Talryyn Indie Games or something

New Website - TalryynGames.com

2009-09-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have started moving more over to my new website at TalryynGames.com - once I move everything over I will leave this site as an archive.

Playing with a Logo

2009-08-13T15:07:00.001-07:00

New Site in the works

2009-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

I will be moving everything over to my new site very shortly, and I will include a better tutorial on how to mod you controller with the d-pad as well. Thanks to the many who have emailed asking for it. I want to get my first game project out on the Indie Games channel, and then I will move everything over. So hopefully within the next two weeks.

Flash Cards

2009-08-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

Getting back to a project that I started with almost a year ago, a project that was my first attempt with any form of programming outside of Basic in Junior High that is. This is based off something I made using many years ago with a presentation program, I had it simply loop through cards every few seconds with the alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, different objects and animals.

I decided to use this as my first program idea for Xna, it is something my son now uses and used in the past. And it was neat to see him very early on in his life identify something that he had seen in the game(ok it was a slide), and try to say the word. The first time we took him to the Zoo it was a neat experience for many reasons.

As it stands this game does not yet include animals or other world objects, I cannot draw well enough, and I am still checking on the rights for using clipart.

The neat thing about what the Xna team has done, is that we can now upgrade our games at any time, and when you load your game it will notify you if there is in an update. You no longer have to go and check to see if an Indie game has been updated.

So here are the latest screenshots, I fully expect to put this game out for peer review next week.

I have added the ability to pause on a certain object, if you want to concentrate on a certain letter for instance. You can play without audio by pressing X to select that set of cards, while pressing A will play audio. There is a mini game in the credits, you can move a rocket around the screen with the left thumbstick.

After each screen is done looping it will exit back out to the main menu, currently it takes 3 seconds between cards.

There is also a trial mode, but it limits each screen to the first three objects.

Early shots of new game

2009-07-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here is an early screenshot of a game I am working on for the Zune and 360, all graphics are still placeholders. I am using the platformer engine from MS, and building on that.

When you collect the letter, it says the letter aloud. I was working on other versions with different engines, but decided on the stock MS engine so I could customize it to my needs and better understand how things work.

Here is an updated shot, playing around with the graphics.

I will try and post some videos soon as I progress along (having problems with the capture software and Windows 7). This game is geared for 2 and up, will not contain any violence, etc. It will have enemies, but when you jump on the enemy like in a traditional platformer, it will announce the name of the animal for example.

Still tons of work, and many thanks so far to Robert Stokes for the voice acting.

360 Controller Mod

2009-01-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a prototype button layout/cover just cut from a thin plastic lid like a pringles can. I used two layers, it gives you enough feel to find all the buttons. Pressing the upper layer has not caused any misfires on the other buttons. Now to make something nicer looking.

More info coming soon, I plan to put this on Instructables as well. I just need to drag my tripod out so I can take a few pictures that are not blurred.

I cannot take a good image unless I use a tripod, my natural shake is evident in most of these pictures (soldering was worse), this one below is no different. And it was the best of the many I took..oh well, you can see the copper trace exposed on SW14 near the bottom. This is where I soldered the switch leads, and since the controller uses a common ground, I soldered only one ground lead to the vibration motors terminal post. Just for the heck of it, I covered the switch pad with silicon glue to help stabilize the wires a bit.

My goal is to make a new set of buttons that will make sure when I hit the upper left portion of the dpad, I actually get that action. As you are aware with the current dpad you can shave away some of the plastic to make it work better, but you still do not get the accuracy of having eight individual buttons. I will paint the lexan cover plate to match the rest of the controller as best as I can. This will at least hide the ugly pcb board from Radio Shack.

I still need to fabricate a new set of buttons that will cover this, and currently I use a small piece of carbon fiber rod to hit the switch on the bottom layer. So far it works like it should, and in short testing it was 100% accurate.

I am using 6.5mm x 6.5mm x 5mm tact switches, a total of eight. Additionally, I have eight Schottky diodes on the bottom layer board to separate the diagonal (upper level) buttons from the main buttons. All the parts used were locally purchased, and so far my budget has been under $15. In the future I could order smaller switches off the internet, but for now I just wanted to make sure everything would work.

Additional images.

Computer Case Project

2009-01-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

This case is mainly a beta case, there are things I need to change on the next case, and I built this case rather quickly.

Please do not mind the mess on the floor, I try to get what my three year old throws around, but that is a constant task.

This is a rather large case, since we mainly use a projector for our TV/Games I wanted something that could sit in the living room and not look out of place. This computer is mainly used for MCE duties.

I put the PSU on the other side of the case, behind the motherboard, this allowed me to have a very clean cable setup. Additionally, the whole case breaks apart into three pieces, the bottom piece has a washable air filter. After a year of running, the inside today still looks like these pictures. Again since this is a MCE machine it has been running for almost a full year now.

Under load the cpu was only getting to around 109 degrees, and the GPU in this case was getting 120. In the pictures it is one HD3850, and an Intel Core 2 2.2ghz that is clocked to 2.8ghz. So 109 degrees was not a bad temp I thought. The motherboard is an Asus P5E3 Deluxe Wi-Fi, with 4gb of DDR3 memory.

I call this a beta case since I never did complete it fully..

My Xbox 360 sits in this filtered area, the filters sit angled almost like the radiators in an F1 car. Behind the 360 sits two 120mm fans that are powered off a wall wart, and there is a sheet of lexan to prevent and heated air from entering. So the 360 gets all the fresh air from the front only. When my DVD finally failed and I took the machine apart, the inside was clean and free of dust.

My Spore Creations

2008-09-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

First Game - Flash Cards

2008-09-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Not so much a game, but imagine not having to look all over the floor for the lost cards, or ripped ones, slobbered on, etc.

A few years ago I made a simple program if you can call it that using Power Point. Simply put it would roll through the letters of the alphabet, and also read the letter aloud. It also included numbers, shapes, colors, animals, and other objects, and phonic sounds for the alphabet.

Now I have decided to learn computer programming, and Microsoft has a great tool set out called XNA that uses C#. With this I am making this same program for Windows and the Xbox 360.

So far it is actually going well, I should have started with Pong, or "Hello World"... But I like a challenge, and I like to learn as much as I can by myself, sometimes just with trial and error. Over the next few days I will post the first screen shots, and soon I will share this program for beta testing with some of my friends that have kids so we can improve upon the ideas.

Hopefully in the end, it will be something that parents find useful. While it will read the letters, we found it better to turn down the sound a bit and engage with our son while using the program. It has fun colors, you can always find them, and it will always be in order!

You might have to worry about slobber on the controller or mouse though.

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I started over with the code, here is what you can call an early alpha screenshot (or something). All colors are just temporary, the font is temp, etc.

Alan Wake

2008-09-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

As a fan of the upcoming PC/Xbox 360 game Alan Wake from Remedy Entertainment, I thought I would share a link to a great community website for the upcoming title.

Visit Bright Falls for more information on what is surely to be a great game, for those that don't know. It is a psychological action thriller based in the fictional town of Bright Falls, Washington. Alan Wake is a horror writer who battles insomnia, and the stories he writes are based on his nightmares. Light will be a big factor in the game, as it can keep your nightmares away. (think something like "I am Legend" to a degree). For more information head to the FAQ by clicking here. It has the most up to date info, the only people that know more are Remedy themselves...

Remedy is the same team that created Max Payne, and they always push the boundaries of computer entertainment and what we think is not possible on a computer with both graphics and game play. Not to mention the wonderful writing of Sam Lake!

On a slight side note, still waiting on those new (office) screenshots Mr. Mäki!?! ;)

Xbox 360 - Lower Prices

2008-09-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

On September 5th, 2008 - the Xbox 360 will get a true price cut across all models. The base Arcade will be much cheaper than a Wii as well.

360 Arcade will be - $199.99 was $279.99
360 Pro with 60gb HDD - $299.99 was $349.99

360 Elite with 120gb HDD - $399.99 was $449.99

All models have HDMI, the elite comes with a cable as well. You can also play these on your VGA monitor with an adapter, I found one used for $9.99 at GameStop.

While the Arcade does not come with a hard drive, it is still a good console for MCE duties, or for games like Lego Star Wars, Viva Pinata, etc. It does have a memory card (256mb) for game saves, but do not expect to be able to download movies, tv shows, or large game demos. Or sadly play older Xbox games, since the HDD is needed for the emulator files.

On a side note the 360 HDD's are finally getting a much needed price cut as well.

120GB HDD - $149.00 from $179.99

Well I guess no word on the 20gb or 60gb, I do not see them listed at Gamestop anymore. Bummer since I am doing more with XNA I would like an HDD for my Arcade unit in the other room of the house.

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Some great games are on the horizon as well. Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise came out this week actually, and at a great price as far as current gen games go. $39.99!! Banjo and Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts which ships around 11/11/2008 will also be the same price.

Jensyn loves Viva Pinata, it is a safe game for the younger ones. The only real violence is well you break pinatas open with a shovel (not required, but seems to happen anyway. Give boy shovel, boy hits objects or shins with shovel), and they have candy inside them! Very cruel actually, and sadly you can also witness this at your local park on most weekends.

Banjo looks interesting, you can build different fun vehicles that you can then use in the game. They can fly, drive, float, bounce, and much more. Looks fun, and I am sure it will be great for kids. Again it is good to see Microsoft coming out with a lower price point on these games. The first Viva Pinata was $59.99 at least I think that is what I paid. Grrr!