Ackmi.com

02/02/2023

The Talking clock app is working on Android!

Try it out if you want to keep track of time better/ have the app let you know the time at regular intervals.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ackmi.talking_clock

Side note: I've been working on a social library, initially for the ArtClash app. So people can add friends, chat, Send drawings to each other.

It's a feature people wanted back int he hinterlands, so I'm trying to get it working so I can use it in multiple apps.

The hinterlands rebooted will initially be that + a cut down version of the hinterlands, as it gets built up.

2d, and re-using art assets would be the fastest to get to market- basically just adding a social system to the existing app (but also having to start the game from basically scratch).

3d would take longer, but might be an easier sell/ people might be more interested in it (and it would allow us to get a VR front end created for it).

Days/ weeks/ months/ years still fly by super fast, but I'll keep you updated on progress.

11/04/2022

Hey, I released the "Talkin Clock" app on itch.io.
It says the time at regular intervals, to help you keep track of time in the background.
Have a free and paid version with additional features. Check it out:
https://doomtoo.itch.io/talkin-clock

itch.io

Also been working on a social app library I can use for multiple projects (registering, logging in, adding friends, chatting, group messaging, later chat rooms, etc- reminiscent of old school AIM).

I'm still thinking about finishing up redoing the hinterlands in a modern web library, to make it very easy to update.

I'll add the social library to the ArtClash app first- so people can draw with others, send pictures, etc.

Then I might recreate a cut down version of the hinterlands with the social app- but focus on being able to create your own "chat rooms"/ servers- basically create a "room"/ server when you want, and have persistent worlds (micro ones at first) stored on the server, so other people can visit/ see your world (read only obviously, unless you give them permissions).

Background speaking clock to keep track of time

06/18/2022

Hey everyone,

I released my "Learn JavaScript using Game Programming" book on Amazon. If you have Kindle unlimited, it's free to read, and I get paid by the number of pages read.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4FLK8MC

If you're interested in learning programming, or game development, it should be useful to you.
The book goes through:
• Setting up your development environment, and setting up a HTML + JavaScript main file.
• Grabbing HTML elements from JavaScript and manipulating them
• Using canvas to draw out the 2d game
• Overview of programming concepts, such as variable types, functions, classes and objects
• Game programming concepts such as drawing in 2d, game loops, getting player inputs, 2d animation, and more

Give it a read and let me know what you think!

Have you wanted to learn to program, but not sure where to start? Create your own game as you learn the basics of programming, using JavaScript. Modern JavaScript concepts are universal enough to help you transition into understanding other programming languages in the future, and is an easy way ...

10/04/2021

Was able to get a chance to work a little more on the webGL/ threejs ArtClash app. Odd sized textures and brushes now work- made a cat brush xD
Probably going to start linking it to the pre-existing backend, so that saving/ loading on the server is supported sooner than later.

08/03/2021

Slow progress still on the Game Development Book/ app, but looks better with rasterized graphics in it xD

Each tile took about 5 mins to create, and the map is completely random right now, but the tutorials show you how to get this far from nothing.

Next is changing out the player graphic, adding "camera" scrolling, an actual, non random map, etc, etc.

I'll start uploading the example chapter code to github soon, so you can see the gradual progress of creating a game from a blank page xD

It's a lot longer than I intended, so might need some proof readers in the future, if anyone wants to.

07/28/2021

Is anyone else pretty excited about the "Steam Deck"?
$399 full mobile gaming PC, less expensive than a video card these days :o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kO6Dj2XNfY

I'm still working on a programming book. Progress is very slow, still because of health (brain issues, exhaustion, time issues, digestion).

It will show you how to create a game using JavaScript, without programming knowledge ahead of time. Hopefully it can help any contributors (and wife) get up to speed on the programming needed for making a game, so we can soon get started on the next version of the HinterLands.

I'm still not sure the best platform to make it on.

Using Unreal, we could have 3d versions up and created with less effort, and get some momentum quickly.

But if we use web technologies, it will be much easier for contributors to be able to add to it.

I'm planning on making it a lot more social, and a lot more modular starting out. Think Roblox in terms of modularity, but a more direct main game. (Heavy design on modding from the get go).

Fortnite has a lot of "creative modes"/ modularity, but none of them have been that fun for me playing + the extreme bugginess from the main game shines through in the "mods".

Judging from the fact that they can't get a decent playable experience for PvP (it's pretty much non playable for me 90% of the time/ you can't hit enemies if you live a state away from the servers), I'll focus more on a PvE experience.

Valve president and co-founder Gabe Newell talks to us about the Steam Deck, including its origins, the other name Valve considered for it, its goals, and ho...

04/20/2021

Discord server for Ackmi, if anyone wants to chat on it:

Check out the Ackmi community on Discord - hang out with 6 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

11/19/2020

Hey, I put the servers back up, thanks for letting me know!

I need to reinstall the OS on it soon (hard drive is failing), but if anyone else wants to run a server, that'd be helpful.

Been trying to work on finishing a tutorial on proportions for ArtClash, but taking way too long/ days are going even faster.

Was thinking it might be fun to redo the hinterlands in Unreal, since people seem to prefer simpler 3d games over more complicated 2d games (+ lots of contract work available in unreal).

Been watching Dani (young developer on youtube), and it's interesting to see what sticks with fans.

10/24/2020

I really enjoy seeing positron832's art he's been posting in ArtClash!

I'm working on adding commenting, liking, messages and friends to the game (and then more video tutorials and games).

I've been trying something new for my health, and it's having some positive effects, but also some negative, so progress is slow, but consistent.

I have a partial new/ version of the hinterlands, but it only has multiplayer + movement + chat, no real gameplay yet

09/21/2020

Don't starve was a similar game that came out while we were working on the HinterLands xD

Neat to see more about their company/ I thought it was only a couple people like us.

Noclip is a great channel if you're interested in game development companies, and behind the scenes!

SUBSCRIBE for More Free Game Docs ► http://bit.ly/noclipsubscribe Become a PATRON to unlock more videos ► https://www.patreon.com/noclip We talk to Klei Ente...

08/03/2020

Maybe it'd make more sense to do something like this? xD

The project receives almost $40,000 /month from 8,890 supporters.

08/03/2020

The most the hinterlands has made in years! ($0.01 over a week):

So play ArtClash so I can hopefully afford to work on the new version xD

The new version is going to be different- hopefully in the way where it can generate enough money to keep working on it, outside of the Google Play store.

I started a patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/ackmi

Where hopefully people will sign up when I start putting out updates on the new version.

So far the new version has the server and client setup using TypeScript, Node, socket.io, so people will be able to work on it more easily/ mod it.

There's not much yet, but going to release it as an alpha/beta on the play store, so people can follow along with progress from the beginning.

I still have a long list of "To do's" from people for the previous version, that I hope to add early in the new version (pets, mounts, bosses, leveling up).

Additionally, this one will focus on the social aspect- so your mini world/ space will be persistent/ stored on a server, that anyone will be able to view.

I have to work on the Artclash app a bit more first, and hope to get that having a little income coming in eventually, so I can make all the artwork/ animations for the HinterLands in there, and show tutorials on how it's done.

Let me know if you're interested in early access!