The Atmosphirian

Closure

2011-09-30T14:42:00.002-05:00

It’s been acouple years since the Atmosphirian started as a simple little side projectthat I thought I’d give a shot. I was never really much of a writer until theday I started this blog. Soon enough, I found myself writing and writing. Isimply couldn’t get enough, especially when I saw the pleasure that it broughtso many people. My little project was growing into something much bigger andbetter than I could have ever imagined, and that was terrific. But timeschanged, and I got busier, and the posts slowed down, eventually stoppingaltogether.

If you’reone of the old readers of the Atmosphirian, then welcome back. If you’resomeone new who has found this blog among the remains of civilization, welcome,future-starter!

I waswalking around campus the other day, and randomly thought about the one thingevery college freshman thinks about: my major. Ever since I saw how much peopleloved to read, I decided I wanted to become a writer so I could shareexperiences. But writing falls into many majors, such as English, CreativeWriting… And journalism. Upon thinking of that last one, memories of theAtmosphirian came to mind, and I realized that one day this blog just sort offaded away, left untouched. The thought made me sad, realizing there was neverany real closure.

If youhaven’t heard much from the Atmosphir world, I left several months ago.Pressures from school and life itself brought me to the decision to retire frommy Head Moderator position, step down from the Editorial Staff, and simply fadeaway, never truly leaving yet not entirely present. I still stop by the siteevery once in a while, never leaving any trace but glancing over things,amused. Very little has changed in the months since I left. That was okay withme, the Atmosphir I had fallen in love with long ago was scarcely present underall of the flashy props and firearms. I keep telling myself I’ll go backsomeday, even going as far as to download and open the game once more, but Istill haven’t felt that truly limitless inspiration that I used to feel sooften.

So,backtracking a bit, I decided that I should finally wrap this one up. Thisproject reached greater heights than I could ever imagine; looking at thepageviews as of now, there are 6234 recorded. Over six thousand views spreadover 75 posts… Wow, that really hit me. People enjoy reading about things theycare about, and as a writer, that’s really inspiring that such a small communitycould visit that often.

So thankyou to everyone out there who made the Atmosphirian what it was, is, and willbe preserved as in my mind. I always said the Atmosphirian was for the people,by the people, and that’s true. It got bigger and better because of all of you,and my thankfulness can’t even be put into words.

Thank youto Minor Studios for providing me with an opportunity to have something towrite about. It was a pleasure to represent the community for so long.

And thankyou to the future Atmosphir players and writers who continue to make projectslike this possible. If you’re considering writing about something, do it.Chances are that there are people out there who are willing to listen to whatyou have to say. Don’t get discouraged; it took the Atmosphirian nearly a monthof work to start gaining momentum. So too will yours if you put your heart intoit. Do it because you’re passionate. Do it because you care.

Do itbecause you’re an Atmosphirian. For the people, by the people.

Video: Teleporters and New Weapons

2010-07-01T01:54:00.001-05:00

Hello and welcome to the first ever Atmosphirian news broadcast. Today is July 30^th, 2010, and I’m your host, Colin.

Atmosphir has received several updates over the past week. The first update, 0.9.8.2, brought the long-awaited teleporters into Atmosphir. These interactive props are designed to transport any player or object from Point A to Point B in an instant. Teleporters take up one space on the design grid, and at this time cannot be scaled or free-placed.

Teleporters are activated simply by standing on them. There may be a charge or cool-down time, as determined by the designer of the level. Interactives, such as beach balls, boxes, and coconuts can be sent through the teleporter. Players have confirmed that bombs can be teleported, though the momentum of the shot will not be carried over unless the teleporter is designed correctly.

Version 0.9.8.3 was released today, bringing the community three new ranged weapons. The Plunderer K-460 is a bomb cannon whose bombs explode on impact. The Berryblaster SW-22 is a new laser weapon which fires a pair of pink rings for each shot. The final weapon, the AX-70, fires two red lasers in rapid succession. Head Moderator Adz was kind enough to provide the community with footage of each of these weapons for players who are cautious to spend their money. Each weapon is available in the store for 300 atmos apiece.

A new category has also been added to the store. This “animations” category is currently empty, but Dave has promised that there will be news about that in the near future. He did however confirm that there will be several basic animations which will be free of charge, while the more advanced animations will be on sale soon. Prices have not been announced.

That’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for watching.

New Design Challenge: Story10

2010-06-21T15:31:00.001-05:00

Storytelling has been a part of our world since the very beginning. The expression of feelings, events, and history through the written and spoken word has been a tradition that has been naturally passed on to us through the centuries. Stories are meant to invoke emotions in people, whether they be good (Happiness, joy, excitement) or bad (sadness, depression, gloom). Atmosphir’s latest Design Challenge addresses one of our oldest traditions in a storytelling competition.

Story10, announced last week, is the latest Design Challenge facing Atmosphirians. As the name implies, the object here is to create a story-driven level. There are an infinite number of stories that can be written of course. Dave (OkaySamurai) provided us with numerous examples, including a mystery, trivia game, interactive story, recreation of another story, and many more. If you need some quality examples, be sure to check out the official topic.

For many, the question comes down to “How do I tell a good story?” Unfortunately for the community, NPCs and dialogue are not available yet. However, info stickers are at our disposal. These circular Interactives display a text box whenever the play walks on them, allowing designers to convey a message. In a recent update, a new feature was added to them, allowing them to become invisible. In this challenge, Info Stickers will be the primary weapon.

Of course, a good story alone will not satisfy a majority of the community, who determine whether you win or lose. Excellent gameplay is expected to accompany the level, as always. There are two ways to approach this; build a level around a story, or write a story about a level. Having a basis is very important when it comes to creating both a level and a story.

If you’re having difficulties writing a story, try searching for writing tips on Google. There are many tips out there to help even the poorest writer create an excellent story. Music is also an excellent source of inspiration. Listen to the lyrics or feel the emotion in a song, and let the words flow naturally.

When using info stickers, be careful with your placement and visibility. Plastering your level with visible info stickers can take away from the scenery, but it means your audience will not miss them. On the other hand, invisible info stickers don’t damage the view at all, but they can be very easy to miss. Take the time to create a balance between these two extremes, as it could mean the difference between first place and not ranking at all.

The deadline for Story10 is July 1, 2010. Be sure to include “Story10” in your title! Good luck!

Guest Article: Seven Tips to Help You Become a Better Designer

2010-06-09T15:46:00.001-05:00

Today we have a guest article by a very special friend of mine, Prototype. He’s been a supporter of the Atmosphirian since the very beginning, and I’m very happy to have him write an article for it.

Atmosphir is one of the most flexible game making tools out there. The possibilities are virtually endless. Semi-recent updates have expanded those possibilities, enabling many advanced concepts to emerge. Over the past few months, great levels from great designers have set the standards for a good level. The following tips will help even the worst designers improve their levels.

1. Plan
One of the most important things you can do, is to plan out your level before you start making it. Not just in your head, either. A sheet of paper, a pen, and an imagination is all that you need to get started. What kind of level will this be? Will you collect treasure, battle enemies, race to the finish? Decide upon the ultimate goal of the level, and build upon it. After that, start drawing. Decide the shape of the level and where you want to end up. Plot where you want enemies to be, and where you want to place powerups or treasures. Try to make it as clear as possible. After you have thought about almost every aspect of your level, you can start making it.

2. Gameplay
In the end, your level has to be fun to play. If just one of your levels is really fun, the player will want to play the rest of your levels. So, what makes good gameplay? Extreme difficulty certainly isn’t the answer. Just because you can make a near-impossible level, doesn’t mean you’re a good designer. In fact, many players resent those who purposefully steal their atmoscore. It would be hard to describe what exactly makes good gameplay. So my advice to you, would be to look at popular levels and see what you can get from them. See how they are designed, and any concepts you can get from them. If there is something you like, copy it in your own level.

3. Concepts
“Good artists copy, great artists steal.” -Pablo Picasso
The previous tip advised you to see what you could copy from other great designers. If you want to be truly great, you won’t do that. At least, you won’t leave it at that. Great designers take it a step further. Once you have the idea, mold it and transform it into your own. The further you transform it, the better. Originality is greatly appreciated, and the original designers will be grateful that you built upon their concept.

4. Environment
A visually appealing level is like candy for your eyes. Not only does the level have to be fun to play, but it has to look good. Sometimes the scenery makes the level, and therefore it is important that you get it right. Just because you’ve thrown props around the level, doesn’t mean it looks good. One thing you can do to greatly increase the quality of your level, is to diversify your walls. When you use the same block to make your walls, the level looks kind of plain. It works for some levels, but not all of them. Throwing in another block or two adds diversity, and makes the overall look of your level more pleasant.

5. Capacity
Pay attention to the capacity bar. This tool can be the difference between the life and death of your level. A level the lags a lot isn’t enjoyable to play at all. Props, Hazards, and interactives take up the most capacity, while blocks and connectors don’t. The capacity bar is there to ensure that all levels work on most computers. The lower the capacity, the better. If you stay below 50 percent, almost every atmosphir user will be able to play your level.

6. Playtest
Just as location is to real estate, playtesting is to Atmosphir. Many consider this to be the most important thing you can do when designing a level. Make sure it is beatable. No one likes an impossible level. Playtesting will also help you prevent people from cheating your level. When playtesting your level, think like a player. Think as if they want to win the level as fast and as easy as they can. Once you prevent any bugs or cheats in your level, you can upload it.

7. Advertise
This is the easiest and shortest tip of all of them. No one is going to know about your level unless you advertise it. Make a thread in the Cool Levels section of the forums. Include a picture, a link, and a brief description of your level. You can also advertise it in your signature, or PM specific users, asking for feedback. Youtube is another great way to advertise your level. Upload a short preview of your level, and bam! You have people playing your level that didn’t even know about Atmosphir!

While there are many ways to make a level, there are many more ways to make a great level. Your designs are sure to get better with more experience. Thanks for reading, and I’m sure Picasso will greatly appreciate you using his advice.
DO THE PROOT

It’s The Final Countdown

2010-06-04T22:30:00.001-05:00

Atmosphir has been in development for quite awhile now; well over a year and close to two. Its gone from a simple desktop application with limited features to a web browser game with endless possibilities- and more are on the way. This Monday, June 7^th, Atmosphir steps out of private beta and welcomes the world into its halls.

While a specific time has not been established for the launch, it’s expected to take place mid-afternoon. When asked why the launch would take place on a Monday, Dave (OkaySamurai) replied that it would be much easier for the Development Team to address issues over the next week as opposed to letting them build up over the weekend, when a fatal error could easily occur.

The waiting list for Atmosphir has been growing longer since its beginnings during the December of last year. Dave has said that the list contains over 50,000 addresses, all awaiting the launch date. Of course, not all 50,000 will enter the game at once, though the size of the community is expected to swell rapidly over the next week.

Along with the official launch will be the return of the Atmo Store, where players can purchase atmos and player’s club benefits to enrich their Atmosphir experience. At this time, all previously owned or earned atmos or club statuses will be returned to players, with the ability to purchase more immediately available. Dave has announced that some features of the store will not be immediately available, such as the 10% Club discount, and prices should be expected to change as adjustments are made.

Community member Scary101 had a chance to meet up with DEV Team member Kotorna in a multiplayer match recently, and gleamed some information from him. The new laser weapons which were recently announced will not be a launch feature, but will be added in the near future. Small changes can be expected to be seen on the website, though none of them will be major. As an added benefit, Player’s Club members should receive their first exclusive gift on Monday as well.

Dave has also said that there is a very special surprise update planned for the first week of public launch. While it may not be much of a surprise anymore, players are speculating what it could contain. One of the more popular guesses references a secret message planted in the game itself which says that triggers are completed. While this hasn’t been confirmed by Minor Studios in any way, it is a definite possibility.

Whatever the future may bring, it’s certain that it will mean big news for Atmosphir and Minor Studios. As it has been said, this is not an ending. This is only a beginning.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading!

Atmosphir + Podcast = Atmocast

2010-05-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

Throughout its history, Atmosphir has experienced several types of media coverage. These range from numerous blogs to live sessions of the game all the way to crazy machinima creations. Last Friday, a new Atmosphir media surfaced.

Hosted by Wowfunhappy, Bigdrip681, Colinnn, Marcod, and Kaiserg, Atmocast hit the air. Due to some technical difficulties, there was a delay in the broadcast time, and two members of the team were unable to actively participate. Nevertheless, it seemed to be a hit with the community.

This group of well-known Atmosphir players held a live talk show where they discussed various aspects of Atmosphir. Topics included recent updates, gossip within the community, current events, and hot topics. Each host brought a different opinion to the table, making for an interesting conversation. Viewers were able to offer their own opinions and comment on the show through the live chat placed on the broadcasting site, Justin.tv.

While the team admitted that the technical difficulties were unfortunate, they’ve assured the community that they learned quite a bit from the experience and will use that knowledge to improve future episodes. Aside from some minor criticism, the show seemed to earn positive feedback from the community as a whole. Dave (OkaySamurai) himself tuned in to the show and expressed his love for it. In a comment on the feedback thread for the show, he said “That was GREAT! Genuinely funny, interesting discussions...I loved it.”

After the success of their debut, the team is excited to return on Friday, May 28 for yet another exciting episode. The show is expected to begin at 3:00 PT / 6:00 ET at www.justin.tv/atmocast. The team encourages anyone to come take part in the fun, and appreciates the support of the community.

If you missed the first episode, there’s no reason to worry. Kaiserg has provided the community with a downloadable version of the show, with an official iTunes Podcast listing coming soon. You can find the download and summary of the show here.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading!

Social Networking – Keeping You Up-To-Date With Atmosphir

2010-04-10T22:16:00.001-05:00

In today’s day and age, there are so many ways to stay connected. Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are three of the biggest ways to stay connected and share news. They’re cheap (if not free), effective, and quickly becoming the #1 way to connect with the world. Bigger names in the world are taking notice of it as well. Countless celebrities, companies, and organizations have used social networking to reach out to those who otherwise would not know anything about them.

Atmosphir is no exception to this popular trend. There are numerous ways to stay in touch with and receive updates from Atmosphir, as well as groups within it. The best part is that they’re free and located right on your computer!

Staying in touch with Atmosphir is pretty simple. Twitter is the most frequently updated venue, with updates concerning everything related to the game and its status. Occasionally those who tweet Atmosphir will even receive a response! The official Twitter name is @Atmosphir. If you have a Twitter account, it’s highly recommended that you add it to your watch list! Of course, that is not to say that Facebook does not have its own place. The official Atmosphir fan page, established by Minor Studios, officially represents the game on the world’s most popular social network. While updates are not quite as frequent, they tend to have more substance to them. One of the big Facebook-exclusive features of the fan page is the community polling. Occasionally a question will be asked about how they feel about a particular idea, and anyone is free to respond through the comment system.

The Atmosphir Editorial Staff also have their own Twitter account. You can find it at @AtmosphirES. In the past, the account has been used to provide daily Level of the Day news, updates, and other events taking place. With some transitioning taking place within the Editorial Staff due to some member changes, it’s uncertain where the Twitter account is headed now. However, the only way to find out is to add it to your watch list and find out!

The community itself is also rather involved with Twitter. A majority of the population has a Twitter account, and can be communicated with through the system. This includes some more important members of the community, including Martin Repetto (@Mrepetto) and the moderator staff. It’s not difficult at all to find friends on Twitter!

For those of you who are avid readers of the Atmosphirian, we also have a Twitter and Facebook page for your convenience. Become a fan and receive updates about anything going on here!

Bottom line, it’s not hard to stay in touch with the game you love. All it takes is a few clicks and you’re in. If you’re not already a member of these websites, take a moment to considering becoming one. Despite how much you use it, social networking, as said before, is becoming a huge hobby for the world. You may find something in it that you didn’t see before.

That’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for reading!

Impossible 2 – A Heated Challenge

2010-04-09T19:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since their implementation, leaderboards have always been a driving force for players. They provide fun and sometimes heated challenges that keep you coming back for more. That’s good news for the designer, as it means that they receive multiple plays from several users.

Good leaderboard challenges are generally those that do not have a specified high score. Generally that means that the level is timed, and remaining time leads to bonus points. When a challenge gets really heated, a split second can mean the difference between a gold and a silver medal.

Before the official launch, Dave Werner (OkaySamurai) developed a level designed to showcase the new ragdoll effects of dying. In the process, he got a little carried away. The result was known as Impossible 2 (sequel to the original Impossible, which has since been removed from the play browser). An unintentional challenge, it has quickly turned into one of the most played and hottest leaderboard challenges in the game’s history.

No one is exactly sure why Impossible 2 is as popular as it is. When looking at it, the level is composed of a long stretch of stone blocks loaded with fire-breathing birds, spinning owl traps, and spiked platforms. This level could quite literally be created in less than fifteen minutes. Regardless of its simplicity, players have fought with tooth and nail for the prized gold medal.

While the name implies that the level itself is unbeatable, that is not the case. At the time of writing, there are 43 ranking on the leaderboards. So how do players manage to beat it? Timing, precision jumping, and above all, luck. Finding a path to the finish flag can be incredibly difficult to do, but once you do, you’d better start memorizing it if you have any dreams of ranking high in the leaderboards. The best tip I can offer is to find a pattern and stick with it. After quite a few frustrating tries, you’re bound to make it to the end.

At the time of writing, there’s a three way tie for first place. Multiplayer, Evilpumpkin95, and CloakedYoshi13 have managed to escape the level with a total of 100,185 points. If you think you’re a good player, I highly suggest you take on their scores. May the best player win!

That’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for reading!

Tutorial10 Results, Gravity10 News, Atmosphirian on Facebook!

2010-04-08T22:55:00.004-05:00

It’s been close to two months since the release of Project Stratosphir, and the community has been hard at work exploring every aspect of the game since then. The results of the community’s work has been truly incredible. From groundbreaking new level designs to some of the coolest avatars you’ll ever see, the game has taken leaps and bounds since version 1.8 (the update prior to Project Stratosphir).

One of the more exciting events of the past few months was Tutorial10, the first design challenge to be presented to the new update. The goal was simple: Create a level which teaches new players what Atmosphir is all about. The community cast their votes for their favorite levels, and the winners were presented a short while after.

For those of you who did not see the video, the winners were (in order from 10^th to 1^st): The Yellow Brick Road (Fallenflames), Tutorial Sequence (Turqmelon), Training Fortress (TheUltimateYoshi), Neuropasta (Pukezap), Nuinethir’s Guide to Atmosphir (Nuinethir), Isle of Dreams (Drfuzzyness), Ask Stonehead! (Groud), The Ultimate Guide to Atmosphir (Cheezyboom), Tutorial Island 2 (Chillinguy), and The Sunburst Tutorial (Boberto).

Congratulations to everyone who entered, and an extra congratulation to the top three winners! Like any other design challenge, the top three will receive Atmos prizes; 250 for third, 500 for second, and 1,000 for first.

Following Tutorial10 is Gravity10. As the name implies, this design challenge is focused on the Gravity Shifter, which is perhaps one of the most interesting additions to the game. The challenge this time is to create levels which use the new gravity features in a fun and creative way. The deadline for entries is tomorrow, April 9^th.

Dave (OkaySamurai) has added an extra incentive for players to participate in this challenge. In addition to issuing Atmos prizes, all designers who enter a level will be entered into a raffle to receive a prize pack from Minor Studios. This pack is guaranteed to include one Atmosphir T-Shirt (A real one, not virtual) in addition to some “goodies” as they were described. The raffle will be held by Dave, following the deadline for the design challenge. Pay attention to the forums for an announcement concerning the winner!

In Atmosphirian news, we have recently launched our very own Facebook fan page! Click here to view it. If you are not familiar with Facebook, simply click the “Become a Fan” button to show your support for the Atmosphirian. Similar to @Atmosphirian on Twitter, becoming a fan on Facebook will keep you up-to-date with everything that is happening in the Atmosphir world. You are also free to leave questions, comments, criticisms, and concerns on this page as well! Pay attention, as we may release some Facebook-exclusive news in the future!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Design Challenge – Tutorial10

2010-03-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

In the old Atmosphir, Design Challenges were always a big hit. The concept was simple; build a level to meet a certain theme or criteria, and publish it alongside other entries to be judged by members of the community. The best levels were featured on the news page, and the top three winners received Atmos as prizes. First place won 1,000 Atmos, second won 500, and third won 250.

The last design challenge given to the community was Arcade09, back in November. Since then, the community has been deprived of the most popular competition to hit the site. Thankfully this beloved contest has returned in the newest version of the game.

One of the earliest design challenges was Tutorial09. In it, players were instructed to create levels that were idea for beginners. This meant simple concepts that forgave easily and let newbies get into the flow of gaming again. Of course, the downside to that challenge was that the designer had no effective means of communicating with the player, except through the level description before the play button was even pressed. Since then, things have changed.

With the addition of the Info Sticker tool, this month’s design challenge has been taken to a whole new level. Titled Tutorial10, the criteria is essentially the same as it was way back then: Build a level which allows newbies to get used to the game. Dave (OkaySamurai) has encouraged the community to start the level easily, and move up to more advanced concepts which test previous knowledge.

It has not been officially stated how this contest will be judged. The official topic for the design challenge says “At the end of the contest, the Minor Studios staff will select their personal favorites.” This implies that Minor Studios will play and vote on the levels themselves. However, this goes against the tradition of the community selecting levels.

As usual, the prizes will be 1,000 Atmos for first, 500 for second, and 250 for third. As an added bonus, some levels may be selected to be official tutorials for the game in the future! The deadline is March 10, 2010. Good luck everyone!

Thanks for reading!

The Evolution of Atmosphir - 3/3/10

2010-03-03T21:53:00.001-06:00

It’s been a few weeks since the initial release of the prebeta version of Project Stratosphir. Since then, the community has experienced wave after wave of creative concepts, stunning effects, and the growth of what many believe to be the future of gaming.

As you may recall, roughly 500 users signed up and were accepted to be prebeta testers, in addition to those who had purchased Player’s Club. Since gaining access, they have scarcely tested the limits of the new game. While their clever concepts and sleek designs are no doubt impressive, it’s doubtful that they have even scratched the surface of what is possible.

On the topic of highlighting levels which stand out amongst the others, the Editorial Staff has returned once again to provide the community with daily reviews of the best of the best Atmosphir has to offer. The group of eight (Adz, Boberto, Colinnn, DuffyZeEmu, EliteBlackDragon, EdacOnag, Robcozzens, and Swordsman761) will be aiming to publish daily. For the time being, their articles will be posted in the “Cool Levels” section of the forums, as a functional news page is not yet operational.

The Editorial Staff also now has their own Twitter account. Following @AtmosphirES will provide you with constant updates concerning the group, including Level of the Day links, upcoming events, and important news.

Bit by bit, the forums are also becoming fully functional. Since the initial release, simple BBcode has been made available. We are now capable of making text bold, italicized, larger, or smaller. Hyperlinks and Image Tags have been implemented as well. Each user is also now capable of designating their own signature for their posts, but images have not been allowed yet, if ever. Andres, an employee of Minor Studios, is responsible for these updates. Be sure to thank him if you get the chance!

Through Twitter, @Atmosphir has announced that a new design block will be made available in the very near future. While no official date has been set, it is expected to come along with the newest update to the game since the release of v0.7.2 last week. Pay attention to the official Atmosphir twitter for updates!

As of yet, the AtmoStore is not yet functional. On the forums, Dave has mentioned that it will most likely be later in March, when everyone’s Atmos are reset again, due to a bug in the checkout system. Expect an improvement to the shopping system when compared to previous versions!

The Atmosphir community is in a state of excitement as of late. With a nearly a year’s worth of waiting finally finished, it’s a time of great celebration for everyone. For many, this is a time of bonding and exploration into a world familiar, but yet different. From the Atrmosphirian, we hope you’re having a good time, and thanks for reading!

The Time Is Upon Us

2010-02-15T16:38:00.001-06:00

Today is the day we’ve awaited for nearly a year. Provided nothing goes terribly wrong last minute, today 500 or so players will be welcomed into the next generation of Atmosphir.

At the time of writing, anything related to the game has gone seemingly crazy. #Atmosphir currently has 52 participants. The forums broke the previous “Most Online” record, raising it to 92. Currently some members of the community are attempting to make #Atmosphir a trending topic on Twitter, which essentially means it is one of the most discussed topic at the time.

Dave has been feeding the community information through Twitter as well. just recently he has informed us that 3 PM EST should be the official start time, which means the invites will be sent out and it will all begin. Currently the plan is to admit 500 members who signed up through a form posted on the forums, as well as anyone who currently has Player’s Club membership in-game. These members will receive an email informing them about how to access the game.

In the last hour before we all begin anew, the Atmosphirian would like to thank you for the support you have shown since the very beginning. This truly is a great time for Atmosphir now and forever, and the Atmosphirian is proud to be a part of it.

And so it begins. Expect exciting news about the new version of the game from Atmosphir’s leading news source, The Atmosphirian!

See you all on the other side!

Getting to Know Project Stratosphir - Snapping

2010-02-03T00:12:00.001-06:00

The grid has been around since the very beginning of Atmosphir. Spanning 100 spaces in each direction and climbing 100 floors, designers have been given 1,000,000 spaces to fill with various blocks, props, and other objects from the toolbox. However, placement within these 1,000,000 spaces was limited. The bottom center of every object rested in the exact middle of the space it was placed in. Certain things could overlap, such as treasures being placed on the same space as a floor tile. Even then, they were forced to remain in the center of the space, unable to be placed freely.

Project Stratosphir will feature a new type of placement control, which is activated using the F key. Using this tool is rather simple. To begin, choose an object from the toolbox. Keep in mind that not all objects will work; props, interactives, and a select few other pieces. Once you have made your selection, hold the F key and move your cursor onto the map. The piece will not rotate to place its base wherever you are pointing. This includes blocks, ramps, and essentially any other surface on any floor you can see. If the cursor is not pointing to a surface, you will be able to place the object on any space on the current floor.

However, each object you place using the Snap technique will still take up a space. This space is determined by the center of the object being snapped. The same rules will apply to placing multiple objects on a single space. This means you cannot have a snapped Gravity Changer on the same space as the base of a ramp, or a key on the same space as a springboard.

Because you can place objects on any surface, this leads to some very interesting possibilities. One of the most used possibilities is to snap a gravity changer to a ramp. When the player runs on the ramp and touches the changer, the level will shift as an uncommon angle. With this in mind, it’s more than possible to rotate a level in any possible direction. Using the free rotate tools on a ramp and snapping a gravity changer to said ramp opens a world of possibilities.

One common use for this technique is to make loops. By making a circular formation of ramps in order to give the appearance of a loop, you have laid the foundations. From there, place gravity changers on each ramp. As the player runs up the ramp, the gravity will shift, giving the appearance of running on a loop. Add some speed powerups and you’ve created a high-speed stunt. Be careful with this however; it’s very easy to accidentally create exploits when messing with gravity like this.

The loop was only one example of what can be done with this tool. It is my hope that you, the designers of Atmosphir, will put this feature to the true test and come up with some incredibly crazy ideas for us all to enjoy. I can’t wait to see what you do! Thanks for reading, everyone!

Getting to Know Project Stratosphir - Single Player Rules

2010-02-03T00:10:00.001-06:00

In addition to being able to build your own levels, Atmosphir has also allowed designers to determine how their levels are played. Using the Rules menu in the design mode, designers were able to determine various concepts, such as run speed or jump velocity. In Project Stratosphir, many of these variables return alongside some exciting newer features.

Before continuing, please note that these variables are subject to change. New features may be added or some may be taken from the game before launch time. Please keep that in mind as you read today.
In today’s article, I will be discussing the various aspects of the Single Player rulebook. While the Multiplayer Rulebook does have some varied features, the basic concepts are mixed with the Single Player rules. Another day we will discuss the aspects of Multiplayer Rules.

As in the previous versions of Atmosphir, the basic concepts still remain. The first is the Timer. The timer determines how much time you are given to complete a level. This slider goes from an unlimited time limit to 10,000 seconds (166 minutes 40 seconds). Next is the Initial Lives variable. This goes from an Unlimited number (-1) to a total of 100. Extra lives and time can be found within a level.

Unlike past versions, Project Stratosphir allows you to determine how often you receive time and lives based on your score. Two sliders control this: Extra Life Score and Extra Time Score. The extra life score variable ranges from zero to 50,000. This variable moves in increments of 500 (0, 500, 1000, 1500, etc.) If it is at zero, no lives will be awarded based on your score. If the variable is set to 500, you will receive an extra life for every 500 points you receive. The extra time score variable works in the same way, with the exceptions being that it ranges from zero to 30,000, and it gives out time as opposed to lives.

Along the lines of basic variables are the Jump Velocity and Walk Speed. These features remain unchanged from previous versions. Jump velocity determines how high the player can jump, ranging from zero (no jump) to a velocity of ten. Walk Speed ranges from one to ten, with one being the slowest movement possible. Both of these variables can be altered through the use of run and jump powerups.

Jump Velocity goes hand in hand with the new Gravity Force variable. This variable determines how high/quickly/slowly objects and players fly, and how quickly/slowly they fall. The range for this goes from one (low) to 20 (high). Low gravity will result in high, lazy jumps with slower descents. High gravity means very low jumps with faster falling. So far this cannot be changed in-game, but anything is possible for the future.

Single Player game modes remain largely unchanged. The same modes are still available, namely Find the Finish Flag, Survive the Time Limit, beat the Score, Defeat the Enemies, and Defeat the Bosses.

Find the Finish Flag is the basic gamemode which can be completed by simply touching the green finish flag in the level. Survive the Time Limit simply means surviving until the timer runs out. The other three modes have a little more to them than that.

Beat the Score is a mode which involves meeting a certain score requirement in order to beat the level. The Target Score variable determines the score you must beat. It ranges from ten to 100,000 points.

Defeat the Enemies and Defeat the Bosses modes also go hand in hand with one another. The Number of Enemies to Defeat and Number of Bosses to Defeat variables both range from zero to 100. On each enemy, there is a choice to set an enemy as a boss or a standard enemy. Muka Bosses are, by default, bosses, while every other enemy is considered standard.

Keep in mind that these modes can be mixed and matched. For example, you could have a survival level in which you have to kill a certain number of enemies, or a find the finish flag level with a certain requirement for points. Any number of these conditions can be applied to a single level.

Next are the score multipliers given at the end of a level. As in the previous version, they include the Lives Left Multiplier, Time Left Multiplier, and the Score Multiplier. The Lives Left Multiplier (0-5000x) gives you a set amount of points for each life you have remaining at the end of the level. The Time Left Multiplier (0-100x) gives you a set amount of points for each life you have remaining at the end of the level. The final multiplier, the Score Multiplier (.25x-10x), multiplies the points earned during the level by a variable.

A new kind of multiplier is also introduced in Project Stratosphir, titled the Enemy Score Multiplier. This multiplier is applied as you play, and therefore does not appear at the end of the level. In the new update, each enemy can give you a certain number of points upon death. The Enemy Score Multiplier takes this number and multiplies it by a variable between zero and 100.

Along with this is a new switch, Enemies Give Points On Kill Only. This switch determines how you receive points. When it is on, you will only receive your points upon killing (reducing its health to zero) the enemy. If this option is off, you will receive a fraction of the points upon each strike, determined by the amount of damage you do. If you do all the work, you get all the points. This feature would be handy for Co-op maps where multiple players are fighting the same creature but do not want to share the points.

Finally are the Skybox and Music features, which will be discussed another day. Along with that is thepreview Fog switch, which turns on or off the fog while working in design mode.

While many of the rules are not new to many who is reading this, it is always good to get a refresher in. My apologies for the lack of screenshots; the information presented here is hardly appealing for a screenshot. It is my hope that you will make the most out of the new and old rules alike. I’m looking forward to some interesting setups from you! Thanks for reading!

Getting to Know Project Stratosphir - Scaling Objects

2010-01-31T21:43:00.001-06:00

In previous versions of Atmosphir, anything in the toolbox had a specific size. Blocks took up one space, water took up nine, pillars took up three, etc. With the power of the new version of the game however, players are now able to break free from the grid and expand or shrink various parts of the game to fit their needs.

The concept of scaling is incredibly simple. To begin, take an object from the toolbox, and move it to the grid. At this point, hold the C key. This key must be held when scaling anything. From there, simply move the scroll wheel on your mouse up or down to enlarge or shrink the object respectively. Objects can be enlarged to 200% of their original size, or shrunk to 50%.

Keep in mind that not every object from the toolbox can be resized. Objects that cannot be resized are: Blocks, Floors, Moving Platforms, Falling Platforms, Interactives, Mukas/Skulls/Crows/Crabs, Treasures, and Powerups. On the other hand, the following can be resized: Ramps, Basic Props, Hazards, and Flags.

An advantage of resizing objects is that it does not take up any more capacity than a regularly-sized object. If there is a different, it’s so small that it’s hardly worth accounting for. This means you can have the same number of 200% pillars as you do 50% pillars, and the total capacity of each would be the same.

Another advantage that can be pointed out has been demonstrated in several videos: Building “staircases.” I’m sure many of us would find it more interesting to climb a series of pillars made to look like stairs, as opposed to climbing the traditional staircase. Of course, this means you’re taking up the capacity of pillars as opposed to a simple ramp.

Yet another advantage is the ability to bring a little life into levels. Not every tree is the same size, nor is every staircase built to the same dimensions. The ability to vary the size of an object lets you add the variety that can make an ordinary level extraordinary and full of life in some way.

Atmosphir has been locked into a gird since the beginning. With this new update, the game will begin to break free from these restrictive yet necessary boundaries and allow for a new era of creation. With each new feature, I grow more and more excited to see what the community can create. Thanks again for reading!

Getting To Know Project Stratosphir - Today's Topic: Moving Platforms

2010-01-30T20:58:00.001-06:00

If you want to get a character from Point A to Point B without having them move themselves, moving platforms have always been the way to go. In the newest update, the capabilities of moving platforms have been increased several times over.

The first note to point out is that objects will not slide off of moving platforms unless the angle forces them to. In previous versions, objects such as boxes would simply slide off of these platforms, making it difficult to make puzzles based on moving objects.

A second thing to note is that objects are able to activate moving platforms. This means that if a box, beach ball, log, enemy, or even a bomb touches the platform, it will activate and begin moving. This feature can be turned off in the properties box for moving platforms. Activating the “Player Only” button will set the platform to only respond to a player’s touch.

One more note to make before getting into the deeper concepts is that moving platforms can have inverted start directions. This means that you are now able to determine which direction your platforms will move. This can be determined in the moving platform properties menu.

While the moving platform remains mainly unchanged from previous versions, it has many new tricks. The first thing you may notice (as shown in the above screenshot) is that moving platforms now have an arrow on them. This arrow plays a key role when it comes to Waypoint Rotations, which I will get into later. Please note that moving platforms cannot be rotated using SHIFT + R, nor can they be scaled to be larger or smaller.

The system for plotting the paths of moving platforms no longer is comparable to laying a pipeline, but instead is a matter of moving from Point A to Point B. The Waypoint (As shown above) is the basic tool used for creating paths for moving platforms. After selecting the tool, simply click on a space on the grid to set a waypoint. After you have done so, your cursor will now have a blue trail connecting it to the previously placed waypoint. Clicking somewhere else on the grid will create another waypoint, with the two connected by a blue line. You can continue to do this to create a series of waypoints connected by lines. When you are done charting the path for your platform(s), simply right click to end the series. These lines are where moving platforms will travel. The platform will move in the order the waypoints were placed. Moving Platforms can only begin on waypoints.

Moving Platforms are also now capable of doing flips or moving to a vertical angle. Doing so simply requires rotating gravity in one of two ways. The first way begins with placing a waypoint. Without ending the series, rotate gravity using the Q and E keys until you have the level rotated the way you would like it. At that point, place the next waypoint. Note that the platform will flip over the course of the path. That means if the distance between Point A and Point B is short, the flip will be fast, and if the path is long, the flip will be slow.

The second method, which can be easier, is to simply rotate the waypoint with SHIFT + R. This method has the same principles as the first.

Ending a series of paths is very simple. The Waypoint Stop (as pictured above) is used to stop a moving platform once it touches it. Without this, the moving platform would retrace its path once reaching the end. Placement of the Waypoint Stop is also very simple. Once you have the Waypoint Stop tool selected, click on the second to last waypoint in your series. This will connect the Waypoint Stop to a previous waypoint, creating a path. Simply click where you would like to end the path to place the stopper, and right click to end the series.

The final type of Waypoint is the Waypoint Rotation, and it is the most complicated of the three. As you may recall, the moving platforms now have an arrow alongside them in design mode. As you may also notice, the Waypoint Rotation also has an arrow. The simplest way to explain this tool is through a series of pictures.

In this picture, we see the Aztec hand with the arrow facing north. It is along a path which ends with a waypoint rotation pointing east. If we allow the platform to move on the path…

…the platform will rotate to match the arrow of the waypoint rotation. If we continue to let the platform return along the path it took, it will return to its previous orientation.

In words, the arrow of the moving platform will move in whatever way is necessary to match the arrow of the waypoint rotation by the time it reaches it. As was the case with flipping platforms, short paths result in fast turns, while long paths result in slow turns. These waypoints can also be rotated, just as the normal waypoints could be. Simply use SHIFT + R to direct the arrow. The platform will move to match the arrow as it always does.

One final note to make about moving platforms is that they are now capable of moving through anything. In previous versions, they were only capable of moving through a select group of props.

In the past, it was difficult to create puzzles using moving platforms. With the vast improvements made to one of Atmosphir’s most-used tools, I’m looking forward to seeing what you can come up with! Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Getting To Know Project Stratosphir - Today's Topic: Attacking

2010-01-29T22:01:00.001-06:00

A large majority of video games have a combat system which allows players to fight against or alongside other players or NPCs. Atmosphir’s combat system previously relied on very limited use of held weapons and bombs. With the new update, both these features are improved and work alongside a new weapon, the laser, to greatly improve the game’s combat system.

In past versions, fighting with a handheld weapon meant simply whacking an enemy until it died. In the new update, this form of combat has been greatly improved. Before now, each weapon did essentially the same thing. Now each weapon works differently.

Some weapons have different characteristics. Let’s compare two such weapons: the pulse sword and the wooden stick. The pulse sword is a one-handed weapon, which means it can be used while carrying a shield. The wooden stick on the other hand cannot be held in one hand, and does not allow you to use a shield with it. Stats for these weapons vary in different ways. It may take some experimentation to figure out the best style for you.

Bombs were a common item in previous versions of the game. They were used to attack enemies from a distance or to break down crumbling blocks. The new method for firing allows for a much more precise and predictable aiming method. Simply switch to the bomb cannon and the camera will shift to an over-the-shoulder view. A crosshair will appear in the center of your screen at this point as well. Connecting your cannon to the crosshair will be a thin line. This line will form an arch, which represents the path your bomb will fly once it has been fired. While this is the expected path, it can be interrupted if something intercepts it.

Bomb ammo works the same way it has in past versions. A respawn and point value can be assigned to it, and the item is placed in the grid.
The third form of combat being released in this version is the Laser Cannon. Like the bomb cannon, firing lasers makes use of the over-the-shoulder view. The key difference between lasers and bombs is the angle at which they are fired. While a cannon fires a bomb in an arch, lasers are fired in a straight line. While they cannot be used to break down cracked blocks, they are able to harm enemies.

Laser ammo comes in sets of five, and has the same variables as the bomb.

One thing to note about over-the-shoulder views: Your speed is greatly reduced. You can only achieve full speed when carrying a melee weapon. Bomb cannons and laser guns will force you to move at a walking-speed until you switch to a melee weapon.

Atmosphir also features an auto-aim feature. This feature enables the player to have more accurate aim by “locking on” to moving targets elsewhere in the level.

While combat may have been a weaker aspect of gameplay in the past, it has definitely made a comeback in the newest version. No doubt about it, combat has been made much better, and just in time for multiplayer! Thanks for reading, everyone!

Getting To Know Project Stratosphir - Today's Topic: Gravity

2010-01-28T21:26:00.002-06:00

Over the past few weeks, Head Moderator Adz has teased the community with daily screenshots of Atmosphir’s latest update, codenamed Project Stratosphir. For many of us, these screenshots and (occasional) videos are the only connection we have with the game until its launch, which is currently aimed at February 8th, 2010. Today, I would like to bring you one step closer to understanding all of the exciting new features which will be made available on this exciting date. Between now and February 8th, I will try to write up one (or maybe more?) articles every day, each one focusing on a different aspect of the new engine. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for reading!

One of the biggest new features of Atmosphir is the ability to change gravity. As it has been demonstrated in various videos, the designer is now capable of rotating the entire level in order to accomplish incredible feats that would have been impossible in previous versions.

There are a few ways to rotate gravity, depending on your current role. I’ll begin simply, with the designer mode. Default keys for rotating gravity are the Z and X keys on the keyboard. Simply tapping one of these two keys will rotate the entire stage. By default, holding the Shift and R keys will rotate an object in a vertical circle, while hitting only the R key will produce a simple horizontal rotation. This is useful for when you do not want to flip an entire level in order to place a rotated block or piece.

Within play mode, gravity can be changed through Gravity Changers, which are placed on the map by the designer in design mode. These devices are very simple; simply running into one will rotate the level and cause the player to fall in that direction, when applicable. By default, these gravity shifters will respawn five seconds after use. The designer may change this variable, however, so beware!

As seen in the above picture, Gravity Changers have an arrow in them indicating the direction the gravity will be shifted to. A tip for players: Be sure to take a look at which direction you are being moved to before touching a Gravity Changer. It is very possible that you may be moved to an undesired location as a result. A tip for designers: If a player dies, gravity does not return to normal when they return to the checkpoint. Be careful of this when designing gravity-based puzzles. As common cure for this problem is to place a gravity changer on the checkpoint itself; when the player respawns, they will instantly touch the changer.

Changing gravity in a level affects all aspects which are not locked into the grid. This includes, but may not be limited to, players, enemies, boxes, beach balls, coconuts, and anything else which is not locked into place.

Gravity levels can also be changed in the Rules menu. Higher gravity will cause players to fall more quickly, shorten the height they can jump, as well as affect other aspects which are not locked into the grid. Gravity can also be reduced; this means higher jumps and slower falling.

Needless to say, gravity changers will become a huge aspect of future levels. Such an interesting concept can make an ordinary level extraordinary. Remember, too much of a good thing can be bad! Avoid spamming the gravity changer at all costs. It makes for an unappealing and generally unpleasant level. I’m looking forward to your adventures with this new tool!

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-14T18:34:00.002-06:00

To begin, happy new year from the Atmosphirian! We’re entering into 2010, and already some exciting news has come from the Atmosphir staff and community!

First, to the disappointment of some, the release date for Project Stratosphir has been pushed back. Dave (OkaySamurai) has said that they are hesitant to establish another date, but has said that they are aiming for February 5, 2010. His official announcement can be found here.

On that note, the migration to the new game has begun. On January 12, 2010, a deadline was drawn for level uploads and high scores. Any levels uploaded or any scores earned past this date will not be migrated into the new game. While this means that the game is essentially dead at the moment, it does show that the migration is indeed beginning.

Due to the lack of new content to review, the Editorial Staff has decided to take a break from their job for the time being. The last review to be uploaded to the news page will be on Saturday, January 16. They will resume operations one week after Project Stratosphir’s launch.

Adz has been fueling the community’s craze lately, releasing a new screenshot from Project Stratosphir roughly every day. These screenshots feature various aspects of the game, most often gameplay. The official thread for these screenshots can be found here.

Screenshot posted by Adz on January 13, 2010

Dave has also made it known that he has allowed a very exclusive and small group into Stratosphir prebeta. He has asked that this select group of individuals remain anonymous to the community. In a reassuring statement to the community, he said:

“I have asked these people to remain anonymous and keep their testing confidential, because I don't want it to become a you vs. them thing. Truth be told, I could easily name 100+ of you that could fit these roles, so please don't be offended or take things personally if you're not selected for this particular task. We just need about 10 people to help us iron out several remaining bugs before launch, and unfortunately don't have the time to set up and review a full-blown application process.” –OkaySamurai

The official announcement can be found here.

Needless to say, 2010 is going to be the biggest year for Atmosphir yet. With the biggest update since launch just around the corner, the community is ready for the next chapter of Atmosphir’s life.

That’s all for today everyone, thanks for reading!

Atmosphir Live! 12.21.09

2009-12-22T00:18:00.002-06:00

Atmosphir Live! has been a highlight of the community for quiet some time. Run by Off-Topic moderator Marcod, Atmosphir Live! is a live stream of various levels being played in-game. The levels chosen are requested in the weeks before the web show is done.

Recently there was quite a bit of hype surrounding one of Atmosphir’s favorite web shows. Announced by Marcod on the official thread, there would be a surprise in the next airing. Members of the community, anxious to see what this new surprise would be, tuned in tonight.

The show itself was the same as always. During the preshow, Marcod attempted to navigate The Death Tunnels, one of Atmosphir’s best known series, much to the delight of the viewers. The next two hours were spent playing through requests made throughout the week. Viewers were able to chat through the Live Chat positioned next to stream, provided by Ustream.

At the end of the night, the long-awaited surprise was unveiled. As some might have guessed, it was indeed a screenshot featuring the upcoming Project Stratosphir.

Above: Project Stratosphir screenshot released during Atmosphir Live!

This new screenshot, provided by Head Moderator Adz, features one of Atmosphir’s most popular enemies, the Crab. Notice the other features of the screenshot, especially the lighting effects that have been added to the game.

If you missed the airing, don’t worry; you can watch the video on Ustream by clicking here.

Open Forum – Should Design Challenge Votes Be Weighted?

2009-12-18T10:59:00.002-06:00

Design challenges have been a huge part of Atmosphir since the very beginning. They bring a spark of competition into the game, and give designers a chance to defend their title. When Atmosphir was new, Dave himself picked the winners of these challenges. As things have grown busier however, Adz has become responsible for counting the votes.

Between Adz and Dave, a system has been created which determines the weight of each vote submitted. As you know, when submitting votes, you are asked to present your 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place choices. Each of these positions is with a certain number of “points,” which determine the final winner.

What some may not be aware of is the fact that some users have more influence over the votes than others do. Although exact statistics are not known, the basic system still exists. Regular users and Editorial Staff votes are worth the standard values. Moderator votes carry extra weight, while Minor Studios Staff carry the largest amount of influence.

Today’s open forum is discussing this system. Should some users have more voting power than others do? As you have read above, Editorial Staff votes are comparable to a standard user’s. Does this seem fitting, considering it is their job to find the best levels? Should Moderators have more power, when it is not their job to work directly with the game? And should Minor Studios, despite their position of power, carry the greatest influence? Those are today’s Open Forum questions.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with how a respectful debate works, here are some guidelines:

-Respect the opinions of other people. The point of a debate is to argue a point. Arguing, however, does not mean disrespecting others. Be courteous of what others have said. Acknowledge their points respectfully, but feel free to fight against it as well. Any comments which are deemed disrespectful will be deleted without notice.

-Defend your points. One-line sentences will not help your cause in a debate. Support your argument with solid facts and/or well-thought-out opinions. While you don’t need to write a novel, make your arguments full of information. Use quotes from previous arguments to effectively display what you are fighting.

-Use good grammar and spelling. Whether we notice it or not, we are more likely to take an argument seriously if it is structured well. To ensure your argument reads well, take a moment to proofread it. An alternate option would be to check for spelling and grammar mistakes in a word processor, such as Microsoft Word. At the very least, the forums do have a Spell Check tool. If this forum becomes too violent, unproductive, or heated, it will be locked. Please stay on-topic, and most importantly, have fun!

The debate can be found here.

As a side note, thank you for making the last open forum a huge success. There were many great discussions being held, some more heated than others. Thank you for keeping it at a respectful level of intensity, and please do the same for this one!

New Screenshot Released: Co-Op Gameplay

2009-12-17T23:54:00.002-06:00

Above: The latest Project Stratosphir screenshot.

Earlier today, Adz dropped yet another screenshot into the community, sparking plenty of new conversations. As pictured above, this screenshot features a pink-haired player standing amidst many floating islands. It has also been pointed out that the skybox featured may be a new addition.

For the first time, Dave (OkaySamurai) has spoken about one of these screenshots. In a quote earlier today, he said:

“A little extra detail: That is taken from a prototype co-op level I made. You and a friend have to help each other by triggering moving platforms, standing on each other's heads, shooting bombs across floating islands to open up areas, etc. Pretty fun level, I've played through it with both Martin and April.” –OkaySamurai

With a little background, this screenshot takes on many new meanings. Now we understand it to feature one of the first co-op maps. In addition to that, it mentions some of the co-op gameplay aspects, namely moving platforms, standing on one another, and firing bombs to open up new areas for other players. It seems as if these are only a few aspects of co-op that are made possible with the new engine.

The official post releasing this screenshot can be found here.

Teamwork will definitely be taken to a new level with the new update. It is uncertain how the system for Co-Op will work, but as Dave said, it is sure to be fun for everyone.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading, everyone! Happy Holidays!

New Video: Ten New Features You Might Not Know About

2009-12-15T23:17:00.002-06:00

Today, OkaySamurai (Dave) released a video showcasing Project Stratosphir once again. This time, the focus was on content we as the community may not have been aware of. The title, Ten New Features You Might Not Know About, does everything the name implies: ten unique and fairly minor features are pointed out to us. These ten features are…

1) Flags wave in the wind, and the direction they point is the direction the character faces when spawning. This information was released by Adz earlier in the week. This means that, when spawning, the player will begin facing the direction the flag is pointing. In the current version of the game, there was a set direction you would face, which could be hard to determine.

2) You can select stuff by clicking it, no matter what floor you’re on (and double clicking brings up properties). This is an interesting new feature which allows you to select hazards, props, etc. anywhere on the map, without moving floors. As said, double clicking some props will bring up a new window to adjust properties for that particular piece.

Above: New information props allow you to display dialogue boxes.

3) Info stickers allow you to create mini dialogue boxes to give hints or tell a story. Large information circles are the new props for the new update. Making contact with any of them will display a previously-set dialogue box. These could be used for tutorials, give hints, or form a plot.

4) 3D Copy and Paste lets you create large levels in a matter of minutes. Showcased earlier in the year, the 3D Copy and Paste will be a valuable tool for all designers. Currently, we are limited to a single plane when copy and pasting. With this, we will be able to make cubic sections, allowing for more elaborate copying and pasting.

5) Lasers are a new rapid-fire ranged weapon for players to use (as long as you include ammo in your level). While not old news by any means, this video gives us the first demonstration of how lasers operate. As displayed, lasers are long-range weapons which are seemingly useful for shooting far-off enemies with accuracy.

6) If you don’t have a weapon equipped, you can still fight. In the current version of the game, players without a hand-held weapon were forced to jump on enemies as a main form of attack. With the new engine, these players without weapons will be able to fight using their fists.

7) New ragdoll physics lead to some pretty cool deaths. Currently, deaths take place in one spot, and are a repeated action. With the new physics engine, each death will be unique. Limbs will move differently, and bodies can go flying. Essentially, this is meant to be similar to how a human body would act in the situation.

8) Bombable blocks now have health and respawn values. In the current game, bombable blocks are destroyed after one hit with a bomb, and they never respawn. With the new engine, bombable blocks may take multiple hits, and might even return after a set amount of time.

9) Spawn lists allow you to have multiple enemies pop out of a single spot. This new feature is seemingly unexplored in the past. Put simply, it appears that you can set the game to spawn a variety of enemies in a single spot. In the current game, only one enemy may be spawned at any given space.

Above: Fine-tuned block placements allows you to create interesting structures.

10) More fine-tuned block placement lets you create some pretty crazy stuff. Probably the most amusing part of the video, the fine-tuned block placement opens an infinite number of possibilities. In the video, a giant sculpture was created using various blocks and props. It will be interesting to see how designers use this ability.

Needless to say, this video has caused quite a bit of discussion in the community. While Stratosphir might have been released today, we’ll have to accept the facts and eagerly await January 12.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

Stratosphir – Screenshot and Release Date

2009-12-14T23:09:00.002-06:00

To begin, Adz has released yet another new screenshot within the past week, once again featuring gameplay with the new engine. However, this new shot does not showcase a new feature. Rather, it seems to simply be a display of a level itself.

Above: The latest Stratosphir screenshot.

Along with this treat, Adz also announced a new gameplay feature that is being added, due to much demand. In the new version of the game, players will begin the level facing the direction the flag is starting. A small tidbit of information, yet still a well-received one.

At long last, Dave (OkaySamurai) has announced an official release date. Due to unexpected issues with the new system, launch will not take place in December, as previously hoped. Rather, the new, official date will be Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The team has expressed their apologies for the delay, but believe it is absolutely necessary for the good of the game. Dave made a statement concerning the delay earlier today:

“Right now everything dealing with atmos, the player's club, and marketplace is still a work in progress - the process has taken longer than we originally estimated. While other things are more or less working decently enough for people to access, there are dozens of issues that we're still working on.” –OkaySamurai

You can read his full report here.

So while Stratosphir might not be the early Christmas present the community was hoping for, we can all rest easy knowing that the game will only be better with time. Until then, we’ll have to continue with the current version of the game. If you have any unfinished levels, here is your time to finish them!

That’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

Atmosphir in December

2009-12-05T16:21:00.002-06:00

For the world, the month of December is filled with festivities. The shops are busy, the streets are crowed, and time is spent with friends and family. As a community, the people of Atmosphir are coming together not only for Stratosphir, but also for a time of unity as we approach the festive holidays.

Plans are being made for a Holiday Chat in #Atmosphir. Currently, the date is set for Saturday, December 12, for a 24-hour marathon of festive spirit. Please remember to practice proper IRC behavior at this party. Full details can be found here. And don’t worry, Landoralpha has promised everyone eggnog.

Several “Christmas Wishlists” have appeared in the Off-Topic forum, only reminding us of what is yet to come. Feel free to express your festive spirit on the forum, whether it be on your own topic or someone else’s. Remember to be responsible with your posts!

Look for several holiday-themed conversations and activities as the month goes on. To those of you who are traveling early, travel safely! And for those of us who are huddled up at home in front of our computer screens, be sure to spend some time with your families as well!

Happy holidays everyone, and thanks for reading!

Arcade09 Results Announced!

2009-12-05T00:32:00.002-06:00

For the past few days, the center of activity has been Adz. His thread for posting Stratosphir screenshots has nearly reached 400 within a matter of days. As a major source of information, many people have turned to him recently. Today, Adz takes the spotlight again, but from behind-the-scenes. In a news post today, the winners of Arcade09 were announced. To those of you who do not know, Adz is responsible for counting the votes submitted for each competition.

So here they are, the results of Arcade09, the last pre-Stratosphir design challenge…

#10: Operation Nemesis by DuffyZeEmu

#9: Evolution of Speed Zone 3 by AragornII

#8: Crystal Caves by EyeOfSauron

#7: Beach Break by Amethyst

#6: Muka Sniper by Boberto

#5: Sonic Speed by Newah

#4: Virtuality: Aeriel Azure by Memphiston

#3: The Diamond Ruins by Saunby

#2: Evolution of Speed – Zone Two by Frodo

#1: Insert Witty and Attractive Title here by Bender

Bender’s intriguing title certainly paid off in this competition, as it claimed him first place in this challenge. Congratulations to all of the winners! As usual, 3rd place wins 250 Atmos, 2nd wins 500, and 1st wins 1000. But as some will remember, there was also a Play Challenge associated with Arcade09. Daimon won a total of 750 Atmos for his placings in The Diamond Ruins and Evolution of Speed – Zone Two, as well as Cheezyboom for winning 1000 Atmos in Insert Witty and Attractive Title. Congratulations to them as well!

With Stratosphir growing ever-closer, and the final design challenge before launch done, anticipation only grows. The time is coming soon.

As a bonus, Adz included a video listing the Top 25 levels. It can be seen here, along with the other results: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/12/arcade09-results/

That’s all for today, thanks for reading!

Adz Releases Multiple Laser Screenshots

2009-12-03T23:41:00.002-06:00

It seems that, for the time, all activity has halted, aside from the Stratosphir screenshots topic posted by Adz. Over the past few days, he has posted several screenshots letting the anxious community get a brief glimpse of Stratosphir.

First two screenshots were released, comparing the display of the current version of Atmosphir to Stratosphir’s advanced graphics. The second screenshot came to us yesterday through the Atmosphirian, displaying a multiplayer battlefield screenshot as a reward for completing the Time Trial Tower Dash play challenge.

Above: The Atmosphirian-exclusive multiplayer screenshot.

Since then, two new screenshots have been posted. The first of these two was rewarded for correctly guessing the purpose of the glowing spheres in the multiplayer screenshot. As it turns out, these were laser ammo spheres, which allow you to use your laser gun.

Above: A close-up shot of the laser ammo powerups.

The screenshot rewarded shows a close-up of the laser ammo powerups. In addition, there are several other things to notice. First, the music and globe powerups shown to the right and left of the ammo. Next, you may notice that the player is not wearing a shirt. Finally, to the community’s amusement, the “Skybox =)” and “Skybox =(“ images on the left-hand column.

Above: The laser gun, firing a pink beam.

For good behavior, Adz decided to release yet another laser screenshot later this evening. This time we see the pink laser ammo in action, apparently firing a beam. Notice the over-the-shoulder view of the game.

Fueled by Adz, the hype for Stratosphir grows even larger as the undefined release date approaches. We can only hope that it will live up to expectations.

That’s it for now, thanks for reading!

Interview with Head Moderator Adz

2009-12-02T22:36:00.002-06:00

Today the Atmosphirian has the pleasure to post an interview held with one of Atmosphir’s busiest members, Adz. A few months ago, he was selected as the Player of the Week by the Atmosphirian. He graciously accepted my invitation, and our interview took place on December 2, 2009, through private messages on IRC.

Colinnn: As one of Atmosphir's first members, you've been with the game for quite awhile. What would you say has been the best part of being around the community/game for so long?

Adz: I really have enjoyed seeing the community and the game itself evolve over time. The levels that the community has created have gotten better and better over time, and I really look forward to seeing what people do with Stratosphir.

Colinnn: Last August, you were promoted to Head Moderator. What exactly does this mean? Do you enjoy your new job?

Adz: As Head Moderator, this means that I am able to moderate all sections (obviously), but it also means I am in charge of the other moderators too. In a way, I am in charge of the whole community, and it doesn't come without its stresses and tough decisions. But I really enjoy being able to give something back to both the community and MiSt. I also enjoy being able to speak directly with Dave. :)

Colinnn: The community generally agrees that you never seem to be away from the forums. Do you ever take breaks? What else do you enjoy doing?

Adz: The main reason it appears that I am always on the forums is that I am able to access the forums wherever I go. At work I am able to keep the forums in the background, and at home, I have both my computers and consoles next to each other. I particularly enjoy playing games on my PS3 (I only tend to use my Xbox or Wii if there is a good console exclusive game). I am currently playing the MAG beta, an awesome FPS like C.O.D Modern Warfare, only with 256 players on one map. Absolutely stunning to play. I also spend a fair amount of time with my wonderful girlfriend, who currently is away at Oxford University, but comes back this Saturday :D

Colinnn: As the community knows, Stratosphir is right around the corner. How do you feel about the upcoming release?

Adz: Stratosphir completely overshadows any other Atmosphir update in terms of features. The amount of things possible with these features is astounding. Whenever I think about what is possible, I always find myself coming up with new ideas. For example: imagine a running track of stone columns on their side. With the free rotate tool, they could be positioned in any way you want! Thanks to the long wait for the release of Stratosphir, the amount of anticipation for this is amazing; I can't wait to see how the community reacts when it comes out. That, and to see if MiSt's servers can withstand everyone flooding onto the site at once ;)

Colinnn: As head moderator, you have a great responsibility that many people admire. What would you say to members of the community that want to play a greater role in the community?

Adz: My advice would be to contribute in any way possible, whether it is making signatures (as I did) or commenting on levels, Writing reviews or just helping answer questions in the support board. As long as you are making a good impact and being noticed by community members, not just the moderators, then not only are you playing a greater role in the community, but also have a greater chance of being selected to join the Moderators and/or Editorial Staff.

Colinnn: Thanks for your time, Adz. Do you have any last words for the community?

Adz: I would like to say thank you to the community for being so great generally. And as a treat for getting 20 people on Colinnn's level, enjoy this screenshot: http://i50.tinypic.com/24uxdds.jpg

Above: The latest Stratosphir screenshot.

The Atmosphirian is a news source written for the community, and as such, it is important to involve the people of this community. We have to hold many more interviews with various Atmosphir players and designers in the future.

Because this is a community effort, we value your feedback. If you wish to contact us to offer your opinions on an article, ask a question or just about anything else, feel free to tweet us at @atmosphirian or email us at theatmosphirian@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

New Winter Design, Another Screenshot Coming, Moderator Applications Come To An End

2009-12-01T22:50:00.002-06:00

If you are viewing the website through the homepage, it is likely that you have noticed the new winter-themed layout. This month, our header is made using Giantfishy’s level, Mountain Hopping [Winter2009]. Want to tell the Atmosphirian what you think? Send a message to us on Twitter (@Atmosphirian) and let us know!

Several people have asked which level was used for the fall-themed banner. The answer is The Tree of Autumn by Colinnn.

head moderator Adz is once again taunting the community with yet another Stratosphir screenshot. However, no one has seen it yet. As opposed to last time, Adz will be forcing the community to earn this screenshot through a play challenge. This time, the challenge is for twenty people to complete Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09]. The challenge began with nine people already on the leaderboards, leaving only eleven more spaces to fill. Look forward to a new screenshot once the challenge has been fulfilled.

The applications for moderator positions in the community come to a close tonight. In an undisclosed method, the new additions to the moderator team will be selected from these applications. Moderator Bigdrip681 has stated that his best estimate is that a decision will be reached in roughly a week, although this is by no means official. Until then, all that can be done is to wait patiently for the results.

That’s all for tonight everyone, thanks for reading!

New Stratosphir Screenshots Cause Commotion

2009-11-30T23:13:00.002-06:00

With the upcoming release of Project Stratosphir this month, the feeling of anxiety in the community has only heightened in the past few days. With a few groundbreaking screenshots posted, it doesn’t look like this hype will be dying anytime soon.

Marcod’s discovery in a recent jumpstart.

The first screenshot posted was in reply to the Atmosphirian Open Forum, by Marcod. In it, he has labeled several points of interest. First is a bar which is labeled “LV” which is presumed to stand for “Level.” This implies a possible leveling system which has been implemented into Atmosphir somehow. Next is a small blue circle labeled “VS.” It can be assumed that this refers to some kind of versus score. On the right side, there is a label which says “Tokens Collected.” At this time, we have no idea what this could mean. Below that is “XP Level,” which is most likely related to the “LV” point referenced before.

The next screenshots posted were from Adz, comparing Stratosphir to the current version of Atmosphir. These images can be seen here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=11152.0

The difference between each screenshot is evident almost immediately. To most obvious difference is the addition of shaders, which add a new level of depth to the display. Colors seems to be much more vibrant, which is shockingly beautiful. Gems now have an added glowing effect, making them stand out more in a level. Torches now have much more realistic flames, as well as serving as a noticeable source of light. After observing the textures on each block, you will see that detail has been increased significantly as well.

To say the least, these images are causing a large amount of conversation in the community. Each user is offering their own opinions and thoughts on the new screenshots, which makes for an interesting read. With the first day of December already here, the commotion is coming to a climax as we await Stratosphir’s launch sometime this month.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading!

Open Forum Announcement, Win A Google Wave Invite, Misc Announcements

2009-11-29T03:23:00.002-06:00

To begin, the Atmosphirian would like to thank the community for their amazing activity in the open forum. It appears that this was a huge success, and we would love to continue to run this segment from now on. In order to do this effectively, we’d like to get your opinion on how often you’d like this to happen. At any given time, we would only like to have one open forum at a time. Would you like this to be weekly? Every other week? Every month? If you have an opinion, please tell us VIA Twitter at @atmosphirian.

To expand on our Twitter page, the Atmosphirian is proud to announce their first contest. Entry is easy; simply follow @atmosphirian on Twitter. That’s it. Next Sunday (December 6, 2009), we will draw three names from all of our followers to win a free Google Wave Invite. As with any contest, there must be rules.

1) No multiple accounts.

2) If the winner already has a Google Wave Invite, the prize may be transferred to someone else of their choosing.

3) Winners will be expected to provide the Atmosphirian with a valid Gmail account by December 12, 2009. Multiple prizes will not be awarded due to typos caused by the winner(s).

Good luck to all of you.

In other news, a clarification has been made regarding the launch of Project Stratosphir. Some community members have believed that the launch will be December 1st. Dave (OkaySamurai) stepped in on Wednesday to clarify. The current plan is to have Stratosphir online by the end of the month, although this is only a probable hope. In actuality, in the case of some serious event, this date could be pushed into next year. For now, however, it has been said that the expected release date will be “early December.” The official announcement can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10978.0

In other news, Arcade09 voting has officially closed. The results are being counted, and you can expect the results to appear in the following weeks. It has not been determined if the results will be announced in a Jumpstart or through a news announcement.

The deadline is fast-approaching for Moderator Applications. If you have not applied yet, and would like to, be sure to act now. The official announcement can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10933.0

That about wraps things up for today, everyone. Thanks for reading!

Open Forum – Should Atmosphir Adopt RPG Elements?

2009-11-27T16:56:00.002-06:00

Atmosphir is meant to be a tool for people to design their own games. Various different types of games are welcomed, with new features such as racing and FPS-elements coming in the future. Yet one type of game that has been under some debate for quite awhile is the RPG genre.

An RPG (Role-Playing Game) is “a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, players have the freedom to improvise; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.” (Wikipedia). Supports of this type of genre in Atmosphir support having a leveling system in-game, where you earn points based on your actions in Atmosphir. Some users will rise in the ranks while others fall. Those who are against this idea support a level playing field. No user is better than others in official rankings, only in the eyes of the community.

So what do you think? The Atmosphirian presents this as their first-ever Open Forum question: Do you believe Atmosphir should adopt RPG-elements?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with how a respectful debate works, here are some guidelines:

-Respect the opinions of other people. The point of a debate is to argue a point. Arguing, however, does not mean disrespecting others. Be courteous of what others have said. Acknowledge their points respectfully, but feel free to fight against it as well. Any comments which are deemed disrespectful will be deleted without notice.

If this forum becomes too violent, unproductive, or heated, it will be locked. Please stay on-topic, and most importantly, have fun!

The forum can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=11048.0

Moderator News, Arcade09 Voting, New Quick Look

2009-11-25T23:35:00.002-06:00

To begin, the Atmosphirian would like to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving, or Happy Turkeylurkey Day as it has been named on the forums. Safe travels to anyone who is traveling, and have a great time!

There have been a few changes in the placement of moderators in the community. Long-time moderator Landorindustries has stepped down from his position in the Atmosphir board due to personal reasons. Therefore, former Support moderator Wowfunhappy has taken his place. Due to a lack of leadership in the competition section, former Ideas moderator Colinnn has taken over as moderator there. Please support these changes, and give them as much support as possible as they get situated.

For the first time in months, moderator applications have opened up. These applications are open to anyone in the community. From the applicants, the current moderator team will choose roughly five to join their ranks. Submissions are due by December 5th. The official post, with a link to the submission form, can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10933.0

Voting for Arcade09, the last design challenge before the launch of Project Stratosphir, has been opened. Votes are due by November 27, which can be submitted to Atmosphirvote. Remember to vote for the levels you feel are the best-fitting for the current challenge. Good luck to everyone! Don’t forget that there is a play challenge in effect as well! The official post can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10925.0

A new Stratosphir Quick Look has been released, featuring a new level named Linden’s Peak. This level, created entirely with the new engine, showcases many of the new features of the game, including scaling/rotation, new bomb-able blocks, moving platforms, and more! Be sure to check it out for yourself here: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/11/quick-look-lindens-peak/

Well everyone, that’s it for today. Once again, safe travels and thanks for reading!

Announcement: In Light of Recent Events, New Editorial Staff

2009-11-16T22:47:00.001-06:00

Within the community, things have begun to change. Many would refer to this time as the dark days of Atmosphir. Within the past weeks, two moderators have left the community, new rules have been established, and tensions are growing.

Long-time moderator Munchy365 has been stripped of his titles and demoted to a standard member of the community. In addition, he has received a temporary ban. When this was brought to light, many began to ask why. For a time, the moderators of the community remained silent. Stories began to originate from Munchy himself, who kept in contact with several members of the community. On November 15, 2009, head moderator Adz made a statement which explained the events of the following day.

In short, Munchy was banned for leaking information to Daisukii, another member of the community, who has since been banned. This information was meant to be kept safely stored in the Moderators section of the forums, where only moderators and Minor Studios staff may enter. Of course, there is much more to the story than that. For more information, please read the full story here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10662.0

Another member of our community, PizzaBoy, has made the decision to leave Atmosphir for the time being. In a message to the community under an alternate account, PB said this: “The combined stress of several real life events combined with stress from recent events here are becoming difficult for me to handle. Deleting my account was a decision I made to attempt to relieve some of this stress. I may return later this year or early next year depending on how things go. If the state of things in my head does not improve, I may not return. I do not expect to remain a moderator if/when I return. I apologize for any trouble I have caused with this.”

The community, although sad to see him go, must respect PizzaBoy’s decision, and understand that he has done this for a reason.

A full announcement regarding these two events can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10662.0

Dave has also made the decision that office tours will no longer be offered when visiting Minor Studios in San Francisco. Although this is sad news, he has promised that he is more than willing to meet with players for a cup of coffee or lunch if they happen to be in the area.

Despite these sad events, there have been good events as well. Today, Swordsman761 and DuffyZeEmu joined the Atmosphir Editorial Team, the committee responsible for choosing the Level of the Day on the Atmosphir news page. The team welcomes the newcomers, and promises that readers should be expecting great things in the future. Excitement for the next update, also known as Project Stratosphir, also continues to mount as December draws closer.

Stay with us, Atmosphirians. Great things are coming.

Community Events: RAM Finale, New Atmosphir Logo, Website Changes, New Art Assets

2009-11-09T23:23:00.002-06:00

With Project Stratosphir approaching quickly, the community is in a flurry of activity as final preparations are made Discussions are being held everywhere, plans are being made, and everyone is acting as if Christmas is tomorrow. Here’s a brief summary of what to look out for these days…

-Random Atmosphir Moments Finale. Kaiserg, long-time member of the Atmosphir community and Creative moderator, will be ending season two of his famous Random Atmosphir Moments (RAM) series this Friday, November 13. Keep an eye on his YouTube Channel, IslandNetwork, for the release at the end of the week. If you aren’t familiar with the series, take a moment to check out one of Atmosphir’s earliest machinima series. Kaiserg has also given the Atmosphirian exclusive rights to say that the third season of Random Atmosphir Moments will begin on New Year’s Day.

-New Atmosphir Logo. As some of you may have noticed, the new logo for Atmosphir has been released. As pointed out by Boberto in a topic on the forums, the new logo has several minor changes made to it.

(Left: Old Logo, Right: New Logo)

There are only two real changes that can be seen here. First, the shape of the flag has been altered to be more pointed, as opposed to the older rectangle. The new ladder is straight, as opposed to the older version, which had a different edge. Dave has stated that the glow effect on the new logo will not be seen everywhere.

-Website changes. While much of this is old news, the new aspects of the Atmosphir website are hot discussion topics. The most noticeable change is the new “Beta Signup Waiting List” button that has been added to the front page. Anyone who has tried to access the beta website will notice that it has been taken down. You will still be prompted to enter your beta sign up information, but no page will load when you are done. It is still possible to download Atmosphir, however. If you need to do so, please contact any moderator on the forums, and they will be able to help you. Have your beta login and password ready in case you will be asked for it.

(The New Beta Sign Up Waiting List Graphic)

-Art Assets. Dave (OkaySamurai) announced that the art assets for Project Stratosphir have been released, and can be downloaded here: http://atmosphir.com/extra/artassets1.zip. These graphics will be used to design the new website, but may also be used for any purpose you see fit, so long as they are not commercial purposes. Some of these graphics are already being used around the site.

The events discussed above are only the beginnings for what is to come. As we anxiously await the release of Project Stratosphir, take some time to participate in community events. If nothing else, be sure to take a chance to join the Atmosphir IRC channel, #atmosphir, for a chance to chat with the rest of the community.

Thank you to everyone for reading!

New Stratosphir Footage

2009-11-07T23:36:00.001-06:00

On November 6th, as promised, a new Quick Look was released, showcasing some of Statosphir’s new tricks. Unlike other footage, this was completely unedited, totaling six minutes of content. Here’s a summary of what happened and what we saw:

-Improved graphics. Although this has been known for awhile, many people were amazed at how much the graphics and overall appearance of the game has been improved.

-A new level made with Project Stratosphir. The basic concept of the video was watching Dave play through a level made with the new tools. This showcased some of the new features, including tile rotation, scaling, and gravity flips.

-Multiple uses for blocks. A few of the blocks offered in the game already have been modified to work with the new features. For example, the wooden floor found in the Adventure Set now serves as a ladder when put on its side, and a scaled stone door has many places where the player can climb.

-On-The-Go Customization. Although we have heard of this and seen some of it in action, on-the-go character customization was showcased. Accessible from the pause menu, you may change what your character is wearing in the middle of a game. You may also take your icon screenshot from the same menu. When you are done, your character will display a short animation of them looking at their new clothes.

-Gravity switches. Quite possibly one of the most anticipated features in the new update, we were finally able to see gravity changes in action. Activated by touching floating orbs with arrows, changing the gravity will cause the level to flip a certain direction (based on the arrow), causing you and any enemies to fall with it.

-Combat. Throughout the video, the player fights several enemies. The combat system has been greatly improved, with new fighting movements and enemy responses. When a flying skull was destroyed, a large distortion effect took place around the explosion. We were also able to see the new bomb cannon being used. A crosshair mode has been added, allowing you to see where you are aiming the cannon.

All in all, this was an amazing Quick Look. With Stratosphir set for launch in December, the community is only growing more anxious.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Platforms 1.11.09, Arcade09 Announced, Atmosphiric

2009-11-01T22:38:00.002-06:00

November 1^st has been a busy day for Atmosphir. Early in the morning, the newest Platforms episode launched, totaling 64 minutes of discussion between Dave and Martin. Later in the day, Arcade09 was announced as the November design challenge.

Going in chronological order, the Platforms episode was filled with information. This was an mp3 recording of Dave and Martin discussing Stratosphir progress, answering your questions from Twitter, and discussing their gaming habits. The most important piece of information given regarded Stratosphir’s launch. Expected release date is early December, though a solid date has not been put into place. All of the features that will go with the launch have been implemented. Now Minor Studios is working on polishing up everything and weeding out the bugs.

Unfortunately, not everyone will receive access to the new beta at the same time. Right now, it looks as if roughly 100 people will receive invites every day. From what has been said, it sounds as if the current plan is to send each person a unique code that will activate their account for Stratosphir. It has not been determined how these invites will be distributed.

The rest of the podcast was spent answering questions that were asked by the community through Twitter. There were many interesting questions that both Dave and Martin answered. Given the time and amount of content put into this podcast, it would be much more beneficial to you to take the time to listen. There is no video to accompany this, so feel free to listen while you do something else, such as homework, cleaning, or playing Atmosphir.

Arcade09 was also announced as the November design challenge, which will be the first before Stratosphir’s release. This month the focus is on leaderboard-friendly levels. These levels should have simple gameplay techniques, fast-paced, and has a high replay value. Some levels offered as examples are Lunch Break Mayhem by EliteBlackDragon, Muka Carnivale Game by bigdrip681, and Leaderboard Tower by munchy365. You have until the 23^rd to enter a level, so get moving!

Accompanying this design challenge is a play challenge. Whoever has the best scores on the top three levels will receive atmos prizes. These prizes will match those for the design challenge; 1000 for first, 500 for second, and 250 for third. Since you will not know who the winners are until the challenge is over, it is recommended that you play as many levels as you can. As another rule, designers cannot earn points for the challenge on their own level.

Good luck to both designers and players!

Just another note the Atmosphirian would like to add on behalf of Boberto, one of the Atmosphirian’s biggest fans. He has decided to create his own blog, Atmosphiric. Expect these two blogs to partner up in the future for reasons unknown. While the writing style is slightly different than that of the Atmosphirian, both blogs strive for one thing: To bring you, the player/designer, the most up-to-date news in the Atmosphir community. Boberto’s blog can be found here: http://www.ritger.com/blog/

Thanks for reading everyone, and remember to continue to subscribe to our Twitter and YouTube channel!

Halloween09 Results, Final Pre-Stratosphir Design Challenge, YouTube Channel

2009-10-31T22:52:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween from the Atmosphirian! Hope you had a great time!

Yesterday, Dave (OkaySamurai) announced the winners of the second Halloween design challenge, Halloween09. There were many great entries, but as usual, only the top ten were mentioned. As is custom, 3^rd place will win 250 atmos, 2^nd will win 500, and 1^st will win 1000. So here they are, the community-picked winners:

10. Demonic by Daimon

9. Forbidden Fortress by Quigon

8. Castle of Legends by MarcoK

7. The Temple of Xar by Creator7

6. Dry Bone Dungeon by Maxinima

5. Inferno Tower by Boberto

4. Welcome to the House of Fun by DuffyZeEmu

Coming in third was Trinity Castle by JazeGeek. As Dave explained it, “When you first approach Trinity Castle, you find your path blocked by a double-locked door. A little exploring in the outside area takes you to an abandoned well, where you descend to begin finding keys and other secrets that will aid you on your journey. Once inside, you’ll progress through multiple colored tile rooms, many with additional secrets of their own (there’s a clever trick for getting into one that I hadn’t seen used before). A fun adventure with a satisfying ending.”

Next, in second place, was Trick or Treat by Saunby. “This title doesn’t give you much of a choice, but there are actually quite a few treats (in green gem form) scattered around this stonewalled temple. But the tricks are definitely there too…one particular ingenious puzzle has you figuring out how to jump into a hole in the middle of a sea of spikes. Saunby has really stepped up in the world of Atmosphir designers, and it’s nice to see him get recognized for it here,” as Dave said.

And finally, coming in first for the second year in a row was none other than the community’s biggest Tolkein fan, Frodo. His level, Mining Moria, is a revised version of his Halloween08 level, The Mines of Moria. As said by Dave, “It seems pretty fitting that frodo has reclaimed the Halloween design challenge crown for the second year in the row. This followup throws you back into Moria, but now things feel a little more open-ended with lots of treasures and secrets to uncover. I really enjoyed the novel use of ceiling spike traps to create obstacles like midair staircases, and the constant collectables definitely help engage the player and keep them moving forward right to the end.”

Once again, congratulations to the winners, as well as anyone who entered.

The next design challenge will be released in the very near future. One thing to note about this particular upcoming challenge is that it will be the final design challenge before the release of Project Stratosphir. As many pointed out, this means that the time is almost here. These suspicions will be confirmed in the next podcast done by Martin and Dave, as they will supposedly be announcing the official release date, as well as answering questions from the community. Keep an eye on Twitter and the news page for official news regarding the podcast, as well as the next design challenge.

In Atmosphirian news, we’ve created our very own YouTube page! There isn’t much to look at right now, but it will be improved over the next few days. With any luck, the Atmosphirian might start hosting video journals, level walkthroughs, and many other things. Want to tell us what you think of that? Send us a message on Twitter at @atmosphirian! The YouTube Channel can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Atmosphirian - Be sure to subscribe if you want to stay up-to-date with Atmosphir’s leading news source! Don’t forget to follow Atmosphirian on Twitter if you haven’t already!

Once again, Happy Halloween everyone. Thanks for reading!

Halloween09 Voting, Fair Design Challenges, Atmosphirian News

2009-10-24T17:11:00.002-05:00

Well everyone, the design period for Halloween09 has come to a close. With a total of 62 entries this time, it will be an interesting competition. Voting begins today and will continue until it is closed in a few days. As usual, send your votes to Atmosphirvote.

After the Small09 and Big09 results were announced, there seemed to be a wave of complaints that the design challenges were biased towards well-known designers, and that lesser-known designers did not receive the credit they deserved. Since then, a large debate has been started concerning the future of design challenge judging. Would you like to add to the debate? Post in this topic and give us your suggestions/criticisms: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=9812.0

However, the system for voting will remain the same for this challenge. However, if you’d like to be fair about voting, the biggest suggestion that can be made is simple: Play as many levels as possible before voting. Try playing levels by lesser-known designers, as well as the “pros.” You may be surprised to find something you like!

And now for a few notes from the Atmosphirian…

The Atmosphirian has been around for several months, yet it hasn’t entirely changed. The banners and colors have remained unchanged since day one. In true seasonal spirit, the scheme of this site has been altered to reflect the season of autumn. If you have any comments on the new design, please feel free to send us a message!

For the time being, it has been decided that the Atmosphirian will no long be doing Level of the Week reviews. I understand that this has not actually happened since mid-August. The reasoning behind this is that I (Colinnn) am a member of the Editorial Staff, and therefore write an article once a week on a level I think is deserving of a mention. If you’re interested in seeing which levels I am impressed by, please refer to www.atmosphir.com/news and look for reviews written by me.

As usual, thanks for sticking with us everyone!

Community Project - ProtOzone

2009-10-17T23:45:00.001-05:00

Community projects have always been a big part of Atmosphir, since the very beginning. Users collaborate together to create a finished project that everyone can benefit from in some way. A popular example would be modifications to the game. A group of users get together and divide up some of the common tasks involved with the process; some gather audio, others work on textures, and the rest work on various other steps in the process. Once the process has been completed, the community enjoys the end result, a finely crafted product that the contributors should be proud of.

Anyone who has been around the forums should be familiar with the name Prototype. A common face in the community, he admits that actually playing Atmosphir isn’t a strong point. As he described himself, “When it comes to the actual game, I'm not that skilled of a player. I can play a maximum of intermediate levels. SOMETIMES Advanced. But I would consider myself a creative designer. All of my levels I spend over a week on. But my levels aren't that well known.” While he may not be the most popular person in-game, he’s certainly a trustworthy friend to the community members.

Mid-September, Prototype announced a new community project that would involve anyone who wanted to contribute. Titled “Project Ozone,” he wished to make a movie using Atmosphir’s resources. When I asked him if this would be classified as a “Machinima” project, he said no. When I asked what else would be involved, he replied “Well, that part is a SECRET right now. I can't release that much info until I have posted the actual thread.”

The community still questions what the project is meant to achieve, however. “ProtOzone is meant to entertain people, and to give a sense of accomplishment to the Atmosphir community,” Prototype answered. “If you have worked hard on something, you'll want it to look good. So I, Prototype, strive for perfection. Most of the Atmosphir community is made up of younger users, and most of them don't experience that sense of accomplishment very often.”

On October 5^th, a sad announcement was made, stating that due to lack of participation and interest, Project Ozone was cancelled. After some thought however, the project was revived October 15^th with the promise of a new name and system.

The new name was ProtOzone. The objective remained the same: To tell a story through Atmosphir. Details have not been officially announced as of the time of writing. In a forceful statement addressed to the community through the official ProtOzone topic, “ProtOzone isn't going to be like the last one. I'm NOT turning it in for a book report, it's NOT going to be based on a story that no one cares about, and most importantly, it's NOT going to be engineered where if one person doesn't do their part, it causes the whole project to be on a standstill.”

Also included in the topic was a trailer for the project. With impressive music and clips, this trailer may have restored some faith in the project without revealing much of anything. It felt reassuring to see actual clips with decent quality and impressive titles. ProtOzone will definitely be a project that should catch some eyes as long as it continues to progress with the same assurance this trailer showed us.

When asked, Prototype requested to leave some closing words for the readers: “If you have ANYTHING at all that you would like to submit to ProtOzone, than send it in a PM to the user Prototype. An official thread will be up soon announcing more info.”

Whether you plan to be involved or not, ProtOzone certainly looks promising and has attracted some attention on the forums. The Atmosphirian will be working closely with ProtOzone to keep you updated on any interesting happenings as the project goes on.

Be sure to check out the ProtOzone topic here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=9656.0

The trailer for ProtOzone can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mNXBiDUyGU

Thanks for reading!

Big09 Design Challenge Results

2009-10-16T18:12:00.001-05:00

The month of September carried two design challenges with it: Small09 and Big09. Small09 was a challenge to create the best level possible within a 20 x 20 x20 grid space. Big09, on the other hand, was a challenge to create the largest level possible, with a block on floor one and one-hundred. This challenge ended on September 30, 2009, and voting began the next day.

As with every design challenge, the community was given several days to vote for their favorite levels. Anyone who wished to could submit their vote for three levels from each challenge in a single PM to Atmosphirvote, which is managed by Adz. He then counts the votes and sends Dave (Okaysamurai) the results. Since then, we have waited anxiously for the results.

Unfortunately, due to a busy schedule, Dave has not been able to make an official announcement regarding the winners… until now. Through Twitter, he announced that the Small09 winners will be released on Thursday of this week and Big09 on Friday. True to his word, the Big09 results were announced this morning. Although it was not a video, Dave wrote a short summary of each of the ten winners in a single news post on the Atmosphir website. The results were as follows:

10. Old Egypt - Flex

9. Coconut Kingdom – BlazingPlatinum

8. The Incredible Ice-Geysers of Icicleta - signman

7. Run I - eyeofsauron

6. Quicksand Castle - Krakrjakz

5. AtmoTown - Maspaceha

4. Overflow - DuffyZeEmu

Taking third was Titan’s grave by Groud. Earning Level of the Day on October 9, Titan’s Grave is a massive level that’s all about exploring. Hidden throughout the level are numerous treasures that would take a true treasure hunter nearly an hour to find. As Dave said, “Groud continues his winning streak of incredible levels with this massive adventure through a mountain environment. Finding 10,000 points is a daunting task, even though 100-point gems seem to be scattered at every turn. Caves, waterfalls, elevators, and even a flying dragon make this one of the most visually stunning entries we saw. It’s great to progress and higher and deeper through the level to reach seemingly unreachable heights.”

Coming in second was Munchy365’s level, Escape. Don’t let the simple name fool you, Escape is a huge level packed with action and exploration. Dave’s description really sums it up: “Atmosphir meets Mirror’s Edge is the best way I can describe this cityscape level from the always-reliable munchy365. The concept is great: you start by disposing of your “boss” and making a run from the Muka police through ventilation shafts, open windows, rooftops, hallways, and much more. It’s unforgiving, but luckily there’s also a practice version of the level that always illuminates the right path with colors and arrows. A brilliant idea brought to life through stunning design.”

And finally, taking first place was Return to Lush by Colinnn. As Dave described it, “The original was big enough, but this sequel takes what made the first Lush battle so interesting and refines it in many ways. As you jump through a long, winding river, you’ll find caves and secrets tucked away in the surrounding canyon walls - which hold several nice timing-based moving platform puzzles mixed with classic platforming. It’s a lengthy adventure that will require advanced skills and a little luck to beat, let alone place on the leaderboards. Very nicely done.”

Congratulations to the winners. Atmos prizes should be delivered shortly.

Small09 Results, Halloween09 Design Challenge

2009-10-15T10:50:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, due to a busy schedule, Dave has not been able to make an official announcement regarding the winners… until now. Through Twitter, he announced that the Small09 winners will be released on Thursday of this week and Big09 on Friday. True to his word, the Small09 results were announced this morning. Although it was not a video, Dave wrote a short summary of each of the ten winners in a single news post on the Atmosphir website. The results were as follows:

10. The Land of Lost - Wiifanjr

9. Atmosphir Brick – Nate Dog

8. A Small Taste of Atmosphir - Pico

7. Inside A Crate - Robcozzens

6. The Exertion of Authority - Saunby

5. Volcano - Pkdevo

4. Chamber of Courage - MarcoK

Coming in third was Operation DMB: An Experiment in Time and Space by DuffyZeEmu. As Dave described it, “An exceptional floating wooden structure with a well-made nonlinear design. Brown has never looked so good in an Atmosphir level; the wooden Muka blocks and tents are used to great effect in making a diverse landscape. While 500 points and a finish flag is all it takes to secure a win, there are quite a few secrets and hidden things along the way, demanding multiple playthroughs. Every aspiring Atmosphir level designer should play this and take notes. I did.”

In second was Treeleaf Relief by Memphiston. This level received Level of the Day on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, and was given a play challenge; if twenty players could beat this level with a perfect score by midnight, a Quick Look video about Project Stratosphir would be released. Once again true to his word, the Quick Look was released this morning. This level is an interesting climb through a magnificent tree. As you climb higher, the difficulty of the level increases. Although not necessary difficult, you have to take your time if you want a perfect score of 1000.

The winner of Small09 was none other than Sunburst Islands by Boberto. An excellent leaderboard challenge and community favorite, it was no surprise that Boberto once again placed in a design challenge. As Dave said, “A bright level reminiscent of a hot summer day, Sunburst Islands is an impressive coconut collection quest. The level twists, turns, climbs and falls through a number of smartly-designed areas, and a couple of nice secrets (spoiler alert: the boat in the palm tree?) help keep the leaderboards competitive. It’s a good mix of platforming, mini-puzzles, and exploration, making it a worthy winner of Small09. Nice work!”

Congratulations to all of the winners. As usual, first place receives 1000 atmos, 500 for second, and 250 for third.

In other news, the new design challenge for October has been announced. Due to popular demand, Halloween is returning. In 2008, Halloween08 was one of the earliest design challenges. In seasonal spirit, Halloween09 is here. As the name implies, the objective is to make a Halloween-themed level. Other than that, you’re free to do what you want. The deadline is October 23. Good luck to everyone!

Tomorrow, the Big09 design challenge results will be released. Keep reading the Atmosphirian for more information!

107 Days In Review

2009-09-30T22:56:00.002-05:00

The last serious update to the Atmosphirian was on August 15^th, discussing the community and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. Since then, many things have happened in the Atmosphir community. Tonight, I will be writing a brief overview of the past 107 days.

But first, I owe you, the community a formal apology. I will not make excuses for not updating the Atmosphirian for the past 107 days. I should have been able to fit in time to write, but I chose not to do so. From now on, I will make a better effort to write as much as possible. Believe me, this blog means as much to me as it means to you. It’s my way of giving back to the community.

First off, the Atlympics that we were following months ago have come to an end. The final round was between Cmmatzat and Drfuzzyness. Both designers entered amazing levels. Cmmatzat entered “Platforming through the Worlds” to match Drfuzzyness’s “The END Machine.” As expected, the final round was to be determined by the community. Unfortunately, we did not do our part in the voting. The final score was 1-0 for Cmmatzat. Although anti-climatic, this did declare Cmmatzat to be the overall winner. Both levels were amazingly well done, and both finalists should be proud to have made it as far as they did. It has not been determined if there will be a second round of the Atlympics at the time of writing. A poll reveals that the majority of the community wants another competition. Keep looking in the Competition section for any possible updates regarding this.

Space09, the last design challenge, has come to an end. As you may recall, the objective was to create a space-themed level in whatever fashion you preferred. There were many great entries, but as with all design challenges, only ten were mentioned and only three won prizes. In order, here are the winners: Flora of Elightiron (JessetheWanderer), Crippled in the Night II (EdacOnag), Mini Station Challenge (TheUltimateYoshi), Space Piracy (Lemon), The Core (Krakrjakz), In Space No One Can Hear You AHHWARGHAHEGAH (Bender), and Journey to the Star Realm (Wowfunhappy). The top three levels were: Escape From the Moon (Robcozzens) in 3^rd, Luminescent Skies (Boberto) in 2nd, and Munchy365’s Exploratorium: The Star Port (by Munchy365). As usual, 3^rd place will receive 250 Atmos, 500 for 2^nd, and 1,000 for first. Congratulations to all the winners, as well as anyone who participated!

Along with the closing of Space09 comes a new design challenge. As a matter of fact, the month of September is a dual design challenge, which essentially means that two challenges are taking place at the same time. Unfortunately, due to the lack of Atmosphirian updates, I haven’t been able to share this information with you until tonight, which happens to be the deadline. Just to review, the two challenges are Small09 and Big09. Your Small09 levels should be contained in a 20 x 20 x 20 space on the grid. Big09 levels should have at least one block on floor one, and at least one on floor 100. In addition, most of the space should be filled. As I said, the deadline for these two challenges was today, and voting will begin tomorrow. Remember to PM your votes to Atmosphirvote within the next few days, and look out for the winners in the next jumpstart!

The community itself has been altered a bit within the past 107 days as well. Some users have left us, while new ones have joined. New groups have been established. Events have come and passed. Overall, it has been a very exciting past few months.

First of all, it was decided that there would be a team of six users who would make up the Editorial Staff. The job of the Editorial Staff is to pick which creations will receive the honor of Level of the Day, as well as write a short review or summary of the level. Applications were open to anyone, and the results were picked by Dave (OkaySamurai) himself. Eventually, the team was announced. The results were: Adz, Boberto, Colinnn, EdacOnag, EliteBlackDragon, and Munchy365. Since chosen, the team has picked every LOTD since, with the exception of a few days that Dave stepped in. For the time being, the team has decided to remain at six members, although this may change in the future.

As time goes on, leadership positions in a community change. Some people leave us, while others take their place. It’s a never-ending cycle. Within the past month, it was decided that some new mods were necessary. Nuinethir stepped down from his position in Off-Topic, while Blunty and Frederik stepped down as well. The remaining moderators voted on who they would like to replace them with. Their decision brought three new moderators into the community: Marcod, Boberto, and Colinnn. Marcod will take over for Nuinethir in Off-Topic, while Colinnn and Boberto take over the Idea Box. Please give them your full support and a bit of patience as they adapt to their new jobs.

Today, acceptance for beta testing Atmosphir is coming to a close. It was announced by Dave that forum registrations have been officially been taken down until a later date. No more beta invites are being sent out. For the most part, there will not be any more newbies for quite some time, possibly until the release of Stratosphir.

Dave is in Buenos Aires this week, working with Martin to finalize plans for Stratosphir. The Minorstudios twitter has been updated with random tidbits of information about their work. Within the next week or so (hopefully), Dave and Martin will be filming a giant Mailbox episode together. Be sure to watch for an incredible amount of information.

Once again, my apologies for the lack of updates. I thank you all for sticking with me, and giving me the support and encouragement needed to open up Microsoft Word and begin to write again. As soon as I am back in the habit, I’m sure updates will come much faster. Until then, I will update when I feel able. So long everyone, and thanks for sticking with us.

The Atmosphirian School Paper

2009-08-31T22:32:00.005-05:00

Due to popular request, I've decided to share this piece of writing I've done for English class. Hopefully you enjoy it. The Atmosphirian will be back soon!

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It was called Atmosphir, and it was the newest game to make an appearance online. I was instantly attracted to it because the entire basis of the game was imagination. Anything that allows you to design your own game and share it with the world is fairly rare. Atmosphir had not reached its public release yet, so every day was a new adventure. Between the community and the game, things were changing every day.

Despite these constant changes, the one thing that I noticed that was missing was a reliable, constant news source. There was a weekly newspaper made by a group of members, but the content was lacking and the news was generally outdated by the time it reached our internet browsers. Therefore, I began to take things into my own hands. It was at this point that The Atmosphirian began. One summer evening, I sat down and began to write.

Inspiration for my articles came from New World Notes, a blog about another online game named Second Life. Each article written by Wagner James Au was filled with information about current events or notable aspects of the Second Life community and world. With his writing in mind, I wrote lengthy articles every night, carefully choosing my words to give them a more official tone. After brief reviews, I would publish them to my blog, where they could be read. I would then advertise on the Atmosphir forums in an attempt to attract readers.

At first, word of The Atmosphirian was small. It seemed to me that nobody wanted to take the time to read a page-long report every evening. However, I continued to write reports, reviews, and announcements every day and night because I enjoyed it. I took pride in the effort I put into each and every article. I had no idea where I was going with it, but I was having a lot of fun doing it.

After the first few weeks of writing, I started picking up a few followers. When I talked with some people, they would mention my blog and ask what the next article would be about. People I had never talked to were beginning to recognize me as the exclusive writer for the Atmosphirian. I had never been known for anything before that, so I had no idea what to say sometimes. Usually I thanked them, and the topic dissolved into an unrelated topic.

Early in August, the Creative Director of Atmosphir, Dave Werner, made an announcement that there would be a new Editorial team later in the month. Along with this announcement was an application form. The purpose of the Editorial team was to feature a user-created level every day, and write a short summary of it. The team would be composed of six members who applied and were picked by Mr. Werner himself. I did not see this announcement until later in the day and I looked at it, curious. By the time I got there, a total of six people had stated that I was probably the most likely candidate for the job. After a few days of consideration, I applied.

The announcement came a week later. The six-person editorial team had been decided. Just as everyone had expected and hoped, I had made the team, along with six of the most well-known members of the community. After a brief celebration, we recognized the job we were chosen to do. It wasn’t a difficult task, but it was important.

Within a week, our editorials began to appear on the homepage. The Atmosphir Editorial Team was officially in charge. I didn’t expect to sit here and write about the experience when I started the Atmosphirian nearly two months ago. There were times I nearly gave up. But I never did, and it paid off in the end. I went from the new kid on the block to one of the most popular writers in the community. If I’ve learned anything from the experience, it’s that everything starts small. It’s the time and effort we put into things that makes them big.

A Short Note As School Begins

2009-08-16T21:08:00.001-05:00

This is just going to be a very short note to everyone tonight. Tomorrow I will begin my junior year at high school. From what I’ve heard, this is a very difficult year. That being said, I am not sure I will be able to write as much as I’d like to, or be involved in the Atmosphir community quite as much. I honestly do not have anything to write about tonight, as I have not been on Atmosphir at all today, and most of yesterday. So I’d like to ask for your patience with me as I enter the next chapter of my life. I will update as much as I can, but it is possible that the length and/or frequency of my articles may suffer. I’m always keeping the Atmosphir community in my thoughts, so don’t worry. I will not be leaving.

Half-Life 2: Deathmatch - #Atmosphir's Entertainment of Choice

2009-08-15T21:20:00.003-05:00

Every online community seems to address a common interest that many people share. For example, our forums are based around a common interest on Atmosphir. However, just because a community is based on a single concept does not mean that it is the only interest shared by its users.

Due to a recent surge in popularity, today’s article is about Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. HL2DM is an online first-person shooter game based on the popular Half-Life series and developed by Valve. Players join a server and fight one another on a single map, either on teams or as a free-for-all. Each original map is taken directly from Half-Life 2, although other, player-created maps may be downloaded.

As far as anyone can remember, it was Drfuzzyness who introduced this game to the community. Eventually it caught on within a small group of people. Recently, I created an official thread about the game and how to get it. Since then, we have seen multiple new users download and play.

Today, Drfuzzyness made a breakthrough and discovered the secret to hosting a dedicated server. After hours of trial and error, we finally had a dedicated server. At the time of writing, the IP address for this server is 69.244.181.75:27015 and the password is “indeed.” Directions on how to use this information, as well as any changes, can be found in the official topic. A link will be posted at the bottom of this article.

Another service by Drfuzzyness, we also have a Steam group for Atmosphir, titled “People From The Atmosphir Chat.” Simple and to the point.

Do you have an interest in playing Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and joining the Atmosphir community is a gunfight? If you don’t have the game, there are a few ways to get it. If you have either an ATi Graphics Card or a NVIDIA Graphics Card, you may be eligible to receive the game for free. If not, the game is regularly priced at $5.00 through Steam. It may also come packaged with other games, so keep an eye out. If you have either of those graphics cards, seethe official thread for details.

The official topic is the source for information about Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and Atmosphir. There you will find information on how to get the game, how to connect to the server, upcoming events, as well as a directory of players. In the future, we may expand this thread to include Garry’s Mod information. If you wish to be added to the directory, please leave a URL to your steam profile as a reply. Keep checking the discussion you recent news as well.

For those of you who are concerned with ratings, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch is Rated M for Intense Violence and Blood. Many of us agree that this seems to be a bit strong for a rating, but the ESRB has the final say here.

Hope to see you all in game!

The official thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7386.0

Atlympics: Round Four is Over

2009-08-14T23:57:00.002-05:00

Well everyone, the fourth round of the famous Atlympics has come to an end. As you might recall, there was only one true fight, considering Cmmatzat did not have an opponent. Here’s a recap of the previous round:

Cmmatzat did not have an opponent, but in order to pass, he was required to create a level which could be beaten. He entered Atmosphir Pinball. I gave this level a try, and found it to be an interesting concept. You have virtually no jump power, but more run power. The level has multiple dark owls, which spin rapidly but do not cause damage. Their purpose is to send you flying across the stage. The concept was very creative.

Boberto entered his newest level, Alone. It is a general ascent upwards focusing on moving boxes. It takes precise skill to move the boxes without causing them to fall. It was a well-designed level with a lot of interesting concepts.

Drfuzzyness entered Before the Science Center, a large level designed to be used with his mod, AtmOsphir. This level is rather lengthy, filled with simple puzzles. AtmOsphir adds a mysterious feel to the level.

Obviously, Cmmatzat went on without competition. Between Drfuzzyness and Boberto however, only one may go on. In the end, the judges agreed that it would be Drfuzzyness who would face Cmmatzat in the final round. All three contestants should be proud to make it this far.

Drfuzzyness and Cmmatzat will have two weeks to design their level. After that, the judges and the community will vote for the winner.

Best of luck to both of you!

Roblox and Atmosphir: A Community Affair

2009-08-13T23:48:00.002-05:00

For awhile, there has been an unseen war involving Atmosphir. It wasn’t until recently that this fight broke out into the open. Within the last few weeks, a thread was found on the popular building game Roblox’s forums. This thread stated that Atmosphir was rivaling their game and must be destroyed. Of course, we know that neither game will be destroyed. A few of our players joined Roblox and replied to this thread, defending Atmosphir.

Before joining Atmosphir, I was unaware of Roblox. Once the debate broke into the open, I did a little research. Roblox has been around since June 2005 and was designed, developed, and published by the Roblox Corporation. The concept of Roblox is similar to Atmosphir in that it allows you to design landscapes using block-like parts. Unlike Atmosphir, Roblox has an in-game currency, which can be earned by doing various things throughout the game. As I said, I have not had any personal experience with Roblox, and therefore do not have any solid information regarding it.

As Atmosphir began to enter into the Roblox community, the reverse also happened. Soon enough, we began to see Roblox enter the Atmosphir community. However, the types of entry differ. In the Roblox forums, we are not joining their game. Rather, we are attracting attention for Atmosphir. On the other hand, Roblox players are moving into Atmosphir. While players are expected to wait for a beta invite, they are able to communicate on the forums. And they’ve done just that.

With all of the Roblox and Atmosphir interaction happening, some players have reacted to it. There was a recent outbreak of Roblox-related threads on the Off-Topic board within the past two weeks. Off-Topic moderator Nuinethir swiftly put an end to it after the first few threads appeared. Within a few hours, a new topic was posted and stickied. This topic regarded the recent threads. Here is a quote from Nuinethir’s post:

“Having a "competition" between Atmosphir and Roblox is not constructive to either community, and creates what I could call an inter-forum war. Realize that while you think you are helping, you are actually damaging the potential relationships of people you have never met. By doing this, you are actually doing a disservice to Dave/Okaysamurai as well as Minor Studios.

I am drawing a line, right here, right now. There is to be NO negative discussion about Roblox, regardless if you are an Atmosphir native or coming from the Roblox community. I simply will NOT tolerate it. Threads operating in this manner are subject to getting locked. If you feel a topic is spiraling down, DON'T add fuel to the flame and contact a moderator with the thread link in question.”

Obviously things were getting out of hand. Thanks to Nuinethir, things have been stabilized and the community seems to be at peace. To summarize the above quote, please do not say negative things about Roblox, no matter who you are. At the moment, this applies to topics in the forum. Adz, newly appointed head moderator, says that as soon as he has full control over things such as player’s profiles, he will add more to this rule, adding things such as anti-Roblox avatars and signatures to the list. Therefore, if you have anything on your profile that somehow defaces the Roblox name, please change it as soon as possible, for the best of both communities.

We are not a community who puts others down. Embrace the similarities that Roblox has, and maybe we can learn a few things from them, and they can learn things from us. Welcome all Roblox players warmly, and don’t judge them based off of their previous adventures. We all were new at some point, and they deserve the same respect we show everyone else. Show it to them.

In other news, I don’t think I’ll be doing a MOD spotlight this week. There haven’t been any large mods on the forums lately, so I think I’ll give them some time to grow.

The interview with Dave Werner on Landor Industries Live has received some new information. The interview will be conducted at 5 PM (PST) on Tuesday, August 18^th. Be there if you can!

That’s it for today, everyone.

Jumpstart 8.12.09

2009-08-12T22:57:00.001-05:00

Today, at long last, a new Jumpstart was released. This morning, the Minor Studio’s twitter us updated with a notice saying they were filming. Roughly five hours later, the new Jumpstart was released.

The first thing to be reviewed was the final set of results for Mini09. After some very exciting voting, here they were:

10) The Obstacle Crab by Krakrjakz – Very interesting level. I was not actually able to beat it. The goal is to lure the crab around in order to complete certain challenges.

9) Bridgebuilder by Groud – One of my favorite levels. You must find all the moving platforms in the level in order to build a bridge across the valley.

8) Shooting Shaman by Boberto – Another interesting level. The goal is to shoot all the Muka shaman before time runs out. Another level I didn’t manage to finish.

7) Race Through the valley of the Gods by Cmmatzat – This level took me a few tries, but I did beat it. Challenges include running along a wall, climbing a mountain, and flying through several floating rings.

6) Muka Carnivale Game by Bigdrip681 – Similar to Shooting Shaman, the goal here is to fire bombast moving mukas.

5) Vertigo by Drfuzzyness – A classic survival. A moving platform travels across the level, and your goal is to stay on it until it reaches the end.

4) Ando Prime by Munchy365 – In my opinion, the best looking Mini09 level. Race a moving platform to the finish flag.

3) The Two Minute Test by Mrcoble – The first Mini09 level I played, and one of the best in my opinion. See Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

2) Evolution of Speed by Frodo – Hey, it’s the winner of the Level Spotlight not too long ago! See Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

1) Time Trial Tower Dash by Colinnn – It’s my level. Although Munchy told me to brag, I couldn’t. So see Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

As usual, that’s 1000 Atmos for first, 500 for second, and 250 for third.

Next, Dave talked about Space09. Click here for my article: http://atmosphirian.blogspot.com/2009/08/space09.html

Next was a Project Stratosphir update. Things are going well. Nearly all of the art assets have been imported. Also, all levels are now playable under the new engine. A few new features were seen in the video as well. First, it would appear that the health bars above enemies have been replaced by numbers representing their health. Second, it would appear that we get to fire lasers. They’re testing an over-the-shoulder view, which is looking interesting. A crosshair of sorts was also seen.

Finally, there was a mini mailbox. First, Dave was asked how many levels can be entered into Space09 by any one player. There is no limit, but it would be wise to focus on a single level. Second, Dave was asked if NPCs will be available with the new engine. Apparently they will not be added right away, but they will in time. Finally, Drfuzzyness gave Dave a cheat code for thirty extra lives. That was interesting.

After destroying the camera with a paper ball, we were given a nice surprise. A minute or so of cats attacking Atmosphir cutouts (and each other!) followed the video, closing with a name: Catmopshir. You really have to see it yourself to understand.

To watch the new Jumpstart for yourself (if you haven’t already), click here: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/08/jumpstart-81209-space-30-lives-and-catmosphir/

That’s all for today everyone. Good luck with Space09!

Player Spotlight: Adz

2009-08-11T23:55:00.003-05:00

In each and every forum, there are different people who play different roles. Some people are known for being annoying, while others are known for being the nicest players out there. There are some who don’t seem to know anything, and those who seem to know everything. Of course, every community also has a user who dedicates him/herself to the community in whatever way they can.

This backbone for the community is generally well-liked. They know everyone, and always extend a helping hand. They regulate the community and make sure we follow the rules. In all honesty, any community would fall apart without someone like this. That’s why it’s a good thing that Atmosphir has such a user.

With his recent promotion in the past few weeks, I would say that this would be a good time to acknowledge him for everything else. Today, I’d like to give the Atmosphirian Player Spotlight to a player who knows what they’re doing. They love their title and they love their job. You don’t have to look far to find him, as he always seems to be around.

This week, I’d like to give the Atmosphirian Player Spotlight to none other than Adz.

Adz has been around since the beginning, and he’s proud of it. He’s seen every change that Atmosphir has gone through, and watched every player come into the community, and unfortunately watched some leave as well. When I first joined, Adz was the moderator of the Creative Spotlight board. As I mentioned earlier, he’s been promoted to head mod (and will correct anyone who gets that wrong).

From what I’ve seen of him, Adz is a fun-loving guy who thankfully knows where to draw the line. As a head moderator, he essentially has the job of moderating every board, which can be a large amount of work. Even with so many topics to sort through, he always has enough time to play a round of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch with Drfuzzyness, Marcod, Jjjohn and I every once in awhile.

If Boberto doesn’t beat you to a question, Adz will. He’s a sort of knowledge base for the community. If you have a question that can’t be answered, there’s almost no doubt he’ll be able to answer it. That is, of course, if it relates to Atmosphir. Anything else, I can’t promise. As I’ve said, he’s been around the game since its private beta release last year. If anyone has experience, it’s him.

If he’s not in the forums, he’s always in the live chat. Literally. I’ve only seen him disappear from the chat once, only to reappear several seconds later. Essentially, he is the life of the chat, the one who keeps it running. One of his bigger projects is Atmobot, everyone’s favorite IRC Bot. Without Adz, this would not be possible.

As I said, Adz knows when to draw the line. You can see constant reminders left by him to stay on topic, or locking threads if need be. It’s thanks to him that the community stays clean and productive.

There really isn’t too much I can say about Adz. He has a personality of his own that I think we all benefit from. So take some time to stop by the chat to talk with him. He’s definitely worth meeting at least once.

That’s all for today, Atmosphirians!

Level Spotlight: The Chronicles of Aylas - Journey through the Canyon by Sebi94

2009-08-10T23:03:00.001-05:00

With the rating system the way it is lately, it can be pretty hard to find a decent level. If you want to find a good level, you have three options. First, dig through the play browser until you find one. Second, hear about it on the forums and look it up. The final option is hearing about it directly, like a private recommendation.

As many of you probably know, I’ve become a regular user on #Atmosphir, the live chat. While there, I’ve had the pleasure to meet some great people. Yesterday, I met someone new. Sebi94 wandered into the chat around noon, my time. Before then, I had never met him. Everyone else seemed to know him, though. We chatted a bit, and he seemed like a nice enough guy. He then asked me to try out his new level.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to think. Being who I am however, I promised to give it a try. I was in the mood to play some levels now that I did not have an Atlympics deadline to meet. I searched for his level, and that’s where my adventure started.

You already know who the creator of this level is, but you don’t know the name. I’m about to change that. In my opinion, there are few levels which are rather easy, yet still have the feeling of a level that took hours. Most simple levels are exactly that: simple. Sebi’s level is so much more than an easy level which only took a few minutes to make. It’s a sort of adventure with the jump power-up.

This week, the Atmosphirian Level Spotlight goes to Sebi94’s “The Chronicles of Aylas – Journey through the Canyon.”

I can easily admit now that I was skeptical when Sebi asked me to try it out. I can also easily admit that I shouldn’t make assumptions when I’ve just me the person. Journey through the Canyon was an amazing level to play. The first thing that caught my eye was the landscape and scenery. Unlike many levels, multiple tiles were used to create the level, giving a wide variety of color to the overall scene. The concept of the level is a simple one. You begin in the bottom of a valley in the mountains, and must travel over a ridge and into a cave. The catch is that you begin with very little jump power. As you progress up the mountainside, you find jump power-ups, each of which opens up another path and allow you to climb higher. Once you’ve cleared the first wall, your jump power is taken away from you. Once you proceed farther, avoiding various hazards around the area, you reach a small cave. Inside is a door, which you will open. A little more walking and the level is done.

As I said, this level is very simple. While jumping can sometimes be challenging, there is very little in the level that will actually “kill” you. If you fall, you simply climb back up. When you have such a simple design, it’s generally harder to develop things to go with it. Sebi did a great job of creating an environment that fits the situation perfectly. You truly feel as if you’re in a realistically designed area.

Be sure to take a few minutes to take a look at The Chronicles of Aylas – Journey through the Canyon. It will be well worth your time. Beyond that, there’s not much else I can say.

That’s all for today, Atmosphirians!

MOD Spotlight: Atmos-Tech

2009-08-09T22:37:00.001-05:00

Last week we took a look at AtmoGalaxy, a futuristic space mod. With Space09 going on, it’s becoming a big hit in the community. In the time since then, another futuristic-like mod has surfaced in the Creative spotlight.

When I opened the official discussion thread for the Atmosphirian, I gave everyone the chance to make suggestions regarding the various spotlights that the Atmosphirian provides. Unfortunately, we only received two suggestions. However, they were both for the same mod. Apparently anyone who cares enough to make a suggestion has a great taste in mods.

Today, I’d like to give the MOD Spotlight to a mod with further expands on the futuristic, industrial theme that mod-makers seem to be crazy for. With the support of the community, I’d like to announce Atmos-Tech by MaximumDragon as the winner of the Atmosphirian MOD Spotlight.

I’ll admit that I don’t have much of an eye for texture mods. I took a look at the textures folder one day and found the process to appear much more complicated than I had previously thought. Therefore, any mod seems to impress me. That’s why I turned to you, the community, to help me determine the next MOD Spotlight. To those of you who sent me suggestions, thank you. To those of you who didn’t, it would mean the world to someone who is working on a big project. It was at this point that I was introduced to Atmos-Tech.

Atmos-Tech, as the name implies, is a sort of high-tech mod. Each texture looks futuristic and electrical. MaximumDragon was truly creative with this project. Probably the most creative design was for the Muka Scout. Rather than remaking textures, the Muka Scout has been redesigned to resemble a floating android. I would not have thought this was possible until now. Great display of creativity! Another personal favorite would be the designs for the water. Rather than grass and mud to boarder the water, there is not a bronze-colored metal-like substance. The water itself has a sort of metallic appearance to it, resembling pollution.

The blocks themselves have been redone, of course. A few blocks have the same metallic substance that the water’s edge has, while others have an industrial feel to them (such as metal crates), while even more have digital-looking designs on them. It’s quite the interesting batch of textures! Taking a look at the screenshots, I can see how it all fits together.

Recently, MaximumDragon released the first content pack for Atmos-Tech. No waiting for you! Simply go to the forum and click on the link to download and sample his hard work. Once again, congratulations to Atmos-Tech, winner of the Atmosphirian MOD Spotlight!

AtmosTech Official Thread: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6753.0

Want to see your favorite mod featured here? Send me a PM, @reply on twitter, or post in the official thread! http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7143.0

Atylmpics: Round Three is Over!

2009-08-08T23:20:00.001-05:00

Well everyone, the third round of the Atlympics have come to a close with some interesting results. Earlier today, Tamloo updated the bracket with the latest results. Here’s a quick review:

In the match between my “Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09]” and Cmmatzat’s “The Mines of Galtine,” Cmmatzat was voted to move on. I fully accept the loss, and wish Cmmatzat the best of luck in the final round.

Between Scary101’s “The Room of Doom” and Boberto’s “Among Ruins,” Boberto emerged victorious. According to Scary101, he would have been unable to make a level for round four either way, so perhaps this is for the best.

Probably the most interesting math this round, Drfuzzyness’s “Into the Science Center” and Wowfunhappy’s “Pathways.” In the end, Drfuzzyness triumphed, and will move onto the next round.

Perhaps this is just me looking into things, but I’ve noticed that every time someone used a Freemo (One credit that allows you to use a pre-existing level for the current round), they lost. This applied to CloakedYoshi13’s “Zelda OOT Deku Tree,” Bender’s “Galaga [Blockart09],” my “Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09],” and Wowfunhappy’s “Pathways.” I am not accusing the judges on doing their job unfairly by any means. I’m simply making observations. Let this be a lesson to us that sometimes the easy way out isn’t the best. In this competition, it never was.

Well, as we all knew from the beginning, the winner between Cmmatzat and I would result in a pass to the final round. Since Cmmatzat triumphed over me, he will instantly move on to the final round as long as he produces a level that can be beaten. As Tamloo said to Scary101, this could be the worst level ever created and it would still win.

This leaves a very interesting match between Boberto and Drfuzzyness. Who will succeed? Both are highly talented and well-known players both in-game and on the forums. This will be a match that we will all have our eyes on. The winner will advance to the finals, where they will face Cmmatzat for the grand prize. Best of luck to you both!

That’s all for today, Atmosphirians. I’ll have to write about the Dev Cast sooner or later, I’m sure.

While I’m on the topic of writing, I’d appreciate it if you could do a few things for me. First, keep this thread alive: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7143.0. This is the official Atmosphirian thread on the forums. I know we had one before, but since AtmoNews made one, I felt the need to do the same. Please keep it floating!

Second, if you haven’t already, follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Atmosphirian. Thank you to everyone who has already done so, and thanks in advance to all of you who will! I will update the Twitter with updates about new articles, as well as other important information as necessary.

Third, please spread the word about the Atmosphirian. I’ve gotten many positive reviews, and I’d like to spread the word. So please, make the Atmosphirian big. I assure you, the more people that read, the better things will get. Maybe in the future we can even have contests! With prizes! Everyone loves prizes.

Keep it up, Atmosphirians!

Taking Back the Rating System

2009-08-07T23:20:00.004-05:00

Not so long ago, Atmosphir had a server-side update. This basically means that the players did not have to update their clients, and the only change was to the server software itself. In this update, the way levels appear in-game were displayed differently. The order in which they appeared was altered in hopes to do a better job of sorting the good from the bad.

And for awhile, this worked. Recently however, poorer levels seem to be surfacing on the top of the lists. EdacOnag made a statement about this on the forums. Here is a quote:

“It seemed that, until we got the new play browser/rankings, the levels that would rise to the top would always be ones with a bunch of run power-ups in a straight line to the finish, or levels that look like: Start Flag -- Platform -- Finish Flag. After the new update, better levels were being featured. The new rating system helped with that. Unfortunately, it seems that the new ranking system has focused more on plays again. The shorter, easier levels generally get more plays, and therefore rise to the top of the Play Browser, even if they have a low rating.”

This statement sparked some conversation in the forums. Some players stopped by to give their agreement, and we came to the conclusion that something needs to be done. After a short while, Dave (OkaySamurai) himself stepped in and left a reply. It was as follows:

“What seems to be happening - as usual - is people create multiple accounts to push their levels up (or vote other people's levels down - someone apparently has a vendetta against bigdrip because his levels sometime have way lower stars than they should - maybe some of you have felt this too). Whether by IP or time limits or whatever, we need to work against this. And we will in the future, as I've mentioned this will always be a work in progress.

For now I would say this:
Give 1 star to terrible levels that anyone could make in 5 minutes.
Give 2 stars to levels people at least put some effort into, but still aren't very well designed.
Give 3 stars to average levels where the good and the bad are about even.
Give 4 stars to really good levels that might have a small flaw or two.
Give 5 to near-perfect levels.

So until we fix things, when you see bad levels at the top, the best thing to do is 1-star them.”

All we can do at this point is follow his advice. This especially refers to the levels that can be completed in ten seconds with virtually no work. This means spamming the run power-up so you can run at super speeds to the finish flag 10 blocks away.

If you are guilty of rating these levels high, or making them in the first place, keep in mind that you are being targeted by the community. We WILL make the rating system fair, one way or another.

Want to leave your opinion on this topic? Comment here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7158.0

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Community Events 8.6.09

2009-08-06T23:11:00.002-05:00

A community could be described as a group of people who does things together as a group. The Atmosphir community is no exception to this. As a community, there are many events going on right now, as well as in the future. The purpose of this post is to keep you updated on some occasions or events happening either now or in the future.

Interview with Dave Werner on Landor Industries Live. (Date/Time Unknown) Coming soon, Dave Werner 9OkaySamurai) will be appearing on Landor Live Industries for a Q&A with the community. Details will be announced as they become available. Keep checking the official thread for details. Topic: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7151.0

Atmosphir Level of the Week with Kaiserg. (Every Thursday) Every Thursday on Landor Industries Live, Kaiserg will be appearing with his selection for Level of the Week. This level is chosen from the previous week’s Levels of the Day by Kaiserg. Stay tuned to Landor Industries Live for more information. All episodes will appear on UStream and YouTube.

Design Challenge: Space09. (Deadline is Wednesday, August 26^th) One of the most anticipated events in the community is the design challenge that is released around the time of each Jumpstart. This time, the challenge is Space09, where we are challenged to create a space-themed level. Remember, there are prizes! 1000 Atmos for first, 500 for second, and 250 for third. Stay tuned for more information. Topic: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=7123.0

The Atlympics. (Ongoing event; ends when there is a winner) A true challenge for any designer, the Atlympics is a series of matches between some of the greatest level designers. While the entry date is long past, the public’s chance to be involved is drawing closer. In the final round, our judges will no longer be the only ones determining the winner. You, the public, will be allowed to vote in this epic round. Keep paying attention to the Atlympics thread to keep up to date, and be sure to vote for the winner in the final round! Topic: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6560.0

Challenge of the Week. (Ongoing event) hosted by none other than Munchy365, Challenge of the Week is everything the name implies. Every week, four levels are picked. At this point, they are placed into a poll and the community votes on the winner. Whoever has the highest number of votes when the week has ended has their level stickied in the Competition forum. Be sure to vote for your favorites every week!

We are a living community. It is important that we all experience everything we have to offer. Therefore, I encourage you all to take a look at these fine events. Enjoy your time on Atmosphir!

Thanks for reading everyone. We will have coverage of the recent Devcast as soon as I can sit down and listen to it all. There are a full 22 minutes of content in this video and it’s worth listening to.

Until next time, everyone!

Design Challenge: Space09

2009-08-05T23:58:00.002-05:00

Design challenges are a driving force behind the Atmosphir community. They give us a challenge that we must fulfill, and they keep our imaginations running by forcing us to develop various levels to meet certain standards. Each design challenge has a different objective in mind. For example, Tutorial09 was a challenge to design a level that would teach new players how to play Atmosphir. The most recent design challenge was Mini09, which directed us to design a level that can be beaten in less than two minutes.

Mini09 was my first actual competition. When I first joined, Expert09 was in progress. Since I was a newbie to Atmosphir at that point, my level was pretty bad and received poor reviews. In addition to that, nobody knew who I was. I didn’t have a name for myself, and nobody cared if I won or not. To be honest, it was pretty discouraging. But once I started figuring out how things worked in Atmosphir, it became easier and easier to design new levels. When I entered my Mini09 level, it flew to the top of the charts in almost no time.

Today, the next Design Challenge was announced. This time, the theme is Space, for Space09. As the name implies, we are supposed to create a space-themed level… without a space-themed pack. This could get very interesting. Already there have been some impressive levels modeling a planet’s surface, flying spaceships, and everything else. Space09 will definitely be a design challenge to remember.

So what are some ideas for Space09 without a Space Pack? Dave left a few suggestions in the official thread. A big thing would be low gravity. While we can’t actually alter gravity, we can give players the ability to jump high, as if they were in space with very little gravity. Moving platforms were also recommended. Really, this is more of a futuristic challenge. It really will be interesting to see what the community can come up with.

As a side note, Dave entered the live chat today. I wasn't there to witness it, but apparently he mentioned "lasers" as a hint about some new features. What could it mean?

Best of luck to you all, and have a great day.

Player Spotlight: OkaySamurai

2009-08-04T22:41:00.001-05:00

Within each community, there are various positions of power. The most obvious would be the leader. The leader of a group directs us all, telling us where we’ve been and where we’re going. In this world, there are two types of leaders: The good and the bad.

A bad leader will ignore the people he or she leads, giving them no information and no guidance. On the other hand, there is a good leader. Someone like this does not raise themselves above others, but instead comes down to our level. Rather than rule and command above all of our heads, they will insert themselves into the common folk, listening to compliments and complaints alike. Like any leader, they will take us farther. Unlike other leaders however, they will base this off of what the common people want, and not on their own whim.

Today, I’d like to give the player spotlight to someone who leads the Atmosphir community to a brighter future. Someone who extends his hand in friendship to anyone, especially those he has not met. Someone who has embraced the concept of creativity since the beginning, and will continue to do so until the end.

If you haven’t caught on to who I’m referring to, the wait is over. Today, the Atmosphirian Player Spotlight goes to OkaySamurai, also known as Dave Werner from Minor Studios itself.

In the beginning, I didn’t plan on giving Dave the Player Spotlight. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, he works on developing amusement for people like me all of the world, but it’s his job. He gets a paycheck for doing all of this. Why would this earn a player spotlight? Don’t get me wrong, Dave really is the heart and spirit of the community, and I admire him for it.

A few days ago, I wandered into the live chat like I usually do. Instantly, I received a few messages asking me if I had seen a site they had found. I was amused by their enthusiasm, so I took a look at it. That was when the name caught my eye: www.okaydave.com. At that point, it occurred to me that the Dave in my mind was just the guy sitting behind a table in the Jumpstart videos. Sure, we had talked a few times during his brief appearances in the live chat or during his UStream Q&A, but it was nothing personal about either of us. So I eagerly clicked the link, although I wasn’t expecting much. Probably just a long read about Dave, I though.

How wrong I was. www.okaydave.com is actually a very interactive website filled with information about the Dave. It wasn’t a fan site, either. Everything was recorded by Dave, and made by him, too. Looking through it was more fun than anything else. Hearing Dave narrate various parts of his life was an educating experience, and really gave me more of an idea about his life. When Dave writes in the forums or makes a video, it’s mostly business; there isn’t much of a window for personal facts. After all, he’s the guy you go to if you need to know something about Atmosphir.

It’s easier to select someone for the Player Spotlight if I have some impression of their personality. After all, most people who stick to the facts without a drop of personality generally aren’t too fun to talk about. You could go on for hours about Dave, if you tried.

After watching various videos around the site, I got a great impression about him. He’s a man of creativity. He’s had some experiences many of us could not dream about, Atmosphir being only one of many. From the sounds of wine to Kanye West, Dave seems to know it all. Writing a summary of everything I found on the site, added with everything Dave does for the community, would take awhile to write. And since I ended up getting this post out a bit late, I’ll have to keep it simple.

Please, take a look at www.okaydave.com. Take a few minutes to learn some more about the guy we’ve come to love known as OkaySamurai. Without him, Atmosphir probably wouldn’t exist, and we’d all be stuck playing Runescape or something.

So, in closing, thank you for everything you do for the community, Dave. I’m sure it’s worth a lot more than a paycheck.

Also, late congratulations to Dave for a successful proposal this past May (I believe)!

Once again, congratulations to Dave/OkaySamurai, winner of the Atmosphirian Player Spotlight!

Level Spotlight: Fortress by Munchy365

2009-08-03T19:18:00.000-05:00

A popular level can be determined by a few things. First is play count. Every time someone plays a level, its play count goes up by one. Second would be stars. The higher the star rating (on a scale of one to five, five being the highest), the more people liked it. A third factor, while not easily determined, would be the community’s reaction. Sometimes levels become the topic of everyone’s conversation, and you find yourself asking other players if they’ve played a certain level.

Recently a level was released that left everyone talking about it. I haven’t seen a negative review for it, and (at the time of writing) it sits at a 4.85 rating, which is very high for a level. I’ve seen many people recommend it for level of the day. In fact, when I won level of the day, one user asked how my level beat out this level. I took no offence to that, because I agreed. Of course, the creator came in and tried to explain.

A sequel to another famous level created by this user, this week’s Level Spotlight goes to Fortress by Munchy365!

Fortress is a sequel to Shrine, a level which I haven’t, as of yet, played. When news of Fortress was first released however, everyone seemed to be excited. With my curiosity getting the better of me, I took a look at it. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but if I was expecting tall, stone buildings, I would have been correct. Fortress is composed of many towers, connected by bridges and filled with challenges. The finish flag is located near the top. At the time of writing, I haven’t completed the level. When I explained to Munchy where I ended last time, he laughed and informed me that I was incredibly close to the finish. Way to go, Colin.

Dave (OkaySamurai) also took an interest to Fortress. In the latest Jumpstart, if you paid attention, a screenshot was shown of it, running under the new engine. If you thought the level had amazing design before, seeing this will blow you away. With beautiful shadows and mysterious fog, Fortress will blossom when the new engine is released, hopefully in the near future.

Be sure to take a break and take a look at Fortress in the near future. With the recent popularity, you might even see it win Level of the Day. Congratulations again, Munchy!

For the official Fortress Thread, click here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=2251.0

To see Fortress in the new engine, click here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6978.0

MOD Spotlight: AtmoGalaxy

2009-08-02T23:21:00.003-05:00

So far, most mods have been based around things we see every day, such as trees, grass, wood, etc. In my opinion, we do a pretty good job of it. There have been some very impressive mods out there. Atmosphir HT took textures from everyday things (if you consider red crabs an everyday thing) and included them in Atmosphir. Everywhere around us, we see similarities to reality in Atmosphir.

But what happens when we look farther, into the world around us? I’m not referring to Earth; I’m referring to the entire galaxy. Atmosphir, though originally designed to be similar to our world, is not limited to this. With the powers of modification, we can make Atmosphir whatever we want it to be. That’s why today, the MOD Spotlight goes to a mod which looks beyond our own atmosphere and into the space beyond. Not only does it have originality, it also has quality.

Today, chosen by my helpers, Munchy and Kaiserg, the MOD Spotlight goes to none other than AtmoGalaxy, created by CarrotMonster.

When I first heard about AtmoGalaxy, I was a little skeptical. There have been a lot of mods lately which could be considered to lack some essential quality. After awhile. This mod picked up speed. At the time of writing, AtmoGalaxy is nearing 79 posts, which is actually a decent amount for a mod.

As the name implies, AtmoGalaxy is based on space and spacecrafts more than anything else. The textures seem to have an industrial feel to them, giving them the appearance of a floating cargo ship more than anything else. It’s much “rougher” than most mods, which seem to have very smooth graphics, while the textures used in AtmoGalaxy really seem to pop out. Every image has high levels of detail to really appear to be 3D.

The most interesting texture is the one used for glass. From what I’ve seen in the screenshots, it doesn’t seem to appear to exist. Rather, the player seems to be standing on air. Glass has been a widely demanded texture, and to see an invisible block is pretty cool to most people. Of course, this could be very confusing later, when people don’t know if there’s glass ahead of them or not. For now, we’ll have to sit at our computers and watch as the player walks on nothing.

At the time of writing, AtmoGalaxy is having a bit of a name difficulty. There is a poll going on to determine if it will be named AtmoGalaxy or AtmoSpace, while the evil moderator, Munchy, demands that it be named iSpace, because most mods begin with “Atmo.” (Munchy, if you read this, you know I’m just joking around… right? Right?).

An interesting piece of information, straight from Munchy: Originally, AtmoGalaxy was named Invader Textures. The textures were taken from Invader Zim, giving it the name. It was then named "iSpace," the "i" standing for Invader.

Right now, AtmoGalaxy is in beta. When it’s fully released, be sure to check it out! Congrats, AtmoGalaxy and creator, CarrotMonster! Also, special thanks to Munchy and Kaiserg for helping out with this one (If you consider suggesting mods to be helping).

Atlympics: Round Two is OVER.

2009-08-01T21:58:00.000-05:00

Well everyone, the second round of the Atlympics has officially ended. The bracket was released yesterday evening, and the players were anxious to hear the results. So without further delay, here were the results of round two.

Bboys99 (No Level Entered) vs. Force255 (No Level Entered) – Seriously? Another dead round?

Turkeylurkey (No Level Entered) vs. Nobody – Yet another dead round.

Colinnn (Raiding the Temple of Lush) vs. Gary1 (Sacred Realm) – This was an interesting matchup. In the end, I emerged victorious.

Cmmatzat (The Minds of Galtine) vs. Memphiston (No Level Entered) – An easy victory for Cmmatzat!

Scary101 (Rob the Atmosphir Shopping Center!) vs. Nobody – Another easy victory, this time by Scary101!

Boberto (The Spike Tunnels) vs. Tominator (No Level Entered) – Boberto returns with his LOTD-winning Spike Tunnels. Tominator did not upload a level, so an easy victory for Boberto!

Frederik (No Level Entered) vs. Drfuzzyness (Vertigo [Mini09]) – An easy victory for Drfuzzyness.

Creator7 (Air Islands 3 The Return) vs. Wowfunhappy (The Haunted Dimension of the Haunted House) – In a clash between Creator7 and Wowfunhappy, Wowfunhappy eventually took the cake and moved on.

So in closing… there were only two actual matches. Everyone else had an instant win, unless they didn’t make a level. Sort of disappointing. But now that the final rounds are coming, it seems safe to say that only the most dedicated players remain.

So who’s against whom in round three? Let’s take a look.

The three matches in Round Three will be: Colinnn vs. Cmmatzat, Scary101 vs. Boberto, and Drfuzzyness vs. Wowfunhappy.

Wow, it looks like there will be some heated matches, assuming everyone does their part this time. Good luck to these final six!

7.31.09 Mailbox

2009-07-31T23:20:00.000-05:00

Today the second Mailbox was released. For those of you who do not know what that is, it’s a series of Q&As done by Dave (Okaysamurai). The questions are submitted to him via Twitter, and he selects a few to answer.

Today had some more interesting questions than last week, in my opinion. Here’s a basic summary of the session:

Multiplayer and Locked Doors. It’s uncertain what will happen when a player opens a door in multiplayer. Will the door unlock for only that person, or others as well? One thing Dave suggested was a key respawn.

Multiplayer Rankings. Dave would really like to see this happen.

Previous versions of Atmosphir. The suggestion was made that MiSt re-release previous versions of Atmosphir to celebrate the 1-Year anniversary of the Beta. Dave liked this idea.

Favorite Mods? Dave thinks that the concept of mods is a good one, and it really brings out the creativity in people. A few of his favorites were AtmOsphir and Atmosphir HT (Hey, the same ones that won the MOD Spotlight!).

Time it takes to develop a level? As Dave put it, you can’t just crap out a level. It takes a lot of time and effort to make a winner.

Office Tour. See video.

Making a level for multiplayer. All it will really take to make a pre-existing level compatible for Atmosphir is a few more spawn points, some alterations to the rules, and a few other things.

Pay Pal. It’s coming.

Do Zombiez 8 Atmosphir or atmozphir at zombiez? I honestly couldn’t figure this question out. Dave had some kind of reply, but without knowing the question, I can’t sum it up. Some kind of paradox.

Moving Platforms and Stratosphir. They will be compatible when the new engine is released.

Camera Control. Dave would like to add some kind of camera control options for the “hardcore” gamers.

What would you pay for? Dave really liked the idea of unlocking blocks in-game, or paying Atmos to skip the work and just get the block. I’m sure Boberto wasn’t too pleased by this answer.

GAMES. They probably won’t be coming anytime soon, but if/when they do, they will be more of a “playlist” than a chain of levels.

All in all, it wasn’t too bad. We got a lot of information from this Mailbox. It would seem that Stratosphir is coming along nicely. Adz also made an interesting discovery, which can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6978.0

Seems as if Dave let a few other things slip that we might not have noticed at first. Thanks to Adz for finding these!

Until next time, Atmosphirians!

Getting Noticed In the Play Browser - Part Two: Overused Ideas

2009-07-30T21:34:00.001-05:00

Originality in Atmosphir is like money in a store. The more imagination and originality, the more plays a level will receive. As with everything else however, there comes a time in every idea’s life that it becomes such a good one that everyone wants to use it in their own designs.

When everyone insists on using the same idea, it loses its originality and one-of-a-kind attribute. There are a few ideas what are so overused that I find myself rolling my eyes and giving a poor rating to them. Of course, I don’t base my rating off of that, but originality is very important in my opinion. Today I’ll be discussing the levels that make me wonder what happened to effort.

10-Second Finishes. One of the most common types of levels that I see is a straight line between the start and finish flags. There are no jumps involved, and every space as a speed power-up. All the player has to do is run in one direction to the finish. As long as you can run in a single direction, you can beat these levels. Now be honest, how fun is a level like this? To me, not at all. Something like this can be made in a few minutes. If a level is based off speed, make it a nice racing level, not a line from one place to another.

Start and Finish Maps. Honestly, a map that has the finish flag five feet from the start (with nothing in-between) is just… I’m not sure what. There certainly isn’t much work put into it. I think this one explains itself.

Treasure Spam Maps. A variation of the Start and Finish Maps, these kinds of levels are generally a large platform filled with treasure, a start flag, and a finish flag. Nothing to them. All you have to do to get a high score is run in lines, collecting everything. If you don’t want to do anything, you don’t have to. Just walk to the flag.

Unbeatable levels. I’m not sure what to say for these levels. Any map that cannot be finished is just another bad mark on anyone’s play record. Please, beta test your levels before publishing them. Run through them to make sure they can actually be beaten. If it can’t be beaten, do us all a favor of fixing it before publishing.

I’m sure there are other types of levels that get on our nerves. My point to everyone is that it is not difficult to add some spice to your level. Have fun with Atmosphir, and let your imagination run wild!

Getting Noticed In the Play Browser - Part One: Stars, Difficulty, and Plays

2009-07-30T00:00:00.001-05:00

The core of Atmosphir, besides the optional community, is its ability to allow players to create their own levels and share them with the world. Here, the possibilities are endless. Players can make towers that reach for the heavens, or forested landscapes, or anything in between. In Atmosphir, you, the player, have the chance to express yourself within a 100 x 100 x 100 grid- more than enough room.

Once we finish our levels, it then is entered into the world, where anyone can play it. At this point, players can rate it based on two different scales. First is the 5-Star system. Once you have played a level, you may rate it from one to five stars, with five being an excellent level, and one a not so excellent level. This is probably the most influential factor when deciding to play a level. The higher the star count, the more people loved it. Next is the difficulty factor. A player may also rate a level based on how easy or hard it is, a one being very easy, and a five meaning it is very hard. If you are new to the game, you might want to stick with very easy levels. If you’re looking for a challenge, expert levels are for you. Keep in mind that if a level has been not been rated on difficulty, it will appear as “very easy.”

The final factor, called plays, cannot be determined at will. Any time someone begins to load your level, one play is added to it. This number is nearly as influential as the star factor, as it will determine the popularity. If there are many people playing your level, it will have a higher play-count than a level which is not noticed. If you want to get your level noticed, it would be recommended to advertise it on the forums. If you simply want to show off, make a post in the Level Spotlight. For contests involving your level, please post in the Competition board. Remember to include screenshots so your level will attract attention!

This is only the first part of making your level get noticed. Next time, we’ll discuss some generic ideas that seem to be overused in Atmosphir. Keep reading, Atmosphirians!

Player Spotlight: Munchy365

2009-07-28T19:51:00.002-05:00

When I first joined Atmosphir and began to visit the forums, like anyone else, I was clueless about who everyone was. Everyone was a stranger to me, with a blank record. It was up to me to find my way around- there were always people offering their hand to help, but I had to seek them out.

On most other forums that I’ve visited, the moderators have stood out against the crowd. Nearly every post they made involved scolding someone for posting in the wrong place, bumping threads, or locking threads. Overall, it looked like a pretty boring and stressful job. Another thing I noticed about them was their age. It seemed to me that all of them were college-age or older. That’s a pretty big contrast to the group of teens that usually ruled the forums.

On the Atmosphir forums, nobody stood out as a moderator. It seemed that whenever something was out of place, everyone could point it out from a mile away. I ended up getting some of the moderators and regular users confused for various reasons. There was one moderator who really hid himself well, however. He acted just like a regular user with an interesting personality. It wasn’t until my first night on the live chat that it finally occurred to me that he was a moderator.

Of all the moderators that I’ve met from any forum, this one really stands out. They’re the perfect representation of the fact that moderators, although powerful, are exactly like us. This is why this week, I would like to present the Atmosphirian Player Spotlight to none other than Munchy365.

I first “met” Munchy in the live chat the night I was on vacation. A few hours were all it took to figure out his personality: overall, a very nice person. After seeing him in the chat, he was everywhere. In fact, it became hard not to see him. The most notable place is the Competition forum, which he moderates in. Just because he moderates doesn’t mean he has a rough job. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve never seen him have to inform someone that they’re in the wrong area. He’s very well liked in his own boards, and for good reasons.

One of Munchy’s services as a moderator is the Challenge of the Week. Every week, he will select a few levels that are deemed “challenging” enough to be placed in a poll. The community votes and the winner has their thread stickied in the Competition board. Munchy gives one user a shot in the spotlight for making a great level, which often gets them noticed. Anybody who has their level nominated should be thankful for the chance at some fame.

Another highlight of Munchy’s Atmosphir career is his “Flying Circus,” where he will make any kind of graphic you need, free of charge. Simply fill out a request, and he’ll get right on it. At the time of writing, the shop is closed so he can work on some orders. In the future, be sure to remember Munch’s Flying Circus for your graphic needs. He recently requested a shop spotlight, but since there isn’t much competition for that, this was it. You’re welcome, Munchy.

These are just a few of the things that Munchy does around the community. As a moderator, it’s not hard to miss him. Keep an eye out, he’s always looking for friends.

So once again, congratulations to Munchy365!

Level Spotlight: Evolution OF Speed - Zone One [Mini09] by Frodo

2009-07-27T15:01:00.000-05:00

The current design challenge, Mini09, has a very simple goal: design a level that can be beaten within two minutes. This time limit puts boundaries on the size of your level, due to the fact that the player must be able to navigate the area within the two minutes that they are given. This does not mean that the level cannot be challenging and unique. Although your options may seem limited by time, they are, in fact, widened. For example, many of the levels have incorporated the limit into their level through the use of moving platforms. When the platform reaches the end of the level, time will also end. Many designers have found various ways to use time as an advantage, not an obstacle.

When you consider the short time that you are given, speed comes to mind. You can cover more space if you can run faster than you could normally. Therefore, there are levels which focus on the speed powerup entirely. Most of these are race levels, in which the player must hurry to the finish before time runs out. A challenging level would leave the player with only a few seconds by the time the level is completed.

Out of all the Mini09 levels that use speed as a key factor, only one of them has truly captured my attention. Changing speed into a puzzle of sorts is an impressive thing to do. Therefore, straight from one of Atmosphir’s pro designers, the Atmosphirian is proud to announce that the next Level Spotlight goes to none other than “Evolution OF Speed – Zone One [Mini09]” by Frodo!

The concept of Evolution OF Speed is a simple one. When you begin, you have close to no running power. You can just barely skip one block. And that’s exactly what you do. Right away, you will jump the smallest gap. There will be a speed powerup waiting for you. Take this, and run back. Jump to the central pillar, and look for the next smallest gap. For this, you will be just barely able to pull yourself up. Once again, there will be a speed powerup. Take this, and return to the central chamber. Fine the third largest gap, jump it, and take the powerup. The fourth and final gap is the most challenging. If you miss this, you will fall onto a bed of spikes. As long as you time your jump correctly, you will safely climb onto the ledge, where there is a speed powerup. If you want to end the level now, you may do so by walking through the door, where you will find the flag.

If you have some spare time and lives, however, you may wish to collect the bonus points scattered throughout the level. If you return to the first and second side chambers that you entered, you may notice that there are two side halls with spikes and crystals. As long as you’ve collect all the speed powerups, these should be no problem. A few of these halls are longer than the others however, so be sure to jump carefully!

The thing that interests me the most about Evolution OF Speed is how simple it is. Most people would consider a level with short time to be a frantic race to the finish. This level is surprisingly laid-back, however. It not too frustrating or hard to understand. You don’t have any directions, yet you somehow know where to go. It’s a great use of the speed powerup in general. Another amazing thing about it is that you finish the level with time to go back through the level to collect bonus points. As I said before, most levels leave you with only a few seconds remaining. It’s rare to see a level so well designed, yet remain so simple.

Once again, congratulations to Frodo for his level, Evolution OF Speed – Zone One [Mini09]!

MOD Spotlight: Atmosphir HT - The High Texture Mod for the Mature Gamer

2009-07-26T22:27:00.003-05:00

Probably one of the most welcoming aspects of Atmosphir is its cartoon look. No matter what you’re doing, there always seems to be a slight childish feeling coming from every block, prop, and hazard. This does not mean that it is unappealing to the older player. This particular feeling is welcoming to everyone, at any age. It really does bring out the kid in our hearts.

As welcoming as this may be, there will always be players who want to take a more mature approach on gaming. That is why I’d like to throw a new mod into the spotlight. Yet another very impressive mod has shown itself in the Creative Spotlight board. When deciding on a mod to feature last week, it was a close competition between AtmOsphir and this. At the time, AtmOsphir was fully developed, so it went first. Now that this week’s mod has reached 50% completion, I think it’s time that it is put into the spotlight.

This week’s MOD Spotlight goes to none other than Atmosphir HT – The High Texture Mod for the Mature Gamer, led by YoungLink, one of the Atmosphir moderators.

When I first saw this, it was titled “Atmosphir HD for the Mature Gamer.” Since then, due to conflicts with other mods with similar names, it has evolved to the name we see today. Atmosphir HT intrigued me the most due to its very realistic textures. It turns out, the reason these textures look so real is because they are! Nearly every texture used for this project is an actual texture. For example…

…the textures used for the crab are actually taken from a red crab, and…

…the texture used for the fire-breathing bird is an actual texture for cracked stone.

In the beginning, the only modded textures we saw were the floor and bird textures. Since then, there has been a large variety of new textures, nearly all of which are made with actual textures from real creatures. My personal favorite is the new Skybox:

Beautiful.

You can see that a lot of time and effort has gone into making this mod. I can assure you that when this mod is released, I will be trying it out ASAP. Once again, congratulations to YoungLink and any helpers he has worked with!

The Atlympics: Round One Results and Round Two Information

2009-07-25T22:21:00.002-05:00

Friday night, Tamloo released the results of round one of the Atlympics. Along with these results was an updated bracket describing the second round of the competition. If you haven’t heard, here are the results from the opening round:

BearBoy97 (No Level Entered) VS. Levion (No Longer Participating)

Winner: Nobody.

Gary1 (Sacred Realm) VS. Josh5 (No Level Entered)

Winner: Gary1 by default.

TheAtmosphere (No Level Entered) VS. Seabot81 (No Level Entered)

Winner: Nobody.

Bender (Galaga [BlockArt09]) VS. Boberto (The Spike Tunnels)

Winner: Boberto.

CloakedYoshi13 (Zelda OOT Deku Tree) VS. Drfuzzyness (Vertigo [Mini09])

Winner: Drfuzzyness

Out of the opening ten, only three move on to Round Two. In this round, beginning tomorrow, there will be eight matches. Due to the results from Round One however, two players will automatically move on as long as they enter a level. As Tamloo put it, they could make the worst level ever created and still move on to Round Three.

Here are the matches for round two. Participants may submit their levels starting tomorrow, July 26^th, with a deadline of July 30^th.

Bboys99 VS. Force255, Turkeylurkey VS. Nobody (Automatic Win), Colinnn VS. Gary1, Cmmatzat VS. Memphiston, Scary101 VS. Nobody (Automatic Win), Boberto VS. Tominator, Frederik VS. Drfuzzyness, and Creator7 VS. Wowfunhappy.

Regardless of the fact that I’m in it, I’m looking forward to my match with Gary1 the most. I’ve made my predictions about most of the other matches. Regardless, this will be an interesting round.

Best of luck to you all! Remember to have your levels in on time so we don’t have another group of people dropping out.

The Atlympics information thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6138.0

The Atlympics discussion thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6560.0

The Atlympics Bracket can be found here: http://8-bitstudios.co.cc/Bracket.pdf

Thanks for reading!

Live Chat With the Atmosphir Community

2009-07-24T17:17:00.002-05:00

If you’ve read The Atmosphirian, you will know that for the past few nights I have been on vacation. I was lucky enough to have a wifi connection, but the technology my computer had made it very difficult to play Atmosphir. Therefore, I was stuck with using the forums as my only source of Atmosphir-related entertainment. For the first few nights, I stayed up, many hours into the night, posting on the forums. It was not until my last night that I stumbled upon the live chat for Atmosphir.

Many of the regular players have entered the chat. Wednesday night was my first time connecting. Not expecting much, I entered under my usual name, Colinnn. Considering it was close to 9:00 Central time, I wasn’t expecting much company. Much to my surprise, there were some players talking. They greeted me warmly, and we started talking about all sort of things.

As the night went on, only a small group of us were left: Bigdrip681, Munchybot, Kaiserg, and I. Before trying out this chat, I never had much contact with these three. I was most familiar with Kaiserg, who has always been a supporter of The Atmosphirian. Aside from that, my connection with them was minimal. That night, however, we all talked like old friends. It was a great chance to talk to them, and I learned many things. Topics ranged from thetan levels to stories of former players. I passed around seven hours overall in the chat that night, and I feel that I am better friends with those three because of it. By their request, here’s a screenshot from the chat:

My conclusion is that I’m cool. So are they.

Probably my favorite part of the chat was Atmobot. As the name implies, Atmobot is not a real person but a computer. Part of its coding gives it the power to interact with the users. For example, if your message includes “hax” in any part of it, Atmobot will yell “HAAAX!!!” and send you a video containing a clip from The Gmod Idiot Box (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0OZXnkfJB0&feature=related). If you type someone’s name, Atmobot will inform them that they are being summoned. The most important feature of Atmobot, however, is to update the statistics for the chat.

The statistics, as the name implies, records information about what is said in the chat. It marks what day, what time, and by whom a post was made. It then organizes this information into a list of facts. This information is divided into various sections:

Daily Activity. Essentially a chart showing how much we have talked over a certain amount of time.

When do we talk? This is a chart that is stretched over 24 hours, and changes according to when we talk.

100 Most talkative users. This is probably the most important part of the statistics. The top 100 posters are listed here, along with when they talk, how much they talk, as well as a random quote by the user.

They just didn’t make it to the top 100. Basically the next 102 on the top posters list. These runner-ups only have their name and number of posts listed.

Time of Day Stats. This divides the day into four 6-hour periods. The top posters from each section are then listed.

Long Term Statistics. Time periods of two weeks are compared to each other in terms of post count.

In my opinion, the live chat is an amazing addition to the Atmosphir community. It provides a closer connection to one another, much like instant messaging. If you haven’t already visited the live chat, be sure to add it to your list!

Information for the chat can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=1509.0

Statistics for the chat can be found here: http://www.landorindustries.com/atmosphir/atmosphir.wyldryde.html

Thanks for reading!

Mailbox 7.23.09 Summary

2009-07-23T21:15:00.002-05:00

Earlier today, Minor Studios released the July 23^rd edition of Mailbox, which is the continuation of the Atmosphir Journal. Sadly, this was not recorded in his kitchen. On the bright side, many players’ questions were answered. Below is a basic summary of all questions asked.

In-School Resources. Dave would like to insert Atmosphir into the educational environment through the use of proxy servers, written resources, school versions of Atmosphir, etc. All that was said was the possibility, and no timeline was given.

Dave does not have a second job. Working on Atmosphir takes up nearly all of his time.

Goat and Human friendships. According to Dave, it cannot happen.

Project Stratosphir will be released by the end of the year. As long as everything goes according to plan, multiplayer will be released for Atmosphir by the end of the year. Once again, this is if everything goes according to plan.

Dave’s refrigerator contents. Not much, because Dave is traveling lately.

Maximum number of players in multiplayer. Right now, Stratosphir supports a total of five players. Dave hopes that this can be raised to a total of twelve. Co-op hopes to be a total for four.

New engine footage. See video to watch.

Upgrading to new the engine. Nearly all of the resources have been imported, excluding character models. This is due to the new physics being used for the player. Aside from a few players, very few actually know the name of the engine.

Gravity rules. Odds are there will be high and low gravity variables. Most likely, there will be the option to change gravity within the level by the player, or in the rules by the creator.

Saving money in a tough economy. Dave and his friends have saved money by staying within a $5 limit for meals, as well as entertaining themselves with cheap entertainment, such as free games.

Coffee or Tea? Hot chocolate.

Incomplete games. Dave has never beaten Dead Rising, Fallout 3, Zack and Wiki, and Super Monkey Ball for the iPhone.

Altogether, none of this news was revolutionary. Most of it was pretty common knowledge, but it was reassuring to hear it from Dave himself. Everyone remember to thank him for doing this, as he is taking the time for these updates at our request.

Do you have a question for Dave? You can submit your own questions for answering at www.twitter.com/minorstudios.

How To Become A Hot Topic On the Forums, Random Announcements

2009-07-22T22:12:00.002-05:00

As with most forums, the Atmosphir Forums, by default, base their listing of threads based on the most recent post. Topics which have more recent posts are at the top of the list. If a thread does not receive a post, it begins to sink until it does. Threads which are deemed important or popular enough by the moderators can be marked as a “sticky,” which basically means that it will be on the top of the lit, no matter what, until it is no longer “sticky.” These topics will generally relate to the rules of a forum, or involve some sort of current event.

But what can the rest of us do to get noticed? Getting a topic stickied, especially when it is made by a common user, is an incredibly rare event. Therefore, we must ensure that our topics receive enough posts to keep it floating on the first page. People do not generally look past the first page of a forum, so if your topic that falls off, odds are that you are the only one who cares and can being it back.

In my mind, there are some guidelines that I follow when I create a topic. I think the community would look nicer if we took a few simple steps when opening a topic. Here are my top picks from such steps, as well as some concepts that can put your topic on the bad side of a moderator.

Follow the common rules of the English language. As far as I know, there is hardly any diversity of languages when it comes to the Atmosphir community. If they do exist, then this rule really doesn’t apply as much to them. As for the rest of us, we have grown up with the knowledge of the English language. First, capitalization. In my opinion, topics look much nicer when capitalized correctly. Second, spelling. While abbreviated phrase such as “LOL” or “BRB” may be popular on the internet, I believe they don’t make for a very good title. Some spelling mistakes I’ve noticed are very simple words which could be corrected easily. This seems like it should be a small problem, but it is a rather large one in actuality. Even the content of your post should follow these guidelines. There are several ways you can make sure you haven’t made a mistake. Some web browsers include a built-in spell check. If not, the forums themselves have a spell check feature. Simply click on “Spell Check” when you are done, and it does the hard work for you. If you still have problems, type it out in a word processor first. I do this with my longer replies and topics, as well as these blog posts. My spelling may appear nice, but in actuality, I make my share of mistakes. It’s a simple step that we need to realize. I’ve noticed that threads with spelling mistakes often receive nothing but comments referencing the error in the name. This is not how you want to make a thread popular.

Make sure you are posting in the correct topic. The Atmosphir forums are divided into several different topics. Each topic is there for a different purpose. If you need a description of the topic, they can be found directly under the topic’s name. Make sure you read these! If you post something in the wrong topic, a moderator may request that you move it to the correct topic, or if they have the power, do it themselves. If you have a question about where to post something, feel free to send a message to a moderator. They will be more than happy to direct you to the correct location.

Appeal to the masses. Make sure your topic is appealing to anyone who might see it. The first step of this would be to follow the above guideline, “make sure you post in the right topic.” This will narrow down your audience considerably. First, you should make the topic something that will capture someone’s attention like a Pokemon. For example, in the Competition topic, would you rather click on a thread named “try my level” or “Come play Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09]! 500 Atmos Prize!” (DISCLAIMER: There is no prize for this level. It was simply an example)? I think the answer is obvious. The name of the thread provides information such as a level name and prize. The prize is especially important, as there are many people who would look into anything involving Atmos. While very obvious, there are some things you should not, under any circumstance, include in your title, post, or anywhere on the forums. These include, but are not limited to, racial slurs, anti-religious statements, negative comments directed towards another user, curses, swears, etc. Please be smart when you name a topic!

Present your information in a legible and interesting form. After you’ve brought someone in with your interesting name, be sure to follow up with interesting and accurate information. Make sure that your post actually relates to your title, as well. Follow the previous three guidelines when you write the core of your thread. Use proper spelling and grammar, make sure it’s relevant to the topic, and appeal to the masses. When writing your post, there are certain guidelines for certain topics. In the Creative Spotlight and Competition topics, posts generally include screenshots and links relating to it. Provide interesting information in order to keep your audience intrigued. When posting screenshots, make sure they make your topic look interesting. If you need help following the tradition of the topic, look around at some other threads to get a feel for what you’re doing.

Know when to quit. There comes a time in every thread’s life when its purpose has been served. It’s important to know when that is. If your question has been answered, your competition is over, or you start to receive negative comments, it’s generally time to close shop and move on. This is when the “lock” feature comes into play. A locked thread can be viewed, but not posted on. In order to lock your own thread, scroll to the bottom left corner. There will be an option to lock this topic. Click on that, and it is locked. If you need to unlock your thread for some reason, it can be done though the same method.

There are some things that can put you on the bad side of a moderator as well.

Bumping a topic. “Bumping” a topic means that you post again, generally a double-post, in order to bring a thread to the top of the list again. As a general rule, do not double-post. This is a common rule throughout many forums. Also important is not to resurrect a thread by posting on it. This applies to threads that are ancient and/or are irrelevant.

Remember, moderators are members of the community, just like us, except with the power to, well, moderate. Try to make their job easier by following the rules. They want to enjoy Atmosphir as much as we do, and they deserve it for the services they do for the community.

Time is running out for level submissions to the Atlympics! Make sure you get your levels submitted for the current round ASAP.

Dave will be recording another journal very soon. Expect to see it tomorrow.

I’m very interested in what you guys think should be done with the Atmosphirian. If you have any suggestions regarding topics you’d like me to talk about, please send me a PM on the forums. Please, no promoting your own self/mod/level for spotlights. These titles are earned, not given. If you’d like to recommend something for a spotlight, however, please do.

Time is quickly running out for the Expert09 Play Challenge. For those of you who need a refresher, please go here: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/07/expert09-play-challenge/

That’s all for tonight, good night everyone!

Player Spotlight: Boberto, Public Opinion Survey

2009-07-21T11:50:00.006-05:00

I haven’t been a member of the Atmosphir community as long as many others. I downloaded Atmosphir on June23rd, 2009, but my time on the community has been even shorter. I would estimate that I became a regular on the forums roughly two weeks after joining. Even in that short time, it’s been fairly obvious to me who each person is, and how much of a role they play in the community. In such a small, close group, it’s not difficult at all to see who is an active member, who thinks they’re the best, etc. If you mention someone else, nearly everyone will know who you are referring to.

To me, some members stand out among the others. Some are much more involved in the community, commenting everywhere and being involved in everything. Some are expert designers, and you see them winning contests and being featured. Most importantly are those who seem to give a feeling of kindness, and lighten the mood of the community.

And this is why I’d like to throw someone into the Player Spotlight. If you’ve been on the forum for even a few minutes, you’re bound to see him. He’s like a ray of sunshine to the community and to the game. Yes, that was a bad pun on his current avatar.

The first ever User Spotlight presented by the Atmosphirian goes to none other than Boberto!

At the time of writing Boberto has been online a total of 14 days, 20 hours, and 18 minutes. His total post count is 2495. This makes him the #4 top poster out of everyone on the forums!

If you’re moving through the forums, you can’t miss him. His current icon is a giant sun, with a cheesy smile and a pair of shades. He seems to be everywhere! He is an active participant in community events, such as the Atlympics and Jumpstart Design Challenges. Boberto definitely knows his way around Atmosphir!

But these are simple accomplishments that anyone can achieve. What really makes Boberto stand out among other users is his personality. He really is a ray of sunshine to the community. From what I have seen of him, Boberto is always very good-natured about everything. While browsing the Atlympics forum, I noticed that he is very encouraging to the other competitors- even his rival in round one, Bender. Not many people would be willing to offer such encouragement to others.

In my opinion, Boberto is an important figure in Atmosphir. His kindness and personality certainly add a lot to the environment, and this is why the spotlight is on him. Congratulations, Boberto!

I know some you have noticed the Public Opinion Survey I’m holding about The Atmosphirian. I’m attempting to gather opinions about the Atmosphirian. Please, if you have not done so already, go here (http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6658.0) and vote, as well as leave a comment. Each vote helps me to get a very broad opinion of the public’s view of The Atmosphirian. The comments, however, are where I get the most information. Telling me what you think of The Atmosphirian tells me what to do more or less of. As I said in the thread itself, writing a blog is not a job for one person. It takes the support of a community in order to make it happen.

Until next time, Atmosphirians! Thanks for reading!

The Atlympics

2009-07-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

The Design Challenges issued by Dave (OkaySamurai) during issues of Jumpstart are arguably the most popular contests held within Atmosphir. In most cases, a contest is only truly competitive if a prize is involved, especially atmos. Design Challenges meet this requirement. Not only do the top ten levels get showcased on Jumpstart, an Atmos prize is issued to the top three winners. First place receives 1,000 Atmos, 2^nd wins 500, and 3^rd wins 250.

If you are ever visit the Competition section of the forums, you may notice that the most popular threads are those which include a prize in their name, especially Atmos. Since Atmos are only attainable through Jumpstart Design Challenges or through real money, they are very popular. If you want to make your level get noticed, put an Atmos prize on it for whoever gets the highest score, the first to beat it, etc. Just make sure you pay!

But what contest has twenty Atmosphir level designers competing for an undefined prize, with no actual promise that it exists? The latest buzz in the Competition Forum is At Atlympics, organized by Tamloo with the help of Mrcoble and Marcod. While it’s too late to enter, it doesn’t mean that those who aren’t involved won’t be affected. Expect a stream of levels, made with the thought of winning in mind, to enter the game in the next few weeks.

Each contestant is given a Freemo, while is basically a pass for the round. Rather than make a new level for the round, you are given the option to use your single Freemo to use a previously existing level in the round. This should be used if you will be unable to make a level to meet the deadline. If you do not use a Freemo, you must make a new level.

In round one, there will be four matches: Gary1 vs. Josh5, TheAtmosphere vs. Seabot81, Bender vs. Boberto, and CloakedYoshi13 vs. Drfuzzyness. The most anticipated match seems to be between Bender and Boberto, both well-known names on the forums and in-game.

The other contestants will begin in Round Two, either facing the winner of a previous round, or in a whole new match. There will be a total of five rounds throughout the contest, lasting a span of five weeks. Be sure to check out the Atmosphir Information and Discussion thread to keep up with updates, as well as chat about the tournament.

The official information thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6138.0

The official discussion thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6560.0

Once again, good luck to everyone involved in the competition! The full bracket can be found here: http://8-bitstudios.co.cc/Bracket.pdf - You will need Adobe Reader to view it.

Level Spotlight: Sacred Realm by Gary1, Atlympics Notice, Thread Notes

2009-07-19T20:11:00.004-05:00

When you’re looking for a tough challenge on Atmosphir, a majority of the “hard” levels are filled to the capacity limit with traps. A common example would be a single-floor level with spinning spike traps everywhere you see. While a level like this can indeed be challenging, it is also very frustrating. There is rarely any actual design to it- Rather, the creator most likely randomly placed traps everywhere with no particular plan or pattern. Conquering these levels is not based off of skill (though I’m sure some is required), but rather it is based off of frantic moving and jumping, in hopes to avoid being killed or harmed.

That is why I would like to focus on Sacred Realm by Gary1 for The Atmosphiran’s very first level spotlight. The main attraction I see in this level is that it is hardly based off of hazard props. Where they are used, they are incredibly easy to dodge, and probably aren’t intended to kill. The true challenge comes from the jumping techniques used.

The first part of the level focuses on sets of blocks that are roughly 3 spaces in diameter. Using the jump and speed powerups you find on each platform, you are supposed to leap to each one. At the end, there is a checkpoint. Next, there is a room filled with monsters and spinning spike traps. It’s a pretty easy concept. Once you’ve killed all of them (They are needed to finish the level. If you kill all of them, you will need one more to reach the goal. Climbing up the nearby vines, you will find some more speed and jump powerups. You make a long jump to reach the Muka box located between two rows of trees. Once you pull yourself over, you will reach your second checkpoint. Here you will find a trail of colored blocks that you must jump along. I really don’t have any suggestions for you here. Just take the process slowly, and eventually you will reach the newly added third checkpoint. Here is the point that many get stuck on. There are five rocks that zigzag across the pit to the fourth checkpoint. I actually have a couple tips for you at this point. First, you don’t have to jump on each rock. You have enough speed and jump powerups that you can jump across the three rocks in a row, and reach the checkpoint. My second tip is to aim for the lower platforms if you fall. You may have to do the whole level over again, but I feel that it is better than losing a life. Make sure you do not touch another checkpoint, however. Once this part is over, tag the checkpoint and jump onto the water above (Does that sound right? I didn’t think so). Use the logs to move along. The hardest part in my mind is this part: The fence. I have terrible luck with these. My only tip for this part is this: Run, full-speed, at the bridge, as soon as you touch down on the fence, jump again. If you get lucky and landed on a post, you will jump onto the grass above. If not, you will fall and die. Oops. Just repeat until you make it. Follow the path, jump over the boxes, and use the floating trees to reach the other side. My only advice is not to fall. Kill one of the Mukas up ahead in order to complete the level requirement and move along. Make sure to touch the final checkpoint! My suggestion for this next part is to simply run and jump the birds. It’s that easy. This next part may take a few tries. Get a running start, and jump towards the Muka box floating father ahead. I aim to hang on the side, but if you think you can land on it safely, go ahead. If you’re lucky enough to grab it and pull yourself up, jump onto the other box, and then onto the platform. At this point, the level is basically over. Go off the ramp and enter the green room ahead. Jump up the incredibly easy blocks, and then follow the path in front of you. Soon enough you will reach a golden Triforce. Simply climb up the side of it, and you’re done!

I might make it sound easy, but it’s not as hard as some people say. Yes, it will take a few tries. It took me three hours, but this was before the checkpoint was added before the rocks. Officially, I was the first to ever beat the level. Playing something for three hours gave me the chance to recognize the true skill (and patience) it takes to do something like this. Great job, Gary!

For those of you involved in the first round of the Atlympics, you may now enter your levels. Information on how to do this can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6138.0 – Good luck to everyone involved in Round 1! It looks like there will be some interesting matches.

I’m sorry to point this out again, but at the time of writing, The Atmosphirian board has disappeared from page one of the topics. I was afraid of this happening, but some things can’t be helped. In this case, however, it can be. Please, for the sake of the Atmosphiran, leave a post of comment on the thread in order to keep it alive! The thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6561.0

As another note, I will be leaving for vacation tomorrow. I’m unsure if I will have internet access there or not. I am also unsure if I will have the time. I will try my best, however.

Thanks for reading everyone, and keep Atmosphiring.

MOD Spotlight: AtmOsphir - The Portal Mod, Atlympics Bracket Released, Various Blog Notes

2009-07-18T19:46:00.005-05:00

Portal, the 3D Puzzle game brought to us by Valve Corporation, has been around for awhile (Since October 9^th, 2007). References to the game have been used all over the internet, the most of which is “The Cake Is a Lie” as well as the ending theme, Still Alive (Performed by GLaDOS/Jonathan Coulton). Portal is a First-Person puzzle game focusing on the creation of portals; one orange, one blue. When you enter one portal, you reappear through the other. Using this technology, the player must solve various puzzles under the direction of GLaDOS (Genetic Life-form and Disc Operating System), a mysterious voice that seems to control the facility, Aperture Science. I would recommend picking up a copy of the game, as it is an incredible experience.

There have been some levels created in Atmosphir attempting to imitate Portal using various methods. The lack of teleportation in Atmosphir makes this rather difficult, however. There have been a few clever attempts at replicating the concept, but none of them give the feeling of a true Portal.

While looking through the Creative Spotlight Forum, I discovered AtmOsphir: The Portal Mod, created by Drfuzzyness, Kaiserg, Adz, and Bramblepath. For those of you who do not know, a Mod is basically a set of textures that replace the default textures in your game directory. In the game, the effect is a new game experience. The original textures you received with the game have been replaced with the ones that you just downloaded. You can restore the default textures simply by replacing the modified textures with the originals.

AtmOsphir modifies textures to resemble the environment from Portal. For example, the movable box now looks like the infamous Companion Cube, and tree limbs now appear to be metal piping. Various other blocks and such appear to be the walls and floors from Portal. Some levels have been made to be used with the AtmOsphir mod, and are usually labeled with this image on the Forums:

This image means that the level will look fairly natural with the AtmOsphir Mod.

This image means that the level will require the AtmOsphir Mod to look normal.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of mods. They really serve no purpose but to alter the experience of Atmosphir. But when I stumbled upon this mod, I had to take a look. What really drew me in was the refined product. Not only were you given the textures, but you also received a PDF (Adobe Reader) explaining the setup of the mod (for both Mac and PC users), as well as various information about it. I don’t know a whole lot about mods, but from what I have seen, there are few with this much time and effort put into it. Thank you to the team who made this possible!

The thread for AtmOsphir can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6281.0

In other news, the bracket for the Atlympics has been released. It can be found here: http://8-bitstudios.co.cc/Bracket.pdf - You will need Adobe Reader to view this. Don’t know what the Atlympics are? It’s too late to register, but the information can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6138.0

In blog-related news, I’m having some issues with getting the blog noticed. I’ve yet to hear a negative response regarding it (If you’re holding one back, please don’t! I need honest opinions if I want this to work). Therefore, I feel that The Atmosphiran has a decent shot at becoming something more than just a hobby that nobody cares about. Right now, however, nobody has commented on the forum page, and it’s rapidly sinking. Odds are that if it falls off page one at this stage, it will never come back. Therefore, please leave a comment there telling me what you think, whether it’s good or bad. I can only do so much when it comes to this.

The official Atmosphiran Thread can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=6561.0

Thanks for reading, and please stay with me!

Dave Has A Casual Conversation With Atmosphir Players

2009-07-17T22:20:00.004-05:00

This afternoon, Dave (OkaySamurai) graced us with his presence over UStream. He spent some time playing levels and talking to those of us who were watching. I was only around to watch him play a few levels, which I believe were called “Sacred Realm” by Gary1, “How I Fell In Love” by DJrunn3r, “Pond S.C.U.M.” by EdacOnag, and “Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09]” by Colinnn (Me). I don’t believe he beat any of them, but he did reveal that he loves popsicles.

Aside from playing, Dave also held a Q&A session, due to popular demand. For those of you who couldn’t make it, here were the main points, as remembered by Nuinether and me:

-Restart Button. There’s one in development. This is for the levels that you simply have to start all over.

-Game Controller Support. It’s the sort of thing he would like to happen, so odds are it will.

-Chicken Launcher. I’m pretty sure this was a joke, but it was mentioned all the same. Atmosphir will be very interesting if we have to shoot enemies with exploding chickens.

-Angling Blocks/Platforms. Not really any news there.

-Water. It has been confirmed for the new engine, but this was pretty well known already.

-Props. Soon we will be able to attach props to one another.

Among these things, there were a few minor notes. The first, which I’m not sure is worth mentioning, is that Dave likes pie. Second, any level that involves popsicles is an instant five-star, though I’m fairly certain this was a joke. Third, the office is apparently a mess. The fourth is that Dave has a lot of random objects around him. We saw a stuffed AiAi (Monkey Ball), Petey Piranha (Mario), a wooden action figure, some sort of plastic seal, and everyone’s favorite, a car carrying three men that plays obnoxious music (In this case, it was Low Rider by War. Old music is old). He also refused to show footage from the new engine, whose name is still unknown.

Feedback from the meeting was generally good. The community had been pressing for more contact with MiSt (Minor Studios), so this was a popular event. Unfortunately, due to the short notice, many missed it. Also unfortunate was the fact that Dave did not record the session. Of course, this is understandable, because he was the only one talking. The rest of us were typing.

Personally, I would love to see this happen again, perhaps with a little more notice from Dave. The chance to talk with him in a casual environment was a great experience.

As a side note, I'm still working out all the details for the blog. My main focus right now is the banner, which is harder to make than you might think. Any suggestions would be helpful.

The Beginning of The Atmosphirian

2009-07-16T22:51:00.000-05:00

Atmosphir.

It’s probably not something you’ve really heard about (probably because it’s still locked away in beta testing and has failed to see the light of day). If you’re reading this, odds are it’s because I decided to show off on the Atmosphir Forums, or I shoved the link in your face declaring that I’m trying to run a blog. Either way, it’s not the type of game that you hear about every day. You don’t see banner ads on various sites, it’s not the game that all of your friends are playing; your life probably wouldn’t be any different if you lived without knowing about it.

But Atmosphir, to those who have experienced it, have entered a world that they may find hard to leave. Like a baby or a small child that you can’t take your eyes off of, Atmosphir is taking its first steps towards becoming an incredible game. Of course, there are some bugs to work out, but there’s a reason it’s in closed beta. And that’s also why there’s a small group of us working together to improve it. As we play and give feedback, we are shaping the very future of Atmosphir. This is a community project, and we are the community that it ready to step up to the challenge.

My name is Colin. That’s all you really need to know, I suppose. You may have seen me wandering around the community under the name Colinnn. Original, I know. For awhile I’ve wanted to make some sort of impact on the community. I want to play a crucial role in the making of Atmosphir. Maybe I sound a little power-hungry, but I don’t want power. I just want to play my role. Out of that idea came the idea for this blog, The Atmosphirian. I’m planning on making it a little journal, talking about the world of Atmosphir. Odds are I’ll be discussing my favorite levels, recent events in the community, and showcasing levels and users who seem to be making an impact in the world, just as I would like to. I might talk about some of the less friendly things, such as giving criticism for things that may seem out of place, or express my frustration with literally impossible levels. I tend to be pretty good-natured, so don’t count on those showing up as much.

I don’t know if I’m starting on a project that could last a few hours, or a few months. Maybe the spark will be lit in me, and I’ll be doing this as long as I am able. Maybe this won’t be a good idea to the community, and The Atmosphirian will fade away. Or maybe it will become a big hit, and everyone will be asking for more. I suppose that’s up to the community to decide, but for me, I’ll do my best to give it my all. My goal is daily updates, but as we all know, things happen. So bear with me as I start my own journey to bring coverage of Atmosphir, written by a sixteen-year-old living in Iowa, to the community of Atmosphir.

Feel free to drop me any comments or concerns you may have. I’m always looking to improve on my work (as I’ve said about all my levels, and now this).