Last Online: 11/22/09
Jay Barnson
Jay Barnson is the Rampant Coyote, dashing secret agent(1) by day, but by evening pursues his dream of being an indie game developer. He's been a developer on several hit mainstream games, such as Twisted Metal, Warhawk, Jet Moto, and some not-such-a-hit mainstream games that are best forgotten. Jay is the founder of Rampant Games, and the Tales of the Rampant Coyote indie games blog.
He's also the section editor for RPGs, so feel free to contact him with suggestions, complaints, or whatever.
(1) Well, okay, by day he makes games, too, as a senior developer at Wahoo! Studios (AKA NinjaBee) And "dashing" is questionable. but it sounded good.
He's also the section editor for RPGs, so feel free to contact him with suggestions, complaints, or whatever.
(1) Well, okay, by day he makes games, too, as a senior developer at Wahoo! Studios (AKA NinjaBee) And "dashing" is questionable. but it sounded good.
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy it completely."
SUPPORT THE 'INDIE' TAG!
If you have an indie game you have contributed, please mark it with the "indie" tag! Let people know that awesome games require passion and dedication to make, not multimillion-dollar budgets and a bunch of suits!
Remember, Casual and Indie are NOT the same thing!
What is an indie game?
Remember, Casual and Indie are NOT the same thing!
What is an indie game?
The Latest Tales of the Rampant Coyote
Indie RPG Goodness
Here are some RPG's / RPG hybrids available at Rampant Games website. I'm a sucker for RPGs in general, and some of these indie designs are a breath of fresh air to the genre. And they are all pretty fun:
Cute Knight
Sim / RPG with other fifty different endings (plus variants for each)! Guide a young woman through a town (and a randomly generated dungeon beneath) over the course of three years to her destiny. Fight a dragon, win the heart of the prince, discover the secret of your past, become a champion wizard, or a champion slacker.
Aveyond
An old-school "console style" RPG. Rhen Darzon's life in her quiet village has been peaceful and uneventful until the day a mysterious priestess, barely alive, comes to her for aid. Within hours, Rhen becomes captured by the evil forces that had attacked the priestess, and she slowly becomes aware that her life has never been what it seems. She discovers powerful magical powers within herself, coupled with a dark destiny that she must choose. As the "chosen one," she and her companions must face the powerful demon Ahriman bent on destroying the land.
Empires & Dungeons
Strategy / RPG with more than a few "boardgame" style elements. Sort of a beer & pretzels strategy game with dungeon delving. An entire game can be played in an hour or so. Battle rival lords for the kingdom!
Styrateg
Another Strategy / RPG. Play one of several characters, amassing an army and doing battle against invading monsters. It's played like a wargame, but with heavy RPG elements, including leveling up your hero, purchasing equipment in towns, and "side quests."
Cute Knight
Sim / RPG with other fifty different endings (plus variants for each)! Guide a young woman through a town (and a randomly generated dungeon beneath) over the course of three years to her destiny. Fight a dragon, win the heart of the prince, discover the secret of your past, become a champion wizard, or a champion slacker.
Aveyond
An old-school "console style" RPG. Rhen Darzon's life in her quiet village has been peaceful and uneventful until the day a mysterious priestess, barely alive, comes to her for aid. Within hours, Rhen becomes captured by the evil forces that had attacked the priestess, and she slowly becomes aware that her life has never been what it seems. She discovers powerful magical powers within herself, coupled with a dark destiny that she must choose. As the "chosen one," she and her companions must face the powerful demon Ahriman bent on destroying the land.
Empires & Dungeons
Strategy / RPG with more than a few "boardgame" style elements. Sort of a beer & pretzels strategy game with dungeon delving. An entire game can be played in an hour or so. Battle rival lords for the kingdom!
Styrateg
Another Strategy / RPG. Play one of several characters, amassing an army and doing battle against invading monsters. It's played like a wargame, but with heavy RPG elements, including leveling up your hero, purchasing equipment in towns, and "side quests."
Jay's Links
Gameography
Jay's Gameography (even more complete than the one on Moby Games):
Twisted Metal (Sony Playstation, 1995, SCEA)
Warhawk (Sony Playstation, 1995, SCEA)
Jet Moto (Sony Playstation, 1996, SCEA)
Outwars (PC, 1998, Microsoft)
Snowmobile Championship (PC, 1998, Infogrammes <Atari>)
Snowmobile Championship 2000 (PC, 1999, Infogrammes <Atari>)
Animorphs (Sony Playstation, 2000, Infogrammes <Atari>)
ECW2: Anarchy Rulz (Sega Dreamcast, 2000, Acclaim)
Void War (PC, 2004, Rampant Games)
And some consulting / testing on Outpost Kaloki (PC) 2004.
Twisted Metal (Sony Playstation, 1995, SCEA)
Warhawk (Sony Playstation, 1995, SCEA)
Jet Moto (Sony Playstation, 1996, SCEA)
Outwars (PC, 1998, Microsoft)
Snowmobile Championship (PC, 1998, Infogrammes <Atari>)
Snowmobile Championship 2000 (PC, 1999, Infogrammes <Atari>)
Animorphs (Sony Playstation, 2000, Infogrammes <Atari>)
ECW2: Anarchy Rulz (Sega Dreamcast, 2000, Acclaim)
Void War (PC, 2004, Rampant Games)
And some consulting / testing on Outpost Kaloki (PC) 2004.
Test Module
Welcome to the RPG section! Roleplaying games are about assuming the role of a character in a different world. Brave dangers, solve puzzles, undertake perilous quests, gather powerful loot and allies, or take a step on the dark side in imaginary worlds! It's all up to you!
Eschalon: Book 1 is the first of a planned series of extremely high-quality RPGs that go back to the "old school" western RPG features - turn-based combat, beautiful isometric tile-based graphics, a deep and involving non-linear storyline, tons of sub-quests, an elaborate skill system, hundreds of items, dozens of monsters, and many, many hours of good, solid fun. Unapologetically turn-based and tactical in its combat system, the designer invokes legendary series such as Wizardry, Ultima, and Might & Magic as influences.
But this is no mere nostalgic excursion - Eschalon: Book 1 combines the "old-school" sensibilities of the great computer RPGs of the 1990s with the demands of modern audiences. This is a sharp, polished game with attention to detail that shows just what an indie RPG can do today.
RPG Developers For those crazy enough to make these games
Final Fantasy Fanatics - 'Nuff said!
World of Warcraft Fan group for the most massively multiplayer RPG of them all.
Roguelikes Don't Asciii, don't tell...
The Indie Tag
Every couple of weeks (ideally), I'll want to spotlight an indie RPG here as a featured game. It must be a completed, currently available game, and it should be marked with the "indie" tag. I may consider non-indie titles, but this is really a place to give some attention to games that don't have to budgets to buy attention for themselves...
So don't forget to add the "indie" tag to your indie games!
Don't hesitate to message me with questions, concerns, or suggestions!medium,left,http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/aveyond]
Featured Game:
Eschalon: Book 1Eschalon: Book 1 is the first of a planned series of extremely high-quality RPGs that go back to the "old school" western RPG features - turn-based combat, beautiful isometric tile-based graphics, a deep and involving non-linear storyline, tons of sub-quests, an elaborate skill system, hundreds of items, dozens of monsters, and many, many hours of good, solid fun. Unapologetically turn-based and tactical in its combat system, the designer invokes legendary series such as Wizardry, Ultima, and Might & Magic as influences.
But this is no mere nostalgic excursion - Eschalon: Book 1 combines the "old-school" sensibilities of the great computer RPGs of the 1990s with the demands of modern audiences. This is a sharp, polished game with attention to detail that shows just what an indie RPG can do today.
GGE Groups Devoted to RPGS:
RPG Fans Love to talk RPGs? Join and visit!RPG Developers For those crazy enough to make these games
Final Fantasy Fanatics - 'Nuff said!
World of Warcraft Fan group for the most massively multiplayer RPG of them all.
Roguelikes Don't Asciii, don't tell...
The Indie Tag
Every couple of weeks (ideally), I'll want to spotlight an indie RPG here as a featured game. It must be a completed, currently available game, and it should be marked with the "indie" tag. I may consider non-indie titles, but this is really a place to give some attention to games that don't have to budgets to buy attention for themselves...
So don't forget to add the "indie" tag to your indie games!
Don't hesitate to message me with questions, concerns, or suggestions!medium,left,http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/aveyond]
