[Just For Fun] Etymology 101

Note: This entire post is just for fun. None of this is real nor true.

Etymology is, in the simplest sense, the story or origin of a word or phrase. Most of these have long histories, and some may change and therefore some are inaccurate.

This post will try to educate the reader about some of the most obscure etymologies in existence. You may be surprised at what you learn.

Strider (2014): Now THIS is a Reboot

Dear Chlorine,

Just so you know, I am writing this when you are 1.5 years old (555 days to be exact). By the time you’re able to read this, you’ll have probably known that I like playing video games and I like playing them with friends, brothers, your mother, and most probably even you. I like sharing gaming experiences, and I actually enjoy playing games while someone is watching (ask Mommy how many times I forced her to watch me play). A lot of times these experiences get posted to Facebook, or Twitter, or Google+. By the time you’re reading this, though, Social Networking might have become obsolete (who knows?). And besides, they’re too cluttered with other posts such as check-ins, vacation photos, and many more.

So I decided to compile these gaming experiences into one blog, so that one day I get to share them with you, and so that as I play these games right now while you’re still a baby, I can play them as if I’m already showing them to a grown-up you.

In fact, I’ve taken the liberty to give you a temporary gaming nickname – Chlorine. Feel free to change it when you’re old enough.

Reboots are risky. Most loyal fan bases hate most reboots, and more often than not, the reboot spends its lifetime being compared to the original.

Now don’t get me wrong, there have been successful reboots in the past, not just in the gaming industry. A few examples at the top of my head are the Battlestar Galactica TV series reboot/reimagining of 2003, the anime Kanon (2006 reboot), and the Nintendo game Punch Out!!

Yet another one to add to this list of awesome reboots is Strider, a reboot of the 1989 game of the same name.

A little disclaimer: I played the NES version of the original game for a short time, but never played the arcade version, which I think more closely resembles the reboot. Still, a quick YouTube search and you’ll immediately see the difference.

A few minutes of playing and you’ll feel the difference adrenaline.

TowerFall Ascension: A Nod to the Past

Dear Chlorine,

Just so you know, I am writing this when you are 1.5 years old (555 days to be exact). By the time you’re able to read this, you’ll have probably known that I like playing video games and I like playing them with friends, brothers, your mother, and most probably even you. I like sharing gaming experiences, and I actually enjoy playing games while someone is watching (ask Mommy how many times I forced her to watch me play). A lot of times these experiences get posted to Facebook, or Twitter, or Google+. By the time you’re reading this, though, Social Networking might have become obsolete (who knows?). And besides, they’re too cluttered with other posts such as check-ins, vacation photos, and many more.

So I decided to compile these gaming experiences into one blog, so that one day I get to share them with you, and so that as I play these games right now while you’re still a baby, I can play them as if I’m already showing them to a grown-up you.

In fact, I’ve taken the liberty to give you a temporary gaming nickname – Chlorine. Feel free to change it when you’re old enough.

Back before the time of the Internet, multiplayer games were played side-by-sde. Instead of joining a virtual room or forming a party, your friends physically come over and play the game on the couch, sharing one screen.

This evolved to split-screen games, then to LAN games, and finally to the current internet-driven gaming scene.

TowerFall Ascension brings us back to where it all started. With its 8-bit sounds and graphics, both competitive and coop local and online multiplayer, this game is fun to play alone or even online, but really shines with your friends by your side. Think LittleBigPlanet or New Super Mario Brothers and you’ll get the gist.

Yet another example of the adage that good, high-tech graphics don’t make good games, TowerFall Ascension is trule a nod to the good ol’ past.

[Game Development] SWB #3: Sneak Peek

It's been about a week now since I first decided to work on this project. I've already completed a udemy course on GameMaker and I'm halfway through a second one. So far I'm finding GameMaker to be a better fit for what I'm trying to accomplish, as well as a better fit for me overall.

I now have a working prototype, a proof of concept, of what the gameplay would be like. While I'm still tweaking, balancing, and deciding on lots of stuff, the basic gameplay is there, albeit full or placeholder assets and animations.

I guess a sneak preview is in order. Read on!

[Game Development] SWB #2: The SpaceWar Universe

What’s a Space-War movie or game without an established universe?

Even though SpaceWar was (and SpaceWar Blitz is going to be) a very simple game, it does have a neat backstory.

[Game Development] SWB #1: HeroRunners on hold, but very excited AND motivated on new project

So yeah, as the title suggests, I’ve decided to put project Hero Runners on hold. And there’s a very good reason in doing so.

[Game Development] Hero Runners #2: Drastic Changes

Change is a part of most, if not all, development cycles. In my case, development hasn’t even started yet, so of course I expected changes.

Boy was I right.