Hi! My name is Michael Szolowicz, I am a game developer and student at California State University in Chico. Today I would like to debut a prototype for my personal project titled “Pinball Renegade.” This game is a pinball themed shoot ‘em up with a physics based twist on genre conventions. Players will blast through gauntlets of enemies while using their grappling hook to swing around the chaotic environment inside a pinball machine.

Current Stage of Development

As previously stated, this demo represents a prototype of a project under development. It tests the major gameplay mechanics I would like to have, but is lacking in polish. However, I decided to launch the prototype on itch.io so I can collect feedback which will influence the final design and features. If you feel inclined, please check out the demo and complete the feedback form available via the game’s main menu. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Future Plans

Work on this project started last year, with the bulk of the prototype being completed in late spring and summer. After taking a hiatus over the fall and early winter, I am now resuming work and aiming to move out of prototyping phases. My goal is to stay committed to active development over the spring semester and make substantial progress by summer. 

I am not quite ready to commit to any deadlines, but I will use this blog to keep you posted on my plans and progress. Lastly, I would like to mention that my next post will detail how I redesigned my enemy AI to improve behavior and flexibility over the system used in the prototype. Please stay tuned!