Incendium XIII - Press X to Jump
00//incendium
I love Incendium. Every end of the term, the community of CSB Game Dev comes together to celebrate the most stressful part of going through the course.. thesis. After working their butts off for 3 months, CAPSTN1 and 2 teams finally get the chance to show off the product of their labor. Blood, sweat, tears, and broken hearts.. all went into their thesis projects. Having survived the midterm defense and getting through the brutal pre-Incendium screening; sleepless nights and endless days led to this final showdown between the teams, the judges, and the general public.
I've been going to Incendium since the event was started, back in the prehistoric days of 2014. The first Incendium was where I showcased my CAPSTN1 project, Last Man Standing. Five(heh) terms later, TESSELATE won Best CAPSTN2. Since then, I've been attending every Incendium I could; tracking the progress and evolution of thesis projects, as well as taking note of any team with talent.
01//genres
In 2014, 2D platformers were almost banned from being made into thesis projects. Too many 2D platformers were made, so much so that the term "Not Another 2D Platformer" was coined. Of course, some of the best games of the time were 2D puzzle platformers. Limbones pulled a Lord of the Rings and did the platformer so well that it overshadowed many a platformer before and after it. Even now, Limbones is showcased at the CSB Game Dev booths at expos like ESGS and the most recent Comic-Con Asia (don’t ask), one of the flagship titles of the course. Genres evolve and trends come and go. I’ve watched the rise of the First-Person Horror games, the emergence of First-Person Puzzles, and the rebirth of 2D Puzzle Platformers. The exploration of game genres every Incendium is an intriguing look at how ideas and concepts evolve.
02//debut
But Incendium XIII is a special Incendium. For the first time, students of the IEMC are showcasing their thesis games. Being the new iteration of the GDD course, the IEMC are expected to bring new innovations and insight to the kinds of games tackled in thesis.
I love Incendium. Every end of the term, the community of CSB Game Dev comes together to celebrate the most stressful part of going through the course.. thesis. After working their butts off for 3 months, CAPSTN1 and 2 teams finally get the chance to show off the product of their labor. Blood, sweat, tears, and broken hearts.. all went into their thesis projects. Having survived the midterm defense and getting through the brutal pre-Incendium screening; sleepless nights and endless days led to this final showdown between the teams, the judges, and the general public.
I've been going to Incendium since the event was started, back in the prehistoric days of 2014. The first Incendium was where I showcased my CAPSTN1 project, Last Man Standing. Five(heh) terms later, TESSELATE won Best CAPSTN2. Since then, I've been attending every Incendium I could; tracking the progress and evolution of thesis projects, as well as taking note of any team with talent.
01//genres
In 2014, 2D platformers were almost banned from being made into thesis projects. Too many 2D platformers were made, so much so that the term "Not Another 2D Platformer" was coined. Of course, some of the best games of the time were 2D puzzle platformers. Limbones pulled a Lord of the Rings and did the platformer so well that it overshadowed many a platformer before and after it. Even now, Limbones is showcased at the CSB Game Dev booths at expos like ESGS and the most recent Comic-Con Asia (don’t ask), one of the flagship titles of the course. Genres evolve and trends come and go. I’ve watched the rise of the First-Person Horror games, the emergence of First-Person Puzzles, and the rebirth of 2D Puzzle Platformers. The exploration of game genres every Incendium is an intriguing look at how ideas and concepts evolve.
02//debut
But Incendium XIII is a special Incendium. For the first time, students of the IEMC are showcasing their thesis games. Being the new iteration of the GDD course, the IEMC are expected to bring new innovations and insight to the kinds of games tackled in thesis.
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| Infinite Endless Meme Creation |
One of the things I was expecting was a shift from physics-based gameplay to games more centered around gameplay systems. This due to the increased number of technical subjects in the IEMC curriculum. My suspicions were correct and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of resource management games showcased in CAPSTN1. The theme for the CAPSTN1 projects, if I’m not mistaken, is “Sustainable Cities” and it was very evident in the different approaches the teams took to tackle the issue.
More than a few of the teams interpreted the theme quite literally and made city management games. AEdeficem had you controlling the transfer of supplies from one city to another, using those resources to solve problems that the cities encounter. In Replast, you handled a recycling center; managing a truck that collects trash used to build eco-friendly houses, with materials you process yourself. Another game, Barterville, had you balancing your resources to feed a workforce that was assigned to various factories; eventually upgrading your city capacity to accommodate more workers.
More than a few of the teams interpreted the theme quite literally and made city management games. AEdeficem had you controlling the transfer of supplies from one city to another, using those resources to solve problems that the cities encounter. In Replast, you handled a recycling center; managing a truck that collects trash used to build eco-friendly houses, with materials you process yourself. Another game, Barterville, had you balancing your resources to feed a workforce that was assigned to various factories; eventually upgrading your city capacity to accommodate more workers.
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| GDD Legend Cyril Dumdum playing AEdeficem |
One of the more innovative games was Big Critters, a game where you handle a colony of ants, spawning workers and soldiers to gather food and protect your hill from invaders. The game is unique in its presentation and the gameplay is something that hasn’t really been seen before, a blend of Real Time Strategy and Resource Management that clearly articulates the theme of sustaining the growth of a city, or in this case, a colony. Definitely a top pick for the expo reel.
The standout game for me was Flood Runners, a puzzle game where you controlled a handyman who has to repair water management stations to prevent flooding. Mixing puzzles, time pressure, and management of a flood meter, Flood Runners strikes the perfect balance of challenge with mounting urgency. What struck me most about the game was the amount of polish that went into it. Never before had I seen a CAPSTN1 game so well rounded in all of its aspects. The UI is one of the highlights of the game: crisp, clear buttons and menus that deliver chunks of relevant information at a glance. The world map is one of the best level select screens I’ve seen from a thesis game by far, with Upgrade and City Detail bars sleekly hidden away off-screen.
Flood Runners is one of those games that really raises the bar for the quality of the games that come out of the course. It looked and felt like a game straight out of Steam or the App Store. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Flood Runners taking home a few awards at GDAP’s GameOn this year. I am very much looking forward to more high quality work from the team.
03//we arent dead yet
Aside from the IEMC games on display for CAPSTN1, the tail-end of the GDD family is finishing up their thesis works. From stealth-based games to an original take on the horror genre, the Grand Old Course had a few gems up its sleeve.
The standout game for me was Flood Runners, a puzzle game where you controlled a handyman who has to repair water management stations to prevent flooding. Mixing puzzles, time pressure, and management of a flood meter, Flood Runners strikes the perfect balance of challenge with mounting urgency. What struck me most about the game was the amount of polish that went into it. Never before had I seen a CAPSTN1 game so well rounded in all of its aspects. The UI is one of the highlights of the game: crisp, clear buttons and menus that deliver chunks of relevant information at a glance. The world map is one of the best level select screens I’ve seen from a thesis game by far, with Upgrade and City Detail bars sleekly hidden away off-screen.
Flood Runners is one of those games that really raises the bar for the quality of the games that come out of the course. It looked and felt like a game straight out of Steam or the App Store. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Flood Runners taking home a few awards at GDAP’s GameOn this year. I am very much looking forward to more high quality work from the team.
03//we arent dead yet
Aside from the IEMC games on display for CAPSTN1, the tail-end of the GDD family is finishing up their thesis works. From stealth-based games to an original take on the horror genre, the Grand Old Course had a few gems up its sleeve.
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| I almost got a high score.. |
One of the most visible games at Incendium was Nutrimania. A spin on the Diner Dash formula, which had you upgrading the facilities of a settlement while handling the cooking and serving of meals to its residents. The huge whiteboard with high scores listed and very strong marketing push were Classic GDD™; seeing DocB walk around with a Nutrimania apron was fun and really upped the hype level of the game.
In one of the hidden corners of Incendium was a horror game with very subtle marketing. A singular eye staring out to the crowd drew me curiously to their booth. Sense, another CAPSTN1 game, was a very unique horror game, a 2.5D puzzle game that had you navigating a waking nightmare. Enemies would appear around each stage and the player must use the tools at their disposal to overcome them. It was an interesting take on horror games, as past CAPSTN games usually went with a First-Person perspective for horror. Sense was a breath of fresh air for the genre and I’m really hoping to see great things for the team’s CAPSTN2.
In one of the hidden corners of Incendium was a horror game with very subtle marketing. A singular eye staring out to the crowd drew me curiously to their booth. Sense, another CAPSTN1 game, was a very unique horror game, a 2.5D puzzle game that had you navigating a waking nightmare. Enemies would appear around each stage and the player must use the tools at their disposal to overcome them. It was an interesting take on horror games, as past CAPSTN games usually went with a First-Person perspective for horror. Sense was a breath of fresh air for the genre and I’m really hoping to see great things for the team’s CAPSTN2.
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| Eye see you |
A hidden gem of this term's Incendium was a 2D platformer called _DEBUG. Hilariously infuriating and frustratingly complex, _DEBUG twists the standard 2D platformer formula and challenges the player's dexterity and cleverness. Hiding behind an innocuous Windows background, _DEBUG is the most shitposty CAPSTN game I have ever played and I will always keep it close to my heart as an innovative masterpiece.
Continuing the trend of stealth-based top-down games, Exegesis and Tanikala picked up where Of False Gods and Mad Kings and NOIR left off. Exegesis introduced the usage of various tools to deal with enemies, as well as a melee mechanic to allow players to defend themselves. Tanikala on the other hand had a camera mechanic which switches the perspective from an isometric view similar to NOIR to a First-Person view that let the player take pictures of evidence to be used against corrupt government officials. The expansion of genres is a staple of CAPSTN, GESTALT expanded on the First-Person Puzzle Platformer genre, the way TESSELATE did after Lab Triangle. Games take inspiration from each other and improve on what was done before. Terminus and Praesiduum setting the bar for top-down adventure games paved the way for the Best CAPSTN2, GameOn 2018 GOTY contender, Trouble.Shoot.
The latest trend on the rise is the exploration of Third-Person Platformer games. The N64/PS1-ification of CAPSTN games is upon us! Inspired by games like Super Mario 64, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot; the top teams of CAPSTN2 arrived at the Third-Person Platformer genre and expounded it in innovative and exciting ways.
Forest of Life was a colorful and whimsical take on the Third-Person Platformer. Reminiscent of games like Castlevania and Metroid, the game gives the players a range of abilities that help them navigate the sprawling level. Littered with enemies and challenging platforming segments, Forest of Life is an inspired game that would be perfect to showcase at the course’s ESGS booth.
The other Third-Person Platformer was Sam’s Odd World, a retro-inspired platformer that brought me back to the days of playing Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, and Jak and Daxter. Sam’s Odd World had the charm and style of a classic platformer and it drew me in and enraptured me into the world, tapping into the nostalgic feeling of exploring a new place, finger on the jump button.
04//coda
I was asked to grade the games, as some of the judges were running a bit late, and I feel like it was a great opportunity for me to talk to the teams and give them my feedback. I loved the games at this term’s Incendium and I hope that everyone gets a chance to play them. As an alumnus of the course, I felt a strong connection to those taking thesis. As I too had poured my heart and soul into my projects. It's a great way to talk to people about their passion, to encourage those with potential, and connect with the industry's future leaders. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing these games duke it out at this year’s GameOn, and getting an early look at them really makes me excited for the future.
but yeah, TESSELATE pa rin.
____________________________________
Incendium photos taken from Sam's Odd World facebook page
IEMC group photo used with permission from Genesis Toh
Continuing the trend of stealth-based top-down games, Exegesis and Tanikala picked up where Of False Gods and Mad Kings and NOIR left off. Exegesis introduced the usage of various tools to deal with enemies, as well as a melee mechanic to allow players to defend themselves. Tanikala on the other hand had a camera mechanic which switches the perspective from an isometric view similar to NOIR to a First-Person view that let the player take pictures of evidence to be used against corrupt government officials. The expansion of genres is a staple of CAPSTN, GESTALT expanded on the First-Person Puzzle Platformer genre, the way TESSELATE did after Lab Triangle. Games take inspiration from each other and improve on what was done before. Terminus and Praesiduum setting the bar for top-down adventure games paved the way for the Best CAPSTN2, GameOn 2018 GOTY contender, Trouble.Shoot.
The latest trend on the rise is the exploration of Third-Person Platformer games. The N64/PS1-ification of CAPSTN games is upon us! Inspired by games like Super Mario 64, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot; the top teams of CAPSTN2 arrived at the Third-Person Platformer genre and expounded it in innovative and exciting ways.
Forest of Life was a colorful and whimsical take on the Third-Person Platformer. Reminiscent of games like Castlevania and Metroid, the game gives the players a range of abilities that help them navigate the sprawling level. Littered with enemies and challenging platforming segments, Forest of Life is an inspired game that would be perfect to showcase at the course’s ESGS booth.
 |
| console gaming ftw |
The other Third-Person Platformer was Sam’s Odd World, a retro-inspired platformer that brought me back to the days of playing Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, and Jak and Daxter. Sam’s Odd World had the charm and style of a classic platformer and it drew me in and enraptured me into the world, tapping into the nostalgic feeling of exploring a new place, finger on the jump button.
 |
| NPCs not found |
04//coda
I was asked to grade the games, as some of the judges were running a bit late, and I feel like it was a great opportunity for me to talk to the teams and give them my feedback. I loved the games at this term’s Incendium and I hope that everyone gets a chance to play them. As an alumnus of the course, I felt a strong connection to those taking thesis. As I too had poured my heart and soul into my projects. It's a great way to talk to people about their passion, to encourage those with potential, and connect with the industry's future leaders. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing these games duke it out at this year’s GameOn, and getting an early look at them really makes me excited for the future.
 |
| perks of being a judge |
but yeah, TESSELATE pa rin.
____________________________________
Incendium photos taken from Sam's Odd World facebook page
IEMC group photo used with permission from Genesis Toh
Nice read
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