About familyfarce.net
We are an independent software and media development team currently working with the popular rhythm simulation game StepMania. We compose songs, create graphics and program material for use with this game.
We strive to deliver one of the most unique and original StepMania experiences suitable for beginners or experts. Some may call it just another game; we like to think of it as a work of art!
We are the creators of the popular simulation pack Hopscotch Mix and have developed and published three sequels (Hopscotch Mix 2, Hopscotch Mix 3 Excel, and Hopscotch Mix Encore).
About Hopscotch Mix
Hopscotch Mix was created in 2004 by Chuck Enck and Lauren Hopkins as a fun side project. At this time, we both had around a year's worth of experience with composing electronic music and decided to harness these skills with a game we loved: StepMania.
When we started this adventure, we had a few simple rules: Don't plagiarize and we function as a democracy. If the majority of members didn't like a song that another member created, it was rejected. This was semi-rare in the beginning, as we had a "we'll take what we can get" attitude back then. As the year 2004 was wrapping up, we decided to create the first mix, host it and then end it. But something kept us going.
In early 2005, Sam Ganster, Jacob Johnson and Kameron Gibson joined the Hopscotch Mix group. This, of course, kept the wagon rolling with a second mix already in progress as the first mix was being finalized. By February 25, 2005, the first mix was complete and hosted in the most redneck fashon: a Live Journal account for a website and a g-Mail account to download the pack. Users were given a password to access this g-Mail account and could download from there. Even as underfunded as we were, this wouldn't fly. The Summer of 2005 came around and the second mix was near completionand as early as June, the third mix was already underway. On October 21, 2005, the second mix was completed and distributed in that same redneck fashon.
It wasn't long before the group members went their seperate ways. Kameron got caught up in his career, Sam got caught up in school, Jacob's computer died (he still has a passion for music composition, but never fixed his PC), and Lauren, as well, got caught up in her studies. Hopscotch Mix 3 Excel's burder rested on my shoulders. As a result of being in complete charge, I generated as much music in whatever style I desired. As an homage to the respected "former members", I dug up some unreleased tracks from Sam and Jacob, and and re-vamped Lauren's infamous "Rome Needs No Mother". I turned a democracy into complete dictatorship!
I personally waited until the third mix was complete to start an actual website. With plenty of web design knowledge under my belt, I launched the official familyfarce.net site on August 6, 2006 (the 66th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing). Two days later, I launched Hopscotch Mix 3 Excel. This was going to be golden.
By this point in my Hopscotch Mix Career, a trilogy is the way to end things. I decided to update the website here and there, but not release another pack. I remember people saying things like "So, when's the fourth mix coming out?". Silently, i'd respond "uh, never".
Boy, was I wrong.
With such enthusiasm from the "fans", I felt obligated to create another. This time, it would be different. It would be smaller, but jam-packed with quality. I dubbed this project "Encore".
Hopscotch Mix Encore was a success! Even though it was released 13 days past the expected release date (originally panned for 05/06/07, but was released 05/19/07), it was a hit. I was surprised to see so many people commenting/blogging/whatever about this release, but nonetheless, I was touched.
Last summer, I made an update about some "expansion pack" for Encore. It was to consist if around five songs and was to be available a few months after Encore was released. Somehow, this turned into an even bigger project than I had anticipated. It has turned into "The second half of Hopscotch Mix Encore"...and I don't know how.
That's the story so far. More updates on the Hopscotch Mix saga when they become available!
-Chuck Enck
Other Music Endevors in which the Hopscotch staff have been involved include the short lived punk-jam band called Tiger Kills Jesus. TKJ was made up of Chuck Enck on vocal and bass, Lauren Hopkins on guitar and mutual friend Jim Williamson on drums.
After forming in early 2004, TKJ was primarily used as a way to alleviate boredom on the weekends. However after writing their first songs, "Fat Jimmy Got Fired" and "Lost in Chicago" and hearing largely positive reactions from their friends, TKJ decided to break out of their basement and proceed into bars.
In late 2004/early 2005, TKJ played their first, last and only three concerts at Otto's, Pub 47 and The Dive Bar in that order. They've opened for such bands as Sleeping Under 47, Instigator and Hot Lips Messiah and received overwhelmingly positive peer reviews despite the short lifespan of the band as a whole. Those reviews were somewhat due to the fact that each song was written about a true life event and TKJ would often integrate their friends and acquantiences into their lyrics. For example, "Fat Jimmy Got Fired" was a song about an obese man named Jimmy who worked at the bowling alley where Chuck and Lauren would go to play DDR and his subsequent firing due to his offensive body odor. "Lost in Chicago" was written about a time where Chuck and Lauren got lost in Chinatown, chased by a homeless man and picked up by the police all within the span of one night. Other fan-favorite TKJ songs include, "Hot Cousin at Dennys," "Num Num Hums," and "Vegetarians Super-Duper Suck" all of which have their own story.
The band went on hiatus in May of 2005 when Jim broke his arm on a trampoline, thus rendering him unable to play the drums. Lauren and Chuck attempted to find a replacement but felt bad since they pretty much saw Jim every day anyway. So after five try-outs they scrapped the idea and spent the rest of the week playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time and eating hot-wings. When Jim's arm finally healed the band decided to end on a high note (since no one had practiced for, like, three months) and all three of them sequewayed into basketball, which only Lauren plays to this day.
Due to popular demand, after their break-up TKJ released a six-song EP called, "Why You Do This To Me Frankie?" onsisting of their six most popular songs. The EP sold one hundred copies over the course of a month. Unfortunately, due to a computer crash, only a few rough copies of any TKJ songs remain.
