Category: Games

29Jan

Top 5 80′s Cartoons

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Looking back on how cartoons evolved over time is a great way to understand why the animaton industry is lacking new ideas. Some of the best animations were made years ago! We’re talking about the 80′s here.Starting with number five of the top five 80′s Cartoons, lets jump back to when He-Man and the Masters of the Universe took viewers attention with butt kicking action and outrageosly defined characters. This show was the description of epic. The main character is Prince Adam who connects himself with his alter-ego, He-Man. He was given the Sword of Power by The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. Since then he would lift the sword into the air and say “By the Power of Grayskull… I Have the Power!” He then transforms into He-Man the most powerful man in the universe! Thus he would take on skeletor and his evil empire. While this was all pretty nifty the show did teach children valuables lesson. One was that when you settle for less and be what you think is good enough then nothing will change for you, but when you push your limits and challenge yourself to become better in life whether it’s a career or social status then you would have made a difference for yourself.

An adorable bunch of furrys who talk and sing while living each day testing the patience of their beloved adoptive father Dave… You guessed it, Alvin and the Chipmunks! At number four aired from 1983-1990 the show was a jolt of expressive characters with strong personalities. There was Simon Seville the oldest brother of the three who was also the most intelligent and sure-enough the responsible one of the group. Then you had Theodore Seville, the big ball of cute innocent tenderness who wouldn’t hurt a fly. To add to the trio you had Alvin… Oh boy, the troublemaker of the group! The character excitement doesn’t stop there. Put the boy’s Chipmunk female counterparts in and you have yourself a roller coaster of personalities!

At number three the prowl is on when a 1985 cartoon show airs introducing feline heros ready to salvage their world from evil. Thundercats! Humanoid cats who inhabit the palent of Thundera band together including our main hero Lion-O who weilds the legendary sword of Omens that shoots out bolts of power. A neat weapon to destroy all bandits and other enemies. There is also a lesson to be learned in this series. If you want to be a truly great leader someday then you must learn what it takes and gain true maturity.

Go go gadget arms! Gadget toothpaste! Gadget springs! Gadget everything! If I didn’t make it more obvious enough for you then it’s Inspector Gadget! At number two we have the 1983 cartoon show that was sure to put a spring in your mechanical imagination with a cyborg detective and his sidekick neice Penny, and Brain the dog he is confident to put and end to whatever malicious plans his arch-nemesis Dr. Claw his up his sleeve.

They’re mutants… They’re ninjas… They’re… Turtles? Teenage Mutan Ninja Turtles! Turtles raised by their rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu domoralize criminals, wicked overlords, and evil alien invaders, while remaining seperate from the human society. The TMNT Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo,  Rhaphael and Splinter. Brothers that share a strong bond, respect their sensei and kick butt. The valuble lesson I can see clearly to be learned is that you should always stick together. You can’t go wrong with bonding time and that’s why Ninja Turtles is number one.

21Jan

What Should Your Game Icon Represent?

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Gsming is a preference shared by millions of people around the world. When playing online, one needs to find a way to distinguish himself or herself from the crowd. Everyone has an icon, but how does a gamer make their image stand out from the others? Here are some things to think about when considering what your game icon should represent.

Your Personality

People know their individual perks and quirks. If you’re into motorcycles, find a way to incorporate that into your icon. Or maybe you like to read dystopian novels with robots. You don’t have to go all out and find a life-size rendition of those symbols. Handlebars or gears will do just fine.

The Game Itself

Think about what game you’re playing. It looks very silly to have a unicorn as a game icon if you’re playing a military flight simulator. In that same vein, if you like to periodically switch between racing games and epic fantasy RPGs, you might want to get rid of the Lamborghini before you enter World of Warcraft. The key is to look for images that would be able to transition well, whether you’re playing online or browsing through gaming forums.

Some gamers opt to use the game’s artwork or label as their icon. Think about how you can individualize that concept. Many games these days allow you to create your own characters. Take advantage of that. There’s no better way to have a unique design than your own creation.

Other Gamers

Other gamers are your target audience. Think about the message you want your icon to send them. Do you want to be perceived as tough, quirky, inventive, or all three? Many people like to have an air of mystery about themselves when they’re online, so they prefer neutral symbols. The impression you leave is up to you. Just remember that the image you choose will stick with your audience for a long time.

Your personality, the game, and your fellow gamers all go into the design of your icon. Take those factors into consideration and get to work creating the best symbol. Above all, have fun!

01Jan

Ways to Create Games for Smartphones

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With the increase in popularity of the smartphones also comes the increase in popularity of its apps and games. Anyone with programming and coding knowledge can translate this skill to make games for any platform. However, certain app and game development software allows you to create apps that do not require coding knowledge. Although, creating a smartphone game or any app in general may require registration depending on the platform you choose. You will also need specific software and a software development kit (SDK) to begin coding and mobile testing out your app.

Choose a Platform for Your Game – Before even beginning work on your game you will need to choose the platform for your game or app. These are iPhone, Blackberry, Android, or even Windows Mobile. Although certain games are cross-platform and can be played on several different phone types, as a beginner it would be best to stick to one platform and replicate this once you are successful. The best platform would be the one which you are most comfortable using.

Brainstorming and Developing Ideas – For brainstorming purposes, you should check your platform’s app store for ideas for your game. Even if you already have a solid idea, it does not hurt to check out the competition. Download a few games that have similarities to your idea. Figure out how your game will be different from those that are already out in the market.

Becoming an App Developer – Another crucial step is to register as an app developer. Platforms such as Android and Windows Mobile do not require registration. Both the Apple and Blackberry platforms require you to register to become an app developer for free. You should also read the Resource Guides for the platform you are interested in developing for.

Platform Guides and Tutorials – There are online guides and tutorials available in the online development centers for a specific platform. These online development centers will also provide detailed instructions on the software and tools required. Typically, you are required to own the smartphone of the platform you want to develop for and that platform’s latest SDK.

Testing Out Your Game – While you are creating your app, it is important to constantly test it out. This will allow you to catch any bugs and problems. Even if you have submitted your game or app, you will still be able to make future changes to it. However, it is important to have a solid version right away since customers are able to rate and comment on your game and app.

21Dec

The Three Steps of Game Testing

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Just a few years ago, publishing and marketing a video game was so expensive that independent developers stood virtually no chance of getting their games recognized. The advent of Android has lowered the previously high entrance barriers to professional game development, allowing anyone with programming skills to create their own games and market them for a number of platforms.

Testing is something that should be done throughout the development process. Websites such as SmartBear.com offers a code analysis tool which can streamline your analysis process in case you missed a mistake.  But there are different kinds of testing. Following these three steps in order will ensure that your final product is the best it can possibly be.

1. First Round

The developers should be the first line of testers. It’s a lot easier to fix bugs as you go along than to wait until you’ve designed the last level. Every time you reach a milestone in development, you should play the game from start to finish, keeping a log of the bugs to fix before moving on. By starting from the beginning, you mimic the user experience and can make sure the entire game feels like a cohesive experience rather than just a collection of levels.

2. Content Testing

Once you have some bug-free playable chunks, you can start asking others for their feedback. New developers often get trapped in this part of the process. They get so bogged down in trying to please everyone that they lose sight of actually completing the project. If you plan on making money with your game, you need to consider your target audience. Once you know your audience, collect a random sample of them to play your game. Providing testers with a list of questions can help focus their attention on what aspects you want feedback on.

3. Final Bug Testing

Once you’ve made the absolute best game you can make, it’s time for the final round of testing. Use different testers than the previous stage and make clear to testers that they are NOT providing feedback on the content. Other developers are ideal for this part, as they have some idea of what to keep an eye out for and can offer suggestions on how to fix technical problems.

Most importantly, do not rush the process. Don’t let anyone touch your game until you honestly feel like there is nothing that you can improve on. That way, the feedback you get will push your limits and help you become a better developer.

25Sep

Streamlining Q&A forums by using management software

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Management software has been used over the years to attempt to analyze the consumer. It is always important for business leaders to know what their customers think. Companies that continue providing services or making products without consulting their customers are in for a rude awakening. Customers always have complaints and questions about products. It doesn’t matter how good a product or business service may be. Someone has to consider the Q&A portion of the business and find better ways to entertain this. There are many options out there but the we recommend visiting Freshdesk.com for tech support software.

That is where management software comes into play. There are lots of web-based forums and dialogues that are putting companies in the hot seat. It is always good to have a forum in place that can entertain these questions and answers. The best way to go about doing this is through a database. The knowledge database can be implemented in management software and carried out further from there. This is what the large companies are capable of. It makes the management of the questions and answers so much easier.

The questions will often change over time. It is difficult to keep up with the wide variety of Q&A issues without any proper management software. It is easier, however, when these management programs are designed to collect data and feedback from consumers. Many websites ask customers for feedback and questions. Web developers will then collect and dump this data into a database. This is where the human element comes into the picture. Someone needs to be in place to clean up the Q&A feedback, translate this into something that is intelligent and relay it back to the general public. This can be done in forums, but the management software helps people keep track of all of this. All of the questions can be contained inside of a database system. Additions can be made to this Q&A as needed. It is all part of an ongoing process.

The forums – when incorporated with the management software – can be quite helpful for companies. This allows a company to give feedback to consumers. So many consumers will often become skeptical about filling out surveys and providing any type of comments because they feel as if this is in vain. Customers like to see that there questions are being answered. They want to know that someone is actually paying attention to their product suggestions. This is why the management software is crucial.