Today, developer team Might and Delight releases a brand new game, a small shoot-em up – created entirely using handcrafted miniature models. The odd graphics are balanced by an addictive score-hunting gameplay. “The Blue Flamingo” is available on Steam and on the developers website today!
A handmade world
The Blue Flamingo is a straight forward, bite size, Shoot em up game created entirely using handmade miniatures. The game´s unusual graphical style is the result of a collaboration between Might and Delight and a set designer/model maker. A 32 feet long handcrafted model was built specially for the game, along with countless props and assets that were filmed and photographed. The green screened material was made into sprites and combined with the background to mesh the visual image together. Finally, all the effects, rocket flares and explosions were created using firecrackers and other pyrotechnics. Strings with magnets pulling cars, small lighted miniature trains and shiny animated cloth are all details in the process behind The Blue Flamingo world.
We wanted to try a completely different graphic pipeline, not using digital 3d at all. And for us, having worked intensely on the Shelter world, a retro style shmup felt refreshingly new. All in all, its been much more than a normal game dev process, its been an experiment in all regards. – Might and delight
Invest VS Interest
Like every other Shmup, “The Blue Flamingo” is a game that challenges you to reach the highest possible score. This simple idea is made interesting by an economical system that allows players to invest their score in upgrades, making earning more score points easier. On the other end, the system rewards players who save their cash with an interest rate on their score, added for each completed level. This relation get to players greed, forcing them to make a choice at the end of each level – Should I upgrade and try to regain the score, or rely on my skills to beat the increasingly difficult levels. –
The game is a replay type game that makes up for its short length in dynamics and difficulty.
Effects were created by hand using different elaborate designs
Real 3d – Real Music
“We wanted the sensation of hand crafted design to influence the entire game experience. Because of that, the sound effects and music score were also created using analog instruments and tools. It helps to make the game feel coherent and meshes the different parts together.”
– Team Might and Delight
“The Blue Flamingo” ship, in an early stage of production
About The Blue Flamingo
“The Blue Flamingo” is a shoot-em up format indie game that is set in a odd city were brave pilots gather to compete in a big annual race. The game´s unusual graphical style is the result of a collaboration between Might and Delight and a set designer/model maker. A 32 feet long miniature model was built specially for the project, along with countless props and assets that were filmed and photographed. The gameplay centers around the idea of beating the score. A simple concept that is made interesting by an elaborate economical system. Utilizing the score as a currency the player can “spend” their score on upgrades, or save it to gain interest – at the risk of being overpowered.