Thanks a bazillion-million for making Z0MB1ES the overwhelming success that it is and for supporting the Xbox LIVE Indie Games platform. You ROCK!

Final PAX Push
In roughly six days we’ll be waking up at a ridiculously early time, gulping down as much coffee as possible, stumbling onto a plane and cruising at jet speeds to Seattle for the Penny Arcade Expo. I know I don’t have to sell you on the event (seeing as the expo is basically sold out), but I feel obligated to remind you about all of the Ska Studios “awesome” that’ll be taking place at PAX next weekend: We’ll be giving out free buttons, free syringe pens, free game advice, free high-fives, free autographs, free low-fives and 100% free hands-on time with the latest build of The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile. Now, if that doesn’t get you excited, then you are broken. Emotionally.

Disconnected
With all the craziness that’ll be taking place prior to and during PAX, I will not be be able to post a Good Morning Gato next week *collective disappointed sounding sigh*. That said, we’ll be at PAX! So, be excited for us, stop by booth #3010 if you’re attending PAX and wish us luck as we attempt to conquer Seattle.

From the article:

Far from a typical retail boxed product, The Dishwasher is a side-scrolling beat-’em-up with a penchant for Kill Bill-style blood geysers, shambling zombies, and maniacal robots. Inspired by equal parts jeet kune do master Bruce Lee, poseur Italian restaurants, and Ryuhei Kitamura’s epic Versus, The Dishwasher in many ways acts as a proof of concept for Microsoft’s ambitious service and gives players the chance to channel their inner butcher while bounding off walls and mashing on buttons in the process.

And then I say cool things like:

GS: In terms of ease of use, does XNA have the potential to be the magic bullet for bringing game design and development to the masses? As in, are we going to see a lot of average joes making quality, fun games?

JS: Game development is still an extremely ambitious venture, so depending on your definition of “the masses,” we may never see this type of magic bullet. Otherwise, a guy like me is probably always going to be the best you can hope for as an average joe. I went to school for computer science while working a series of crappy jobs and have always dreamed of making video games but have no industry experience or special game development education.

Then I checked the GameSpot forum on this, and found some excellent nuggets of InterWeb wisdom; some good ones:

1 of the best Arcade games out

I want to buy it now but that not a option. Dam you Microsoft, Dam you.

The one drawback to this game being so amazing

Is that every Wed. until it releases will be a disappointment no matter what comes out.

…and some not so good ones:

This is the most hot topic game in the world.

It might as well be called Johnny the Homicidal Douchebag.

There are a lot more good ones then there are not so good ones, so I’m really pleased (and I’m getting a little better at accepting criticism).  It seems like people are really hungry for some XBLA content that isn’t classic arcade games or cutesy casual games.  Not like there’s anything terrifically wrong with classic arcade games and cutesy casual games (I like a little Boom Boom Rocket and Metal Slug 3, thankyouverymuch), but I think people are pretty agreed about the desire for interesting new content, even if it is “hot topic.”

And for the record, I prefer Salvation Army for my counterculture wardrobe over Hot Topic.  Think I can afford Hot Topic?  I’m still poor, you know.