So now that the holidays are behind me, as well as my current game projects, it’s time to answer some questions and get down and dirty with what Vertigo Games will be doing in 2009.

You won’t find many release dates here, but rather a catching up of all the current game projects, as well as a few announcements. There are still more announcements to be made. But right now, I thought I’d break it down and answer some of the most frequently asked questions that you guys have asked, and give you a slight glimpse on the gameplan of game making that I want to do. So, let’s do it!

Website Updates
Starting this month, I’m teaming up with Garion to bring you some enhancements to vertigogaming.net. Most will be behind the scenes and better designs & layouts (a better contact page, for one), and some will be slightly major (all VG games, sans Classics, will now have an installer to choose from as well as the zip files). Keep an eye out for more info as we progress though the updates.

Game Updates/Patches
This month will see the first patch to Spirits of Metropolis. This will be a tech patch that will address some of the small glitches users have experienced with the puzzle editor, as well as adding a few new features. Next month, I plan to make the first gameplay patch to Spirits of Metropolis available, which will add the Shifter mode to the game (nine new levels in all).

As you know, greenTech was released last week to (so far) good responses and critiques! If the game places in the competition, or even gets honorable mention, I plan to make a new version of greenTech available (most likely Feb.) that will have color-selection options, more music, and a few new gameplay enhancements. At that time I’ll make the game available on vertigogaming.net (currently it’s only available at YoYo Games).

Game Releases: What’s Happening with…
-Liquisity 2
STATUS:STALLED/DELAYED

As you recall I had a few blog posts with Liquisity 2 and had planned to do a quick re-making of the original game with better graphics and music. Ultimately I shelved the game in favor of working on Spirits of Metropolis, but looking at the game now, it’s not where I’d like it to be. The graphics are fine, but not all that great. The gameplay is really the same from the first game, which in fact is being built on top of the old engine from the last game…a huge mistake on my part. I do have a good idea for Liquisity 2, one that will take the game from the dark murky depths to a white-filled atmosphere, but I don’t know how to pull it off technically just yet. In it’s current form, Liquisity 2: Unexplored Depths is canceled. But there will definitely be a Liquisity 2, and I’d like to do it soon. We’ll have to wait and see.

Napalm of Valor: Helicopter Cacophony 3
STATUS:UNKNOWN

Nothing has given me more headache than Helicopter Cacophony 3. Mainly because it’s probably the furthest along than any games you’ll see in this list…it even has a demo. It’s been two years since that demo, and I still don’t know where to go with it. The graphics are all done. There’s a good engine for flying and AI (which wasn’t in the demo) but the debris engine is coded horribly…it’s all drag and drop, with zero particle effects, which kills computers once an explosion happens (mine too). So I’d have to start from scratch, again.

The question is…is it worth it? The thread itself had a lot of comments on the graphics being out of place, and I agree. I think the game would need a whole new sprite sheet/graphical overhaul before working on it again. I love the sprites Him has done for the game, but they were done two and a half years ago…they still hold up in my view, but to others, probably not.

In any case, if I decide not to do the game then I’ll give away the sprites for free. I just don’t know right now. Ugh.

Sandbox of God 2: Paradise
STATUS:DELAYED

There have been two attempts at getting a sequel to SOG, even a contest with a major announcement of Sandbox of 2: Ancient Warfare. Since then, nothing much has been churned out, mainly due to the overwhelming amount of work Fred and I had at the time, and the second attempt being at a bit of a bad time (last month, as the holidays were approaching and I was finishing Spirits of Metropolis). Still, there will be a sequel to SOG, and it won’t look like it did before, nor will it have an Ancient Warfare theme (used due to the competition theme we were entering at the time). But it will be done later this year.

Other Games
All conceptually titled games- “Flackjacket, In Dreams, Atlantis 3 and Keyknight” – are not currently being made or will ever be made. I’m still considering “Fluidity” to be the sequel name to Liquisity 2 though.

GAME ANNOUNCEMENTS
…will be made throughout the year. But why not give away some teasers, eh?

I’m happy to announce that you’ll be seeing at least one new free game per YoYo Games competition that have short dev periods, like greenTech (which was announced and released within a month). Watch the blog for incoming announcements!

I’m also excited to announce that a great developer is working with Vertigo Games to port an existing game of ours over to the Xbox Community Games platform on the Xbox 360. Once we’re further in development, he’ll announce what exactly that is and more details. It’s looking fantastic so far, and I can’t wait to share more with you all.

One last announcement. I’m proud to say that our next major commercial game…pending how Spirits of Metropolis fares commercially and if I can get enough capital to make it…will be a sequel to Ore no Ryomi 2, called “Brew, Pour, Delicious!” (title pending). It will be the full sequel to ONR2 that will really stand out from all the cooking simulators that seem to be popping up every month these days. Outlines are being drawn up and I hope to get started by March, with a release in 09.

So, there ya go. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. This year is going to be lots of fun and hopefully lots of awesome. Woo!