the surprising thing is...

[DTB]

Me likey Mr Yak Sir can i have some more
The descripition of the game evolving from one plain tempest style shooting to a four plain hardcore style sounds a quirky drop of genius , i always end up plugging in the ST for a quick game of hardcore after an all nighter so this should send me to trippy heaven
Will this be 360 only or can we expect it on PC as well?.

[Dvorak]

it'll expand from shooting on one edge of a surface to shooting on two edges (a bit like in Laser Zone) and eventually 4 edges

What? 4 independent cannons? Together with that graphics overkill? Ah, nonono. No.
I always nearly broke fingers and wrist while trying to coordinate the two cannons at Laser Zone.
4 is definitely to much. 3 too much, if you ask me.

[gilesgoat]

Me likey Mr Yak Sir can i have some more
The descripition of the game evolving from one plain tempest style shooting to a four plain hardcore style sounds a quirky drop of genius , i always end up plugging in the ST for a quick game of hardcore after an all nighter so this should send me to trippy heaven
Will this be 360 only or can we expect it on PC as well?.

Well, first the XBLA version of course then we'll see, because of
substantial modifications to the Neon engine and some stuff we are using
"360 specific" it will definitely take some time to do a proper PC port.

Doing PC ports it's a number of problems, first at all don't forget that
people "already started to complain" when we said "you need a PS 2.0
graphi card capable and possibly not a totally shitty PC".

This time we are using some "more evolved" stuff and probably a PC
port won't be able to be "exactly the same", if we want to support
"a broad base" it means that how some stuff will/could look will depend
on the capabilities of your PC.

Doing PC software takes *LOT* time more in testing/debug/check/
dealing with limitations and other stuff than doing a 360 thing especially
when "pushing things to limit".

It's lot more time consuming and resources grabbing, when a thing
works for 360 you can say "ok, it's finished it works and it's all right"
when you finish a PC code you only HOPE that "it will work on most
stuff" and that you won't get mad receiving too many complaints/requests
from people saying "it does not work on my PC with this configuration
what can I do ?" .. to what you don't know really what to answer ..

To give you an idea "a set of compatibility tests" (that still don't grant
you 100% of functionality) performed by a "professional test site" over
a number of "typical known PC configuration" can cost between £10K and £30K.

Even to set up a "testing team" and give SW to people in test is still
not an easy thing at all, it's really hard to have "good testers" able to
find bug AND properly report them, it lot harder than what it may look.

Another "shitty" thing is "PC stuff changes too much frequently", updates,
new SW, new lib versions .. a mess ..

Possibly there should be a PC version too but I tell you "give it time", it
won't come out "just in a snap", despite we have all the Neon PC stuff
that is "a really solid base" this stuff we are doing here is *different*
and will take some time.

If I should talk "speaking about a technical point of view and simplicity
of work", I'd personally avoid to do any PC stuff, it's nice and challenging
to code on PC but "the peace of soul" you have working on the consoles
when you know that "once it works it works for everybody" is unpayable.

[Yak]

it'll expand from shooting on one edge of a surface to shooting on two edges (a bit like in Laser Zone) and eventually 4 edges

What? 4 independent cannons? Together with that graphics overkill? Ah, nonono. No.
I always nearly broke fingers and wrist while trying to coordinate the two cannons at Laser Zone.
4 is definitely to much. 3 too much, if you ask me.

As I said, that's just an expected direction of evolution, and I did say "something like Hell gate" and not "exactly like Hell gate" for exactly that reason. That stage will be at the higher levels in the game anyway, and there will be testing of various control and shooter layout schemes; the ones that don;t work won't get used.

I very much want it to be a game that, despite the visual overkill, remains playable throughout. Things are actually easier to see when you see it moving than through screenshots (this game is a worst-case for screenshots in terms of actually telling what's going on). Part of the challenge of making it is to make it so that you *can* see well to play whilst making everything Neonly. That's nontrivial but it is actually working quite well.







And (to forestall any questions in case people do nonetheless link to these images) of course the rude phrases are just placeholders, after the Unity screenshots that's kinda traditional. the game itself will contain no rude content at all .

[TDM]

I'd like to make some kinda constructive comment but all i can say is .

[Space Cowboy]

I missed out during the C64 years, didn't have an ST and never been in a position to buy a Minter game. Was always aware of Jeff but had never been in a situation where buying one of his games was an option open to me, but this is looking seriously cool and I can't wait for the chance to buy it, and play it.

... of course the rude phrases are just placeholders, after the Unity screenshots that's kinda traditional. the game itself will contain no rude content at all .

Even so, I'll still wanna buy it. No chance of a "Hot Coffee" patch?

[~D4T45H4T~]

Looking ace Yak & Giles.

Do us a video and lash it on youtube? Hmm? Go oooonnn!

[Mayhem]

What? 4 independent cannons? Together with that graphics overkill? Ah, nonono. No.
I always nearly broke fingers and wrist while trying to coordinate the two cannons at Laser Zone.
4 is definitely to much. 3 too much, if you ask me.

Should please HGFB then

Jeff, Giles, it's looking bloody chaotic, psychedelic and wonderful at the moment... needless to say I am promising myself an Xbox360 at some point in the future

[HGFB]

As I said, that's just an expected direction of evolution, and I did say "something like Hell gate" and not "exactly like Hell gate" for exactly that reason.

I love you Yak and want to have your babies.

[chub]

I missed out during the C64 years, didn't have an ST and never been in a position to buy a Minter game. Was always aware of Jeff but had never been in a situation where buying one of his games was an option open to me, but this is looking seriously cool and I can't wait for the chance to buy it, and play it.

There's always emulation while you're waiting

I sent some fivers Yaks way back in the ST days, so it'll be nice to do that again, albeit via new money i.e. Microsoft points. Isn't 400 points about €5?

[Spoongod]

The more screens I see, the more it feels like those Neon effects are representations of an actual world, albiet and extreeeemley trippy one.

[arron]

Interesting. If you could tie the Neon procedural psychedelic generator into some kind of world builder code like Will Wrights, you could develop an entire virtual psychedlic universe to live, travel, trade, fight and die in. Sort of like The Matrix in an intimate fluid exchange with Elite on a shedload of alien drugs..

[TT]

Nice work.

I'll get my one request in early: Is there any way of not having the score form part of the graphical effects? That's my one pet hate of T3K.

[Gillorient]

I missed out during the C64 years, didn't have an ST and never been in a position to buy a Minter game. Was always aware of Jeff but had never been in a situation where buying one of his games was an option open to me, but this is looking seriously cool and I can't wait for the chance to buy it, and play it.

There's always emulation while you're waiting

I sent some fivers Yaks way back in the ST days, so it'll be nice to do that again, albeit via new money i.e. Microsoft points. Isn't 400 points about €5?

You can still buy GR++, Deflex and Hover Bovver.


Edit: PVB posting on sister's PC.

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Nice work.

I'll get my one request in early: Is there any way of not having the score form part of the graphical effects? That's my one pet hate of T3K.

Make it optional innit

Deffo keep the Nixie display Yak, it looks furkin ace.