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Crate Expectations
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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Fri Oct 23rd at 11:35am 2009

Hey folks! Thought I'd do a wee plug for my new game "Crate Expectations", in the hope that at least a few of you guys have Xbox 360s! It's just gone up on Xbox Indies for the low price of 240 points (£2, $3) this very day. We'd really appreciate anyone taking a look - whether just the trial or the full game - and rating it *5* whatever you *5* think it *5* deserves.

*5*. Ahem.

A little over 2 months ago myself and 3 work colleagues decided to make a wee Xbox Indies game in our spare time. We set out to make something really simple in a week or two, and although the game was technically "finished" at that point, we decided we'd spend a bit more time on it and get it polished up with decent AI, online play, and more. Crate Expectations is the end result.

So what is Crate Expectations? Well it's a strategy game, but not in the typical video gamey way. This is chess style strategy. You and up to 3 opponents each have a start point and a delivery point, and need to deliver a number of crates from one to the other before the others beat you to it. Between the start and end point is one of over 60 different icy mazes, each named an often cringe worthily bad, but occasionally downright fantastic, crate-based pun. The game plays out in turns, and although it may seem initially simple to just plot the most efficient route and slide your crates along it, the real fun comes from screwing each other over by blocking paths, ramming their crates out of the way, and generally being an asshole!

Here's a bunch of stuff to look at to try and sell you on it smiley

THE FACEBOOK FAN PAGE!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crate-Expectations/293365705491?ref=nf

THE TRAILER!


THE SCREENSHOTS!








Thanks to any and all who check it out and rate us! If anybody wants to get a game online some time, or has any feedback for us, we'd really appreciate that too. We're hoping to do a Christmas themed updated with a bunch more levels and graphics updated to suit the season, so ideas or improvements you think could be made are very welcome!



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by G4MER on Fri Oct 23rd at 12:04pm 2009

I will be getting it Reno, fantastic Work! smiley smiley smiley smiley





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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by tnkqwe on Fri Oct 23rd at 3:14pm 2009

Looks cool.


Never think about bad things!
TNKqwe:The New Killer qwe

I am Engineer - Play Free Online Games

Citizen Arms



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by haymaker on Fri Oct 23rd at 11:13pm 2009

That is a very nice ad-vid, I like the music direction. Good work getting this out! My son has a 360, I'll put it on there



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Sat Oct 24th at 2:14am 2009

Thanks guys! We're all really happy with how the game came out considering our short dev time, so hopefully others will feel it's a decent game as well and find some enjoyment from it smiley It really comes into it's own in multiplayer, so if you get the chance to play it with others rather than against the AI (though the AI is pretty good!), I'd really encourage you to do so!

Would be really great if anyone with access to an Xbox 360 with LIVE access could give it a download and a rating. As I mentioned before there's a trial version available, and that (as standard for Xbox Indies games) lets you play for 8 minutes before forcing you to quit and restart the game so you don't need to commit any money before giving it a try.

Getting downloads and ratings in the first few days of release is really imperative to Xbox Indies games as nobody really looks beyond the 3 main front sections - New Releases, Top Downloads, and Top Rated. So we need to try and get into either Top Downloads or Top Rated before we slip off the New Releases page, as after that point people have to find it by searching through a bit list of 500+ games! As we're not such a "mass appeal" game as some things on Xbox Indies we're not too likely to hit big in terms of download counts, so we're hoping to score high on the ratings to try and get into that page. Any help along the way is much appreciated!

Cheers guys, let me know what you think and pass on any suggestions if you do give it a crack!



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Orpheus on Wed Oct 28th at 1:20pm 2009

Duncan,Duncan,Duncan.... smiley

It is not exactly my first choice in gaming, I am proud none the less of your accomplishment.



The best things in life, aren't things.



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Sat Oct 31st at 1:44pm 2009

Aww thanks Jon, good of you to say so smiley It's definitely not a game for everyone, but it's pretty good fun once you get the hang of it. We're pleased with how it came out.



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Riven on Sat Oct 31st at 8:16pm 2009

I don't have a 360, but I have plenty of friends who do, and I pimped the game out to them; not sure if any of them bought it, but they did play it I believe.


Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Tue Nov 3rd at 10:48am 2009

Cheers Riven, nothing like some word of mouth advertising! Even if none of them bought it it is still appreciated smiley



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Crollo on Wed Nov 4th at 2:20am 2009

But... How?



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by **Dedi** on Wed Nov 4th at 4:12am 2009

Just wondering... are you thinking of porting it to PC?



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Wed Nov 4th at 8:43pm 2009

Quoting yodalman
But... How?


How? Umm, not sure I'm really following the question here smiley How did we make it? Or do you mean something else?

Quoting **Dedi**
Just wondering... are you thinking of porting it to PC?


We're considering it, but sadly there are complications. You see we use Xbox LIVE for our lobby system, matchmaking, etc... To get online multiplayer working on PC would mean finding a replacement system to use (as for some reason Microsoft doesn't let you use Games for Windows LIVE to handle your online multiplayer when you develop using XNA). We've gone to Valve to ask about Steamworks but they said they're full up of casual games for this year, so to try applying next year. We're considering maybe looking at impulse who offer a similar service, but nothing is set in stone right now. Our alternative option is to release without online multiplayer, but I'm not sure that'd be a great idea.



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Crollo on Mon Nov 9th at 3:22am 2009

Quoting ReNo
Quoting yodalman
But... How?


How? Umm, not sure I'm really following the question here smiley How did we make it?


DING DING DING!!

I had no idea the average consumer could make a 360 game, let alone buy the softwareliscence needed.



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Mon Nov 9th at 10:19pm 2009

Ah, in that case allow me to explain smiley

Microsoft opened up a new area on the Xbox games marketplace called "indie games". Through that channel absolutely anybody can release games for download on the Xbox 360 by making them using Microsoft's XNA platform. It's basically a programming API like DirectX, and although it doesn't offer you the same degree of flexibility that you'd get as a full retail or Xbox LIVE Arcade title, it is still very powerful.

In order to release games on the service you need to join the creators club, which is a subscription service that costs $99 a year. You then build your game and submit it for peer review, where other creators club members run through a series of checks, ensure it doesn't crash or contain obscene material, and then allow or deny it from the marketplace. If you pass then you should appear on the Xbox marketplace for anybody who connects to LIVE.

Games that go up on Xbox Indies HAVE to have a price attached; you cannot release your game for free. You are allowed to charge 80 points ($1), 240 points ($3), or 400 points ($5), and whatever you charge Microsoft will take 30% of your profits and pay you the remaining 70%.



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Crollo on Wed Nov 11th at 1:48am 2009

Quoting ReNo

Microsoft will take 70% of your profits and pay you the remaining 30%.


That is the MOST BULLSHIT THING I HAVE EVER HEARD...


EVER...






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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Le Chief on Wed Nov 11th at 1:53am 2009

Quoting yodalman
Quoting ReNo

Microsoft will take 70% of your profits and pay you the remaining 30%.


That is the MOST BULLSHIT THING I HAVE EVER HEARD...


EVER...




... What was the point in that? smiley


Aaron's Stuff



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by **Dedi** on Wed Nov 11th at 4:48am 2009

Hmmm... I don't know how... but you misquoted that. The actual quote should have been "Microsoft will take 30% of your profits and pay you the remaining 70%."



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Thu Nov 12th at 3:59pm 2009

Ha, for a moment I was worried I'd got them the wrong way around! 30% isn't really too bad an offer; they are providing you with a free distribution channel after all (well...other than the $99 subscription, which is pretty reasonable too).



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by Riven on Sat Nov 14th at 8:06am 2009

Well then, I'd be curious to know (perhaps not that curious otherwise I'd look it up myself -dang internet not allowing excuses like that to prevail smiley ) to know what Valve charges for a 'developer fee' -if you had gotten on their annual list. -And what percentages they take from your sells?

Quoting **Dedi**
Hmmm... I don't know how... but you misquoted that. The actual quote should have been "Microsoft will take 30% of your profits and pay you the remaining 70%."


That "I don't know How" leads me to believe that a margin of error as precise as that little maneuver yodalman pulled off was no unintended miss-quote (unless the guy just feels like re-typing other people's quotes instead of using the cosmological physics-defying human tool of copy/paste embedded into every modern standardized-part computer/machine [with keyboard layout]). I presume it was a misguided poke at a certain level of humor upon which our humor radars failed to detect. In any case, we should quickly dismiss it before our own over-analyzation convening becomes more pronounced than both the misunderstood joke and subject of this thread combined!


Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202



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 Re: Crate Expectations
Posted by ReNo on Sat Nov 14th at 2:05pm 2009

Wow, your post got seriously f'd up there Riven! Layout is all outta whack!

I'm not sure I should post about the percentage splits offered on Steam here - it seems like something that is generally kept outta the public eye for whatever reason. I've never dealt with Valve directly but know through the company I work for what deal we got. A quick look online didn't come up with many results for how the profits are split, so I don't want to become the person that shares em when I wasn't meant to smiley



Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net




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