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[y_nnis]

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we’ll be releasing our new free iOS title sometime in the next couple of weeks. We are Total Eclipse, an indie game studio from Greece, which some of you might recognize as the developer of puzzle game A Clockwork Brain.

Monster Snack is an endless/runner game that focuses heavily on attention and precision. The player needs not worry about the main character’s motion control, but has to concentrate on making sure that a given sequence of energy-charged crystals are zapped to keep his/her vehicle running. As you progress your vehicle speeds up, and those crystals get harder to hit. If you can’t keep up with that increasing difficulty, you get to meet a certain someone who’s been tailing you...

This is our first take on a game that relies more on the skill side of things, and it also happens to be the first game we decided to develop in 4 weeks’ time from conception to completion (including tweaking any peripherals involved and our home-brewed back-end).

Despite the short time of development, we are giving Monster Snack our all to make sure it looks and feels great! We hope you’ll enjoy the media assets we’ll be uploading soon and the idea of the game. Before anyone asks, an Android version could be making an appearance sooner rather than later.

Needless to say, any feedback or comments are more than welcome!

Now Available on the App Store

https://bitly.com/MSnack

Teaser Trailer
http://bit.ly/MSnackTeaser

Art:
Our game's villain/monster


And our hero/snack

[y_nnis]

Just added a bit of art. More visuals and information on its way!

[lionfish]

Nice pictures.  Wish there was a demo or in game artwork to try and comment on.

[y_nnis]

Thanks for your interest lionfish!

We should be able to upload some animated gifs, and maybe some gameplay video, anytime soon! I'll keep you posted

[y_nnis]

Hey guys!

So, we conducted our first in house usability test and got quite a lot of feedback on the game. So far everything seems to be running smoothly, but we need to iron out a few details.  

We will be re-working the tutorial and resuming the game, as well as make a few tweaks on the controls. So as you can understand, chances are we'll be stretching our 4 weeks deadline a bit.

However, we've got a few .gifs we can show you Mind you, these are still work in progress (some from very early stages in development) and could change - aesthetically or otherwise - later on. Enjoy!


LeCroque's animation concepts



LeCroque's animations



Gaspaude early animation



All work copyrighted by Total Eclipse P.C., unless otherwise stated.

[Citsua]

This is amazing, I just love those animations
Keep up the good work!

Are you gonna port the game to Android?

[y_nnis]

Hey Citsua,

Very happy you liked it 

Porting Monster Snack to Android is in our plans. Having said that, but never before releasing one of our games on Android, we can't estimate a release date, yet!

I can, however, promise to keep you posted! Stay tuned

[Cakeypigdog]

looking great!  I just releases a free endless runner on iOS.  We made no money at all

Freemium is very hard to get right.  If you do not achieve millions of users you are unlikely to make much.  It is so hard out there on iOS however you decide to go now but I would be very careful about going free.

Feel free to PM me if you like I would be happy to share our experiences with you.  I do not want to spam your thread with our game

Best of luck with it, I like what I see here a lot!

[y_nnis]

Thanks Cakey!

Freemium is indeed really hard to get into, especially when it comes to the App Store... It takes quite a lot of effort and then an added pinch of luck! So, fingers crossed!

Thanks for offering to help!

[and]

Really love the art!

[Photon]

That art just oozes personality. Hopefully the gameplay will be just as much so!

[y_nnis]

Thanks a bunch for your kind words Triplevision and Photon!

Also, Triplevision, Among the Willows looks really nice too!

As you can understand we're a little behind schedule.

Although our original plan was to launch after a month of development we finished Monster Snack's basic gameplay within our deadline, but then we decided (based on some early testers' comments and a closed usability test) to make a few core gameplay tweaks and add some elements that will make the game more appealing. We also had to work on our backend, polish a few graphics, add new features to the first version etc.

Although this is the case, development is still going strong and the team is more focused than ever; we really believe it won't take long since launch!

A gameplay video is also under way! It could be ready either by the end of this week or the beginning of the next.

Stay tuned and ask away if you have any questions!!

Oh, and here's a couple of somewhat overdue screenshots


From when the game starts and Gaspaude makes a full appearance, while you're hoping he won't make a second one!


And LeCroque zapping about energy crystals!

All work copyrighted by Total Eclipse P.C., unless otherwise stated.

[pevilot]

Very colored that pictures!

So cute.

[y_nnis]

Well, we're definitely all about colors with Monster Snack :p

[Scott]

What is on Gaspaude? Does he (she ?) have a jetpack?

[y_nnis]

Scott thanks for noticing!!

Gaspaude is an angler fish; a creature you wouldn't expect to see anywhere near shallow waters (and naturally not outside of it). So that tube serves as Gaspaude's Hedalpelagic Tank AKA her fancy overwater breathing device!

[y_nnis]

Hey guys,

I know it's been a while, but I come bearing some great news!

These past few weeks we were not as active as we'd hope to be because we were really busy working on the feedback we received during Monster Snack's usability tests. Thankfully, everything ran smoothly!

The game is now 99% complete. To be perfectly honest, we're waiting for Apple's review so I can give you an actual release date (for the App Store for now...) and move the thread to the finished projects.

Also, since many of you seemed to like the art in Monster Snack, here are three rough sketches from when we started designing the backgrounds that will make it in the game.


Cave (rework)


Mushroom Land (new)


Jungle (in the works for future update)

The Jungle is still being developed so expect to see it in the first major update. The Cave and Mushroom Land will be making it in the launch  

As always, any feedback is more than welcome!

[y_nnis]

Still waiting on that App Store review, we made a teaser trailer for Monster Snack!

A launch announcement shouldn't be long now...

Why don't you give the trailer a spin and tell us what you think?

[y_nnis]

Great news everyone! After having a few issues with Apple's review yesterday (that lead us to believe that we were not going to launch until sometime next week), Monster Snack made its way to the App Store late last night (on GMT)!

Gaspaude is on the loose and LeCroque has been zapping at those crystals since the early hours!

You can download Monster Snack here for free, so give it a go and tell us what you think!

[and]

Hey also did you not see this?

http://indiegames.com/2014/08/ios_pick_monster_snack_total_e.html