Closing Out 2012

It was a pretty big year this time around! With the Mayan Mystery finally completed, I was fortunate enough to have it hosted on some websites, as well as have it part of a recent Indie Royale bundle, and (will also be) part of IndieGameStand and their excellent promotions! The game has also been entered in the 2013 Indie Game Festival. It might be a bit of a long shot to win anything, but you never know unless you try, right?

Of all the things I learned while creating the Mayan Mystery (and the list is very long!), probably the most important thing is to not shoot for the stars on your very first attempt. I wanted to go all out with the Mayan Mystery, and while being ambitious is fine, setting goals really high when you're just starting out can be murder! What I'm planning on doing in the next game, is to tone it back a little bit. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest is that I really want to keep making games, and starting a project that is too much above one's skills will generally end in disaster.

So, what's next?

If you've followed the blog, you'll see that in the beginning, the focus was on an illustrated story more than a video game. The story was intended to be a series that follows Mitch and Otis as they try and track down Horatio Hawk before he can steal any more priceless or magical items. I'm not going back to the storybook, but I am going to follow the same overall concept. That means that there will be a continuation to the Mayan Mystery...and am currently working on a little game that takes place during the Mayan Mystery.
If you recall, Mitch and Otis were called into Dr.A's study with urgent news, but Otis hit his head and was forced to recover, while Mitch went off on the Mayan Mystery. Otis' recovery didn't take too terribly long (mostly due to the fact that his brain is tiny, and head trauma doesn't affect him like it does the rest of us), and was soon sent on a mission of his own!

For this particular game, I've decided to change things up and use hand drawn graphics instead of the retro-pixelated graphics in the Mayan Mystery. I love drawing, and if I can incorporate more of it into my games, that's what I'll do:) Anyhow, here is a recent screenshot of the upcoming game...




I'm thinking of redoing the HUD to something a little easier to understand, as it is rather cryptic right now...

Adventure Apes and the Mayan Mystery is Released!

A little over four years ago, I had the idea to make a video game that would follow along a series of illustrated stories. Each story would have its own theme, but the main plot line would remain the same: The Adventure Apes try to stop Horatio Hawk from stealing various treasures/magical/mythical items from different eras and locations. Soon after I began, the reaction to the video game was stronger than that of the story, so I switched gears to focus on the game, during which time the goal of the game changed a few times. It was just last winter when I began this latest (and final) version of the Mayan Mystery, using all I had learned along the way to make what I hope is an entertaining game! It has been a very long time getting here, but I can finally say that the Mayan Mystery is complete and ready to be played! The past month or so has been a hectic time. Although the game was done, I needed to set up a way of selling the game, as well as try to make some inroads with people who work in the (indie)gaming scene to get a little exposure. It is most definitely a learning experience, but so far the reaction has been pretty positive, and am hoping that what other exposure there is will help build a decent base of people who enjoy the project. Right now, I have the game available through three sites:

The Adventure Apes website

 Indivania

IndieCity




The hope is to have the game land on a few other sites, as well as get bundled up in packages for a little extra exposure! I hope that you've enjoyed watching this project progress over the years, and am sure that like me, you're ready to see something new in the works. I'll be starting the next game soon, so keep your eyes peeled (double potato reference intended) for what's next!

Instruction Booklet Doodles!

I thought that a new instruction booklet was in order. There previously was one with super detailed drawings of each item and bad guy, but it didn't quite jive with the overall theme of the current iteration of the video game. This time around, I went for large, colourful and cartoony drawings with a nice simple presentation that I hope will prove easy on the eyes :) The majority of the images are what you see below, and the instruction booklet even includes little maps of each level to help players out a little. If you want to see how the finished product turned out, feel free to download a copy here!

FINALLY, it's done! (Well, sort of...)

After years of toil and trouble, the Mayan Mystery Demo is finally complete!

Full of colourful illustrations and graphics, a funky Latin inspired soundtrack, and 60+ rooms to explore, this game is sure to bring a smile to the face of any fan of the metroidvania genre!

The Mayan Mystery Demo is available from the Adventure Apes website (of course), as well as at these sites:

Adventure Apes ...
Added: 5 May 2012
By: ScaryPotato

And after all that, there are still two more levels to be polished off, along with the end poem/illustrations. This is one heck of a big step in the right direction though!!

Teeny Weeny Drawings!

Here's a few little images that I'm using in the intro story/poem for the Mayan Mystery game. These are the last three you'll see before the game starts...blank space below is for the text that accompanies each image.


 "...the evil plot will be revealed..."


 
 "...time is wasting away..."


 
 "...put your gameface on and get ready to play!"


There is also a massive update of the game itself ready to go on the website, better music, a finished introduction, and a proliferation of skulls. Download it already!

A Riddle...What is Smokey, Hot, and Jewel Encrusted?

Level five of the Mayan Mystery, that's what! And you won't find it in the demo version of the game. This is just a quick little teaser video to pique your interest...

Mayan Mystery Trailer Released!

With the demo version getting closer and closer to being complete, I thought it'd be a good idea to put together a little trailer to show the levels and bosses found in the game. So, without further delay, here it is:




As always, the most up-to-date version of the game is waiting for you at the Adventure Apes website, just click the link below for your copy!
Direct Download Here