RAGDOLL METAPHYSICS: MILO AND KATE, OR ARTIFICIAL PEOPLE ARE THE NEW GAMES
Microsoft’s motion recognition system, Project Natal, presents an abundance of possibilities for the future of videogames. The discussions arising from the abolition of the physical control device were one of the highlights of E3: a chance to see entirely new game mechanisms, and to break down the barrier that seems to have been created by complex interfaces.
But it’s the appearance of Milo – a simulated, on-screen boy who responds to human interaction – which is perhaps the most telling event. For sheer novelty alone he stands out: he is a modern day automaton, a simulation that we can’t help looking on as a little bit alive.
This specific direction of Natal tech also suggests a number of futures for videogame evolution. It’s moving towards the interface that human beings most readily understand: language and interaction with other people.
What’s critical about Milo’s unveiling is that he’s tied to a new technology which allows a game console to recognise users, and respond to physical cues – movement, speech, even physiognomy. The artificial person as a character in our everyday gaming lives is suddenly just a little bit more concrete. (more…)
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ONE SHOT: STEVE MERETZKY AND DOUGLAS ADAMS, NOT PANICKING
Infocom’s Steve Meretzky and Douglas Adams on the ‘set’ of their Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy text adventure collaboration (which can be played online here). Scanned from the original slide (and available in even higher resolution) by Jason Scott, who offers the photo as proof that his text-adventure documentary Get Lamp is “alive, and is continuing, and will be finished.”
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GIMME INDIE COLLABORATION: KONGREGATE LAUNCHES ART/MUSIC TALENT SECTION, COLLABS
Also spotted for the indie devs among us: web game portal Kongregate has just launched its latest developer-focused initiative, Collabs, a section of the site devoted to showcasing individual artists and musicians in order to foster further collaborations for new indie games.
To kick off the section, Kongregate’s also giving away cash to top-rated submissions each week, who then go on to a final round with a grand prize of two MacBook/cinema display/[Wacom tablet/Ableton & Akai hardware] home studio centers.
See the new Collabs home for more details on that, and to browse the current art and music submissions. [via CreateDigitalMusic, image above via Collab member robotJAM]
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SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT: NEW SCREENSHOTS OF VALVE’S LEFT 4 DEAD 2
I essentially resolutely refuse to chime in with ongoing posts elsewhere covering the asinine kneejerk ‘Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott’ because, flatly, we don’t have the first clue what Valve are planning to do for either the retail release of the sequel, and even less their continued plans for the expansion of the original.
It’s interesting, of course, to see a developer inadvertently shoot themselves in their own survivor foot by doing nothing more than providing a fantastic, free service to its community (here, the Team Fortress 2 audience) for the past few years, and stirring up a hornet’s nest of car-alarm-angry infected by even suggesting they might have to pay for additional content.
‘Nuff said there, then, and I won’t stretch the metaphor any further, but I will add these new screenshots of the upcoming dirty south expansion (with nice, wide extras under the fold), and idly wonder aloud what it might mean that Ellis (aka ‘the hick-looking one’) not only appears to change his hat, but also his pants (possibly into fire-retardant slacks?) over the course of the shots, and note that Valve recently said that The Wire’s Chad Coleman (‘Cutty‘, aka ‘the one that started the boxing gym’) will be doing the voice of Coach, aka ‘the one in the awesome shirt’, which is a Very Good Thing. (more…)
See more posts about: Offworld Originals, Wide, Xbox 360
GIMME INDIE SHOWCASE: SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR TOKYO GAME SHOW’S SENSE OF WONDER NIGHT
Attention indie devs: Indie Games Fest director Simon Carless writes in to note that submissions are being taken for Tokyo Game Show’s “Sense of Wonder Night”: the festival’s own celebration of all things indie and experimental, with a screening committee including Carless himself, Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi, and Kenta Cho, creator of every good freeware shooter you’ve played over the past decade (including the Wii’s Tumiki Fighters remake Blast Works).
You might’ve seen some of the output of previous Wonder Nights without really knowing it: it was at last year’s show that Ian Dallas first showed off extended footage of his first person void-painter The Unfinished Swan (embedded above), alongside other entrants like PixelJunk Eden creators Q-Games, Gomibako (just released last week to the U.S. PlayStation Network as Trash Panic, and Daniel Benmergui, who showed off his previously mentioned I Wish I Were The Moon.
The submission deadline to be included in this year’s show is August 16th, and check the Wonder Night’s YouTube page for more videos of last year’s demonstrations.
東京ゲームショウ | TOKYO GAME SHOW [thanks Simon!]
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GEMVENTURE: 8-BIT PUZZLE QUEST FOR YOUR NES
Very well spotted by the always reliable Tiny Cartridge: GemVenture, a homebrew NES game by Tom Livak that manages to capture basically all of the underlying spirit of Infinite Interactive’s PuzzleQuest shrunk down to 8-bit form.
There’s no quest, and no real sense of character beyond picking a class for its set of spells, but where I honestly thought I’d give the ROM a quick run and never think about it again, it honestly sucked me in for longer than I’d like to admit.
What it does differently, and perhaps smartly, for its size, is provide both spiked gems to inflict damage on your opponent and heart gems to heal yourself on the same playfield, which, combined with its move-timer, gives a much faster paced push and pull feel to the puzzle battles than the game that inspired it: a true one-more-go-er.
See more posts about: homebrew, Offworld Originals
ONLY ON OFFWORLD: INTRODUCING THE NEXT ARTXGAME, J.OTTO SEIBOLD/KYLE PULVER’S JOTTOBOTS
Though I played dumb the last time this was teased, now it can fully be told: following the success of their four-part debut, culture shop/gallery Giant Robot and Attract Mode have once again teamed up to debut their next artxgame — bringing fine artists and indie game devs together to create new original works — this Saturday, June 13th at LA’s GR2 gallery.
This time, the artist in question is J.otto Seibold, who — in addition to his recent run of gallery shows — is the longtime illustrator and author of children’s book classics like the Mr. Lunch series, Penguin Dreams, Olive the Other Reindeer (which would go on to become a holiday TV special produced by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Drew Barrymore), and, most recently, vampire tale Vunce Upon a Time. You might also recognize him from his animations for They Might Be Giants’ Istanbul (Not Constantinople) video.
Seibold has been partnered with indie dev Kyle Pulver, best known for his 2007 indie game Bonesaw, and, with upstart studio Retro Affect, the previously featured IGF finalist Snapshot: a game that mixes the brilliant pastel aesthetics of Yoshi’s Island with a mechanic that lets you move elements in its landscape by taking and placing snapshots around the field.
Together, the two have created Jottobots: a classic 2D platforming shooter starring the titular laser-slinging, jetpack-equipped ‘bot pitted against a range of instantly recognizable Seibold-ian vector creatures — angry mushrooms, ambulatory daruma dolls — played out over the technicolor spray-painted landscapes that have been his most recent gallery-art focus.
Artxgame also note that the game — which, like their original four, is meant specifically to be played in the gallery space — is limited to a five minute experience with a combo-scoring system and high-score list so players can see their rank at the end of the night.
What’s surprising — or rather, maybe welcoming — about the early demo I’ve played is how well the elements are coming together. Pulver’s got a rock solid 2D shooter base running underneath that rumbles the entire world with each exploding enemy, and the jewels they leave behind sparkle with more luster than any jewel I’ve seen in a decade of reading Seibold’s books.
So, how do you play? The game will debut this Saturday, June 13th, at Giant Robot’s GR2 gallery, located on 2062 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, and will run through July 8th (though possibly, like GDC’s Game Over/Continue show, without the game: be sure to show up opening night to have a chance to play!).
Hit the jump for the postcard invite to the show, and let us know how you fare! (more…)
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LITTLEBIGWATCH: MEDIA MOLECULE SHOW OFF SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS DLC
As if you weren’t sold already: following the teaser pic, the teaser vid and the Ico selection, Media Molecule show off the three Shadow of the Colossus costumes that are set for release on Thursday.
My favorite detail so far from the entire Team ICO lineup? That little bitty plush Wander, desperately (but cheerfully!) hanging off Colossus Quadratus above.
Team ICO Pack – Shadow of the Colossus [Media Molecule]
Previously:
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BUILDING BLOCKS: REECE WARD’S TETRIS SKYLINE T-SHIRT
Inspired by the Tetris Constructions pic that made the rounds a few weeks back, artist Reece Ward created this Tetris Skylines shirt, available now via RedBubble. [via technabob]
Previously:
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ONE SHOT: EDGE MAGAZINE/ARMY OF TROLLS’ WICKED PIXEL POSTER
As if you needed another reason to subscribe to peerless UK games mag Edge, they drop a little “bet you wish you’d had one now, don’t you” bomb, this pixel poster from Gary ‘armyoftrolls‘ Lucken included with subscriber copies of issue 203, which is just basically rife with overt and covert games references from the past 30 years. Click the image for the big blown up version and let us know what you spot.
Previously:
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