That’s right, we just barely beat those two awful massage games.

A new version with bug fixes is up for peer review now; hopefully it will settle a lot of the 1.0 silliness.

Particularly notable fixes will include:

• Shows what gamer is talking
• Show gamer names under players
• Numerous CTF bug fixes
• On-the-fly server bot count + game type changes
• Team DM spawns random (like vanilla DM)
• 3 second respawn invulnerability
• Bat ceiling hang bonuses switched to invisibility
• Renamed/reskinned Cheetah Suit to Cyborg Suit

Unfortunately, XBCG games don’t force you to update, so it’s a good idea to check the XBCG New Arrivals queue for updates.  When ZP2K9 1.0.1 arrives, it’ll be up there.  And once most everyone has moved over to 1.0.1, I can start adding more content (maps, suits, etc).  Also, from version 1.0.1 and up, ZP2K9 will be a bit smart about notifying you about updates.  Workarounds, FTW!

Thanks to everyone who helped make ZP2K9 a sudden success!

So, ZP2K9 is on the Community Games marketplace.  It’s a side scrolling multiplayer online shooter.  It’s 200 points.  It’s fun.  I like it.  Some random people like it.  Some people like it so much, they saw fit to promote it!  Harmless, no?

Well, one of my XBL buddies thought he’d spread the cheer to the folks at some Soldat forum, using a highly inflammatory topic name of “Soldat vs ZP2K9” and naively postulating that ZP2K9 was better!  I guess the Soldat folks are not keen on fighting words!

Here are some gems:

• “Your walking all the time = Ur opponents will face you from the same hight = no aim skills required = Soldat is better.”
• “Whatever it is, that game can’t be compared to Soldat – Soldat is way superior.”
• “Not even close to soldat LOL”
• “seems like they are desperate to get soldat on them, even if its just a crappy copy of it”
• “Just judging from the video I don’t think there’s any contest-soldat blows it out of the water in my opinion.”
• “anyone realized that the thing when he goes up is actually pretty same as the prince of perisa climbing?”

Heh.

(Ahem… for the record, I played Soldat like once years ago and wasn’t blown away.  I loved Abuse though!  And RuneQuake!  Yeah, I’m a dork!  So what!?)

(Also, this is the video that is used to gauge how terrible ZP2K9 is; compared to Soldat, can we say they both look a little bit like crap?)

Anyway, I’ve learned two things from this:

1. Never get involved in a land war in Asia.
2. Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

Is there hope?  Or is this game doomed because it is not like a game that I never intended it to be like?

Well, it’s not all bad!  XNA Roundup liked it a lot, particularly the flamethrower, Chameleon suit sword trick (I might wanna cut this one), and controls.   Video review after the break:

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1773967539787825783]

“200 points, and the game is well worth it!”

CheckYourHUD liked it too.  “For 200 MS points, ZP2K9 is a must have for Xbox 360 owners everywhere. The fast paced action never gets old, and the XBL multiplayer is rock solid.”

We’ve got the bargain angle!

Ahh… I love you all.

Here are some screenies:

In Dishwasher news, we’re in the final stretch before cert.  Thanks to all of you who keep asking about the release date, it’s great to know that The Dishwasher’s got fans!  Hang tight, peoples, we’ll get there, and, as I keep saying, I don’t think anyone’s more anxious for the game’s release than I am.

Right now it’s… well… not the least popular game, but its still getting pummeled in the popularity contest by Garrett the Slug. You don’t have to buy it (though it costs the same as 5 64×64 images), but at least give it a download.  My image is on the line.

Also, xnPlay is all over it.

If anything, I guess this should go to show how easy it is to get a game on XBCG.

It’s as complicated as:

• Make a game that doesn’t crash (bonus: make a game that doesn’t suck!  For pointers, buy my book!)
• Make a box art image, take 4 screenshots, make a thumbnail, make a movie (optional)
• Upload the game
• Wait for it to pass review (as long as it doesn’t crash and doesn’t contain colons, racism, or Nazis, this should be painless)
• Wait for it to go LIVE!

Granted, the first step is the most time consuming, but traditionally in the PC gaming world, the other steps are the biggest hassle (submitting to random portals, setting up payment processing services, etc).  This means that hobbyist game development, a hobby which is traditionally 90% fun, is now 98% fun and console-deployable.  Amazing.  Go nuts!