Why are we Running is the next game release for us at Flyclops, a frenzied swipe-fest of close-calls, near-deaths and barely-made-its that poses more questions than answers.
Recently, we were honored to showcase Why are we Running at Unite 2016 in Los Angeles as part of the Made with Unity Showcase.
Peep the Teaser Site and follow @lilwins for updates on the game as we get closer to launch.
Since March 2014, I’ve worked with Flyclops on their game, Domino!, supporting a player-base of 7M downloads on iOS and Android, 500k monthly actives, and 150k daily players. Together we’ve tackled purchasing, realtime gameplay, game integrity, player experience, and process. Below is a piece I produced that highlights the team and features behind our 2.0 release.
Soulfill has received one of gaming’s highest honors, IndieCade’s Interaction Award.
I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to play Soulfill during IndieCade, for all the feedback, support, and continued love.
Soulfill is a mobile-assisted live action role-playing game to secretly play while waiting for the subway. Built exclusively on iOS using accessibility features, the game has no graphics, only audio and gestures. To play Soulfill, you listen to narrator prompts on your iPhone while waiting or riding public transportation. You score points by initiating and maintaining eye contact with strangers. Be careful, you lose points by making eye contact with those already looking at you. The game challenges players to progress past the awkwardness of initiating eye contact with strangers in a setting where social contact presents a certain level of danger. Inevitably the game uncovers the fact that these fears are self-imposed, and that those around us in this same threatening setting have the same fears.
Designed and developed during the 2014 Global Game Jam. Press sheet
Working alongside the design agency Bluecadet, I launched an iPad game teaching chemistry for the Chemistry Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia. Together we researched over 100 different chemical reactions and recreated each using particle systems in Unity3D. The result is a engaging and authentic experience for all players interested in chemistry.
Update: Among other honors and distinctions, ChemCrafter has received a 2015 Webby Award.
Games
Soulfill snapshot
All inquiries should be directed to info@lilwins.com
On May 28th, I spoke on a panel about my experience moving from full-time to freelance. Hosted by AIGA Philadelphia and moderated by Geekadelphia’s Editor in Chief Mikey Ilagan. I was joined by fellow-freelancers Steve Decusatis and Saul Rosenbaum, who was one of the first people I met starting out my journey in Philadelphia almost 15 years ago. Thanks to Nick Prestileo for the invite and Josh Carter for the fantastic recording.
If you are thinking about freelancing, give this a listen. There are a lot of years of experience captured in this hour-long broadcast.
[story mode] want to start from the beginning?
Professor Grossman tilts up onto the tips of his toes and shifts his weight from one leg to the next.
1700? 2000?
It is a rough count. Peering over the room was not easy with the towering speakers blocking his view of the entire left side. He stands at the bottom of a set of steps that would soon lead him onto the makeshift stage, commonplace for a conference room as such, even if this hadn’t been expanded twice the normal size to meet demand for his talk. A technical glitch with the microphones gave him ample time to take in the audience, something he never did in his own lecture hall. He catches himself grinding his palms together.
[story mode] want to start from the beginning?
“It’s your money I’m throwing around,” Arthur jokes. Thomas is right, the hotel suite Arthur, Thomas, and Sean Patrick now share seated around an oversized coffee table has that was-a-smoking-room tinge. Arthur cashed in a major favor, but with the biggest symposium in Earth’s history taking place across the street, and a public announcement in Government Center expected to draw millions the following day, people were grabbing up anything that wasn’t nailed down, whether that be cups of coffee, T fares, or hotel suites. With Earth’s longevity now clear, there wasn’t much point in holding onto major favors, and he took what he could get.
“Don’t worry,” Sean reassures Thomas. “We hired a team to shoot Professor Grossman’s keynote. We’ll have the video uploaded to your DropBox immediately after our meeting with Liv.” The three of them had been tied at the hip since Grossman’s MIT lecture, preparing for the public announcement tomorrow. Still, these little details always caught Thomas pleasantly surprised.
[story mode] want to start from the beginning?
“Liv, if you’re done napping, come down to the front desk.”
“Get some new material, Marv.” The joke was just as unfunny yesterday. Liv looks down over the balcony at the bustling newsroom floor. She sees Marvin Green, WHDH Station Manager, taking a quick break from assigning segments for the 5PM broadcast to look back up at her.
“Now, Liv.”
I guess the kid gloves are off.
She takes the open air steps to the main floor two at a time, a show that her momentary lapse, although poorly timed, was in fact momentary.
As she approaches, Marv continues to address the team.
“Any video that hits Youtube, Facebook, wherever, I own the exclusive by 4:59. Signed contracts and videos pulled. Kim, Tom, you’re the eyes. Brendon, Jamie, you close the deals. This is our town. Anyone who wants video roll from Grossman’s lecture must go through us. Understood?”