David Craddock over at Big Download has already posted a review of the latest Grimm episode “Master Thief” who says, “If The Master Thief is an example of what players can expect from the new season of American McGee’s Grimm, then this is a series that should be enjoyed by both the casual and hardcore crowds… Play it; you shouldn’t be disappointed.”
Monthly Archives: October 2008
Master Thief – FREE for Halloween
If you didn’t catch mention of it last time, here’s the news again:
The latest Episode of Grimm, “The Master Thief” isn’t just free for 24 hours – but for several days.
Yep, you can play Episode 9 of Grimm for free between Oct 30th and Nov 1st on GameTap.
And not only is this episode free, but it’s another kind of special: Halloween Special!
So, if you’ve been waiting to dip your toe in the stinky pool that is Grimm, this is a perfect time!
Grimm Halloween
Zombie Madness
Grimm loves Halloween! And who can blame him? Vampires, zombies, werewolves, and witches are as wickedly grim as Grimm himself. And what better time of year to celebrate Grimm and his uhh grimness than Halloween?!
In honor of the special occasion we here at Spicy Horse, our friends at GameTap, and Grimm himself have worked together to create a super scary treat for you:
A “Grimm” Halloween Special Episode:
“The Master Thief” (Some call it Episode 9!)
(insert scary “woowoooowooooo” sound inside your head)
What’s so special about this episode of Grimm? Well, let me do like our old friend The Count and “count” the ways:
Ah-1: Not just free for 24 hours like the other episode, but for DAYS (10/30 through 11/1)
Ah-2: Chock full of vampires, zombies, ghosts, ghouls, and other scary goodness.
Ah-3: It’s the best “Grimm” episode so far, according to David Craddock over at Big Download.
Ah-4: Ah, there is no 4.
But hey, don’t take my (or David’s) word for it! Head over to GameTap and check it out for yourself.
Here’s the link for GameTap’s Grimm site.
Here’s some fun Halooween art on my flickr account.
Here’s some Satanic Jingle Bells.
And here’s um, some scary stuff.
Traffic Bump
Traffic Bump
Last week we tried something new: Pitching a game concept in a public forum, via my blog. The motivation was simple: Reach as many potential publishers and end-users as possible without having to leave my office in Shanghai. I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of reaction, but I have to say any expectation I had was blown away by the tremendous amount of press coverage, flickr visitors, YouTube watchers, and user comments generated.
Spicy Horse is now talking with 30 different publishers worldwide about the BaiJiu Racer concept. And user feedback on the art style and concept has been extremely positive. Seems that pitching a game concept via the net might actually work. The next big hurdle will be to secure an actual publishing deal. Of course what comes next is generally kept private until an official announcement is made. So while I’m all for the new-style method of pitching games, I’ll keep the remaining process traditional – and confidential. When I have public news to announce, you’ll be the first to know.
In the meantime, we’ve got more Grimm on the way this week. Halloween is just around the corner, Grimm’s a dark little guy, and wouldn’t you know it, the two go together like steak and knives. This week’s upcoming episode is a visit to the famous tale of “The Master Thief” and is chock full of vampires and zombies, scares and frights.
What’s that you say? There were no vampires or zombies in the original “Master Thief”? Huh, someone better tell Grimm and quick!
BaiJiu Racer Concept Announcement
Bai Jiu Racing
Today we’re going to try something a little different: Pitching a video game concept!
Traditionally when I’ve pitched game concepts the process involved face-to-face meetings with potential publishers, use of our agents (CAA) back in Los Angeles, and lots of traveling. Well, I’m getting old, China is FAR from the rest of the world, and the Internet can do a lot of amazing things, so here’s a game pitch for the next generation:
Announcing “BaiJiu Racer” – An MMO-lite racing game concept with China as the core theme. The concept has been in focused pre-production for the past three months here at Spicy Horse. Working with our Chinese publishing partner ICEE we’ve crafted a solid Game Design Document, Technical Design Document, Art Bible, Visual Target Demo, and Development Plan. Together these materials constitute a compelling pitch for a title we think will be a strong competitor in the worldwide, lite-MMO, online racing category (think “Kart Racer”).
A lot of teams dream of a “Mario Cart” or “KartRider” killer – and we think our concept goes a long ways towards being a viable contender. For one, it’s the first Chinese cart racing game developed with an authentic and original Chinese art style, set in real-world locations, and featuring some of the funkiest racing vehicle designs the world has ever seen (inspiration coming from actual Chinese vehicles). We’re focusing on semi-realistic (and fun) physics-based racing dynamic, going light on the power-ups, and throwing in a lot of visual action. Check out the art and video to see the result.
A few key features and differentiators:
* Distinctive art style featuring a timeless portrayal of everyday Chinese people and locations
* A clean and clear graphic style for UI
* Core gameplay focused on skill-based racing, avoiding fun-killing power-ups
* Strong narrative backbone and emotional drama – “everyone can be a hero”
* Unique and interesting vehicle designs based on real-life Chinese vehicles
* Track locations that reveal a China few foreigners have seen
* Risk reduction in production through use of 3rd-party tools and engine (UE3)
* A fast and efficient project schedule built on Spicy’s proven development processes
Our Chinese publishing partner ICEE has a lock on the publishing rights in China. What we’re looking for now is a publisher interested in the remaining world-wide rights. We might also be open to territory specific deals with the right partners.
To learn more about BaiJiu Racer and what’s on offer, you can do the following:
Visit my Flickr Account to view a collection of concept artwork related to the project.
Visit my YouTube Channel to watch a video of sample game play, primarily intended to show the art style working in-engine.
Finally, email me to request information (GDD, TDD, budget, schedule, etc) relevant to deciding if the publishing rights are a fit for you.
Spicy Horse has established itself as one of the strongest independent game developers in China. Following the success of Grimm we’re growing and expanding to leverage our core talents, process oriented development methods, and inspirational location. If you’re interested in learning more about the studio, our capabilities, and our ideas, let me know!
Grimm’s Back! (Almost)
Nice Wolf, Nice Rabies
Whew! It’s been a while since I wrote a post. Was off in Japan, enjoying some trees, checking out Tokyo Game Show, eating lots of awesome food, and working on The Next Big Thing. Back in Shanghai since last weekend – been catching up on Grimm production, a mountain of emails, and the start of TNBT. Speaking of, we had our official pre-production kick-off meeting today! Big day!
But wait, we’re getting ahead of ourselves! There’s another 16 episodes of Grimm still coming down the pipe. And best of all, these new episodes keep getting better and better. Don’t believe me? Then check out what David Craddock over at Big Download has to say about the next “season” of episodes:
Everything that made Grimm fun has returned, and everything that didn’t appears to have been trimmed away. As someone who often deliberated between yay and nay when it came to Grimm’s first season, I can say with confidence that The Master Thief provides a promising glimpse of what awaits us when Season Two begins later this month.
David goes on to talk about the release schedule for the next series of 8 episodes, which will see Episode 9 “The Master Thief” released on October 30th:
Speaking exclusively to Big Download, publisher GameTap has revealed the full line-up for the next season of developer Spicy Horse’s American McGee’s Grimm. Beginning on October 30, the next season of Grimm features expanded mechanics that allow for a deeper gameplay experience than that of Season One. The title of each new episode, as well as its respective release date, can be found below.
10/30 – The Master Thief
11/06 – The Singing Bone
11/13 – King Midas
11/20 – Cinderella
11/27 – The Golden Goose
12/04 – Iron John
12/11 – The Pied Piper
12/18 – A Christmas Carol
Master Thief is certainly worth a try – we added in a ton of fun content specifically for Halloween. And wouldn’t you know it, Grimm loves Halloween!
I’ve updated the countdown clock on the site so you can keep track of what’s coming and when it’s arrived. As with the first 8 episodes, each new episode is FREE FOR 24 HOURS on GameTap. Set your alarms for October 30th and head over to GameTap for more Grimm fun.