Moonpod News

Missing Emails since Friday 11am GMT

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:07:59 GMT

Due to a server issue all email since 11am GMT Friday 28th has been eaten.
If you sent us anything important over the weekend then please send it on again as we've not received anything. Apologies for any inconvenience caused; the mail server in question has been sent to SAMS-1 for dismantling.

Facepod / Moonbook

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:38:48 GMT

Moonpod now has a facebook page. For all you trendy people who are into all that social networking malarky :)

CD-ROM upgrades re-enabled

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:20:46 GMT

CD-ROM upgrades are once again available from the customer shop. Log in to the site and choose 'customer shop' to upgrade any download versions.

MrRobot reviewed on Gamer-Girl

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:24:23 GMT

MrRobot gets a very in depth review at Gamer-Girl, with the author putting in 30hours of play to complete the game (phew). They seemed to like it though and gave us a healthy 8/10.

"The quality of the writing goes a long way to keep the player interested"

"considerable style and charm"

"if you enjoy both [puzzles and combat], you owe it to yourself to check out this delightful title."

p.s. they rightfully gave us a little slap for letting an annoying bug through, but thankfully this has since been fixed :)

Gametunnel love MrRobot

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:31:03 GMT

MrRobot wins second place in gametunnel's rpg of the year competition. They had some really nice things to say about the game too:

"The game has been called one of the best Indie games ever, and it's a title well-suited to Mr. Robot."

"a super-cool RPG that feels futuristic and retro all at the same time."

Moonpod Invades Sweden and Korea

Wed, 3 Oct 2007 03:30:35 GMT

There's a new interview with team Moonpod over at Nordic Gamers (English version linked). Pretty much touches the past, present and future of Moonpod. Also, a new review over at Pig-Min. Which if you don't know is Korea's number one (and possibly only) indie gaming site. Korean only, but I've been assured that the reviewer loved the genre combination and got a real kick out of the sci-fi parodies :)

Moonpod Official Wii Certified Developers.

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:56:03 GMT

We've just passed Wii developer certification!

This means we have access to Wii documentation and development kits.

We aren't expecting to make any announcements about Moonpod Wii titles just yet, but the Wii is a platform Moonpod is really keen to look into and this is hopefully the first step on that road.

i-luv-games loves Mr. Robot.

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 02:00:52 GMT

i-luv-games is a new website dedicated to indie games. They've already cranked out a number of reviews including one for Mr. Robot and here's what they had to say:

"the game's robot characters are so well animated that they portrait their own believable, sometimes creepy, or even silly personalities. "

"a well designed, thoughtful and interesting game with a charm and style that make for high quality gaming."

"Mr. Robot is one indie title gamers cannot afford to miss."

Final score is A+ :)
Read the full review here

50 Really Good Indie Games

Thu, 9 Aug 2007 07:46:53 GMT

In part 2 of TIG Source's Guide to Independent Games, Derek Yu lists 50 Really good Indie Games. Well worth a look and we are happy to see Mr. Robot make the list in such illustrious company.

GameTunnel's Top 100 games

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 02:38:46 GMT

GameTunnel has compiled a list of the top 100 games reviewed in the past 3 years. What's pretty cool is that the their top 100 looks nothing like the 'most popular' lists you'll see on any casual game portals. There's some really great games on there that I bet hardly anyone has heard of. Well done to Russel Carrol and the entire GT team! 458 reviews in 3 years is pretty amazing going :)

Oh, and guess what the number one game is...

Interview with Nick

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:45:07 GMT

Max Geiger (yes, that Max Geiger!) spoke to Nick a while back as part of the game design course he is doing at the USC. He's now posted the full interview online. Note that this interview was conducted a few months back, so contains phrases such as:
"I think our next release 'may' (I hate to jinx it, because development has been really tough) be War Angels."

sigh...

Mr. Robot kicks Halo 2's ***

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:42:40 GMT

Halo 2: marketing budget of $10 million plus, 65+ team (programmers and artists designers and producers).
Mr. Robot:marketing budget of as much change as we can fit in a coffee jar, 1 artist, 1 programmer, 1 dog.

New, lovely, lovely, Mr. Robot review in Windows XP Made Easy magazine (Issue 115). Mr. Robot scores 9/10 and I could quote any line of the review here - it's all good. Most amusing thing about the review however was we are alongside Halo 2, which only scores 5!

Maybe it's the dog that makes all the difference...

Some quotes:

"Mr. Robot has more charm in a single screen than 20 big name releases"

"What's immediately striking is the beatuiful artwork and design"

"easily one of the most attractive looking games we've seen for some time"

"spend a little time with Asimov and Mr. Robot reveals hidden depths"

"the puzzle, platform and rpg elements complement each other perfectly"

"the robotic cast shines thanks to a witty script"

Dark Zero on Starscape

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 03:31:43 GMT

A new Starscape review over at Dark Zero. The best bits:

"A game so addictive it�ll have you resenting yourself for having to do things like �eat� and �go for a wee,' occasionally."

"Starscape is such a stupidly fun and worryingly addictive videogame"

"Starscape is an absolute beauty that gets its claws into you, and utterly refuses to let go"

Read the full review here.

Robots in Norway!

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 04:55:36 GMT

New Mr Robot review up over at gamer.no.
I'd love to post some quotes, but sadly my Norwegian is lacking. I'm assured it's a good review however, and the game scored 8/10!

You can check it out here

Mr Robot in Indie Game Developer's Showcase

Tue, 22 May 2007 07:53:41 GMT

Mr. Robot on NZGamer

Tue, 22 May 2007 02:28:04 GMT

Our favourite Antipodean gaming site, NZ Gamer has a great review of Mr. Robot up: link

What they say:
"Thank goodness for developers like Moonpod"

"the game has a level of polish that is usually reserved for retail games with a budget of millions; and in its own way, Mr. Robot exceeds a fair number of them in this regard."

"if you�re looking for a fun little experience at a budget price, you can�t get much better than Mr. Robot"

Dark Zero Awards a 9.0

Mon, 21 May 2007 02:16:22 GMT

Mr. Robot scores 9.0 at Dark Zero!! link

Some choice snippets from the review:

"they�ve made sure to put heavy focus on the aspects that make games fun"

"the sci-fi atmosphere in Mr. Robot is fantastic"

"all of the characters within the game extremely charming, funny, and memorable"

"Clearly a lot of love has been put into this game, and not in vain; Mr. Robot is an absolute gem."

"Moonpod are a company who know what they�re doing"

Well, I'm not sure that last statement is wholly true, but we try!

Mr Robot PALGN Review

Fri, 18 May 2007 01:56:17 GMT

New Mr. Robot review over at the PAL Gaming network.

Link

Quotes:
"a shining example of the kind of gameplay that we didn't know we were missing until we played it"

"the satisfaction that comes from slowly teasing apart the puzzle is a rare pleasure"

"An indie triumph"

"Fun, with a side order of fun."

Retro 247 Uber Competition!

Thu, 17 May 2007 03:30:45 GMT

Just wanted to let everyone know that Retro 247 are running a cool competition in which you can grab a huge pile of indie swag! Moonpod are proud to be sponsoring the competition with a copy of Mr. Robot and a Mr. Robot mousepad up for grabs, but there's also a ton of great stuff on the prize pile:

1st Place
Full version of MMF2 Developer by Clickteam
Signed CD version of Mr. Robot
A Mr. Robot mouse pad

2nd Place
Signed CD version of Repton 3 by Superior Interactive
Full download version of the game Gibbage [We like this one at Moonpod!!]
Full download version of the game Addictive Football
Full download version of the game Scavenger

3rd Place
Full download version of the game Gibbage
Full download version of the game Addictive Football

Robot Double Destructoid!

Thu, 17 May 2007 03:12:09 GMT

For unfiltered independent gaming news,
you can't beat DESTRUCTOID.
You can also check out Destructoid's review of Mr. Robot, and the interview article:
Moonpod on life as a modern uk independent

A few choice quotes from the review:

"If you're looking for something unlike anything on the market today, that's also an amazingly fun title, pick up Mr. Robot."

"a very slick, very well designed, and very enjoyable game"

"all the ammunition you'll ever need in the creativity vs. technology debate"

"character design is a major strength"

"Mr. Robot is vibrant, inventive, classy, and above all, fun. "

Bytten Bites Mr. Robot

Mon, 14 May 2007 04:58:02 GMT

Bytten, the web fanzine of indie games, has taken a bite out of Mr. Robot. Here's what they had to say:

"a fine example of what can happen when a designer takes two ideas that on their own would make for a good game, and combines them using a top storyline, breathtaking graphics, action and roleplaying elements and cool characters to make something entirely unique"

"Superb graphics!"

"I can't think of any group of gamer that Mr Robot will not appeal to on some level, and my exerience of the game has been refreshingly bug-free and most importantly, very entertaining."

Full Review

PAL Gaming Network Interviews Moonpod

Mon, 14 May 2007 03:28:54 GMT

Australia's PAL Gaming network chats with the Moonpod team.
Link

PC ZONE Indie Game of the Month!

Thu, 3 May 2007 04:31:27 GMT

June's issue of PCZone lists Mr. robot as Indie Game of the Month!

"superbly crafted game"

"beautifully rendered locales"

"hugely enjoyable RPG-style combat that injects some serious cross-genre originality into the proceedings"

"the supporting cast is full of character and charm"

"An absolute Gem"

Perfect 10

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:08:31 GMT

Over at Uziana.com, there's a Mr. Robot review scoring an amazing 10 out of 10!
Here's some highlights of what they said:

"one of the most beautiful isometric games I have ever seen"

"one of the most original games we have played so far"

"might be one of the best games this year, and it�s only January"

"This game is a must"

Read the full review here

Our Second Newsletter

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:54:00 GMT

Our second newsletter went out over the weekend. In case anybody missed it, you can read it online here

Moonpod YouTube Channel

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:42:00 GMT

Since we made the new Starscape trailer we've had a number from people asking if there was a YouTube link so they could embed it on their own sites/blogs. There's now a Moonpod YouTube Channel, which contains all our videos and we'll make sure it's up to date with anything new we release.

Calling All Robots: Update Now!

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 02:43:21 GMT

Mr. Robot 1.05 is now available!

This version adds support for unicode user accounts and changes required for some types of system to support user adventures. Now everyone should have access to the user adventure sharing system.

The update also addresses a number of minor issues reported on the forum.
Make sure you have the latest version by clicking the UPDATE button in game.

Complete list of changes

PC Gameplay Magazine awards Mr. Robot 87%!

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:11:40 GMT

April's edition of PC Gameplay magazine features a full page review of Mr. Robot and awards the game 87%.

I'd love to give you some nice quotes, but as ever the babelfish translation was a little hit and miss, although this nice comments seemed to come out well:

"...a very strong candidate for Indie game of the year."

:)

Indiegamepod Podcast Interview With Nick

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 06:36:18 GMT

Indiegamepod has posted a podcast interview with Nick which was recorded just after Mr. Robot was released.
You can listen to it here.

Mr. Robot 1.02/New User Adventures

Mon, 2 Apr 2007 04:49:18 GMT

Mr. Robot 1.02 is now available. This update fixes numerous issues and improves the usability and robustness of the editor. Make sure you have the latest version by clicking the UPDATE button in game.
1.02 also fixes the error with user adventure saves, which means we have re-enabled user adventure downloads. There's currently four adventures you can get from within the game (Click the Update List button from the new games screen). Please make sure you update to version 1.02 first though.

Gametunnel's Game Of The Month Is Mr. Robot!

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:00:51 GMT

In Gametunnel's February roundup of recent independent and downloadable game releases, Mr. Robot steals the top spot. Scoring an average of 9/10 by the four-strong review panel and netting one of the rare (the last one was awarded in May 2006!) Editor's choice awards.

Link To Article

Cinemablend's Final Verdict On Mr. Robot

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:56:48 GMT

Cinemablend now have their final review posted for Mr. Robot.
A few highlights:

"Mr. Robot has everything old-school gamers used to love about adventure gaming"

"gives gamers a well-paced isometric gameplay experience that incorporates puzzle-platforming and adventure exploration seamlessly"

"It�s definitely a breath of fresh polygonal air, because I�ve grown horribly tired of that cheap plasticity look that too many �next-gen� games have adopted to"

"I definitely can�t recommend this game enough"

Indie SuperStarscape!

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:46:16 GMT

Kicking off the first episode of the ever-excellent Indie Superstar's season 2 is some footage of Starscape in action!

Indie Superstar is a web-based videocast bringing you video game news you won't hear about in mainstream media.

Mr. Robot: A PC Format 2007 Game Awards Winner!

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:02:52 GMT

The March edition of PC Format also contains the 'PCFORMAT GAMES AWARDS 2007', and Mr. Robot wins the prize for 'Best Ending'! The article mentions that Mr. Robot ran a close second for Indie Game Of The Year (Introversion's excellent Defcon managed to win that title). Apparently, the little story told about an 'obscure 21st century computer game' was partly what helped win the award - so that means that all the beta testers featured in the story are award winners too!

PS: In case you hadn't noticed, we are having a good day :)

PC Format Raves About Mr. Robot!

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:52:37 GMT

Wow! Just when you think things can't get any better - the March edition of PC Format has just landed and awards Mr. Robot 87% !!. They also had some pretty nice things to say about the game:

"Brought me more pleasure than almost any game of the last year"

"Just when you're not expecting it, along comes the first great game of 2007"

"I've been playing it so hard, my brainballs hurt"

"...the cutest characters ever"

"it's terribly clever, and will have you grinning and marvelling at the consistent level of inventiveness on show"

"More fun than a basket of kittens..."

"Makes us feel all warm on the inside"

"It's just a joy. Go and Buy it, and give it a little hug."

We love PC Format :)

PCPlus Magazine Takes Mr. Robot For A Spin!

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 06:30:16 GMT

The latest edition of PC Plus Magazine features a Mr. Robot review in their 'After Hours' gaming section (page 159).

"Where Mr. Robot goes beyond its predecessors is in the amount of character on offer."

"Fun puzzle action, and a satisfying story make for a solid independent game"

Mr. Robot In PCGAMER!

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 02:06:42 GMT

PCGAMER Magazine features a review of Mr. Robot in their March edition and on their website.
Here's some of the things they had to say:

"Puzzles - challenging your mental and physical faculties, and occasionally even both - hamper your progress. And they're expertly, lovingly designed."

"That two completely opposed game types have merged into one absolutely coherent game is a minor miracle."

"The real miracle isn't that it works at all - but that it works so well"

"... the most enjoyable independent game I've played since Defcon!"

"Funny, challenging and cute, in the old school it's absolutely top of its class"

Little Asimov gets the second best score in the magazine - just beaten by 'World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade" - anyone heard of that? ;)

Want to read the full review, go to Page 76 of PCGAMER UK's March edition, or read it online at the PCGAMER website.

Mr. Robot scores 9.6/10 at VGCore!

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 03:31:13 GMT

The review team at gaming news and reviews hub Vg Core has finished playing Mr. Robot and posted a review - final score 9.6/10!

"Any PC gamer who is truly looking to rekindle the nostalgic adventure experience that seems absent from a lot of games in this day and age, Mr. Robot is the perfect place to do so."

"Moonpod takes an almost clich�d hero archetype and transforms the entire story into something completely different; immersing gamers into a world that is governed by imaginative characters and a plot that�s nothing short of mysteriously engaging."

"Overall, Mr. Robot is a family-friendly experience that reaches into several genres seamlessly. There�s plenty of intrigue and well-rounded story telling, and the Ghost Hacking and level-up system adds tons of layered depth as to how players upgrade and develop Asimov�s skills. "

Mr. Robot also received the VGCore editor's choice gold award. In accepting this award Moonpod would like to thank our underpants for all the support they've given us...

Read the full review.

Mr. Robot Review At Gnade Games

Wed, 7 Feb 2007 01:23:16 GMT

Indie Gaming reviews and news blog Gnade Games has just finished playing Mr. Robot and posted their (thankfully positive!) thoughts on the game.

"Mr. Robot immediately impresses with its visual style and presentation"

"The robots really come to life."

"the writing is really topnotch"

"This game is simply charming..."

Read the full review here.

Moonpod's Arse

Wed, 7 Feb 2007 00:55:16 GMT

The popular (and always outspoken!) indie gaming podcast show, The Arsecast has just released an hour long interview with Moonpod team member Nick Tipping. Check out Nick's musing on the indie gaming industry and Moonpod's future over at the arsecast website.

WARNING: Parental discretion is advised :)

IGN Plays Mr. Robot

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 06:09:50 GMT

Gaming news behemoth IGN has posted up a review for Mr. Robot. Just getting a review on a site like IGN for an indie game is an achievement in itself (only a few other indie games such as Defcon have achieved this), and would be enough to make us happy, but it's a pretty good review too:

"More indie gaming goodness from the makers of Starscape."

"...it will find an audience, because it has plenty to offer.."

"It's charming in the way that many of Nintendo's titles are.."

"..a great example of what indie gaming is all about."

"...this could well be a sleeper hit."

Well, we certainly hope that last statement is true !
Full review here.

Cinema Blend plays Mr. Robot

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 05:49:31 GMT

Movie, games, tv and DVD news/ reviews site Cinema Blend mentions playing Mr. Robot in its gaming news section.

"It�s rare that a video game will come out of the wood works and really offer up something new, different, original and unique. Moonpod, however, has managed to do just that with the release of their new title, Mr. Robot."

"The visual aspects of the game are actually pretty snazzy, insofar that the 3D models kind of look like toys. Special effects and battle sequences play out rather spectacularly as well..."

"It�s a really cool concept and a great design that many developers aught to echo when it comes to originality. Maybe in the next-generation of gaming, eh? "

Link to news item.

First Mr. Robot review by Third Party Ninjas

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:37:46 GMT

The first review is in for Mr. Robot
over at Third Party Ninjas.
We particularly enjoyed this comment:

"Without a doubt, this is the best indie game I�ve ever played, and I�d be willing to put it on the same level with some of the big budget non-indie games I played this year. Really, I�m not kidding."

Read the full review here.

Mr. Robot Has Arrived!

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:24:08 GMT

Moonpod, are proud to announce the release of our new independent game, Mr. Robot, available on PC. Journey through the bowels of a massive starship to save your robot friends and the precious human cargo. Solve puzzles. Overcome obstacles. Hack hostile networks. Evade crazed robots. Save the mission.

Mr. Robot is a 3D action-puzzle-adventure-rpg. Inspired by classic filmation games such as Knight Lore and Alien8 and mixed with'Ghost Hack' - an abstract RPG in which the player hacks into computer terminals and battles defensive computer programs. Featuring over 200 rooms, more than 20 different enemies, 7 friendly robots to aid in your quest, numerous medals to unlock and a built in editor so you can create your own adventures.

Sheffield-based Moonpod was formed in November 2002 with the mission to take ideas and themes that rocked our game play world and evolve them into the next level. We want to listen to what the gamer wants and create a diverse and challenging array of titles. Moonpod's first game, Starscape, won Gametunnel's coveted 'Game of the Year' award.

Download the Mr. Robot demo here (25 meg)

IT'S ON ITS WAY!

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 10:32:52 GMT

I think we may be able to disrupt Sony and Nintendo's big launches with this baby!

Mr. Robot Hits The Source

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:37:54 GMT

Indie game news Uber nexus TIGSource has posted a new article:
The Robots Seek To Destroy Us

The article covers Mr. Robot, and what we'll be doing once it is finished.

Note: Apologies, we are pretty tired at Moonpod right now, and a few expletives popped out...

Indie Heroes Episode #1: Moonpod

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:09:36 GMT

Manuel F. Lara, writer of popular Spanish language indie scene blog: Edevi, has started a series of articles about indies he admires and respects and has kicked off the series with one about about Moonpod :) . We are obviously honoured, and will try not to let it go to our heads!

If you speak Spanish you can check out the article here.

Mr. Robot Trailer Video Online

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 04:11:50 GMT

Check it out here!

VGCORE Interview Part 2.

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:29:10 GMT

The second part of our VG Core interview is now online here

In the second half, we talk to VG Core about growth of indie games and the console download services.

VGCORE Interview Part 1.

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:31:21 GMT

All encompassing gaming website, Vg Core has posted the first part of a recent interview with the Moonpod team.

Expect a break from the normal interview questions as VGCore's interviewer cuts straight to the issues at hand for Mr. Robot, Moonpod and indie game development in general.

Read the first part here

and look out for the second part coming soon, where we'll be discussing our experiences talking to Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony about their console download services.

Moonpod Developer Q&A on Game Tunnel

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 03:02:31 GMT

GameTunnel has published a recent interview with Moonpod. Concentrating on the development of Mr. Robot, the Q&A details the design decisions made during development and the current status of the project.

Check out the interview here

Moonpod Sponsors Text Mode Demo Competition

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 04:47:41 GMT

We are happy to announce that Moonpod is sponsoring TMDC9; the ninth annual text mode demo competition.

TMDC is a pseudo-annual demo-coding contest held over the internet and this year's event will be held from 11.11.06 to 12.12.06.

More information is available at the TMDC website.

Starscape CD-ROM 2nd Edition Now In Stock!

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 04:06:39 GMT

Starscape CD-ROM 2nd edition, featuring the latest version of Starscape and all new cover and disc art is now in stock, and you can get it here. The upgrade option for customers who purchased the download only version is also re-enabled from the customer panel.

Apologies for the delay in restocking this time round - we really had been un-prepared for the demand, but we are now heavily stocked up and will be a keeping a much closer eye on sales in the future!

Mr. Robot Preview In GameTunnel Magazine!

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 09:10:00 GMT

Issue #1 of 'Game Tunnel Magazine' on page 13 features a preview of Mr. Robot.
If you are new to indie games, then the magazine serves as a perfect introduction to the scene. What's more, issue 1 is available for free as a downloadable ezine.

So what are you waiting for?

New Starscape Review

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 16:11:37 GMT

At least, it's new to us!
We must have missed this great review over at GameShark the first time round:

"...some truly amazing special effects..."

"Beam and energy weapons in general just look dead sexy..."

"diving into a huge flotilla of enemy ships and dispensing a trio of Nova Bombs looks awesome"

"I�d say the developers did a pretty awesome job all around"

"great artistic style, addictive gameplay, huge multitude of tools and weapons to research and produce, and easy-to-access gameplay that will still manage to appeal to just about any gamer..."

Read the full review here

Rebell.at Interviews Nick Tipping

Thu, 2 Mar 2006 16:09:11 GMT

Bertold Schauer, editor of rebell.at has very kindly translated the previous interview with Nick into English. The interview now also includes a picture of Mark and Nick getting inebriated and saying cheers to everyone!

You can read the full interview here.

Thanks Bertold!

War Angels Preview/Interview [German]

Thu, 9 Feb 2006 14:24:21 GMT

Austrian online gaming magazine rebell.at has posted up a 2 page interview with Moonpod's very own Nick Tipping. The interview's focus is on War Angels but also touches on Mr. Robot and indie game development in general.

German speakers, can read the full interview here

Hopefully, rebell.at's editor, Bertold Schauer might get the chance to translate it to English at some point, but until then, there's always the comedy google transation. :)

'War Angels' Teaser Video Now Online

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 04:26:03 GMT

Video of footage from the first level of 'War Angels' - our currently in development top down, 3D action game, is now online, and you can download it here (18 meg)

More information about the game can be found here.

CD-ROM out of stock, upgrade option available.

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 05:46:56 GMT

Due to the holiday period demand, we are currently out of Starscape CD-Rom edition stock. We would however like to remind customers, that we offer an upgrade option to people who buy the download version. All you need to do is pay the difference, we absorb the additional payment charges (so you don't end up paying more than you would if you just bought the CD-ROM edition normally).

As soon as we have stock available again, we will post an announcement. At that point, anyone wanting to take the upgrade option will be able to from the customer panel.

Server outage

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:46:24 GMT

Our main server has experienced a catastrophic hardware failure, instead of repairing it we've had it replaced entirely. This has meant the site was down for a short time. We are sorry about that as we hate to inconvenience our community. Everything should be back to normal now.

PCZONE Magazine Reviews Starscape

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 05:22:16 GMT

PCZone magazine's 'indiezone section features a Starscape review in its christmas edition out today.
Highlights:

'A space-based blaster with a difference..'

'novel strategic elements and great blasting sections'

'Starscape's later battles are immense'

'Starscape is definitely worth a look'

Other games features in the indie zone section are: Lugaru: The rabbit's foot, Hyperspace Invader, B.I.R.D and there's also an interview with Tim Fisher of Indiepath ltd.

Server running steady

Tue, 1 Nov 2005 06:00:38 GMT

It seems the storm has passed, our worries about the server going down were unfounded and now everything seems back to normal. Business as usual :)

Server outages related to Hurricane

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 06:28:52 GMT

Our servers are hosted in miami and are suffering some technical problems related to the storms. The site may be a little unpredictable for a few days. So if anyone experiences any problems then we are sorry. We are here and we are listening and we will do whatever we can to help our players.

Forum Angels

Wed, 5 Oct 2005 06:32:48 GMT

We've opened a dedicated section on the forum for discussion of War Angels. Hamish has also written up a little introduction in the forum to the game for those new to it.

This nicely coincides with Hamish' Birthday! Happy Birthday Hamish

Join in the discussion here.

Rebell Starscape Review

Tue, 4 Oct 2005 05:52:20 GMT

Austrian online gaming magazine rebell.at has just posted up a new Starscape review. Since the review is in German, rebell.at's editor, Bertold Schauer has kindly translated some highlights for us:

"Starscape is more fun to play than 90% of the releases from the big publishers like Ubi, EA, Atari etc."

"Its only fault is that you can't find it in the shelves of some supermarket - it's an online-only buy. Moonpod and lots of other smaller online publishers make games which are a lot of fun to play and in especially this case highly competitive."

"You should really consider buying Starscape - why buy games which start rotting in your shelves after five days? Get a game that's a bit more than that!"

The review finishes off by granting starscape the rebell.at award of excellence.

War Angels

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:01:47 GMT

Having previously mentioned we are working together with Hamish McLeod to release his new game project, we are extremely happy to announce that 'War Angels' is currently in development and will be the third Moonpod product to be released (the upcoming 'Mr. Robot' being the second).

Over the next few days we will be posting Hamish's first development diary for the game, and we will be opening a dedicated discussion forum with an introduction to the game so you will be able to post any questions about the project.

War Angels is scheduled for release hopefully sometime mid 2006.

Strafing Run! Reviews Starscape.

Wed, 24 Aug 2005 10:13:06 GMT

Strafing Run is a new website set up at the end of June as part of GiantRoBeast.com. Their goal is to become 'a haven for classical shmups on the PC', and they already appear to be well on their way with reviews of some great games and a high score competition.
One of their first reviews is for Starscape:

"Speaking of the enemies, their ships range in size from relatively small to literally screen-filling"

"...when the most powerful ship is built and fitted with the best weaponry and parts the game has to offer, the player is sure to be pleased with the amount of havoc that can be wreaked. And considering the size of the game world, that's a lot of havoc."

"...Moonpod has done an admiral job with Starscape."

"Starscape comes highly recommended."

Read the full review, or join in the discussion at the Strafing Run! section of the GiantRoBeast forums.

New server teething troubles

Sun, 21 Aug 2005 18:02:48 GMT

Our new server had a few teething troubles, but is stable now.

Hopefully nobody was affected, but please remember you can mail us at support@moonpod.com if you have any problems at all.

Site Return

Fri, 19 Aug 2005 04:41:08 GMT

The webserver has now been moved back, and other than forum autologin not working until dns updates properly over the next 24 hours, everything is working as usual.

Temporary Site Move #2

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 15:23:43 GMT

Due to further network level outages and maintenance work on the 13th of August, moonpod.com has been temporarily relocated this will not affect anyone, and the server will be available as always this weekend.

Note: forum autologin may not work until dns updates globally over the next 12 hours, although you will still be able to login and use the board normally.

Moonpod Now Official Nintendo DS Developers.

Mon, 1 Aug 2005 12:18:06 GMT

Moonpod has passed Nintendo DS developer certification.
This means we now have access to all the developer documentation and resources that Nintendo have available, and most importantly means we can obtain DS devkits.

Whilst we don't expect to be making any DS project announcements in the coming months, this has given us a great opportunity to investigate some new possibilities for Moonpod and we fully intend to look into any options that may be available to us.

Shoot The Core! at Moonpod.

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 21:52:30 GMT

We are really happy to give a new home to Shoot The Core, one of our favourite websites.

Shoot The Core, is a haven for lovers of PC 'shmups' - short for shoot-'em ups. Not first person shoot-'em ups, the proper kind where your tiny spaceship takes on a hoarde of aliens bent on Earth's destruction (usually). Lovingly maintained by Roger 'the postman' Post, our favourite feature is the PC shmups database - the most comprehensive listing of PC shoot-em-ups ever compiled. You can also join the forum if you would like to chat with other PC shmup fans and help support Roger in his grand undertaking.

Temporary Site Relocation - Finished

Mon, 4 Jul 2005 08:40:57 GMT

The webserver has now been moved back, and other than forum autologin not working until dns updates properly over the next 24 hours, everything is working as usual.

Temporary Site Move

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 15:51:48 GMT

In anticipation of major network level outages and maintenance work on the 2nd of July, we have just moved the site over to another server temporarily. Other than a 15 minute downtime for the purchase page to prevent any order mismatches (now complete), this will not affect anyone, and the server will be available as always this weekend.

Note: forum autologin may not work until dns updates globally over the next 12 hours, although you will still be able to login and use the board normally.

Starscape Inducted into HOTU Hall Of Fame

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 05:52:42 GMT

Starscape Has been inducted into
the Home of the Underdogs Hall of Fame

According to HOTU:
"Games on this page are those that we believe are the creme de la creme, the Top Dogs of Top Dogs, games that truly transcend the normal boundaries of their genres, and turn non-believers into helpless addicts. In short, your gaming experience won't be complete if you have never tried these games."

They also have a review up. Here's some quotes from the review:

"this is one of the best - and most innovative - games of its kind ever made."

"The battles are incredibly fun, and the management of research and development opens the door to intriguing tactical choices."

NZGamer Interviews Hamish McLeod

Mon, 16 May 2005 20:15:01 GMT

NZGamer's Tristan Clark has an interview with Moonpod's very own Hamish McLeod.

In it Hamish talks about his latest (as yet to be named) project, and muses on the state of the games industry. There's also a couple of nice shots of the game in its present state.

The article also interviews Anthony Flack of Squashy Software, maker of fantastic claymation game 'Platypus' and the upcoming 'Cletus Clay'.

PC GAMER Reviews Starscape

Sat, 14 May 2005 12:13:51 GMT

May's UK edition of PC GAMER features a Starscape review (page 104)

The reviewer seems to really love it! Here's a few select quotes:

"The light that burns bright may burn half as long, but you, my little beauty, have burned so very, very bright."

"The graphics are stylish, attractive, and perfect for the job."

"It's worth buying because it's a cracking little tactical shoot-'em-up;it's jolly good fun; amd it's a fine example of indie developers comprehensively mooning the big-brand culture that has a stranglehold on our industry."

-We liked the last bit especially! Final score: 80%

It's worth noting that Starscape beat big budget titles like Sudeki and Driv3r in the same issue!

Moonpod Signs Hamish McLeod!

Fri, 22 Apr 2005 21:03:01 GMT

We are extremely pleased to announce that we have signed Hamish Mcleod, veteran freeware game developer formerly of the group Fallen Angel Industries, as a third party developer for Moonpod.
We were blown away by Hamish' current project , and after long discussion it seemed an obvious opportunity for both parties to work together and make a fantastic product. Hamish will be developing his project, with support from the Moonpod team, into a new title which will be published exclusively through moonpod.com.

Look out for a full announcement and product details soon!

Customer Panel now 'My Profile & games'

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 14:59:35 GMT

Note to all customers: The customer panel login has moved to the top right of all web pages and is now called 'My Profile & Games'. This should now make it a little quicker to login and obtain any codes or downloads needed.

Expect more features by the time Mr. Robot is released.

Moonpod.com Now 'Live Bookmark' Enabled

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:49:19 GMT

Relevant Moonpod.com pages are now Firefox 'Live Bookmark' enabled. Users of the firefox web browser can now get easy notification of changes for our news, updates and development diaries.

Just look for the button in the bottom right on corner of your firefox browser when viewing enabled pages.

Developer Diary RSS feed available

Fri, 7 Jan 2005 21:31:28 GMT

Happy New Year everyone!
Now you can be informed the minute we make a new developer diary available, via our developer diary RSS feed.
RSS users can get the feed here or from the XML link at the top any of the diary entries.

If you are new to RSS you can find out more (including where to get free RSS readers) from our RSS help page.

On a related note: December's dev diary is ready to go, we have just been getting stuck into Mr. Robot work and haven't had the time to give it a final proof read We'll get it posted up as soon as we can.

Mr. Robot

Fri, 5 Nov 2004 05:13:31 GMT

Having previously leaked some details and concept images to our forum about the project we are working on. We are now happy to announce that 'Mr. Robot' will be the next game we release. Hopefully sometime early in 2005.

We've opened a dedicated section on the forum for Mr. Robot discussion, and you will still be able to get an exclusive look behind the scenes at Mr. Robot's development by keeping an eye out for our developer diary updates.

This project will (deliberately) push back work on Battlescape by approximately 6 months. Although we will still be working on some aspects of the the game, and the intention is that some of Mr. Robot's development will add features to the codebase required for both games.

Check out the new Mr. Robot forum and post any questions here.

Retroblast.com Reviews Starscape

Wed, 13 Oct 2004 07:47:13 GMT

Arcade news and reviews site Retroblast has put up a review of Starscape
Another detailed review which also includes a few low resolution videos of the game.

' As you progress throughout this alien realm, the visuals become quite stunning'
'The larger enemy craft possess frighteningly devastating and unpredictable weapons that blast, spray, and discharge vile death at every turn.'
Starscape is a tremendous achievement that truly serves to illustrate the awesome combined talent and experience of the folks at Moonpod.

Read the full review

New Starscape Review over at Shmups.com

Fri, 8 Oct 2004 07:23:47 GMT

Shmups.com (The Shoot-Em-Up Information Site) has posted a review of Starscape

Seems like the reviewer liked it as he gave it 9/10!
The review nicely highlights some points about Starscape that arre probably key to whether it will appeal to someone, and makes a guess what sort of gamer would enjoy it - a great idea.

Shmups.com Starscape Review
Shmups website
Shmups Forum (A fantastic place to get news and information about Shoot-Em-Up games)

Starscape Minor Update #2

Fri, 27 Aug 2004 11:59:03 GMT

Starscape has been updated to version 1.5c.
This is a small update to fix save loading issues reported two days ago by some users of WindowsME.
As before, there is no need to upgrade if you have not experienced any problems.
Full installs, and also a small 1.5 -1.5c patch are available from the customer panel as usual.

Starscape Minor Update

Tue, 17 Aug 2004 15:32:45 GMT

Starscape has been updated to version 1.5b. This update contains minor compatibility changes for users with Roaming profiles, and users with a My Documents folder redirected to a network drive.
There is no need to upgrade if you have not experienced any problems.
Full installs, and also a small 1.5 -1.5b patch are available from the customer panel as usual.

Starscape 1.5 has also had a full compatibility test with Windows XP Service Pack 2, and has not exhibited any of the issues some other games are reporting.

Arcade Locator Project

Thu, 12 Aug 2004 11:31:37 GMT

We've just launched an online database for finding arcade machines. There's only a couple of entries so far, but we are hoping the list will grow and become a useful resource.
If you know of any cool or rare arcade machines in your local area, please help us out by contributing to the project.

More information can be found at the arcade locator project home

Starscape Voted Number 1 Indie Game!

Thu, 29 Jul 2004 16:14:06 GMT

Starscape has been voted Number 1 Indie game at FreelanceGames.com, just beating one of our favourite games: Crimsonland, into second place (Worth checking out if you haven't already). There's lots of other great games maing their way into the top ten (We are hoping Gish does well, because we loved it's originality) so we are sure there will be another challenge to the crown before long.

We feel especially honoured because all games are voted for by the public. Special thanks to everybody who voted for us; you can download the latest demo of Starscape here if you haven't already.

New High Score Table

Fri, 2 Jul 2004 10:41:25 GMT

High score table version 2 is now available here.

New features include:
*Top 400 players now accessible.
*Full survival mode score codes now accepted.
*Demo (5 minute mode) survival score codes can be uploaded.
*Survival tables will now update each month.
Full survival mode scores can be uploaded from the customer panel.

Demo users can also record their high scores from the highscore table. This feature is available to everyone - so download the demo and record your score for posterity!

Extended High Quality Music Pack

Wed, 30 Jun 2004 12:17:06 GMT

An extended high-quality music pack for Starscape is now available to download from the customer panel.

This updates the in game music to be full length tracks, which are also stored at a far higher quality than has previously been available.

This update requires Starscape 1.5 to be installed, and is not required for the CD-ROM version.

Starscape New Edition available

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 22:59:10 GMT

Starscape 1.5 is now available, Get it while it's hot!. Existing users can get the new installer from the customer panel

Or the new demo is available to all here.

This is one of the biggest updates that Starscape has ever had; here's a brief overview of some of the new features and changes
*Compatibility with the new online high score system (At long last, this will support Survival Mode, and will change on a monthly basis. Look out for the new score table going online sometime within the next couple of days - that's a promise!)
*Major overhaul of Bosses 1, 2 and 5. They are even more fun now, and are also quite a bit tougher; so should be a bit more of a challenge - We hope you are up to it
*Warp map icons and the in game Aegis status icons have all been updated to be more logical and easier on the eye.
*Survival unlimited has been playtested extensively, and numerous tweaks have been introduced to perfect gameplay.
*Lots of fixes for minor annoyances/glitches/things that might leave you feel cheated (Yes - the Aegis crew have had intensive training from Bud Weisman, and should be far more accurate with those laser turrets now!)
*Gameplay balancing tweaks based on extensive forum feedback (thanks everyone!)
*Yet more special effects (we always like to add a little eye candy. Hopefully the new Aegis explosion should be a consolation for losing your crew!)
*Even more compatibility code for problem pads (Starscape has been tested in house with more than fifty common game controllers under all operating systems)

...and lots, lots more: check out the forum announcement for a detailed list of all new features in Starscape 1.5

Secret Gallery Phase II Complete!

Fri, 14 May 2004 01:03:46 GMT

The secret gallery has been updated with some new free downloadable goodies for our customers. A new menu system is in place which should allow things to be added more easily in the future. At least one item has been added to each of the categories except the 'endzone' section - as with everything we do, there's loads more to come as and when we can make it ready.

Complete list of updates:
*StarWarrior Alpha - A look back to our very first test build of 'Star Warrior' (the game that later became Starscape). For anyone interested in the evolution of Starscape's development, or game development in general.
*Wallpapers- Rin and JJ hand-shaded abstract backrops.
*Concept Art - Maya, Rin, Xenarch, storyboard frame 1, and initial ship concept.
*Trailers - specials, flash, banners, towers. Not the most exciting addition, but we got so many requests from people who wanted to see the custom art, so we dug it up!
log in to the customer panel to grab everything!

New Starscape Review

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 09:59:51 GMT

To accompany its interview with Mark, All Out Games has now posted a review of Starscape. We think this is one of the most well rounded and in depth reviews yet:

"Easy controls and simple mechanics give way to tactical decisions, skill-rewarding action, and absolutely gorgeous 2D graphics, making this a game with a little something for everyone. "

"Starscape's beautiful skirmishes fought in deep space feature all the eye candy you could hope for and then some."

"This is one made for fans of shooters, and it does what it does extremely well."

"Beautiful graphics, fun story, lots of things to build and upgrade, lots of great bosses..."

If you're a fan of shooters and you have a PC, break out your credit card now.

Well, we certainly hope the last one is true

Check out the full review here.

All Out Games Interview

Wed, 7 Apr 2004 10:38:33 GMT

All Out Games has an interview with Moonpod's very own Mark Featherstone.

Check it out here

Starscape - One Year Old Today!

Wed, 24 Mar 2004 20:51:28 GMT

It has been exactly one year today since Starscape was released. In that time reviews have far surpassed our expectations, it has won Gametunnel's Game of the Year award, had over ten updates, and is still as popular as ever. In fact we could not have wished for a warmer reception!

We'd like to thank everyone who bought and loved Starscape, who mailed in with ideas and encouragement, and volunteered their thoughts and opinions on our forum. We have been overwhelmed by your continuing support, and you have helped to make Moonpod the company it is and to shape our future projects.

-Happy Birthday Starscape!

Development Diary

Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:57:16 GMT

We are now keeping a development diary, and have opened a new section on the forum. We will be going into far more detail than usual about the game development process, so it may be of interest to any aspiring game developers, or just if you'd like a peek behind the scenes.

The first entry has been posted and covers some of the initial work we've been doing to get Battlescape up and running.

Starscape 1.4e Update

Fri, 20 Feb 2004 16:27:33 GMT

Starscape 1.4e has been released. Existing users can get the update from the customer panel
Or If you are using the demo version, get the demo update here

Brief overview of what's changed in this version:
*Success/failure screen animations.
*New equipment: Mining laser and tractor beam for the Aegis
*Mid level batteries and shields are more useable
*Iceteroid mining is now much more dangerous.
*A couple of nice new explosion effects.
*All configuration options are now accessible via a dialogue box. This pops up the first time the game is run and is also available from a shortcut on the startmenu.
*Fixed D3D sprite corruption when task switching and changing options.
*Further bug fixes and user interface useability improvements.

A full list of enchancements and bug fixes can be found on the update pages.

Starscape Nominated For 'Best Graphics of the Year'

Fri, 13 Feb 2004 14:16:54 GMT

Gaming review site DIY Games have just published their Game Of The Year awards, and Starscape has been chosen as a finalist for the 'Best Graphics of the Year' category!

We've said it before, but it's nice to be nominated alongside some of our own favourite games of the year such as Alien Shooter and next to games such as massive assault that were made with a much bigger team and budget.

Check out all the nominations here.

Battlescape

Wed, 11 Feb 2004 22:33:09 GMT

We are finally able to announce the name for our next game, which will be 'Battlescape'. Now we can stop saying 'the next game' on the forums!

We've opened a dedicated section on the forum for Battlescape discussion. The previous thread in 'General' (which was one of the most visited topics on our forum and had well over 100 posts!) has been moved and chopped up into its various subjects.

We've also included some initial design information and two concept art pictures. We intend to post updates and progress information as often as we can with Battlescape so that everyone can see where we are, offer opinion and get a behind the scenes look at game development.

Check out the new Battlescape forum and post any questions here:

Starscape Wins 'Independent Game Of The Year'

Tue, 30 Dec 2003 16:46:06 GMT

'Independent Game Of The Year' - The final category of the Game Tunnel 2003 awards has been announced and Starscape is the winner! Game Tunnel's four judges voted Starscape number one out of the ten nominees and Starscape also won the reader's poll.

Read the full story here

We were really happy just to be nominated alongside some of this year's classics such as Alien Shooter and Samurai. Winning the top category is a great way to end the year for Moonpod.

Judging by the quality of titles released in the past 12 months, 2004 is going to be a great year for independent games. We look forward to seeing them and also releasing our next game. See you all in 2004, have a Happy New Year!