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[Duckmeister]

Just made another review for classics week:

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=6324.msg209414#msg209414

3 more articles coming soon, if I can get them done before the weekend.

[Dark Link]

This is my first article. It isn't a review, simply one of my musings on games in general.

16 Bits are enough

Tim Sweeney, the tech boss of Epic Games, recently announced that full photorealism in games was a mere decade away. But is full photorealism really what we need? The last time a company attempted to break into the mainstream media using photorealism failed miserably (in this case I point at Square-Enix's film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within). We could stop making highly advanced graphics now and still have decades of beautiful-looking games. Most of them 2D.

It's not enough for a game to look good to survive nowadays. Games often try and go for a striking sense of style, like the stark black-and-white of MadWorld or the beautiful watercolour world of Okami. I would honestly rather play a bright, colourful, stylish 2D platformer than run through yet another level painted in every colour of the dirt spectrum.

I like games that tend to run away from reality rather than towards it. Recently, a discussion with a friend brought up the following argument:

Him: Yeah, okay, Halo may be a good game, but it looks so stupid! Why are they running around in bright colours?
Me: Because it makes the game look different to other games. It stands out from the crowd by not being set in a grey war-torn city... well, except The Storm.
Him: But if you think about it, they shouldn't be running around in red or blue armour. They might as well stick a glowing neon arrow to their back, one that always points out where they are.
Me: You forget that both the Spartans and the Covenant have motion trackers. They'll be able to see you anyway.
Him: But in the multiplayer you always get seen.
Me: I think that makes the game more dynamic and fast-paced instead of the cloak-and-dagger bullshit of Call of Duty.

So there you have it. Style even has an influence on how games play when they are released. I felt that Prototype's rendition of New York just didn't feel like New York. In fact, I think it paled in comparison to GTA4's Liberty City, which wasn't even New York. What Rockstar did was not copy New York. Instead, they captured the spirit and soul of New York, and transferred it into their own template.

Professional devs are beginning to realise how the art and style can affect the finished game. Gearbox, developers of the upcoming Borderlands, realised that there were so many realistic-looking FPSs out there that it would take something special to stand out from the crowd. Thus, they ditched their realistic approach for the lovely-looking cel-shaded comic-book style.

Think. Would Team Fortress 2 have impressed as much if it looked like Call of Duty? Would Portal have looked so good without its clean-cut minimalistic environments? Would Okami have evoked that sense of amazement and wonder if it had looked utterly realistic and had every hair on Amaterasu's body fully animated? No.

Gaming needs to begin ignoring programmers and technicians, and begin learning from artists and sculptors. Games can be beautiful - if they're not realistic.

[Fuzz]

The article is well written, but it doesn't have much bearing on indie games. Photorealism is nigh impossible in an indie game, so style is often placed before substance.

[bigpants]

The Games of TOJam #4
Prepare for Blindness

87 people created 37 games.
Some were even good... nay... GREAT!
All have finally been posted.
This year's theme was "Scale", whatever that means.
Ubisoft just announced they're opening an office in Toronto,
I'm unsure if they can handle this brilliance.

Discriminating TIGers will enjoy:

SCALE

The world shrinks and expands, but you stay the same size. It's amazing.

Category 5

It rocks like a hurricane. Spinning Mouse meets Katamari.

Lockpick

No graphics. No sound. Only touch. An enigma.

Pipes in Space

TIGers have a well known soft spot for B-Games - this game delivers.

Bloat!

Super Cute! Neat gameplay! Uses Flash so you can play right now.

Steam Ponk

Ingenious Nintendo DS game, and the real reason to own an R4.
2 Player Pong variation with fantastic pixel art and compelling gameplay.
The best part? Both players hold one DS while playing.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Cheese-ohol 2 again.
It features Beer-Motes!


Thankyou for not hating us!
Jim McGinley
TOJam Organizer, TIGSource Fan, Giant Dancer Finisher

[Tanner]

Oh my god Scale is the best thing I've played in forever.

[Aquin]

Scale is pretty awesome stuff.  I hope it doesn't slip past the community at large.

Seriously, I want a second level. I hope they plan to carry on this great idea!

[Tanner]

It would help a lot to have a version with a proper executable.

[Aquin]

Heh, I didn't even notice.   

Seriously though, that game could use some more levels.  Hey wait... I have source code.

Ho ho ho... devilish laugh.   

[Team Awesome]

Hey,
One of the two developers of scale here.
Greatly appreciate all of your comments and I have a few replies.
I tried for may hours to create a proper executable but py2exe continuously kicked my ass.
As for making your own levels please feel free. The game has a built in level editor but dammed if I can remember how to work it. Check the source code. Modifying the actual game however might be a challenge. The code is a complete hack (It had to be completed in 2 days).

I may continue further with the idea but if I do I will completely start from scratch and work out an engine that allows for infinite zooming. Chipmunk started to freak out a little when you get really small.

[Eclipse]

Warbears brings war to enemies of peace

Imagine the A-Team, now imagine the A-Team but with bears. If you're thinking "OMG someone should make a game about it!" your mind should blow up knowing that it's already a serie.
In Warbears: Mission 1 you'll lead the team to face a group of bank robbers, using a clever point-and-click interface game your bears we'll be able to save the situation while creating hilarious disasters.
The gameplay itself looks like a clever mix of puzzles, katana vs drill-spear duels and very nice mini-games (like the awesome Simon clone used as ultimate hacking software).
All the Missions are linear but with a lot of different events to discover, many of them usually leading to the death of one of your team members.

You can play all the three "standard" missions plus an xmas themed adventure and a puzzle game on http://www.warbears.com/missions.php

The official Warbears site has also papercrafts and a nice little store.


[to Derek\other editors, feel free to modify whatever needs to be modified if someone decides to post it!]

[SideSwipe]

Source: http://www.tinyurl.com/GameStreamer-Indie

GameStreamer, Inc. Adds Top Indie Game Developers' Games to Massive White Label Network
 
2D BOY, Number None and Sigma Team join GameStreamer's Game Catalog.
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- GameStreamer, Inc. today announced that several of the top Indie game developers have added their games to GameStreamer's catalog for digital distribution through GameStreamer's network of white label partners. 2D BOY, Number None and Sigma Team are now offering their games to GameStreamer's entire network of white label partner stores.

World of Goo, Braid and Alien Shooter 2 are currently available for purchase and download at www.GameStreamer.com and will soon be available to millions of visitors through GameStreamer's network of white label partners.

"We are very excited to be working with the Indie game development community," said Nathan Lands, EVP & Co-Founder of GameStreamer, Inc. "With the majority of the game industry focused on cookie cutter approaches to building new games based on old and proven concepts, Indie game developers are a true source for creativity and evolution of gaming. We at GameStreamer believe that every developer should have a chance to create their dreams and make a living from it by sharing the experience with the world. GameStreamer will be the leader that helps give Indie game developers a viable way to share their games with the entire world."

About GameStreamer, Inc.

GameStreamer is a leading innovator in digital distribution and streaming solutions for games and operates a massive B2B network with major clients across the globe. GameStreamer is headquartered in Tampa Florida with presence in major cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris and Moscow. GameStreamer is devoted to growing the gaming industry by verticalizing content to reach new niche markets and delivering targeted content to users using the latest in collaborative filtering techniques and social discovery.

GameStreamer has built the first truly Enterprise-Class Game Digital Distribution Network that is offered as a White Label Turnkey Managed Solution. GameStreamer provides custom game store solutions that target various demographics. GameStreamer is working with a wide variety of clients to generate new revenue streams, improve stickiness and grow a community for their websites and brands.

Show Case Game Store: www.gamestreamer.com

GameStreamer Corporate Site: www.gamestreamer.net

Follow GameStreamer on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GameStreamer

[JackNeil]

Grappling Hook is 50% off this weekend on the Grappling Hook website and GamersGate.
The game is available at the price of just $9.99 until Monday, cut from its regular price of $19.95.

Reviews:
"Grappling Hook [..] an incredible first person puzzler/platformer, a title that already is one of the best indie games released this year. [..] the way it is right now, with short but challenging and intense levels, all smartly done, it's perfect. As a whole, Grappling Hook is an amazing product. It is lighting fast and very challenging, it manages to deliver some really smart puzzles and oblige you act quickly. Or die."
Calin Ciabai - Unigamesity

"The developers have done a great job of throwing out new challenges, with something new coming at you at all times. [..] the game does a wonderful job with the first-person point of view and creates a surprisingly immersive environment. Pair that with smart puzzles and plenty of fast action and you'll stay grappling for a very long time!"
Jay is Games

Core-Features:
- Perform daring moves and tricks with the Grappling Hook.
- Solve challenging gameplay and action puzzles.
- Beat 30 dynamic, animated, and unique levels.
- Earn 30 cool achievements and master 240 challenges.
- Create your own levels with the built-in level-editor.

System Requirements:
The game is available for Mac OS X and Windows. The game and demo require a 2.0 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, and a NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X700 graphics card.

Everyone can download the free 5-level demo at the Grappling Hook website.


# # #

More Reviews:
- http://www.bytejacker.com/episodes/058
- http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2009/10/indie_game_pick_grappling_hook.html

Gameplay-Trailer:

[skaldicpoet9]

Not to be a complete ass or anything but how are those last two posts TIGS article submissions? The last post reads like an advertisement and the post before that is a press release? Shouldn't the last post be a separate thread in announcements?

[Ogga]

I apologize for posting this message a 3rd time (I wasn't sure if it goes here, in announcements or in "post games" so I posted it on all 3).
Please delete the 2 "irrelevant" posts. Thank you.

Cubism is a new 3D casual game from independent game developer OggaSoft.
It's sort of a mix between Tetris & Bubble Shooter put together in a 3D game arena.
The game contains a lot of levels - each one is a bit different.
It starts out rather easy and gets harder and harder as you progress through the levels.
CAUTION! This game is VERY addictive!
A demo version can be downloaded for free at http://www.oggasoft.com.

Website: http://www.oggasoft.com
Genre: 3D Casual Game
Screenshot URL: http://www.oggasoft.com/images/screenshot.jpg
Youtube video URL:


Download: http://www.oggasoft.com/Cubism.html
Platform(s): Windows

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

"I apologize for posting this message a 3rd time (I wasn't sure if it goes here, in announcements or in "post games" so I posted it on all 3)."

what

[Derek]

Don't do that.  If it's in the wrong place, a moderator can move it.

[krabbo]

--

We've recently broken into the industry and have had an article published telling the journey. This one is focused on helping new developers.

My partner's article recently published on GameCareerGuide.

A shortened version published in the "Breaking into the industry" section of Thirteen1 magazine.

Would you be interested in something like this on TIGSource?

We're also planning a Postmortem and a "Pitfalls and Opportunities" article and would love the chance to publish them here.

--

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

well, i suppose a few might be interested in stuff like that, but realize that tigsource really isn't about 'breaking into the industry' -- indie games are not mainstream game wannabes, most indie game developers don't have secret hopes to play in the big boy pool one day, we're a separate thing, so articles breaking into the industry would probably work better in blogs about the mainstream games industry rather than blogs about indie games

[krabbo]

well, i suppose a few might be interested in stuff like that, but realize that tigsource really isn't about 'breaking into the industry' -- indie games are not mainstream game wannabes, most indie game developers don't have secret hopes to play in the big boy pool one day, we're a separate thing, so articles breaking into the industry would probably work better in blogs about the mainstream games industry rather than blogs about indie games

That's quite a generalization. I would think that most devs have dreams. Maybe we're talking about what is indie?

There's quite a number of indies who've made it. Just to mention a few..

worldofgoo, thepath, braid, zenoclash

Tigsource has featured many many IGF competitors who are now in the "indie" category along with us in such places as Direct2Drive and Gamespot.

And then of course, the whole Unity community with their multitudes of iphone developers getting published to the appstore.

If indie to TIGSource means only "casual with no hopes or dreams" then I can understand your post. But even now EA is focusing on casual games. The world of digital distribution is opening up to small fry and for that we are extremely greatful. I would think that indies who do have a dream would love to get some tips and learn the ropes and what to avoid.

--

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

i think you missed my point -- my point was not that indies don't have dreams, but that it's not a good "dream" to want to work in the mainstream games industry. a lot of indies left the industry to work independently due to the greater creative freedom.

braid, world of goo, the path, and zeno clash are not mainstream games, they're just famous indie games. the people who made those games don't work 'in the games industry'. i agree that it's a good dream to want your game to become well known, but i just meant the path to that is often *not* through working in a mainstream games company, so articles about how to get a job at EA (etc.) are not exactly useful to most indie developers, who would see such a situation as more nightmare than dream.

my point was also, and this is important, that indies are not "small fry". we're on equal but separate footing with the mainstream games industry, we're not like its kid brother who wants to grow up to be like his older brother. the achievements within the indie games sphere in some ways exceed the achievements of the mainstream industry, and certainly many people prefer to play indie games over mainstream games due to their different values and focus.