Boss 101 - BIG FAT RELEASE UPDATE!

Good news everyone! We’re going to talk about the upcoming Boss 101 release date, pricing and even the Boss 101 Soundtrack! YOU HEARD RIGHT!



Boss 101 Price Target - $9.99

Yep, that is what we are planning on selling Boss 101 for on Steam. Less than 10 bucks! A BARGAIN AT TWICE THE PRICE I SAY!

There are nuances in the reasoning for our price but the overriding factor was to hit a sweet spot which put Boss 101 in as many hands as possible AND give us financial breathing room to continue working on the Boss 101 franchise (i.e. Boss 102, 103, etc).

We thought long and hard about a higher price point and though we love to image a glorious deluge of purchases at ANY price we felt $9.99 was just the right amount of “wow” and value YOU NEEDED to want to buy Boss 101. You are getting a ton of our blood sweat and tears for that price but more than that – you are getting a ton of game entertainment! Check them dev blogs for evidence!

We have put everything in Boss 101 we felt was needed. The main storyline, equipment, stores, WIKI, mini-games, PET FRIENDS, collection, arcade action, gopher buddies, and THE JOKES!!! It’s all there and you get it for what we think is a great value. Ideally this price will bring you a lot of fun and ZERO regrets. Also – wouldn’t it be nice if you recommended Boss 101 after you played it too?!?! THANK YOU!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Release Date News – or “When can I buy the gol-darn game?!?”

Let’s ease into this one first. As you know we are ENTIRELY self-funded. We didn’t do a Kickstarter nor are we being subsidized by any publisher or third party. That’s right folks – we’re what you might call INDEPENDENT! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That said – we have only had one main commitment to Boss 101 and that is to make sure YOU get the most value for your money. That means putting our best into the game and making sure things are as amazing as we can make them. Many times this pushed the date out a little further but the end result is a MUCH better game. If we had stuck to the original release schedule we would have been in development for about six months and Boss 101 most likely would have been a glorified web game brought to Steam. Maybe that would have been enough for some developers but it was not enough for us.

We looked at Boss 101 as it was coming together and thought “We have something special happening here and with some more ‘oomph’ it could be VERY special.” So we put in the time and polished features. We added gameplay we felt we needed. We added in the story elements that helped fill in the universe we envisioned. Then we spent (and still are) a lot of time polishing.



It was NOT enough to just ‘make a game’ and put it on Steam. We want to bring you a game with fun, entertainment and a high content value. To that end we have been working hard and waiting till we felt we were close to talk about a final release date. Well, that day is finally here.

The target right now is the beginning of 2017. This would be ideally end of January or beginning of February. Yes, it might be a little saddening to hear the game won’t hit Christmas but check this out. We COULD have hit Christmas and probably given you a pretty decent Boss 101 game. After all – we are mostly polishing and tuning the game. The thing is we didn’t want to rush into a late November or December ship date and get buried under a mountain of gaming press for every release around that time. So we looked at the game, the calendar and decided we might as well keep the focus on polish and cleanup over the next month and wait till 2017.

So yes, we are on track for a release. Yes, we are only on polish and sound (more on that below) and YES we feel you will be getting our best effort which is WHAT YOU DESERVE! As always – we reserve the simple right to hold things while we tighten the needed bolts and fix the needed bugs. It’s important we bring you our top effort.

So, Boss 101 Release – Early 2017 with a rough target end of January or early February. We’re getting there folks and we will keep you posted regularly. If you have any doubts about the game or are wondering where all our time and money are going then please take a look at any of our devblogs. We have well over two years of TWICE weekly updates and you can pretty much see we aren’t sitting around.

YOU KNOW WE LOVE YOU!



Soundtrack for Boss 101 and Album info!

We have been quiet about the music for Boss 101 but that doesn’t mean we aren’t ACTIVE. We have been speaking with a CLASS A fellow named Martin Millar for over a year now. He has been in touch regularly, is supportive of Boss 101 AND a top notch composer.

Martin will be providing Boss 101 with a musical foundation. That will mean themes, background music and various tunes you will hear throughout the game. He’s a longtime composer with a ton of talent. Check out his work here:

Martin Millar on BandCamp

We’ll be posting samples of his work but in the meantime visit his site – really great work. Additionally we are working with Martin to create a Boss 101 album that you can purchase separately (if you so desire).

Store Update, NEW VIDEOS, SCREENSHOTS AND MORE!

Of course - expect some new videos about gameplay in the coming time leading to release. We are aiming for a new one before the end of the year and think you will enjoy it A LOT! After that we are planning more 'snapshot' videos which highlight various parts of the game - EXCITING!!!

Check out the ongoing update at our Steam Store!



Ok – onto the update!

VFX and More!

We are hammering away at VFX touchup and came across a great little utility called Geon FX for GameMaker. In short it is a standalone particle editor for GameMaker and it is VERY nice. For where we are in polish it really nice to be able to load and edit VFX tweaks. Let’s look at something we just fixed shall we.

Damage States for the Bosses

As you damage the bosses they show the damage externally. What this means for you is a set of sparks, smoke and flying debris. What we did was setup all the bosses with bones that would be used as 'damage bones'. When the player does enough damage the boss has a small chance to have a bone smoke, spark or something exciting.

Here's a sample of the early setup. You can see the bones are all lit up here. Mostly this was done as a sample so we could tell things are work..

First pass test of the VFX Bones



In Game sample



Here's a setup in Geon FX - this is where the smoke and VFX magic gets made!



Let's look at some samples of Smoke and Fire VFX for the bosses. ALL GOOD!!

Fire example 1 - sample from editor



Fire example 2 - sample from editor



Sample Explosion



Wrapping up for today

OK - HUGE update - hope you enjoyed it and if you have any questions, drop us a line.

As always, we appreciate your support and look forward to bring you Boss 101. We hope you are looking forward to the release. It's happening folks!

Talk with you soon and remember to LIVE YOUR DREAMS!!!

-Tim

Please put Boss 101 on your Steam Wishlist us if you would be so kind

http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920

Thank you!

Welcome back to the Boss 101 Update

Let’s check out what is on the menu today shall we?

End of Round Awesomeness

So when you win a round in Boss 101 we want it to be awesome. Awesome being defined as rewarding and fulfilling. You just completed a round against a tough boss and here you are at the end to collect cash, awards and other bonuses – why not make that as cool and fun as possible, right?!?! YAY!

So check out some of these images here showing the various moments you can have at the end of the round.

In this image we see a still from a time out screen. In this round you are getting a sense of the whole layout and placement of the panels.



With this in mind let’s look at panels in motion. Here we have the beginning of the transition. This is a closeup of the main panel right at the end of the round.



The thinking here is we start things with a bang. Some dynamic movement to announce where you are and what you have done. We bring in the round name, the medals for the boss killed and show you your basic rewards.

Award Time



The same kind of stuff is going on when you receive a medal. Bring ‘em up and slap ‘em down. We set it up so you can speed through ALL of these processes and still see the basic cool stuff. We know you will be seeing this panel a lot so we want to keep it exciting all the time.

Cash Money



When the awards are done it’s time for a cash deposit. Check out the ridic loot drop! (yah, maybe that could use a slight tune…. HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!)

Fireworks too!



Of course who doesn’t like FIREWORKS. You can start aiming and letting off bottle rockets just to celebrate having a fun time. Why? Because WE LIKE YOU that’s why!

Come on now – that’s what an end of round celebration should be. Fireworks, awards and CASH!

Lightning Gun

Here are a couple tunes for the lightning gun.

Checking out the moves and how the lightning flows against a single target



Trying out the jumping from multiple targets.



Ok folks – we’re hoping you enjoy these looks and thank you for the emails and comments. It really means a lot. We’re cutting a new video to showcase the game and bring you the latest look. YES!!

Remember to always and everyday – LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

-Tim

Please put Boss 101 on your Steam Wishlist us if you would be so kind

http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920

Thank you!

Welcome to the Boss 101 update and thank you for joining us again!

ROB’s Room is watching out for you

We wanted you to know you are safe when you are running around the Command Center. ROB has dropped in a bunch of safety monitors in all the public rooms and entrances. This is to ensure YOU are safe and sound from a base invasion.



You can see some of the cameras here. Are there more? Maybe, maybe not. We can’t show you all the secrets just yet! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Sample of a camera



Hat Room Surveillance



Upgrade Room Surveillance



Another location off the beaten path



See – you’re safe and sound in the Command Center. The Professor and ROB are keeping the area scanned and safe.

Edge of Screen Warnings

You know we have a few bosses that can toss stuff from off screen. Well, we are in the process of tuning your in-game early warning system. Check this out.

Sample 1



We created a warning symbol to alert you to the dangers from a sneaky boss. Here’s a pass of the alert system complete with a laughing skull.

Sample 2



Happy Holidays for 2016 and beyond

OK – you have been hanging in there with us for nearly 3 years. We appreciate it and we appreciate you coming here to check out the updates as we have been making Boss 101. The plan going forward is just bug fixing and polish. We have a short break planned at the end of the year for a rest and family time but expect updates regardless.

Thank you again and keep checking back. Boss 101 will be in your hands sooner than you think!

Remember to LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

-Tim

Please put Boss 101 on your Steam Wishlist us if you would be so kind

http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920

Thank you!

Welcome back and GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! The new gameplay video for Boss 101 is here!

Boss 101 December 2016 Gameplay Trailer

Let’s get straight to the good stuff shall we. This is the culmination of nearly three years of development efforts and we still can only show you a FRACTION of the game you will get. Check out the trailer here:

>>>DIRECT LINK to Boss 101 December 2016 Gameplay Video on YouTube<<<

Boss 101 Steam Store Page - please wishlist us!
Release Date: Early 2017
Price: $9.99 (look how much YOU get for UNDER TEN BUCKS!)

What you are seeing is a broad look at many of the gameplay systems you will be dealing with in Boss 101. Not only do we have a fun story about friends and adventure but we put in a cool system to battle with robot baddies. You have hats, guns and abilities to upgrade and take into battle but the CRAZY PART is you can ROLL YOUR OWN BOSS. Sure, make who you want but then you will have to match him against your own abilities. Bosses are tough so plan carefully. You might get a boss that is strong against, say, a fire attack so you will want to avoid bringing your flamethrower. Basically, you will have to do a little research to bring YOUR best into the battle. Better battles mean more money for upgrades. Find more people and bring more friends back to the Command Center! EVERYONE WINS WITH MORE FRIENDS!!

Here are some stills from the video for your viewing enjoyment. Notice that BERL helps walk you through some of the more complicated moments.













More Videos on the way

We have a series of deep dive videos planned as we head towards release. Starting in the New Year we would like to highlight various aspects of the game and give you a better look at the systems and sections of the game. Things like stores, upgrades, characters, even PETS! Stay tuned for more as we head forward.

What’s Left in Development

As we mentioned – it’s all about polish and cleanup. Nothing too surprising but we want to bring you the very best we can. Because of this we are making sure things are nice and tidy and play well for you. Believe us, NO ONE wants the game done more than us. We want to see Boss 101 in your hands and you happy about the final product!

Happy Holidays to you, your family and friends!

OK – huge update and please enjoy the video. It was the true product of blood, sweat and tears and we did it not only for ourselves but we did it to bring YOU the Boss 101 experience. Hang around, wish list us on Steam if you would and we will keep counting down to the release date.

Always remember to LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

-Tim

Hello and welcome to the end of the year Boss 101 update!

Happy Holidays and thank you for your support!



>>>DIRECT LINK to Boss 101 December 2016 Gameplay Video on YouTube<<<

As we head into 2017 we want to thank you SO MUCH for the support you have given us over the last 2 plus years. We have been working to bring you our best and that has meant some delays but overall we feel it has been for the better. The new video is out, we are wrapping up the game and polishing and best of all you will be able to play Boss 101 soon for your self.

We always recommend you live your dreams. Boss 101 is no exception to that thought. We have been living our dreams for nearly three years and with the release on Boss 101 we are hoping that YOUR KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY will help us continue that dream. We made this game for YOU, we made this game for US. Most of all we made Boss 101 to entertain.

Upcoming videos

Starting in January we will be doing a series of videos (ideally weekly) to highlight some of the main features of Boss 101 you might be interested in. Things like the various stores in the game, upgrades and weapons. These will be short animated looks with BERL as your guide. If you are wondering how things look in action then get ready to see a LOT MORE of Boss 101 in action.

Some progress from the last year

Weapon Madness

Check out the crazy weapons you will have access to!

Wrenches


Throwing Weapons


Bows


Picnics on a hill with friends!



ROBs house of awesome deals!



Hat store!



Mister Squirrel - can you find BERL’s old friend in the Command Center?



Don’t forget the game is MEGA-configurable!



Weather too!



Boss 101 has his own problems!



When life gets you down head to Pet Hill and find a pet buddy to hang with!



OK folks - there is more to come and MANY more looks at the game. We hope you have had a chance to check out the latest gameplay video and if you haven’t HEAD ON OVER THE YOUTUBE LINK!

We will see you NEXT weekend and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!

Take care, have a great holiday and remember to ALWAYS - live your DREAMS!

-Tim

Please put Boss 101 on your Steam Wishlist us if you would be so kind

http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920

>>>Link to Boss 101 December 2016 Gameplay Video on YouTube<<<

Thank you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Thank you for joining us here again in the new year – THE YEAR OF BOSS 101! Yes folks, we intend to get Boss 101 in your hands as soon as possible THIS VERY YEAR!

Boss 101 not only will have the action on high but there will be the HUMAN element. We are telling you the story of two buddies who not only come together to save the galaxy but who also learn a lot about friends, family and how much they mean.

YOU will be part of that family. You get the experience this from the ground floor up. We put you in their life and you can walk the walk. We always say to live your dreams and it may be a corny line but it’s the truest one we can think of. It means to reach for your dreams, work on on your dreams and then make them real. The point is the EFFORT you put into something determines the worth. We’re putting everything we can into Boss 101 and leaving nothing on the table.

One nice thing is YOU directly benefit. You get our best! OUR VERY BEST!

Ok – onto the update and a new announcement about the coming plans as we head closer to the release.

Boss 101 Info Roundup

Release Date: Early 2017
Planned Price: $9.99
Boss 101 Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920
Boss 101 December Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMQ1CrYeac
Please wishlist us if you would be so kind!


Video Updates



We already spoke with BERL and we also gave him a new position at the Donley Time Foundation. He’s our inteocution Ambassor for the video series we will be presenting to you. We are going to be making short lips with BERL to highlight parts of the game and give you a clear understanding of the landscape you will be playing in.

Berl in Rob’s Room



Berl in his charger in Rob’s Room (closeup)



Like in the December Gameplay video – we will have BERL ‘host’ the videos and tell you what he knows about the various systems. Of course BERL may be a LITTLE rusty about some of the places in the Command Center but he’s REALLY good at improvisation!



Some topics BERL will cover:

Topic: The weapons and guns in Boss 101





Topic: The galaxy YOU explore!



Topic: HATS! All you need to know!

Topics: Pets – your buddies!





And much much more!! Stay tuned and we will talk with you soon…. As always….

Remember to LIVE YOUR DREAMS!



-Tim

Boss 101 Info Roundup
Release Date: Early 2017
Planned Price: $9.99
Boss 101 Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920
Boss 101 December Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMQ1CrYeac
Please wishlist us if you would be so kind!

Welcome back to the Boss 101 Update and thank you for joining us!

Today we are starting up the VIDEO series for the game. These are all hosted by BERL and the first one is a basic intro to the Command Center. We will be diving into many aspects of the game from here on out so keep your eyes peeled for things like guns, hats, upgrades, the map room and the Make A Boss among other things.

Lots to cover so let’s get to it! The first video is up on YouTube right here. Check it out!

>>> DIRECT LINK TO THE BOSS 101 Video Series - Chapter 1 - The Command Center <<<

Some images from the video!







Boss 101 Info Roundup

Release Date: Early 2017
Planned Price: $9.99
Boss 101 Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920
Boss 101 December Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMQ1CrYeac
Please wishlist us if you would be so kind!

So check this out – for the next set of updates we will be exploring the game and the various systems with videos. The idea is to give you a good look at some of the FUN things you will be doing as well as answer questions about how things work in Boss 101.

So keep coming back and check out the latest as we go. We promise to keep it interesting. If you have any ideas or suggestions we welcome them! Feel free to comment or reply below.

We appreciate your support and enthusiasm for Boss 101. It means a lot to get your comments, emails and feedback. As always, be yourself, believe in yourself and….

… LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

Talk with you soon!

-Tim

Welcome back to the Boss 101 Update and thank you for joining us!

The video series with BERL continues! These are all hosted by BERL and this one covers the guns store including some off the beaten path looks at guns not on the regular tour!

Lots to cover so let’s get to it! The video is up on YouTube right here. Check it out!

>>> DIRECT LINK TO THE BOSS 101 Video Series - Chapter 2 - The Gun Store <<<

Some images from the video!







Boss 101 Info Roundup

Release Date: Early 2017
Planned Price: $9.99
Boss 101 Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920
Boss 101 December Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMQ1CrYeac
Please wishlist us if you would be so kind!

Up next are the Command Center Map Room, the Upgrade room, the Hast Store and the Make a Boss! (and some more!). So keep checking back and check out the latest. If you have any ideas or suggestions we welcome them! Feel free to comment or reply below.

We appreciate your support and enthusiasm for Boss 101. As we work on the final stages we are COMMITTED to bringing you the best game we can. As always....

… LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

Talk with you soon!

-Tim

Welcome back to the Boss 101 Update and thank you for joining us!

The video series with BERL continues! These are all hosted by BERL and this one is all about the AWESOME ARCADE MACHINE!

The video is up on YouTube right here. Check it out!

>>> DIRECT LINK TO THE BOSS 101 Video Series - Chapter 3 - The Arcade Machine <<<

Some images from the video!







Boss 101 Info Roundup

Release Date: Early 2017
Planned Price: $9.99
Boss 101 Steam Store Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/380920
Boss 101 December Gameplay Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMQ1CrYeac
Please wishlist us if you would be so kind!

Up next are the Map Room, the Upgrade room, the Hat Store and the Make a Boss and more! So keep checking back. If you have any ideas or suggestions we welcome them! Feel free to comment or reply below.

We appreciate your support and enthusiasm for Boss 101! It means a lot to know you are rooting for us.

As always… LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

Talk with you soon!

-Tim

Wow, nice Pixel Art and impressive Boss enemies! Good work!