://t.co/LzHrFeY61F #gamedev #indiegame #IndieGameDev #gamedevelopment @screensaturbot #steamnewrelease #Steam #game #indiedev pic.twitter.com/eYpV2kprUu

— mamoniem (@_mamoniem) December 1, 2018

-m

The Resume thing!

Posted by :Muhammad On : November 12, 2018

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Category: Articles, Games, Miscellaneous, Personal News, quick stuff, Studies

Today while cleaning-up old files, that proj came on my radar, and it brought some nice memories, so I wanted to share more about it.

Years ago, specifically at the peak of X360 era. I was still 100% Gameplay programmer, I took a decision to show myself in a different way as a GPP who can do a bit of everything else. @ the end of the day, the more u know about the pipeline, the higher ur chances r.

Seeing my avatar daily hanging around the X360 menu got me the idea of remake my console avatar in game, and make a little demo with the minimal elements of a game. Not only that! But everytime I get and HR asking for my PDF file, I send the game instead!

This became interesting and super beneficial thing @ my career at that time. Opportunities was countless @ that time, not to mention, sending that resume was my green-card to get the job I want!!!!

Last time I updated and used that “interactive” resume was 3 years ago, but still, the project itself can stand today. In the future, I’ll defiantly work on a similar one again, but totally different, and including what been learned in the past decade since that demo!

I hope this can inspire you with something different.

-m

“The Way You Are” UE4Jam-Spring2018

Posted by :Muhammad On : May 15, 2018

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Category: DevLog, Games, Miscellaneous, quick stuff, ue4jam

I decided not only to take the chance to participate in one more jam…well the first attempt this year, but also I decided to complete finish, and submit it 😀 also wanted to do some change in my process, so I decided to do a 95% story & visuals driven game, with a 5% simple gameplay.

The main idea was to make something unique, new, and can make difference. I always pay very strong attention to the visuals and the gameplay (usually puzzle mechanics) for all my jam entries, so the plan was to get a whole different jam experience this time.

Games have to be meaningful..

try it!

Play

-m

“Plugzzz”, My entery for Ludum Dare #39

Posted by :Muhammad On : July 30, 2017

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Category: DevLog, Games, Ludumdare, Miscellaneous, quick stuff

It’s been a while, but things was going a bit crazy with me. Anyways, I wanted to share this quick game I made for ludum dare. Enjoy it!

Play The Game

-m

Anonymous Crates,… For UE4jam

Posted by :Muhammad On : October 1, 2016

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Category: Games

So during this Sept., i got a chance to participate in UE4 Jam, which was based on the theme : “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT UNTIL IT’S GONE“.

While the game was not a win, but i got some nice feedback, and I guess i might refine it later and re-release it again as a secondary phase prototype 🙂 but for now, you can grab the jam version and try it:

Win32 | Win64

Keep in mind, it is local MP game, which means you need people with you. And controllers of course!

-m

Janpu..Just a jumping game

Posted by :Muhammad On : October 1, 2016

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Category: Games, Ludumdare

It’s a little game been made for Ludum Dare 35 — April 15th-18th, 2016 — Theme: Shapeshift. Enjoy playing it! not much within the game, but made with within 1 day..may be less.

Here

-m

Uncage ’em,… For UE4jam

Posted by :Muhammad On : March 31, 2015

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Category: Announcements, Games, quick stuff

What a nice little sweet game. While the theme was based on “Set it free”, I was looking for a game idea that could give me the chance to work more with the navigation meshes. At the same time I had a push from the inside for a long time towards creating my PacMan…So,…..I ended up with this!

Get the guys free
Control them one by one
Try to EAT PacMan
Uncage less Ghosts means better score
Pacman eats less food means better score as well

It was a nice experience, as after creating 15 mini game with UE4 and contributing in ~5 published UE4 titles….finally I made a game within 2 days for a jam using UE4. The most funny part was the first jam I’ve ever took par in was related to a similar theme!

Here is the Mac Build,

-m

Coated on Sale !!!

Posted by :Muhammad On : June 5, 2014

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Category: Announcements, Coated, Coated the full release, Games, quick stuff

I’ll not write anything in that post. Just as the title say “Coated now on sale”, go ahead, get it & ENJOY

The Game Page

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