tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37934615442936956562011-09-12T20:21:01.710-06:00The Game Design, Art and writing of Maxwell JensenMaxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-66792601565908941172011-09-02T18:42:00.003-06:002011-09-02T18:45:03.070-06:00

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-13241195688898732252011-07-30T17:28:00.028-06:002011-09-12T18:27:49.732-06:00

-click image for larger view-Simply put, Crystal Catacombs is a game about exploring randomly generated dungeons, battling random monsters, collecting random treasure and ultimately, uncovering the secret of the perilous Crystal Castle.When not exploring the Crystal Castles various dungeons, the local town provides a variety of useful shops to aid our hero in his quest.The Magic Shop and the

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-74410877640274350562011-07-17T19:42:00.005-06:002011-08-01T13:21:28.745-06:00

New Game Project, First Screenshots! Title: Crystal Catacombs (final title) Developer: Levels or Lives (Maxwell Jensen) Platform: PC/Mac Genre: 2D > Action > Platformer Completion: 25%Yeah! A new game!Crystal Catacombs mixes action platforming with roguelike exploration and RPG elements. The conceptual design was started way back in April while the full-time development schedule began in June.The

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-17209488023982340972011-07-17T19:35:00.001-06:002011-07-17T19:41:29.806-06:00

Consider this project a practice in game design.The idea is rather straight forward… How would a newer generation game play, look and feel like if it were originally released during a different gaming era? In this case, I chose to represent the original Game Boy (early 90’s) coupled with Team ICO’s Shadow of the Colossus (2005). The interesting four colored palette and tight resolution of the GB

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-58133787399449061462010-09-05T02:47:00.001-06:002010-09-05T02:47:34.979-06:00

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-31021304143862128042010-09-05T02:40:00.001-06:002010-09-05T02:40:43.787-06:00

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-69955986227143245012009-08-04T19:45:00.007-06:002011-02-23T14:30:45.232-07:00

Click here for a high quality version.

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-36193842216979362072009-08-04T14:26:00.020-06:002009-08-04T22:47:28.822-06:00

We work hard, we play hard.Freeware Profile: Gamma Bros.Devloper: PixelJamPlatform: PC and MacGenre: Space ShooterWhat happens when you combine the classic EGA/VGA low-resolution visual style of the early 90's PC titles with the acquired knowledge and limitless potential of modern gaming mechanics? Gamma Bros! A seemingly simplistic freeware title that at first may have a rather incomplex surface

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-48351584953962574702009-07-15T15:55:00.005-06:002009-07-15T16:01:43.084-06:00

This was the first in a series of skateboard decks I've be working on, it's currently on sale and being shown at King's County - the coolest bar in Brooklyn :) It was completed using acrylics, spray paint and pen and ink.Sorry for the poor photo quality... These were uploaded from my cell :P

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-70952597969730611742009-04-17T06:57:00.003-06:002009-04-17T07:59:00.986-06:00

Here's the Super Metroid Statue piece completed... Just in time for the 15th anniversary of this wonderful title.High quality version here.

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-13531789571062067902009-04-10T17:41:00.008-06:002009-04-10T23:37:42.124-06:00

The basic necessities for life people, right here. This is all I need... Well, mostly.Don't mind the grainy photos, I work in the dark... Like Batman.

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-22172423195620347702009-04-06T18:44:00.024-06:002009-04-13T00:12:46.146-06:00

Game Profile: Power Strike 2Publisher: SegaDeveloper: CompileSystem: Sega Maser SystemRelease Date: 1993, Europe onlyGenre: Action/Shooter (vertical)There's a good reason why hundreds of arcade games are of the Shoot Em' Up genre. Shooters helped transform the coin-op gaming experience into a true test of ones gaming ability with their unique brand of chaotic challenge. Most required a cool

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-46309604668378414242009-03-29T21:32:00.035-06:002009-04-13T00:08:59.488-06:00

Game Profile: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of AgesPublisher: NintendoDeveloper: Capcom (Flagship Studios)System: Game Boy ColorRelease Date: 5.13.01Genre: Action/AdventureReturning to true pixelated roots, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is an excellent addition to the timeless series. Created as a double installment alongside The Oracle of Seasons, together the two titles represent some of

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-75365036783199646852009-03-27T01:19:00.007-06:002009-04-13T00:14:22.289-06:00

One of the projects I've been juggling lately is the creation of a fictional world complete with mythical monsters, crafty creatures, magical beasts and of course the ever continuing battle between good and evil. It's been an interesting experience because the world map was the first established factor, while the detailed storyline, characters and the locations have been added later, determined

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-20539217046508234682009-03-25T09:36:00.009-06:002009-04-13T00:11:21.682-06:00

The first of several 'Pinball Dungeons' in Caedes is known as The Crypt, it encompasses the monsters, objectives, bonus rooms and secrets standard to each of the dungeons. Designed as an introductory table the challenges are of an easier difficulty than the later dungeons.Each dungeon is designed in Illustrator and then sprited and detailed in Photoshop. Each Illustrator blueprint contains five

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-16539902092194274912009-03-16T14:11:00.011-06:002009-04-13T11:43:52.106-06:00

After FINALLY finishing my (epic) Top Ten Boss Fights list I'm back to posting current projects and the such... Phew!Above is the outline I've drawn for my next illustrated piece, it's my own interpretation of the golden boss' statue from Super Metroid... Except the boss characters are organic. The project began as a possible tattoo design I'm considering. I've recently began the coloring and

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-40399893487812739412009-02-11T12:07:00.100-07:002009-04-13T00:10:10.886-06:00

Ah, the "boss", one of the most iconic of video game trademarks and from a designers perspective they stand as a crucial element in creating an immersive, challenging and rewarding experience for the player.So what makes a good, bad boss? Why are they so important to the structure of an action or adventure driven title? In my opinion I see bosses as the pinnacle of challenge in a specific point

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-7843967425872150042009-02-09T17:22:00.015-07:002009-02-09T18:09:30.439-07:00

Back in 2nd grade I brought two of my new and coolest toys to school with me one day. They were called MadBalls and were creepy, gross little foam monster heads compacted into ball form. Great for any activity involving ball uses! The two I bought were Freaky Fullback, a football player with an oozing empty eye socket and Lock Lips - the creepy fellow you see below (A high quality version can be

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-33394810016047209152009-02-07T05:03:00.012-07:002009-03-17T00:04:15.895-06:00

This was a logo I created for the use of Red9 Entertainment, a company name I've been playing around with for awhile. It was designed in Illustrator CS3 from scratch in about three or four hours. It was fun to create because I pretty much started out with a blank screen and I had no idea what the logo would look like or what it would consist of. After awhile I decided that an electric light bulb

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-11693741421492515892009-02-05T23:45:00.065-07:002009-04-13T00:09:37.647-06:00

It was my tenth birthday and my mother took me to Toys 'R' Us to choose any three Super Nintendo games I wanted. Being ten years old this was practically the greatest day of my life. I scanned through the library of games like a sugar buzzed humming bird fluttering from one flower to the next, completely conflicted as to what to take home with me. ...Because you see kiddies, back in 1994 there

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-42977932525214284612009-02-04T01:39:00.014-07:002009-04-13T00:11:34.511-06:00

When designing the mechanics for Caedus I first asked myself what could I do to further engage the player into a pinball game ... How could I make pinball even more fun than it already is? In tackling this challenge I knew that I had something that most pinball machines don't have - The medium of video games. By creating a pinball game centered around the limitless possibilities of a video game

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-37891552802774962772009-02-03T21:28:00.012-07:002009-02-07T05:48:00.693-07:00

This project was my first attempt at using After Effects to create an animated short, done in 2008 for a class mid-term. Last Stand was created by using the same technique used on the Creature Feature project, by drawing out body parts separately I then connected them together to be animated. It was mostly a trial and error process (a few strange layering/effects 'glitches' are apparent) but

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-89536320433199509202009-02-01T23:05:00.023-07:002009-04-13T00:11:05.839-06:00

Back in 2006 I began tinkering with the idea of a new kind of pinball video game, the result three years later are the blueprints for Caedes - Arcade Pinball. Inspired by developer TechnoSofts's Dragon's Fury for the Sega Genesis and Devil's Crush for the TurboGrafx-16 (two different console versions of the same game) released in 1992, it was one of the most memorable games I had played growing

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-61450132823675938162009-01-30T18:51:00.041-07:002009-02-07T05:51:01.096-07:00

This is a project I did for a Special Effects class in 2008. At first glance it just looks like another creature I've colored in Photoshop but WAIT! ...What sets Creature Feature apart from the others is that it was actually constructed with the purpose of being animated in After Effects. It was drawn out in individual pieces so that once scanned, could be 'hinged' together with some 50 different

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3793461544293695656.post-89728418094814982172009-01-28T01:53:00.000-07:002009-01-30T20:27:56.243-07:00

I've decided to attempt and use blogspot as a base of operations for my online portfolio as opposed to running my own site. I've browsed through a few other art related blogs and have seen some pretty cool applications for displaying artwork. Maybe I'll even do some writing on here - you know, to pay my dues to a free blogging service.Hopefully I'll get started soon.

Maxwell Jensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03720922092114156892noreply@blogger.com0