General Update and a new Map!

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Hi everyone, it has been a long time since there was an update so it is time for some news:

First of all, Suicide Survival is not dead, its only resting (just like the parrot). And whenever I check the servers I always see a few people playing which really suprises me. I figured Suicide Survival would be hip for a few months and then dissappear into the great void of the internet. Alas I was wrong which really makes me happy.

Second of all and mostly being the reason why I layed down the development of Suicide Survival for a while are some personal matters: I finished my Bachelor in Game Design this summer and I’m still trying to get a job in the game industry. Second I’m working on my final project again in order to submit it to the IGF and Unity Awards. If you want to check it out you can visit the website at: www.doppelscope.com The website is only in German for now but there will be a playable and English version of it as well in the near future.In short this has my main priority followed by creating my portfolio and getting a job. However I will try to get a new version of Suicide Survival out before christmas this year.

Last but not least Michael Kuzel aka Eccentricity from the official forums has made a pretty awesome and well designed map. Its called SS_Allan and even features a new and unique game mode. Taken straight from the read me:

In certain intervals, a special shrub will spawn in a random location. This special shrub has no identifying features that separates it from normal shrubs or even Suiciders – except for one thing – it chirps. Every few seconds this unique shrub will emit a small chirp sound. This sound can be heard both by the Survivors as well as the Suiciders. Use your ears to locate this shrub, as it will give an advantage to the Survivor team if its found and used!

Check out the thread from Eccentricity in the forums or simply download the map (21 MB) and try it out.

Update, Twitter and GDC 09

gdc09Hey everyone, I’m way over due with some update as to what has been going on with Suicide Survival. So here are some important news:

I’m currently in my last semester of my BA in game design. So all my time is being focused on the diploma project which of course is a game (DUN! DUN!). I still haven’t decided if it will be a new version of Suicide Survival or something totally new. I’ll make an update once that has been solved.

On the ModDB.com “Mod of the Year Awards” Suicide Survival was voted into the “top 22 released Half-Life 2 mods of 2008” by you. Thank you very much for your votes.

Another important news is that I’m one of the few selected students to receive an GDC Student Scholarship sponsored by the IGDA. This means I’ll be at the Game Developers Conference in a couple of days. I’m super excited and feel very honored to have received this scholarship. This will not only be my first time visiting the US, but also my first time meeting so many big time game developers.

If you are visiting GDC as well or are from San Francisco and want to meet the guy behind Suicide Survival then drop me a mail.

Alternatively you can also follow my newly created Twitter page which I’ll keep updated about the trip, the GDC and my diploma project.

Thats about it with the current things going on. More news after the GDC.