We are happy to hear that Black Lab Games‘ futurist turn-based strategy game is now available in Australia for Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable via the Playstation Network.

Black Lab Games have released a new game trailer to coincide with the launch:

It’s quite an achievement for a solo developer to release near simultaneously on three platforms. So Paul Turbett, our collective metaphorical hat goes off to you! Good work!

Here’s a blurb from the press release:

Star Hammer Tactics is an easy-to-learn game of tactical battles. Deploy your forces, engage your enemy and outwit them to achieve victory by blasting them to pieces! Along with the single-player campaign, Star Hammer Tactics features a choice of skirmish modes – single player against a devious AI, or the local multi-player mode in which gamers will compete for glory and bragging rights!

It’s fantastic to see a locally developed game readily available for download on a major console. Although, it’s a shame that it’s not readily available in Australia as Xbox LIVE Indie Games is yet to launch here!

Congratulations Paul!

Note: How does a local developer go about making games for the Xbox360? Why can’t we buy Xbox LIVE Indie Games here? Answers to all these questions and more when Paul Turbett talks about his experiences at our next Let’s Make Games technical session in August (or September).

Just a reminder that we are currently running three surveys:

1. Community (Scene): For everyone involved in games in Perth!
2. Developer: Former and current game developers, submit a profile!
3. Game: Provide us with information on games that you have worked on!

We hope that prolific local game developers will take some time to submit multiple responses to the developer and game surveys (assuming that they have worked at various companies and on various games, even if those companies are no longer around).

So how are the surveys going? Our estimates place the current response levels at:

All those responses and we still want more!

If you have yet to respond, please consider the following:

• If you previously experienced some technical issues (the dreaded “you have already completed this survey” bug), please give it another go. We’ve patched the server software and everything should be peachy now.
• Maybe you have worked on a game, but figure that someone else who worked on it will submit a profile (so you don’t have to). Well, they may be thinking the same thing! If we get multiple submissions for the same game, we will merge the results (resulting in an ever BETTER profile!)
• Maybe you feel that your game was: made a long time ago, not that great, unworthy of a listing… who cares anyway… sigh. Well, WE CARE! We want to know all about it and when you are a rich and famous game developer you’ll want to relive the old times!

By simply responding, you could join the ranks of these great local developers:

• Black Lab Games
• Kruger Heavy Industries
• Sandbox
• Gnomic Studios
• Binary Space
• Sam Zeid
• Sofia Varano
• Different Methods

Moreover, you could see your work featured alongside these great games:

• RocketFuse
• Star Hammer Tactics
• Eets: Hunger It’s Emotional (Mac)
• Interzone Futebol
• Adrenaline Snowboarding
• Square Off
• Halogen
• Zombie Outbreak Simulator
• Class 3 Outbreak
• Reveri.es Virtual World
• Codename – Edmonster (gosh, top secret project with no link!)

In summary: Every response we get helps us paint a more complete picture of game development here in Perth. Our past, present, and future becomes more clear with everyone bit of information you submit! So please, keep those responses coming!

Thanks to everyone who attended (you make organising these events worthwhile), our volunteers (Stewart, Brett, Alex, Saxon, Steve, Nigel, John, Sam, Simon, Anthony), and our sponsors (Different Methods, the Innovation Centre, Subversive Games, Rockethands, Black Lab Games, and Reveries Virtual World):

Special thanks also to all companies that contributed to the showreel (apologies to Binary Space for not getting their “Class 3 Outbreak” teaser in) and to Game Pride for bringing along some laptops to demonstrate their latest game “Boo!”. Thanks also to Ben, who took most of the photos.

Here are some photos from the night in chronological order:

iParty 2.0 wouldn’t be possible without the kind support of our sponsors. When we put the call out a few weeks ago, we didn’t know what sort of response to expect. We’re incredibly appreciative and humbled by the level of sponsorship offered by the following local organisations, companies, and individuals:

• Different Methods: Apparently Simon is not content with just organising local and global Game Jams, hosting and maintaining Planet PIGMI, and undertaking some of the most amazing games-related work in Perth. He’s also come on as our biggest sponsor, making us feel all warm and fuzzy with his support.
• Innovation Centre: Always keen to lend a hand to local industry groups (such as ours!) the Innovation Centre kindly offered the use of their fantastic professional events venue. Our drinks will be kept cool in their fridges and our work will be displayed on their projector and plasma screen. It’s great!
• Subversive Games: Subversive creates training games and advergames for the rapidly expanding serious games market. One of a handful of larger professional games companies with a studio in Perth, Subversive Games continues to show it’s strong support for the local scene.
• Rockethands: If the group shot on their website is anything to go by, Rockethands are the coolest game developers in Perth… ever. You can tell that they keep it real, and evidently put their money where their mouths are. We know that money can be hard to come by for indie developers and it means a lot to us that you guys have sent some our way!
• Black Lab Games: The latest game development initiative by one of Perth’s veteran game developers (Paul started his first games company back in 1992!) Paul has an infectious passion for games and independent development, which he shares with others as a founding committee member of IGDA Perth Chapter.
• Reveries Virtual World: Avril is obviously a real trend-setter, jumping right in as our first financial sponsor. Reveries has all of us at Let’s Make Games very excited with anticipation. Thanks for being so forthcoming in supporting our community events Avril!

With all this support iParty 2.0 is shaping up to be the best night of the year for local game developers. If you haven’t yet RSVP’d, please do so using the contact page or by registering for the event on Facebook. It’s a free event with food and drinks provided (thanks to our awesome sponsors!).

See you all in just over 2 weeks!

Let’s Make Games events are fun social get-togethers for local game developers and gamers. It’s great to catch up with the local scene and see what people they have been working on, and there’s always a friendly atmosphere for curious newcomers.

The original event announcement has all key information, but here are a few new highlights…

GameTraders (Carillon City and Carousel) will be bringing along two PSPs for a pre-release demonstration of Dissidia: Final Fantasy. One PSP will be connected to a projector for general viewing. Dissidia: Final Fantasy is scheduled for local release in September.

A number of local games companies will be demonstrating their latest iPhone games. This includes Surf Prodigy by DrewFX and RocketFuse by RocketHands. Also attending (and possibly demonstrating) will be game developers from Istpika, Spinfast, Staring Man, Subversive Games, Black Lab Games, Interzone Entertainment, Sandbox Software, and Kruger Heavy Industries.

Crewjo are looking for local mobile game developers and may make a brief announcement. Finally, GO3 will be announcing a special opportunity for local developers to showcase their work and to network with other companies at the upcoming GO3 Electronic & Entertainment Expo in October.

We hope to see you there!

We apologise if we missed mentioning any developers who plan to demonstrate and have RSVP’d. Feel free to bring along short promo videos (on a USB stick) for our video loop.

Update: Anthony will be bringing Bomberman for multi-player wireless DS gaming tonight!