Sunday, December 1, 2013

Mech Mice Walkthrough Part 4/4

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. I am putting up Part Four of the Mech Mice Beta Test that I have recorded. I hope you like it and I will like to hear from your thoughts soon.

Pretty cool game huh? Did you like the Mech Mice game and do you want the Game as awesome as possible? Please leave a comment below on your opinion of the brand new Game.

Mech Mice Walkthrough Part 3/4

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. I am putting up Part Three of the Mech Mice Beta Test that I have recorded. I hope you like it and I will put up more soon.

Pretty neat video huh? Sorry about the long wait as it has been a very long time since my last posts. Anyways please leave a comment below on your thoughts of this brand new post.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Map of Roden Scavenger Hunt

Hey Mice, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Today there is a brand new post put up on the Mech Mice Blog, check it out.

"Hello everyone!"
"Story is a huge part of what Mech Mice is. And believe me, what we’ve released is just the tip of the iceberg – there’s a lot more lore to explore! Now that the game has officially launched, we thought it would be cool to start telling the story of where the Mech Mice come from."
MechMiceLore
"For those who don’t know, Mech Mice takes place in the land of Roden. To celebrate the launch of the Mech Mice game, we’re going to be releasing fun facts about Roden based on the different Mech Mice territories found on the map."
RodenMapLogo
"But there’s a catch – you have to work for it! We’ve divided the map into 15 pieces and scattered them across the blogosphere. It’s up to you to find these blogs and collect the pieces. Each map piece will contain a fun fact that will help you dive a little deeper into the ocean of lore that is Mech Mice!"
MapOutline
"Are you up for the challenge? Don’t worry, we’re going to be posting clues on the Mech Mice blog to help point you in the right direction. Make sure you stay tuned to the blog tomorrow for the very first clue. Cool? Cool! Moose OUT!"
"-MechMoose"
What do you think of the new post? Does this catch your attention and are you looking for the codes? Please leave a comment below on your opinion of the new post.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Club Penguin creator Lance Priebe chats about Mech Mice and awkward childhoods

Hello Mech Mice, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Sorry it has been a few months since I have put up a post on here but I hope to get more up soon. Anyways there was some News talking about Lance Priebe on the Internet today, check it out.

Posted by: Josh Wirtanen

It’s not often I see a free-to-play, browser-based game and get excited about it, but the upcoming Mech Mice has managed to win me over. From the awesome premise — mice that pilot mechs in a hex-based strategy game — to the phenomenally captivating concept art and trailer videos, this game just hits my heart in a place that few other games can reach.
I was so excited, in fact, that I chased down Lance Priebe, the game’s creator, to have a chat about the wonderful thing that is Mech Mice.
Of course, as a longtime fan of all things mouse-related, I wanted to figure out what influenced such a fantastic premise. Here’s what he told me:
“I actually know Brian Jacques with Redwall. Personally, I’m actually doing a couple projects with the family... I’m very familiar with Redwall itself. Can’t get into those at this time.”
Woah. Priebe actually knows Brian Jacques, the man behind the Redwall books? That series comes close to DuckTales on a list of the things that most influenced my childhood. So let’s just say my mind was blown. We could have just ended the interview there and I would have wept the tears of my inner childhood all day long. Priebe still had more to say, so I politely listened.
“I was obsessed with Mouseguard. Have you read that comic? I love Mouseguard. I love Redwall. [The] very interesting about mice [is that they are] the ultimate underdog, [and when they're] equipped to battle and fight back… it’s just an interesting story. That’s why Redwall and everything works, because you can relate to that super underdog. The lowest of the low of all the creatures, yet it does the most stuff.”
Mech Mice
However, mousey things weren't all that influenced Mech Mice. Priebe is a huge fan of strategy games too. “I love XCOM as well. So I wanted an XCOM game that kids could play. I didn’t want the standard – you know how there’s just the screen and you select the units and move? Like yourFinal Fantasy Tactics or your Hero Academy? All those tend to just have a single screen, a single map. I wanted XCOM, which had the story as you move through a map. I used to play a lot ofJagged Alliance and those styles of games, so the influence of [that and] the Fallout tactics as well. A lot of that influenced my design decisions.”
All of this makes so much sense that I kind of had to wonder how no one had thought of it before. Of course, it was the kids on Twitter who ultimately put the hard-battling mice into the science fiction trappings of Mech Mice.
“Originally, back in 2011 when I started this concept for the game, I actually just tweeted it. I asked all my personal fans, ‘I’m going to do a game with mice. It’s going to be a tactical strategy game… Do you want science fiction or medieval?’ It was a loaded question because if they would have said medieval, I was going to talk to my friends at Redwall and see if we could make a Redwall game. But they all came back saying, ‘We’re tired of medieval. We want science fiction.’ So I was like, ‘Okay, sure. That works too. So let’s just do Redwall in spaaaaaaaaace!’
“But it worked out great. That was the start of an idea. That was the birth. From there, we dove deep into it, and went, ‘Okay, we need an economy, and we need a backstory, we need a lore, we need technology…’ When you do science fiction, you need to justify all your technology. You have to have reasons and stuff too, so we started working on that.”
Mech Mice
And, like all creative projects of this magnitude, the idea continued to evolve. Priebe shared a story about mice feet:
“A year into the project, the mice had boots. They had, like, metal boots. We finally said, ‘It’s not right. It doesn’t look right.’ So maybe if we took away the boots and gave them the feet back. Like in Redwall and everything, they’d have their toes. And that, as a design… we still had to have that juxtaposition, the soft, timid little mouse, but he’s equipped in this heavy, metal armor. The two contrast each other, [which] increases charm. And that’s what we fell in love with.”
Before our conversation was done, I had to ask Priebe if he grew up as a small child. I did, and that could very well have been what kickstarted my own love of mice adventures. I wondered if Priebe, a man with a similar love of mousecapades, would also be a kindred spirit in smallness.
“No, I was always the tallest kid. I was actually six feet when I was thirteen… I was the tallest, but skinniest. Just a gangly [kid], tripping on everything. And [this is] seriously a joke, but straight on you’d see me, but if I turned sideways I’d vanish. It was awkward. It was really awkward. So I can relate to the characters as well. I never related to them as small, but [they’re] the outsiders. They’re the different ones. The underdogs. The ones you don’t expect.”
Pretty awesome huh? In other news today is the day when it has launched and it is so exciting to know! Are you going on today and do you like the game? Please leave a comment below on your thoughts of this news post.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Mech Mice Walkthrough Part 2/4

Hello Mech Mice Fans, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Two Days Ago I have put up Part Two of the Four Walkthroughs of Mech Mice, check it out.

Pretty cool video don't you think? Do you enjoy the game so far? Please leave a comment below on your opinion of the brand new video.

Mech Mice Walkthrough Part 1/4

Hello Mech Mice Fans, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Two Days Ago I have put up Part One of the Four Walkthroughs of Mech Mice, check it out.

Pretty cool video don't you think? Do you enjoy the game so far? Please leave a comment below on your opinion of the brand new video.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Mech Mice Teaser Trailer

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. I should have put this up earlier but here is the trailer for Mech Mice before the beta was released, check it out.

Pretty cool video huh? Do you like the game trailer? Please leave your comments below on your opinion of the brand new video.

MECH MICE ON NOW!

Hello Mice, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. RIGHT NOW THE BETA IS UP FOR MECH MICE!!! Don't forget to get on to get a special unit sometime during the beta but I have not gotten on yet but here it is on http://play.mechmice.com/, see you there.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Only hours left for beta release

Hello everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. In just a couple of hours the new Mech Mice beta test will be out. When it is, I will record on it as said before. I will try to make this as good as possible and one of the most accurate sites for this game. Thank you and I hope to see you join the game

Beta Testing: July 9th!

Hello Mech Mice Fans, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Screenhog recently put up a brand new post on the Mech Mice Blog, check it out.


"Really? Yes, really. We are finally announcing a date when you can test the first version of Mech Mice!"

"So, beta testing is less than three weeks away, but what does “beta testing” mean? It means that you’ll get the opportunity to try out the game in an unfinished form. Some things won’t be working, some of the art won’t be finished."

MM beta logo

"Why are we releasing it to be played before the game is finished? Because we need your help! We’re going to be asking you to send us everything about the game that you can think of: comments, bug reports, places where you got stuck, things that you loved. Without you, we can’t make a good game."

"See you on July 9th!"

"-Screenhog"

Are you excited for this game to be out TOMORROW!!! I know I am. I will be recording during this just to show what the game is like and I hope to hear from you soon or at least tomorrow MM Fans.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Mech Mice Beta Test Release Date!!!

Hello Mice, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Today I saw no so long ago a new message on the account of Mech Mice on Twitter that means big news, check it out.

This is awesome don't you think? Are you excited for the beta testing? Please leave a comment below on your thoughts of the new update.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Mech Mice Story – Chapter Three

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. This is the Third Chapter of Mech Mice and the game which will be released sometime this summer for the Beta Test and maybe even the full game, check it out.

"Lance Priebe wrote this on June 23rd, 2011"
 
Missed Chapter One? Click here to read

 Missed Chapter Two? Click here to read
 
CHAPTER THREE – OLD SCHOOL
 
Colonel Black bit hard on the squirming grub and frowned as he chewed. It was too sweet, he much preferred bitter bugs. He set the remainder of his meal back on his plate and scowled at the blabbering fool who sat across the desk from him.
 
Nothing about the grey field mouse impressed the Colonel. He was a new face, but still a stooge. One of those overdressed, underprepared, delivery mice sent down from the General’s office. The grub smelled of cheap cologne and was rambling far too long to keep Black’s attention. He had started talking three minutes ago and the Colonel could tell they were no nearer to the real reason this mouse was even here.
 
“As you will see from my report, Colonel,” the young mouse boasted as he pushed a large pile of paper across the desk, “Increasing our patrols of the southern meadows has been very productive. The tribes there seem very grateful for our presence and we’ve managed to liberate quite a few of them from all kinds of beasts. Alpha is very pleased with the results. His popularity has grown considerably among our great Colony. Despite the dwindling number of recruits it’s our hope that…”
 
Black was getting impatient. “By my uncle’s whiskers, would you spit it out already? I haven’t got time for this nonsense, and I could care less what is in your report. I’m here to do a job, I suggest you do yours and tell me what you came here to say.”
 
The mouse trembled a bit and nervously wiped his brow. Black may have been a small shrew, but he never let anyone push him around. He knew this pup was only a glorified messenger, but that didn’t mean he had to make his job any easier.
 
“Well…Sir, General Hatchet feels that increasing the number of Elite Guards by six squads before the new moon could be just the thing we need,” said the mouse.
 
“Six squads,” the Colonel bellowed.
 
“Yes sir, after all, the Elites are our most visible and marketable assets. With more Elites in the field, more mice may be inspired to join. After all, the General wants the largest army ever assembled ready before the first snowfall.”
 
“The General is a buffoon!”
 
“I…beg your pardon,” the messenger said, clearly shaken by the boldness of this little Shrew in expressing his opinions.
 
“You heard me!”
 
The Colonel lowered his bushy eyebrows, picked up the thick stack of papers and waved it in front of the messenger’s nose, “Tell me, son, where exactly does this magical report suggest I find enough mice capable of bearing the responsibility of six Elite squads?”
 
The question caught the young officer completely off guard. He hardly knew what to say.
 
“That’s not really…”
 
The Colonel interrupted, his voice rising as his agitation with his situation grew.
 
“Not everything is about numbers. Whatever happened to strategy, to tactics? Do you even know what it means to be an Elite Guard?”
 
The messenger squirmed in his chair, but said nothing. Like a wind before a hurricane, the Colonel was just getting started.
 
“Our Elites are highly trained combat units, masters of stealth, fearless fighters, capable of survival in any environment. They are battle hardened, tough tailed, killers who’d rather cut off a paw than lose a mission. That’s the kind of mice I need!” The Colonel’s ears were now burning red. He took a deep breath and continued his tirade, spitting furiously as he shouted. “The mice I have are a bunch of sloppy, spineless, rookies who rely far too much on these fancy new tech-toys the General keeps giving them to figure anything out on their own. They wouldn’t know real battle tactics if it kicked them in the tail. That’s the mice I have.”
 
There was a long silence as the messenger measured his next words carefully.
 
“Surely there must be some among the grunts who you could promote.”
 
Before the Colonel could respond, the communicator on his desk interrupted. A small screen lit up and the face of Mildra appeared.
 
“Colonel, Commander Ziro is here to see you, sir,” she said in a decidedly drab voice.
 
“Make him wait,” the Colonel shouted, but Mildra didn’t disappear.
 
“Uh sir,” the young messenger offered, “you have to press the red…”
 
“I know what I’m doing, you twit,” the Colonel said. He pressed the red button and all of a sudden a second face lit up on the screen. It was his wife.
 
“Oh, hello Smoochie,” the shrew on the screen answered. “I wasn’t expecting you to call so…”
 
“Blast,” the Colonel shouted as he pressed another button. This time it was Mildra again.
 
“Sir…did you want me to send him in?”
 
“No! No…for crying out loud…NO!” He slammed his fist against the machine and her face disappeared at last. This was exactly what was wrong with the world today. Too much technology, too many contraptions. The Colonel sighed and looked back at the messenger mouse who was sitting across from him, mouth agape and eyes wide with shock. The mouse quickly regained his composure and extended an olive branch to the befuddled Colonel.
 
“Listen, Colonel. I’ll do my best to relay your concerns back to the General, but with the Alpha’s approval already granted, I’m not sure there is anything that can be done about it. I suggest you do your best with what you’ve got and we’ll see if we can’t work something out in the meantime.
 
Okay?”
 
For Black, this was the last straw. He hated being belittled, least of all by some pint-sized runt with zero field experience and a clear disregard for his elders.
 
“Get out of my den,” the Colonel growled.
 
“But sir, I…”
 
Black picked up the report that had started the whole ordeal and hopped down from his stool. He headed for the corner of the room, rolled it up and shoved it into the barrel of a device that looked vaguely like a bazooka. He cranked back on the spring loaded lever and shouldered the weapon, aiming it’s crosshairs at the now frightened Lieutenant.
 
“I said, get out of my den, and tell General Hatchet he can put this in his report next time!”
 
The mouse scrambled frantically to gather his briefcase and scurried for the door. All the while, the Colonel chuckled to himself and kept the cross hairs steady with the well groomed dunce. Just as the messenger threw open the door the Colonel clawed the trigger and sent a massive flurry of paperwork out of the barrel and into the office and the hallway beyond.
 
The messenger rushed out of the den toward the reception hole where Ziro sat patiently waiting.
 
“That mouse is insane,” he shouted at Mildra as he stormed out of the den altogether.
 
Satisfied with himself, the Colonel dropped his weapon, slammed his door and headed back to his desk amidst a snowfall of paper that made his office feel much like a snow globe. He sat there basking in the glory of his battle won. For a moment, it felt like the good old days when he was still in the field…still getting things done. He sighed.
 
“How did I ever end up here,” he said softly to himself. He let his eyes wander around the walls of his den. Every inch of it was a testament to the early days of war. Photographs of gritty battles and war-time posters hung in perfect order on his walls along with artifacts and weapons from the good old days. In many ways, his den served as a museum of memories from the age of gears and springs.
 
Yes, he was an Old World kind of shrew, with plenty of field duty and more than a few scars to show for it. The virtues of war were bred into his nature. It was a much a part of him as his tail. Like his great grandfather, Black had been Commander of the most decorated Elite squad in the Mech Mice guard history. The Venom squad.
 
Ah, those were the days, Venom could strike swiftly and silently. No one had seen them the night they infiltrated deep into enemy territory and took down the Dark Union. It was Black’s bite that had sent the dreaded Dr. Verminion, leader of the Dark Union, tumbling to his doom. Black was a war hero – a legend even. But that was long ago. Now, he was little more than a paper-pusher. A relic of war in a museum of his making.
 
How times had changed. Under the new leadership of General Hatchet it seemed like missions were more about meeting quotas, expanding the Colony borders and gaining popularity than it was about eradicating what remained of Verminion’s army. Many of the battles being fought now were un-necessary distractions. Too quickly fought and too easily won. He had been around long enough to know something was up. Why were they focusing so much energy on the southern meadows and hardly any to the north in Liwa? There hadn’t been a squad sent to Liwa in at least three seasons. And yet, despite the Mech Mice absence things had been quiet in Liwa. Too quiet.
 
Black had his suspicions. He even had the courage to voice his concerns before the Mech Mice council once before. A lot of good that did. It was what landed him in this lousy job stamping papers. If he had any hope of discovering the truth, he couldn’t do it publicly.
 
If only there were a way to put things right again. To prove to the council that the Colony was at risk of attack from the north too. Who was he kidding? His tactics weren’t needed anymore. He had quotas to meet – General Hatchet’s orders.
 
He glanced down at his paper snow covered desk and spotted a single blue paper. It was another one of those digital field reports from the battle simulator. This one was for the Genesis squad. As usual, the report was already graded by a central server. The recommendation was to dismantle the team and send them back to basic training. Normally, he wouldn’t even give the report a second look – he’d call the commanding team leader in and deliver the news – but this time, something made him pause.
 
He half-heartedly scanned the report a second time. Surprisingly, there were a few bright spots in the report, not Elite status by a long-shot, but not horrible either. They needed a lot of work. Then, a subtle smile crept across the snout of the shrew and he did something he had wanted to do for a long time. He made a decision on his own.
 
If it was numbers the General wanted, he would give it to him. He’d approve these less than perfect grunts and give them a shot at the big time. But first, he’d give them a special trial mission to test their worthiness. If they failed, he’d just be following orders. But maybe…just maybe…they’d manage to come back with something useful from the field. Liwa would be the perfect place to start. Nobody would be expecting it.
 
“Oh-ho-ho Augustus, you are a clever little shrew,” he said, chuckling to himself.
 
He depressed the red button on his desk communicator to call this Commander Ziro in for the news, but it was his wife’s face that appeared instead of Mildras.
 
“Smoochie? Is that you again,” his wife asked.
 
“Blast!” he cursed and slammed his fist against the device. The image went black.
 
He hopped down from his stool and headed for the door. He’d do this the Old School way.
 
"Notes:"
  • "We changed Black’s rank from General to Colonel."
  • "The Chapter Illustration will be added later"
  • "If you find any errors or mistakes please post them to the comments"

Pretty cool post huh? I wonder what will happen next? Please comment below on your opinion of Chapter Three of Mech Mice.

The Mech Mice Story – Chapter Two

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. This is the Second Chapter of Mech Mice and the game which will be released sometime this summer for the Beta Test and maybe even the full game, check it out.

"Lance Priebe wrote this on April 29th, 2011"
 


Missed chapter one. Click here to read

CHAPTER TWO – Living the dream

Ziro was dead. Again. It was the second time this week and it was only Wednesday. The whole thing was starting to get on his nerves.

The worst part was knowing General Black would be grading their performance today. Black had recently returned to the Academy to oversee the enlistment of the next generation of Elite Guards. If the Genesis squad miraculously managed to impress him this week, they’d be in. Unfortunately, today’s blunders had pretty much killed their chances. Wrapped in the blanket of death’s darkness Ziro replayed his failure over and over until…

Wurp. Wurp. Wuuuurp.

An ear-splitting siren broke through the darkness. It was a horrid, over-amplified sound designed to wake the dead out of digital slumber. Ziro couldn’t ignore it if he wanted to. Startled, he awoke gasping for breath and fumbling with the darkened visor that blocked his sight. It would take a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the familiar but dimly lit space around him. Even before he could see anything, he knew exactly where he was.

It was the simulation room – a massive underground cavern used as a digital training facility for MechMice guards. Here they could practice their tactics in the safety of the Academy Burrow without concern for enemy spies.

Each of the mice were reclined and harnessed in egg-shaped pods which circled the perimeter of the room. In all, there were twenty pods connected to the central computer through an intricate network of root-like cables which wound across the floor to the center of the room.

Near the hub a pair of white rats wearing lab coats, thick glasses and black gloves monitored a tower of blinking lights and digital screens. Brothers Enzo and Axel were mirror images of each other, right down to the black spots on opposite ears. They were the creative brains behind the battle simulator and only left their work in the underground cavern when necessary. From the looks of their scraggly fur, it hadn’t been necessary in quite some time.

A flashing red light over Ziro’s pod alerted the two rats to his re-entry. In long, lanky steps, they moved with uncanny synchronized steps toward the awakening Commander.

Enzo was the first to speak in a broken Eastland accent, “Ello, Commandee. Ow was you mar-shon?”
By ‘mar-shon’ the rat meant ‘mission’. Over time, Ziro had grown accustomed to the lab rats’ sloppy butchery of the Colonial language which was spoken by all civilized mice. To be fair, Axel and Enzo had limited communication with the outside world. They were so wrapped up in their work here, their linguistic skills were naturally not as finely tuned as most civilians.

“I died,” Ziro simply stated. What else was there to say? He liked the lab mice, even considered them friends, but today he wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat. He stood to leave as soon as the pod lock was disengaged.

“Remeem-ber, you’ll be a leettle doozy at first,” Axel warned. “Doon’t moof so fast-lee.”

Ziro didn’t listen. He tossed his visor onto the empty seat and stepped out of the pod anyway. With over 200 simulation trainings under his belt, he knew the drill. His body had become accustomed to re-entry. It was like waking up from a dream…in this case, a very bad one.

The lab rats exchanged knowing glances then looked back at Ziro. Both were eagerly twiddling their paws together in front of themselves like giddy schoolboys. It was as if they were expecting Ziro to say something else.

“What?” Ziro asked, feeling awkward.

“Excuses us, but deed you appen to no-teese…” Enzo started to say before his brother excitedly interrupted and finished his sentence for him.

“…the leetle upgrade we’s mades? Mmmm?”

Ziro shook his head without giving much thought to the question. He really didn’t care about any simulation upgrades. He had bigger things on his mind…like trying to figure out how to beat Nitro next time.

“Saps,” Axel finally declared triumphantly, “We made de sap on de treez!”

“Sap? Wow…yeah that’s…uh…that’s great,” Ziro answered nonchalantly. “You guys are really living the dream down here, aren’t ya.”

“Indeeds,” Enzo said with a smile. “But what ‘bouts you, Commandee?”

“What about me?” Ziro wondered aloud. Still lost in his own thoughts.

“Are you…leeving the dreams?”

The question caught him off guard. Ziro thought about the question for a moment. Was he living his dream? As a pup he had always imagined himself being a brave commander and leading his troops into battle against the forces of evil.

“Sure, I guess. I’m just a little behind schedule that’s all. I had planned on making Elite status last season. Being a grunt guard is fine, but it’s the Elites that get to see the real action. It’d be nice to know what I’m doing actually mattered.”

Enzo nodded his head and replied in an even, knowing voice, “You knows how long we’s been trying to put saps in de treez?”

Ziro almost rolled his eyes. He wasn’t the least bit interested in digital sap. “I dunno, a week?”

“Threes seasons,” Axel answered.

“You’ve been working on saps…er…I mean sap for three seasons?”

“Yups,” Enzo replied, “We gets it wrong many times. Fail is part of learning. See? Pay-sheents, Commandee. You squid will be Elite soons.”

“Yes…soons. Am sures of it!” Axel interjected.

“I’m glad somebody believes in us.”

The rats moved back to their consoles and busied themselves with the rest of their work. Ziro took a moment to view the rest of the pods occupied by the remainder of his squad. One was empty. Streak was gone.

“Poor kid,” Ziro thought to himself.

In a few moments the others would start to awake. They were all dressed alike in the same standard issue drab jumpsuits. An embroidered logo on their left chest pocket is what identified them as members of the Genesis squad. Ziro normally took pride in that logo. After all, he had designed it himself. But today he found little pleasure in seeing it…or his team. He needed space. Time to think. He marched toward the exit.

“Tell the others to meet in the mess hole, will ya,” Ziro asked Enzo and Axel as he passed by. They nodded in reply. Already they were firing furiously away at their keyboards, probably coding something really exciting… like fungal spores.
************
The entire Genesis squad sat hunched over a long table; heads hung low, spirits crushed. Demo was the only one actually eating the bowl full of slop the galley staff was pawning as ‘food’ today. He was already on his third bowl, guzzling it down quicker than a rodent twice his size. The others watched in stunned silence.

“You know, I really thought we had that one,” Demo said between sloppy mouthfuls. “I was really feeling it, man. We were this close…inches away from the final artifact and then. WHAMMO!”

The powerful mouse pounded the table loudly with his fist for effect and in the process startled half the room with the sound. An overweight chef behind the counter shot a warning look at the squad then continued serving his slop to a long line of customers. Already there were nearly a hundred mice lining the long tables of the mess hole, hundreds more would be on their way as soon as the next round of challenges ended.

“What happened?” Streak asked, trying to catch up with the others. Having been eliminated first in the mission, he was anxious to hear how things ended up.

“Nitro happened, as usual,” Magenta replied, her voice ripe with hatred for the mouse that had plagued their lives. “That guy doesn’t miss a beat, does he?”

Ziro tried to redirect their frustration.

“It wasn’t Nitro,” Ziro said, “It was us.”

“Oh common,” Magenta groaned, “you aren’t actually going to give this guy a pass are ya?”

“Look, I know we’re all disappointed with the loss, but we need to use this as a chance to improve our focus. I’ve been thinking about it and Nitro was right about one thing, we should have been watching our backs. We were off our game, that’s all.”

Magenta shook her head is disbelief. “Have we ever been ‘on’ our game?”

Ziro tried to form a response, but came up empty. He knew exactly how they felt. A depressed silence passed between the crew.

“This stinks. Name one thing he’s got that we don’t got,” Demo asked.

“The camera loves him,” Streak said, pointing to a poster advertisement for the MechMice Elite Squads on a nearby wall. It was supposed to be an inspiration to younger mice. A bright red slogan that read, ‘BE ELITE…SAVE THE COLONY!’ was etched across the top in bold, letters. Just below it, an animated hologram of Nitro moved in the frame. A well polished smile cut across his face.

“He gives me the creeps. Who does he think he is anyway?” Magenta spat.

“An Elite,” Ziro answered, somewhat to himself.

“Who cares what you call him…he’s still a jerk.”

“You can say that again,” said Demo, clinching his fists together. “we’ve got the guts but he steals the glory. When are we going to catch a break, Chief?”

“I…I dunno,” Ziro shrugged. His team needed inspiration, but he was out of ideas. “Look, at least we have each other. As long as we keep trying, what’s the worst that can happen.”

Nightshade had sat in silence the entire time, listening to the conversation unfold. Now, he cleared his throat and offered his own logical explanation for their failure.

“When a system isn’t working in its current form, it’s often wise to restructure how it is assembled.”
“What does that mean?” Demo asked.

Magenta interpreted for the team, “Are you saying they might break up the team?”

“In my estimation it is a definite probability,” Nightshade clarified.

Before anyone could respond to Nightshade’s new revelation, the stern and rather unpleasant voice of the General’s secretary squawked over the PA system with practiced monotony. Mildra’s words made Ziro’s fur stand on end.

“Commander Ziro please report to General Black’s Den…immediately.”

Suddenly, the entire mess hole went silent…dead silent. Every eye fell on Ziro. Few had ever been invited into the General’s Den and those that had, rarely came back. Ziro rubbed his whiskers and in a rather squeaky voice tried to make light of the situation.

“Ehem. It’s…it’s probably nothing. Perhaps he just wants to offer a few pointers or something, right guys?”

He looked to Magenta to back him up. Instead, she immediately turned away before her eyes betrayed what she really thought. Who was he kidding? There could be only one reason he was being asked to join the General. He was in deep trouble for their performance today.

“Well, we don’t want to keep the General waiting.”

Rising from the table, Ziro mustered his confidence and strode toward the exit. With each step, a crowd of mice parted to clear a path to the double doors for their unfortunate comrade. All eyes followed Ziro’s movement as he passed by. He pushed the door open and took one last glance over his shoulder at his team. He let the door close behind him and faced the long tunnel ahead alone.

As he went, a flood of questions rolled through his mind. What could General Black possibly want with him? As commander of the Genesis squad, he would ultimately take the blame for their failure.

But what of his dream of becoming an Elite Guard, was that about to be over too? If Nightshade’s analysis was right, as was often the case, he might never lead his squad again.

With each passing paw step, Ziro’s concern grew and grew until at last he stood before the great circular door which led to the General’s Den. He pressed his paw against a control panel and waited.

Shortly after, Mildra’s voice buzzed through a speaker in as drab a tone as ever.

“Yes?”

“Uh…Commander Ziro here. I was asked to…”

“Yes,” Mildra interrupted. The circular door spiraled open spilling a harsh amber light into the Burrow tunnel. Ziro took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Will the Genesis squad be torn apart? Will Ziro’s hopes of being an Elite Guard ever come true? Will Enzo and Axel ever be program fungal spores? Tune in next month for another exciting chapter in…MECH MICE!!!

Pretty cool post huh? I wonder what will happen next? Please comment below on your opinion of Chapter Two of Mech Mice.

The Mech Mice Story

Hello Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. This is the First Chapter of Mech Mice which will be released sometime this summer for the Beta Test and maybe even the game, check it out.

"Lance Priebe wrote this on March 23rd, 2011"
 

Every game has a story.

RocketSnail Games has partnered with the Miller Brothers to write the Mech Mice story. Later this summer we plan to publish the first in a series of Mech Mice novels.

Read the story, then post your feedback when you are done.

CHAPTER ONE

In seven minutes, the world would end. It was the stuff heroes were made for.

Evening’s last light clung desperately to the horizon, unwilling to surrender day’s final breath into the choking grip of night. It was a colorful death. Red gave way to purple and finally to a deep indigo blue, framing the edges of the rugged terrain like an artist frames a masterpiece. Like clockwork, the ancient war between day and night continued on, but this battle belonged to the night.

Beneath the wounded sky a broad meadow stretched out wrapped in a thick forest of ironbark trees.

All was still in the meadow. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath in honor of the sacred event.

Silently, the blackened silhouette of a lone field mouse cut across the blood red skyline with determined speed. Having reached the edge of the forest, the mouse pressed itself against a tree and listened. His ears moved like radars in search of any sound of danger. The coast was clear.

He raised his forearm to his face and a backlit screen appeared on his wrist, casting a blue glow over his features and displaying a countdown in big black digits. Six minutes, forty seconds remained; he was running late.

This was no ordinary field mouse. Dressed from claw to collar in black and red battle armor, he was a highly trained commander for the MechMice Guard. It was his sworn duty to protect the citizens of the Colonies from invasion – no matter what the cost.

Ziro was a rugged, young mouse with broad shoulders, reddish fur and nerves of steel. He carried himself with a confidence that others often admired and followed. As a pup this ability had landed him and his schoolmates in trouble on more than one occasion – all in good fun, of course. Here, on the battlefield, things were different. This was no place for fun and games. War was a serious matter.

One wrong move could get a good mouse killed – or worse yet, an entire squadron.

As commander of the Genesis Squad, Ziro carried the weight of his responsibility with seriousness. If everything went as planned, today’s mission would prove once and for all that they were capable of being one of the Elite Guards and not just another average squadron.

Surveying the forest before him with a critical eye, Ziro carefully took in his surroundings. Just ahead spilling through the crooked tree line, an un-naturally bright light seemed to emanate from a clearing not more than a few hundred tails from where he now stood.

“Bingo,” Ziro muttered to himself. He retrieved a pair of sonic vision goggles from his utility belt and scanned the area ahead. Nothing showed up which meant they were alone. Satisfied, Ziro turned toward the meadow and waved his paws over his head. As he did, his palm thrusters flashed on and off in a silent signal to alert the others. Seconds later, several black shapes of various sizes zigzagged their way across the meadow to where Ziro stood.

As always, Streak was the first to arrive.

“What took so long, Chief,” Streak asked, “I was beginning to think you were never going to signal.”

Streak was the youngest on the team and by far the quickest mouse Ziro had ever met. The only trouble was, he was also impatient. “Next time, why don’t you let me take Point Guard. I’ll cut our mission time in half.”

Ziro didn’t have time to answer; Magenta was the second to arrive with one of her signature comebacks.

“Ha! That will be the day. You’ll cut our mission in half all right…by getting us killed!”

“You’re just jealous because I can run circles around you,” said Streak.

“Listen, kid. You may be quick but you draw more attention than Demo.”

Just then, a beastly mouse lumbered up to the group with booming footsteps and an even louder voice. His battle gear was entirely different than the other mice. For starters, he was fully enclosed in a heavily armored mechanical suit, which measured twice as tall as an average mouse. This particular model had seen better days, its bolts were a bit rusty and at times seemed like it might fall apart.

There was nothing silent about the mouse.

“Did somebody call for me?” the big mouse boomed with a goofy smile on his oversized head.

“Shhhh,” Magenta scolded, “You want to broadcast our position to everyone in the sector.”

“Sorry,” Demo said, “I thought you signaled the coast was clear, Chief.”

Ziro answered with commanding authority, striving to bring focus back to his team. “Even so, we’re not out of the woods yet. Better safe than dead. Remember, we’re a team, so let’s stop arguing and start acting like one.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know. So, what’s the status report?” asked Streak, anxious to get on with it. Ziro tried to keep cool.

“From what I can tell, the last artifact is just up ahead. We’ve only got six minutes left, so let’s make them count. I don’t think I need to remind you of the importance of our success. If we don’t get there first it’s game over for everyone. Got it?” Everyone nodded. “Good, then let’s move out!”

The three soldiers followed their leader through the underbrush on constant lookout for any sign of trouble. The blue light grew brighter as they reached a small clearing in the woods. As the forest thinned, a single orb-shaped gem could be seen ahead. It hovered just above eye level spilling its curious light across the scene and elongating the shadows of various stones that were strewn about the ground.

“There it is,” Ziro said, “the last artifact.”

“Too easy,” Streak replied confidently, eyeing the floating stone with eager claws.

“Precisely what I was thinking,” a steady but unexpected voice replied from behind Streak’s shoulder. The sudden arrival of this phantom voice made Streak jump with fright. With the reflex of a jackrabbit he spun around and fired a blast before the intruder could be seen. His shot deflected back and sent Streak scurrying up a nearby tree to avoid being hit.

“Ah, there you are, NightShade?” Ziro replied, unshaken by the new arrival. A sleek, dark mouse appeared out of nowhere as his cloaking device deactivated. It was NightShade, the fifth and final member of the squad. He was a master of stealth and a student of war. NightShade bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement of his Chief.

“I hate it when he sneaks up like that,” Streak muttered, climbing awkwardly down from the tree. Magenta chuckled.

NightShade didn’t even crack a smile. He often failed to find the humor in situations like this. It wasn’t that he was unfriendly; it’s just that he preferred logic to laughter. He rarely spoke unless there was something important to say. Already he had analyzed the facts of their circumstance and had come up with more than a few concerns of his own. It was time to speak his mind.

“Pardon the disruption, but I fail to see the logic in the placement of this final artifact. Why would the enemy leave it out in the open like this? Without protection?”

“I agree,” Magenta said. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

“Ah, you guys worry too much,” Streak said, still trying to regain his confidence after the embarrassing tree incident. “We don’t have time to overthink this. I can be there and back in no time.

"Watch!”

Without orders, the overzealous Streak zipped out into the open, anxious to redeem himself. Streak was nearly within grasp of the stone before Ziro had time to call out a warning.

“Streak, wait! It could be a…”

All at once, a laser beam shot out from one of the stones on the ground and dissolved Streak right on the spot. There was nothing left of the reckless mouse. He had disappeared completely.

“…a trap,” Magenta said sadly.

“Oh grubs,” Demo griped. “I was having such a good day too.”

Ziro looked to NightShade as he usually did when he wanted advice. NightShade didn’t’ notice, he was too busy analyzing the situation and typing on his wrist computer. A sound wave danced across the backlit screen.

“Interesting. I’m detecting a high level of ultrasonic waves coming from the area. It seems to be centered on those stones,” Nightshade observed aloud.

“Which means what exactly?” Ziro asked.

“It means those are sentry stones, and they are watching our movements.”

“That’s creepy,” Demo said. “Well, unless any of you knows how ta make yourself invisible, I suggest we blow the things up.”

“Why does everything revolve around blowing stuff up, for you?” Magenta asked, shaking her head.

“I dunno, what else am I supposed to do with all these explosives.”

“Nobody is going to blow anything up. The artifact is too close, we might damage it,” Ziro explained.

“Oh, right.” Demo groaned with more than a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“Actually,” NightShade announced, rather unexpectedly, “I think Demo may be onto something!”

“I am?” Demo said, looking as puzzled as the other two.

“Yes, we need to make ourselves invisible.”

“Of course,” said Magenta, “Your cloaking device.”

“I can’t move when I’m cloaked, and even if I could, I’d still be detectable by the ultrasonic waves.”

“So…how are we going to do it, then?” Magenta asked.

“Uh…how exactly are we going to do that?” Magenta asked.

“Science,” NightShade stated. He pressed a few buttons on his wrist communicator and explained in more detail. “By loading the ultrasonic waves into our sonic blasters we can reverse the signal which should allow us to walk right up to the artifact unnoticed.”

NightShade held up his weapon and took aim at the stones. He glanced down at the screen on his wrist and monitored the pattern of the wavelengths. His timing would have to be perfect in order to cancel the signal. When he sensed the time was right, he pressed his trigger. Nothing happened.

“That’s it?” Demo asked, clearly disappointed there hadn’t been a big blast.

NightShade kept his focus and checked the readout on his wrist communicator. The waves had flat-lined.

“All clear,” NightShade stated.

“Well then, I suppose all that’s left to do is for one of us to walk out there and get the stone,” Ziro noted.

They all glanced to the place where their comrade, Streak, had been incinerated only moments earlier. If NightShade’s theory was wrong, stepping out into the open meant the same fate awaited them as well.

“I’ll go,” Ziro decided, removing his backpack and retrieving a metal cylinder marked with their squad logo they had brought to contain the artifact. He checked his wrist communicator once more; three minutes remained. If they wanted to survive this, they’d have to be quick.

“Be careful out there, Chief,” Magenta said.

Ziro nodded and stepped out into the open.

“Here goes nothing.” He murmured to himself.

Step by nervous step, Ziro inched his way across the dangerous clearing toward the hovering gem. Everything was working perfectly. Then, with only a few paw steps to go, their brilliant plan ended with a blast.

Zrak!

A fiery shot singed the ground between Ziro and his prize. His heart raced wildly at the near miss. Stange, Ziro thought to himself, the shot hadn’t come from the stones, it had come from behind.

“Step away from the artifact, or this time I promise I won’t miss,” said a cocky voice from the edge of the clearing. Ziro didn’t have to look, he knew exactly who it belonged to.

“Nitro,” Ziro scowled. There was a short commotion behind him as a squadron of four mice surrounded the three remaining members of the Genesis Squad at gunpoint.

“That’s right,” said a speckled mouse as he stepped out from the safety of the perimeter. His pinkish eyes glistened with childish delight at the situation. “You didn’t think you’d actually beat me to the artifact, did you? Now drop your weapon and back away from the artifact.”

Ziro did as he was told and tried to calm himself. Nitro loved to bristle Ziro’s fur every chance he got. Since the very first day of Academy, the two had gotten off on the wrong paw. Nitro was the captain of the Alpha Squad, the poster child for the MechMice Elite Guard. It seemed, no matter how hard Ziro and his team tried, the Alphas were always one step ahead.

“The gem is ours, Nitro. We beat you fair and square.”

“On the contrary, you led us right to it. The way I figure, why do all the hard work when you can get grunts to do it for you.”

Nitro’s squad laughed at the derogatory joke. He waltzed across the clearing, closing the gap between himself and Ziro until his nose was right in Ziro’s ear.

“A little advice, Grub,” Nitro muttered, “always watch your back.”

Ziro was unshaken. Inside, he knew Nitro was right but he didn’t want to admit it. He had been so focused on the target he had failed to even consider that they were being followed. It was a mistake he was already regretting.

Nitro stepped casually over to where the artifact hovered always keeping his blaster aimed steadily at Ziro’s chest. With his free paw, he took hold of the artifact. Ziro looked away, he couldn’t stand the sight of Nitro winning again.

“Face it Ziro, you’ll never be one of the Elites. You just don’t have what it takes,” Nitro said smugly. With his left paw now occupied with the artifact, Nitro was forced to lower his weapon for a moment as he fumbled for his own container. Ziro spotted his chance.

“Want to bet,” Ziro muttered through gritted teeth.

In a rush, Ziro lunged forward and pressed his paws square into Nitro’s chest. Before Nitro could react, Ziro’s palm thrusters ignited hurling his stunned rival through the air a dozen tails or more.

Nitro released his grip on the artifact before he hit the floor letting it sail freely through the air to the far edge of the clearing.

“Nightshade…now!” Ziro shouted as Nitro reached for his weapon and scrambled to his feet.

Nightshade dropped his blaster and disappeared behind his cloaking device once more. Immediately, the stone sentries re-activated and honed in on the two intruders. Shots fired wildly in every direction as Nitro and Ziro dodged the attacks in their retreat.

In the midst of the chaos, Demo dropped a detonator, sending both squads scattering for cover.

Within seconds, a massive blast lit up the night sky and shook the forest, sending bits of rubble every which direction. Black smoke enveloped the clearing this time silencing the stone sentries for good.

Ziro activated his blaster and stepped into the heart of the smoke curtain in a frantic search for the artifact. It couldn’t have gone far, he thought to himself. The lure of a blue glow captured his eye and he scurried through the hazy clearing to where the artifact lay waiting. This time there would be no stopping him.

Ziro took hold of the prize and celebrated inwardly. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Nitro’s face when he returned to headquarters with the win. At last, their squad would get the recognition they deserved. He smiled to himself and retrieved his squad’s container once more, but as he raised the artifact he realized he’d been horribly mistaken. He wasn’t holding the artifact at all – it was an emergency beacon. He’d been duped again.

The sound of Nitro’s laughter caused Ziro to turn just in time to see the real artifact drop into his opponent’s container. Nitro targeted his blaster at Ziro’s chest and without a word took the shot.
Zrak!

A painful blast of electricity surged through Ziro’s limbs. The last thing he heard before everything went black was Nitro’s voice mocking him.

“Better luck next life, loser.”

What has become of the the Genesis Squad? Is this truly the end for Streak and Ziro? Tune in next month for another exciting chapter!

Pretty cool post huh? I wonder what will happen next? Please comment below on your opinion of Chapter One of Mech Mice.
 

Creative and Business Leads behind Disney’s Club Penguin Form New Digital Game Studio

Hey Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Today we have a new post on the Rocketsnail Blog by Lance Priebe, check it out.

"Lance Priebe wrote this on March 20th, 2013"

"It’s official. We have announced Hyper Hippo to the world. Here is the press release:"

"Two of the leading creative and business minds behind Disney’s Club Penguin, the number one virtual world for children, have formed Hyper Hippo Productions, a new studio that promises to offer fun and imaginative children’s properties for a wide range of digital platforms."

"Lance Priebe , co-founder and creator of Club Penguin, and Pascale Audette , former Studio Head and Vice President of Global Operations for Disney Online Studios, will develop quality entertainment for children under the Hyper Hippo label. With unique applications and compelling storytelling that reward good actions and values, the digital properties will reflect real world ideals, thus encouraging and enabling socially responsible behaviors virtually in order to generate impact on a local and global scale."

“We are dedicated to creating a fantastic studio that will not only radically change how the industry perceives digital entertainment, but one that will positively impact children’s lives for years to come,” said Audette. “In addition, it is important for us to invest in our local community through initiatives that increase the technology footprint in Kelowna, and in the global community through social outreach programs. Simply, our end goal is to make a positive impact in the world.”

"Mech Mice, Hyper Hippo’s much anticipated first offering, has been a long time dream of Priebe’s, with development beginning prior to Club Penguin. An episodic journey, Mech Mice blends together rich story with a tactical strategy experience for a young generation of kids (ages 10 and up). The property is scheduled for release in 2013 and an open beta program will begin this summer."

"Additional information on Hyper Hippo Productions can be found online at hyperhippo.ca or chat with us on Facebook."

Pretty awesome huh Mice? Please comment below on your opinion of the new post.

Mech Mice Chapters

This is the Mech Mice Chapters Page. It will contain the chapters from the Mech Mice Team. It will not be quoted mostly because of the time and other quotes that are used from the Characters. But anyways, check it out.

The Mech Mice Story

The Mech Mice Story – Chapter Two

The Mech Mice Story – Chapter Three

Other Mech Mice Sneak Peeks

Hey Everyone, Crzypengu here with the latest updates. Today we have some sneak peeks for you that can only be seen on twitter, check it out.

We are starting from the beginning, to the end :)
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink

Okay well this is the first clue on why they picked mice for the team and it is not because they are musicians.
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
 
Okay well this is just a Halloween Picture.
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalinkEmbedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
 Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalinkEmbedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink
Embedded image permalink

Wow, This is a ton of pictures from the team don't you think? Next thing you know, in about three years Disney is going to over about 350 Million for the game and a bonus three years later, also if that did happen, they will have what? A special Mickey Mouse unit lol. Anyways please comment below on your opinion of the Sneak Peeks.