Developer Analysis: Fire Hose Games
Over the past few days I’ve had the pleasure to speak with Tovah Heller of Fire Hose Games regarding their upcoming title Slam Bolt Scrappers, a creative co-op brawler which is currently one of the entries in the twelfth annual Independent Games Festival.
Based in Cambridge, MA, Fire Hose Games is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) spin-off video game start-up company whose main overall goal is to create games which have a positive social impact. They intend to design games which not only provide opportunities for user creativity, but also to allow for personal expression as well.
The team behind Fire Hose describe the game as innovative, featuring a never before seen combination of four-way co-op brawling and fast, frantic building action. The aim of Slam Bolt Scrappers is to keep the city held together using whatever blocks, bolts, beams and chains you can gather from the enemies you pummel into oblivion. In what’s decried as a “vibrant and twisted world…where sci-fi meets Dr. Seuss” it’s up to players to rebuild skyscrapers, bridges, and even space stations. If you picture what they describe as a “Reverse Rampage” combined with Sim City and copious amounts of brawling then you’ll get an idea on what the game, in its final form, will play like.
We’re told that each level of Slam Bolt Scrappers features different building mechanics, with each more addicting than the last, whilst exploring various destinations within Slam Bolt City, each as gorgeous as they are wacky. Strapping on a rocket belt in order to fly around the city to save it from invading monsters sure sounds like fun and Fire Hose also assure us that you’ll be able to punch geckos, who apparently have it coming, right in the face. That’s correct…right in the gecko face…
Whilst no platforms have been announced as of yet I have been assured by a representative that once they decide whether or not it’ll be PS3 or 360, or both, they’ll let us here at OneLastContinue know. On that note, the team at Fire Hose are currently looking for a full time programmer with preferably three plus years, and desirably PS3 or Xbox 360, experience in making console video games. If you happen to fit the bill, or know someone who does, you can check out the details of the job listing here. There’s also a listing for an Art Lead, again looking three years minimum experience making console games, and it’s listed on the same page.
As previously mentioned Fire Hose Games are currently entered in the 2010 Independent Games Festival, an event established in 1998 in order to encourage innovation in game development, and to recognize the best independent game developers. Whilst the team don’t hear back from the IGF until January we do hope that the news is positive when it lands on their desk. You can read about their entry on the official IGF site here.
Finally, if you’re in the Boston area and interested in helping the team test their upcoming title then drop them a line at test<at>firehosegames[dot]com and they’ll be in touch with details on how you can help out.
Slam Bolt Scrappers is planned for release in 2010 on consoles and PC. We plan to have more Fire Hose Games coverage in 2010 once they begin to reveal more information on their debut title, but in the meantime you can check out the team behind the game at the following source links. And just to show you who they really are we’ve included a behind the scenes look at the developer below. Watch it, it’s comedy gold :)
Sources:// Fire Hose Games // Slam Bolt Scrappers // Independent Games Festival
