PHUN JACKPOT
By LordCadbury

Soundtrack: Magic City (Sim City 3000)
By Maxis/EA

I started this one along with some prototypes/ideas last year, but kinda left these unfinished until recently. This Phun machine was my attempt to implement a simple coin-operated slot machine.

The system has three dials with three symbols on each (keeping it simple :) ). The dials use a mechanism to randomize the outcome. In addition, the machine also has a rudimentary "jackpot" detection system: It will pay out $$$ if (and only if) all the dials display the same symbol. Otherwise, the house wins :).

As it stands, the jackpot functionality is currently only one-time, though the slot machine itself can be played more than once. And with some modification, the final release mechanism can be made reusable. Anyway, have fun watching and feel free to leave any comment.

- LordCadbury

AmvIOZ8MLFU

(High Quality: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v= cFH-UrIQRKI&fmt=18 )

PHUN PRINTING PRESS
By LordCadbury

Soundtrack: Sim City 4
By Maxis/EA

Recently discovered the physics sandbox Phun (get it from http://www.phunland.com ) and had a lot of fun! My first video is about a printing press machine I tried to make. To start off, you arrange a set of letters/blocks to be sent to the machine. In this case it is "HELLO" :) The first lever sends these letter off for processing. The machine then orders bigger blocks of the corresponding letters to be arranged at the printing area.

Once that's all complete, you pull the second lever to commence the "printing" mechanism. This sends off the final block containing a small crawler/printer off to connect with the rest. The crawler can move along the track/grooves of the letters and (with the help of a pen brush) prints out your message :) Comments and suggestions for the machine are welcome.

DESIGN NOTES
Some notes about the design: The machine was originally planned to be a bit larger, with at least 7 letters, more spare blocks and a full reusable system (so after printing, parts can return for more work).

Unfortunately, my computer's simply not up to the task rendering all these stuff. It got a bit slow, so things have to be scaled back :| The smaller blocks, for example, already have a scoop to recycle used letters. Also, more spare printing blocks would have been nice..

Some inspirations for the machine: Scrabble letters, if you're familiar with that board game :) Also, the design for the printing blocks is somewhat reminiscent of neon lights.

- LordCadbury

cFH-UrIQRKI

SOLDIERS: HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
Minefields - US Campaign (Part 3 of 3)
Difficulty: Normal

As the name suggests, the third mission of the US campaign has something to do with mines :) Basically, the map is littered with small, localized minefields. There are usually (small) signs around them, so they can be carefully avoided; Just don't trust the AI to drive your tank around them :) Simply put, the mines aren't the real problem here.

In my opinion this is a difficult mission, not only because of its length but also because of the powerful tanks scattered around the map. The two Shermans regularly face Panthers and Tigers, and if you're unlucky, a King Tiger. As always, Schrecks are your friend :) Add to that are scores of anti-tank infantry (some even carrying bazookas?) and the rugged terrain, which leads to line of sight problems.

The final part continues the fight outside the town. Things get a bit tricky as the tanks get knocked out. Though one tank explodes, I manage to fix the other and roll into the city to deal with the remaining enemy troops. An interesting point: after the mission ended, a Tiger II showed up.. joined by a StuG no less! Needless to say, with only a Sherman things suddenly get very complicated (again :). Too bad I don't have that fight on video :S

DESCRIPTION
At a glance, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II looks like another addition in the crowded WWII RTS market. But a quick run with the demo immediately dissolves that notion. Released in 2004, Soldiers is a real time tactical game set in war torn Europe. The Allied and Axis factions in the game each has their own campaigns, in addition to an assortment of stand alone missions. Battles often pit the player against (absurdly) overwhelming odds, with enemy troops, armored vehicles and heavy guns in abundance. In short, there's going to be plenty of "oh crap" moments.

One of the things that set the game apart is the superb physics engine powering the game: the ensuing chaos of war is rendered beautifully as buildings turn to rubble while tank turrets get blown off, to name a few. To put it simply, these are some of the most chaotic renditions of the war ever seen in a strategy game. And that is not just for show: persistent tank wreckage can used as cover, while destroyed buildings turn the once urban area into a more "open" and difficult battlefield for the infantry. Missions are generally well designed and very open ended in nature, which usually lead to some unique, or even emergent gameplay.

Complementing the excellent physics are some of the slickest explosions ever seen in a strategy game, courtesy of the powerful graphics engine. Great textures and detail get the message (of carnage) across, where missions often end with a once beautiful landscape charred with scores burning wreckage, rubble and dead soldiers (or your dead soldiers, if you're not careful.. :). In my opinion, the game engine has aged well and can stand on its own even today.

Soldiers has a modest number of missions, and while they're fun to play in single player, there's also the option to play in cooperative multiplayer, a feature rarely seen in strategy games nowadays. Also noteworthy is the "direct action" feature, where you control and aim your vehicles or soldiers directly with arrow buttons and mouse. In closing, Good AI, music tracks and sound effects complement the non-stop action, which is measured literally in "explosions per minute".

- LordCadbury

pEk9G9VZ3Wg

SOLDIERS: HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
Minefields - US Campaign (Part 1 of 3)
Difficulty: Normal

As the name suggests, the third mission of the US campaign has something to do with mines :) Basically, the map is littered with small, localized minefields. There are usually (small) signs around them, so they can be carefully avoided; Just don't trust the AI to drive your tank around them :) Simply put, the mines aren't the real problem here.

In my opinion this is a difficult mission, not only because of its length but also because of the powerful tanks scattered around the map. The two Shermans regularly face Panthers and Tigers, and if you're unlucky, a King Tiger. As always, Schrecks are your friend :) Add to that are scores of anti-tank infantry (some even carrying bazookas?) and the rugged terrain, which leads to line of sight problems.

The first part involves navigating around the minefields and dealing with German troops and tanks patrolling the map. The latter is more dangerous than it sounds, as "medium" tanks such as the Panther (and obviously the Tiger) can kill your Sherman head-on if you're unlucky. Also, enemy rocket soldiers frequently pop-up without notice (!!!), though the upside of this is that they provide anti-tank weaponry required to deal with enemy armor.

DESCRIPTION
At a glance, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II looks like another addition in the crowded WWII RTS market. But a quick run with the demo immediately dissolves that notion. Released in 2004, Soldiers is a real time tactical game set in war torn Europe. The Allied and Axis factions in the game each has their own campaigns, in addition to an assortment of stand alone missions. Battles often pit the player against (absurdly) overwhelming odds, with enemy troops, armored vehicles and heavy guns in abundance. In short, there's going to be plenty of "oh crap" moments.

One of the things that set the game apart is the superb physics engine powering the game: the ensuing chaos of war is rendered beautifully as buildings turn to rubble while tank turrets get blown off, to name a few. To put it simply, these are some of the most chaotic renditions of the war ever seen in a strategy game. And that is not just for show: persistent tank wreckage can used as cover, while destroyed buildings turn the once urban area into a more "open" and difficult battlefield for the infantry. Missions are generally well designed and very open ended in nature, which usually lead to some unique, or even emergent gameplay.

Complementing the excellent physics are some of the slickest explosions ever seen in a strategy game, courtesy of the powerful graphics engine. Great textures and detail get the message (of carnage) across, where missions often end with a once beautiful landscape charred with scores burning wreckage, rubble and dead soldiers (or your dead soldiers, if you're not careful.. :). In my opinion, the game engine has aged well and can stand on its own even today.

Soldiers has a modest number of missions, and while they're fun to play in single player, there's also the option to play in cooperative multiplayer, a feature rarely seen in strategy games nowadays. Also noteworthy is the "direct action" feature, where you control and aim your vehicles or soldiers directly with arrow buttons and mouse. In closing, Good AI, music tracks and sound effects complement the non-stop action, which is measured literally in "explosions per minute".

- LordCadbury

1DEHM-3vmU0

SOLDIERS: HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
Minefields - US Campaign (Part 2 of 3)
Difficulty: Normal

As the name suggests, the third mission in the US campaign has something to do with mines :) Basically, the map is littered with small, localized minefields. There are usually (small) signs around them, so they can be carefully avoided; Just don't trust the AI to drive your tank around them :) Simply put, the mines aren't the real problem here.

In my opinion this is a difficult mission, not only because of its length but also because of the powerful tanks scattered around the map. The two Shermans regularly face Panthers and Tigers, and if you're unlucky, a King Tiger. As always, Schrecks are your friend :) Add to that are scores of anti-tank infantry (some even carrying bazookas?) and the rugged terrain, which leads to line of sight problems.

The second part deals with the main attack on the city. Or rather, defense outside the city, as the tanks already have a difficult time holding off waves of enemy troops and armor, let alone advance.

DESCRIPTION
At a glance, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II looks like another addition in the crowded WWII RTS market. But a quick run with the demo immediately dissolves that notion. Released in 2004, Soldiers is a real time tactical game set in war torn Europe. The Allied and Axis factions in the game each has their own campaigns, in addition to an assortment of stand alone missions. Battles often pit the player against (absurdly) overwhelming odds, with enemy troops, armored vehicles and heavy guns in abundance. In short, there's going to be plenty of "oh crap" moments.

One of the things that set the game apart is the superb physics engine powering the game: the ensuing chaos of war is rendered beautifully as buildings turn to rubble while tank turrets get blown off, to name a few. To put it simply, these are some of the most chaotic renditions of the war ever seen in a strategy game. And that is not just for show: persistent tank wreckage can used as cover, while destroyed buildings turn the once urban area into a more "open" and difficult battlefield for the infantry. Missions are generally well designed and very open ended in nature, which usually lead to some unique, or even emergent gameplay.

Complementing the excellent physics are some of the slickest explosions ever seen in a strategy game, courtesy of the powerful graphics engine. Great textures and detail get the message (of carnage) across, where missions often end with a once beautiful landscape charred with scores burning wreckage, rubble and dead soldiers (or your dead soldiers, if you're not careful.. :). In my opinion, the game engine has aged well and can stand on its own even today.

Soldiers has a modest number of missions, and while they're fun to play in single player, there's also the option to play in cooperative multiplayer, a feature rarely seen in strategy games nowadays. Also noteworthy is the "direct action" feature, where you control and aim your vehicles or soldiers directly with arrow buttons and mouse. In closing, Good AI, music tracks and sound effects complement the non-stop action, which is measured literally in "explosions per minute".

- LordCadbury

7z-NWKS3Hmo

SOLDIERS: HEROES OF WORLD WAR II
Minefields - US Campaign (Part 3 of 3)
Difficulty: Normal

As the name suggests, the third mission of the US campaign has something to do with mines :) Basically, the map is littered with small, localized minefields. There are usually (small) signs around them, so they can be carefully avoided; Just don't trust the AI to drive your tank around them :) Simply put, the mines aren't the real problem here.

In my opinion this is a difficult mission, not only because of its length but also because of the powerful tanks scattered around the map. The two Shermans regularly face Panthers and Tigers, and if you're unlucky, a King Tiger. As always, Schrecks are your friend :) Add to that are scores of anti-tank infantry (some even carrying bazookas?) and the rugged terrain, which leads to line of sight problems.

The final part continues the fight outside the town. Things get a bit tricky as the tanks get knocked out. Though one tank explodes, I manage to fix the other and roll into the city to deal with the remaining enemy troops. An interesting point: after the mission ended, a Tiger II showed up.. joined by a StuG no less! Needless to say, with only a Sherman things suddenly get very complicated (again :). Too bad I don't have that fight on video :S

DESCRIPTION
At a glance, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II looks like another addition in the crowded WWII RTS market. But a quick run with the demo immediately dissolves that notion. Released in 2004, Soldiers is a real time tactical game set in war torn Europe. The Allied and Axis factions in the game each has their own campaigns, in addition to an assortment of stand alone missions. Battles often pit the player against (absurdly) overwhelming odds, with enemy troops, armored vehicles and heavy guns in abundance. In short, there's going to be plenty of "oh crap" moments.

One of the things that set the game apart is the superb physics engine powering the game: the ensuing chaos of war is rendered beautifully as buildings turn to rubble while tank turrets get blown off, to name a few. To put it simply, these are some of the most chaotic renditions of the war ever seen in a strategy game. And that is not just for show: persistent tank wreckage can used as cover, while destroyed buildings turn the once urban area into a more "open" and difficult battlefield for the infantry. Missions are generally well designed and very open ended in nature, which usually lead to some unique, or even emergent gameplay.

Complementing the excellent physics are some of the slickest explosions ever seen in a strategy game, courtesy of the powerful graphics engine. Great textures and detail get the message (of carnage) across, where missions often end with a once beautiful landscape charred with scores burning wreckage, rubble and dead soldiers (or your dead soldiers, if you're not careful.. :). In my opinion, the game engine has aged well and can stand on its own even today.

Soldiers has a modest number of missions, and while they're fun to play in single player, there's also the option to play in cooperative multiplayer, a feature rarely seen in strategy games nowadays. Also noteworthy is the "direct action" feature, where you control and aim your vehicles or soldiers directly with arrow buttons and mouse. In closing, Good AI, music tracks and sound effects complement the non-stop action, which is measured literally in "explosions per minute".

- LordCadbury

pEk9G9VZ3Wg

PHUN JACKPOT
By LordCadbury

Soundtrack: Magic City (Sim City 3000)
By Maxis/EA

I started this one along with some prototypes/ideas last year, but kinda left these unfinished until recently. This Phun machine was my attempt to implement a simple coin-operated slot machine.

The system has three dials with three symbols on each (keeping it simple :) ). The dials use a mechanism to randomize the outcome. In addition, the machine also has a rudimentary "jackpot" detection system: It will pay out $$$ if (and only if) all the dials display the same symbol. Otherwise, the house wins :).

As it stands, the jackpot functionality is currently only one-time, though the slot machine itself can be played more than once. And with some modification, the final release mechanism can be made reusable. Anyway, have fun watching and feel free to leave any comment.

- LordCadbury

AmvIOZ8MLFU

(High Quality: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v= cFH-UrIQRKI&fmt=18 )

PHUN PRINTING PRESS
By LordCadbury

Soundtrack: Sim City 4
By Maxis/EA

Recently discovered the physics sandbox Phun (get it from http://www.phunland.com ) and had a lot of fun! My first video is about a printing press machine I tried to make. To start off, you arrange a set of letters/blocks to be sent to the machine. In this case it is "HELLO" :) The first lever sends these letter off for processing. The machine then orders bigger blocks of the corresponding letters to be arranged at the printing area.

Once that's all complete, you pull the second lever to commence the "printing" mechanism. This sends off the final block containing a small crawler/printer off to connect with the rest. The crawler can move along the track/grooves of the letters and (with the help of a pen brush) prints out your message :) Comments and suggestions for the machine are welcome.

DESIGN NOTES
Some notes about the design: The machine was originally planned to be a bit larger, with at least 7 letters, more spare blocks and a full reusable system (so after printing, parts can return for more work).

Unfortunately, my computer's simply not up to the task rendering all these stuff. It got a bit slow, so things have to be scaled back :| The smaller blocks, for example, already have a scoop to recycle used letters. Also, more spare printing blocks would have been nice..

Some inspirations for the machine: Scrabble letters, if you're familiar with that board game :) Also, the design for the printing blocks is somewhat reminiscent of neon lights.

- LordCadbury

cFH-UrIQRKI

RETURN FIRE
Fun with submarines! Go over the edge and see whats in store...

DESCRIPTION
Return Fire is a rather unique 3D vehicle action game with a top-down, isometric view. Released in 1995/96 for the Playstation, PC and 3DO, it revolves around capturing the enemy flag with the help of various modern military vehicles, set against a desert landscape. Base buildings, turrets and walls dot the battlefield, and maps get progressively more difficult and complex. The vehicles, each fulfilling a unique role, are accompanied by their own sweeping classical music tracks that are worth the price of admission. The weird victory videos, laughing skulls (don't ask..) and even an ad by the US military makes for some surreal gameplay experience.

The game has a good single player mode, but what truly sets Return Fire apart is the memorable multiplayer split screen mode. Basically, two players compete to locate and secure the enemy's flag, all while thwarting the other's effort. Bridges and buildings get destroyed, base entrances mined and helicopters blown off during takeoff as both players try to outsmart the other. And if that's not enough, Return Fire also comes with a large number of maps that really makes it endlessly replayable.

- LordCadbury

caNAYahIP-c

RETURN FIRE
Some gameplay in the single player map Cornered. Apologies for the lousy driving :)

DESCRIPTION
Return Fire is a rather unique 3D vehicle action game with a top-down, isometric view. Released in 1995/96 for the Playstation, PC and 3DO, it revolves around capturing the enemy flag with the help of various modern military vehicles, set against a desert landscape. Base buildings, turrets and walls dot the battlefield, and maps get progressively more difficult and complex. The vehicles, each fulfilling a unique role, are accompanied by their own sweeping classical music tracks that are worth the price of admission. The weird victory videos, laughing skulls (don't ask..) and even an ad by the US military makes for some surreal gameplay experience.

The game has a good single player mode, but what truly sets Return Fire apart is the memorable multiplayer split screen mode. Basically, two players compete to locate and secure the enemy's flag, all while thwarting the other's effort. Bridges and buildings get destroyed, base entrances mined and helicopters blown off during takeoff as both players try to outsmart the other. And if that's not enough, Return Fire also comes with a large number of maps that really makes it endlessly replayable.

- LordCadbury

9vNPlgB6IbE