Trino + Dream Build Play

Trino made the list for Dream Build Play finalists!

Check it out:  http://www.dreambuildplay.com/main/Top20.aspx

Trino spotted on IGN

Trino is mentioned in IGN article "Five Community Games to Watch" 

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/926/926503p1.html

Trino on the 2nd page:
http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/926/926503p2.html

and now there is a Trino game IGN page:

http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/142/14294748.html

Thanks for checking out the game IGN!

Trino Dream Build Play 2008 Gameplay video

Whats new since May:

• revised UI
• game over screens for winning and losing
• EP points fly up to UI
• ending boss
• extra lives
• backgrounds for each level
• lots of bugs and compatibility issues fixed

Trino Trailer!

New version! Level Select!!

Whats new:

• Level select
• EP points change color
• version number system
• Game installer
• Highscore is saved
  

If the installer doesn't work leave a note in the comments with your OS version and video card maker (ATI or nVidia)

DOWNLOAD IT!!

enjoy!


Note: Download it will point to Trino.0.2.3047.28470.exe but it actually is Trino.0.2.3048.32158. What's new on Trino.0.2.3048.32158:

• Relative Path Problem Fixed (When run through shortcut)
• Added uninstall icon in the "Start\Program Files"
• All the textures now are uncompressed (hopefully give better ATI card compatibility)

Trino 0.1.7.0 Release!

Download: http://tinyurl.com/5ek8zf

Trino 0.1.7.0 has the following new features:

• Single Installer
  
• New effects on evolution points
  

Notes:

• The file is pretty large because we include the necessary DirectX dll's, .NET Framework 2.0 SP1 and XNA 2.0 Redistributable
• We haven't tested in Windows Vista and 64-bit machines

If you have any problem with the installer, please tell us!

Thanks and enjoy!

Keyboard support added!

New build of trino with keyboard support!

As with all builds make sure you have the following installed:

1) .NET Framework 2.0SP1 - Go: http://tinyurl.com/2akcdz
2) DirectX runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/99wbw
3) XNA runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/2uagfu

...and then download our game: http://tinyurl.com/6kdbjb


You can use your keyboard for this build but for the best experience make sure you have an Xbox 360 Wired Controller (or Xbox 360 Wireless Controller w/ USB Wireless Receiver)

Keys: Arrow keys and A key to lay down a point.

Enjoy!

EA playtests Trino during soft open

One of the nice perks of working in the EA Redwood shores building is that its easy for employees to check out our game during a coffee break. Our team held a soft open or open house for any EA employee to come by and play test our game. We had people from all different teams like Sims, Deadspace, Pogo and also university relations and facility team.

Everyone who playtested gave us really good feed back and many played over and over trying to get the highest score for the day!



Thank you to everyone who stopped by and playtested! (and who came back to enjoy more after the playtest!)

Trino seen on Ziggyware

We posted a link to our blog a few days ago on XNA community and another site Ziggyware posted a link to our blog. Check it out! Check out Ziggyware's XNA tutorials and stuff.
Thank you!

Trino Pre-Beta Release

Download it!



What's new:

• Full screen mode
  
• Warning and evolution signs
  
• A new enemy type
  
• New Effects
• Bug fixes

If this is your first time running our game look to the previous posts below for installation instructions.

Bottom line is you will need .NET, XNA, and DirectX runtime installed. You can find download links below.

-Ivan

Download newest Trino and play!

New Trino Build!



What's new:
* Several bug fixes
* New effects
* Difficulty adjustment
* Score/HiScore (HiScore is not persistent, it is only for testing)
* Currently, game has issues with ATI graphics cards. Sorry!



If you have already played our game and installed all requirements,

Just download newer version of the game: http://tinyurl.com/6kdbjb

(You can delete the old trino_prebeta.zip and its content).



If you are trying to run the game for the first time,

YOU DO NEED TO INSTALL BELOW 1), 2), 3)

1) .NET Framework 2.0 - Go: http://tinyurl.com/drj86
2) DirectX runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/99wbw
3) XNA runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/2uagfu

AND YOU NEED Xbox 360 Wired Controller (or Xbox 360 Wireless Controller w/ USB Wireless Receiver)


...and then download our game: http://tinyurl.com/6kdbjb



We'll come up with installer as soon as possible to make the steps much simpler, but for now I hope it is not too confusing what the steps are. Game is originally developed aiming at xbox than online distribution which lowers accessibility for general public, but we want to get as many of you to play our game! So, thank you so much for taking extra steps to play the game :D

Pre-Beta Installation Help & Feedback Notes

Hello Yinz,



PRE-BETA INSTALLATION:

The installation process for our Pre-Beta is a bit confusing, and it's our fault. We're going to have a quick and easy, single installer file (very soon), but we wanted to release this early version of our game to close contacts in order to get as much feedback as possible. Below are easier instructions to follow. When it doubt, please see the readme.txt that's been packaged into the .zip.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1) .NET Framework 2.0 - Go: http://tinyurl.com/drj86
2) DirectX runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/99wbw
3) XNA runtime - Go: http://tinyurl.com/2uagfu
4) Xbox 360 Wired Controller or Xbox 360 Wireless Controller w/ USB Wireless Receiver
5) Trino Pre-Beta release: http://tinyurl.com/6kdbjb

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Install all of the above.
2) Make a sandwich (don't worry, installation doesn't take very long, we just figured you might be hungry).
3) Install Trino by unpackaging the .zip file onto your machine, then run "Projex.exe" (no install required).
4) Play our game.
5) Submit feedback to our Blog or our e-mail list (people not subscribed to ETC lists should submit feedback to our blog).

RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIRESMENTS:

Our game was built and runs on the following system:

* Intel(R) Core (TM) 2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40 GHz
* 2 GB of RAM
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
* Microsoft Windows XP SP 2
* XNA Framework 2.0

The game will run on significantly less powerful systems, but to be safe, this is what we recommend.

NOTES:

We're in a good place right now: we're far along with our game to show it off, but we're still in a phase of development where we can make changes and easily add new content. The biggest challenge is TESTING is all to make sure it's fun. You can help us by getting us your thoughts about anything that contributes to the following points:

1. Difficulty Curve & Flow.
2. Interest Curves.
3. Bugs & Crashes.
4. What are your system specifications (, baby)?
5. Anything. Your thoughts on global warming and corporate outsourcing, perhaps.

So watch our blog closely over the next few weeks! Thanks for playing Trino!

Trino! Pre Beta Release!

Download: http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/xbl/trino_prebeta.zip

Requirement: You need XBOX 360 Controller!

Features:
* Unique Game Mechanics
* 6 Puzzling and Action Filled Levels
* 7 Enemies with Advanced AI who use their cunning abilities to track and hunt you down!
* Breathtaking 3D Graphics and Effects
* Compelling Music

Any comments, feedbacks, bugs, or questions, please reply this posting! We love to see your feedback!

Known Issues:
* The text has black rectangle around it
* When you create a triangle, there is a blue lighting, sometimes the state is screwed

If you have played the game, it would be nice if you could post your high score, furthest level you have reached and computer specs! Thanks!

Enjoy guys!

New build of "Trino"!!

This is what we've been working on last week(+end). Check out the

-New enemy look
-New effects
-New maps
-New sounds
-UI

and.... we have lighting system that really changes how the game looks.

Wait to play Trino- BETA release's next Monday!

New game title!

After weeks and weeks of trying to come up with a name we finally have a new one. It was a close battle of "Trino", "Triangulator" and "Trivolver", but in the end "Trino" was the only one left standing.

Character/Enemy Proportion Sheet

The is a first attempt at really defining/adjusting the scale of our game enemies in relation to our player character.

UI concept art

The game's UI is done art wise, still needs to be implemented. This is only a photoshop approximation of a game screen, the actual game looks different. So much left to work on!

New AI.

To avoid the virtual triangle.
But, it's not that hard to catch them. :)

Game Art Evolution

A chart of the game's art up until now. yay.

You Give Me Pac Man Fever Abba Abba

We got some new enemies; the first one to show is the Point Eater. This guys eats your points, breaking your triangles and combos. More to come soon!



The Heavy is also on display. More to come soon.

Materials test

A materials test in Maya. There's four texture maps: color (color + ambient occlusion), reflection (skydome), reflection mask and normal (for distortion). Hopefully this is reproducible in XNA!

New BGM!

I am almost done with one of 7 (huh?) new main BGM...

I included some of the sound effects to see how it would feel in the game when randomly mixed with BGM.

New Content

Two new enemies modeled & textured. Rigging & animation will come next, but expect to see more enemies modeled & textured first.



7

Animation loop for the main character in the final, 7th, evolution state. Six more animations to go!

Level Editor

We made this Level Editor to design each level having an unique shape.

To bit the level, you need to cover whole area of the level.
You can do it by putting points on each specific point (not all points) on the boundary.
It's like making convex hall of the level.

Hmm, we hope you to understand. :)

Player Evolution States

Our new game designs allow the player to evolve by collecting energy from killed enemies. These are the evolution states from larval form to skate form. By evolving, players can lay down more points to create more complex shapes.

new character art

XNA Alpha ver.2 (Week 9)-Half presentation!

Upon the feedback we got from GDC, we made huge shift to our game both in gameplay and aesthetic.




We are implementing...















-Evolution of triangle by gaining additional point

-Combo (achieving "perfect!" by having +1 enemy in each triangle)



-Beating border to go to next level, by using the evolved ability from current level



and changing the whole aesthetic to be more mechanical to well match the geometric nature of our gameplay.


























...and here's the latest video we showed at 1/2 presentation last Friday (21st Mar) with some of above implemented (evolution and combo, and some effects that is for new aesthetic)


XNA Alpha ver.2 (Week 9)

XNA Alpha ver.1 (Week 5)

After struggling to find right look for out game, we decided to go with a very unique aesthetic that makes out game stand out from others...









...and we built assets and put into our game...

Squishy underwater creatures, bubbly sounds and bubble effects!

Aweeee.....How cute!!!




Then we brought this to GDC to show it to people :)

Early prototype (XNA)-Week 2

After struggling ourselves to get a home at the 1st week out in SV, we built this prototype to see if the core game mechanic idea is fun, and actually works.

We first built in on panda, then converted it into XNA and showed it at quarter presentation.

It's Watching You...

Since GDC, the art team has been busy formulating a new aesthetic to work with our mechanic and gameplay goals. After a lot of sketching and frantic hand-waving, the artists just sat down and started making stuff. Here is a shot of an enemy I worked on:



Ivan's been working (really really) hard on the new main character model, and hopefully, he'll post his work soon.

Moved to Blogger!

We're going to use wiki for archival purpose of documentations, and use the blogger as a mean to show our progress. (For personal task, meeting notes and schedules, continue on looking and updating at wiki)


The etc project website,

http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/xbl/

will be a link to the blogger.