RocketSnail

Tails of Adventure

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Spark

Sometime last year, I sat down with the Brothers Quigley and asked them a simple question: what do you guys really want to build?

They came back with this crazy idea for a papercraft dungeon crawl. Cats. Vampires. Handmade terrain you punch out and assemble yourself. A board game that looks like a diorama.

Amazing idea! I said “Let’s do it!”

The Brothers Quigley

You might not know their names. But you’ve seen their work.

Mini Bash

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The spiritual evolution of the iconic online social games of the 2000s, Mini Bash combines exploration, real-time party modes, and combat with friends in a living, connected world.

Select and customize your Mini and jump into a wide variety of PvP mini-games across the Mini Bash world. From competitive challenges like Coin Collect and Squeak Squash to the more relaxing Fishing Mode, there’s something for everyone!

Prefer co-op? Team up with friends in Dungeon Mode, where you’ll hunt for loot and take on waves of unique enemies together.

Battle Snails

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Idea

I’ve always wanted to make a family-friendly shooter. Something you could play with your kids, your friends, anyone. No blood. No dark tone. Just pure, chaotic, laugh-out-loud fun.

The problem with most shooters? They take themselves too seriously.

So we asked a simple question: what if the tanks were snails?

That’s it. That’s the idea. Snails with shells that double as tanks. Waddling around a colorful backyard. Climbing walls. Hanging upside down. Shooting each other. It’s absurd. It’s funny. And somehow it works perfectly.

Mech Mice

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In the fantastical land of Roden, mice were once at the very bottom of the food chain: tiny, fragile, and hunted by everything. Then the Crystal Shards fell from the sky. Within a single generation, these glowing crystalline gems transformed mice from simple prey into an intelligent, technologically advanced civilization. Armed with plasma blasters fueled by berry juice, piloting hand-crafted war machines called Mechs, and powered by sacred Dynamo Gears, the Mech Mice rose to become the defenders of their world.

Club Penguin

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

The Spark

In the winter of 1999, I had an idea for a multiplayer strategy game with penguins. I didn’t know if Flash 4 could handle it. I didn’t know if the internet was ready. I just thought it would be fun to see penguins waddle around on screen together.

So I started small.

Experimental Penguins

In July 2000, I launched Experimental Penguins. My first multiplayer game. Just me and my brother, seeing what was possible.

Announcing Tails of Adventure

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We asked the twins what they really wanted to build — and the answer is Tails of Adventure, a papercraft dungeon crawl heading to Kickstarter this early summer.

Epic Snails is Moving to Battle Snails

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Thank you for 7 years of Epic Snails. We took everything we learned and built Battle Snails, a new game focused on one thing. Fun with your friends!

Vampires vs Penguins

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We love games. We make games at our job. We make games on vacation. We make games in our dreams. And that’s exactly what happened when we sent our best team of professional penguin game makers on a camping trip in a deep dark wood. They returned a week later with lots of mosquito bites, and with a new game: Vampires Vs Penguins!

That’s right! From the creators of your favourite childhood penguin game comes a new game you can play with your friends! Only this one involves 1000% more biting and betrayal.

Box Critters Battle System

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This last summer, I’ve been busy building a new battle system for Box Critters. My goal was to create a unique card game, largely inspired by my love of board games and the classic Card-Jitsu from Club Penguin.

I scrapped my original turn-based system because it was too slow. Instead, I’ve blended the best parts of three great games: the card playing from Clash Royale, the monster intent from Slay the Spire, and the pure mayhem of Club Penguin.

Exploring the Future of Box Critters

Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hey Critters!

I’ve been super busy working on the new client for Box Critters, and I wanted to share some of the exciting developments with you. We’re reimagining the server structure and backend systems to make everything smoother and more robust.

One of the coolest things I’m experimenting with is blending a 2D and 3D engine to bring you even richer effects, animations, and more dynamic action. This new approach will add a whole new layer of fun and immersion to your adventures.

Building the Foundation

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Critters!

I’ve been incredibly busy these past few weeks focusing on the backbone of our game – the servers and systems that will power everything you love about Box Critters. While there’s nothing visually exciting to showcase just yet, the foundation being built now is crucial for our future success.

Embracing Nakama

After extensive research, I’ve decided to implement Nakama as our backend solution. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with how this system handles account management, item storage, character data, and other essential backend functions.

Sprites and Sprouts

Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Sprites & Sprouts is a cozy game of enchanted farming set in Mythwind Valley. Designed by Manny Vega (creator of Flamecraft), players take on the role of magical sprites helping the Farmer tend and grow their sprouts through the seasons. Over a series of rounds, players strategically place their sprite workers to plant, tend, prep, or unleash magic, manipulating vibrant sproutling tiles on an 8x8 game board to complete crop challenges for points and powerful skills.

Threshold

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Threshold is a solo and cooperative board game of epic proportions, designed to capture the experience of playing an MMO or ARPG like World of Warcraft or Path of Exile in tabletop form. For 1-4 players, the game offers multiple playstyles including solo questing, cooperative dungeon runs, world exploration, relaxing crafting, and epic raids. Despite its massive scope—the box is the size of a microwave packed with cards, overworld maps, battle arenas, and player dashboards—Threshold can be set up in under two minutes thanks to the innovative Mythwind system.

Early Preview of Our Dialogue System

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The team has been busy working on our new dialogue system. We believe that story is key to Box Critters, and having conversations with the characters in the world unlocks more depth.

When building a world, it’s important to create lore—the stories behind everything you encounter. Our focus is on developing lore and characters, not just plot.

We’re also working on description text for all items and monsters, and mouse over text to learn more about the environment.

Sneak Peak at the New Animated Emojis!

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One of the exciting improvements we’re working on is introducing animated emotes for Box Critters. How will emotes work in Box Critters? It’s pretty simple. You’ll be able to collect, earn, and unlock emotes. Each emote in Box Critters will have a unique impact on the online community. For example, imagine using the coffee emote and your character gets an energy boost!

Join on Patreon

Mech Mice Board Game

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In 2013, I launched Mech Mice as a mobile strategy game. Unfortunately, the game didn’t take off—perhaps we were ahead of our time. Despite this, my passion for the story, lore, and characters of Roden has never waned. As an entrepreneurial creator, I’m always seeking opportunities to bring my worlds to life.

A few years ago, I started a board game company, and we’ve found continued success in that space. Recently, I began exploring the idea of transforming Mech Mice into a board game. My goal is to create a game that the whole family can enjoy together. On a personal note, I’m excited about the prospect of developing a tabletop miniatures game that I can play with my kids.

Villain! Penguin Edition

Sun, 19 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Earlier the team decided to create our first edition of our Villain Card Game! Villain is a simple game where you work together to defeat the Vampire Lord. But you don’t know who is the Vampire Lord?? Gasp! We have a couple themed decks planned. Our first edition is a penguin themed deck. We need around 1000 backers to print this game.

Join on Patreon

Private Servers??

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The team has been busy working on the combat card game. This game is how you and four friends will explore dungeons, battle monsters and earn loot. I have been busy working on two key systems. First the world itself. When you start Box Critters you and your friends will start on your own private server. Together you will create your own little world. Second is the marketplace. New critters, items and cards will drop often. Each will be available for a limited time and quantity. Players will have the opportunity to clone their items and cards and sell them in the market.

Box Critters Card Game

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The team has been busy working on the Box Critters Card Game. The cards are key to all your adventures as you explore the world and battle monsters.

Cards with a 😡 symbol target 1 opponent. Cards with a 😡😡😡 symbol target all opponents. Some cards with a special splash symbol apply their effects to everyone but the first target!

Join on Patreon

Busy Working on the Card Game

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Lots of fun collecting cards and working together to battle monsters. I really enjoyed seeing the critters again and cannot wait to show you. Next steps are to add the game to our new server platform and begin testing for scale. We need to be able to run thousands of games simultaneously.

Join on Patreon

More Adventure Is on the Way!

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Thank you, Box Critters Community, for making Box Critters a fun, silly, and zany place to hang out! The Box Critters Alpha Test is now complete, and we have learned a lot. We are busy working on the Beta and expect to launch sometime in 2024.

We can’t wait to share all of the new and exciting things we’re working on!

Join on Patreon

Coming Soon

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is Box Critters.

Join on Patreon

Stone Saga

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Stonesaga is a cooperative, campaign-style survival crafting board game designed by Max Brooke and Luke Eddy. Set in a persistent world shaped by your choices, the game unfolds an epoch-spanning story of people living in a remote glacial valley. Each session represents one generation, with players guiding characters through harsh conditions, wondrous mysteries, and encounters with giant monsters. Your decisions permanently change the valley, creating a unique narrative across multiple play sessions.

My thoughts on the Metaverse

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t know. I do know Club Penguin was a virtual world. A digital space that you created a character and played with your friends. Club Penguin itself was never a game, it was a community. A community that gathered around events and celebrated together. Shared stories and activities connected the community.

As a game designer we often have to consider the metagame. The game about the game. The game that lives outside the game.

How Many People Does It Take to Make a Video Game?

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

TL;DR… A game could take many people or just a few. My suggestion? Stay as small as possible.

I love what Supercell says about teams — “the best teams make the best games.” It’s true.

There’s a common belief out there that you need a big team to make a game. From my experience, you don’t. At least not when you’re starting. From my point of view, having a big team is a big liability.

2019 Goals, Dreams and Critters!

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I cannot believe that it is 2019. I started RocketSnail in 1999 almost 20 years ago. What an amazing journey. Here are a couple updates for you. Feel free to message me and ask questions.

Creating Games and Starting Companies

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

What an awesome month! I really enjoy creating games and starting companies.

March was an amazing month for powder. I attempted to spend most of my mornings skiing. I love living and working in Kelowna. This is a beautiful place.

Digital Toy Maker

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I think of myself as a ‘digital toy maker.’

Start with the Character!

I start with an idea, usually the character first. I will sketch a couple ideas then hire a professional character designer and begin creating the character. All my characters need to be simple and iconic. The character represents the player and anchors the entire world.

Epic Snails BETA

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Items, Catalogues and Shops!

Mon, 08 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Here is a little secret, between hiking, biking, skiing and being the CEO of Hyper Hippo Games, I do find time to create Virtual Worlds. Usually I spend a couple hours in the morning, drinking coffee and rewriting all my code.

Today my focus is on items, catalogues and shops. I believe collecting is a core feature of virtual worlds. Overall I am planning a simple system. As a designer it is my job to reduce the users friction whenever possible. Virtual shops can be painful and many users will abandon games because of poor shop and catalog design.

Busy Week

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Wow, another amazing week! I have been busy working on a number of things. Here is a quick update.

MMMO Server

The majority of my work has been developing a single server platform for all my Virtual Worlds and MMO games. I am slowly working through the core features and how they will work together. My goal is to create a single server for HTML5, Steam and Mobile. For those interested I am using: Node.js and PlayFab. Brackets is my preferred editor.

Time to get back to work!

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A couple years ago I started Hyper Hippo a game studio in Kelowna, British Columbia Canada. Through a series of endless twists and turns the studio created more than 80 games in the last 5 years. Many of the games failed, but we learned a lot! We learned how to test, we learned how to validate, we learned about the mobile market and we learned how to listen to our the fans.

What are you building?

Sat, 09 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Many of you have been following me on Twitter and Facebook and I have been posting a series messages about my secret project call “coffee”. The idea behind coffee is to start small and create a single multiuser space for desktop and mobile. My goal is to develop the following core features:

Server - I am using a Photon server to connect all the players.
Triggers - Triggers are locations in the scene that trigger an event. I currently have triggers that will move the player, start animations, open doors, activate monsters and change the player.
Accounts - I am currently working with PlayFab to develop accounts. Accounts allows each player to save their player profiles, characters, items and stats.
Chat - I am currently working on a couple ideas for chat. My goal is to create a messaging stream that will allow players to communicate when they are on and offline.

My big vision is to create a Virtual World with MMO features and activities.

Game Analytics

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Google Analytics

Curious and Determined

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

RuneScape Idle Adventures

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

A little secret about Club Penguin

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

image.jpg

The history of Grub!

Sun, 25 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Grub Yums!

Club Penguin turns 10!

Sat, 24 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The First Newspaper

Mech Mice Animated Series and Toys

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Lance Priebe with Mech Mice Prototype by PlaymateS Toys

Ninjas and Penguins

Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The original penguin ninja from Penguin Chat 3

I don't play Video Games

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

I have a confession to make. I don’t play video games. Well that’s not entirely true. I casually play 2-3 video games per year. I am always surprised to hear that people think you need to play games to be a game designer. This is not true. I believe playing games can limit my creativity.

The most damaging phrase in the language is “It’s always been done this way” - Grace Hopper

Pebble Beach

Wed, 05 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Pebble Beach

Visiting Jagex

Sat, 01 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

I have always admired Jagex and it was amazing to finally meet the team behind Runescape last week. When Club Penguin first launched in 2005 there were a handful of studios experimenting with online browser games. Fans loved the idea. Both games had explosive growth from 2005-2010, aquiring millions of new players. Runescape recently announced that they just past their 200 millionth player and continues to grow. I estimate Club Penguin to be near 400 million players.

Working on Mech Mice

Fri, 22 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Concept: Rocket Snail

Sun, 26 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Concept: Howitzer Snail

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Concept: Tank Snails

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Adopt your own RocketSnail

Thu, 09 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

AdVenture Capitalist goes mobile

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

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Club Penguin - Logo Design

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin - 2014

Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin Christmas Special

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice - The Animated Series

Tue, 04 Nov 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin - The Hobby

Sat, 06 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Over the past couple years I have watched countless virtual worlds come and go, and I have wondered what made Club Penguin so special. I believe one of the many reasons for Club Penguin’s success was that it started as a hobby. I had 5 years to experiment, explore, and listen to the audience. There was no rush to make money, it was a hobby. I wonder how many successful games start as hobbies? Read More: Experimenting with Penguins

Bumper Pool

Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0000

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Club Penguin - 2013

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Academy

Wed, 12 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000

[

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](http://mechmice.com)

MECH MICE SHIPPED

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Thank-you

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

“You are not a game designer until you ship a game.” - Me. For almost 3 years, I have been working on Mech Mice. I want to personally thank the many people that made this game happen.

The Fans

First, I want to thank you, the fans! After leaving Club Penguin in 2010, I asked you to help me develop my next game. Your comments and feedback shaped my ideas and Mech Mice was born. You patiently watched Mech Mice grow from concept art, to a book. The book became the launchpad for the game. A team was gathered, we refined the game. You joined us in the Beta, and destroyed millions of bugs. Thank-you.

Canoe Adventure

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000

DSC01593

Every year I plan one big adventure. This year was the famous Bowron lake circuit with my dad and two sons. We paddled 112km, 12 lakes, 10 portages and 5 rivers. No internet, just my notebook and pen. Lots of time to consider new games and rework old game mechanics.

IMG_5525

Above was one of the most amazing board games that I have discovered. Someone hand carved an entire checkers game from wood. The board was a log with the two sides split off. The surface was burned and the white tiles were carved away with an axe. The pieces were sticks chopped into little discs. Black had bark, and white had the bark removed. Amazing.

Mech Mice - Meet Dusty

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice - Meet Flank

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Beta

Wed, 10 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice

Whew! We finally launched the Mech Mice Beta. Play Now!

Mech Mice - Teaser

Thu, 04 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin - Starwars

Wed, 03 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice - Making the Game

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the latest video on Mech Mice.

Mech Mice - Behind the Scenes 01

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the first in a series of videos on the making of Mech Mice. Additional information on Mech Mice and Hyper Hippo Productions can be found online at mechmice.com or hyperhippo.ca

Coins for Change 2012

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Many people have asked “What is your favourite party, game, or feature of Club Penguin?”

Coins for Change! Every year millions kids from around the world to donate billions of their hard earned virtual coins to three different causes. These causes include health, education, and the environment. Based on the kids virtual donations, Club Penguin donates $1 Million dollars to help kids around the world. Over the past 6 years Coins for Change has donated more than $8 Million dollars and changed the lives of more than 250,000 children.

Screenhog and RocketSnail

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Way back in the summer of 2000 a young animator named Chris Hendricks (Screenhog) sent me this animation and his resume. I didn’t bother reading his resume, I was impressed by the animation. Resume’s are ridiculous, they don’t tell me what i need to know.

Frankendie

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Frankendie

Hey my copy of Frankendie arrived yesterday! Check out Doctor Gastropoda (me) and his snails. I supported this project on Kickstarter a couple months ago. I really appreciate the rewards the team at UniForge provided for the project.

Question: What rewards do you look for when supporting a digital game?

Digital Board Games

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Board Games

Sometime in early 2000 I was introduced to the board game Settlers of Catan. This game blew my mind. I was amazed by the quality, simplicity and depth of the game. This game changed my life forever. I fell in love with well crafted and designed game mechanics. I began to collect board games.

A couple things happend in 2010.

I left Club Penguin and the first iPad was released. I’ll be honest when Apple announced the first iPad, I was sceptical. It wasn’t until I purchased the iPad2 that I realized the full beauty of this device and the impact on the board game industry. I have been told by many experts that the board game isle is dead. “Players rarely buy games that they have never played” is explains why there are hundreds of versions of Monopoly. The digital version solves this problem and allows players to quickly learn all the rules, and master the game.

New Standing Desk

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Standing Desk

Hey my new standing desk from details just arrived.

Kelowna's Game Industry is Growing

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Last June I tweeted “My goal is to help kickstart 5 new studios in the next 5 years in Kelowna”. It is critically important to the local game industry that we have a collection of successful studios in the city. These studios will attract, retain, and grow talent. Kelowna already has amazing talent, but we need more. There is a massive shift happening in both games and animation and Kelowna is poised to become a global leader in creating content.

Hyper Hippo - Same Team, Bigger Games!

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

For the past couple months I have been secretly working with the very talented Pascale Audette to create a larger game studio in Kelowna, British Columbia Canada. Today, I am excited to announce Hyper Hippo Productions.

Why a new studio?

Great question, we need a larger studio to create bigger games. For example, Mech Mice is too big for the little RocketSnail team. Hyper Hippo will allow us to create more games faster. Hippos are big, snails are slow.

Mech Mice Commander Video

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the lastest video of the Mech Mice Commander Unit from our friends at Oktobor Animation.

Ninja Snails

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Just added Ninja Snails as our cover image on both Facebook and Twitter.

Mech Mice Grunt Unit

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Last week we featured the Mech Mice Grunt on both Twitter and Facebook. This week we are featuring the Heavy Unit.

Mech Mice Commander Unit

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Have you been following the latest news on the official Mech Mice Facebook Page? Every week we are featuring another unit. Last week we featured the Commander Unit, this week we are featuring the Grunt.

New Mech Mice Artwork

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the latest Mech Mice artwork from our friends at Oktobor Animation. For the latest news and images be sure to follow the official Mech Mice Twitter, YouTube and Facebook Page.

Mech Mice Beta Update

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Hey Mech Mice fans!

I’m sure you’re all desperately waiting for an update on the Mech Mice Beta date, so here it is. We’ve got some bad news and some good news. Lets go with the bad news first… The bad news is we need a couple more months to finish the Mech Mice Beta. The good news is that we have decided to make the game way better than ever expected. (See image above)

Winner of the RocketSnail Halloween Poster

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The winner of the RocketSnail Halloween Poster was selected through a process of elimination. As with all important decisions at RocketSnail Games we decided to use Nerf. Each name was printed and placed on the table as the team let lose hundreds of Nerf darts to decided the winner. “Luke OMalley” was the last man standing.

Halloween Snails Poster Giveaway

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Hey RocketSnail Fans, looking for an awesome Halloween Snails poster? Tell us how many brains are hidden in the poster and we will add your name to the random draw on October 10th . The Poster is 24"x36".

UPDATE: Close-up of the bottom right corner

The RocketSnail Halloween Poster contest has ended.

Mech Mice Level Design – Texturing

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While the programming team is mapping the level, the art team is busy painting and texturing the level. Above is a quick texture test of one of the first levels.

Mech Mice Level Design – Mapping

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Now the team has started adding props (models) to the level, the programming team begins build a map of the level. This map is used to calculate range, movement, and pathfinding.

Next: Mech Mice Level Design – Testing

Mech Mice Level Design – Modelling

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Once we have decided on the key details for the level, we start modelling the level. The level is a group of models that we assemble in Unity.

Next: Mech Mice Level Design – Mapping

RocketSnail is Growing

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice is now in full production, and we need to grow our team. Over the next couple months we will be looking for awesome designers, artists, and programers to join our team. Check out the job posting

Mech Mice Level Design – Details

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After the team has created the map wireframe, we start sketching details for the map. These sketches will be used to create the models.

Snail Dojo Round 3

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The new Snail Dojo is looking awesome!

Mech Mice Level Design – Wireframe

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After the team has created a rough concept of the map, and a rough illustration of the environment we begin to create a 3D wireframe of the level. This model focuses on where the mice can move, scale, and height of the map.

Next: Mech Mice Level Design - Detail

Snail Dojo Round 2

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Remember the Snail Dojo concept illustration we posted a couple weeks ago? Well Andrew has been busy creating a 3D model of the level. More Mech Mice news later this week.

Mech Mice Level Design - Environment

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After the team has created a detailed map, we start creating concept illustrations of the environment. I believe it is critically important to capture the mood and light of your level before you start modelling.

Next: Mech Mice Level Design - Wireframe

Mech Mice Level Design - Concept

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The RocketSnail Team is busy working on the first collection of maps for the Mech Mice game. We have decided that the battle will begin in one of the Urg Wastelands. Each map starts with a quick sketch on one of our many gigantic whiteboards.

Next, a more detailed version of the map is created.

Next: Mech Mice Level Design - Environment

Snail Dojo

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Hey Snail fans! Here is a quick sneak peek of a new room we are working on for our little snail world.

2015

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I am surprised by how many game developers continue to ignore the free-to-play business model and the impact of Club Penguin on the game industry. In the next 3 years, approximately 150 million penguins (kids) will become teenagers. A couple things you need to understand about Club Penguin:

Club Penguin is almost 8 years old.
Club Penguin is a service.
Club Penguin has released new content every week since it launched in 2005.
Club Penguin releases content globally on the same day in 5 languages.
Club Penguin releases all merchandise in sync with the online world.
Club Penguin is free-to-play (or freemium)

Is your studio ready for this new generation of players?

Paper Prototypes

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The entire RocketSnail team is back in action. Cale has returned from New Zealand, Screenhog is back from holidays, and I have returned from 2 weeks of meetings in California.

After months of planning, the team finally played the first paper prototype of Mech Mice. We still have lots of bugs to fix, but the game is moving along nicely.

Mech Mice Chapter TWENTY ONE

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 21 - The Miracle

True to their word, the Liwans did have wings.

Nightshade looked down from atop his blackbird and watched the scenery racing by below him. It still amazed Nightshade how quickly the birds had come to the Liwans’ aid. The shrill chitter sound the Liwans were able to produce from blowing across a single blade of grass pinched between their cupped paws was incredibly effective.

Now, Nightshade and a flying squadron of ten other riders were in an all-out race to intercept the distant Mothship; the red and yellow markings on their wings a blur of color. Despite the extreme efforts of the Liwans, Nightshade knew the grim reality was that these birds had little chance of catching a rocket-powered airship - let alone one with as big of a head start as the Mothship had on them now.

Weapon damage and flipping coins

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Well I tend to suffer from analysis paralysis when making game design decisions. For the past couple months I have been struggling with how to calculate Mech Mice weapon damage. Should every attack deliver a set number of weapon damage? or should every attack have the chance to miss? Both have endless pros and cons. This week Russ has started to code the Mech Mice unit stats for the game. I must decide. My answer came from a fantastic tweet by Markus Persson (Creator of Minecraft)

Box of Snails iPad Test

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The amazing team at RocketSnail Games has just finished porting “Box of Snails” to the iPad. We plan to launch this app in a couple months.

Play Box of Snails
Learn more about RocketSnail Games

Mech Mice Updates and Patches

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice is moving along quickly. Cale has been in New Zealand for the last couple weeks working with Oktobor Animation on the artwork for the Mech Mice game. Russ has been busy porting our Mech Mice Weapon Test to the iPad. (We hope to post a new video later this week) The Millers are planning a book tour. Screenhog is busy working on a new top secret project. And I just ordered 1000 Mech Mice patches. What do you think we should do with the patches?

Hello Snails!

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Today the RocketSnail team invites you to explore our little world of snails. Over the next couple months we plan to expand this world with new features and secrets.

Click here to play

We need your help! What should we call this world?

World of Snails
Box of Snails
Snail Chat

Next Generation Chat

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The wait is finally over! It has been 8 years since we launched a chat. The RocketSnail team has spent the last 3 weeks developing a new chat for you to explore with your friends. Come back March 14th for the official launch!

Credits: Lance (Game Designer), Russ (Programer), Screenhog (Music, Animator), Andrew (3D Artist), Cale (Illustrator). Created with Unity, Photoshop, XSI and Blender.

Mech Mice Chapter TWENTY

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 20 - Boom Voyage

Nightshade and the cybernetic Liwans had only just escaped the cave tunnels when the ground began to quake beneath their feet. Normally, Nightshade would have commanded everyone to hit the floor, but the sudden rush of warm air blowing out of the mouth of the cave sent his instincts into overdrive.

“Everyone run,” he shouted at the top of his lungs. Young and old, scrambled across the rocky terrain trying desperately to get away from whatever was behind them. Seconds later, a blast of fire and smoke streamed out of the tunnel with the ferocity of a rocket taking flight.

Mech Mice Book Launch

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Horray! The Mech Mice book is is now available for purchase on Amazon. Check out the book launch video by the talented, yet crazy Miller Brothers.

Purchase the Book

Mech Mice Youtube Updates

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter NINETEEN

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 19 – Friend or Fiend

Hearing elevator music on the way to your doom really messes with your mind.

With a loud hiss, the elevator doors slid open at the rear of the car. Ziro and the others turned quickly around and cautiously ventured into a darkened control room, lit by a scattering of dimly glowing buttons and dials. After a few steps, a line of soft floor lamps self- activated to illuminate a path to the center of the room. Thick coils of wires crisscrossed the floor ending in a tower of components and computer screens. “No bug bots,” Streak expressed with a sigh, “that’s good.”

Create your own Virtual World

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Based on your comments a couple people have asked for a more advanced tutorial on how to “Create your own Virtual World”. I would recommend reading the ElectroServer Manual. This online manual includes everything you need to know to create a multiplayer game or a virtual world with Flash. I would also recommend reading ActionScript for Multiplayer Games and Virtual Worlds. This book includes the blueprint for creating your own virtual world.

Mech Mice Chapter EIGHTEEN

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 18 - Last One Out

If there was one thing Ziro had learned in the field, it was that having your cover blown could mean the difference between a hero’s welcome and a spear in your neck…or in this case, a sudden kick to the head.

Unfortunately, the Liwan towering over them was tragically convinced that the Mech Mice were here to harm the slaves, not save them. And he had a menacing pair of heavy, mechanical legs that he wasn’t afraid to use. In one mighty leap, he launched himself down at his declared ‘intruders’.

Mech Mice Chapter SEVENTEEN

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 17 - A Sticky Situation

Happening again? Ziro found it hard to believe anyone had ever seen what he was seeing before.

The Liwan men were not merely captives, or even slaves. They were walking experiments.

Tight metal collars had been fitted around their necks. Out of the collars a metal plate extended up and over between their ears, ending in a wide diamond shape at the browline. Black lenses hung from either side, hiding their eyes. A row of red lights ran the length of the skull plate, rising and falling as some kind of level readout.

Create your own Virtual World – Step2

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to second step for creating your own Virtual World. Last week we created our character, this week we will create the background for our room. My goal is to show you how to create a very simple virtual world with Flash. Step 2 – Rooms

Every virtual world has a collection of rooms.

I prefer rooms that do not scroll and allow players to see the horizon. The horizon allows the players to see the entire world, and encourages the player to explore. When creating a room consider the following:

Mech Mice Chapter SIXTEEN

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

CHAPTER 16 - Guardian in the Deep

The hive turned out to be easier to find than quills on a porcupine. As a matter of fact, it looked like one too.

A series of black smoke stacks jutted out from a rocky landscape, belching thick smoke skyward from somewhere deep within their bellies. As the team neared the unusual monoliths, Ziro couldn’t help but wonder how something this big had gone undiscovered by the Burrow for so long. It would seem hard to miss, yet here it was surrounded by an open patch of jagged rocks and spattering of spindly trees that looked dead.

Create your own Virtual World - Step1

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After thousands of requests asking “How did you create Penguin Chat?”. I have decided to publish a series of posts on how to create a simple little virtual world. Here is a list of skills and tools that you will need to create a virtual world:

Adobe Flash
A Programmer (Actionscript)
An Artist/Animator
A Server (We will discuss this later)
Time

Step 1 - Characters

I start every world with the character. The character is what the player will become, and interact with every day. Your character must delight the player. Here are some ideas for selecting a character:

The Mech Mice Book is Done!

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

After months of work, the first book in the Mech Mice series is finished. The Miller Brothers have done a fantastic job crafting a story based on the Mech Mice universe.

The first book contains 21 chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue, around 300 pages, and over 55,000 words. The first book will be available on Amazon for purchase in the next couple of weeks.

Mech Mice Chapter FIFTEEN

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter FOURTEEN

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Donovan's Echo

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter THIRTEEN

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Merry Christmas

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from the entire RocketSnail Team. We look forward to another awesome year!

Mech Mice Chapter TWELVE

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter ELEVEN

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Simulation Room and Team Update

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The RocketSnail team continues to work on Mech Mice.

The Miller Brothers just got back from Andorra. During the flight they wrote the final chapter of the Mech Mice story (The book is almost finished). Cale just got back from CTN Expo in Burbank California. Did you stop by and get your free Mech Mice postcards? Screenhog composed more music, and spent some time researching Unity shaders. Andrew continues to model the Mech Mice universe. (See above). I spent the week in New Zealand speaking at AnimFX and touring Oktober Animation.

Mech Mice Chapter TEN

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Comic Page THREE

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The RocketSnail team continues to develop the Mech Mice universe. Check out the third and final page of the Mech Mice comic test. Leave your comments below.

Mech Mice 3D Character

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the latest 3D version of the mouse character for the Mech Mice game.

Mech Mice Comic Page TWO

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Busy week! The RocketSnail team continues to develop the Mech Mice property. The Miller Brothers have almost finished writing the story. (We hope to have the book available on Amazon before Christmas) Cale continues to illustrate more chapter illustrations, characters, and fantastic concepts of the Mech Mice Universe. We hired the talented Dapper Dan to create a short 3 page Mech Mice comic. (see above) Screenhog and Andrew are currently modelling the latest version of the mouse for the game. I continue to work on the Mech Mice game and toys.

Mech Mice Chapter NINE

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Comic Page ONE

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The RocketSnail team continues to develop the Mech Mice universe. Check out page 1 from our 3 page Mech Mice comic test.

Mech Mice Chapter EIGHT

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter SEVEN

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter SIX

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Chapter6_Wurm.jpg

Pirate Snails

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Did you miss our awesome Pirate Snail homepage on September 19th? To celebrate “Talk like a pirate day” and the launch of the new RocketSnail website, Cale created this amazing illustration.

Mech Mice Chapter FIVE

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter FOUR

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Desert Battle

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the latest Mech Mice concept art.

Mech Mice Chapter THREE

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter TWO

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice Chapter ONE

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Where is Chapter 5?

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Well summer is almost over and it is time to get back to work! Screenhog has been busy working on the latest Mech Mice prototype, we should have another video next week. Cale continues to draw amazing illustrations of the Mech Mice world, I can’t wait to show you the “bar fight” illustration. The Miller Brothers are busy finishing the first Mech Mice book, and we hope to have the book sent to the printers by the end of this month. (Stay tuned) I have been busy working on the new (boring) RocketSnail website.

Mech Mice Concept Art

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Above is one of the many concept illustrations for the Mech Mice book. The book will be available for sale on Amazon this fall. Stay tuned as we giveaway a new chapter every month.

Sketches for Demo's Mech Suit

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Cale has been busy sketching Demo’s Mech Suit. Here is a quick collection of illustrations. Cale will rough each sketch with a red or blue pencil, then a dark pen for details.

The Mech Mice Story – Chapter Four

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Chapter 3 Illustration

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Mech Mice fans, Cale finally finished the Chapter 3 illustration of Colonel Black’s office. Tell us how many secrets you can find in the picture..

First Mech Mice YouTube video with Screenhog

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Screenhog just uploaded our first Mech Mice YouTube video.

Mech Mice Book Covers

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We need your help. Which Mech Mice book cover do you like the most?

Cale joins RocketSnail Games

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It’s official, Cale joins RocketSnail Games as our full-time lead artist. We look forward to many more Mech Mice illustrations. Welcome Cale to the team!

The Mech Mice Story - Chapter Three

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Quick Mech Mice Update

Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Mech Mice Fans! Most of the team will be away for the next couple weeks. Have a fantastic weekend!

Mech Mice - Heavy Mech Suit

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Here is a sneak peek at the Mech Mice Heavy battle suit. We plan to release more details in the next couple months.

Mech Mice Character Concepts

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the latest concept art for the Mech Mice characters. Above is the team from the Mech Mice story. Tell us what you think?

The Mech Mice Story - Chapter Two

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Chapter2_Ziro.jpg

Mech Mice Update

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The RocketSnail team continues to work on the Mech Mice book and game. Here are a couple quick updates:

The Miller Brothers are busy editing Chapter TWO of the book. Your questions about Streak and Ziro will be answered soon. Here is a sneak peek from chapter two: “Wurp. Wurp. Wuuuurp.”

Screenhog continues to model the 3D Grunt. For some strange reason he keeps looking at his teeth. Should the mice have buck teeth?

3D Grunt

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Screenhog finished the first version of the Grunt, which you can see here. The red notes are reference for him to change the Grunt’s design for the second version, which he’s working on now.

Screenhog wants to animate the Grunt soon, so what should he be doing? Running? Firing a weapon? Eating a three-cheese sandwich?

Mech Mice - Grunt

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Meet the Mech Mice Grunt. These highly trained mice get the job done. In the Mech Mice story posted last week, Streak and Magenta are Grunts.

The Mech Mice Story - Chapter One

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Mech Mice

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Next Game - Part 2

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Here is the latest concept illustration for my next game. The mice are attempting to escape a bug infested tunnel. I plan to announce more details about the game next month. Keep following.

Screenhog joins RocketSnail Games

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Experimenting with Penguins

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Way back in the winter of 1999 I had an idea to create a multiplayer strategy game with penguins. But could Flash 4 do it? Was the internet ready? I decided to start small and create Experimental Penguins.

Launched July 2000, Experimental Penguins was my first attempt at developing a multiplayer game. It was pretty simple. Each player could give their penguin a name, chat and explore a four room world. I was surprised by the success.

Mancala Snails

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Did you know that Mancala Snails is 11 years old and has been played more than 1 million times? I created the game in Flash 4. I was wondering if I should create an iphone version of the game? Feel free to leave a comment and ask me questions about the game.

Play the game: http://rocketsnail.com/mancala/

How we draw?

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

First we start with rough thumbnails. These are quick sketches that allow us to experiment with multiple ideas.

Next we sketch that layout in Photoshop with a Wacom Cintiq.

After the layout is approved, we start adding colour.

Finally we add detail and finish the illustration.

Next Game

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My next game will be created with Unity3D. This will allow us to develop the game for web, iPhone, iPad, Android, Nintendo Wii, XBOX 360, Playstation3 and hopefully the new mobile PSP.

Should we focus on Web and XBOX 360 first?

The current plan is to develop a massive multiplayer strategy game, where players create squads of mice to battle other players. Keep following for more details.

Learn more about Unity3D: http://www.unity3d.com/

New Icons Finished

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

What do you think of the new icons?

Robots and Mice

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Snail Shell

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Do you like the snail with the plain shell (left), or the snail with the swirl shell (right)?

New Icons

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Check out some of the icons for my new website. Which snail is your favourite?

Explosion

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

What do you think of my new 404 page? Do you have any ideas for a funny caption?

Codebearer Game?

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Have you read any of the Hunter Brown books? What would you think of a MMO game based on the world of Solandria? Become a Codebearer, join the resistance, wield your sword, battle the shadow, unlock your story.

Learn more:

Plan

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start building your game, have a plan. A mind-map will allow you to imagine the entire game before you start coding.

Blast off!

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

New Notebook

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Every new game starts with a pen and paper. I will use this notebook to write down all my ideas for my next game.

Why Penguins?

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Why penguins? The answer usually surprises people. I needed a simple character that I could animate for an experimental project. Looking around my desk, I saw an old Far Side comic that I clipped from a newspaper. This comic showed a penguin slipping on a banana peel. The idea for a waddling penguin with a white background was born.

Webby

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin is a webby award winner for the category games.

Rsnail and the Red Dragon

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Wow, it’s almost been 15 years since I launched my first bulletin board system (BBS) to run the popular door game Legend of the Red Dragon (LORD). Legend of the Red Dragon was a text-based role-play game where multiple players play to advance their skills, and eventually kill the red dragon. Around the fall of 1995, I decided to create a winter version of LORD. This version included new text, monsters and events. The winter version appeared on many other bulletin boards, and much to my surprise a couple people actually sent the suggested $2.00 donation. I never cashed the cheques, they remain in my office today.

Card-Jitsu

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The Spark

I have always loved ninjas. Growing up, I spent hours doodling them in my notebooks and reading GI Joe comics starring Snake Eyes. When I built Penguin Chat 3 in early 2005, I hid a secret in the character creation screen. If you clicked the letter “N,” your penguin turned into a ninja. Black suit. Sword. You could even turn invisible by dancing.

About a thousand players found it. That was enough. I knew ninjas had to be part of whatever came next.

2005 Site Report

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Well another record year, the site was visited more than 3.7 million times. Thanks for an amazing year, I look forward to 2006.

Club Penguin!

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Well Penguins! It’s been 5 years since the first Penguin Chat. Ever since we launched the first Penguin Chat, I have had a dream to create a safe, virtual world where children can play games,have fun and interact. Now we are very proud to announce the release of Club Penguin.

Each player chooses a penguin, gives it an identity and explores Club Penguin, interacting with other penguins by chatting, text messaging, playing games, sending greeting cards, or using emotes (emotion icons) and actions (ie. wave, dance, sit, walk or throw a snowball).

Penguin Chat

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Why Penguins?

I needed a character I could animate. Something simple. I looked around my desk and saw an old Far Side comic I’d clipped from a newspaper. A penguin slipping on a banana peel in the middle of an arctic plain. The idea for a waddling penguin on a white background was born.

That was 1999. I was sketching out a game called Snow Blasters. A massive multiplayer strategy game with snowball-fighting penguins. Something like Advance Wars on ice. But I didn’t know if Flash could handle multiplayer. I didn’t know if the internet was ready.

Summer Report

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Busy summer! Here are some cool stats for the RocketSnail website between June and August 2005.

I received almost 10,000 emails (not including spam)
1,034,210 people visited the website.
Almost 12,000 people visit every day.
524,884 penguins waddled around this summer.
The average penguin spends 15 minutes online.
Pushed more than 450 GB of bandwidth.
The most popular game on the site was Penguin Chat 3.
The second most popular game was Mancala.

Once again, thanks for playing!

Club Penguin - Lots of questions, lots of answers

Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! I have received lots of questions about Club Penguin (formally called the BIG Update). So here’s lots of answers. Why did I not get accepted for the Club Penguin Beta Test? Sadly, almost 200 people do not have working email addresses, or they misspelled their email address on the Beta Test application.

When will Club Penguin be released? When all the big bugs have been fixed. We cannot release Club Penguin until it is stable.

Club Penguin - Beta Test

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

RocketSnail Games and New Horizon Interactive is proud to announce the “Club Penguin” beta test. We realized that this update was so BIG, that it needed its own name and web site and Club Penguin is it! For the next 2 to 3 weeks we will be testing the game to make sure it is as fun as possible. We will let you know when the beta test is over and the final version is launched. Emails have been sent to all the beta testers and we are allowing a couple more days to sign up if you are wanting to help test. Soon everyone will be able to visit “Club Penguin.”

cp-logo

Sneak Peek - Part 12

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! This is the last sneak peek. Next week we begin Beta Testing the BIG Update. Below is a screenshot of how you can dress your penguin. Have a great week!

Sneak Peek - Part 11

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Yes, it is true. The BIG update includes igloos! Every penguin will have their own igloo to decorate. You will be able to access your igloo by clicking the house icon on your tool bar. You will be able find other igloos by clicking the map icon.

Sneak Peek - Part 10

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Below is another mini game coming soon in the BIG update. This mini game is one of the jobs you can do in the Coffee Shop. You can help unload coffee bean bags from the trucks. Each mini game allows you to earn coins for your penguin. Have a great weekend!

Sneak Peek - Part 9

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! This is going to be a very busy month. We are putting the final touches on the BIG update. Below is another screenshot for you to view. Enjoy!

Sneak Peek - Part 8

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Attention Penguins! The BIG update will contain mini-games! Below is a screenshot showing one of the new locations and mini-games. From the dock, you can go tubing. More mini-games next week.

Sneak Peek - Part 7

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Here is another screenshot from our much anticipated BIG update! This is one of my favourite rooms. Have a great weekend! Waddle on!

Sneak Peek - Part 6

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Attention shoppers! Today’s sneak peek is a screenshot of the new penguin store. Have a great week and keep waddling.

Sneak Peek - Part 5

Fri, 15 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Here is another screenshot from our top secret BIG update. This is the new book room in the coffee shop. Everyone keeps asking “when will the BIG update be released?”. The plan is to start Beta Testing in mid-August. Once the testing is complete we will launch. More will be revealed next week. Have a great weekend!

Sneak Peek - Part 4

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Here is another screenshot from our top secret BIG update. This screenshot shows the new ice rink. Enjoy!

Sneak Peek - Part 3

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Below is another screenshot from our top secret BIG update. This screenshot shows the new interface. More news later on what all the buttons do.

Sneak Peek - Part 2

Wed, 06 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Below is another screenshot from our top secret BIG update. This screenshot shows the new waving animation, and coffee emote. The BIG update includes lots of new ways to communicate with your fellow penguins and friends. More next week!

Sneak Peek - Part 1

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Below is a screenshot from our top secret BIG update. This screenshot is showing the new snow ball targeting system. This will allow you to throw your snow balls at specific targets. More next week. Have a great weekend!

Penguin Chat 3 - Working Hard

Wed, 22 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Penguin Chat 3 - Busy Week

Fri, 17 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! It’s been a very busy week. We are all working on the “BIG” update. (Top Secret). Alot of you have been asking when the “BIG” update will be released? We plan to start testing later this summer. We have also updated the music in the Dance Club. Have a great weekend! More news next week.

Mancala Multiplayer - Beta Test

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

We need your help. Today we launched the public beta test of our new Multiplayer Mancala game. Please report any bugs, errors, or problems to RocketSnail Games. Thank-you.

Penguin Chat 3 - June Update

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Another busy month. More than 151,210 penguins waddled around in May. Some quick facts from May:

The most popular room was the Boiler Room. (You can find the secret door in the Dance Club)
There are more than 1,000 active Ninjas. (10+ logins)
The Penguin Chat consumed more than 150 GB of bandwidth!

New Horizon Interactive

Fri, 20 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Way cool! New Horizon Interactive has just launched their new website. New Horizon Interactive is our publisher. Together we create fun and interactive tools to help companies showcase their products. Be sure to check out the new spray park builder we built for WaterPlay.

Penguin Chat 3 - Where am I?

Thu, 12 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Penguin Chat 3 - New Music!

Thu, 05 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello Penguins! Busy month. More than 154,661 penguins waddled around in April. This month we are testing a new streaming music system. Please visit the dance club and welcome DJ Maxx. Thanks for playing!

Penguin Chat 3 - Updates

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

We are currently fixing a couple bugs with the bad word filter. I would like to thank all the users that sent messages about this problem. Did you know that 70,932 penguins have waddled around in the last 2 weeks. The average penguin spends 10-20 minutes chatting. The most popular colours are pink and black. The least popular colour is brown.

Penguin Chat 3 - The Boiler Room

Thu, 07 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Howdy Penguins! Just wanted to let you know that we unlocked the hidden boiler room. See screenshot below for clues on how to find this room.

Penguin Chat 3 - Ninjas

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

I have received a couple messages that ninjas are sneaking around the chat. See the screenshots below. Be careful.

Penguin Chat 3 - Launch!

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

The new Penguin Chat 3 is ready for public testing.

Penguin Chat 3 - Get Ready to Waddle

Wed, 30 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Well penguins. We have just cleared the Penguin Chat 3 database and we are preparing for launch. Beta testing will begin tomorrow morning around 10 AM (Pacific Time). We will be closely monitoring the server, if we detect any bugs we may take the chat offline to fix it. If we do take the new chat offline, the current chat (version 2) will still be available. See you tomorrow!

Penguin Chat 3 - FAQ

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

I have received hundreds of emails with questions about the next Penguin Chat. Here are some of the frequently asked questions and answers.

When will Penguin Chat 3 come out? Public testing begins March 31
Will you need to create a new account? Yes, all penguins will need to register a new account. You will not be required to enter your email address, but if you forget your password, we will not be able to send you a new password. If you are under 13, then you will require your parents permission to use the chat.
Is Penguin Chat 3 FREE? Yes
Will the new chat be moderated? Yes. Each penguin can send a report to a moderator about trouble users. Moderators will review the report and ban trouble users. We will ban users if they are found swearing or using explicit, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive language.
Will there be more songs? Yes. We are currently negotiating the rights to use a number of songs. Both the Coffee Shop and the Disco will have music.
Will you be able to buy things for your penguin in the gift shop? No. The gift shop will allow you to purchase REAL things. You will be able to buy Penguin Chat t-shirts, stickers and more. The sale of these items will allow us to pay for the cost of hosting the Penguin Chat.
Will there be yellow penguins? Good Idea, we’ll add them.

Penguin Chat 3 - The Disco

Fri, 11 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Here is another sneak peek image from the new Penguin Chat 3. This image is the inside of the Night Club. I am happy to announce that we will have lots of new songs. Later.

New Penguins Coming Soon

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Below is another sneek peak from the next Penguin Chat. You will be able to select a colour for your new penguin. Cheers!

Penguin Chat 3 - The Coffee Shop

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Here is another sneak peek image from the new Penguin Chat 3. This image is the inside of the coffee shop. I have received hundreds of messages asking when Penguin Chat 3 will be released. The answer is late-March.

Sneak Peek at Penguin Chat 3

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone, here is a sneak peek at the next Penguin Chat. Enjoy!

2004 Site Report

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Well another great year, the site was visited more than 2.4 million times. The Penguin Chat is still the most popular destination after 4 years. More than 890,000 players waddled around in 2004. Thanks for another great year, I look forward to 2005.

Penguin Chat interview with Eovia

Tue, 25 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Below is an interview with Eovia, the creators of Carrara Studio

What did you do? Created an easy-to-use character chat, where users can waddle around and meet new friends.

How did you do it? I created a character chat using Flash, Carrara Studio and VectorStyle.

The penguin was created in Carrara using the Spline Modeler. Once the penguin was completed, I started working on all the animations. Some of the animations include: Standing around, waddling (moving), throwing snowballs, and dancing. Each of the animations was rendered with VectoryStyle in 5 directions. (All the horizontal directions were flipped to create a total of 8 directions of animation. This reduces the size of the final file.)

Working on Ballistic Biscuit 2

Thu, 01 Feb 2001 00:00:00 +0000

Not much news this month. Working on Ballistic Biscuit 2. Includes some great new features like jumping and more difficult levels. For those of you missing the Experimental Penguins, be sure to check-out Ultrashock, and try their robot chat.

Number ONE on Flashkit Arcade

Fri, 15 Dec 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Mancala Snails makes first place on the Flashkit Arcade top 10.

Mancala Snails

Sat, 02 Dec 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Mancala Snails is released.

Play online

Great News!

Sat, 30 Sep 2000 00:00:00 +0000

It has been an exciting month! Experimental Penguins received more than 25,000 visitors spending an average of 20 minutes each. Ballistic Biscuit was awarded Editor’s Choice by the very popular kids site Bonus.com. Production is almost complete on our new 2 player game to be released in October. Expect two new versions of Experimental Penguins to be release in the next couple weeks.

Cool Site of the Day!

Fri, 15 Sep 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Experimental Penguins is featured by the official Cool Site of the Day.

Experimental Penguins

Sun, 30 Jul 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Experimental Penguins is finally released. This is our first attempt at a multiplayer web game, we are excited to take what we have learned and develop future games.

Ballistic Biscuit

Mon, 28 Feb 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Ballistic Biscuit is released

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hi. I’m Lance Priebe.

I’m the founder of RocketSnail. I’ve been building games, online worlds and digital toys for over 25 years.

I believe in small teams. Autonomous teams. Creative people who care deeply about what they’re making. No committees. No endless meetings. Just a small group exploring ideas, finding the fun, and delighting fans.

It’s the philosophy behind everything I’ve built. And it works.

Where It Started

In 2000, I built my first multiplayer penguin game called Experimental Penguins. Just me and my brother. Seeing what was possible.

Ballistic Biscuit

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Dodge frogs and logs as you help camp counsellor Bob ride his ski biscuit!

Ballistic Biscuit is a water-based arcade game originally created in Flash 4 and launched in early 2000 to promote Green Bay Bible Camp in Kelowna, BC.

The game attracted 250,000 players within its first six months and received media coverage from ZDTV and Happy Puppy Games.

Legacy

The game inspired multiple themed versions:

Larry’s Wild Ride for Veggie Tales
Hydro Hopper for Club Penguin

Box Critters

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Spark

In 2000, I built a multiplayer game with cartoon penguins. Strangers showed up to waddle around together. That experiment became Penguin Chat. Penguin Chat became Club Penguin. Club Penguin became a world where 300 million players made friends, threw snowballs, and built memories that still matter to them today.

I never stopped thinking about what made that work.

Not the penguins. Not the igloo decorating. Not the membership model. The thing that actually worked was simpler than all of that. People showed up because it felt like a place. A warm, silly, surprising place where you could just be with other people.

Club Penguin

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Club Penguin

I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined the impact of this little world on children’s imaginations.

The History of Club Penguin

Snow Blasters (1999)

The initial concept was for a massive multiplayer strategy game with penguins throwing snowballs.

Experimental Penguins (July 2000)

My first multiplayer virtual world attempt using Flash 4.

Penguin Chat 2 (January 2003)

The second iteration built with Flash 5.

Penguin Chat 3

Server and concept testing platform that laid the groundwork for Club Penguin.

Credits

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tools

Unity - Game engine
PixiJS - 2D rendering library

Icons

Icons by Font Awesome licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Theme

Site built with Hugo using the custom Snail theme with Bootstrap 5.

Experimental Penguins

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Long before Club Penguin, I created a little world with Flash 4 called Experimental Penguins.

I originally wanted to build “Snow Blasters,” a massive multiplayer snowball game, but I started with a simpler foundation to learn multiplayer development. The game featured naming, chatting, and world exploration—core mechanics that defined early browser-based social gaming.

The project launched publicly in July 2000 and exceeded my expectations for success, establishing a pattern of continuous world-building that continues today.

Mancala

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is Mancala?

Mancala is a type of ancient two-player strategy board game that involves capturing your opponent’s pieces using stones and a board with rows of holes.

Players: 2
Ages: 8+
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Genre: Abstract strategy

How to Play

Two core mechanics define Mancala:

Sowing - dropping seeds one-by-one into consecutive holes
Capturing - obtaining opponent’s pieces based on where your final seed lands

Winning Strategy Tips

Opening moves from the third hole give you an advantage
Control the mid-game by keeping seeds distributed
Plan ahead and prevent opponent captures

History

The earliest evidence of the Mancala board was dated back to the 4th century AD, with potential origins in Egypt, Sumeria, or Sudan.

Penguin Chat

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

My second attempt to create a multiplayer virtual world. Created with Flash 5 and launched January 2003.

The history of Penguin Chat coming soon.

Stargate SG1: Unleashed

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I am incredibly passionate about adventure games. That’s why I jumped at the chance to work on an adventure game based on the Stargate SG1 television series with MGM Studios and Arkalis Interactive.

Unfortunately, the game was never completed because Arkalis Interactive was unable to finish development.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Stay in the loop. Get updates, behind the scenes access, and beta invites from RocketSnail on Patreon.

Join on Patreon

Theme Components

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A reference page showing Bootstrap components used across the site.

Typography

Heading 1 (H1)

Heading 2 (H2)

Heading 3 (H3)

Heading 4 (H4)

Heading 5 (H5)

Heading 6 (H6)

This is regular paragraph text. Bold text and italic text and a link example.

This is a lead paragraph for introductory text.

This is secondary/muted text.

Badges

Primary (Green) Secondary (Grey) Dark Warning (Yellow) Danger (Pink) Info Success Light

Text Background Badges

text-bg-primary text-bg-secondary text-bg-warning text-bg-danger

Word Crunch

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Circle words and watch them come crashing down. A new puzzle every day.

Word Crunch is an innovative online word search puzzle experience where players circle words and watch them cascade downward.