Happy New Year! It’s going to be an exciting one. But first, let’s look back on 2013 a bit.
2013 was a remarkably busy year for us, right out of the gate. We’d spent most of 2012 finalizing N v2.0, and 2013 started with a bang.
Let’s look at that launch video one more time:
Oh Yeah
There were quite a few important updates in N v2.0, including new levels, a smoother feel, and a whole new way to make and share levels. We were ecstatic to get that update out, especially since we’d been planning it since 2005! After a year of concerted effort, we finally got it done, with the help of Golden Gear Games; speaking of which, we’re happy to report that Golden Gear is gearing up (hah) to get a bugfix release out soon.
The big news of 2013 was, of course, that we’re working on N++, which will be the last and best version of the whole series.
We spent most of the year planning and prototyping, plus developing and working with our dream-team to figure out how best to make this game shine. The impact of the new graphics is already apparent, and we really can’t wait to show you more.
Things with N++ are progressing slowly, but surely — we’ve corrected our course a few times over 2013, and that has led to a few changes in what we’re planning for the game. As a result, a few aspects of N++ are taking longer than we anticipated, but we’re extremely confident the wait will be worth it.
We’ll be able to show you more really soon, and in the meantime, keep an eye on the N++ tumblr for some in-development images and other behind-the-scenes goodies.
We are being careful not to overpromise and create false hope, but rest assured, we’re doing our best to give this game the best life it could possibly have.
One thing we do know for certain is that N++ for PS4 is coming first; if the response to the PS4 version is good, we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to release N++ on other platforms. The good news is, you can help! In the next few months, we’ll be releasing lots of screenshots and videos to whet your appetite and show why we’re so excited about this game; if you see something you like, spreading the word will make it a lot easier for us to convince platform-holders to give us a shot 🙂
What’s in store for us in 2014? Only time will tell. But each new year brings with it an opportunity for all of us humans to better ourselves, our lives, and the lives of those around us. Let’s make this world more beautiful than it already is. Let’s support each other, create, and celebrate each others creations.
This year we’re hoping that the future of games is brighter than ever. There are so many developers making games right now, so many people creating unreasonably fun experiences and enticing worlds, building ingenious puzzles and using games to express who they are. There is so much to say, and so many ways to say it, and especially considering the multitude of creative expressions the last year brought, we can’t wait to see what the next has in store.
Until next time, we wish you all well, and thanks for your continued support — it means a lot to us. To an ambitious and exciting 2014!
ohhhh more videos and informations plissszz
I hate you so much! Your game is the most frustrating thing in the universe! After 10 min of trying to pass those impossible levels I am willing to murder you! Damn I can’t stop playing :D.
Happy New Year M&R!!
a bugfixed version of 2.0? wow you mean like a working editor with levels you can actually test and ARCADE MODE HIGHSCORE ?
That would be so Njoyable.
Like really 🙂
Thanks for the update M & R. Boy, I’m so excited for N++!
Gaaaaahhhhh I’ve been checking the PS4 store everday waiting for the release and now you are saying ‘over the next few months’ 🙁
Oh well, better to release something polished than unfinished. Just know we are all waiting.
Hey, I’m just putting this message here because I don’t really know where else to go. I’m trying to register an account on the forums, but whatever service you are using for a confirmation code/image is not working. No image is displayed, so I can’t finalize registration. I’ve tried on chrome, mozilla, explorer and even on my phone in multiple browsers, but it’s the same problem for every one.
@flashtastic: we know how you feel as we’ve been doing that with some games we’re looking forward too as well! We had initially planned on being finished for launch, however many things (specifically, graphics and menus) took a lot longer than anticipated. Also we’ve increased the scope quite a bit.. hopefully it will be worth the wait, we can’t wait to start revealing the details 🙂
@Lag: thanks for letting us know, we’ve been trying to figure out what to do about this since we don’t actually run the forums ourselves, and we can’t seem to track down whoever does run them… we’re on it though!
Hi M&R, apparently there is a hacked score in 20-1 (top score by TheOfficialJumper or something like that), not sure how he has been able to submit that score but its clearly hacked o.O
I’ve thought on a way to prevent these kind of shameless hacks, you can implement it if you want. Basically, every score that exceeds [90secs + 2secs*Nº of gold pieces] is obviously impossible and it can automatically be deleted. i.e. on 20-1, the top possible score would theoritically be 6360, hence all scores over that can be automatically discarded.
Thats just a way of preventing ridiculously hacked scores of course.
@EddyMataGallos: good idea!
hey M&R, a random question… you know that t-shirt you sent me, it’s literally the only item of clothing i own that says on its label that i have to wash it at 30c… do you know if it’s ok to wash at 40c? or will it shrink, or will the universe blow up or something?
n2 bugfix and extra features are overdue, keep working hard!
@Zapmeister: we’ve washed ours on “hot” and it seems okay — I don’t know what the exact temperature was though! It might shrink a bit…
Zapmeister I’m pretty sure i washed it on 40. It’s ok. Or I shrank with it, but that’s less probable I think.
Please, please, please make an n+ iPad app. You don’t have to have a joystick like interface. you could just hold down the left/right side of the screen and swipe/tap to jump. It would get a ton of downloads starting with me!!!
@inthebegining99: Thank you for your support!
However: we just don’t see this working very well with N. We’re sorry! It’s just that we’re both quite fussy about controls, and although swipe-to-jump does sound like a fun premise for an iOS platformer, it would probably work a lot better with a game designed around that idea rather than N.
N requires very fast inputs, and swiping adds latency, which means fast precise jumps would be impossible (the jump can’t start immediately, we have to wait a while to see how your finger is moving and detect the swipe.. this time becomes awkward in N which has been designed around instantaneous nimble inputs).
The two-button running idea is good too! Keeping one side pressed (to run in that direction) and then tapping the other side to jump is another approach we have considered that seems promising, but again: probably not with N, because of the type of inputs that occur. (In N you change direction a lot and very quickly, which means either lots of accidental jumps when you meant to change directions, or having to pause a bit between direction presses).
N is very, very fussy — even getting it to feel right on a gamepad is a bit tricky, since it was designed for quick taps on keyboard keys.
We have thought about it a lot though, because of how often it is requested. We certainly intend to experiment with some iOS prototypes once N++ is done! However we anticipate that a game whose tuning, levels, visuals, etc. are all designed around and work with a touchscreen will end up being a better game on iOS than N ever would.
Thanks again, and sorry for disappointing you.
@M&R Thank you for writing back.
I understand and I appreciate you taking the time to write back to me. I thoroughly enjoy playing the game on the PC and Xbox. I just wish there was a way to bring people that same enjoyment on their smart phone or tablet, but it seems like you have considered all the options.
I fully intend on purchasing N++ as soon as it comes out and I can’t wait to see what else you have in store iOS or not.
Regarding the “hold one side and tap the other” idea, if you ever were to create a version of n for ios (and android *cough cough*), perhaps rather than holding the side you want to move in and tapping the other, you could dedicate one side to moving and another to jumping — say, left for moving and right for jumping, as seems to be standard on game consoles. The way I see it, changing direction could simply be a matter of tilting/sliding your thumb a bit in the direction you want to go… It might take a little time to get used to, but I’m guessing people could adjust fairly easily.