Pokemon Tower Defense: Weekly Progress for v5.5, school is starting, looking for a programmer!

Want to get the legendary dogs? Shiny Mew? or any other shiny pokemon in the game? Adopt them today using SnD coins! Purchase some SnD coins and get Ninja-ja bonus items free! Click here for more info.

Visit the PTD: Pokemon Center - a place to trade pokemon, get your Daily Code, adopt Pokemon, view your items and change your avatar!

A new week a new adventure in video game development here at Sam & Dan Games. Since the explosive popularity of Pokemon Tower Defense things have changed a lot for Dan and I, and we decided from the beginning that we wanted to make a different kind of game company. Most game companies follow a similar path of developing the game internally for a number of years and then release it into the public making only slight changes based on user input. This method is not incorrect by any means. The developer has a vision of what he wants for the game and takes his time (or however much time he can afford to spend) to make it as close to his vision as possible. They do play test with gamers and non-gamers. I can imagine. to gather some feedback on the game. The process is proven and many companies use it to great success. But we knew that if we wanted to stand out and provide something unique to our players we needed to be different.

So we thought about what we would like other companies to do, or what were new independent companies doing that we really liked. One such person/company was Markus Persson aka "Notch" from Mojang and their hit game Minecraft. While I'm not an avid Minecraft player, as a game designer I can see the appeal of the game. But what really sticks out for me is the method in which the game was released and updated. If you haven't noticed we followed a very similar approach with Pokemon Tower Defense. Releasing a game in it's early stages is a risky thing to do. What if somebody steals the concept? What if players are turned off by an incomplete game? These are all things to keep in mind while using this process. To me it means that I get to know how the players feel about your game at a stage were you can still make changes to it. Pokemon Tower Defense is really close to being done, and your feedback as been integral in the making of it. Sometimes you picked which avatar we should get, or if Joey should battle somebody, even which direction we should head in. Those were choices that I gave you guys to directly affect the game. But your emails and comments gave me great insight into which direction you the players wanted to take it in. While I didn't follow every little request (that would be a horrible thing to do) I did follow request that I felt and many felt should be implemented.

We are getting close to the end of PTD 1. 3 more badges to go until the final showdown, very little new pokemon to add until all 151 are in the game, and less than 100 new moves to add. This game belongs to all of us that have participated in creating it. Even those who are no longer around but helped in past times. Because the game is near completion, you won't be seeing a lot of new features most of the focus will be on finishing what is already there. So what's next for us?

My main priority right now is finishing the PTD story mode. This will grant everybody access to the original 151 pokemon. My main goal with this game was to make a good pokemon tower defense game and I think I have accomplished that but it's still not completed. While I'm finishing PTD I will work with Dan and Kevin on Hero Tower Defense. On top of that I'm going back to school! Starting this week I will be taking two college courses on my way to finishing my Computer Science degree. The great thing about being an independent developer is that you can set your own schedule and work around things in your life. So I will have the task to balance game development with going to school, doing the homework and studying for test. Life is all about balance!

So when PTD story mode is finished I will move the focus to HTD and really try to get that game going. Just like PTD we will be showing you the game as we make it so that you guys can give us your feedback. Once the game is in a good playable form with some levels ready we will deploy it to websites such as newgrounds, playtowerdefensegames, etc so that we can attract new people that are interested in that game. But I never like just working on one game... So while working on HTD and HTD being the main focus I will work on... Pokemon Tower Defense 2! Yes you heard it right! The sequel to PTD is officially announced! The game will focus on the 2nd Generation of Pokemon from the Johto Region and along with all that many of new features that you guys have been requesting:

• 100 new Pokemon to capture and raise
• New Story Line
• Held Items
• Pokemon Genders
• Pokemon Breeding
• Eggs
• Day Care
• Day and Night Cycle
• Different Pokeballs
• More Items
• More Achievements
• Better Interface
• Being able to transfer your old pokemon from ptd 1 into ptd 2
• More Avatars
• and more!

As I said before Hero Tower Defense will be the main focus after PTD 1 is done but PTD 2 will be worked on by me and a few other people at the same time. Along with this game I will be working on other side projects that will take a lot longer to show to you guys. Which brings me to my new next point, we need a programmer!

Looking for new people that want to work with us is actually a pretty hard ordeal. We had many great applications for the artist position and we were fortunate to find Kevin which has shown that he has what it takes. With artist the quest of finding one is a lot simpler, since with art what you see is what you get. With programming it's not quite as easy as looking at a portfolio. But let's do it anyways. This programmer position will let you work with Dan, Kevin and I on all the latest projects that we have here on Sam & Dan games have going. Be a part of our team! We are in need of programming in pretty much all the areas of game development so if you are an expert in gameplay,  interfaces, or tool building apply today!

Here are the requirements.

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Must have at least a year experience using Action Script 3.
• Must have mastery of OOP.
• Must have Adobe Professional CS5.5 or compatible software.
• Must have a passion for Gaming.
• Must speak and write fluent English.

These next ones are things are pluses that will make you more likely to be considered:

• Have published a successful Action Script 3 Flash game on the web.
• Have worked on a published game using different languages and engines.
• C++, Java, C#

So there you go, like the artist position this is a paid position. Here is what we want to know from you:

• Email to sotero86@gmail.com with subject "Programming Job Opening for SnD Games" (Can you follow simple instructions?)
• Your experience in programming: What languages, how long, etc (Do you meet the requirements?)
• Examples of your work: Published games, tools, widgets, etc (Do you have any of the plusses that we are looking for)
• Why you want to work with us? and why should we pick you? (We want to see your passion!)

So let the search begin! I'm looking forward to the applications!

Okay.. So this has been a long post but I haven't really expressed myself fully recently and I wanted to get some stuff out there :)

Now on to the Weekly Progress! I won't reveal too much of what it will be on, the PTD First look by GraphicForce will take care of that. You can expect that (the first look) by the middle of the week.

PTD First Look Video for v5.5


New Story Level (100%)

• Level Intro (100%)
• Level Layout (100%)
• Level Waves (100%)
• Level Ending (100%)
• Implement in game (100%)

New non capturable pokemon (100%)

• Add graphic to game (100%)
• Add stats to game (100%)

New Achievement (100%) - Celadon Challenge!

• Implement in game (100%)
• Implement in server (100%)

New Ability (100%) - Sand Veil - Sandshrew, Sandslash, Digglet, Dugtrio - Sand Veil increases the evasion of a Pokémon in a sandstorm and if on a Pokémon whose type does not already, grants immunity to damage taken from sandstorms.

• Implement in game (100%)

New Mystery Gift Pokemon (100%) - Grimer!

• Implement in game (100%) 
• Graphics (100%)
• New Moves (100%)
• Implement Moves/TMs (100%)
• Implement in Trading Center (100%)
• Implement in Adoption Center (100%)
• Implement Shadow Version in Game Corner and Daily Code (100%)
• Implement in Save code (100%)

Rework Daily Code prizes (0%)- This is coming thanks to all your feedback!
Level Cap Increase (100%)

• New Move due to increase (100%)
• Implement in game (100%)
• Implement new move in pokemon center's name database (100%)
• Implement in game (100%)
• Implement in trading center (100%)

Pokemon Center new look (70%)
Bug Fixes (100%)

• Bug with trading pokemon in game (100%) 
• Add missing information for the move Spike (100%)

Add Ditto, Shellder and Psyduck to the adoption center (100%) 
Add Ditto, Cloyster and Golduck to the adoption center (100%) 

Hero Tower Defense Programming Progress:
Interface - Targeting Functionality for your units (100%) 
Interface - Selecting a specific skill to use against a particular target (100%)
Graphics - Implement new interface graphics (100%)
Interface - Implement zoom in/out buttons (100%)

The list will be filled out with more things as the week goes on, thanks for the continued support and as always let me know what you think!

Pokemon Tower Defense: Weekly Progress for v4.2, Community Merging, how things are going, future talks

Want to get the legendary dogs? Shiny Mew? or any other shiny pokemon in the game? Adopt them today using SnD coins! Purchase some SnD coins and get Ninja-ja bonus items free! Click here for more info.

Visit the PTD: Pokemon Center - a place to trade pokemon, get your Daily Code, adopt Pokemon, view your items and change your avatar! 


Hey everybody! Sam here bringing you the goods for this week. Last week I started the update half way during the week so I didn't get to complete the level 50 cap. That will be a priority this week.
Also this week something that is not going to happen that often will happen. The return of a pokemon for the Weekly code. There won't be a new code this week but for v4.2 there will be one. Like I mentioned before I'm bringing the Challenge Mode Celadon Gym level and the prize will be a shiny pokemon. So you get the regular version from the Weekly Code and you get the Shiny from the Challenge Mode. I will leave the pokemon to be a shocking surprise.

Other than that there will be some changes with the casino, I will be reducing the amount of tries per day, increasing how much each play cost but also increasing how you get per day. This will help reduce the server load that many of us have been experiencing.

Another thing is many of you have requested that the potion behave like the pokeball in that it scrolls the screen when you are close to the borders, so I will be adding that on this update also.

Progress List for v4.2:
Level cap increased to 48 (100%)

• Leaf Blade (100%) - Victreebell
• Future Sight (100%) - Kadabra/Alakazam
• Retaliate (100%) - Growlithe

Level cap increased to 49 (100%)

• Gunk Shot (100%) - Ekans
• Iron Tail (100%) - Onix
• Close Combat (100%) - Mankey
• Hyper Voice (100%) - Jigglypuff
• Healing Wish (100%) - Clefairy
• Double Hit (100%) - Scyther

Level cap increased to 50 (100%)

• Mirror Coat (100%) - Voltorb
• Last Resort (100%) - Eevee/Vaporeon/Jolteon/Flareon
• Ancient Power (100%) - Mew
• Stone Edge (100%) - Geodude
• Sludge Wave (100%) - Tentacool

New Pokemon for Mystery Code and Challenge Mode (100%) - Magnemite

• Graphics (100%)
• Shiny Graphics (100%)
• Add this pokemon's stats to the game (100%)
• New Moves for this pokemon (3) (100%)
• Metal Sound (100%)
• Magnet Bomb (100%)
• Mirror Shot (100%)

• New Evolution (100%)
• Graphics (100%)
• Shiny Graphic (100%)
• Add this pokemon's stats into the game (100%)

Add Magnemite as a prize for mystery code and challenge mode (100%)
Challenge Mode Level - Celadon Gym (100%)

• Level Intro (100%)
• Level Layout (100%)
• Level Waves (100%)
• Level Ending (100%)

Game Corner Changes (100%)
Potion Changes (100%)
New TMs (100%)

• Iron Tail
• Stone Edge

Bug Fixes (100%)

• Scyther can now learn Aerial Ace TM (100%) - Thanks to you guys for helping me find this.

Distribution (100%)

The community is a big part of what gives games the extra spark needed to keep them alive even after they have been around for a while. It's been 5 months since Pokemon Tower Defense was released and our community is as big as ever. But a divided community does more harm than good. Having two different forums, adding more chats, all it does is thin out the community. Thankfully the two most popular PTD Forums are going to combine and create one central Sam & Dan Games Forum. The merger is still in progress, once everything is ready to go I will post the link.

My passion is to create games but a huge amount of my time goes into the community. Listening to suggestions, answering emails, taking care of account issues. Dan answers any orders that come in for SnD coins. He answers comments for Hero Tower Defense. We are as open as we possibly can be and the merger of the forum will open new ways for us to connect with you guys. We will have a weekly questions section. You submit your questions on the forums and every week Dan or I will answer the questions and post them on the blog. Another feature that will come to the forums will be that you will be able to suggestions a new feature for the game and every other week the best one will be chosen and I will implement it for the update. Unless it's something that will make the game worse. I can't wait to see this feature play out.

I enjoy working on PTD and HTD, I like the fast schedules, the instant feedback. With every update the game get's closer and closer to completion, the more moves are created the easier it is to increase the level cap and the easier it is to add new pokemon. I always like to think of the next step.

Multiplayer is always a topic that gets brought up every single day. I don't have a lot of experience making a fully working multiplayer system. So in the near future I will be taking the first steps toward the multiplayer with an Avatar Chat. You will be able to use your avatar and move him around while chatting with other players. This will help to get my feet wet and start working ironing out any bugs that might come up.

I constantly ask myself, what will I work on next? Will I make a PTD sequel? If I make a poll the answer will be YES! MAKE A SEQUEL! I don't even doubt that result. I know the demand is there. I haven't fully decided if I will make it or not. After PTD, Hero Tower Defense will be getting the most attention like PTD gets now. But I like working on multiple project so when HTD goes into high gear I will be working behind the scenes on the next big game.

I do however spend some time here and there thinking about what a sequel to PTD would be like. While making a Johto Sequel to PTD is a no brainer, I always like to push myself so what if the sequel wasn't a tower defense game?

I leave you with that, as always let me know what you think, try to keep any account issues away from the blog comments just email me directly. Thanks for the great support that all of you continue to give us to this day.