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Novy News | June 2017 | Vol 4 No 1 | Novy Unlimited
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Welcome to the E3 issue – the 9th edition of Novy News!

Here we are to put talented indies in the spotlight once again – and update you on our latest exploits! There's some fun stuff brewing at E3. Read on for details (those we can reveal, that is)!


- Jeannie Novak & Luis Levy (Co-Conspirators)
. . . and the Novy team


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≈ "GOING SUPERNOVY!" - BEHIND THE SCENES ≈
Novy Unlimited - Home Page
Take a look at our website for some brand new blog posts, clients, and team members! New services include custom online press kits, expanded community management, and the official rollout of the Novy Stream Team! We have four distinct service divisions: PR, Marketing, Creative Services, and Consulting/Production. To learn more about what we do, feel free to request a meeting or fill out our contact form.
Novy Team - Marcos Montanez & Vanessa Marie
Team Updates
Since our last newsletter, Novy Playthrough Coordinator Marcos Montanez was promoted to a full-time position – and Vanessa Marie is now Community Management Coordinator! Coincidentally, both Marcos and Vanessa are part of the Novy Stream Team as featured streamers :) In other news, Summer Nguyen (Marketing Coordinator) and Alvin Arquisola (Public Relations Coordinator) are working together as project managers on the XPO Game Festival!

We'd also like to give a "shout out" to the rest of the Novy team for keeping everything running smoothly: Blane Humphries, Julie Morley, Aaron Goldman, Brie Wendt, Sarah Hume, Erich Schuler, Taylor Campolattaro, Arthur Zdrinc, Tabi Kenny, Elizabeth Wood, Brad Crespo, and Brandy Berthelson.

As always, we’d also like to acknowledge our Friends of Novy: Pete Markiewicz, Emmy Jonassen, Drew Utterback, Jay Egger, Stephen Vulpitta, Alan Katana, Kyle Gaddo, Adam Godoi, Charlie Skinner, M. Joshua Cauller, Aaron "Heatbox" Heaton, Rob LeFebvre, Evan Killham, Jennifer Allen, Nina Klymenko, George Menjin, David Ladyman – and new friends Mark Chuberka, Chris Parsons, Nile Koegel, Bryan Heraghty, and Zac Gunnell!
Novy Team - Todd Black
Novy New Blood: The Next Doctor?
We recently welcomed a new member to our growing teamTodd Black has been working with Novy on playthroughs, research, community management, and events. In addition to creating his own comic book and miniseries, he has written for PopGeeks.net and TheParanoidGamer.com – among other online publications. He’s also an avid gamer with a passion for Nintendo titles, which led him to become the Nintendo News Writer for Outerhaven.net and hosting the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast. The newest installment in Todd's comic series – Home #5 – was recently funded on Kickstarter!
≈ NOVY STREAM TEAM ≈
Novy Stream Team
#AlvinRoss, Death Counts ... and the Number 42
This year marks the debut of the Novy Stream Team – and it's off to a great start! We regularly stream client games on the Novy Twitch channel. It's a blast – and it's even better when developers join us. We currently have two stream teams going. Members include Marcos Montanez, Vanessa Marie, Alvin Arquisola, Kyle Gaddo, Brandy Berthelson, Taylor Campolattaro, Aaron Goldman, and Blane Humphries. Past streams have featured Linelight, Lil Tanks, Shift HappensSuper Phantom CatBob Was Hungry, The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human, and BadLand Games-published titles Anima: Gate of Memories, Heart&Slash, Dex, 8DAYSBOOR, Zenith, and Ginger: Beyond the Crystal. Highlights include discovering the Metal Gear Solid Easter egg in 8DAYS alongside Alex Martin and Iñaki Martinez from Santa Clara Games, and a live unboxing of Anima: Gate of Memories - Beyond Fantasy Edition with Anima Project's Carlos Blas Garcia. Check the Novy Twitch channel for live streams on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. To catch up on the fun, view archived streams on our YouTube channel.
≈ NOVY SOCIAL MEDIA ≈
Orconoid
Joe Jump
Battle for Candora
Strategeist
"Ain't It Great to Be ... Orcward?!"
The Novy social media team continues to knock it out of the park – creating fun, engaging images and GIFs for sharing on client social media pages. Our process begins with Tabi Kenny and Brandy Berthelson, who find articles and assets that we can turn into fun social posts. From there, Summer Nguyen, Erich Schuler, and Brad Crespo plan out and draft content, which is then revised by Brandy Berthelson and Vanessa Marie. Arthur Zdrinc and Julie Morley (along with “Friends of Novy" Nina Klymenko and George Menjin) create the final assets. This year, we've used this system in social media campaigns for Outbreak, Arrows & Sparrows, Strategeist, Battle for Candora, Linelight, Joe Jump, Orconoid, BladeShield, Super Pixel Smash, and Mighty Monster Mayhem.
Super Phantom Cat
Super Phantom Cat
≈ SPECIAL EVENT: E3 ≈
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy

"Enjoy Your Stay at the Layton Café!
E3 is here – and LEVEL-5 is hitting the ground running with a custom-made mystery adventure for the City of Angels. The name of the game? Find the Layton Café! Starting last week, the Layton Series™ social media accounts have provided a daily hint or puzzle that – if solved – will lead Professor Layton fans to the one and only Layton Café in existence. Who doesn’t want to rub shoulders with the Layton elite at E3?

Those of you who end up locating the Layton Café will learn about LAYTON'S MYSTERY JOURNEY™: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy – the upcoming installment in the critically-acclaimed Professor Layton series – and:

  • Indulge in complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks
  • Order from a Layton-themed menu
  • Bring home exclusive souvenirs – including a 10-year anniversary coin celebrating a decade of Layton
  • Enjoy a selection of Professor Layton music tracks
  • Partake in live puzzles and other diversions
  • Pose with Hershel and Katrielle Layton stand-ups for the most magnificent selfies

Hope you find your way to the Layton Café :)

≈ VR ROUNDUP ≈
ARKTIKA.1
A Cold Day's Night
4A Games (the studio behind the award-winning Metro series) has been hard at work on the Oculus Touch exclusive ARKTIKA.1 – showing it off at Oculus Game Days at GDC and in the NVIDIA Press Briefing Room at E3 this week. (The studio's upcoming installment in the Metro franchise – Metro Exodus – was just announced during the Microsoft press conference!)

ARKTIKA.1 takes place nearly a century into the future – in the aftermath of a silent apocalypse. The planet has entered a new ice age. Only the equatorial regions remain habitable, yet pockets of humanity still manage to survive in small numbers all over the planet. As a mercenary hired by Citadel Security, you must protect one of the last colonies in the wastelands of old Russia from violent raiders, marauders, and horrifying creatures. (read more)
Blasters of the Universe
Grand Master Alwyn: VR God
Secret Location has been keeping busy this year showcasing Blasters of the Universe – the studio’s original IP and the first ever “VR bullet hell” first-person shooter – at a number of industry conferences such as PAX East, VRLA, and this week at E3! In Blasters of the Universe, you'll use hundreds of weapon combinations and seriously sick moves to overthrow the armies of insecure man-child and self-proclaimed VR god “Grand Master Alwyn.” Dodge and blast your way through unrelenting waves of enemies in a neon-bathed world straight out of ‘80s VHS cover art!

At E3 this week, it turns out that Alwyn has unceremoniously hacked the official Blasters of the Universe Twitter account! The  team is committed to regaining control of the Twitter account and is doing everything to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. (read more)
Rank17
Rank17 creates fun, action-packed games for the HTC Vive. Here are just a few recently released titles: 
  • BladeShield: Wield a lethal energy blade and proton shield combo to stop a rogue AI dead in its tracks in this intense sci-fi action wave defender.
  • Super Pixel Smash: Destroy walls, trigger power-ups, and earn as many points as possible in this arcade-style '80s throwback to Breakout and Arkanoid.
  • Mighty Monster Mayhem: Featured at VRLA, this Kaiju-inspired monster simulator allows you to stomp your way around town grabbing (and eating) unsuspecting pedestrians, climbing buildings, throwing firetrucks and assorted vehicles, juggling trees. Anything goes when you’re a monster on a mission :)
CO-OP GAMEPLAY: YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND! ≈
Lil Tanks
Defeat Aliens. Save World.
Developed by Lead Money Games, retro shoot ‘em up Lil Tanks pays homage to genre classics – delivering top-notch gameplay. In local co-op, you can team up with a friend who can pilot your companion tank. (read more)
Shift Happens
Built for Two
Published by Deck13 and developed by Klonk Games, platformer Shift Happens was built especially for two players – offfering a hearty challenge through 40 levels and four unique worlds filled with traps and puzzles. (read more)
Outbreak
You Only Live Once
In Dead Drop Studio's Outbreak, players survive as a team – or join the ranks of the undead. We created the launch trailer for this intense co-op top-down shooter with the help of "friend of Novy" Alan Katana. (read more)
≈ DEVELOPER SPOTLIGHT: HIKER GAMES ≈
FZ9: Timeshift
Mobile FPS FTW!
Novy is thrilled to continue working with the talented team at Hiker Games. Founded in 2009, Hiker Games is helping to turn Vietnam into a hub for innovation. We recently promoted the launch of Hiker Games’ newest title FZ9: Timeshift. In this mobile FPS, players can eliminate enemies using a special “bullet time” mechanic – which allows them to slow down time and take the perfect shot. The game’s single-player campaign mode features more than 30 missions to complete and gives players access to a variety of weapons, such as fan favorites Glock 17, AK-47, and M4A1. Project lead Phuong Truong Duc was recently interviewed by Pocket Gamer.biz's Matt Suckley! (read more)

In 2016, Hiker Games released Gleam and Eraser – mobile games that utilized a unique donation model. In puzzle game Gleam, the player must save the last living organism in a post-apocalyptic world – and in endless runner Eraser, the player is an overworked designer trapped within a own blueprint.

Novy also worked with Hiker Games on the 2015 Steam Greenlight campaign for ToyQuest (now Toy Odyssey), which was Greenlit within 24 hours!
≈ EVENT SPOTLIGHT: XPO ≈
Save the Date!
The XPO Game Festival will return to Tulsa’s Cox Business Center October 13-15. This annual celebration of video game culture features games, tournaments, panels, cosplay contests, and much more. Attendees of the second annual XPO Game Festival will be able to browse a full-size expo hall, visit a tabletop gaming area, hang out in a retro gaming lounge, participate in the VR showcase, learn more about the eSports industry, check out indie games, listen to live music – and even play laser tag! Event passes are available  online at Eventbrite. (read more)
≈ PUBLISHER SPOTLIGHT: BADLAND GAMES ≈
BadLand Games
Bringing Games to Life
This year, we've added community management to the mix of services we've provided to BadLand Games. It has been a blast engaging with player communities and letting everyone know about new releases and promotions. Here are just a few titles we've been fortunate to work on so far this year:
BadLand Games is headquartered in Spain with offices in the United Kingdom.
≈ MUSIC IS THE MESSAGE ≈
We're proud to be working with multi-talented developers such as Aaron "Heatbox" Heaton, Brett Taylor, and Mårten Jonsson. Each of these developers created their games solo – including the music!
Robots in the Wild
Monster Troubles
Developed by Aaron "Heatbox" Heaton (Heatbox Games), Robots in the Wild is an imaginative take on Tetris-like puzzle-solving and base-building. Players build an impenetrable "robot fortress" to survive raids from fierce monsters that only come out at night – and endure deadly natural disasters. All audio (including sound effects and voices) was created and voiced by indie developer "Heatbox" – who's also a professional beatboxer ... and a "friend of Novy"!
(read more)
Linelight
On the Right Path
Featuring Zen-like music composed by developer Brett Taylor (My Dog Zorro), the award-winning Linelight boasts rich gameplay mechanics and elegant design that distill the puzzle genre down to its very foundation. Take control of a line named "Dash" to explore puzzles and mysteries – activating color-coded switches to create a “bridge.” Watch out for red moving lines – friendly in appearance, deadly on contact. The controls are irreducibly simple: Move. (read more)
Akihabara: Feel the Rhythm
Mind the Beat
Inspired by Tokyo's Akihabara district, Akihabara: Feel the Rhythm challenges players to take a musical journey with Callie through Akihabara and groove to the beats to achieve a high score – clearing symbols from the board in time to the music. After completing the campaign, a bonus “Midnight Mix” mode containing 5 mellow remixes is unlocked. Mårten Jonsson (JMJ Interactive) not only developed Akihabara but composed the EDM soundtrack! (read more)
≈ BLOG: TALES FROM THE TEAM TRENCHES ≈
GDC 2017
VRLA 2017
Event Reports: GDC, VRLA & MomoCon 2017
At GDC, 4A Games showcased the upcoming Oculus Touch exclusive, ARKTIKA.1at Oculus Game Days – and Veewo Games previewed the sequel to Super Phantom Cat at GDC Play. BadLand Games developer Nosebleed Interactive's Vostok Inc. was featured as part of the ID@Xbox Showcase – and Tequila Works unveiled The Sexy Brutale to a select few. (read more)

The Novy SoCal crew also attended VRLA to support VR developer/publisher Rank17. The company's newest title, Mighty Monster Mayhem, was available throughout the show – and attendees got to experience exactly what it would be like to become a monster ... climbing buildings, throwing cars, and eating pedestrians! (read more)

Novy team members Blane and Tabi went to MomoCon and had a blast! This was Blane's fifth year attending MomoCon – and he was able to return to his roots as a con attendee while also meeting with Twitch streamers. This was Tabi's first convention of this kind – and she took in all the sights and sounds MomoCon had to offer. Both of them had a wildly different experience at the convention. (read more)

Next up: E3, Comic-Con, Dragon Con, PAX West, XPO Game Festival, and more!
Twitch Adventures
Twitch Adventures
In this installment of Novy News, we wanted to give special attention to Novy Stream Team producer Aaron Goldman, who provides some insight into how to handle setting up a Twitch stream with multiple hosts and streamers from multiple, remote locations. Aaron was able to solve a number of A/V issues during this "unexpected journey," and he shares his experiences in "Twitch Adventures: Streaming from Multiple Locations." 

Check out the Novy blog for more details!
What's Next? We've got some exciting events, social media/community management campaigns, product launches, corporate announcements, and more initiatives in the works: eSports, anyone? We'll be back soon!
Novy Unlimited, Inc. and its divisions (including Novy PR) is a product of Jeannie NOvak and Luis LeVY, its co-conspirators. Launched in 2011, Novy is the first marketing and public relations firm to focus on indie games. Thanks for reading :) 

Oh – and in case you missed it: Our Winter 2016 issue (featuring Super Phantom Cat, Isoland, Flying Slime, Summoner’s Fantasy, Office Freakout, Tom vs. The Armies of Hell, Crap! I’m Broke: Out of Pocket, BarSim, A New Life, The Spatials: Galactology, Megalo Polis, Atomic Space Command, Anima: Gate of Memories, Heart&Slash, 8DAYS, Dex, Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today, Zenith, Ginger: Beyond the Crystal, Castles, Totem Forge, Tower Rumble, Mandie Manzano Jigsaw Puzzle Art, The Hunt for Red Panda, Puzzle Monster Quest, Primal Legends, Agricola: All Creatures Big & Small, BladeShield, Blast Brawl 2: Bloody Boogaloo, Adaeus: Rogue Planet, Robots in the Wild, Spryke, and Archmage Rises is available for your perusal!
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