Becoming a Team -- Week Ending 28 Jan

There wasn't really a question about the work part of our development this week (we planned on doing a lot of work; we did a lot of work), we weren't entirely sure what would set this week's work apart from any other week.

The answer came in waves, beginning with the definition of what we want to accomplish with Last March of the Dodos. With help from Roger, one of our executive producers, we came to realize exactly why we're making the game: to experience the joy of calculated mass destruction without any of the usual guilt that comes as baggage. Note the three facets of that definition: 1) the joy of mercilessly destroying cute things, 2) a fascination with deliberate mechanical intricacies, á la Rube Goldberg, and 3) the alleviation of any guilt that might otherwise accompany any sort of dodo-cide. Basically, we are making Lemmings the way that it should have been done in the first place (okay, Lemmings was a great game in its own right, but this is gonna be sweet).

Thus, we came up with a team motto as a razor for any work that we do:

And we're not one bit sorry.

In other news, the engineers have the Dodos stoically marching toward their desired freedom now, and you can check out some of Chris's concept art.

Wish us another great upcoming week!

- Troy

Last March of the Dodos -- Week Ending 21 Jan

The brainchild of Kamron Egan, Last March of the Dodos made it through the selection process to be one of seven prototypes the cohort is currently developing as a pitch for our official thesis. Congratulations, Kamron!

In one month, two of the seven will become group theses and enter full production and development. As a team, we're determined to make Last March of the Dodos a standout game, and we think we've got the right combination of concept and team to make it happen. Continue on, and you'll see what we mean!

The Team
- Team/Developer Name: Naturally Selected
- Members
     - Christine Olinquevitch
          - Job: Artist
          - Status: Max ammo
          - Skills: Adobe Illustrator and free-hand drawing; also Portuguese

     - Jorge Elola
          - Job: Engineer
          - Status: Super soldier serum
          - Skills: Maya wiz and system engineering; also Spanish and some Mandarin
     - Kamron Egan
          - Job: Engineer
          - Status: Ain't no dodo
          - Skills: Ridiculous ability to work more than humans should be able to (still); also engine manipulation
     - Troy Johnson
          - Job: Producer
          - Status: Not poisoned
          - Skills: Facilitation and communication; also Swedish

The Prototype (or, what we hope turns into the beginning of our thesis game!)
- Title: Last March of the Dodos
- Status: Ready for detonation
- Skills: Tasking players with dodo-cide. Classy.

Kamron came up with the concept years ago, and now we've got a shot to make this game a reality. Think "Lemmings meets God's Playing Field." The player must ensure that the last of the dodos are extinct at their cosmically appointed time. Unwilling to accept their fate, the dodos will do everything they can to escape. Over time and experience, the dodos will actually learn to avoid the traps that the player sets and adapt to dangerous environmental conditions. Can you bring balance to the universe by ensuring that their species goes the way of the dinosaur when they're meant to?

It may be grim and politically incorrect, but the concept should be a blast. Christine is working on some goofy art, and the whole style will be comical and tongue-in-cheek, so hopefully it will feel quite light, all things considered.

Kamron and Jorge are already hard at work engineering the AI of the dodos and getting level layout tools functioning. Besides task and process management, I've contacted a musician and sound engineer to hopefully get a sweet soundtrack. This game will thrive on the atmosphere and tone we create, so we're excited to show off what we've come up with soon!

- Troy