New Homepage with a Minigame - Interview!

Lately things have been coming together.  The past few days have been hell getting Git integrated on our server for Tzarr but it's finally working and we can start making progress on getting an online multiplayer version up and running.

Also, I've been teaching myself JQuery and JavaScript integration into HTML/CSS this week so I reworked the homepage on my website to include a minigame.  It uses the sprites from SBX: Invasion to create VERY basic galaga style minigame.  I'll expand on it later, but for now it has simple functionality.  Working on getting the minigame running today has been a royal pain, but I worked out all the bugs.

I probably spent a good half the day today staring at my screen thinking:  "WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING?"  and then realizing I was missing a colon or a comma or something stupid.  Half the time I had the syntax completely wrong too and spent a lot of time looking at the API.  BUT... I completely custom made a little game entirely in JQuery and custom JavaScript.  It  may not be super special, but I think it makes the home page just a little more fun.

Check out the new homepage here:  My Website Home

I also have an interview this coming up week in the Software Development Industry so that's exciting.  Having a stable job is something that seems more and more appealing as my wife and I get closer to having kids.  Not that I don't love being an indie mind you... it's just not the stablest of jobs.

I'll still continue on my projects of course, I still have a lot of ideas for EvoDash and Tzarr that I want to do.  And of course the 'next' project after Tzarr.  Hopefully there will be enough time for that one :).

Everything said and done, the past week has been pretty eventful and I've enjoyed myself.  I'm looking forward to more opportunities to learn and grow in the future as well.

Cheers!

Jason

Mid February Update - Life and Work

Well it's been a few weeks since I've posted but things have been going along well.  Business has been as usual lately.  I'm still working on Tzarr and EvoDash and working on getting some new builds out.  Also I've been learning a bit of JQuery to integrate into my website as well and build a stronger skill set for myself.

So as far as projects go, EvoDash has been coming along nicely.  Our Global Game Jam group decided we would all build our own versions of the game and then get together in the future and merge them into one combined game and take all the best ideas.

I've been reworking the way Procedural Generation works in the game and updated the UI a bit.  The movement system still needs some fine tuning as well but here's a sneak peak at the new UI and the basic Level Generation:

Also I've reorganized the way unit commands are issued in Tzarr which is getting us ready to start working on an online multiplayer build.

Things are going alright, but I've been looking for some work lately as well to supplement income while being an indie.  It's a hard balance to strike between doing what I love and planning for the future.

Also, our young dog, Max, is learning how to behave indoors and is finally becoming trustworthy unattended.  Here's a little picture of him playing in the snow (we've gotten too much of it.)  

Other than that, things keep moving on.  SBX: Invasion just had a sale on IndieGameStand for Valentine's day and we sold a few more copies there as well.

All in all things are going well lately.  Hopefully I'll have some more exciting news in the future and I should have a new build up for EvoDash in the next week or two.

That's it for now, auf Wiedersehen!

Jason