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Time for another dose of monthly gnome madness. This time there’s a little sub-story that goes along with this location. It’s a roof of one of the longest buildings in Europe (don’t worry, we’re visiting only one end of it) and basically getting there was kind of difficult. I remember being on that roof about five years ago, and when I started creating 10 Gnomes series this year the idea of placing one episode over there struck me with it’s simplicity. But as I went there it turned out that the access is forbidden, doors are firmly shut with a lock, and they even replaced the old wooden door with a brand new, steel door. Sounds like and episode of Submachine. Closed door? No key? The idea of finding some acid and melting the lock struck me, but then I remembered that it was kind of illegal thing to do in real life, unless you’re in a deserted laboratory with nowhere to go. What would you do. Find the key. Get it from conservation team, or maintenance of the building. And that’s how I get hold of that key, with priceless help of my sister and her husband as they live in that very building, and arranged the key for me. Thanks guys. And it was a foggy day, the day I went there to shoot those pics, need I say more? Perfect combination of a roof, fog and pesky 10 gnomes to find will surely make your day brighter. Right?

Anyway – find 10 gnomes within 10 minutes. Have fun. I had a blast creating this episode. :D

Just two days ago I found out that someone has stolen my work from original Submachine1 using reverse engineering and then put those stolen graphics, stolen sounds and, most importantly stolen code into his game and called it his own. Not cool at all. The game is called Escape Da House 5, and obviously I won’t post a link to it here. You can google it up if you want to see this monstrosity with your own eyes, since the game is horrible, not only because the stolen goods but because gameplay is lame as hell and the creator has no sense of color whatsoever. The construction of menu and inventory shows his abilities in the field of programming (what happened, couldn’t you just steal that from the Submachine as well?) so feel free to play it and have a laugh about it. You can also comment on his site and even email him with congrats on a job well done, since you can easily find those contacts under the credits button in the game itself.

This may sound bitter, but I assure you it’s not. Honestly – it made me stronger, since everywhere I went (everywhere meaning some sites that host this game and hold comment section) people were recognizing the rip-off. And that was making me smile, because Submachines are a recognizable trademark and you can’t just steal it because it will not go unpunished.

The second thing – watching this game’s poor gameplay all I can say to it’s creator is – it’s not all about the graphics or coding or sounds that you can steal anytime anywhere. It’s all about THE STORY, man.

And last but not least: I feel strong, because I have my fans behind my back. They support me. I feel their breath on my shoulder, not only pushing me to create more games with better quality, but allowing me to just say:

so what?

when situation like this one occurs. Like Tony Soprano used to say: what can you do?… Sue his ass someone said – well it’s not worth the effort nor time. I’d rather make a new game. Gnomes, anyone?

Special thanks! goes to Karen Maple and Eric Himmelsbach who emailed me about this problem, and ShadowsQuest2500 who wrote about this on my forum.

ps – I know the timing of this post is somewhat unlucky, but I assure you this is not an april fool’s joke. :D

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Find 10 gnomes hidden in pictures in 10 minutes or less. Part 3.

Filozoficzne obrazki

Komiks Pan Blaki Karola Konwerskiego i Mateusza Skutnika to przykład połączenia filozoficznych rozważań z komiksową estetyką. Ważkie tematy zostały zaakcentowane przez czytelny przekaz, dzięki czemu rozważania tytułowego bohatera, zaczerpnięte z wykładów Leszka Kołakowskiego, stają się przystępne nawet dla czytelników nie mających zbyt wiele wspólnego z lekturą filozoficznych tekstów.

Tytułowy Blaki to nieszablonowa postać, zmagająca się z parzeniem herbaty w kuchni, a jednocześnie przesiadująca przed telewizorem w dużym pokoju. Konwerski i Skutnik zaproponowali mariaż filozofii z komiksową formą. Dzięki ich eksperymentowi ważkie tematy z Mini-wykładów o maxi-rzeczach Kołakowskiego docierają pod strzechy w prostym przekazie rysunkowym na wzór średniowiecznej Biblia pauperorum.

Niektórzy mogą protestować przeciwko koncepcji wykorzystania filozofii w dziele komiksowym, uważając, że taki zabieg może grozić zbrukaniem poważnych treści cenionego filozofa. Tymczasem prosty, obrazkowy Pan Blaki zasługuje na pełne poparcie i uznanie. Autorzy komiksu, wykorzystując rozważania nad sensem istnienia, wartościami, jakimi od wieków kierowała się zachodnia cywilizacja, odnaleźli drogę do świadomości czytelników, nie identyfikujących się na co dzień z arcypoważnymi treściami filozoficznymi. Konwerski zaadaptował przemyślenia Kołakowskiego dla przygód pana Blakiego, który bynajmniej nie jest wszystkowiedzącym bohaterem, mającym zawsze rację. Scenarzysta na przykładzie epizodów z własnego życia opisuje, a rysownik ilustruje maxi-sprawy, o których wspomina Kołakowski.

Skutnik wybrał czarno-białą tonację dla swego komiksu, nawiązując do dotychczasowych rozwiązań znanych z Morfołaków. Rysownik uznał, że ograniczenie kolorystyczne do dwóch barw odzwierciedla czarno-białe widzenie świata w większości życiowych sytuacji. Kadry komiksu są niewątpliwym złudzeniem, gdyż jednocześnie autorzy udowadniają, że między tymi dwoma kolorami znajdują się różne odcienie szarości. Dzięki temu zabiegowi Skutnik pokazuje, że i nasze życie jest zarówno bogate, jak i skomplikowane. Więcej w nim filozofowania, wątpliwości i refleksji niż jasnowidzenia i wygłaszania truizmów. Dzięki inspiracji Mini-wykładami o maxi-rzeczach Leszka Kołakowskiego powstał prawdopodobnie pierwszy polski, na wskroś filozoficzny komiks. Jednak w graficznej stronie komiksu brakuje głębokich czerni, znanych z pierwszego tomu, czy chociażby mocnej czarnej okładki wydania “znakowego”. Ale na tym można poprzestać z zastrzeżeniami wobec działań Skutnika, które stoją w opozycji do krzykliwie kolorowych historii, z którymi są kojarzone najczęściej komiksy.

Mimo wykorzystania filozoficznego źródła Pan Blaki nie obezwładnia intelektualnym przesłaniem. Konwerski i Skutnik proponują spokojną lekturę o sprawach, które dotyczą każdego homo sapiens. Autorzy dają znać o istnieniu harmonii w codziennej gonitwie i sygnalizują, że mimo niezdrowego trybu życia można zwolnić. To najważniejsza wartość ich komiksu o ważnych sprawach.

Autor: Hubert Kuberski

Lately a friend of mine asked me to create a cover for his new comic magazine, and this is what came out:

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Second episode in the 10 Gnomes series. Once again your task is to find 10 of those pesky gnomes in less than 10 minutes.

I finished my newest comic album just yesterday – it’s a new Blaki album – this time 60 comic stripes packed together. You can find few samples from this album here. This is what the cover will look like:

Page 28 of the newest GeeDisplay magazine (issue #4) says: “unser flashgame des monats”, which as far as I remember from my german lessons back in school translates to: our flashgame of the month. The game is acompanied by a small article about it, but I won’t dare to translate it :D

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Anstatt Häuser, Brücken oder ganze Stadtviertel am Reißbrett zu entwerfen,lässt der polnische Architekt Mateusz Skutnik lieber in Comics und Flash-Games poetische, leicht melancholische Welten entstehen. Das Spiel „Submachine“ aus dem Jahre 2005 zählt zu seinen bekanntesten. Außerdem hat er die Flash-Serie „Squirrel“ ins Leben gerufen, die vor allem an Kinder gerichtet ist. „Geschichten erzählen“, so Mateusz, „ist für mich das Wichtigste im Leben. Ganz gleich, ob durch Comics oder Flash-Games.“ Die Geschichte von „Mission To Mars“, seinem neuesten Platformer, ist die eines Weltraumdetektivs, der sich auf der Marsoberfläche auf Spurensuche begibt.Ein Jump’n’Run-Abenteuer mit Stil und steil ansteigendem Schwierigkeitsgrad.

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And we have an english translation thanks to SubtleGoat, who posted it in the comments (thanks!!):

Instead of creating houses, bridges or entire districts at his drawing board, Polish architect Mateusz Skutnik prefers to create poetic, vaguely melancholy worlds in the medium of comics and flash games. “Submachine”, created in 2005, is one of his best-known games. He also created the flash series “Squirrel”, which is chiefly aimed at children. “Telling stories,” says Mateusz, “is the most important thing for me in life, whether in comics or flash games.” The story in Mission to Mars, his latest platform game, is that of a space detective searching for clues on the surface of Mars. A stylish jump’n run adventure game , which challenges with a sharp-paced increase in difficulty.

Interview: Submachine Developer Mateusz Skutnik

An informal chat with Mateusz Skutnik, developer of Submachine and the Covert Front series.
Hi Mateusz, can you provide us with a little introduction for the benefit of the readers who are unfamiliar with your works.

I’m a flash games architect, most known works include Submachine series, Covert Front and DayMare Town, and I’m also graphic novelist, with ongoing series of Rewolucje, Blaki, and more one shot albums. I live in Poland and here are my graphic novels published, that’s a reason why you probably associate me more with online games, than comics.

Which do you prefer to be associated with, if you had to make a choice? Your art, or your games?

Hard to tell, if you’d ask me that question before the Submachine outbreak I’d say by my comics, but now… They’re equal let’s say. Besides I do manage to fit my art into the games as well, so it’s like the same story, just different medium.

You’ve created a couple of spin-off Flash games in recent weeks, The Great Kitchen Escape and 10 Gnomes – can we expect more of the same? Or will you be sticking to Submachine, Covert Front and DayMare Town?

Kitchen Escape isn’t mine. I was just a programmer on Kitchen Escape. I don’t consider a game “mine” until it has my art and my scenario. That’s why Kitchen Escape wasn’t featured on my blog for example. About 10 Gnomes. It’s a full year project. One game monthly. 12 games in 2008. I already have an episode for february finished.

Will all twelve games involve searching for ten gnomes? Or are you planning to introduce something different for each episode?

No, ten gnomes in each game.

There have been comments that some of the gnomes in The Rooftops were very difficult to find – are we to expect the same difficulty for subsequent episodes?

Hard to say. I can’t objectively judge that. I know that if the game wasn’t mine I’d never find those little bastards. I’m lame at solving puzzle games. So I can’t tell you. :D

Will you be working with the same group of people again, on a sequel to Kitchen Escape (or different projects) in the near future?

My business partner, Karol Konwerski, co-owner of the Pastel Games is a story writer. He wrote Covert Front, and few of my graphic albums. We both agree that it’s time to extend our horizon of possibilities by hiring more graphic designers. So he contacted few polish graphic novelist, researched on who has a good Flash background and picked this one to do the game. Karol also wrote scenario for this game. And yes, we already have “The Great Living Room Escape” in our plans, also with the same kind of humour and the same graphic designer. Along with other projects..

Any release dates for some of your games you’d like to share?

We have two new games coming up in February for ArcadeTown. Besides that – it’s hard to say. There are no release dates, because we don’t set them. Even if the game is finished and sent to the sponsor, it can take up to two weeks before release. But besides our normal schedule I create games by my own, for example DayMare Town 2 which is made after hours. And I don’t have a slight idea when it will be finished. :D

You’ve attempted a couple of platformers and arcade games in the past, with varying results. Will you still attempt something to that effect?

I’m not really a programmer. There is a certain level on programming skill that I won’t reach. It’s good enough for puzzlers or simple platformers, but that’s it. That’s why we’re hiring programmers to turn our ideas to reality. Now I don’t have to think how in the world am I going to program what I’ve just imagined. I’ve got a programmer to do that. So we’ll try other genres of games with better results I hope. :D

How is it humanly possible for one person to create this many games in such a short amount of time? What is your work schedule like?

I just work fast. Would you believe that after completing the engine for 10 Gnomes it takes me one day (1) to create another episode? Go shoot some pics in the morning and put them together in the afternoon. Add some gnomes in the evening and voila! :D

Which game or series of yours do you enjoy working on the most?

The one that I am currently working on at given time. Right now it’s 10 Gnomes and Daymare. Later on it will be Covert Front.

What are your plans for the next three years? Amanita Design has decided to create a large scale adventure game after their success with the Samorost series, have you considered attempting the same?

I’d need a proper contract to do that, to have time to create a big game. My plans for next year or so is to expand our company, create as many good games as possible. I want to create DayMare Town 2, Covert Front 3 and possibly Submachine 6 this year. And those 12 games of finding gnomes.

Do you have a set number of episodes you’d like to create for Submachine, DayMare Town and Covert Front? Will we ever see an ending to these series?

Only Covert Front has set number of episodes – 4. Karol wrote it like that and we will see the ending. Other are open stories, and DayMare Town is just the beginning.

You’ve mentioned a compilation CD recently. How is that coming along, and when will it be released? What will you include, and how much will it cost? How do you plan to distribute it?

Well, I have to retouch 3 Submachine games. Those long ones. 2, 4 and FLF. That’s why this project is on hold right now because I simply don’t have time to do that. I also want to include more movies – as seen in games but not only original soundtrack with special extended versions of tracks made by Thumpmonks. Some Submachine theories, walkthroughs. The whole thing. CD will cost about $10 but I have no idea yet how its going to be distributed.

Played any good games lately? Any unknown developers that you think deserves some mentions? Any inspirations?

Makibishi Comic is a completely insane flash game, high quality art. Wada Nanahiro constantly amazes me with all his works. Hats off. You’ve mentioned Samorost before. Just a level above everything. But I don’t take inspiration from games. Maybe Wada taught me that a game can be sketchy, like DayMare Town. But besides that – I’m going my own way.

Since we’re on that topic, are you looking forward to Machinarium? If you had the chance, would you consider a collaboration with any of these developers?

Yes, Machinarium is something to look forward to. I remember waiting for Samorost 2. Oh the tension, the impatience. But collaboration? I don’t think so. All of those developers live in their own reality and we just want to look at it with their eyes, joining different worlds could be disastrous.

Anything you’d like to say to your fans?

Thank you for your constant support in whatever I do. :D

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For all of You that enjoyed search for secret items in Submachines, or the bird quest in DayMare Town. This is a game created entirely on the idea of finding hidden objects (Gnomes in this case). You have 10 minutes to find 10 Gnomes – navigate via the normal point and click manner.