Yastuna Games – new Atari Lynx editor and retro game developer

[+jgkspsx]

I donate monthly to MSF but I would be happy to give them a little more and get Lynx software for it!

[+jgkspsx]

Any hints as to what time Thursday the new release go up for sale, @Fadest? I really like @drludos‘s games so I am in for those too.

[Fadest]

I forgot to said here.

It will be 2PM Paris time.

 

I know it is not very convenient for US guys, but I also don't expect the whole batch (50 box per game) to go out quickly.

And if it does (which would make very happy), I will reorder immediately another one.

[Polo]

Some random impressions of ASTEROID CHASERS -

 

First, I really like the game. It's very addictive and I keep coming back to it. The packaging, everything about it, is awesome. So don' get me wrong if I bring up som criticism, that's just my personal view and meant to be constructive.

 

Gameplay:

It has a good flow! Easy to learn, still much to discover. The flashram savestate is 100% cool! I like the archievements, the backgrounds and all.

Some elements are a bit annoying: many combinations leave you with only one or two possible moves, like mine#pirate, pirate+mine. That makes gamplay feel like on rails. It needs more variation I think.

In many cases it's pure luck if you can defuse a mine. Idea: How about not making 3 mines kill you, but giving mines a countdown timer, after 5 moves or so they detonate and destroy their adjacent fields?

Maybe add a random "deleter" that allows to remove any pirate?

Maybe show the present AND the next card to act more tactical?

Maybe add some bonuses, like if you surround 3 asteroids, you get 5 more cards without mindes or so.

 

Music:

Great you gat additional tunes, but 2 pieces are kinda awkward, the first has an annoying underlying beeeeep-beeeeep in it, and I think #2 ist sort of atonal in between :)

 

Presentation:

It's ok and serves it's purpose, but it has some homebrew air about it, I mean "Number of mines=2"... This could be a lot better. The Icons could also have been play cards as an alternative. 

 

Anyway, if there was Asteroid Chaser 2 I#d buy it!! If you consider getting it, go for the limited edition, I would've done it had I known how much I like it.

 

Well done, Yastuna! Keep it up!

 

[+jgkspsx]

The randomness can be frustrating, but if you think of it more as a video implementation of a physical card game it’s pretty easy to get over, at least for me. I would definitely like to see an alternate mode like you describe that is more video game-y, though.

[Fadest]

Thanks for your feedback.

 

Yes, there is a part of luck in the game, or more noticeably by the player, a part of bad luck.

I thought about trying to avoid the mine+pirate combo in games, but I played again and again, and looked at the statistics.

 

On my current save (which in fact is juste the last cartridge I used but believe me, I made hundred and hundred games on emulators, or other carts, on Game Boy also):

- 88 wins on 120 games in Easy

- 33 wins on 63 games in Normal

- 16 wins on 48 games in Plus mode

 

So a ratio of 75% in Easy, 50% in Normal and 33% in Plus modes.

From my memory, this was around the same ratio when I played a lot the Excel version years ago (which had only Normal mode, as Easy & Plus were added on Asteroids Chasers)

My conclusion was this was pretty good and fair. So I did not tried to make each game possible to win (after all, when you shuffle a real card game, this is the same, only difference is that with a real card game, you can cheat, and nobody will know or care).

Also, games are very short, so if you get a bad game, it is easy to restart one.

 

For Normal (and Easy) modes, I wanted to keep as close as the real rules as possible (the only difference is the Undo, and malus point if you use it)

 

My first intention was also to add new mechanics in the Plus mode (apart the HyperProbe and bigger asteroids), like inactivating a Pirate if it is in line with 3 Probes. But this was leading too many possible secondary effects and questions.

Also toyed (and also experimented) with the idea of variants (like showing next card and not only current one, or let player choose between 3 cards at each turn) like some variants  for Carcassone, but this would need to multiply the leaderboards, and so on... In the end, this is a question of choices, and I finally decided to keep rules as close as posibble as original ones. The physical card game allow people to experiment if they want.

But you are right, if I ever make again a card game, as it will probably be my own rules, and for sure, I will come back and reread your post as there are many good ideas. and it may also have some mechanics that cannot be done easily in a physical card game (like in current prototype of Dicey Fantasy, basically, it is a dice combat system, but I have not yet find a good idea to make it physical without putting tons of dices in the box, which I cannot afford).

 

For information, there is only 9 Deluxe remaining for Lynx, and once they are gone, they are gone... If you want to upgrade, you can drop me a PM.

(but still 32 GameBoy Deluxe in stock, seems like I am the first publisher in the history, when Lynx games sells far better than GB ones  )

[Polo]

Thanks for explaining! I have no problem with a bit of luck, so that's fine. There's always a lot of design choices, and it is good and enjoyable as it is. It's a great concept and as I said i'd be in for AC2 as well!

 

[Tomcat]

A thumbs up for Yastuna games from me.

 

I ordered a couple of games which took ages to arrive in the in transit stage.  Yastuna was very helpful, and offered to send a replacement through DHL.  Fortunately they arrived before that was necessary, but I was really impressed by their after service.

[Polo]

Asteroid Chasers revisited

 

What are your highscores? I'm curious.

 

EASY:  113. Most around 100

BASIC: 137. Rarely play this mode.

PLUS: 321. Most around 300.

 

Btw., I have all the archivements. The last one ("Go to bed") should give a new artwork, which it didn't.

 

Still addicted to this game  Highly recommended.

[Fadest]

CSS Traffic Regulation, a Tetris Attack like game in tate mode is coming very soon.

 

I should open pre-order next week, for a delivery scheduled beginning of august.

Be careful, only 100 games available in the first batch !

 

Remember, you can test an early demo:

New Atari Lynx homebrew - CSS-Traffic Regulation Demo - Atari Lynx - AtariAge Forums

CSS - Traffic Regulation by Fadest (itch.io)

 

There is also a video explaining the arcade mode here:
CSS - Traffic Regulation (Atari Lynx) - YouTube

 

 

   

 

Just received the stickers, they look perfect

 

 

 

 

[Fadest]

Got the covid, so I finally did not took time to put the game on presale.

Now, it will be when I will be back from my vacations...

I should receive the packaging early in august, so there will be no presale, but direct sales...

[+jgkspsx]

Feel better and I look forward to it!!

[Fadest]

August news :

 

CSS Traffic Regulation

Packaging is here, final tests are on their way, so the game should be on sale very soon.

Only 100 units for this first batch !

Spoiler

 

Critter Championship

I also received the final artwork for Critter Championship by Nabucco88, a very talented french artist that used to make commissions of animes & mangas in convention, but she really managed to catch the spirit of the game in this artwork, can't wait to show more...

@Ninjabba is working on the fourth game and final debugging. So we still hope to sell the game this fall

 

 

Yastuna - the alchemy of cubes

Yes this is an old game, but the print factory decided to change the template of the box some months ago.

I manage to get CSS printed with the old template, but before ordering Critter Championship, I need to make a prototype run in very small quantity.

So I will create an Alchemy of Cubes box, and order maybe 10-20 of them to validate and adjust new template.

Like the prototype run for Space Incident, the box size may not be perfect (hence the need of prototype run), but will help me to calibrate new template for upcoming games

If they are good enough, I will probably put them on sale for production + tax/fees price (very limited quantity)

 

 

 

[djrodderz]

Looks like a missed out on CSS

 

when is the next run?

[+jgkspsx]

2 hours ago, djrodderz said:

Looks like a missed out on CSS

 

when is the next run?

I don’t think they have gone up for sale yet. At least I hope they haven’t!

[Fadest]

8 hours ago, djrodderz said:

Looks like a missed out on CSS

 

when is the next run?

Has not been put on sale yet.
I just need to take some nice pictures of the box, and start flashing the carts, but last week, I worked on the upcoming Kickstarter for GB Corp, and the GB version prototype of Ynxa.

 

Sales will start next saturday (August, 13th)

 

Dan't worry, 100 may seems not so much, but there should be enough for everyone interested, according to other games sales (Ynxa is the only game that is a bit over 100 right now)

[Fadest]

So it's online.

CSS Traffic Regulation, the Tetris Attack inspired game in tate mode is on sale.

With awesome graphics by Templeton and astounding musics by @miker

https://yastuna-games.com/fr/atari-lynx/57-css-traffic-regulation-lynx.html

 

I also have a very limited stock of some Songbird games (Lynx, Jag CD & Nuon), really useful for EU customers as there will be no additional taxes (already included in price)

[+jgkspsx]

Did the Alchemy of Cubes boxes come through? I’d love to snag one of those along with CSS.

[Fadest]

No, it is expected mid september as the factory is probably closed during holidays.

But I have still not decide the best option to share them, maybe it will not be on sale... 

[Fadest]

Obscure Games and Consoles just released a video of CSS Traffic Regulation if you want to check it:

 

[Fadest]

OK, our new project with @drludos is not for the Atari Lynx but the Game Boy, but I think you could like it, and it is our first project on Kickstarter, so a good way to learn more about it as with the crisis and price rise of components, maybe some ambitious Lynx project will follow the same route in the future.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yastunagames/gb-corp-a-new-physical-gameboy-game

 

 

On the Atari Lynx side, Critter Championship is near completion.

I should receive the box soon (so this mean Yastuna 1 protoype box run was good), you can have an insight on nabucco88 wonderful artwork on @Ninjabba instagram:

nomad studio (@nomadstudio.io) • Photos et vidéos Instagram

The game may not have a booklet, but a recto verso color poster, with the arwork on one side, and instruction on the other one. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Fadest

[Fadest]

We are getting close on Critter Championship release.

It will be as world premiere during the french RGC show in october, 22 & 23

 

But you can preorder it right now:

Critter Championship (yastuna-games.com)

 

 

Stock alert on Lynx games: the stock is getting very low on some Lynx games:

- Asteroids Chasers Deluxe: only 9 units left (there will be no rerun of the Deluxe Edition)

- Vikings Saga: only 4 box left, there is no reprint scheduled in 2022, not sure if a reprint will be done in 2023

 

[Igor]

Nice! I've been wondering when this will be available!

[Fadest]

Toying a bit with jetpack

Yastuna Games sur Twitter : "It was supposed to be only a test of new features of the tool... But maybe I should expand it ??? #AtariLynx #Homebrew #nodev #jetpack https://t.co/ljdRdWm5tS" / Twitter

 

 

(full video in tweet)

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Fadest

[Songbird]

Cool! I hope you keep adding features to your game creator tool.