The PiMan Speaks!

He wouldn't do it for money, he wouldn't do it for fame, but the total recluse formally known as the PiMan has been coaxed out of retirement. Why? The video explains all.

Clearing the Decks

It's been a funny few months, with a slew of new releases lined up for the Frog.

We'll be putting Deus Ex Machina and Slightly Magic on Steam, in their almost certainly final versions. Deus is down for 30th September release, and I'm toying with the idea of releasing Slightly Magic the same day, which happens to be my birthday.

I'd go so far as to say that both games are now the definitive versions, and that my two years or so programming them have mainly been well spent. They're both important games in my opinion, and it'll be a weight of my shoulders to see them given a proper release on PC, Mac and Linux.

There are another couple of surprises for Slightly Magic, but I'm still sworn to secrecy on that front. I thought I'd just write a few things about this final Legacy edition, while it's still fresh in my mind.

When I got Slightly back, me initial reaction was to sit down and take a good look at the game to see how the old fella looked. It had been 20 years or so since I'd played the game, and monitors have improved dramatically. I was shocked at how good the graphics looked, at least to me. Yes, they were retro, but because the game came in at the later end of the 8-bit machines' lifetime they still seem to hold up quite nicely. Chris Graham did a fantastic job, and to be honest I really wanted more people to see the game.

I thought the natural thing to do was to reprogram the game, clean up the original, remove a few machine-specific quirks and let others be the judge. Which is where we seem to be now.

Playing the final game yesterday afternoon, I realised just what I'd done - this game is better than the original. Yes, I dare to say, free from any nostalgia-tinted spectacles this is the version I'd want people to play - the PC, Mac & Linux Legacy Edition.

Why would that be, you might ask. The graphics, for one, don't flicker in play. Not just the Spectrum attribute-clash flicker, but flickers on screen redraws and speech and menu popups. Plus I do like the new in-game commentary option, because I'll never have the chance to do that again for the game.

Oh, and the save game, gamepad mapping and audio extras add a certain polish, which I think players of the original would have appreciated. Fast loading, crisp graphics and audio, and the experience of playing on a large tv with a wireless gamepad make for a very rewarding experience.

What next, after September, you might ask? Well I'll be running a Kickstarter starting August 15th, for a brand-new game featuring Slightly. More news on that very soon. It's a whole new format and a whole new style, but I'm hoping to carry Slightly's legacy forward.

Deus Ex Machina - The Final Cut

Quite a nice surprise this morning; an email letting me know that Deus Ex Machina, Mel Croucher's classic video game, had been accepted for inclusion on the Steam store. I programmed the C64 and MSX versions of the game in the 1980's and then agreed to do the same for the Anniversary Edition, which Potassium Frog released very recently.

It feels like we've finally got a proper release for the full desktop version - PC, Mac & Linux. Maybe the world's finally ready for Mel's dystopian nightmare, at least it'll be there for the curious few.

I let Mel know immediately, and we were soon wondering what extras we could add to this, almost certainly, final edition. It's making work for ourselves, of course, but we both want to send this one off with a splash.

Goodbye Slightly Magic?

A very strange feeling came over me last Friday afternoon; a mixture of melancholy and release.

I was uploading Slightly Magic to Steam for late summer release, when it struck me that this would be nearly the last time I'd be working on the game. I do have another format to program, about which I'm sworn to secrecy for the next month or so, but things are starting to feel pretty final.

Slightly Magic is 25 years old this year, and it seems very odd to be working on the game so long after its initial release. I remember at the time being a little uneasy about Slightly's future; I couldn't see that the game would be available for more than 5 years. After all, who was going to reprogram the thing after all the 8 and 16bit formats had died? I didn't expect it to be me, that's for sure.

So that's a Good Thing - that the game is still available, and soon to be given a shot in the arm by PC, Mac and Linux Steam release. I won't get my life back, because Slightly is already alive and well in a new game which is almost nearly ready to start demoing. In an odd way I feel I have a duty of care to look after him, if that makes any sense at all.

Good Things are numerous at the moment, as will soon become apparent, but I'm still feeling pretty down about the EU referendum result. Hard to fathom, for those of you who voted out I'm sure, but true nevertheless. I've also been writing some of the dialogue for Slightly's new game, which I noticed was a little lighter than I'd expected. I think I might be compensating for my general melancholy mood. 

Oh yes, and a funny thing about Slightly Magic. What I've realised, and didn't really expect, is that a lot of new players really appreciate the game. I thought at first they were just being polite, but people have seriously gone out of their way to ensure Slightly's debut on Steam and on Slightly Magic's next, final format. Thank you all, it really does make a difference.

The Making of Slightly Magic

How fast does 25 years pass? In the blinking of an eye, I fear. For it really was 25 years ago that my game Slightly Magic was released. I'm always a little nervous when I release something new, but in Slightly's case I needn't have been. 

He's done me proud over the years, and so I couldn't let this anniversary pass without throwing a magical bean feast. Actually there'll be more than one magical event this year, but I'm sworn to secrecy on the others for a while.

However, as a party-starting taster for the awesomeness that's yet to come, a new full-colour art book is available now on Amazon. It's called 'The Making of Slightly Magic' and features some fascinating insights from myself together with the marvellous artwork of Chris Graham. It's well worth a look if you've an interest in games, retro or modern.

Unfinished News and the Time Flux Paradox

You'll have to bear with me on this, but it's been a surprising few weeks at Potassium Frog.

A couple of quite wonderful things have decided to come together which have almost made me squeal with delight. However, due to the nature of games design, secrecy pacts and the Time Flux Paradox I can't say anything about these things for quite a while yet.

Writing games is a funny business. Anything I'm working on now won't generally see the light of day for a few months, years, or possibly decades. And even some things which I could talk about are probably best left for now, because it's just too early.

The trouble with that box of lice is that I tend to get bored with anything I can actually talk about since I probably finished with that months, years or decades ago. That's the Time Flux Paradox in a nutshell. Ho hum.

This is a lazy game, but what's wrong with lazy?

Something struck me the other day when looking through the comments for Cheshire's Cheese Nightmares on Steam Greenlight. Some people seemed to be implying that it was a lazy game.

That statement probably sums up the game quite well, I thought, but probably for different reasons. 

What's wrong with lazy?

We wouldn't call a musician lazy for recording a song with a single guitar and vocals. We wouldn't call an artist lazy for producing a sketch or a quick watercolour. So why is a video game lazy for not trying to be anything else other than a half-hour or so of easy relaxation? Lazy gameplay; relax and unwind.

Slightly Magic

I am 'putting myself out there' again. Always a little stressful. 

The reason? Steam, I've found out by handling Deus Ex Machina 2, is an invaluable platform for getting your games in the public eye. 

To get one of your games on Steam it needs to go through a submission process, Steam Greenlight. Games players vote on whether they'd like to see your game available on Steam. 

I'd been wondering about submitting Slightly Magic to Steam, but to be honest thought it might be too retro to catch the imagination of today's players. Anyhow, a couple of recent heart warming emails persuaded me to give it a go. 

If you've a Steam account you can vote for Slightly here. Of course, every 'no' vote is a knife through my heart, which is why 'putting myself out there' is a little stressful. Ah, well.

Rock Bottom

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I spent over a year of my life programming various versions of Deus Ex Machina, probably the wierdest game of all time.

So, a mere 30 years later, and the game is now packaged neatly with the sequel, the ebook and the soundtracks. How much? To you $2, if you get there fast enough. I kid ye not.

https://groupees.com/deusexmachina

After 30 years, it's a hit again...

I wonder if this has ever happened before? After 30 years an 8bit computer game has entered the top 20 in Europe. As I write, Deus Ex Machina is no 11 in Amazon Italy's and number 20 in Amazon Spain's Android games charts. Which currently might not be a blockbuster, but it's not bad considering the game's only been out a few days and we have absolutely no publicity budget.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. We're out on OUYA this Saturday. Home TV plugged into the hifi makes the game a completely new experience. Pretty overwhelming, actually.

Deus Ex Maxhina, Game of the Year 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition

This is the most difficult game I've ever programmed, and for the third time!

You'd think after programming both the c64 and MSX versions of the original classic I'd have had a good idea of how tricky this game would be. Trouble is I could never say no to this classic, and to it's author Mel Croucher.

Part of the problem is that it's a series of short games, linked together by an audio soundtrack. Part of the problem is when playtesting. You get to the point where the only way to playtest is to sit through the whole 40-odd minutes of synchronized soundtrack, checking that everything happens just exactly where it should. 

Oh yes, and there are two different versions of the game, the original and all-new hires graphics edition. How many formats? iOS, Android, Ouya, PC, Mac, Linux, Fire TV, and almost certainly a few more in the future. 

iOS and Android are out now, and OUYA should be out on Saturday the 14th Feb. Desktops by the end of the month, with added director's commentary. There's talk of a follow-up you know. Now would I get involved in that? Watch this space. www,deusexmachina2.com


It would genuinely be a shame to miss it.

DEUS EX MACHINA, Game of the Year, 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition from Colin Jones on Vimeo.

Deus Ex Machina - First Ever Screenshot!

The first ever screenshot from the new version of Deus Ex Machina, which also includes the original 8bit graphics version. Counting down to release...

It's nearly almost ready...

Looks like Deus Ex Machina is finally nearing completion on some, most or all formats. Thoughts are turning to screenshots and appstore submissions.

Am listening to Mel's in-game commentary as I write, which needs to be slotted into the desktop versions pretty sharpish. It's as unexpected as you might expect from Mel, 'would you rather have your children learning how to kiss or learning how to kill?' he just mused. It can't be long before he's given National Treasure status, I feel.

There are some surprising new elements in the game, including new graphics and a particularly interesting new music track.

Is this game Retro, Indie, or just plain weird?

After 20 years, when I got back in touch with Chris Graham, the graphics artist who worked with me on Slightly Magic and Rock Star Ate My Hamster, I knew I wanted to work on a new game with him.



A modest casual game, but hopefully with something new to offer, Cheshire's Cheese Nightmares hits the OUYA and Android today. Free on all formats, so please take a look:

The end of formats, the return of fun...

Slightly Magic Day is a mere 11 days away, and counting down according to the official website, so here's an update on its progress. After a slight hiccup with the Linux version, I can now report that all the desktop versions are fully complete, uploaded and waiting for release on the appointed day - 7.7.14. That's PC, Mac and Linux, in case you were wondering, and quite a relief for me.

Actually, better than that - they're available for pre-order right now, so feel free to scamper along to slightlymagic.uk to find out more. By some technological wizardry, anyone who pre-orders will be able to download the game as soon as it's released. Plus there's a Physical Fun Bundle option too, which must at least be worth a snigger.

Ah, but what about the mobile versions, I hear you ask? Has the authentic 8bit graphics and original screen ratio fallen foul of the appstore guardians? Erm, well no. Both Slightly Magic and Slightly Magic Lite passed all tests with flying colours. Happy days. Just the OUYA version to go now, unless I sneak another platform past the guards.

Desktop versions have a few nice extras, including the ability to listen to all of Allister's in-game music from a single screen. And the free 'Lite' version (which contains the entire first level) should be available on all formats on 7.7.14 too.

Now I just have to order the postcards, posters and badges for the Fun-Bundle options, and one of those exhibition banner stands for the Wales Games Development Show, which I'll be appearing at on 11th July, if you happen to be around.

Slightly Magic Day: 7.7.14

Counting down to happiness...

Only now can it be told, Slightly Magic is returning on 7.7.14 on a number of formats. How many formats exactly, you may ask. At which point I mumble 'loads' and point at an imaginary distraction just over your left shoulder.

But what the heck. You've taken the trouble to come to this blog post, and it might be a little interesting, so here's where Slightly Magic really is today, and how I dare come to challenge the Fates and predict an exact launch date - that always used to be for publishers to worry about, after all.

It's just over a month to release date, and I've personally played Slightly on PC, Mac, iOS, Android and OUYA. I have complete confidence that the game runs fabulously on Linux too - I'm just not too sure exactly what that is. Hey, what is that over your shoulder, anyway?

All this, of course, doesn't guarantee that my magical friend can jump through all the hoops and dance routines necessary for successful app store releases. Matter-of-fact I wouldn't be surprised if sticking to the original screen ratios (of which there were 2) might cause some problems on certain formats. Time will tell.

But today, as we speak, even now, at this moment in time, there is at least one format ready and waiting for a final press of an on-screen 'release now' button. Other submissions will be attempted this week, but the majestic freedom and speed of the Google Play store submission process means that at least the Android version is sure to be out on 7.7.14. Unless I sleep late, of course.

And I figure that a month should be enough to get a respectable number, judged as a mean sample of all available format ratios, of versions out for Slightly Magic Day. Also, I'm itching to start work on the sequel, Slightly Spooky, and I've finally found that tin of magic beans that's been hiding in the back of my cupboard for the past 20 years. More news here soon, but I should seriously take a look over your shoulder. That just looks weird.

www.slightlymagic.co.uk

How did this even happen?

Slightly Magic has got to the point where it's being playtested within an inch of its life. What I've noticed is:

1. The touch controls on phones and tablets work pretty well, without taking up any screen estate. 

2. Allister's music is as fresh as ever, and has never sounded better. 

3. Joystick control on consoles is, erm... a joy. 

I think I've remained faithful to the original, although there are one or two extras included.

I'll be spending a few days next week recording the audio commentary, then it'll be a matter of negotiating the numerous app stores and finally plumping for a release date. I love a good plump.

www.slightlymagic.co.uk

Slightly Magic will return...

Thanks to everyone who tweeted, blogged, facebooked and wrote about the campaign to bring back Slightly Magic. I’m pleased to say that work has already begun on the classic edition of Slightly Magic for OUYA, Mac. PC, Linux, iOS and Android. Slightly Magic will be released in June/July 2014.

www.slightlymagic.co.uk

‘Slightly Magic does what few other games do. It takes a garbage truck full of fun and makes daily deliveries!’
89% Sinclair User
‘The graphics and presentation are excellent too – full of colour and some nice bits of animation… All in all, Slightly Magic is, well, absolutely ‘magic” Your Sinclair 94%
Your Sinclair Readers Top 100 Games of All Time

Interactive Fiction, a History

Long times ago, in many lands, on many worlds, stories were told by travelling storytellers. They would move from court to court, inserting the names of the local rulers, jesters, and gods into their finely-crafted tales. One night it would be Prince Llewelyn who slayed the dragon, the next Princess Fflur who rescued the King, as the tale-weaver moved around the lands.

And the tales were refined, retold, and passed down through generations, withstanding and adapting to fashion, and politics and new gods.

And this continued, in many lands, on many worlds, until finally words could be recorded; in writing and in print and on ticker-tape. And then the tales were cast in stone, the hand of an author fossilizing his finest words for an eternity.

And a constant need was born for new tales, and new worlds, as the old stories became covered in the dust of forgetfulness.

Until sometime in the 20th century, when programmers believed they could fly. And strange delights streamed forth, with tales of caves and pink bulbous-nosed men, and property developers. And the world looked on and in and focused for the briefest blink of an eye on the Adventure Game, that strangest of all new worlds. And storytelling was never quite the same again.

Except that of course, that it was. As words were sold for cartoon graphics. Ideas gave way to novelty, and the mechanical predictability of a clockwork toy became the new god of an old Hollywood.

In exactly not the same way as books had never died when film was born, and radio continued long after tv dinners went stale, the adventure game was wiped completely from the psyche of a Bland Generation. And no-one lived happily ever after. For ever and ever. And ever.

And that is how the story would end, on all other worlds, in all other universes.

Unless you took the rock and the green key, and forged a belt from the tree of an impossible history. Or you hid the Book of True Fiction behind a very pure waterfall, and waited for a Messiah with Imagination and a very old dream up his sleeve. For an imagination can live on hope, that much has always been true.

And if you first went west, then north, and lit a fire under the furthest star from the sun, a strange and wonderful thing just might begin to occur. On a Friday.

For did you ever remember that books were still being read, even when Hollywood told you an empty lie which blunted your imagination?

Did you ever listen to a jazz band jamming while the latest teen sensation picked the pockets of an innocent generation?

Have you ever had your heart stolen by a golfing melody?

Have you ever thought just who killed the dreamers? Or even how that was possible? Because no-one can kill an imaginary beast, didn’t anyone ever tell you that?

There is the reflection of a memory deep in your mind. Somewhere something is stirring. Footsteps approach, from just behind where you think you really are.

Summer 2013. IF.

It’s a good year after all.

Almost Certainly the Best Ever Podcast Today

A couple of weeks ago Andy Godoy from the world-famous Retro Asylum skyped by for some virtual coffee and cakes. We talked about many things, some of which will almost certainly interest you passionately, including some, none or other of the following:
Why did I write Rock Star Ate My Hamster?
Why was the game banned?
Who was the character in Slightly Magic based on?
Why is Clockwork the Mouse such a fabulous game and why does it cost so little?
Would I rather have a bottle in front of me or a frontal lobotomy?
The new Retro Asylum Podcast – Colin Jones Ate My Hamster – click here now for the gory ‘truth’, or rummage about in iTunes.