Getting To Know Project Stratosphir - Today's Topic: Gravity

Over the past few weeks, Head Moderator Adz has teased the community with daily screenshots of Atmosphir’s latest update, codenamed Project Stratosphir. For many of us, these screenshots and (occasional) videos are the only connection we have with the game until its launch, which is currently aimed at February 8th, 2010. Today, I would like to bring you one step closer to understanding all of the exciting new features which will be made available on this exciting date. Between now and February 8th, I will try to write up one (or maybe more?) articles every day, each one focusing on a different aspect of the new engine. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for reading!

One of the biggest new features of Atmosphir is the ability to change gravity. As it has been demonstrated in various videos, the designer is now capable of rotating the entire level in order to accomplish incredible feats that would have been impossible in previous versions.

There are a few ways to rotate gravity, depending on your current role. I’ll begin simply, with the designer mode. Default keys for rotating gravity are the Z and X keys on the keyboard. Simply tapping one of these two keys will rotate the entire stage. By default, holding the Shift and R keys will rotate an object in a vertical circle, while hitting only the R key will produce a simple horizontal rotation. This is useful for when you do not want to flip an entire level in order to place a rotated block or piece.

Within play mode, gravity can be changed through Gravity Changers, which are placed on the map by the designer in design mode. These devices are very simple; simply running into one will rotate the level and cause the player to fall in that direction, when applicable. By default, these gravity shifters will respawn five seconds after use. The designer may change this variable, however, so beware!

As seen in the above picture, Gravity Changers have an arrow in them indicating the direction the gravity will be shifted to. A tip for players: Be sure to take a look at which direction you are being moved to before touching a Gravity Changer. It is very possible that you may be moved to an undesired location as a result. A tip for designers: If a player dies, gravity does not return to normal when they return to the checkpoint. Be careful of this when designing gravity-based puzzles. As common cure for this problem is to place a gravity changer on the checkpoint itself; when the player respawns, they will instantly touch the changer.

Changing gravity in a level affects all aspects which are not locked into the grid. This includes, but may not be limited to, players, enemies, boxes, beach balls, coconuts, and anything else which is not locked into place.

Gravity levels can also be changed in the Rules menu. Higher gravity will cause players to fall more quickly, shorten the height they can jump, as well as affect other aspects which are not locked into the grid. Gravity can also be reduced; this means higher jumps and slower falling.

Needless to say, gravity changers will become a huge aspect of future levels. Such an interesting concept can make an ordinary level extraordinary. Remember, too much of a good thing can be bad! Avoid spamming the gravity changer at all costs. It makes for an unappealing and generally unpleasant level. I’m looking forward to your adventures with this new tool!

Welcome to 2010!

To begin, happy new year from the Atmosphirian! We’re entering into 2010, and already some exciting news has come from the Atmosphir staff and community!

First, to the disappointment of some, the release date for Project Stratosphir has been pushed back. Dave (OkaySamurai) has said that they are hesitant to establish another date, but has said that they are aiming for February 5, 2010. His official announcement can be found here.

On that note, the migration to the new game has begun. On January 12, 2010, a deadline was drawn for level uploads and high scores. Any levels uploaded or any scores earned past this date will not be migrated into the new game. While this means that the game is essentially dead at the moment, it does show that the migration is indeed beginning.

Due to the lack of new content to review, the Editorial Staff has decided to take a break from their job for the time being. The last review to be uploaded to the news page will be on Saturday, January 16. They will resume operations one week after Project Stratosphir’s launch.

Adz has been fueling the community’s craze lately, releasing a new screenshot from Project Stratosphir roughly every day. These screenshots feature various aspects of the game, most often gameplay. The official thread for these screenshots can be found here.

Screenshot posted by Adz on January 13, 2010

Dave has also made it known that he has allowed a very exclusive and small group into Stratosphir prebeta. He has asked that this select group of individuals remain anonymous to the community. In a reassuring statement to the community, he said:

“I have asked these people to remain anonymous and keep their testing confidential, because I don't want it to become a you vs. them thing. Truth be told, I could easily name 100+ of you that could fit these roles, so please don't be offended or take things personally if you're not selected for this particular task. We just need about 10 people to help us iron out several remaining bugs before launch, and unfortunately don't have the time to set up and review a full-blown application process.” –OkaySamurai

The official announcement can be found here.

Needless to say, 2010 is going to be the biggest year for Atmosphir yet. With the biggest update since launch just around the corner, the community is ready for the next chapter of Atmosphir’s life.

That’s all for today everyone, thanks for reading!

Atmosphir Live! 12.21.09

Atmosphir Live! has been a highlight of the community for quiet some time. Run by Off-Topic moderator Marcod, Atmosphir Live! is a live stream of various levels being played in-game. The levels chosen are requested in the weeks before the web show is done.

Recently there was quite a bit of hype surrounding one of Atmosphir’s favorite web shows. Announced by Marcod on the official thread, there would be a surprise in the next airing. Members of the community, anxious to see what this new surprise would be, tuned in tonight.

The show itself was the same as always. During the preshow, Marcod attempted to navigate The Death Tunnels, one of Atmosphir’s best known series, much to the delight of the viewers. The next two hours were spent playing through requests made throughout the week. Viewers were able to chat through the Live Chat positioned next to stream, provided by Ustream.

At the end of the night, the long-awaited surprise was unveiled. As some might have guessed, it was indeed a screenshot featuring the upcoming Project Stratosphir.

Above: Project Stratosphir screenshot released during Atmosphir Live!

This new screenshot, provided by Head Moderator Adz, features one of Atmosphir’s most popular enemies, the Crab. Notice the other features of the screenshot, especially the lighting effects that have been added to the game.

If you missed the airing, don’t worry; you can watch the video on Ustream by clicking here.

New Screenshot Released: Co-Op Gameplay

Above: The latest Project Stratosphir screenshot.

Earlier today, Adz dropped yet another screenshot into the community, sparking plenty of new conversations. As pictured above, this screenshot features a pink-haired player standing amidst many floating islands. It has also been pointed out that the skybox featured may be a new addition.

For the first time, Dave (OkaySamurai) has spoken about one of these screenshots. In a quote earlier today, he said:

“A little extra detail: That is taken from a prototype co-op level I made. You and a friend have to help each other by triggering moving platforms, standing on each other's heads, shooting bombs across floating islands to open up areas, etc. Pretty fun level, I've played through it with both Martin and April.” –OkaySamurai

With a little background, this screenshot takes on many new meanings. Now we understand it to feature one of the first co-op maps. In addition to that, it mentions some of the co-op gameplay aspects, namely moving platforms, standing on one another, and firing bombs to open up new areas for other players. It seems as if these are only a few aspects of co-op that are made possible with the new engine.

The official post releasing this screenshot can be found here.

Teamwork will definitely be taken to a new level with the new update. It is uncertain how the system for Co-Op will work, but as Dave said, it is sure to be fun for everyone.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading, everyone! Happy Holidays!

New Video: Ten New Features You Might Not Know About

Today, OkaySamurai (Dave) released a video showcasing Project Stratosphir once again. This time, the focus was on content we as the community may not have been aware of. The title, Ten New Features You Might Not Know About, does everything the name implies: ten unique and fairly minor features are pointed out to us. These ten features are…

1) Flags wave in the wind, and the direction they point is the direction the character faces when spawning. This information was released by Adz earlier in the week. This means that, when spawning, the player will begin facing the direction the flag is pointing. In the current version of the game, there was a set direction you would face, which could be hard to determine.

2) You can select stuff by clicking it, no matter what floor you’re on (and double clicking brings up properties). This is an interesting new feature which allows you to select hazards, props, etc. anywhere on the map, without moving floors. As said, double clicking some props will bring up a new window to adjust properties for that particular piece.

Above: New information props allow you to display dialogue boxes.

3) Info stickers allow you to create mini dialogue boxes to give hints or tell a story. Large information circles are the new props for the new update. Making contact with any of them will display a previously-set dialogue box. These could be used for tutorials, give hints, or form a plot.

4) 3D Copy and Paste lets you create large levels in a matter of minutes. Showcased earlier in the year, the 3D Copy and Paste will be a valuable tool for all designers. Currently, we are limited to a single plane when copy and pasting. With this, we will be able to make cubic sections, allowing for more elaborate copying and pasting.

5) Lasers are a new rapid-fire ranged weapon for players to use (as long as you include ammo in your level). While not old news by any means, this video gives us the first demonstration of how lasers operate. As displayed, lasers are long-range weapons which are seemingly useful for shooting far-off enemies with accuracy.

6) If you don’t have a weapon equipped, you can still fight. In the current version of the game, players without a hand-held weapon were forced to jump on enemies as a main form of attack. With the new engine, these players without weapons will be able to fight using their fists.

7) New ragdoll physics lead to some pretty cool deaths. Currently, deaths take place in one spot, and are a repeated action. With the new physics engine, each death will be unique. Limbs will move differently, and bodies can go flying. Essentially, this is meant to be similar to how a human body would act in the situation.

8) Bombable blocks now have health and respawn values. In the current game, bombable blocks are destroyed after one hit with a bomb, and they never respawn. With the new engine, bombable blocks may take multiple hits, and might even return after a set amount of time.

9) Spawn lists allow you to have multiple enemies pop out of a single spot. This new feature is seemingly unexplored in the past. Put simply, it appears that you can set the game to spawn a variety of enemies in a single spot. In the current game, only one enemy may be spawned at any given space.

Above: Fine-tuned block placements allows you to create interesting structures.

10) More fine-tuned block placement lets you create some pretty crazy stuff. Probably the most amusing part of the video, the fine-tuned block placement opens an infinite number of possibilities. In the video, a giant sculpture was created using various blocks and props. It will be interesting to see how designers use this ability.

Needless to say, this video has caused quite a bit of discussion in the community. While Stratosphir might have been released today, we’ll have to accept the facts and eagerly await January 12.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

Stratosphir – Screenshot and Release Date

To begin, Adz has released yet another new screenshot within the past week, once again featuring gameplay with the new engine. However, this new shot does not showcase a new feature. Rather, it seems to simply be a display of a level itself.

Above: The latest Stratosphir screenshot.

Along with this treat, Adz also announced a new gameplay feature that is being added, due to much demand. In the new version of the game, players will begin the level facing the direction the flag is starting. A small tidbit of information, yet still a well-received one.

At long last, Dave (OkaySamurai) has announced an official release date. Due to unexpected issues with the new system, launch will not take place in December, as previously hoped. Rather, the new, official date will be Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The team has expressed their apologies for the delay, but believe it is absolutely necessary for the good of the game. Dave made a statement concerning the delay earlier today:

“Right now everything dealing with atmos, the player's club, and marketplace is still a work in progress - the process has taken longer than we originally estimated. While other things are more or less working decently enough for people to access, there are dozens of issues that we're still working on.” –OkaySamurai

You can read his full report here.

So while Stratosphir might not be the early Christmas present the community was hoping for, we can all rest easy knowing that the game will only be better with time. Until then, we’ll have to continue with the current version of the game. If you have any unfinished levels, here is your time to finish them!

That’s all for today, everyone. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

Adz Releases Multiple Laser Screenshots

It seems that, for the time, all activity has halted, aside from the Stratosphir screenshots topic posted by Adz. Over the past few days, he has posted several screenshots letting the anxious community get a brief glimpse of Stratosphir.

First two screenshots were released, comparing the display of the current version of Atmosphir to Stratosphir’s advanced graphics. The second screenshot came to us yesterday through the Atmosphirian, displaying a multiplayer battlefield screenshot as a reward for completing the Time Trial Tower Dash play challenge.

Above: The Atmosphirian-exclusive multiplayer screenshot.

Since then, two new screenshots have been posted. The first of these two was rewarded for correctly guessing the purpose of the glowing spheres in the multiplayer screenshot. As it turns out, these were laser ammo spheres, which allow you to use your laser gun.

Above: A close-up shot of the laser ammo powerups.

The screenshot rewarded shows a close-up of the laser ammo powerups. In addition, there are several other things to notice. First, the music and globe powerups shown to the right and left of the ammo. Next, you may notice that the player is not wearing a shirt. Finally, to the community’s amusement, the “Skybox =)” and “Skybox =(“ images on the left-hand column.

Above: The laser gun, firing a pink beam.

For good behavior, Adz decided to release yet another laser screenshot later this evening. This time we see the pink laser ammo in action, apparently firing a beam. Notice the over-the-shoulder view of the game.

Fueled by Adz, the hype for Stratosphir grows even larger as the undefined release date approaches. We can only hope that it will live up to expectations.

That’s it for now, thanks for reading!

Interview with Head Moderator Adz

Today the Atmosphirian has the pleasure to post an interview held with one of Atmosphir’s busiest members, Adz. A few months ago, he was selected as the Player of the Week by the Atmosphirian. He graciously accepted my invitation, and our interview took place on December 2, 2009, through private messages on IRC.

Colinnn: As one of Atmosphir's first members, you've been with the game for quite awhile. What would you say has been the best part of being around the community/game for so long?

Adz: I really have enjoyed seeing the community and the game itself evolve over time. The levels that the community has created have gotten better and better over time, and I really look forward to seeing what people do with Stratosphir.

Colinnn: Last August, you were promoted to Head Moderator. What exactly does this mean? Do you enjoy your new job?

Adz: As Head Moderator, this means that I am able to moderate all sections (obviously), but it also means I am in charge of the other moderators too. In a way, I am in charge of the whole community, and it doesn't come without its stresses and tough decisions. But I really enjoy being able to give something back to both the community and MiSt. I also enjoy being able to speak directly with Dave. :)

Colinnn: The community generally agrees that you never seem to be away from the forums. Do you ever take breaks? What else do you enjoy doing?

Adz: The main reason it appears that I am always on the forums is that I am able to access the forums wherever I go. At work I am able to keep the forums in the background, and at home, I have both my computers and consoles next to each other. I particularly enjoy playing games on my PS3 (I only tend to use my Xbox or Wii if there is a good console exclusive game). I am currently playing the MAG beta, an awesome FPS like C.O.D Modern Warfare, only with 256 players on one map. Absolutely stunning to play. I also spend a fair amount of time with my wonderful girlfriend, who currently is away at Oxford University, but comes back this Saturday :D

Colinnn: As the community knows, Stratosphir is right around the corner. How do you feel about the upcoming release?

Adz: Stratosphir completely overshadows any other Atmosphir update in terms of features. The amount of things possible with these features is astounding. Whenever I think about what is possible, I always find myself coming up with new ideas. For example: imagine a running track of stone columns on their side. With the free rotate tool, they could be positioned in any way you want! Thanks to the long wait for the release of Stratosphir, the amount of anticipation for this is amazing; I can't wait to see how the community reacts when it comes out. That, and to see if MiSt's servers can withstand everyone flooding onto the site at once ;)

Colinnn: As head moderator, you have a great responsibility that many people admire. What would you say to members of the community that want to play a greater role in the community?

Adz: My advice would be to contribute in any way possible, whether it is making signatures (as I did) or commenting on levels, Writing reviews or just helping answer questions in the support board. As long as you are making a good impact and being noticed by community members, not just the moderators, then not only are you playing a greater role in the community, but also have a greater chance of being selected to join the Moderators and/or Editorial Staff.

Colinnn: Thanks for your time, Adz. Do you have any last words for the community?

Adz: I would like to say thank you to the community for being so great generally. And as a treat for getting 20 people on Colinnn's level, enjoy this screenshot: http://i50.tinypic.com/24uxdds.jpg

Above: The latest Stratosphir screenshot.

The Atmosphirian is a news source written for the community, and as such, it is important to involve the people of this community. We have to hold many more interviews with various Atmosphir players and designers in the future.

Because this is a community effort, we value your feedback. If you wish to contact us to offer your opinions on an article, ask a question or just about anything else, feel free to tweet us at @atmosphirian or email us at theatmosphirian@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

New Winter Design, Another Screenshot Coming, Moderator Applications Come To An End

If you are viewing the website through the homepage, it is likely that you have noticed the new winter-themed layout. This month, our header is made using Giantfishy’s level, Mountain Hopping [Winter2009]. Want to tell the Atmosphirian what you think? Send a message to us on Twitter (@Atmosphirian) and let us know!

Several people have asked which level was used for the fall-themed banner. The answer is The Tree of Autumn by Colinnn.

head moderator Adz is once again taunting the community with yet another Stratosphir screenshot. However, no one has seen it yet. As opposed to last time, Adz will be forcing the community to earn this screenshot through a play challenge. This time, the challenge is for twenty people to complete Time Trial Tower Dash [Mini09]. The challenge began with nine people already on the leaderboards, leaving only eleven more spaces to fill. Look forward to a new screenshot once the challenge has been fulfilled.

The applications for moderator positions in the community come to a close tonight. In an undisclosed method, the new additions to the moderator team will be selected from these applications. Moderator Bigdrip681 has stated that his best estimate is that a decision will be reached in roughly a week, although this is by no means official. Until then, all that can be done is to wait patiently for the results.

That’s all for tonight everyone, thanks for reading!

New Stratosphir Screenshots Cause Commotion

With the upcoming release of Project Stratosphir this month, the feeling of anxiety in the community has only heightened in the past few days. With a few groundbreaking screenshots posted, it doesn’t look like this hype will be dying anytime soon.

Marcod’s discovery in a recent jumpstart.

The first screenshot posted was in reply to the Atmosphirian Open Forum, by Marcod. In it, he has labeled several points of interest. First is a bar which is labeled “LV” which is presumed to stand for “Level.” This implies a possible leveling system which has been implemented into Atmosphir somehow. Next is a small blue circle labeled “VS.” It can be assumed that this refers to some kind of versus score. On the right side, there is a label which says “Tokens Collected.” At this time, we have no idea what this could mean. Below that is “XP Level,” which is most likely related to the “LV” point referenced before.

The next screenshots posted were from Adz, comparing Stratosphir to the current version of Atmosphir. These images can be seen here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=11152.0

The difference between each screenshot is evident almost immediately. To most obvious difference is the addition of shaders, which add a new level of depth to the display. Colors seems to be much more vibrant, which is shockingly beautiful. Gems now have an added glowing effect, making them stand out more in a level. Torches now have much more realistic flames, as well as serving as a noticeable source of light. After observing the textures on each block, you will see that detail has been increased significantly as well.

To say the least, these images are causing a large amount of conversation in the community. Each user is offering their own opinions and thoughts on the new screenshots, which makes for an interesting read. With the first day of December already here, the commotion is coming to a climax as we await Stratosphir’s launch sometime this month.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading!

Moderator News, Arcade09 Voting, New Quick Look

To begin, the Atmosphirian would like to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving, or Happy Turkeylurkey Day as it has been named on the forums. Safe travels to anyone who is traveling, and have a great time!

There have been a few changes in the placement of moderators in the community. Long-time moderator Landorindustries has stepped down from his position in the Atmosphir board due to personal reasons. Therefore, former Support moderator Wowfunhappy has taken his place. Due to a lack of leadership in the competition section, former Ideas moderator Colinnn has taken over as moderator there. Please support these changes, and give them as much support as possible as they get situated.

For the first time in months, moderator applications have opened up. These applications are open to anyone in the community. From the applicants, the current moderator team will choose roughly five to join their ranks. Submissions are due by December 5th. The official post, with a link to the submission form, can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10933.0

Voting for Arcade09, the last design challenge before the launch of Project Stratosphir, has been opened. Votes are due by November 27, which can be submitted to Atmosphirvote. Remember to vote for the levels you feel are the best-fitting for the current challenge. Good luck to everyone! Don’t forget that there is a play challenge in effect as well! The official post can be found here: http://www.atmosphir.com/forum/index.php?topic=10925.0

A new Stratosphir Quick Look has been released, featuring a new level named Linden’s Peak. This level, created entirely with the new engine, showcases many of the new features of the game, including scaling/rotation, new bomb-able blocks, moving platforms, and more! Be sure to check it out for yourself here: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/11/quick-look-lindens-peak/

Well everyone, that’s it for today. Once again, safe travels and thanks for reading!

Halloween09 Results, Final Pre-Stratosphir Design Challenge, YouTube Channel

Happy Halloween from the Atmosphirian! Hope you had a great time!

Yesterday, Dave (OkaySamurai) announced the winners of the second Halloween design challenge, Halloween09. There were many great entries, but as usual, only the top ten were mentioned. As is custom, 3^rd place will win 250 atmos, 2^nd will win 500, and 1^st will win 1000. So here they are, the community-picked winners:

10. Demonic by Daimon

9. Forbidden Fortress by Quigon

8. Castle of Legends by MarcoK

7. The Temple of Xar by Creator7

6. Dry Bone Dungeon by Maxinima

5. Inferno Tower by Boberto

4. Welcome to the House of Fun by DuffyZeEmu

Coming in third was Trinity Castle by JazeGeek. As Dave explained it, “When you first approach Trinity Castle, you find your path blocked by a double-locked door. A little exploring in the outside area takes you to an abandoned well, where you descend to begin finding keys and other secrets that will aid you on your journey. Once inside, you’ll progress through multiple colored tile rooms, many with additional secrets of their own (there’s a clever trick for getting into one that I hadn’t seen used before). A fun adventure with a satisfying ending.”

Next, in second place, was Trick or Treat by Saunby. “This title doesn’t give you much of a choice, but there are actually quite a few treats (in green gem form) scattered around this stonewalled temple. But the tricks are definitely there too…one particular ingenious puzzle has you figuring out how to jump into a hole in the middle of a sea of spikes. Saunby has really stepped up in the world of Atmosphir designers, and it’s nice to see him get recognized for it here,” as Dave said.

And finally, coming in first for the second year in a row was none other than the community’s biggest Tolkein fan, Frodo. His level, Mining Moria, is a revised version of his Halloween08 level, The Mines of Moria. As said by Dave, “It seems pretty fitting that frodo has reclaimed the Halloween design challenge crown for the second year in the row. This followup throws you back into Moria, but now things feel a little more open-ended with lots of treasures and secrets to uncover. I really enjoyed the novel use of ceiling spike traps to create obstacles like midair staircases, and the constant collectables definitely help engage the player and keep them moving forward right to the end.”

Once again, congratulations to the winners, as well as anyone who entered.

The next design challenge will be released in the very near future. One thing to note about this particular upcoming challenge is that it will be the final design challenge before the release of Project Stratosphir. As many pointed out, this means that the time is almost here. These suspicions will be confirmed in the next podcast done by Martin and Dave, as they will supposedly be announcing the official release date, as well as answering questions from the community. Keep an eye on Twitter and the news page for official news regarding the podcast, as well as the next design challenge.

In Atmosphirian news, we’ve created our very own YouTube page! There isn’t much to look at right now, but it will be improved over the next few days. With any luck, the Atmosphirian might start hosting video journals, level walkthroughs, and many other things. Want to tell us what you think of that? Send us a message on Twitter at @atmosphirian! The YouTube Channel can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Atmosphirian - Be sure to subscribe if you want to stay up-to-date with Atmosphir’s leading news source! Don’t forget to follow Atmosphirian on Twitter if you haven’t already!

Once again, Happy Halloween everyone. Thanks for reading!

107 Days In Review

The last serious update to the Atmosphirian was on August 15^th, discussing the community and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. Since then, many things have happened in the Atmosphir community. Tonight, I will be writing a brief overview of the past 107 days.

But first, I owe you, the community a formal apology. I will not make excuses for not updating the Atmosphirian for the past 107 days. I should have been able to fit in time to write, but I chose not to do so. From now on, I will make a better effort to write as much as possible. Believe me, this blog means as much to me as it means to you. It’s my way of giving back to the community.

First off, the Atlympics that we were following months ago have come to an end. The final round was between Cmmatzat and Drfuzzyness. Both designers entered amazing levels. Cmmatzat entered “Platforming through the Worlds” to match Drfuzzyness’s “The END Machine.” As expected, the final round was to be determined by the community. Unfortunately, we did not do our part in the voting. The final score was 1-0 for Cmmatzat. Although anti-climatic, this did declare Cmmatzat to be the overall winner. Both levels were amazingly well done, and both finalists should be proud to have made it as far as they did. It has not been determined if there will be a second round of the Atlympics at the time of writing. A poll reveals that the majority of the community wants another competition. Keep looking in the Competition section for any possible updates regarding this.

Space09, the last design challenge, has come to an end. As you may recall, the objective was to create a space-themed level in whatever fashion you preferred. There were many great entries, but as with all design challenges, only ten were mentioned and only three won prizes. In order, here are the winners: Flora of Elightiron (JessetheWanderer), Crippled in the Night II (EdacOnag), Mini Station Challenge (TheUltimateYoshi), Space Piracy (Lemon), The Core (Krakrjakz), In Space No One Can Hear You AHHWARGHAHEGAH (Bender), and Journey to the Star Realm (Wowfunhappy). The top three levels were: Escape From the Moon (Robcozzens) in 3^rd, Luminescent Skies (Boberto) in 2nd, and Munchy365’s Exploratorium: The Star Port (by Munchy365). As usual, 3^rd place will receive 250 Atmos, 500 for 2^nd, and 1,000 for first. Congratulations to all the winners, as well as anyone who participated!

Along with the closing of Space09 comes a new design challenge. As a matter of fact, the month of September is a dual design challenge, which essentially means that two challenges are taking place at the same time. Unfortunately, due to the lack of Atmosphirian updates, I haven’t been able to share this information with you until tonight, which happens to be the deadline. Just to review, the two challenges are Small09 and Big09. Your Small09 levels should be contained in a 20 x 20 x 20 space on the grid. Big09 levels should have at least one block on floor one, and at least one on floor 100. In addition, most of the space should be filled. As I said, the deadline for these two challenges was today, and voting will begin tomorrow. Remember to PM your votes to Atmosphirvote within the next few days, and look out for the winners in the next jumpstart!

The community itself has been altered a bit within the past 107 days as well. Some users have left us, while new ones have joined. New groups have been established. Events have come and passed. Overall, it has been a very exciting past few months.

First of all, it was decided that there would be a team of six users who would make up the Editorial Staff. The job of the Editorial Staff is to pick which creations will receive the honor of Level of the Day, as well as write a short review or summary of the level. Applications were open to anyone, and the results were picked by Dave (OkaySamurai) himself. Eventually, the team was announced. The results were: Adz, Boberto, Colinnn, EdacOnag, EliteBlackDragon, and Munchy365. Since chosen, the team has picked every LOTD since, with the exception of a few days that Dave stepped in. For the time being, the team has decided to remain at six members, although this may change in the future.

As time goes on, leadership positions in a community change. Some people leave us, while others take their place. It’s a never-ending cycle. Within the past month, it was decided that some new mods were necessary. Nuinethir stepped down from his position in Off-Topic, while Blunty and Frederik stepped down as well. The remaining moderators voted on who they would like to replace them with. Their decision brought three new moderators into the community: Marcod, Boberto, and Colinnn. Marcod will take over for Nuinethir in Off-Topic, while Colinnn and Boberto take over the Idea Box. Please give them your full support and a bit of patience as they adapt to their new jobs.

Today, acceptance for beta testing Atmosphir is coming to a close. It was announced by Dave that forum registrations have been officially been taken down until a later date. No more beta invites are being sent out. For the most part, there will not be any more newbies for quite some time, possibly until the release of Stratosphir.

Dave is in Buenos Aires this week, working with Martin to finalize plans for Stratosphir. The Minorstudios twitter has been updated with random tidbits of information about their work. Within the next week or so (hopefully), Dave and Martin will be filming a giant Mailbox episode together. Be sure to watch for an incredible amount of information.

Once again, my apologies for the lack of updates. I thank you all for sticking with me, and giving me the support and encouragement needed to open up Microsoft Word and begin to write again. As soon as I am back in the habit, I’m sure updates will come much faster. Until then, I will update when I feel able. So long everyone, and thanks for sticking with us.

Jumpstart 8.12.09

Today, at long last, a new Jumpstart was released. This morning, the Minor Studio’s twitter us updated with a notice saying they were filming. Roughly five hours later, the new Jumpstart was released.

The first thing to be reviewed was the final set of results for Mini09. After some very exciting voting, here they were:

10) The Obstacle Crab by Krakrjakz – Very interesting level. I was not actually able to beat it. The goal is to lure the crab around in order to complete certain challenges.

9) Bridgebuilder by Groud – One of my favorite levels. You must find all the moving platforms in the level in order to build a bridge across the valley.

8) Shooting Shaman by Boberto – Another interesting level. The goal is to shoot all the Muka shaman before time runs out. Another level I didn’t manage to finish.

7) Race Through the valley of the Gods by Cmmatzat – This level took me a few tries, but I did beat it. Challenges include running along a wall, climbing a mountain, and flying through several floating rings.

6) Muka Carnivale Game by Bigdrip681 – Similar to Shooting Shaman, the goal here is to fire bombast moving mukas.

5) Vertigo by Drfuzzyness – A classic survival. A moving platform travels across the level, and your goal is to stay on it until it reaches the end.

4) Ando Prime by Munchy365 – In my opinion, the best looking Mini09 level. Race a moving platform to the finish flag.

3) The Two Minute Test by Mrcoble – The first Mini09 level I played, and one of the best in my opinion. See Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

2) Evolution of Speed by Frodo – Hey, it’s the winner of the Level Spotlight not too long ago! See Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

1) Time Trial Tower Dash by Colinnn – It’s my level. Although Munchy told me to brag, I couldn’t. So see Jumpstart for Dave’s opinion.

As usual, that’s 1000 Atmos for first, 500 for second, and 250 for third.

Next, Dave talked about Space09. Click here for my article: http://atmosphirian.blogspot.com/2009/08/space09.html

Next was a Project Stratosphir update. Things are going well. Nearly all of the art assets have been imported. Also, all levels are now playable under the new engine. A few new features were seen in the video as well. First, it would appear that the health bars above enemies have been replaced by numbers representing their health. Second, it would appear that we get to fire lasers. They’re testing an over-the-shoulder view, which is looking interesting. A crosshair of sorts was also seen.

Finally, there was a mini mailbox. First, Dave was asked how many levels can be entered into Space09 by any one player. There is no limit, but it would be wise to focus on a single level. Second, Dave was asked if NPCs will be available with the new engine. Apparently they will not be added right away, but they will in time. Finally, Drfuzzyness gave Dave a cheat code for thirty extra lives. That was interesting.

After destroying the camera with a paper ball, we were given a nice surprise. A minute or so of cats attacking Atmosphir cutouts (and each other!) followed the video, closing with a name: Catmopshir. You really have to see it yourself to understand.

To watch the new Jumpstart for yourself (if you haven’t already), click here: http://atmosphir.com/news/2009/08/jumpstart-81209-space-30-lives-and-catmosphir/

That’s all for today everyone. Good luck with Space09!