Construction Time Again: Famicase 2024 R&D Thread

andrewelmore · 02 Feb 2024, 09:19

WHO'S READY TO MAKE SOME (IMAGINARY) VIDEO GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES

I have no idea what I'm doing yet this year lol.

What are your favorite sources for inspo?
Anything cool you wanna share?
Find any new resources or tools lately that might be useful?
Have any kinds of questions or anything you want to ask the community?

This is also a place to bounce ideas off each other, solicit feedback, etc. but try to keep it spoiler-free!

Let's start graphic designering video games and video gaming graphic design.
Again.

Edit: I didn't know it had already been announced! lol
https://twitter.com/meteor_club/status/ ... 8094321972

malyzar · 06 Feb 2024, 07:35

I got a massive head start and already have a rough draft! (Is this frowned upon? lol) I was in the same position around this time last year and ended up coming up with a new concept last-minute. So, maybe that'll happen again.

My current idea is kind of a cyberpunk-ish game about (digital?) clones. "Outrun Yourself" is the tagline, which I think sounds pretty neat. I won't spoil the overall design, but I'm currently using a neat pixel font from https://www.aeriform.io/ for the tagline.

Design inspo?? I've kinda been unplugged lately. I did recently stumble across this very neat grain + gradient map effect, but I doubt this would be applicable to Famicase design. https://youtu.be/1poWgZWpsiY?si=Y1IGAPK1m93KI3jv

What about you? Where's your head at? Whatchya got??

andrewelmore · 06 Feb 2024, 09:38

malyzar wrote: ↑06 Feb 2024, 07:35 I got a massive head start and already have a rough draft! (Is this frowned upon? lol) I was in the same position around this time last year and ended up coming up with a new concept last-minute. So, maybe that'll happen again.

My current idea is kind of a cyberpunk-ish game about (digital?) clones. "Outrun Yourself" is the tagline, which I think sounds pretty neat. I won't spoil the overall design, but I'm currently using a neat pixel font from https://www.aeriform.io/ for the tagline.

Design inspo?? I've kinda been unplugged lately. I did recently stumble across this very neat grain + gradient map effect, but I doubt this would be applicable to Famicase design. https://youtu.be/1poWgZWpsiY?si=Y1IGAPK1m93KI3jv

What about you? Where's your head at? Whatchya got??

Nice I have a direction of some kind, but no name or logo yet. Just supporting materials lol.

Also, I was looking at the Aeriform site, trying to figure out why it all looked familiar, until I saw that Rutherford Craze worked on the logo for Soul of the Beast, their Atari 2600 Shadow of the Beast homebrew lol.

malyzar · 13 Feb 2024, 01:15

I was unfamiliar with Rutherford. Great stuff and beautiful website!

Also, it happened again: I've completely redesigned my Famicase and it's way better. Working on supplemental stuff now. How's it going with you?

Fruitality · 13 Feb 2024, 16:04

Oh shit! I didn't realise it was announced either, and submissions were open so soon!

I'd better get started on something. I haven't even thought of a genre or anything for this year. My previous submissions could be categorised as:

- Retro analog tech
- Japanese-themed sci-fi
- Space exploration
- Dungeon Crawler / RPG
- Latin American-themed Survival

I think it would be cool to explore something closer to Horror, maybe with my recent interest in vampire fiction. A spin on some Dracula related nonsense could be fun.

Definitely something unrelated so sci-fi this year.

I've also thought in the past about trying to do something unplugged and physical, scanning it, and then putting type and details over top. Of course, I always leave everything to the last minute so I never have time so attempt that.

Fruitality · 13 Feb 2024, 16:04

malyzar wrote: ↑13 Feb 2024, 01:15 I was unfamiliar with Rutherford. Great stuff and beautiful website!

Also, it happened again: I've completely redesigned my Famicase and it's way better. Working on supplemental stuff now. How's it going with you?

You're a machine Matt. Reckon you're gonna redesign it again before submissions open?

malyzar · 13 Feb 2024, 23:09

Fruitality wrote: ↑13 Feb 2024, 16:04 You're a machine Matt. Reckon you're gonna redesign it again before submissions open?

Haha, I think I have it locked in for now. But we'll see!

+1 for horror.

I love the idea of doing something more unplugged and physical. I almost never do anything analog and sometimes feel like I'm skipping a step, lol.

Fruitality · 17 Feb 2024, 15:28

Sneak peek at Alex Griendling's entry on his Instagram story today

I don't think he's ever entered before so I'm excited to see the finished version!

andrewelmore · 18 Feb 2024, 09:29

instagram is still around too????

i messaged him to let him know but i'll tell you all here as well: Famicase has a strict "nothing pertaining at all to Nintendo or the 'family computer' in any way" rule due to Nintendo being notoriously litigious. I submitted something with "family computer" written in katakana just like Alex has here, and I had to change it before it would be accepted.

Fruitality · 20 Feb 2024, 19:42

I actually made a start tonight, and I'm pretty happy with how it's going!

turnwrighthere · 25 Feb 2024, 04:38

Working on my entry this year, I think it's in a good place but I need some time away from it to know for sure.

Hope everyone is doing well!

andrewelmore · 25 Feb 2024, 09:57

OH RIGHT FAMICASE

Fruitality · 25 Feb 2024, 21:00

Yeeeeeep. I need to go back to the drawing board with my idea I think. I'm digging the concept and style but my layout and illustrated elements need bit more planning and thought.

Friday's gonna come real quick!

Rubymv · 26 Feb 2024, 03:20

I have an idea already. I do these simple cat people drawings and I think it’d be fun to come up with a fake game concept for them. I’m glad I found out about the submission window when I did because it looks like I have a little over a month before the deadline. I’m not sure what type of game it would be yet but since it’s fake I guess the interpretation can be pretty loose. I’m looking forward to doing the text the most I think. Going to check out some of my famicom cassettes and the famicase archives for inspiration.

andrewelmore · 26 Feb 2024, 06:18

Rubymv wrote: ↑26 Feb 2024, 03:20 I have an idea already. I do these simple cat people drawings and I think it’d be fun to come up with a fake game concept for them. I’m glad I found out about the submission window when I did because it looks like I have a little over a month before the deadline. I’m not sure what type of game it would be yet but since it’s fake I guess the interpretation can be pretty loose. I’m looking forward to doing the text the most I think. Going to check out some of my famicom cassettes and the famicase archives for inspiration.

Heads up, usually submissions are filled within the day once the window opens : (