Toejam and Earl is finally back! We're goin' indie, and old skool like GAME ONE, with a fun retro-comics style, and plenty of funk!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Earthlings!
almost 9 years ago
– Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 05:53:26 PM
Hello! Cherished and Beloved Backer!
We thought you might enjoy seeing some more of the concept art that Nathan has been doing for possible Earthlings in the game. It's the nature of early concept work that you simply "let it flow" and then see what sticks. In other words, we won't be using all of these characters, and we'll be continuing to explore ideas. With that in mind this is the PERFECT time for you to offer ideas, if you have any, for Earthlings you think might be fun. Feel free to comment on these Earthlings too of course, we want to know what you like and don't like. If you come up with new ideas for Earthlings, try and be creative about what they do, other than simply damage you. New helpful Earthlings are good too. Let it rip!
Stretch Goal Passed!!
almost 9 years ago
– Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 05:53:22 PM
We have now collected just under $42k from sales of add-on merchandise on Backer Kit. Some people have been bumping their pledges up as well. (thank you!) This means that with the $508 (and change) from Kick Starter we JUST passed our $550 stretch goal so we will be able to afford to get some guest composers for the TJ & E music, people like John Baker and Kawehi, and TonezP, and maybe some others (some of you commented that you really liked the funky bass lines that we posted on the page by a fellow named Cody).
We will be closing the backer kit store at some point very soon, as we need to know exactly how many orders we have and get everything moving through manufacture and the fulfillment centers. If you want any more items be sure to get them soon.
We apologize for not doing updates as often as we were. We are super ultra busy trying to get this project into full swing and that's taking up all of our attention. Thanks again for all of the wonderful Earthling ideas - many of those are now sitting in our design doc.
We should have more news for you soon! Some exciting stuff!
That's it for now!
The Forum is HERE!!
almost 9 years ago
– Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 05:53:17 PM
Guess what! While we were discussing how we were going to get a forum put together for you, one of our extremely resourceful and proactive fans went ahead and surprised us by building one! And it's perfect. We owe a really big thanks to Kinnon Stephens! (Kinnon is also going to help us out by moderating this board with us.)
This board is open to everyone, so go ahead and start sharing your thoughts. Once we get to a point where we are sharing the early access version of the game with Peanut Tier Backers (and above) we will open a new thread on this forum specifically for these backers to express opinions and discuss their thoughts about the game.
This forum in ONLY open to backers, so be sure to use the same email address you used when you backed us on KickStarter. That's how we know you're a backer.
ALSO...
We still have quite a few people who haven't filled in their surveys! We can't send you goodies if we don't know what you want. As a result we are extending the date of our survey lockdown until the end of this month. After this you won't be able to make any changes or additions to your surveys, and we'll can get the production of T-shirts and Hoodies and such going.
As we said in our last update, you have helped us make quite a few additional dollars from the sales and increased pledges via Backer kit. We thought you might like to see this data:
On the game front, Jeff has gotten a good start on building the random terrain generator, and we are still spec-ing out all the game features and trying to plan a schedule that is both aggressive but achievable. We're also getting up to speed on the very cool animation tool called Spine, and starting to build the pieces needed to animate characters the right way (as opposed to what we threw together for the prototype). We have some fun things cooking, which we'll hopefully be announcing very soon!
ToeJam and Earl: Off and Running
almost 9 years ago
– Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 05:53:03 PM
Hi Backers!
We haven't posted an update in awhile now because we been posting in our Hyperfunk Club Forum. http://www.hyperfunk.club/ Some of you may not be going there, so we figured we should do a real update.
Here are some news items:
1) Moving offices: We are trying to cut costs in a variety of ways so we can extend our project time and make a better game. Humanature Studios has been in this funky house-like office for the past 7 years but we are moving to a much smaller one-room office in Berkeley that will be a lot cheaper. Moving is keeping us busy at the moment.
Good bye office! Hello smaller office!
2) Rewards: Our vinyl figures are on a boat in China waiting for customs forms to get filled out so they can depart. It will take about 4 or 5 weeks for them to get to the fulfillment center in Texas. The Surveys have closed and Backer Kit has sent the Backer Data to Amplifier, our fulfillment partner, and they will start making Tee-Shirts and Hoodies and Posters etc. These Rewards are probably about 2 months or so from your doorstep (just guessing).
3) HyperFunk Zone: We have started working on the Hyperfunk Zone! (It was one of the stretch goals!) Check out this fun concept - we're planning to make it so you can enter the Hyperfunk Zone with one OR two players! Notice anything new here?
4) Random Terrain: The Random Terrain Generator is most of the way to being complete. We already have tweakable parameters and have these maps being translated to maps we can walk around on.
4) Player Characters swap skins and animate: We have a number of player characters designed and built in Spine, our animation tool, and we are able to swap skins on the skeletons and reuse animations. We've worked out how we'll do the various angles as characters walk around.
We still haven't done Peabo Yet!
We've been working on sneaking animations and teetering an falling and walking, running and flying!
5) The Design Doc!: Is close to being done - but we're still working on incorporating a lot of your great ideas from the forum. There is just too much good stuff there!
Here are some fun present images:
6) Music: We've started working on some re-works of the old songs but don't have anything we can share with you yet. We'll be doing new music as well.
7) Console Versions: We're still working on a plan to get these funded and built - and have been having lots of conversations with potential partners. Nothing is signed yet, but you'll be the first to know when we have some news.
8) Bronze Benefactor Statues: Those got shipped out to our major backers already.
9) The Team: We have hired an awesome animator and a second engineer (a Kick Starter backer) who will be starting soon. Our team is complete and ready to go.
Well that's our report! Thanks for hanging in there and being patient when we're quiet for awhile. Fear not, this just means we're chugging away and too busy to stop and write. We'll be posting more in the forum as we can so stop by there and check out all of the many threads and comments.
Onwards to Funkotron!!!
The Survey will be Closing
almost 9 years ago
– Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 06:57:49 PM
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