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MattDonatelli

making Hive Jump is a blast!

About

Username
MattDonatelli
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Administrator, Developer
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276
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Website
http://www.hivejump.com/
Twitter
@mattdonatelli
Steam ID
spekkio
PSN ID
themaineman5

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Featured Badges

  • Online Multiplayer Progress, Backer NPCs, Indie Spotlight!

    MattDonatelliMattDonatelli

    Online Multiplayer Progress, Backer NPCs, Indie Spotlight!

    Happy 2016 Jumpers! This is it. This is the year of the JUMP!

    We’re super pumped to bring you this update because it shares the first look at one of our biggest and most important systems. Online multi-player. We’ve also been progressing with additional front-end elements of the game, creating and sharing backer NPCs as well as doing our best to spread the word about the game.

    In this month's update:

    • Online Multi-player First Look!
    • Backer NPCs and cameos!
    • Pure Nintendo’s Indie Spotlight on Graphite Lab!
    • Community Spotlight: CRASHLANDS!
    Online Multiplayer
    One of the biggest systems we’ve planned for Hive Jump is the Online Multiplayer system. While the game has been designed with multiplayer in mind from the start, there were months of development where we had to get in depth with the gameplay and the online play fell behind. We’re now happy to report that we’re getting that system properly synced. 

    image
    Some highlights so far:

    • We have the game running online cross-platform, specifically; we’ve been testing PC to Mac connections.
    • The game stays well-synced for a while but we still need to do more refactoring.
    • Some of the physics systems weren’t super friendly with the approach we are taking and its causing some thing to get out of sync.
    • We also have to spend some time configuring a more reliable way to do collision checks.
    Even beyond bug-fixing and optimization, there is still a fair amount of work to do (such as the steam matchmaking), but we’re so excited to be getting to this stage where we can play Hive Jump online. We can’t wait to play this game with all of you!

    Backer Tier NPCs

    image
    All of our AWESOME NPC DESIGNER TIER backers and above are getting their likeness added to the game! We’ve enjoyed talking with all of you to collect your photos, learn about your interests, and then turn that into an awesome NPC which will be discovered in special parts of the Hive.

    image


    PURE NINTENDO MAGAZINE IS PURE AWESOME!
    Want to say a special thanks to Justin Sharp, Tristan Meiman who flattered us with a two page indie spotlight in the Dec/Jan issue of Pure Nintendo Magazine! Then, we need to say a HUGE THANKS for the WHOPPING 6-page spread which covered Hive Jump! THANK YOU!
    image

    Download the mag at: http://purenintendo.com
    Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PureNintendo
    Tell them they are cool on Twitter: https://twitter.com/purenintendo/


    Community Spotlight: Crashlands


    CRASHLANDS! Woot! How awesome was that trailer?


    We can’t say enough good things about our buddies at Butterscotch Shenanigans. These guys (fellow St. Louis developers) have gone through serious hell to bring their game to market and guess what? It launches tomorrow on Steam, iOS, and Android! 

    Pick up a copy and give them that day 1 bump!

    QaantarBurgyMeraple0589651Scott_McDermott

  • A Whole Year

    MattDonatelliMattDonatelli
    Here's some screens from our old prototype: http://hivejump.com/community/discussion/209/throwback-thursday-our-first-prototype
    Burgy

  • Vidja Games!

    MattDonatelliMattDonatelli
    Hoping to have some news on that for you guys in the January update! There wasn't really a December update because of all the holidays and such. Really cuts down on working days. 

    Stay tuned!
    0589651Scott_McDermott

  • Hai Guys! Updates?

    MattDonatelliMattDonatelli
    Thanks @Xslice55555 ! We really want to get an alpha into everyone's hands as soon as possible. These additions get us a lot closer to that goal!
    0589651

  • Menus, Updated UI, and Press Coverage!

    MattDonatelliMattDonatelli

    Happy Holidays Jumpers!

    'Tis the season to lock yourself indoors and sit in front of a computer screen... and we've certainly been getting plenty of screen-time working on Hive Jump! 

    We've been hard at work developing a lot of front-end elements of the game, taking it from feeling like a development sandbox to a real shippable game. In previous updates, we've shared a lot of content directly related to gameplay, but as we get closer and closer to an alpha that we can share with you all we have to start making menus galore! 

    In this month's update:

    1. Loadout Screen Complete and Player Profiles
    2. In-Game HUD Improvements
    3. Majestic Menu Concepts!
    4. Shigeru News Interviews Matt Raithel!
    So grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the update!

    Loadout Screen: Get ready to JUMP!

    In last month's update you saw some work-in-progress gifs of the Loadout Screen, but here it is in its fully implemented and animated glory!


    In addition to getting the front-end interface looking and feeling good, we've also had to do a considerable amount on the back-end with user profiles. Players will each have a profile that tracks their stats, unlocked equipment, key bindings, and character customization. You can create or select a profile easily, or sign in as a guest if you don't want you progress tracked. 

    In-Game HUD Improvements

    We love to playtest Hive Jump with fans in the local area and at conferences like PAX and Indiecade as often as we can manage. We always get great feedback from players, and we work hard to incorporate as much as we can. We've made several improvements to the In-Game Hud in order to better communicate aspects of the game to players. 



    We've tweaked the positioning of some HUD elements to make room for a brand new Utility Cooldown bar. This will show you how long until you can use certain utility items (currently just Smart Turret and Rejuvenation Field).



    Let's face it, jumpers are somewhat expendable. So, wouldn't it be nice if you knew how long until reinforcements arrive when they do die? Well thanks to this new HUD element, you can now count down the seconds until you're back in the fight!



    Keeping the Transponder Backpack safe is of utmost importance and it can easily get lost in the chaos of battling swarms of aliens, but NO LONGER! Now the backpack is outlined while down and vulnerable to attack. 

    Menu Concepts: Work-In-Progress

    We plan to finish building out the front-end of the game over the next month, getting us significantly closer to an alpha that we can share with early-access backers. Here are some work-in-progress concepts for various menus throughout the game! 

    Mission Complete Screen Concept
    Above - Mission Complete Screen Concept

    Game Settings Screen Concept
    Above - Game Settings Screen Concept

    Lore Reading Screen Concept
    Above - Lore Reading Screen Concept

    Note: These are all work-in-progress and subject to change and revisions!

    Shigeru News Interview w/ Matt Raithel
    Matt Raithel warns Shigeru News of impending alien invasion in Hive Jump.
    Matt Raithel warns Shigeru News of impending alien invasion in Hive Jump.

    Our very own studio head Matt Raithel was interviewed by Shigeru News about Hive Jump just recently! If you're still itching for more Hive Jump news and updates, you should give the interview a read here.

    Would you like to know more?
    As always, looking forward to discussing the update with you all below!
    BurgyMerapleQaantar