Field Notes Brand – notebook, pen, pencil … and now a ruler!
There I was one evening, working on the new levels that will be included in the upcoming expansion pack for our PC game, Hacker Evolution: Untold.
I needed a ruler to properly draw the level map layout. It was the only thing missing from my desk (I have an impressive collection of everything that is pen, paper, pencil, notebooks, etc) so I asked for one from my girlfriend.
The cheap chinese plastic ruler on a Field Notes notebook, next to a Field Notes pen and paper was just WRONG. It was damaging my inspiration.
I knew it was going to be a long shot, but I started digging. That is how I ended up on the website of Coudal Partners, the design company behind Field Notes Brand. And there it was . a perfectly gorgeous 6″ Field Notes ruler made from raw wood. Printed with black ink. I haven’t seen one for real since I was a kid.
I sent a quick email to them, begging to ship me one over the pond, to Europe. Aaron was a nice enough guy to handle this for me personally, and make sure that I get my ruler in a timely manner.
And it came. In one of those cardboard solid envelopes. The kind that has that special feeling of a mysterious content inside.
And as I was opening it, my girlfriend was asking me: “Hey! Why didn’t you get one those for me too?” . and while I was telling her that I haven’t thought about it . there it was! Not one, but TWO rulers with a personal note from Aaron (the owner of Coudal Partners). That saved my day. Again.
And I there were some other goodies in the envelope.
This envelope is going to my collection on wonderful boxes in which wonderful things came into my life.
If you want a quality notebook, pen and pencils, visit Field Notes Brand now and order some. They are cheap and very well made in the U.S.A. You will love them.
Trust me. I am more inspired now, whenever I draw down fresh ideas.
Site: http://www.FieldNotesBrand.com/
Rail Adventures made it to no. 92 best seller in the US App Store (Racing category)
I just got back to the office and found an awesome surprise.
Our recently released game, Rail Adventures for the iPhone, just made it to no. 92, in the Top Paid applications in the US App Store.
This is yet another recognition of the success and quality of the games developed here at exosyphen studios.
We would like to thank everyone for supporting our game, and making this possible.
Free Hacker Evolution: Untold gift vouchers coming near you
If you live in Vincennes, Indiana, you might want to look up Comp-u-docs at 122 North 7th Street, as we have just mailed them 20 free gift vouchers to be distributed to gamers visiting this venue.
Comp-u-docs website: http://www.comp-u-docs.us
Happy Holidays to everyone!
Rail Adventures 3D for the iPhone
After being in development for almost 6 months (as a secondary project), today we proudly released Rail Adventures 3D for the iPhone:
I always had a passion for trains,railroads, 3D graphics and few other assorted things. I added in some extra details (adventure, horror, etc), and decided to write a 3D game in which you hop in a mine cart and race your way through an abandoned mine (and other nice sceneries), shooting monsters, jumping over obstacles, picking up objects, etc. And yes, I enjoyed the Indiana Jones movies, and specially the race scene on the mine railway 
This project allowed me to explore the possibilities offered by the hardware OpenGL acceleration present in the iPhone. I programmed a lot of OpenGL and 3D graphics back when I was still in college. The iPhone has some amazing hardware capabilities, so expect more cool games from us.
There are a couple of cool concepts that were involved in the development of the 3D engine. It was also a research project, so I have taken the liberty to play around with some ideas. The whole 3D scene through which you race, is mostly generated mathematically on the fly. Basically, I have designed a cross section of a 3D mine (scene) model, and repeat/twisted it around a curved track. I had to go through some pen & paper moments to remember most of the math I have studied back in college, but it did work out eventually. You might think that the scenery becomes repetitive, but it doesn’t. There are a lot of other elements that change at each cross-section repetition (pillars, lights, etc). The cool thing with this model is that I can design new levels very quickly, meaning that you can expect a lot of new levels in future updates.
You will also notice something “new” in our games. A lot of 2D art graphics. That is thanks to my girlfriend and her talent in drawing things. I decided to spice up the game a bit with some nice art. Check out the splash image below, which is mostly hand drawn:
Head to the App Store and grab your copy of the game. It’s only $1.99 (as usual, we did our best to keep our prices as affordable as possible)
Here is the iTunes link:
Updates
Things have been quiet here for a while, but all with a good reason.
We just finished a version of Hacker Evolution for the iPhone. It’s going to be available in the App Store in a few days.
Until then, here is a teaser screenshot:
Also, Hacker Evolution: Untold has been picked up for publishing, by IGN Entertainment’s Direct2Drive publishing service.
We are running a promo with them, so for a limited time, you can order the game and save 50% of the standard price (only $12.50 now).
Click the image below, to order your copy now:
