Introducing the Leap (and perhaps the start of a beautiful friendship)

PolyKhrome is interested in this technology!  The developers of the Leap are providing free software developer kits to registered and qualified developers, to have more software utilize this revolutionary device (which, by the way, is planned to be priced at a mere $70).  This strongly interests me as a developer, and immediately brings to mind some great uses for our next games.

For instance, Deuces Wild! is a secret agent game where you'll get to play around with all sorts of gadgets at your disposal developed by A>C<E, where gamers will be able to use Wacom Bamboo tablets, touchscreen tablets and microphones as input devices--the Leap goes right down the alley of a game like that!  I think this is just the tip of the iceberg, though.  In our upcoming game Dis_connected, players will be controlling their mech units from within at times, switching to the perspective of operating the machine as a mech pilot in the real-time battle encounters.  You can start to see the sheer potential this technology has for gaming.  Even indie games.  At the Leap's planned price and availability of the SDK, I'd say this is something every indie game developer should seriously consider.

Not to mention, you can just imagine how useful the Leap would be in the actual game development process itself--the technology was born out of a need to make working with 3D modeling programs work easier.  The Leap is more intuitive than the keyboard, more accurate than a mouse, and more sensitive than a touchscreen.  (You can see it more in action here.)  This is easily the most revolutionary step in user interface for computer technology to come along since the invention of the mouse.  And while I personally don't think it'll completely replace the keyboard and mouse, I think it'll certainly be an addition we simply won't live without (it's certainly a small enough device to accompany the keyboard and mouse)!

I can personally say that this company will be strongly considering becoming a developer for the Leap down the line, especially since this company will be developing its own game engine and other game development-related software soon.  We like using game engines, but we'd like to use a customized solution.  But in any case, expect to hear more about this technology in the media--and our concept usages of it for games on this blog--later down the road.  For now, you can visit their website for more information and to pre-order the Leap.

- Brian

A brief look at upcoming titles from PolyKhrome

Here's a quick look at the next titles that PolyKhrome currently has lined up behind our development for Cyka (please note that these games are not listed in order of development):

Deuces Wild!™


Join Jack Deuce, former secret agent and present head of the rogue agent team A>C<E (which stands for "Agency of Criminal Encroachment"), as he engages in the business of "criminal encroachment," which is where they stop secret world threats and take their piece of the criminals' share while they're at it.  Along the way, he searches for his traitor older brother and former A>C<E partner, Magnus Deuce.  This is an espionage/secret agent-style action game with a style that's Maverick-meets-Lupin the 3rd-meets-Mission: Impossible, with an emphasized jazzy soundtrack that'll give Cowboy Bebop a run for its money.  (The first episode of this series is the next PolyKhrome title in line for development.)


Dis_connected™

Play as a runaway rebel in a mech, seeking freedom from a desert post-apocalyptic science-fantasy world where everything is connected online by a constant stream of neurologically-addicting signal waves--a form of mind Internet through powerful neurologically-altering signal waves.  Citizens are hooked on the signal wave like a drug, done by major companies contracted to keep the people under their residual tyrannical governments' thumbs, and though many try to escape, few people ever succeed.

While you're struggling to escape from controlled task forces and hired bounty hunters chasing after you, your character struggles as you attempt to break them away from the highly-addictive mental signal, which your runaway mech pilot must overcome.  Meet up with other successful runaways, and help each other reach the rumored haven that all runaways risk their lives hoping exists.  The characters face the dangers of escaping into a wild dangerous fantasy world together while fighting cold-turkey against their lifelong addictions.  This science-fantasy mech RPG feels like Final Fantasy-meets-Front Mission-meets-Zone of the Enders.


Dis_connected II: Salvation Age™


For now, that's all we're going to tell about this one--the title.  ...Well, and that the game also involves interplanetary space travel, a secret space colony, and effort to finally free humanity from the brain-drug signal waves.  But that's all we're telling right now.


Mega Bits™

The virtual gaming world needs saving from a looming threat, and it's up to three (moronic) 8-bit characters to transcend through the many gaming dimensions to save the day.  They'll meet other video game legends along the way, as well as get use to new things as they experience life in other graphical worlds (like having shadows and actual voices for once).  This game is a parody genre-hopping nostalgia-overload adventure-role-playing game that shouts out to classic gaming culture.




Jewel Huntress Mai™

In a nutshell: Deep adventure, shallow girl.  Mai is a jewel huntress, someone who makes a living hunting for special and rare jewels besought by high-paying employers who want them for whatever reason, and she's brash and action-hungry.  When she is commissioned by her best friend Kimiko to help her find a rare yellow stone, she is unaware just how important the stone truly is, and furthermore, that some very powerful people are also seeking after the stone at any cost.  This game has a rich Japanese animé illustrative style reminiscent of Dragon Ball, with funny characters, a wild plot that leaves Mai confused, deep exploration, a dynamic third-person battle engine, and nice real-time cinematic touches to the game that makes it feel more like watching a show than playing a game.


Cyka II™ (working name)

     In Cyka, the threat came from the planet Rhye and the world divided over it.  In Cyka II, the threat comes to the planet Rhye and the world will unite over it.


There's a lot of work ahead for this company, but it all depends on our success with Cyka, and so Cyka is getting PolyKhrome's full and undivided attention.  We won't rest until Cyka is complete and running perfectly.