Fingerbones news & patch notes

https://clan.fastly.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/a2a280c65d75ca9252fb955192680d7c1f05a54b.jpg A troubled loner with a hunger for cinematic gore finds himself on the other side of the camera when rumors of authentic snuff videotapes lead him to an abandoned cabin near Butcher's Creek, Pennsylvania. What starts as illicit urban exploration becomes a fight for survival when he's captured by a gang of sadistic killers. Now his only option is to pick up a box cutter, a hammer, a pickaxe, or whatever else is at hand, and unleash a little video violence of his own.

FEATURES

• Use hammers, axes, pipes, 2x4s, box cutters, and more to brutalize anything that stands between you and freedom
• When all else fails, the level itself can be a weapon. Kick props into enemies, or enemies into environment hazards.
• Photograph gruesome murder scenes to fulfill your dark desires and regain lost health
• Explore decaying farmhouses, collapsing factories, and seedy strip clubs in a forgotten corner of the Appalachian Forest
• Experience a unique aesthetic combining the gritty shot-on-video look of found footage with the photosourced visual style of Source Engine games
• Learn more about the bizarre nightmare world introduced in Squirrel Stapler and The Pony Factory

https://youtu.be/3TLL1g8Z8Y0?si=jCY8kkxFaEhi3XpY https://store.steampowered.com/app/2512560/Butchers_Creek/

DEMO AVAILABLE NOW

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3281870/Secret_Agent_Wizard_Boy_and_the_International_Crime_Syndicate_Demo/

TRAILER:

https://youtu.be/zZUtbPIZyaY?si=CF-VtU4Uz0YVL78o https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/7362ade645c19a49bb02640e8115533bb18702dd.png Secret Agent Wizard Boy was a normal Wizard Boy on his way to his first year at Wizard School until he received a message from MI6. "Wizard Boy," it said. "We've received intel that the headmaster of Wizard School, Grumblemort, is the leader of a criminal organization named S.P.I.D.E.R. We need you to investigate!" And so Wizard Boy started his first year at Wizard School, trying to uncover the mysteries that lay before him. https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/6193717666145158acbcf0e3c93d36c23f2c98a4.png Secret Agent Wizard Boy is a sandbox wizard sim that can be played alone or in cooperative(?) multiplayer. Explore (blow up) the castle, find secrets, solve puzzles, and discover the mystery hidden deep in the castle.

FEATURES:

• A multitude of spells to learn and inflict on others
• Physics-based mayhem
• Open-ended goals to accomplish (or ignore) however you see fit
• Online multiplayer
• Retro-themed third person action, straight from the days of Unreal Engine 1
• Landmines

https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/1a706856e6cb9c0173ac8127a325c213ec8f0a37.png . . . And the demo is available to play right now! Go take a look! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3281870/Secret_Agent_Wizard_Boy_and_the_International_Crime_Syndicate_Demo/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3144590/Butchers_Creek_Demo/ https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/2041a5da298992bee065f8a606cf3b73f1d2acd7.jpg The demo for Butcher's Creek is now available to download and play! This demo features the introduction and first level of the full game and should take about 30 minutes to complete. It will remain available (and free) for the foreseeable future.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2536530/The_Pony_Factory/ Winston arrived at a solution to the moral decay of his town. He called out to hell, and hell answered. The human body could, hell promised, be twisted and stretched into a kinder, more equine shape. Winston's town, now filled with ignorant hate-mongers, could instead be filled with magical ponies, if he could provide a factory in which to make them. Winston thought they would be beautiful, gentle, and good. Hell had other plans... https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/f5b229a724a8109c1102ffd3ab63b19ca8c0ae9d.png The Pony Factory is a short action/horror game inspired by Doom 3, with a darkly comedic story, striking black and white visual style, and visceral FPS gameplay. This is an updated standalone release of the original game, which was created in 7 days as part of the Dread X Collection 1.

FEATURES

• Meaty FPS combat against highly agile foes who will attempt to evade and flank you.
• Darkness is your enemy! Use muzzle flashes, sparks, sound, and other clues to track foes during combat.
• High contrast black and white aesthetic inspired by early 1950's science fiction films.
• A short minimalist campaign that can be completed in about 30 minutes.
• Numerous improvements from the original release, including many new quality of life features, balance and game feel improvements, new story and gameplay content, full gamepad support, and of course bugfixes!

https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/95215f003c102674f4b81e4e08fa0ab9bbb4d4dc.png My brother John Szymanski (director of My Friendly Neighborhood) assisted with this version and will be receiving half of the royalties in an effort to provide him with enough income to continue game development until he begins receiving money from MFN. John also released his own game today: a tense puzzle/horror game called Exiled: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2741620/Exiled/

Both games can be purchased as a bundle together too!

https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/a83e137110567f69e1fc66955a2be5eb9d2ea2a2.png It's an early Fall miracle! Squirrel Stapler is out now! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2535830/Squirrel_Stapler/

https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/44a02a67259b893e9cfd71b07904bacfa56d9b89.png https://store.steampowered.com/app/2535830/Squirrel_Stapler/

IT IS TIME TO HUNT THE SQUIRRELS...

A lonely man living in a remote cabin wakes up one day and realizes his beloved--a dismembered corpse nailed to the cabin wall--has been made ugly and rotten by the flies that swarm her. He wishes she were beautiful, like the squirrels of the wood. And so he sets out to hunt the squirrels of the wood, so that he might staple them to her and make her beautiful again. Originally created as part of The Dread X Collection II, Squirrel Stapler is a horror hunting simulator that satirizes low budget edutainment games with pitch black humor and panic-inducing absurdist horror, and a new and improved standalone version is coming September 15th! https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/34055240/83f766b4a2e6747a0eaf84e28965d8e7aa4f2653.png

IN SQUIRREL STAPLER YOU CAN...

• Hunt squirrels! Move quietly, hide in bushes, stay low, and pick the right time to pull the trigger!
• Lure even bigger squirrels with a squirrel call!
• Be wary of larger creatures and vengeful ghosts! You aren't the only alpha predator in the forest!
• Freely explore a large nonlinear map littered with educational squirrel facts and more!
• Meet god!

For more information, check out the Steam page! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2535830/Squirrel_Stapler/

https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/34055240/fb9d499a41ce38090225d570be2e54d4612d7a07.png You thought it would be fun to break into a nearby museum and root through the artifacts stored there. Little did you know that a dusty chest in the basement imprisoned the evil CHOP GOBLINS. Now they're loose, wrecking bladed havok on the world once again. It's up to you to chase them through the city and across space and time, in a bespoke FPS campaign spanning the modern day, 1800's Transylvania, ancient Greece, and the not too distant future. And you can finish it in about 30 minutes! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1935660/Chop_Goblins/ Chop Goblins is a "microshooter": An FPS designed to be completed in a single sitting, without sacrificing depth, variety, or creativity in its gameplay and level design. It's a game you can play for less than an hour, or replay for many hours. Need something to distract you from work, boredom, or grinding in other games? Take a Chop Goblins Break, with a fun and satisfying FPS campaign that only takes one sitting to fully experience.

Pilot a tiny submarine through an ocean of blood on an alien moon in Iron Lung, a short dread-driven underwater (underblood?) horror game

OUT NOW

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1846170/Iron_Lung/ Set entirely within a claustrophobic one-man submarine nicknamed the "Iron Lung," you must blindly navigate an ocean of blood to take photographs of key locations, and hope whatever lives below doesn't find you. There is only a single porthole on the sub, and it needs to be closed due to depth pressure, so you have to navigate purely via an incomplete map, proximity sensors, sound, and a primitive external camera which can be used to take the pictures you need to complete your mission, or to get a grainy low resolution visual of what's happening outside. Success will require resourcefulness and patience. https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/34055240/7bbf04170ab9a9b3b990f9d15af65a7c002ae7f1.png

FEATURES

• Experimental minimalist gameplay, where your senses are limited and anything could be lurking around you
• Glimpse your surroundings through the lens of a grainy still camera and navigate using an incomplete satellite map and proximity sensors
• Horror based around building dread and paranoia
• Original soundtrack inspired by the work of Aubrey Hodges (Doom 64)
• A short experience intended to be finished in under an hour

https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/34055240/ff693bc80fa81dae5d2f799d259307870cce45c6.png Soundtrack also available at https://davidszymanski.bandcamp.com/album/iron-lung-ost

I'm introducing a bundle of all my narrative-driven horror games and their soundtracks for 40% off! This is in addition to other discounts such as sales, so Steam's current Autumn Sale is a great time to pick them all up! The bundle currently includes The Moon Sliver + OST, The Music Machine + OST, and A Wolf in Autumn (OST already included in the game files). Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/16878/The_David_Szymanski_Narrative_Horror_Pack/

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/9605186/9cd7342d4eef3ef4f3bbfb35beab86d774cfd71d.jpg Fingerbones is now open source under "The Unlicense!" Which means you're free to take the code and basically do whatever you want with it. Credit is appreciated but not necessary. The source can be downloaded here: https://gitlab.com/jefequeso/fingerbones Fingerbones was a huge experiment for me. It was the project I did to learn Unity, it was the first thing I ever made in true 3d space, and it was the first time I'd released something serious, philosophical, and narrative-focused rather than gameplay-focused. So naturally there were a few elements that worked and a lot of elements that didn't quite work. While I'm still proud of some parts of Fingerbones, I no longer feel that it positively represents me as a developer, or that it's something I'd ever want to return to. So I thought it would be appropriate to release it to whatever fans it might have, in case any of you want to do something with it. And if you have any interest in what I've done since, be sure to check out my retro FPS DUSK https://store.steampowered.com/app/519860/DUSK/ And you can find my post-Fingerbones horror games on my creator page I also want to take the opportunity to thank everyone. Fingerbones started my career as a developer, and I'm eternally grateful to everyone who gave the game a chance and spread the word. I wouldn't be here without you, and releasing my creation back into the wild is the least I can do as thanks. Have fun! - David

http://store.steampowered.com/app/519860/ My newest game, DUSK, just released from early access! DUSK is a throwback to oldschool shooters like Doom and Quake, focused on fast-paced gameplay and unique and varied level design. Watch the launch trailer here It also features a massive soundtrack from the legendary Andrew Hulshult, which you can check out here. DUSK includes 33 single player levels covering three distinct episodes, 3 endless arenas for unlimited bloodshed, and a full fledged multiplayer mode. Purchase DUSK here!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/519860/ Battle through an onslaught of mystical backwater cultists, possessed militants and even darker forces as you attempt to discover just what lurks beneath the earth in this retro FPS inspired by all your 90's favorites. Featuring a full single player campaign, endless survival mode and classic arena multiplayer. Coming 2017. It's going to be quite a bit different than my horror games, but if you like oldschool shooters like Doom, Quake, Blood, Redneck Rampage, etc, you should definitely check it out. And don't forget to wishlist it!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/519860/ Battle through an onslaught of mystical backwater cultists, possessed militants and even darker forces as you attempt to discover just what lurks beneath the earth in this retro FPS inspired by all your 90's favorites. Featuring a full single player campaign, endless survival mode and classic arena multiplayer. Coming 2017. It's going to be quite a bit different than my horror games, but if you like oldschool shooters like Doom, Quake, Blood, Redneck Rampage, etc, you should definitely check it out. And don't forget to wishlist it!

The collab project between MPR Art Hallucinations and I--The Grandfather--has been released on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/433750/ The Grandfather is a strange point and click adventure inspired by surrealist films such as David Lynch's Eraserhead. It follows the story of an old man who is tormented by the coldness of his wife, and wakes up one night to find that his arms, legs, and torso are missing, leaving him a disembodied floating head. Keep in mind that The Grandfather was designed/directed by MPR Art Hallucinations (creator of The Lady) and simply programmed by me. So expect a much different (much more surreal) experience than you get in my solo horror games.

The collab project between MPR Art Hallucinations and I--The Grandfather--has been released on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/433750/ The Grandfather is a strange point and click adventure inspired by surrealist films such as David Lynch's Eraserhead. It follows the story of an old man who is tormented by the coldness of his wife, and wakes up one night to find that his arms, legs, and torso are missing, leaving him a disembodied floating head. Keep in mind that The Grandfather was designed/directed by MPR Art Hallucinations (creator of The Lady) and simply programmed by me. So expect a much different (much more surreal) experience than you get in my solo horror games.

Since I'm taking a more "relaxed" approach to game development for now, I thought it would be a good time to improve some areas I might be weak in. So I'd like feedback from anyone and everyone on about where you think my writing could improve. I'd like to hear issues relating to characters, story, prose, or narrative that you have with any of my games. Please leave feedback at http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/2015/12/critique-my-writing.html (you do not need an account to leave a comment). Only thing I ask is that your feedback is CONSTRUCTIVE. This is not the place to vent your anger at me or my games. That's what Steam reviews are for, it seems.

Since I'm taking a more "relaxed" approach to game development for now, I thought it would be a good time to improve some areas I might be weak in. So I'd like feedback from anyone and everyone on about where you think my writing could improve. I'd like to hear issues relating to characters, story, prose, or narrative that you have with any of my games. Please leave feedback at http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/2015/12/critique-my-writing.html (you do not need an account to leave a comment). Only thing I ask is that your feedback is CONSTRUCTIVE. This is not the place to vent your anger at me or my games. That's what Steam reviews are for, it seems.

My latest horror game, A Wolf in Autumn, has been released on Steam! http://store.steampowered.com/app/395270/ After escaping from a locked shed, a young girl finds herself in the middle of an idyllic autumn forest. At first her surroundings seem peaceful, and she's comforted by her mother's voice coming through a strange tin device. But gradually, things begin to turn disturbing and sinister. And the distant howling of wolves begins to move closer... A Wolf in Autumn is a dark, surreal psychological horror game. It focuses on creating a short engaging horror experience that relies on narrative, pacing, context, and atmosphere rather than jump scares.

My latest horror game, A Wolf in Autumn, has been released on Steam! http://store.steampowered.com/app/395270/ After escaping from a locked shed, a young girl finds herself in the middle of an idyllic autumn forest. At first her surroundings seem peaceful, and she's comforted by her mother's voice coming through a strange tin device. But gradually, things begin to turn disturbing and sinister. And the distant howling of wolves begins to move closer... A Wolf in Autumn is a dark, surreal psychological horror game. It focuses on creating a short engaging horror experience that relies on narrative, pacing, context, and atmosphere rather than jump scares.

I did an interview with Rely on Horror about my games here, if you guys are interested in reading it: http://www.relyonhorror.com/in-depth/david-szymanski-interview-the-journey-to-horror-via-story-faith-and-impressionism/

I did an interview with Rely on Horror about my games here, if you guys are interested in reading it: http://www.relyonhorror.com/in-depth/david-szymanski-interview-the-journey-to-horror-via-story-faith-and-impressionism/

I just wrote a little something about the original design ideas for Fingerbones, and what I ended up cutting/changing during development (and why). If that's something you guys are interested in reading, here's the link: http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/2015/10/original-design-for-fingerbones.html

I just wrote a little something about the original design ideas for Fingerbones, and what I ended up cutting/changing during development (and why). If that's something you guys are interested in reading, here's the link: http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/2015/10/original-design-for-fingerbones.html

View “The Grandfather” IndieGoGo campaign and download the Demo here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-grandfather--2/x/5229043#/ The upcoming atmospheric point & click horror/puzzle game “The Grandfather” has launched an IndieGoGo campaign. The campaign features some one of a kind and limited perks, including the Autoharp that the soundtrack was recorded on, and a special edition of the game with 20 wallpapers and two different versions of the unique soundtrack. “The Grandfather” is collaboration from the creator of “Fingerbones” and the creator of “The Lady”; both devs thrive at creating hauntingly rich atmospheres with a mix of visuals, audio, and a different approach to storytelling. The game tells its story through the use of comic book pages and narration/voice acting. The Grandfather features all hand drawn art by amazing comic book artist SaintYak http://saintyak.deviantart.com/gallery/ , and a procedural soundtrack composed by Michael Patrick Rogers https://soundcloud.com/mprart-1 , which is created by the user as they play the game.

View “The Grandfather” IndieGoGo campaign and download the Demo here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-grandfather--2/x/5229043#/ The upcoming atmospheric point & click horror/puzzle game “The Grandfather” has launched an IndieGoGo campaign. The campaign features some one of a kind and limited perks, including the Autoharp that the soundtrack was recorded on, and a special edition of the game with 20 wallpapers and two different versions of the unique soundtrack. “The Grandfather” is collaboration from the creator of “Fingerbones” and the creator of “The Lady”; both devs thrive at creating hauntingly rich atmospheres with a mix of visuals, audio, and a different approach to storytelling. The game tells its story through the use of comic book pages and narration/voice acting. The Grandfather features all hand drawn art by amazing comic book artist SaintYak http://saintyak.deviantart.com/gallery/ , and a procedural soundtrack composed by Michael Patrick Rogers https://soundcloud.com/mprart-1 , which is created by the user as they play the game.

The DEMO for "The Grandfather" (A collab between me and MPR Art Hallucinations) is now available for download at the following places (PC & MAC) itchio http://mpr-art-hallucinations.itch.io/thegrandfatherdemo IndieDB http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-grandfather/downloads Steam Coming later this week "The Grandfather" is a collaboration from the creators of "The Lady" and "Fingerbones" "The Grandfather" is a unique Story Driven Point and Click puzzle/horror Game, presented in a pop-up storybook, comic book art style, with narration by a voice actress. The Game tells the tale of an old man who is tormented by the coldness of his wife. The Grandfather is a combination of exploration and point and click elements, and features a procedural soundtrack that is created by the user as they play the game. This is a Pre-Alpha DEMO and does not fully represent the finished game, an IndieGoGo campaign launches on October 3rd!! Be sure to follow "The Grandfather" on Twitter @GrandfatherGame for updates on the development of the game. "The Grandfather" is expected to release in spring 2016 on PC/MAC and shortly after on PS4.

The DEMO for "The Grandfather" (A collab between me and MPR Art Hallucinations) is now available for download at the following places (PC & MAC) itchio http://mpr-art-hallucinations.itch.io/thegrandfatherdemo IndieDB http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-grandfather/downloads Steam Coming later this week "The Grandfather" is a collaboration from the creators of "The Lady" and "Fingerbones" "The Grandfather" is a unique Story Driven Point and Click puzzle/horror Game, presented in a pop-up storybook, comic book art style, with narration by a voice actress. The Game tells the tale of an old man who is tormented by the coldness of his wife. The Grandfather is a combination of exploration and point and click elements, and features a procedural soundtrack that is created by the user as they play the game. This is a Pre-Alpha DEMO and does not fully represent the finished game, an IndieGoGo campaign launches on October 3rd!! Be sure to follow "The Grandfather" on Twitter @GrandfatherGame for updates on the development of the game. "The Grandfather" is expected to release in spring 2016 on PC/MAC and shortly after on PS4.

EDIT: I've got all the testers I need now, thanks everyone! I'm currently looking for beta testers for my upcoming game, A Wolf in Autumn. If you'd like to play a beta version of the game and provide feedback, please send me an email at jefequeso(at)gmail(dot)com. Info about the game can be found here: http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/p/a-wolf-in-autumn.html

EDIT: I've got all the testers I need now, thanks everyone! I'm currently looking for beta testers for my upcoming game, A Wolf in Autumn. If you'd like to play a beta version of the game and provide feedback, please send me an email at jefequeso(at)gmail(dot)com. Info about the game can be found here: http://ironsnowflakes.blogspot.com/p/a-wolf-in-autumn.html