Zorbing Time!

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Lopni
Zorbing Time!

And Zorbing Time! is up! ^_^ I'm doubling it in general discussion.

A good friend of my - Violet Gambit - created a KS project with my help. My role is collaborator, she is creator, the project is right here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/759296802/zorbing-time/

It's just a zorbing/knockerball game, who would suspect our kink in it, people can just play a tabletop - yet quietly we know better ^_^

Zorbing is a social activity, so we can talk about it to anybody. May I ask it once more - to spread the word?

And to all of you - regardless how this works out - many, many thanks for your unending support in everything VG and myself did so far. ^_^

Margeret Moonlught
Margeret Moonlught's picture

HYPE

BI.org’s very own metamorphic incomprehensible memetic fractal entity 

Lopni

You think so? Hyperventilate Yourself Prior Expansion?

okay, hype mode (warning: read below this line at your own risk)

 

---cut

1k isn't much, yet day 3 and nothing happens ^_^

The whole idea is that it's related to us, but it's a social thing. A tabletop promoting sport, you can go out or rather invite in and play it with friends, and they'll say: hey, that's cool! rather than laugh at you - that's the beauty of it!

Knockerball - 15 pages of locations where you can play knockerball in USA - thinks it's cool, but they can't support us because it's against KickStarter policy. Companies can't support, only private individuals can.

We're up for all September, so if you'd like to have the glimpses you've seen here in the last couple of years collected together, finalized nicely into a product, printed and delivered to your home - feel free to drop by, look at video, read about rewards, ask questions and please consider backing us.

Another reason to consider backing us is - you've seen my quest to free-ride on some willing artist - it's not how artistic world works! You can expect a scientist to work on your task for free for years - it's the norm, he's driven by thrill of discovery. You can expect an engineer to work on your task for free for years - it's the norm, he's driven by thrill of making new things. You can expect a programmer to work on your task for free for years - it's the norm, he's driven by making common mundane tasks easier. Their creative worlds are not driven by money. But if you want something drawn for your task, even if all other members of the team work for free, you have to pay the artist - at least that's how artists see it. Don't get me wrong - I'm OK about it, that's how artistic world works. With this project success we'll have some spare money to hire an artist to draw for inflation games.

flationable
flationable's picture

"You can expect a scientist to work on your task for free for years. You can expect an engineer to work on your task for free for years. You can expect a programmer to work on your task for free for years. Their creative worlds are not driven by money."

You're not right in the head.

Lopni

Thanks mate, but as a person who worked as a scientist for more than a decade, as an engineer for another decade and as a programmer during all this time - I've experienced that on myself and was surrounded by like-minded people who were also in this not for money ^_^ You earn at work, yes - but if a bunch of people gather for a hobby of making an airplane nobody is paid for it and everyone's happy. Same with boats powered by solar cells, composites reinforced with nanotubes and so on ^_^ Hell, there've been even a Space satellite that was assembled and launched to Space for free - real story.

 

That has nothing to do with inflation though, and it's not my point. The point I have made is that I need money to pay artists ^_^

Lopni

Edit: smoothed some dodgy places, corrected grammar, added title. I won't spend more of your time on this ^_^


When you play in a bubble you think like a bubble

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/759296802/zorbing-time

 

Okay, forums are for sharing thoughts

Let me tell you how this KickStarter campaign fits into things I do regarding inflation

Those who already have looked at my LinkedIn know that I have zero minutes zero seconds of experience in selling anything, so please have patience ^_^

Of course this all is just one side of what's going on. The side relevant to inflation

 

Before

So, this Spring I've made a puffkiss game - "Very Simple Game", version 2 - in which you can only stand still, breathe in and inflate. Potentially, it can be used to sit at home and gaze at how your character inflates - among other things.

Of older games there is a competitive inflation team versus team - "Arena" - in which there is no graphics at all, it shows only symbols of inflatees. Potentially, it can be used to sit at home and imagine how your team inflates another team - among other things.

Of even older games there is a swelldance game - "Tet-a-tet" - in which there is no graphics at all, it shows a very schematic inflated shape in side view. Potentially, it also can be used to sit at home and imagine how you inflate yourself or inflate others - among other things.

Finally, there is a demographic simulation - "Popstat3" - which lets you write a life story of an inflatible character

 

Currently

I have an idea of a game that will bring them together. Puffkiss, and swelldance, in a competitive inflation of two teams, in a world of Popstat. Plus made acceptable to those of us who don't like popping - it will be possible to play without popping anybody. It's working title is "Inflation Formation"

In "Inflation Formation" you can hop and roll around, dance and jump, tow pumps, fall and stand up and move any way you like, inflate others, or be inflated by any kind of means I've found in stories. It can be used to sit at home and play for an inflatible character in competitive inflation match against computer - among other things. And it is a blend of all these "Arena", "Tet-a-tet" and "VSG"

Currently I have

 - World - covered. That's invented long ago in detail.

 - Game mechanics - covered. A more simple version has been play-tested in Arena. A more complex version will be published as a tabletop.

 - Animation - covered. A Spriter project, with all animations made for one character.

 - Programming - covered. I have character generation done, and I'm ready to put characters on the field, but I still need a couple of months to program all these 30+ ways of using a heliumtank (or any other item for that matter). And I'm eager to go 3D and even VR with UnrealEngine or CryEngine if graphics permits. The only reason I haven't done it yet is that showing a sprite on the screen is one line in any language, no need to be trendy.

 - Graphics - Here I need help. I see that quality of my graphics is insufficient for your needs - I need to hire an artist. You can't expect my family of three earning 12000$ a year to pay artists per each image - it's ridiculous to expect that.

 

Kickstarter

You saw how all material in Kickstarter campaign was gradually prepared, some of you including VioletGambit provided very valuable bits. Thank you for them!

I can't run a Kickstarter, VioletGambit agrees to do it for me. And it seems she's also not quite eligible to run a Kickstarter (we've found it by experiment), so she has asked her friend to do it.

I've passed the rights for this specific version to him so that he can put it on Kickstarter as his own. I have no problem in passing rights because I keep inventing new things, it's totally all right, and within Kickstarter rules.

It's a mess, I know, but we're finally up and running.

If you were wondering if there is a way to give me a few bucks for creating Popstat, or VSG, or Arena, or Tet-a-tet - this Kickstarter campaign is a formal way to do that

If you want to see a game mechanics that underlies "Inflation Formation", and how else it can be used in a more social way than fetish gaming - this Kickstarter campaign lets you back it as well

And since I'm not used to just "please pay me folks" begging - I want to do something for you in return. That's why there are rewards, specific things you'll get for backing this Kickstarter campaign

All pledges will be spent in a transparent way on making the product and to pay artists so that I can finish "Inflation Formation" game for you - the one that combines everything that's done so far and rounds up all loose ends

I can't build a campaign around porn - and in the USA inflation is porn - it's impossible according to Kickstarter rules. So I've found a closest thing to inflation which is zorbing. Bubbleball.us has a motto - "Be the Bubble". And it's true - I've played knockerball here, when you play in a bubble you think like a bubble. They're like us, only we bring it to bed, and they - into sport. That makes knockerball legit for crowdfunding.

 

Future

I hope that the amount we'll all gather, will be sufficient to produce a decent inflation game for you guys - "Inflation Formation". The more we'll gather - the better and more graphics there will be. If you want this game - I welcome you to back it. If you don't want this game - I will understand.

Lopni

Edit: updated Inflation Formation sketch so that it's less horrible now. This early sketch can change the way you like, feedback is welcome ^_^

 

Hey guys!

You've been very nice to me, and I'm grateful for every feedback I received, and for advice you've given me. So I think I should tell you my plans, so that I'm all open and honest with you - you deserve it!

 

(below is a post from Inflation Formation thread)

First of all - publishing the first drafty picture of Inflation formation

Don't beat me hard for it - it's a very first attempt to put together interface elements in Paint, to give you an idea what I'm aiming at.

Two teams inflate each other in a tactical inflation game - that's called "encounter"

If your team wins an encounter, it earns "money" that can be spent on items and hiring more team members.

On the field items can be used in many ways - (e.g., 30+ actions for heliumtank)

Each team member owns items, and is an entirely generated character with background, ability scores, class-subclass, skills-feats, level and so on.

Skills and feats can either grant team member a permanent ability, or some quick trick they can do, or some mode they can enter

Encounters are of several types

- two teams can start in opposite corners and then move to the centre of the screen to inflate each other,

- or one team can defend a "castle" or "hill" while another team tries to get hold of it

- or one team runs left to right (or right to left) on a platform while another team are foes in their way

- or there's a relay like in Inflation Olympics

- or it's 1 vs 1 till bursting solely on lungpower like in Inflate Club

- and on and on whatever comes to mind

Lopni

Edit: edited schedule so that I'm totally sure I do all I can for you guys!

 

So, what I have on my plate:

- Inflation Formation (see above)

- Zorbing tabletop (Kickstarter)

- Some future plan (unrelated)

 

Outcomes of Kickstarter:

1. NOT Funded (below 1000 - that's how it looks now)

Inflation Formation - a minimally playable version with only most basic encounters, and 2-3 actions/items, with sources in January-March'17 (a compromise ^_^ )

Zorbing Tabletop - will be done in October-December'16 and shipped in January-March'17

Some future plan - will start in April'2017 (a compromise ^_^ )

2. Funded(above 1000 and below 2840 USD - still possible)

Inflation Formation - same as above, plus ALL actions, ALL items, ALL types of encounters, editor of inflation adventures and user manual - in '17

Zorbing Tabletop - will be done in October-December'16 and shipped in January-March'17

Some future plan - will start in December'2017

3. Overfunded (above 2840 USD and below 10 000 USD - very unlikely)

Inflation Formation - same as above, plus I'll hire a professional art/animation studio - 2840 is a quote from them - and they'll do professional graphics (my dream ^_^)

Zorbing Tabletop - same as above, plus also with professional graphics

Some future plan - will start in January'2018

4. Grossly overfunded (above 10 000 USD - unreal)

Inflation Formation - I hire a 3D artist, and we do a 1st person-view inflation shooter with VR support in '17-'18 (that'd be so cool!!! ^_^)

Zorbing Tabletop - will be done in October-December'16 and shipped in January-March'17

Some future plan - will start in January'19

Lopni

Also, two people already told me they won't pay third parties, only me directly - sure, I can do that if that helps.

Also, since I'm aiming at picturing various characters and various situations when inflation happens - feel free to let me know what you'd like included, now or later in the process.

As of now, please consider backing me within KS time frame or at least within October. If you have any other concerns, or need more data - just let me know and I answer them.

Lopni

We’re half way through and 4% funded. No, we’re not closing, we’ll walk this road to the end but I don’t hold my breath. And as I keep embracing challenges and listening to feedback – here’s feedback I’ve had from this campaign:

-          My art is okay. In my games graphics is not defining the fun, instead – it’s having a different result each time depending on your actions. No one complains about my art, and a few even like it

-          Small crude games are all right. Nobody in this community needs a professionally made inflation game. Nobody. Okay, four people do – Alec Deluxe, AnotherCanadianGuy, Bubblez101 and ShurikRus from DA. Thank you – but I can’t afford making a professional game for four people

-          I’m free to do anything I like. There’s some fan base around every my game. But people who like my games like them because of new ideas. You want me to keep being me, and nothing else

-          An attempt to monetize following in this field will result in 40$. I wouldn’t believe until I tried. You live you learn

-          HYPE advice. The one who said that – shame on you! I mean, if you advise more publicity then you imply that you understand the cool so you are supposed to back at least symbolically with 1$. To say HYPE and not back is lame

-          Some feedback on VSG: to make easier entry and to make movies about it

-          No third parties. Both our community and Kickstarter community told me that they’ll only pay the developer directly, and not anybody else, not even a close friend. Basically, campaign was flawed from the start. You have direct Paypal of developer in the post above

Thank you for letting me make mistakes and providing feedback on them.  It’s enlightening, and it’s fun! I’ll fix what you have asked me to. When this campaign is over I’ll make requested upgrades to VSG, complete a fully functional Inflation Formation, and Game Mechanics rulebook  – in this order – because that’s what I’d like to do.

But most of all – thank you for the fun we have together. Thank you for your friendship ^_^

Lopni

In case you're wondering - no, this is NOT what I have in mind ^_^


Certainly I welcome you to back the campaign for publishing a tabletop game, with extra funds used to pay artists and make a professional computer game for you guys. Basically, bumperball tabletop and inflation computer game share the same game mechanics. I planned to gather feedback from players of tabletop, but if campaign fails I'll have to gather feedback from players of inflation game. A pity, but not crucial.

Here's the diifference:

If this campaign fails:
- a few tweaks to VSG. People said to make movies about it and to make a few upgrades. - that's before this Christmas
- an inflation game, a small one because without funds I'll have to draw myself. - that's before Summer'2017
- a zorbing tabletop. Without publication I'll have to devise feedback from inflation game, not vice versa, so it might be too computerish or even impossible to play without a computer at hand. Basically - it won't happen.

If this campaign succeeds:
- VSG tweaks will be shifted in time to April-May'2017
- inflation game will be shifted in time to June-December'2017 and will be done with feedback from tabletop and with professional art of real artists. It will have a look of a real game and tabletop RPG feel, possibly it could be even used as Master's tool in simulating encounters during a gaming session and for planning those encounters. Since it will have professional feel it will be feasible wrapping encounters into quests, so that the program becomes an editor of inflation-related RPGs - that's entire '2018. We'll have our own full-fledged inflation CRPG people!
- an inflation tabletop. Suitable for role-playing games about zorbing, knockerball and related sports as well as any fetish role-plays related to change in size/volume (inflation, blueberry, weightgain, puffy muscle, growth, vore, expansive transformation). That will become a priority, and I'll do it before this Christmas asap, now!

14 days more and we'll see which one you choose ^_^

Lopni

Hello all!

As promised, I start with a few quick upgrades to VSG and movies about it. The first movie is about downloading and running VSG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv-gxBoEs04

More to come, I'll group other videos into the same playlist on the same channel.

VSG is located on the same place: https://yadi.sk/d/qwfTtx-bqbjiH

Enjoy ^_^

Vistor563

The title of hits reads differently in 2021