Why 3DS?

Screw it... after lunch, let's go to Best Buy

I've been trying to justify the expense of purchasing a Nintendo 3DS since its North American release. Given that I own and operate a software company (capitolhill.ca, yo!) I could easily justify it for business purposes... well, at least in the sense that it's a deductible business expense.  On a more personal, practical level however, it could only be justified, perhaps, if my iPhone App would sell a few copies.  As it currently stands, a 3DS and one game would drain my corporate bank account and I need that money for five martini business lunches.

Amidst this personal struggle, and perhaps in spite of my wife's unexpected support in me pissing money down the drain, I decided to read what other people have said.  For the most part the reviews have been positive (Google "3DS review" to see for yourself).  They are typically quite comprehensive; evaluating everything from battery life, to controller features, to the plastic shell that contains the hardware.  This is all stuff I couldn't care less about, because it is, obviously, the glasses-less 3D screen that sets this device apart from the rest, and the only reason I really want one.

As a casual gaming device, I see incredible potential for the Nintendo 3DS. I want the three-minute bus stop gaming experience, because my lifestyle (simultaneously blessed and encumbered by two small children) allows for little else.  As such, I like solitary card/board/Brick-Breaker-type games that I can commence and cast aside as time permits. That said, what does the 3DS offer that existing DS systems do not? Yes, the 3D screen... but why 3D?

Yes, why?

That question was raised as result of this review. Specifically, the reviewer's assessment of Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition:

There's also a new, over-the-shoulder view to help augment the illusion of depth, but it won't take long for serious gamers to revert to the traditional side-view.

3D is cool. There's no doubt about that. But what does it really add to game play?  The Street Fighter game wasn't the only one reviewed that gave rise to this question... 3D might be a thousand times cooler than standard 2D game play, but it seems that all the existing titles are equally fun and equally playable in 2D. Before I absorb the expense of a 3DS, I'm going to wait for a game that can only be played in 3D.

Or, better yet, dream one up myself....

Global Game Jam 2011 - Beefalo and HTML5

Okay, GGJ11 happened like six weeks ago, so this post isn't even the least bit timely, but if I let it slide I couldn't call myself a wannabe game producer. 

In the days leading up to the actual Global Game Jam event I kept hoping that something would come up that would give me an excuse not to go.  Mostly I didn't like leaving my pregnant wife and 17-month old daughter for 48 hours.  Also, I absolutely loathed the idea of forgoing sleep in favour of being hunched over an 11-inch laptop monitor.  But, when the weekend was over and all the pussies who whined about not having the time or being too old asked me how it was, I was able to report that it was simultaneously the worst and greatest thing I've ever done.

Well... maybe it wasn't the greatest thing I've ever done, but it was totally worth it.  I will almost certainly go back next year (unless I can think of convenient excuse to do otherwise). 

Because I actually am too old for this game jam nonsense

This year's game jam theme was extinction.  With that in mind, my three teammates and I decided to do something buffalo themed.  Then, recalling the whole infected-blanket-aboriginal-genocide thing, we decided to go with the buffalo's politically neutral half-brother... the beefalo.  

Cow + Buffalo = Beefalo

As it happens, this tremendous beast occupies a special place in my heart.  It also boasts a coveted top-ten spot in my list of funniest things ever.  Few things tickle me more than the simple fact that this creature actually exists.  In Grade 8 I even self-published a comic book starring the The Incredible Beefalo and his side kick Low Self Esteem Man.  Conversely, this abysmal comic creation ranks in the top-ten of the most embarrassing things I've ever done.  It was bad by Grade 8 standards.

Being the kind of guy who likes to make life hard for himself, I convinced my team that creating our game entirely in Javascript and HTML5 would be a good idea.  To make it even better and because I'm totally bad ass, I decided to write the whole thing from scratch (i.e., without the aid of any tools or libraries).  Did it work?  Yes!  Is it fun?  Not in the slightest.  It's only fair to mention that the other programmer on my team had to work the first evening.  Had he been there, he would probably have talked some sense into me and our game would have been a thousand times more awesome. 

If you want to try The Running of the Beefalo, or if you just want to rip off our code, feel free to download the source.  It is offered without warranty and without documentation.  Have fun!  It works best in Chrome, though I've had some success with Firefox.  Just download, unzip, and double-click the index.html file.  I used to have it available online, but successful downloads/startups only happened about 50% of the time.  It's totally reliable when loaded locally, however. 

Finally, a special thanks to Owen, Norm, and Jeff.  If I have one regret, it's that I spent too much time focused on the code and not enough time getting to know you all better.  If you come back next year and are up for something crazy (not likely), it would be my privilege to work with you again.