NAVIGATION
CONTENT

Cranky Indie

More free indie games fun.

Cortex Command - Fun game with some great physics. A little bit like that old PC game Worms, but in realtime with better physics.

Ski Stunt Simulator - Interesting little ski jump simulator that you control using the mouse.

Armadillo Run - Solve the puzzles using physics to build your contraptions.

Truck Dismount - Interesting physics-based game that'll keep you amused for 10 minutes. Try to hurt your stick man by crashing your truck.

Souptoys Toybox - Fun little physics game.

Why Mods Should Release Early

I'm tired of mod teams spending years on mods, so here's a few reasons why modifications should release early rather than wait 3 or 4 years.

  • To get public feedback early on to fix any issues. Let everyone test it, not just a select few. Beta testers are usually forum whores or IRC users that have been bumming the makers of the mod to get a beta spot. Their opinion is somewhat useless. Don't leave it 4 years then realise your target audience don't like how your mod plays.
  • Your mod will never live up to the hype. You're likely to get negative feedback from those who were expecting an entirely different type of game.
  • It's easier to get extra team members (namely coders) if you have something already playable to show them.

Garry Newman, creator of Garry's Mod, summed it up well in a recent interview:

The main argument about this (releasing early) is that they don't want to release a shit version of their idea and turn everyone off. Fair enough, but it's going to be so much worse if you work your balls off on it for 2 years then release, and your idea is still rubbish. Iterating would have let you know that this idea isn't working out, so you could adjust it. In every update you're picking up more people playing your mod. You build a community.

Release early. Release often. RERO!

Cranky Alternatives: Echochrome

This time around on Cranky Alternatives I'll give you an alternative to the recently announced Echochrome. It's heading to the PSP and PS3.

The alternative is OLE Coordinate System. Echochrome seems to be based on this engine. Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the page.