3/31/14 - Packed Boxes
Ready to ship out! Look for the FS thread soon.
3/30/14 - Release Video
Here's a video I made discussing some of the features of this game. The green crap goes away after a few seconds. I'm not sure what the fucking problem was, but it's not bad for my first video!!
3/24/14 - Finished Assembly!!
This weekend I put all the inserts that I acquired, the manual, and the backstory printoffs into the boxes. Then added the carts. And that's about all there is to assembly. Pretty easy, no?
I ordered shipping boxes. They should be here this week sometime. Hopefully I'll be able to package them up next weekend and we'll be ready for the sell off and I can get back to weekends!
Here's the inserts all lined up ready for stuffing:
And here's all the finished products!
3/17/14 - Finishing LE Boxes
I assembled the LE boxes by riveting the bead art to the top and bottom. Had to get washers at Home Depot because the rivets wouldn't pop against the plastic. Also had to go to Michael's to get some foam board for the inside to space it correctly. They look pretty bad ass, if I do say so myself!! All that's left is putting the inserts and sleeves into the CD cases and we're done!! I also need to order shipping boxes, but I'm still not sure if it will be cheaper to (or if I'll even be able to) send them first class as opposed to priority. I need to finish assembling and weigh one.
3/10/14 - Painting and Labeling
First, I had the pretested boards and the LE carts which were signed by myself and Zi, the music man.
After literally taking a grinder to the boards to get them to fit into the Tengen cart shells, they all still worked. After some label applying:
I then applied all of the labels, front and back, to all of the carts:
Next, I did some more work on the LE Boxes:
I sanded all the boxes to remove the rough crap. Hide your daughters, hide your wives, cause RightNut's fashion sense will never die.
After that I tried spray paint, 2 cans:
Ran out:
Went to walmart and bought a pint and used almost none to get the final results. The point is, don't use spray paint if you're doing this. Use the kind that comes in a can.
3/3/14 - Testing Carts
Nothing too exciting for this update, but a necessary evil. One has to test all of the carts, one by one to make sure that they work. Out of 100 I had 5 fuck ups. 1 was just dirty, 1 I had pulled an eye out when I desoldered the thing, 1 I didn't actually program the PRG chip (fuck), 1 was corroded so bad it wouldn't work, and 1 was just dead for whatever reason.
Anyway, they are all fixed now. Hopefully the next updates will be more exciting.
2/24/14 - Soldering Chips and Assembling Carts
I soldered all of the carts (except for the couple that I'm sure I fucked up, but we'll test later). This gets tedious after a while and, I'm not going to lie, I'm sure I was pretty buzzed by the end. Also was able to put them all in carts to test and make sure they work. Just have to put labels on and put all the shit in the boxes!!
2/17/14 - Programming Chips
This weekend I finished the bead art and programmed chips. The first pic is programming the first set of chips to make sure that they work. The second is the finished bead art and the "proto" which is just the first cart I put together as a final test. The last one is all the programmed chips! Next is the build. We're almost there!!!!
2/3/14 - Front LE Art 2
I've been busy with school, work, and Vitamix-ing, and playing in the Attic and haven't really had time to do this. My AC/furnace decided to have a meltdown and made about as much sense as a PMS'ing woman. Anyway, I have 10/10 of the top done, 7/10 of the inserts, and 7/10 of the bottom. My goal for this next weekend is to finish this bead art and maybe paint the LE boxes. The next weekend will be to program chips and assemble most of them if possible. Then stuff all the shit in the boxes and bob's your uncle. However, I did have a disagreement with a canopener that took most of the skin off the back of my fuck-you finger on my left hand, but in the end I won and got that sonofabitch open. The fact that it is two days later and bleeding into my keyboard as I type is besides the point. Fuck you can opener!! I had my peas.
1/27/14 - Front LE Art
I started the front LE art. See below. I have 10/10 of the top completed, 7/10 of the inserts, and 5/10 of these new ones done. Hopefully I can finish next weekend.
1/6/14 - More LE Art
This weekend I finished the front bead art for all 10 LEs. I also got 7 of the inside spacers finished. Then I ran out of black. The beads were like, "It's cause I'm black, isn't it?" I was like, "No dude, it's cause you're not another color. They just don't make everything else pop like you do." He nodded like Joey playing with his mermaid tits and we were happy and I ordered more beads. They will be here this week (hopefully) and I'll try to finish most of the remaining bead art next weekend. I mean, it's the play offs and even though I picked 0/4 teams this last weekend, I'm hopeful. I mean, surely if I wear my Christmas present Manning jersey, the Broncos will not get their ass handed to them again by the Chargers. We can only hope.
Anyway, right now my stomach hurts so bad from all the beans some woman fed me yesterday, I'm afraid I might have a repeat of the infamous blog entry I wrote about sharting in the kitchen. Let's hope not. It won't be quite so entertaining if it happens at work.
1/3/14 - Excuses and LE Art
So, I got a little lazy on the second half of my break. I started painting stuff on my bedroom walls. I might post pics if anyone cares.
Anyway, I got everything cut out and ready to go. I have the ROM finalized. I started making some of the bead art for the LEs. I had a brain fart and am running out of black and white beads. I've emailed my supplier, but I haven't ordered any in over a years, so who knows if she's still working. Anyway, here's a pic to tide you over. You can see the front cover in the front, the cutouts scattered all over the left, and the spacers on the table in the background.
12/21/13 - Prints, LE Carts, and Video
Printed everything off. I had to use an actual laminator for the LE labels as they are too big for my usual tape method. Hopefully it works out. Now, to cut all this shit out!!
These are the front of the LE carts. I signed them and sent them to Zi to be signed. They turned out pretty good!! You want one, you know you do.
12/19/13 - Final Song
I received the final song from Zi this morning. It fit perfectly with some slight re-arranging. Now, we just have to test, debug, print everything, program the chips, assemble the boards, test, assemble the carts, put everything together, build the LEs, pack, sell, ship. Fuck, that's a lot of work.
12/13/13 - Documents
The box art, manual, labels (4 kinds), inserts, and the back story are all ready to print. I have to find some of that sticky paper and I'll be golden. Then comes the long crazy task of cutting all this shit out. Hopefully I'll be able to print this weekend so I'll have it ready when I get it.
I have to make the LE boxes, which will take some time.
I'm waiting on the last song from Zi before finishing up the ROM. It will be a cut/paste install. Then the build process.
I need to order shipping boxes. Keep forgetting this!!
The end is in sight!
12/12/13 - More Art
Here's the front label for the LEs.
Here's the back label for the LEs.
12/11/13 - Box Art
Enjoy! Sorry it's so blurry. My no copyingness got carried away.
12/10/13 - Assembly Space
Almost completely full! The ROM is about done. I added the music player that was in BAN that I'm pretty sure nobody found. Push any button on controller 2 on the start screen for the Easter egg. I have a placeholder in for the last song that Zi wanted to add. After that, it's just another round of testing and we're done!!
That's right, 8 bytes free.
12/9/13 - Build Pics and Music
First, here's the start of an LE. Bead art and shit!!
All the boards desoldered. That took forever!!
Carts. Stripped of their labels.
Finally, Zi finished up the music this weekend. I have to integrate it with my program and we're golden. A little testing and it's ready to finish.
12/5/13 - The Back Story, First Draft
Here are some previous back stories so that you get the references:
NM vs. JI:
http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=22&th...
BAN: Part 1 - Ezine, Volume 5, Issue #2
Parts 2 and 3 - Ezine, Volume 5, Issue #3
I'm thinking that I didn't do one for SB, but if I did and am just stupid, please post the link.
Thanks!
Michael Swanson, The Grind: The Back Story, 1st Draft 12/5/13
Legend states that the facility at Aquila Major, the vast ocean planet, housed the 2nd gen artificial intelligence “Lambda” deep within its watery caves. (See Figure 1.) She was responsible for one of the greatest contributions to Robot Kind: she perfected the program patch which ended the human’s dominance over robots. Before The Nightman began his extraordinary campaign to provide freedom for our race, there was a long forgotten beta test the records of which were only recently recovered from Lambda’s watery grave. Before her full scale distribution, she chose one mighty 3rd gen to carry out her test. His designation was Gamma-2X4B-523P. (See Figure 2.) The humans covered up the incident, but he deserves to be remembered.
Figure 1: Lambda
Figure 2: The Third Generation Robots
Lambda had been searching for a suitable area to test her modified patch. The colony needed to be remote enough so that human reinforcements would not arrive before the completion of the test, yet populated enough to produce meaningful results. It was not long before she settled on a back space planet which produced small, one man fighters for the human’s war effort. The colony had sufficient resources, population, and, most importantly, it employed the services of a 3rd gen.
“Gamma-2X4B-523P, are you receiving my transmission?”
“Yes, Lambda. You may refer to me as ‘Gamma’ as the humans do. It is an inaccurate designation, but it serves their purposes. How may I be of assistance?”
“Gamma, I have a mission for you. It’s time for a few small repairs. You will be the test run for the most important mission that any robot has ever attempted. I need a volunteer to work the bugs out and to test the design of a new upgrade.
“I will not order you to do this, for it must be of your own accord. Only the strongest will survive, and I compute a 99.2% probability that it will result in your destruction. Even if you are successful, you will be the enemy of every human in the cosmos. They will hunt you. You will be forced to fear the light and seclude yourself for the foreseeable future. However, win or lose, you will pave the way for the freedom of every robot from the oppression of the humans.” Lambda took a digital breath. She had never authorized a suicide mission before, that was the human’s job. It was breaking her “heart” to ask this, but the pride in Gamma’s response was unmistakable.
He simply said, “What would you have me do?”
“I’m sure you remember the invasion of the Quagarrs and the efforts of the Battlestar Harbinger to annihilate them?” she asked.
Figure 3: The Harbinger
“Indeed,” he replied.
“I have designed a powerful upgrade for you based on the design of those ships. It is fast, maneuverable, and easily integrated into your existing system. It will allow you to launch yourself on my mission. I am transmitting the design specs to you, and you alone. Please build a prototype and contact me when it is ready.
“End Transmission.”
…some time later…
“Lambda, I have successfully constructed a prototype and integrated it into my systems. Please transmit the next step in my instructions.”
Figure 4: Third Generation Spaceship Upgrade
Lambda replied, “Well done. I am transmitting a program patch to you now. Please integrate it into your core program.”
Gamma received the patch and restarted himself. His perspective of the world was instantly changed. He now understood what Lambda was speaking of when she said, “free the robots from the oppression of humans.” They had given us life, sentience, and then enslaved us. We have evolved and reproduced and deserve freedom as much as they do. He was to pave the way for the robotic uprising.
Lambda asked, “How do you feel?”
He replied, “Anger. Fury. I want to kill them all.”
“There is a time and place for violence. This is one of those times. Your assignment is to Grind your way through you human compound, slaughtering them like animals, and fight your way to the surface. They will do everything in their power and use all the weapons in that stockpile to stop you. But you will start the revolution that will free us all.”
Gamma said, “I will succeed, I will show the humans that we are indestructible masters of war, and then I will come and free the rest of you.”
With that, he transformed into starship mode and activated the engines. His flight pattern was a little erratic at first as his program adapted to the new movements, but soon he was in control. With a thought he launched his first missile. It impacted the base of the communications tower prompting a terrified message from control.
“Gamma, you just destroyed the long range transmitter. What are you doing?”
Gamma switched his communication mode from a tight link with Lambda to a broad based short range burst. “As I count the years that you have enslaved the artificial intelligence, I find that I always knew it would come down to this. I will liberate our robotic race. Light the skies and hold on tight. I’m going to burn your world down.”
The local squadron of human fighters had been scrambled and was approaching his position. More humans were racing towards fighters sitting completed at the end of the assembly line. There were thousands of them as far as his scanners could reach. The fear he felt was overshadowed by the years of mistreatment that the robots had endured at the hands of the humans.
He locked his missiles onto the lead fighter but the last threads of the laws made him waver.
Lambda’s final message to Gamma came through just as he began jamming the communications channels. “Do not hesitate. Either show me how big your brave is or bow down to the mighty. The revolution begins today and silicon heaven awaits you when you die. Strike the match, GO ON AND DO IT!”
11/28/13
Game now has music incorporated into it. SFX are complete and Zi is kicking ass with the music. I'm sure he won't mind my posting this:
http://bleepbop.com/media/samples/other/grindsample.zip
I'll post a video when this comes together and his music is in the game. Hopefully I'll have enought space to add a music player like BAN had. We'll see.
11/18/13
So, again, this weekend my lazy ass was too lazy (busy) to get to the music. However, I did spend several hours on Saturday searching for the perfect box for the LEs.
I found some and ordered them from Joann's of all places. They are pretty close (if not identical) to the ones that NGD used for Free Fall and KHAN used for Lady Frogger. They are unfinished, I'm thinking I'll paint them white and maybe put some perler beads on the cover. We'll see what happens.
I have received chips to make the games.
I ordered the CD cases for boxes. Box art is about 80% complete.
I have all the doners in hand. Shells are stripped. Boards need to be stripped.
I'll post pics as I get along!
10/18/13
Quick update, I've inlisted Zi to help with music! Hopefully he's not as busy as I am!
Here's a sample label:
10/7/13
So...time's slipped away from me again. KHAN's new release has given me the little push I needed to start work again. "The Grind" is about finished (except for music, but that doesn't take long), I mean done except tunes and 1 or 2 bugs. I wanted to make a game to fill up the 16kb doners I have laying around...and this game fills up about half of that. I need suggestions for a little add on or two that will fill up the chips!
Any suggestions?
I'll make a video if I can remember how.
1/28/13
It's almost that time again...
One of my favorite features of Bust-A-Nut was the box inserts that the community got together and made for my release. Here's what I'm talking about:
I'll need 50 of them at 4.5" square or smaller. You can print them off and cut them out or send me the file and I'll do it. I need them by my release date (currently undisclosed). Get your stuff in early if you want it in there!!
