Hello everyone, It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post, but I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things and do this more regularly. We'll see how it goes! Today's post is about my Discord server! Some of you might remember the "Defend from Candyland!" Discord server where fans could chat about the game, share their let's plays, and give feedback. Unfortunately, I didn't do much to promote or even use that server, so it’s been mostly dormant for the past year. But now, I’ve decided to give it another go. I’ve revamped the server and transformed it into the **MI Pixel Discord server**. My vision is to create a vibrant community where gamers, developers, artists, and other creatives can come together and chat. "Defend from Candyland!" is still there, but it's now just one part of a larger, more dynamic community hub. Here’s a quick overview of the main channels in the MI Pixel server: General This is the place for everyone to hang out, chat, and have fun. Drop in and say hello! Retro Corner For those of us who love nostalgia, this is the spot to talk about old games, consoles, and all things retro. Creative Works This channel is for creatives to share their projects or seek help with their work. As the server grows, it might even become a place where people can find contract work! Support Corner We all have bad days, and sometimes it helps to have a place to vent or ask for support. This is a safe space for anyone who needs to talk or seek help. The server has only been up for a day, but we’ve already had new members join and great conversations start. Seeing this activity brings me a lot of joy, and I’m excited about the potential for this community to grow and thrive. So why not come and join us? I look forward to seeing and chatting with all of you there. Discord. Have fun, everyone! Michael “MI Pixel” Ingram
Hello everyone, Michael here, and I'm thrilled to bring you an exciting update! In the world of Defend from Candyland!, there have been some behind-the-scenes developments, and I'm excited to share them with you. I recently had the privilege of collaborating with a talented artist named Millie Elsdon-James. You know how I've always been enthusiastic about game development, but when it comes to creating intricate artwork for larger images, I must admit, it's not my strong suit. That's where Millie stepped in to save the day. But before we dive into the artistry, I want to give a huge shoutout to Millie and her incredible skills. You can explore all her work through this Linktree link: Millie's Linktree . If you're in need of artistic expertise, don't hesitate to reach out to her! Now, let's talk about the fantastic journey we embarked on together. Millie was an absolute gem throughout the entire process. We had a seamless flow of ideas and concepts, making this collaboration a breeze. First, Millie presented me with four initial concepts to choose from. Each one had its unique charm, but ultimately, one stood out as the perfect fit for Defend from Candyland!
Hey everyone, It's been a while, hasn't it? I hope you've all been doing well. I've been caught up in a whirlwind of events, work, and the ups and downs of life. But I wanted to take a moment to catch you up on what's been happening in my world. First, let's dive into some exciting news. I recently completed the Launch-it creative-tech accelerator program, and what an incredible journey it was. I've learned so much about running my own business, made valuable connections, and even secured a few potential job opportunities along the way. At the program's conclusion, we had a big networking event where some of us pitched our ideas. I was fortunate enough to take second place, earning myself a Touchscreen laptop from Basildon Council. I'm thrilled about this because it's helping me create new pixel art sprites directly on the computer using Aseprite. It's a bit of a learning curve, but I'm enjoying every moment of it! If you're curious about the accelerator program and the networking event, check out this video with some of the highlights:
Hello everyone! I've been putting in some serious work lately. A while back, I had a bunch of folks express interest in an art pack for Defend from Candyland! To be honest, I never really saw this coming. Between my not-so-confident art skills and a personal preference against making DLC, I was initially hesitant. But hey, these folks enjoy Defend from Candyland! and they asked, so why not deliver, right? After some contemplation, I settled on creating a Halloween-themed art pack. My original idea was to revamp the characters' looks, giving them spiffy Halloween costumes. But as my creative juices flowed, I decided to sprinkle in a bit of retro charm, drawing inspiration from old-school games and classic movies. And I'm thrilled to show you how a few of them turned out!
Heya everyone, it's Michael here, and I've got an exciting update on Defend from Candyland! In this blog post, I'll be delving into the challenges of marketing this game, sharing insights into its development progress, and giving you a peek into my personal quest to conquer the leaderboard. Let's kick things off by mentioning that Defend from Candyland! is currently on a special sale until August 21st, 2023. If you're intrigued by the game, now's your chance to grab it for less than a fiver! Speaking of marketing challenges, I have to admit I made a rookie mistake. When I embarked on creating this game, marketing wasn't exactly at the forefront of my mind. I was purely focused on crafting an enjoyable gaming experience, drawing inspiration from the classic Flash game, Desktop Tower Defence. As development progressed, I excitedly shared the game on Twitter and Facebook, even collaborating with awesome YouTubers like ChaoticFear19 and Ember Shadow for some thrilling gameplay streams. Witnessing others enjoying the game brought me immense joy. I also tried leveraging Steam's Curator system by distributing numerous game keys, but the results were modest, with only a handful of reviews trickling in. While the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, the game's visibility didn't witness a significant boost.
Hello everyone! Kirsty and I just celebrated our wonderful four-year journey together, and for this enchanting anniversary, we chose a truly magical destination: the Warner Bros Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. While I had visited this captivating place once before, many years ago when it was a novelty with tickets priced around £30, Kirsty had never experienced it and had always dreamt of doing so. We stumbled upon a fantastic deal that included a three-day, two-night hotel stay with breakfast, early entrance tickets to the tour at 10 am, and free parking both at the hotel and the WB Studio. All of this was just £424, quite a steal. As we embarked on our drive from Essex to Hatfield on a Monday, excitement buzzed in the air. Typical us, we arrived at the hotel well before check-in time, around 11 am, so we decided to explore the Galleria shopping centre. A spontaneous detour led us to a TK Maxx, where Halloween decor quickly caught our attention – it’s just normal home decor for us, isn’t it? However, I did have a comical encounter with those pesky Flying Saucers…
Hello everyone! I've got some exciting news to share, and a little spoiler too! Many players of Defend from Candyland! have asked me about the possibility of DLC, specifically optional art packs. They expressed interest in having additional content to support me further beyond the base game. Now, when it comes to DLC, I must admit I'm not a big fan, especially when it introduces necessary elements like new levels or characters. However, optional cosmetic art packs are a different story. They provide an opportunity for some creative fun! While I haven't received much direction on what people want in terms of art packs, there was a special request from ChaoticFear19 for a Dragon Ball art pack. Although I haven't created that specific pack, I did draw a Super Saiyan Jellybean for them before. What do you think of this Super Saiyan Jellybean?
Woo, back to business as usual! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending Develop:Brighton, and what an incredible day it turned out to be! My day started early as I dropped off my other half at work before making my way to Brighton to meet my friend George. The excitement was building as I grabbed a delicious breakfast at McDonald's along the way. Arriving at George's around 9:15, we made our way to the Expo and got inside by 9:30. It had already been a busy morning with all the driving involved.
Hello everyone! I have an exciting blog post to share with you today. I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be attending Develop:Brighton on Wednesday! It's an event I've been eagerly anticipating. While I've been to Develop:Brighton before, this time it's different as I'll be going on my own, representing my own company. Recently, I received 500 business cards with QR codes linking to my website and the Steam page for my game, Defend from Candyland. I'm really pleased with how they turned out, so a big thanks to Vistaprint for that! However, there's a small hiccup—I just found out that the shirts I ordered won't be delivered in time. Despite Streetshirts' promise of same or next-day dispatch, they informed me that the shirts won't be printed until next week and won't arrive in time. It's frustrating, and now I'm scrambling to find a solution for the day. If all else fails, I might just have to rock up in a Dragon Ball shirt since it's a staple in my wardrobe. xD
Hello everyone! Michael and Kirsty here, joining forces to bring you an exciting update on our latest endeavors. We couldn't contain our excitement, so we had to write this blog post together to share the news with all of you. Are you ready? Here it is: We've done a thing! You may have noticed some changes around here. That's right, we've given our website a makeover, and guess what? Kirsty is now an integral part of MI Pixel! Although she has always been working behind the scenes, supporting me with her incredible design ideas for projects like Defend from Candyland!, we felt it was time to shine the spotlight on her and officially acknowledge her role in this creative journey. Our website has undergone a transformation to reflect our shared passion for building games with a retro twist. As someone who grew up immersed in the world of 80s, 90s, and 00s gaming, I've always felt a deep connection to that era. In fact, I still proudly own a collection of classic consoles, including some that I didn't even have the chance to experience as a child, like the NES, SNES, and Atari. With the revamped website, we aim to showcase more of our games with nostalgic themes and provide a clearer focus on our mission. Building upon the success of our previous projects, we're determined to bring even more games to light. But it doesn't stop there! We're also committed to delivering outstanding results for the contracts we undertake, ensuring that our clients' visions become reality. So, what's next? Buckle up and keep your eyes on this space because we're determined to bring you an array of exciting games, packed with retro charm and captivating gameplay. Whether you're a fellow enthusiast of bygone gaming eras or simply seeking new adventures, we've got you covered. We're grateful for your continued support and encouragement on this journey. Your enthusiasm fuels our passion, and we're thrilled to have you alongside us. Together, we'll explore the depths of nostalgia and create unforgettable gaming experiences. Stay tuned, folks. The future holds endless possibilities, and we can't wait to embark on this thrilling adventure with all of you! Cheers, Michael and Kirsty