Hackdirt

Our Level Editor Revamp

David — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:35:51 +0000

Here are a couple of screenshots of our revamped level editor. We finally decided to redo the old prototype after the glui interface controls outlived their usefulness. While glui is a great interface library for building cross-platform interfaces, Apple’s AppKit offers a huge number of interface controls that we simply couldn’t ignore any longer.

We were able to build this new version in about two weeks, part time. This quick turnaround was largely to due Apple’s interface builder – it simply makes OSX interface development ridiculously easy.

We also separated large chunks of logic out into a clean interface, so the underlying interface controller can be plugged into other platforms if required. The eventual goal with this is to build a level designer for the iPad, so people can make their own levels and publish them. Watch this space!

The screenshots below are taken from a development machine. The editor is WYSIWYG – you choose a shape type to draw on the screen (square, cylinder, etc), and then you draw it on the screen by clicking and dragging your mouse. Easy, huh? After that, you give the object properties via a materials menu. The materials determine physics properties of the object, so a wood object will be lighter and slightly more bouncy than a metal object. There’s a bunch of other things you can do that I won’t go into. Suffice to say, we’re really proud of the editor.

Smashed for iPad – OUT NOW!

David — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:52:43 +0000

Smashed is a game for the iPad where you get to destroy things

As a new recruit to a small demolition company known as “DDD Demolition”, your job seems simple: you must demolish structures using newly developed “finger smashing” technology.

Easy, eh? Smash down some wood, then go home at 5pm and put your feet up before doing it all again the next day. The perfect lifestyle for a blue-collar schlub, right?

But after you finish what seems like a straightforward demolition training course, your “simple” job starts getting…weird.

Why is your boss, Ivan, always disappearing with the excuse of researching “new demolition technology”? Why does the young journalist, Lize Khoklakova, decide to turn DDD Demolition into a front page sensation? Why are your demolition jobs suddenly being sabotaged by radioactive pollution?

And just why is the powerful mayor of the city so heavily involved in absolutely everything you do?

Maybe demolition isn’t that simple, after all!

Features

Real-time physics destruction
Smash blocks, towers, and bridges and make stuff fall over!

Interact with the world
Pick-up and manipulate blocks, bombs, grinders, ramps and other devices.

Fantastic 2.5d graphics
Reflections, splashes, explosions, and more!

A storyline? In a physics game?
Join DDD demolition as a rookie and help uncover a conspiracy!

Fantastic soundtrack
30 minutes, 6 tracks, dubstep, bass – built for headphones.

7 Episodes, with over 60 levels
And more to come in monthly updates!

Official Smashed Website »

Smashed iPad Screenshots

David — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:57:04 +0000

Here are some screenshots of the iPad version of Smashed.

Valve Time

David — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:49:35 +0000

Apparently we operate on Valve Time. In future, it’ll probably be easier for us to say “updates will be done when they are done.”

On that note, Smashed for iPhone was recently updated to version 1.2.2, and we’ve submitted an iPad version to the app store.

Smashed for iPhone and iPod Touch

David — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:11:11 +0000

Smashed is a game for the iPhone and iPod Touch where you get to destroy things

As a new recruit to a small demolition company known as “DDD Demolition”, your job seems simple: you must demolish structures using newly developed “finger smashing” technology.

Easy, eh? Smash down some wood, then go home at 5pm and put your feet up before doing it all again the next day. The perfect lifestyle for a blue-collar schlub, right?

But after you finish what seems like a straightforward demolition training course, your “simple” job starts getting…weird.

And just why is the powerful mayor of the city so heavily involved in absolutely everything you do?

Maybe demolition isn’t that simple, after all!

Features

Real-time physics destruction
Smash blocks, towers, and bridges and make stuff fall over!

Interact with the world
Pick-up and manipulate blocks, bombs, grinders, ramps and other devices.

Fantastic 2.5d graphics
Reflections, splashes, explosions, and more!

A storyline? In a physics game?
Join DDD demolition as a rookie and help uncover a conspiracy!

Fantastic soundtrack
30 minutes, 6 tracks, dubstep, bass – built for headphones.

7 Episodes, with over 60 levels
And more to come in monthly updates!

Official Smashed Website »

Great Review on SlideToPlay

David — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:26:26 +0000

Here’s Tim Rattray’s review on SlideToPlay, where the game got 4 out of 4 on their review scale. Key quote:

It’s hard to describe exactly what Smashed is similar to. At a glance one may see it as a cross between Rolando 2 and Jungle Bloxx, but ultimately this game is a whole different animal. Smashed is an indie gem that provides one of the best gaming experiences for your iPhone and should not be missed.

Slide To Play review of Smashed

Comments Apology

David — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:24:02 +0000

We’ve missed several comments from people because of the way we’ve set up WordPress. Apologies for that.

I thought I had set it up so that I’d receive an email when ever someone commented. However, there was (and still is) a problem with our email server and none of these email message were getting through. Grrrrr!!!

Until we fix it, your comments will be approved automatically now instead of waiting in the queue for days, and we’ll do all our notifications via RSS instead of email.

Smashed on TouchArcade

David — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:39:43 +0000

Uber iPhone gaming site TouchArcade featured Smashed on their front page:

Couple of Physics Games: ‘Smashed’ and ‘Tiki Totems’

They only cover a couple of games a day, so I’m fairly pleased about that.

Stuck on Episode 2, Level 3?

David — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:10:05 +0000

XDerKleineX has a video solution for you:

Forthcoming Update

David — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:16:07 +0000

We’re working on an update for Smashed. Here are the details:

Level changes:
- The training levels that everyone finds too easy will be shifted to a new episode in both lite and full versions. This new episode will be entirely optional and not part of the main “storyline”. It’ll be clearly marked “Tutorial” so you hardcore guys know to avoid it.
- The first episode will have some new levels added to make up for the shortfall. These will be NEW levels.
- Lite version will have a couple more preview levels added.

Improvements:
- Bug fixes and physics tweaks (including a fix for the disappearing level-block bug).
- Add a toggle switch for turning vibration on and off.
- Toggle switch for screen flipping.
- Physics tweaks.

New gameplay mode:
- If there is time, I’m going to add a “points challenge” game play mode. This is where you must earn an ever increasing number of points on each level (eg 1000, then 2000, then 3000, and on and on…).

Two new episodes were promised, but they’re still not done, so they’ll be added in the next update. I figure everyone would prefer to get all 18 levels all at once, rather than getting them in dribs and drabs. I have also applied for ngmoco’s Plus+. It would be really nice if we got to use their tools, because I think they have the best going at the moment.