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But the version of Blackwell offered in the database is the demo version. Just as Super Jazz Man and Al Emmo are listed as demo versions. All have price details and links to their respective homepages in the "More Details..." section.

Granted.  However, since the full games are available (just not in the database, for obvious reasons), it seems a tad unfair that we can't advertise that fact in the "completed games" areas.  A seperate "commercial game" field for the database would be the best solution.

I do think that having a "commercial" section on the database would be nice.  Seeing Blackwell Legacy demoted to "demo" status is kind of disappointing, since people will never come across the game while browsing the completed game sections.

I am curious though... speaking as someone who used to sell his indie games, I'm wondering if this "going commercial" is actually paying the bills for people? It's a tough market out there.

I don't want to send this thread offtopic, but I will say that this indie developer thing is my fulltime gig and it is paying the bills.  Barely.

You are welcome Thomas, you deserve it.

But now I feel really stupid. How do I unlock the extras? I have the code, but where can I enter it!?

If you completed the game, simply click on photo from photo album and code should be automatically entered. If you exit game, simply click on phote album and enter it.

By the dave excellent game!

If you planning an sequel, it will be to enter game's mishaps in bonus area! This will be very funny to watch!

Also, you need to use Lauren's camera to photograph characters throughout the game.  Click "photo album" on the main interface to access the photos you've taken.  Each photo gives you access to a bonus feature - once you've entered in the code.

Sorry to sound dense again, GG, but which font/message are you referring to?  The game doesn't have a loading screen, so I'm a still a bit confused.

Thanks everyone, for the feedback  (both the praise and critiques)!  I'm still new at this full-time developer thing, so that's always useful. 

Ivy: Yes, I still owe you that sandwich. 

Cino: In what way did the commentary make you see things differently?  You can PM me the answer if you want, if it's spoilery.  I didn't know my commentary had the power to do that.

GarageGothic: I feel like I'm missing a reference or that I'm totally dense.  Or both.  I so don't get that.

Thanks for the comments, Pod.  I tried to make the phonebook take as much input as possible, but of course there are bound to be a few I (and the beta testers) didn't think of.   For some reason, the two you mentioned never came up.   And now that you mention it, I'm surprised nobody tried to look up "Ellen Kaplan" before.  It was put in there as a throwaway line (and as a refernece to someone I know, who I promised would get a mention in the game!) but I can see why it would be confusing.  I'll remove the name in the next release and that'll remove the confusion.

And "whgat" is an awesome word.  I'm going to use it more often in conversation.

The first review is up! Click!

That was fast.

Anyway, I'll just add my two cents to the "we love Ivy" bandwagon.  Her work, dedication, and enthusiasm was above and beyond what I expected.  Despite a six week stint in Europe, a week at Mittens, a PT job doing comics for a newspaper, and a hectic schedule of her own, she gave everything she had to the project and more so.  Rarely a day went by when I didn't hear from her, whether it be with an update or with news or just to say hi.  She was an absolute pleasure to work with, and it's a shame she's got all that school stuff to deal with or I'd snap her up again in a heartbeat.

I also have to mention Thomas Regin, since he's not a big poster of this forum and not very well known.  Like Ivy, his dedication and enthusiasm surprised me.  Every tune he sent me was brilliant, but he was never happy with them so he'd redo them even better.  The guy juggled a wife, a baby, a day job, and band gigs and yet somehow managed to find the time to write the most amazing tunes I've ever heard for this game. 

Both Erin and Thomas believed in the project so much that they kept me going when I was down and frustrated and dirt poor and ready to give the whole thing up.  Things are going well now, but I couldn't have gotten here without the both of them.  So any kudos they get are well deserved.  Way to go, guys.

-Dave

Are you getting paid by Marlboro or what? On every second screen I see Lauren smoking ^^

Damn.  Why didn't I think of that?

[The year is 1973. The sound of a lone, ethereal saxophone drifts over the Roosevelt Island promenade, while a series of accidents plague a midtown construction site. The citizens of Manhattan take no notice of these events, let alone think they are connected. Embittered medium Lauren Blackwell and her spirit guide Joey Mallone are the only ones who believe that there is anything strange going on, and they are the only ones who can stop an enigmatic killer from striking again…]

Thirty years before The Blackwell Legacy comes...

The year is 1973.  The sound of a lone, ethereal saxophone drifts over the Roosevelt Island promenade, while a series of accidents plague a midtown construction site.  The citizens of Manhattan take no notice of these events, let alone think they are connected.

Embittered medium Lauren Blackwell and her spirit guide Joey Mallone are the only ones who believe that there is anything strange going on, and they are the only ones who can stop an enigmatic killer from striking again… 

Features:
- An original score
- Full voice speech
- DVD-style commentary with Dave Gilbert and Erin Robinson
- Unlockable bonuses, such as bloopers and concept art

Screenshots:

Yet another confused, lost spirit.  What's a medium to do?


Lauren's reputation procedes her.


Lauren takes a smoking break.


Trolling the local businesses for information.


Once more, looking at photographs will provide clues.

Team:
Writer/designer/coder: Dave Gilbert
Sprites/animation/Background: Erin Robinson (The Ivy)
Music: Thomas Regin
Poster art: Dan Lee

Price:
$9.99 (digital)
$20.00 (CD-ROM, includes soundtrack)

You can download a demo HERE.


For more details on the game (like character info, concept sketches, and other goodies),  please mosey over to the Wadjet Eye Games website.

This is a GREAT thing, chris, and very much appreciated.   Having a few alpha-blended sprites in one room causes the current engine  to get very slow.  I'm going to test this out as soon as I can.

Oh yes.  This can be a problem.  I went through a phase like this about 5-6 years ago.  I got rid of my cable modem, and just used dialup.  This was before I used my cellphone exclusively, so I had to limit my internet useage in order have the line free.  While I was at it, I sold off all my game consoles.  It was a wonderful "getting back to basics" stage for me, and eventually I felt comfortable enough to get all those things back.  I'd recommend doing something similar, if you can't think of any other way.

from the wadjet eye blog:

Well, we tried.

I had estimated that we'd complete the game by August 31st, and we
weren't far off the mark. We have successfully tested Blackwell
Unbound, but it cannot be released due to technical difficulties
beyond our control.

My hands are tied and all I can do is wait for a third party to fix
what needs to be fixed. Rest assured that as soon as this problem is
sorted, the game will be released. It's a holiday weekend here in the
US (Labor Day), so it might take a few days or it might take a few
hours. At the latest, I'm estimating Tuesday the 4th.

A few days isn't much of a delay, true, but I know that a number of
you were hoping to play the game today and I apologize for that. In
the interim, the fanart contest and the pre-order deals are still on.

Thanks GG!  Didn't even know this was out yet.

Yeesh I'm so stammery and unshaven. 

Hi all,

I presented Blackwell Unbound at the NYC IGDA 6th Bi-Annual Demo Night last week.  The presentation was taped and should be up on youtube soon, but in case anyone is interested in seeing what went on, there have been some small writeups:

-Game Career Guide's write up (Unbound is on page 3)
-Crowd Control's writeup

Howdy folks!  Another fanart contest is in the works. So if you want to try to win a free game, send me a picture!  More details on the Wadjet Eye Site.

Fun!  Thanks.  

Most ATC teams will probably fail.  Experience has taught us that.  But, the experience can teach you a LOT about development, working as a team, etc.  It certainly did for me.  If it weren't for the 2004 ATC (and "Two of a Kind"), I never would have known what it was to lead a team, and never would have considered entering game development fulltime. 

Yeah, the pre-order of the Unbound CD-ROM gives you access to the downloadable Legacy soundtrack.  The Unbound CD package comes with the Unbound soundtrack.

Sorry for the confusion!

-Dave

Hey gang.  I'll spare you guys the marketing spiel.  In a nutshell, I've put the game up for pre-order and created some deals/incentives to go along with it.

Pre-order now and you'll get a free digital download of The Blackwell Legacy soundtrack, and for CD-ROM orders you'll get free shipping (to anywhere!).  This offer obviously expires when the game goes on sale, which is estimated to be August 31st.  For more details, check out the Wadjet Eye Games store.

A demo will be out soon.

-Dave

I vote for "le mittens francais."