Fire With Fire on Steam Early Access!

That's right -- as of March 29th 2016, you can add Fire With Fire: Tower Attack and Defense to your Steam library and start playing! Get matched up against opponents for head to head online battles.

This game is in Early Access, which means that we're still squashing bugs and improving things as much as we can. The game costs nothing to download, so please give it a try and let us know what we can do to make it even better. Almost everything can be earned through in-game currency (with the exception of arena skins, which are cosmetic), so just keep playing and you'll be able to unlock more Towers, Creeps, and other features to aid you in your matches. We're planning to introduce more of these in the coming weeks to give players a greater variety to choose from.

Thank you to everyone who supported us over the years, through PAX East and Kickstarters and everything else that led up to this day. Fire With Fire has only just begun, and we have lots more ahead.

Fire With Fire: Creep Horde Animation

Here's a thing I'm working on this week for Fire With Fire. It's, uh... incomplete right now, but what I'm going for should be pretty cool! Basically it will be a fully animated version of this image:

So I'm getting the basic timing down before doing all of the colors and smoothing out everything. Looking forward to showing off the finished version. I hope it'll look nice in the actual game too.

Creep Spotlight #10: Phoenix

Becomes an egg upon defeat, and is reborn if the egg is not destroyed. Stoic and silent.

Tactics

Legendary master of land and air. Like Nagas, the Phoenix will fly straight towards the opposing Tree over ground Towers. Once they're defeated, they wrap themselves into an egg for a short period. If the egg isn't destroyed in that time, the Phoenix will revive at full HP. The best way to deal with them is to make sure there are ground Towers near air-targeting ones to take care of the eggs that fall. Use them against opponents with very few air Towers to gain the upper hand. They're a bit slower than Nagas, but their special skill and other stats make up for it. A true terror among Creeps.

Lore

Somewhere in the world, a tree as old as time stands with bright red leaves. Legend has it that near the top, a powerful avian race lives in total seclusion. No one knows what they do or think about, but they only seem to appear whenever natural resources and habitats are in peril.

Trivia

Naturally, these creatures are based on the legendary birds from various mythologies. Normally a phoenix is reborn from its own ashes, but a brightly colored egg shows up better on a monitor. We took some, uh... creative liberties.

Thanks for hanging with us throughout these spotlights. Hopefully, they've given you some insight into the world of the Creeps, which will be explored more deeply in the impending Campaign Mode we have in the works.

That said, we should be seeing a couple of new faces joining the fray very shortly.

Creep Spotlight #9: Starburst

Heals others when defeated. A drama queen.

Tactics

A Creep that restores the HP of other Creeps when it goes down. Oddly, Starburst works well with itself, allowing for a sort of leap-frog strategy of Starbursts healing the ones right behind them, and their base HP is decent enough to make this work. They also pair up well with tough Creeps like Blue Giants or Charcoals, extending their durability by allowing them to recover. Their Speed is unremarkable (tied with Spitfire) and their base Quantity is tied with Charcoal for being 2nd lowest in the game.

Lore

Starburst form constellations in the skies above the world's uppermost cloud layer. They have existed since ancient times among these floating planets and colonies; their homeland is a paradise of medical technology and space age gizmos carved from asteroids. Easily the most peaceful bunch of the Creeps, they naturally put the well-being of others before their own.

Trivia

Like actual starfish, they have regenerative properties and can repair missing limbs. If you look closely at its move animation, it discards and grows new arms each time it swims forward.

Healing a damaged Charcoal will cause it to speed up, but healing a Fission that's already duplicated won't put it back together again.

Creep Spotlight #8: Naga

Ignores ground threats and mazes. Flighty and impish.

Tactics

They rule the skies. No matter how long and complex your maze is, Nagas will fly in a straight line from the entrance point to the Tree. They fly right over ground Towers and Rocks, only taking damage from Air based Towers, like Thunderclap and, of course, Anti Air. If you're low on Degrees, Pillars can be placed to divert their path. There are fewer Towers that attack the skies than the ground, so a group of Nagas can be a real threat if you're not prepared.

Lore

They say Nagas live in flocks near the boughs of the highest reaching trees, higher even than the highest mountains. A blithe clan, most of their resources are spent creating fireworks, art, and other displays of opulence and luxury. They have a knack for being somewhat underhanded beneath their devil-may-care surface.

Trivia

Its name comes from Naga Fireballs, a phenomenon in which glowing balls of light shoot upwards from the Mekong River in Thailand, reaching high into the air. The fire is believed by some to come from the mythical snake, Phaya Naga, said to live in the river.

Originally they were supposed to be yellow, but it seemed confusing to have different Creeps that were the exact same color, what with Quickfire and everything.

Creep Spotlight #7: Spotfire

Becomes airborne when hit. Has the shortest attention span.

Tactics

Surprisingly strong Creeps that briefly jump into the air when struck. While airborne, they're immune to damage from ground based Towers. Since the only "true" airborne Creeps don't come into play until they're unlocked, these are your best bet for evading ground based Tower arrangements in the beginning of a match. They are identical to Blue Giants in Quantity and base HP; combined with their jumping ability, suffice to say they live for a long time. Towers that hit both land and air Creeps can deal with them.

Lore

A clan of tricksters that thrive on taking risks and unconventional tactics. Much of their time is spent moving from place to place and improving their ability to quickly cross large swaths of ground. Their group has a friendly sort of rivalry with Nagas and are somewhat jealous of their natural ability to fly. They live on the fringes of rocky badlands and canyons.

Trivia

"Spotting" is when gusts of wind carry sparks or embers from a wildfire into new areas outside of its initial range, creating new fires. The newly created fires are sometimes referred to as spot fires.

Creep Spotlight #6: Fission

Splits into 3 miniatures when defeated. Noisy when they're together.

Tactics

An odd Creep that can quickly overwhelm through sheer force of numbers. The fact that each one must essentially be defeated 4 times is a boon against slow firing or single target Towers. Typically are more useful near the end of a maze where their miniatures can sneak past threats and score a few hits against the other player's Tree. Unlike their predecessors, Blue Giants, Fissions have no armor and their HP is middling at best, so they may pair up with Starburst to increase their longevity. Alternatively, they can work with Quickfire or Fire Rain for a high volume assault.

Lore

A massive pastoral clan that values structure and diplomacy among its neighbors. Their system thrives on specialized roles with everyone doing their part, and resources are divided carefully among members. Are on good terms with most other Creep clans, especially Blue Giants. Experts at multitasking.

Trivia

Their designs are somewhat inspired by cartoon bombs since they "explode" into 3 miniatures when hit. According to old sets of notes, Blue Giants were originally supposed to be the ones who split up when defeated, but Theory must have decided to make them separate types of Creeps at some point.

Creep Spotlight #5: Blue Giant

Slow, but tough. The last one to get the joke.

Tactics

The walliest of walls. Use these constantly, and they will eventually muscle through any Tower your opponent has set down. Just don't expect the match to be quick. Generally they are effective against Towers that hit one target at a time, drawing fire so more frail Creeps can pass by safely. They're pretty slow, though, so a group of splash damage Towers might take them out quickly. Executioner Towers can lop huge chunks of their health away while they trudge by.

Lore

Blue Giants have formed a military clan bound by strict rules and regulations. Its members are disciplined, well read, and heavily rooted in tradition. They train daily in organized group exercises and are easily the strongest of the entire Creep race. Typically live in forts and camps, and despite their size, they don't consume any more than they need to.

Trivia

A blue giant is a type of star. A really massive, really hot star. We struggled coming up with a good name for this one, but I think we chose wisely. Other rejected options were Blue Flame, Sapphire, and Firewall.

Creep Spotlight #4: Charcoal

The more it's hit, the tougher it gets. Stubborn and obstinate.

Tactics

A moving wall. Nearly twice as fast as Blue Giants with half the Armor. However, the more damage they take, the more Armor they gain and the more they slow down. Charcoals pair up well with Starburst -- taking damage to build up Armor, then allowing defeated Starburst to restore them to full health. They keep the Armor they've built up, and once they restore their health they'll move at full speed again. Take these things out by any means necessary! Particle Towers can wear them down and Plasma can be used to deal high damage quickly. Static is an alternative option for boosting the damage of otherwise ineffective Towers.

Lore

Charcoals belong to a proud, aloof clan that does not readily welcome outsiders nor ask for their help. They live in stuffy mines, volcanic wastelands, and former forests that were cleared away to make room for their ever growing population. Tempering themselves and their steel technology, like Quickfires, their way of life burns up a lot of resources through cooking and transportation fuel, leading to deforestation in the areas around their habitat. A perpetual foggy haze surrounds their arid territory.

Trivia

On more than one occasion people have been somewhat confused by their appearance. We've heard everything from pepper dispensers to weird fire bugs to invincible burning logs (okay... that one's actually not far off). They're really based on types of charcoal that are made from burned wood and extruded into logs or cylinders, like vine charcoal (the type often used for drawing) or the Japanese Binchōtan charcoal.

Another fun fact. In the Charcoal's artwork on the Creep selection menu, the flame at its side resembles a snail... because it gets slower as it takes damage.

Creep Spotlight #3: Quickfire

Fast, but fragile. Can't sit still.

Tactics

True to their names, they are the fastest Creeps of all. They also boast having the highest base Quantity, so you may be able to overwhelm certain opponents with sheer numbers alone. Quickfires are lacking in the HP department so they'll need a lot of Experience Points to level up in order to survive most attacks. Typically don't fare very well late game when advanced and leveled up Towers are in play. Collider Towers punish them for their high Speed, and Frost and Hailstorm can slow them down a bit. They blaze right past Particle Towers and other slow firing threats.

Lore

A technologically advanced clan overly concerned with forward progress. Its members have a "microwave society" mindset and are accustomed to accessing information and services instantly. They are also highly athletic and well known for being the fastest creatures in the land. Mostly live in built up areas and their lifestyles burn up a lot of energy from electrical tools.

Trivia

Like the Spitfire, it looks like its design is virtually unchanged since its 2012 conception. Not a lot of iteration back then, I guess. Unsure what's going on between the eyes... Maybe an early prototype for a design with a mouth?

Creep Spotlight #2: Fire Rain

Falls erratically across the field. A bit flaky.

Tactics

Spitfire's sneaky cousin. These drop from the sky wherever there's open space on the opponent's field. Very useful if the other player has stacked Towers near the entrances, but has left the spaces surrounding their Tree unguarded. Fire Rain also have the 2nd highest base Quantity and Speed in the game, at 7 and 55 respectively, second only to Quickfire. And just like Quickfires, they're fragile, with the 2nd lowest base HP of all the Creeps, so any decently powered Tower will make short work of them. They may work best with support from armored Creeps; otherwise they probably won't cover a lot of ground.

Lore

Fire Rain form an erratic, hostile spy clan of dubious allegiance that are experts at intel gathering. Its members are wandering nomads who never settle in any location for too long, but typically are found at high altitudes in mountainous or desert regions. They craft smoke bombs, diagrams, and other tools for subterfuge and navigating unknown territories.

Trivia

Ancient cave drawings from 2012, showing preliminary ideas for its shape.

I can barely read that atrocious handwriting, but it looks like it says "Fire Rain / orange / drop from air." It looks like it might have been more tadpole shaped and less angry at one point.

Creep Spotlight #1: Spitfire

A New Creep Approaches...?

Those of you who have been enjoying the beta version of Fire With Fire know that the game currently features 10 different Creeps to attack your opponents with. 

You also know that in addition to more Towers, the team is planning to include -- you guessed it -- additional types of Creeps in the final version of the game.

What will these new Creeps be like? Will they upset the metagame and dominate today's common strategies? ...The answers may come sooner than you think.

But until then, let's take a look back at the pesky little fire spirits we do know about. This will be the start of a series of Creep Spotlights that focuses on a specific species per day, twice a week with articles posted on Mondays and Thursdays.

Without further ado, let's kick things off with a closer look at the Spitfire.

The generalist. The most well rounded of them all.

Tactics

They make good scouts in the early rounds if you're not sure what to send against your opponent's setup. Leveling these up as soon as possible might be a good idea to have Fire Rain in the pocket. They aren't particularly fast or stout, but they come in large numbers which can be useful combined with other specialty Creeps on the field.

Lore

Spitfires live in grassy knolls and are generally accustomed to building whatever they need. Their clan is well versed in the art of forging metal tools and weapons, and its members have long valued quality over speed.

Trivia

The Spitfire was designed by none other than the developer himself, Theory, and its appearance is virtually unchanged since he started working on this game. We managed to excavate the earliest historical record of its existence, circa 2012.

I made all of the other Creeps based on the characteristics inherent in this design -- namely, big white eyes, pointed head shapes, and round, limbless bodies.

Fire With Fire Funded on Kickstarter! Thanks to every single one of our backers and supporters!

Seriously, thanks everybody. We made our goal yesterday evening. We literally couldn't have done this without all of your support.

The pressure's on! We're going to try to make this game as good as it deserves to be, including having a more stable server in the future for online play.

It's Monday, so beta play will be happening today as usual. Online matches begin in a few hours (3 PM EST - 7 PM EST), so I've got to get my recording stuff situated. Hope to play some of you soon.

Indienomicon + Kickstarter's Final Chapter!

That campaign just flew by. It's already in its final hours, and we're this close to reaching our goal. Still plenty of time to pledge if you were previously on the fence, or spread the word to anyone who might be interested.


Indienomicon, a monthly gathering of independent game developers held in Orlando, Florida, was this past Thursday. Theory, Anna, Shayn and I were there representing Skull Skill Studios and showing off Fire With Fire to attendants (alongside the developers of BiT Evolution -- definitely check them on Steam Greenlight). We gave a brief presentation, held a Q & A session, and had about an hour of free play matches so people could get a feel for the multiplayer aspect.
It was a lot of fun, met a lot of great people in the process, including Jay Tholen, creator of Dropsy, and Jorge Capote of Let Go Interactive, which is currently working on its flagship title Litter Larry. Check 'em out! Orlando's got a really strong scene of developers, really hoping to go to more Indienomicons in the future whenever possible. The Indienomicon staff did an amazing job running the event, and the library faculty gave us all the equipment we needed (probably the nicest library I've ever been in. Seriously, look at the size of those monitors.)
Photos courtesy of Brandon Specht (except for the noticeably lower quality, vertical pictures without people in them. Those are courtesy of my phone.).