Hotline Miami
Super Game Jam


As someone prone to procrastination, game jams remain an inherently impressive undertaking. Given 48-hours to create something from scratch, I'm far more likely to emerge with nothing but strong feelings on a trending Twitter topic. Five hopefully more dedicated teams are about to squeeze an entire game out of a two-day period as part of Devolver Digital's Super Game Jam. The documentary series will follow a selection of developers, including Hotline Miami's Jonatan S derstr m, LUFTRAUSERS' Jan Willem Nijman, and Gunpoint's (and, once upon a time, PC Gamer's) Tom Francis.



Releasing episodically through Steam, the series will comprise of five 30-40 minute videos and their corresponding games. The five teams each contain two people who have never worked together before, and who seem to have been picked to ensure a variety between each game.

Super Game Jam will kick off in April, with Devolver planning to release one episode each month. In addition, they're promising a series of extras, including early builds, extended interviews, and a soundtrack. You can find more details on the Super Game Jam site, and see cute caricatures of each team below.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Version 1.0.10393

Change List
  • Fixed object spawning invisibility issue.
  • Fixed Gervason's Grocery achievements.
  • Other minor level bug/achievement fixes.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Version 1.0.10393

Change List
  • Fixed object spawning invisibility issue.
  • Fixed Gervason's Grocery achievements.
  • Other minor level bug/achievement fixes.
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Jim Rossignol)

Monaco developer Pocketwatch have announced a new game, which they are currently calling “Armada”. This is, they stress, currently a working title, and the game is in the very earliest phases of development, having no real art to its name. But there is a strong concept, and they’re keen to talk about that.

I caught up with pocketwatch man, Andy Schatz, to talk about the new game, which he described as “an RTS you could play in a party setting.” Have a nose at that below.

… [visit site to read more]

Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Version 1.0.10377

Sea Legs
  • Added intro cutscene
  • Replaced initial stealth segment with new objective
  • Added new objectives while on deck of the boat
  • Replaced end encounter challenge
  • Additional voiceovers

Silent but Dadly
  • Replaced gift shop room stealth segment with new objective
  • Added more solutions to stealth segment in entrance area
  • Added new, guided objective to replace final stealth portion of the level (previous path still exists)
  • Changed tie location to account for changed objective
  • Additional voiceovers

Hot Concessions
  • Added cutscene for respawning in rafters
  • Reduced likelihood of glitches when in rafters
  • Improved camera placement
  • Replaced instant loss hit within final challenge to be force + suspicion

Other Levels:
  • Wedding Bells - Added additional checkpoint after leaving reception room
  • Gervason’s Grocery - Changed Soda City layout, added new cameras to freezer section, added additional animaton for Chef
  • Shark Naked - Added loss animation, changed music, additional rumble
  • Improved performance for World of Kelp, Aquatic Fun Center, Silent but Dadly, Hot Concessions
  • Various other level design bug fixes

Other:
  • Ability to toggle audio output between mono, stereo, 5.1 surround, 7.1 surround
  • Reduce access to save file, create additional backups to saves.
  • Resize fullscreen resolution down if desktop resolution is smaller than 1280x720 (or game resolution)
  • Tutorial notifications now change instantly based on dominant device
  • Linux uses CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW now instead of CLOCK_MONOTONIC.

Editor
  • Fixed an issue with fog settings affecting multiple tabbed levels
  • Fixed an issue where attributes would not properly show up when creating an object
  • Added link to wiki in Help menu
  • Log when end level event occurs

FAQ:

Why did you make significant changes to some of the levels in the later part of the game?

Many players found these levels to be a significant departure from the earlier levels because it too heavily relied on stealth as a game mechanic, which did not work out too well. These levels did not get as much iteration and playtesting as the earlier levels did.

How does this affect speed runs?

Most of the original paths still exist, but there is an emphasis on the new objectives/solutions for typical players to complete.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Version 1.0.10377

Sea Legs
  • Added intro cutscene
  • Replaced initial stealth segment with new objective
  • Added new objectives while on deck of the boat
  • Replaced end encounter challenge
  • Additional voiceovers

Silent but Dadly
  • Replaced gift shop room stealth segment with new objective
  • Added more solutions to stealth segment in entrance area
  • Added new, guided objective to replace final stealth portion of the level (previous path still exists)
  • Changed tie location to account for changed objective
  • Additional voiceovers

Hot Concessions
  • Added cutscene for respawning in rafters
  • Reduced likelihood of glitches when in rafters
  • Improved camera placement
  • Replaced instant loss hit within final challenge to be force + suspicion

Other Levels:
  • Wedding Bells - Added additional checkpoint after leaving reception room
  • Gervason’s Grocery - Changed Soda City layout, added new cameras to freezer section, added additional animaton for Chef
  • Shark Naked - Added loss animation, changed music, additional rumble
  • Improved performance for World of Kelp, Aquatic Fun Center, Silent but Dadly, Hot Concessions
  • Various other level design bug fixes

Other:
  • Ability to toggle audio output between mono, stereo, 5.1 surround, 7.1 surround
  • Reduce access to save file, create additional backups to saves.
  • Resize fullscreen resolution down if desktop resolution is smaller than 1280x720 (or game resolution)
  • Tutorial notifications now change instantly based on dominant device
  • Linux uses CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW now instead of CLOCK_MONOTONIC.

Editor
  • Fixed an issue with fog settings affecting multiple tabbed levels
  • Fixed an issue where attributes would not properly show up when creating an object
  • Added link to wiki in Help menu
  • Log when end level event occurs

FAQ:

Why did you make significant changes to some of the levels in the later part of the game?

Many players found these levels to be a significant departure from the earlier levels because it too heavily relied on stealth as a game mechanic, which did not work out too well. These levels did not get as much iteration and playtesting as the earlier levels did.

How does this affect speed runs?

Most of the original paths still exist, but there is an emphasis on the new objectives/solutions for typical players to complete.

Hotline Miami - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Nathan Grayson)

Sometimes I also shoot people

Oh my god, it’s a mirage, I’m telling you all it’s sabotage. Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” is apparently a big inspiration for LA Cops‘ overall attitude/look, but I’m even more pleased that it describes the top-down shooter strategy’s moment-to-moment gameplay. Inspired by Hotline Miami‘s gore-spattered thrills and (classic) Syndicate‘s cold strategizing, this one puts you in control of two hard-boiled eggs law enforcement professionals at any given moment. Positioning is key, but so are split-second smarts and reflexes. So you might, for instance, use one cop as bait and then run them right into a bullet firehose – aka, your partner. SABOTAGE. This looks like one to watch, and watch it you shall in a pair of videos below.

… [visit site to read more]

The Stanley Parable - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (John Walker)

As we continue our way through the interviews with the PC-focused finalists in this year’s IGF Awards, we will of course have to include some barely known, minority interest games. So it is today, as we talk to the creators of something called “The Stanley Parable”. Probably raising awareness about the dangers of knives, I imagine. Sounds overly worthy.

We spoke to creator Davey Wreden and his cohort William Pugh, about their little project.>

… [visit site to read more]

Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Community Translated Languages:
  • Hungarian (Thanks to [CooL] The Reaper)
  • Korean (Thanks to J.T OH Inc./미리칸 [Team.SM])
  • Romanian (Thanks to Birsan Cosmin Mihai)

French and German translations are coming soon.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch - devonsoft
Community Translated Languages:
  • Hungarian (Thanks to [CooL] The Reaper)
  • Korean (Thanks to J.T OH Inc./미리칸 [Team.SM])
  • Romanian (Thanks to Birsan Cosmin Mihai)

French and German translations are coming soon.
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