Understanding Cocos2D: What the heck is a CCNode?

Submitted by aaron on Sun, 03/25/2012 - 12:04

Hey there! I'm back with another developer tutorial to tell you all about the most important building block in Cocos2D: CCNodes. This tutorial picks up right where the last one left off. It assumes that you've completed the first tutorial... or at the very least, that you've gathered an equivalent amount of knowledge from other lessons and/or your own experimentation. Read more about Understanding Cocos2D: What the heck is a CCNode?

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Understanding Cocos2D: The Basics

Submitted by aaron on Sat, 03/24/2012 - 11:24

Hello, world! Today's post is going to be the first installment in a multi-part series on Cocos2D, the library that we're using to power our games. That means it will probably be relevant only to developers or those who wish to become developers. Read more about Understanding Cocos2D: The Basics

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Philosophy of Gamification 101: Why Everyone Should Love Games

Submitted by aaron on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 11:09

Video Games: Why waste good technology on science and medicine?

Bill and I have been keeping busy lately. Slowly but steadily, the foundation is rising on Project #2. Every now and then, I try to break for a few minutes and focus on something other than code. I find these breaks are beneficial to my sanity. Well... I'm away from Xcode for the moment, so now's as good a time as any to write and/or ramble. Today's subject: philosophy. Read more about Philosophy of Gamification 101: Why Everyone Should Love Games

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How Cocos2D Sprite Tinting Works

Submitted by aaron on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 04:50

Here at Final Wave Studios, we're big fans of a little library called Cocos2D. It's a powerful, versatile framework that basically handles all the grunt work and complicated background processes that generally come with advanced game development, so that the programmer can focus on what's important: writing a fun game. Not only is Cocos2D open-source and free under the MIT License, it's fast. Really fast. And it's simple. And for the code-inclined… it's actually kind of fun. That's why so many iOS devs use it. Read more about How Cocos2D Sprite Tinting Works

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Indie Game: The Movie

Submitted by aaron on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 04:52

Bill and I managed to catch one of the premiere showings of Indie Game: The Movie on Tuesday night. I remember being skeptical when I first stumbled upon its Kickstarter page back in 2010. The game industry is an esoteric subject, to say the least. Could the filmmakers portray it in a way that wouldn't alienate their audience? Today, I'm happy to report that they did. Did they ever.

For anyone who hasn't heard, you need to see this movie. If you're anywhere near a screening, go see it. Otherwise, just order a copy now. Even if you have no interest whatsoever in games or how they are made (which I find unlikely, as you are reading this page), you will absolutely adore this film. It's the first time the art of gaming has been presented in a form that the outside world can truly relate to. Beyond that, it's an inspiring story that explores the full spectrum of human emotion. It's also my story. Read more about Indie Game: The Movie

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Yo.

Submitted by aaron on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 09:53

Hello, Internet. I'm Aaron, the other cofounder. I'm the programmer in the group, and I'm absolutely thrilled to have the chance to do what I do every day: ~~play~~ write games!

Over the next few weeks/months, I'll be buried in code for our second project. From time to time, I hope to use this space to give you a glimpse into my world. Alongside random thoughts about the state of gaming and indie game development, I'll be sharing exciting news about our team's progress. (Yes, it's already very exciting!) Read more about Yo.

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Welcome

Submitted by bill on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 14:10

Final Wave Studios is an independent game studio founded in 2011 by Aaron Barrett and Bill Devine. Over the past year, the team has grown to include Mark Laubenthal who is responsible for the adorable artwork found in our games. Our team is dedicated to making original titles for iOS that have a depth of character, gameplay, and above all, fun. To us, games are an art form. We believe that games should be less about huge development teams with million-dollar budgets, and more about creativity, innovation, and great ideas that really engage players. Read more about Welcome