Team Meet Day

Meet up day
I met with Lee and Meash today. We have a monthly Strategy meeting. Some times it feels like a negative step to take a day out of production mode but I always find that the meeting helps everyone get up to date and take a step back and look at what's happening. Having someone also ask probing and interesting questions brings something new to the business and certainly brushes the cob webs away from our thinking. Plus you can't beat the meal at the pub at lunch time! 

I have a number of horrid tasks that I don't want to do but I know I have to do them. So this week I will be taking out my sword of truth and cutting these tasks to pieces and getting some great results! We'll see...

AGK demo
Someone in the AGK forums made this cool 3D demo;

Height Map Loader in AGK


OK, it's 11pm now. I have done enough. Time to rest my brain and keep some kip.

Hide It Find It Released!

OK, a quick token blog to get back into the swing of it.

We just got our latest app released on the App Store. It's called Hide It Find It and was all coded in AGK Tier 1 Basic with some heavy php server side stuff to boot.

Download it here if you have an iPhone or iPad; Hide It Find It

We are 98% complete on the Android version, so expect to see that very soon.

OK, over and out for now.

And I'm back!

OK, so it's been a while since I last blogged. I think I got distracted somewhat. I was never very good at writing a diary. Since my last blog entry a lot has happened and we have a new product called App Game Kit. You can check it out here.

Hopefully I'll be posting news and info from time to time.

Now back to a lazy Sunday with some DIY work mixed in.

Rick

Walking weekend

Spent most of this weekend walking the dog. It's a cheap way to keep fit and it keeps the naughty westie tired out and thus not very naughty!

The weather has been good, a pleasant change to all the rain we had last week.

I tried not to check emails and keep away from the old PC but I did do a few checks on Saturday - sort of addicted to email checking.

Took Hollie swimming on Saturday while Sam and Caroline played Badminton.

I'm reading an interesting book from the library called "What's it all about", it's recommended reading if you want a different take on life, the universe and everything. The book is on Amazon here.

Back to blogging

OK, I'm back after a very long break. No pressure on me this time, I'll just blog when I feel like it (and find the time).

I have been reading a new book about the Tao, it's called "Living the wisdom of the Tao".





It's very good stuff, I feel like I'm growing and knowing more about this thing called life :-)

See the author's site here.

Things are coming to a head!

Many of the projects we are working on are coming to a head. A good job really because we have been on them for so long, it's about time the general public had a play with them.

Life has been interesting and as ever has throw it's challenges at me. Just the other day I managed to trip over my dog whilst running fast, I ended up skidding along the road in the wet. It felt like being a kid again! Luckily I wasn't too badly hurt, stupid me (and dumb dog).

I am busy making tutorial videos for X10, I started with a lot of passion but now it's like hard work. Still, just a few more to do and then I'm done.

Ibiza was hot and so is X10!

My family went out to Ibiza last week. It's a hot island but when we landed (4 hours late) it as raining like a monsoon. The next day the sun showed up and normal service was restored. The week was both enjoyable and painful. I doubt anyone in their right mind would have a proper holiday taking their kids!! Enough said eh?

We got delayed 7 hours on the way back, not much fun when you have kids in toe.

Since getting back I have had the pleasure of using X10 and it's certainly come a long way since I saw it last. Still needs a number of things improved but it gets better with ever build.

What the Bleep do we know?

Last night I watched the film "What the Bleep do we know?", this new age, what the hell's life about stuff is what I tend to crave. It was a fascinating movie and did leave me with some new insights. The main lesson was to use a quiet time in the morning to prepare myself for the day, having the intention of setting it up so that it would all go to plan and so the universe will also help me get the results I'd like.

Check it out here if you're interested: http://www.whatthebleep.com/

Back from Wales

Our family week in Wales is over now. It was a nice break away from being online and staring into this Dell monitor! The kids had a good time and the dog enjoyed the sea air. I came back to 890 emails, 90% of which we're killed off by the junk filter.

Monday will be catch up day and I have just printed the next Newsletter off - so time to read what Steve and Rich have been up to, on the surface it looks as interesting as ever.

While away I listened to a lot of pod casts, one of which I can highly recommend, check it out here:

http://www.aquietmind.com/

Rick Packs up for a week...

My last day before I take the family to Wales. The weather looks terrible so I'll be listening to my iPod, reading book, walking the dog and dealing with the kids.

The past week has felt like walking in slow motion, so many things need to be fixed in X10 but I know Lee will sort them while I'm away.

Dave and Mike are getting close to completing their project (a new learning to drive title), so I'll have two bug free products to come back to (dream on man!). They will both need a long break after they master that huge title.

Train keeps on chuffin!

Another long day in the saddle! Yeh, debugging mode all round for the team. Things are getting sorted though and it's all necessary steps to reach the end goal. The journey must be enjoyed not just the destination.

Thanks to all of your who have added into the map, so cool to see you all around the world using our tech.

Here's a video of our Dog Teddy. This was taken when he was a pup. He's now 9 months old but you get a good idea of his character.

Map for TGC users!

The gravy train

Both FPSC X10 and DTSP2 are in debug mode and like all debug modes it feels like these projects will never be finished and off our books. History shows that this is not true and it's just the task, task, task period until it's done. A lot of self doubt can come up when working in this phase, you can start comparing your project to bigger titles that the huge studios create. I need to remind myself that we are a small company, delivering innovative titles to niece audiences.

Well, back to the daily tasks...

Cans and worms

Software development is full of challenges. Each tiny aspect of a game these days has a massive array of extra issues surrounding it. This week was the first week when I really felt that FPSCX10 was going to deliver the ability to animate over 50 enemies. The rag doll effect has also been crafted better and we're throwing in more smoke and blood effects. There's still lots to do and I hope we can do it justice in the time frame.

Two weeks of holiday coming up, one in Wales and one in Ibiza. So I need to get my skates on and get everyone up to date.

DTSP2 is almost done, still a lots of little issues but we can see the end in sight.

Also met Steve Vink this week and Lee's house. It was a good meeting with lots of new ideas thrown around.

Back to family life today, rain is coming so it's a game of chess maybe?

Weekend of cleaning up

Spent the weekend cleaning up around the house doing gardening and brushing up the general dust and dirt. We are now ready for the tree surgeon guy on Monday.

Live Earth was worth a view on TV, some good groups.

Lousie, Granny and James went on holiday.

Life explained for FREE!

Check out this FREE pod cast. It will certainly give you something to think about!

http://removebarriers.libsyn.com/

Over the hill...

Last week I turned 40 years old. Wow, life seems like it's only just begun and I've hit this milestone. Better get my skates on if I want to use my time wisely.

I'm reading "The GOD delusion" by Richard Dawkins - should make for interesting reading.

FPS Creator Video Tutorial Going Live

Today we purchased 37 video tutorials that help users get the most out of FPS Creator. I'm currently uploading them all to soapbox. Here's one for you to look at:

Video: FPS Creator: The Basic of the Editor
Sorry for the lack of posts. Life got very tough a few months back.

Work, work, work

The many plates have been spun and I feel as if lots of them have now had their spin and can be tidied away. I think I have done too much this week, a blood vessel in my eye lid is pulsing - a sure sign I need to take it easy and get away from the monitor.

Our XBOX 360 has decided to start scratching disks - 2 copies of Sonic have big round scratches, thanks Microsoft!

Work on the projects is all going well - there's a real feeling of completeness coming!

Happy weekend is a coming...

Clearing my in box

Seems like my inbox has mould growing on many of my emails. It's weird how some of them seem to hang on in there, not urgent, not deletable and at some time in the future they require my attention. Ideally I'd like to pass them over to another team member but I just know it'll come back to me.