My College Friend’s Son (and his team- ALL ARE KINGS) Created an iOS Game
If someone said to me, “create an iOS game”, I would not now where to begin. I received an email (Homer, Alaska) from my friend Lisa and her husband Dave, telling me about their son’s team’s new game Forerunner. I went and downloaded and it is a woman who is the runner. I played it and only got a few torches lit so my score will not be listed here but I liked the graphics, the fast pace and found it visually appealing. I am also into young people following their dreams and accomplishing goals. I think that is admirable. Determination and discipline are two characteristics I know were necessary. Anyway I asked Christopher if he would like me to blog the news of Forerunner’s Debut and so here he is today’s guest blogger, right under my photo of the game.
The screen of Forerunner on my iPhone, resting atop my bag of knitting.
“Hey this is Chris from All Are Kings. We’d like to take a moment to talk about our new iOS game, Forerunner. As much as it is a normal game with running, jumping, and collecting coins, Forerunner is also project about color and contrast. We chose a silhouette style with bright, monochromatic backgrounds for maximum visual impact. The player explores five different worlds, each with its own color and theme. The game is free with six levels and an endless “run-forever” mode, but you can unlock all 25 levels for 99 cents. Thanks!”
The Story:
It is the end of an age, and the world is in decline. Only the revitalizing power of the phoenix can make it new again. A lone runner is sent on a holy mission; to light the fires of 25 sacred shrines littered across the five lands. Only when all the fires are lit can the phoenix be summoned and the world remade.
“It’s like Aladdin meets the Olympics,” – playtester comment
A shot of All Are Kings- will add photo credit when I learn who shot the group
About Us
Developer: All Are Kings
Balraj Basi, Chris Ellington, Jarrett McKenna, Justin Nichols, Remi Storms, Jared Wuerzburger
“We are an independent development team. We originally met as students, and our origins range from Mexico to Alaska. After working contract gigs at game studios such as Relic and Electronic Arts, we came back together and decided to take a risk. Forerunner is our first game as a group. We are excited to share it with the world, and hopefully make a little money.”
You can download FORERUNNER by clicking here. Play it and then write a review.
So a friend called up and asked, “Where Are You?………..”
……..meaning she thought I might be in Ohio visiting the family but I said ” I am running errands (returning containers that held delicious cookies for the cookie table) in Swissvale and then across the Monongahela to West Mifflin, dropping something off at Aunt Linda’s…” and she invited me to drop by since I was close to her home in Edgewood. And when I got there, this is what was awaiting my arrival. Two colorful plates of a variety of fruit and some smoked gouda cheese triangles. Mmmmmmm. Lucky me. We got a chance to catch up and exchange a few school stories and relive Laura and James’ wedding weekend. The fruit was refreshing and delicious. It was a relaxing and unexpected treat. Good to have good friends!
The Most People I’ve Photographed at One Time
Somehow I got the whole congregation in the frame. Maybe I needed a wider lens for so many in a group shot but it didn’t matter. Pastor Karen Garland is seated to the right of front and center. She asked for this shot and everyone gathered together. This is her congregation. They felt the love and squeezed in together, getting rid of the air! I stood on a chair. This is the fifth year I’ve photographed the Zion Apostolic Assembly Christmas Dinner. Tonight it was at the Churchill Country Club. There was a choir, mimes, preaching, gift baskets and a good dinner and dessert. My friend Yvette invites me every year. Their church is in McKeesport. It was a former Catholic church and has a beautiful stained glass window of a saint but the name escapes me for them moment.One time I went there and shot a wedding. They do a lot of good for many. Tutoring, Boys to Men and Girls to Women Youth Programs. It is an honor to be invited to share the evening together and I know they appreciate the photos I shoot.
Pastor Karen Garland and the Zion Apostolic Assembly of McKeesport, PA
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Night Neon & the Double-Wide Grill
Friday night music was great at the Club Cafe on the South Side. I loved the contrast of the neon’s warm colors of Jack’s and cool blue neon of Club Cafe. I know the “e” is missing but I liked the image of Jack’s going around the corner so I chose this one. I took this shot from across the street as we left to go home.
But wait, we didn’t go right home-
Even though we were exhausted, R invited us to go to the Double-Wide Grill where the onion rings satisfy that deep urge to eat something not really good for you but doesn’t it taste great. (seem to be doing a lot of that type of eating lately) You know I have a thing for old service stations and auto mechanics, right? The old fashioned kind. I did not photograph the food. Hmmmm. But you get a feel for the place.
And when we left I took a shot from the outside and the old gas tank had the amount 37 cents on it. Remember that price per gallon?
Jack's Bar at the corner of Carson and South 12th Street, Southside
Order a basket of onion rings and enjoy!
Vintage gas pump with the 37 cent price- remember when???
A close-up in case your eyes (like mine) couldn't see the 37!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Waiting
From the archives
Tug, Barges and Carrie Furnace on the Monongahela River- Autumn Afternoon
After school I drove down the slopes to the flats and headed to Homestead to buy a special cable for an external hard drive so I could retrieve a summer photo for Erika.
I turned onto Waterfront Road towards Best Buy and saw the late afternoon light reflected and warm the rusting metal across the Mon. Pulled over and stood on top of a guard rail to capture the sinking light on the Carrie Furnace, remnants of Homestead Steel Works and then I heard the tug and saw it pushing the barges up the river. It was a mighty scene on the river and the limitations of photography or my ability to capture it thoroughly, the seeing and feeling it, became clear once again.
The Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation sponsors tours but the last one was October 15th so will have to wait until 2012.
If you want to get a real feel for the Blast Furnaces and the incredible history, interviews with employees and historical photographs I recommend watching at least video # 1 at this website. I especially liked the man reading the last names of the workers he found in some type of log at the site. He spoke of reading obituaries of workers who gave 30-40 years of hard work for the Homestead Steel Works What a compilation of footage of Carrie Furnace. Closed in 1986.
“Suburban 2-Step” Songwriter at Club Cafe – Live – Friday Dec 2nd- Pittsburgh PA
If you want to hear some good music in Pittsburgh this Friday night, head down to the Club Cafe on South 12th Street for the Early Show.
Christopher Mark Jones- Songwriter will be performing with the band. You might remember two of his tracks from his Heartland Variations CD were featured in the poet bio I filmed- Michael Wurster: CIty Books Session.
Christopher’s new CD Suburban 2-Step will be released in Spring 2012.
Eve Goodman will be performing with John Caldwell, too.
You can listen to some samples here and also see another photograph I shot of Christopher. Tickets are $10 at the door. Show is 7-9 PM.
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