New SBS Teaser Up
WHAT IS THIS? Is it a new teaser with all the awesome juicy bits we are going to be showing off at PAX? I DO BELIEVE IT IS.
This teaser is our first time showing off two of the new co-op campaign levels. The first is the Robot Boss, who is fought high up in the snow covered mountains overlooking Slam Bolt City. The second level is Volcano City, where our heroes battle vicious computer AIs and demon chicken riders above pits of fiery lava. This level has a fun twist but if you want to see what it is you’ll have to come to PAX and play it yourself!
Hop into the comments if you want to talk to us about the new level additions. We’ll have a more detailed write up of the new features after PAX. And of course we hope to see any of you that are planning on going to Seattle this weekend! Remember: SCHWAG!
Oh, and we’re on the Sony PlayStation blog! Nice.
August 31, 2010 | | Comments (0)
Category: Development Blog, News
Tags: boss, city, lava, PAX, robot, SBS, Slam Bolt Scrappers, snow, teaser, video, volcano, youtube
Fire Hose Games at Boston GameLoop 2010
Boston GameLoop 2010 took place this past Saturday, and it was honestly one of the coolest games events I’ve ever been to. Turnout more than doubled since last year, so there was a huge crowd around to enjoy the plentiful food, awesome game talks, and endless demos. Fire Hose Games had a good showing, with both Jeff Ward and myself hanging out with the always cool, Boston games community and chatting about our favorite subject: video games.
While Jeff was being coaxed into giving a talk on XNA game development (even though SBS is a PS3 game – he’s wicked smart), Caroline Himmelman from HubSpot and Ichiro Lambe of Dejobaan Games, convinced me to stand next to them making jokes throughout their talk on indie game marketing. Other highlights were overwhelming support for cut-scenes (WTF?!), some text adventure interactive fiction goodness, and getting pummeled in a round of Skulls of the Shogun – the new game from Haunted Temple Studios. While hanging out between sessions, I whipped out my… computer, and forced innocent bystanders to get their scrap on. Glance up and behold the intense focus brought about by round after round of Slam Bolt Scrappers. Now imagine yourself there at GameLoop 2010. Think about how much fun you’d be having… then think about how much more GameLoop 2011 will rock!
| | Comments (1)
Category: Development Blog, Events
Tags: gameloop, Slam Bolt Scrappers
Slam Bolt Scrappers will be at PAX!
Just 10 days until PAX in Seattle! We’re getting really excited, we’ll be showing off a bunch of new features including new levels, new characters, and this charming guy up top. We’re talking MADNESS, people!
If you are going to be in town for the show be sure to stop by our booth (#3834, next to Square Enix and located on the lower right hand corner of the exhibitor hall map) and say hi! We’ll have some nice schwag to give out to our fans, and of course we’ll have the game for you to play.
Also I’m on a panel along with a bunch of sexy indie devs (Robin Hunicke [thatgamecompany], Nathan Vella [Capybara Games], Dylan Fitterer [Audiosurf LLC], Andy Schatz [Pocketwatch Games]), and we’ll be talking about all sorts of fun new games worth checking out. It’s called “In(die)credible! The Best New Games You Haven’t Played”, and it’s taking place on Sunday, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM, in the Raven Theatre. Come and check it out!
Oh yeah, and we’ll be taking pictures during the show. Oh yes. PICTURES.
August 24, 2010 | | Comments (1)
Category: Development Blog, Events, News
Tags: Andy Schatz, Audiosurf, Capybara Games, Dylan Fitterer, indie, Nathan Vella, PAX, pictures, Pocketwatch Games, Prime, Robin Hunicke, robot, SBS, Slam Bolt Scrappers, thatgamecompany
Schwag (noun)
Schwag (noun):
1. Any free or extra goods, usually given to employees, workers, or fans. Frequently distributed at conferences.
2. Low grade marijuana
3. A rock & roll band based in St. Louis, Missouri
Guess which one UPS just delivered? Hint: we don’t accept packages from St. Louis, and anything labeled “low grade” goes against the Fire Hose lifestyle.
Yes, we have SBS schwag! And if you wanna get some be sure to visit our booth at PAX. It’ll be the extra awesome one where you can play Slam Bolt Scrappers. Sweet, right?
August 13, 2010 | | Comments (1)
Category: Random
Tags: buttons, PAX, SBS, schwag, Slam Bolt Scrappers, stickers
What is Indie: A Manifesto
Last month at Boston Post Mortem, Eitan grilled the founders of Moonshot Games, Macguffin Games, and Dejobaan Games on the topics of game development and being indie. Attempts to define “indie” and questions about whether something or someone is “indie” strike a chord with a lot of folks, so Scott Macmillan (of Macguffin) followed up the talk by posting an interesting manifesto on his studio’s blog and Gamasutra. Check it out, it’s good stuff.
Bottom line:
1- Don’t ask if something is indie, it’s a waste of energy
2- “Indie is the aspiration to create something new, interesting, or different. Something you as an artist find worthwhile.”
Update
Eitan: Man, Scott is such a little bitch. Waaaaaaa, I don’t wanna define what indie is! Waaaaaa!
August 11, 2010 | | Comments (3)
Category: Events, News, Rant, Words of Wisdom
Tags: Boston Post Mortem, Dejobaan Games, fire hose games, Indie Games, Indie Manifesto, Macguffin Games, Moonshot Games, Scott Macmillan, Slam Bolt Scrappers
Fire Hose in the News
I don’t know what’s going on lately but it seems like Fire Hosers and Slam Bolt Scrappers have been popping up in the news all over the place. You probably already heard the good news about our impending release on the PlayStation Network, but in case you missed it here is a sampling of all the other fun stuff out there on the intarwebs!
The Dejobaan guys have a kick ass new website, Indie Superstar, and in their debut Indie Water Cooler features a ridiculous conversation between Andy Moore (Fantastic Contraption), Jeff Rosen (Humble Indie Bundle), and yours truly! Best Quote: “What you produce with your Indie status may very well be shitty, but it doesn’t make you less Indie. You’re just a Shitty Indie. “
Gamespy also has a kick as new column (apparently kick ass new things are a trend?) called the Indie Spotlight, and their first highlight is Slam Bolt Scrappers! Nathan Meunier’s article is fantastic and definitely worth a read. Best Quote: “Fire Hose Games’ debut puzzle brawler is soaked in awesome.“
James Bishop over at DIY Gamer wrote a well written and thought provoking article on a “less is more” philosophy where game developers are sometimes better served by trying to do one or two things well instead of spreading themselves too thin, and used Slam Bolt Scrappers as an example. Best Quote: “Simpler does not equate to worse in any way.”
Rodney Brown over at Mass High Tech put out a nice article on us getting picked up by Sony Online Entertainment, but was that picture of me really necessary?
Oh, and let’s not forget the E3 coverage! Josh Fernandes at PlayStation LifeStyle wrote a nice piece on us about his impressions. The Couch Athletics guys called us one of the 5 games you don’t want to miss from E3, and actually had us in company with Comic Jumper and Bionic Commando Rearmed 2! Wicked.
We’re super psyched that everyone likes our game, thanks for the press! If anyone out there is looking for info on us or our game please reach out to us, we’re happy to chew your ears off.
July 15, 2010 | | Comments (3)
Category: News
Tags: Andy Moore, Athletics, Bionoic Commando Rearmed, Bishop, Brown, Comic Jumper, Couch, Dejobaan, DIY Gamer, Fantastic Contraption, Fernandes, Gamespy, Humble Indie Bundle, indie, James, Jeff Rosen, josh, Meunier, Nathan, News, Rodney, Slam Bolt Scrappers, superstar
Fire Hose at Boston Post Mortem this Wednesday
The good people at Boston Post Mortem will be reprising the PAX East panel, “Indies Will Shoot You in the Knees,” for the meeting coming up this Wednesday, July 14th starting 7PM at the Skellig in Waltham. Eitan, our Fire Chief, will be moderating the panel, so it’s sure to be an interesting night!
Here’s an excerpt from the BPM site:
“Everyone is talking about Indie games — titles like World of Goo, Braid, and AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! — A Reckless Disregard for Gravity are making press and making money. But they’re fighting against games with $200 million dollar budgets and 100+ person dev teams. How do Indies compete? Three Boston-based Indie developers will check their water-guns at the door and tell you why and how Indie games are kicking more ass, taking more names, and chewing more bubblegum than their AAA rivals. You will hear from the Ichiro Lambe (IGF Finalist Dejobaan Games, Aaaaa!), Scott Macmillan (Macguffin Games, All Heroes Die) and ex-Bungie AI wizard Damián Isla, founder of the new indie Moonshot Games. The panel will be moderated by Eitan Glinert, founder of Fire Hose Games.”
July 12, 2010 | | Comments Off
Category: Events, News
Tags: Boston, Boston Post Mortem, Dejobaan, Eitan, fire hose games, indies, indies will shoot you in the knees, knees, Macguffin, Moonshot Games, panel, PAX, shoot, Slam Bolt Scrappers
Slam Bolt Scrappers Nominated for Best of E3
On the second day of E3, we found a small, mysterious sticker at our booth. No one seemed to know the details of how or why this sticker was there or what the repercussions were. I was honestly a little worried it was a joke.
But now, the truth is out: Kotaku nominated Slam Bolt Scrappers for Best Gameplay Mechanic at E3 2010! We’re super excited that the good people at Kotaku enjoyed our game enough to nominate it for this awesome award. SBS got some excellent coverage, despite the 20 some odd Sony Moves next to our booth, but this is the icing on the cake. Thanks, Kotaku, you’re making us blush.
More importantly, if you liked the game at E3, your jaw is gonna hit the floor when you see our build at PAX Prime.
June 23, 2010 | | Comments Off
Category: Development Blog, Events, News
Tags: best of e3, E3, fire hose games, Kotaku, mechanic, Slam Bolt Scrappers
Slam Bolt Scrappers at the Boston 100K ArtScience Fair
The Boston 100K ArtScience Innovation Fair is happening right now, and Fire Hose Games is excited to be participating.
The ArtScience Prize is an art and design idea development competition with a scientific theme created to foster a passion for creative thinking among high school students, achieved through a unique process known as idea translation. This process challenges young people to mix both aesthetic and analytical modes of thinking through experimental workshops in the arts and sciences. The ASP is an education initiative of The Idea Translation Lab at Cloud Place/ArtScience Labs in Copley.
Jeff, our Toolsmith, will be there talking to students about their creations and giving advice on how to get in to the video game industry. Plus, we’ll have Slam Bolt Scrappers setup for everyone to play, so it’s sure to be an awesome time.
Everyone here at Fire Hose Games is thrilled to be helping out the community and would like to congratulate not just the winners, but all the participants in this exciting event.
For more information on the ASP, check out this article in the Globe and these two articles from the Herald.
May 12, 2010 | | Comments Off
Category: News
Tags: 100k artscience, artscience, artscience prize, fire hose games, Slam Bolt Scrappers
Fire Hose (and Slam Bolt Scrappers) at BiG
If you’re in Boston, making video games, and/or are even remotely interested in the business side of game dev I’d definitely recommend checking out the MIT BiG conference happening this coming Friday at the Microsoft NERD center next to MIT. It’s going to be a day long deal with all sorts of interesting panels on non-traditional marketing strategies, the changing face of social games, and “the next big thing”. Of course, the panel I’m most interested in is how to build and launch a gaming start up, mostly because I’m on it. It should be a lot of fun, I know that some of the guys here in the office are already starting a pool on what kind of stupid stuff I’m going to say.
Oh, and did I mention that we’ll be showing off Slam Bolt Scrappers at the conference? It’s true! We’ll have an awesome 4 player build for people to play, so if you didn’t get a chance to try the game out at PAX East be sure to swing by the conference and give our game a shot! Priority will be given to cosplaying conference goers, especially ones dressed up as Ghostbusters or giant chickens.