Welcome

At the urging of friends, I've decided to start blogging about my experience developing my first video game, Mechanized. It also happens to be my first time programming in C#, and using the XNA development platform. I could wax poetic about how easy XNA makes things, but I'll keep it short and say that it's a dream.

Mechanized is a squad-based, 2D, tactical combat game. I started developing it as a break from studying for exams in April 2010, lamenting the lack of good four-player games to play on one computer. My roommates and I tend to just play a lot of Super Bomberman. I still intend it as a game for me and my friends, but if I feel it has sufficient quality when it's done to compete on the market, I may look into releasing it through a publisher like Valve (Steam) or Microsoft (XBLA). Regardless of its market potential, it will also have network play built in so friends can get a copy to join in online.

To avoid any accusations, yes, Mechanized is heavily inspired by Chromehounds for the Xbox 360, even though I've never played it. I don't have an Xbox, and I wanted to bring the compelling gameplay I'd read so much about on-line to a venue I could access. That said, Mechanized is not at all a Chromehounds port; I like the idea of driving large armored vehicles around and blowing each other up, so I might as well look to the giants for a starting point. I will be striving very hard to make this its own, unique, fun game!

Since I have been developing for about a month now, there are a number of topics I've already worked through, so I will post a number of small entries to talk about some things I found interesting, useful, or challenging.

I hope you enjoy following my progress!