TIGSource Forums

Hey, so a trailer just came out for that Henry Hatsworth game.  Well, I don't quite know what to think, because that trailer has the sleezy EA feel, but Henry does say "poppycock" and "good show," and the trailer does end with a spinning monocle.

EDIT:

I am so off today, here's the link: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/39592.html

A link would be in order :gentleman:

THAT SHIT MAKES ME SICK.

game looks awesome tho.

You can't post about it and not link.  That's not how the internet works!

Here: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/39592.html

And yes, this is indie inspired.  It's Kyle Gray's game!  Although... the monocle EA logo ... disturbs me in a way that I can't comprehend.

Yeah, I can't believe I forgot that; I had it open in another tab and everything.  First post has been fixed.

oh dear no. no. no.
 >:( >:( >:(
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooo

i dont like ea very much.

(http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/9564/eamonoclepz2.jpg)

THEY BASTARDIZED THE ONE THING WE HOLD DEAREST.

Those pixels look shweet though.

You know, I'm starting to suspect that they're may be a spy among our ranks...

A spy that steals monocles, and later, owls...possibly pandas (that just happen to be in poor health) too...

They may steal the image of the monocle, but the monocle itself is incorruptible.

I don't know about that.  The swastika used to be a peace symbol, but then the Nazi's corrupted it...

I think you all know the comparison I'm making  ;)

Someone should shop a prisoner chain on this monocle and a text that says "your indie ticket is only valid on 3 computers"

Curse EA!

Wait wait wait, let me get this straight. You guys all think the game looks cool, you like the style, etc etc.

So what is the negative in EA being involved?

Maybe we should adopt something else as our hive minded meme, like dildos maybe. Then EA can steal that from us and make a game that plays like, I don't know Viva Pinãta or some shit and it gets panned by, like, everyone and it becomes the shame of the company and they go bankrupt. HOORAY!

Goddammit.

it looks really cool i'm sorry they stole your meme everyone.. maybe the game will make it alright though..

C'mon guyz! This game is made by Kyle Gray, of the Experimental Gameplay Project (http://www.experimentalgameplay.com/)! Doesn't really get much indier than that...

Heck, I was once working for the evil empire myself. But that's another story for another day...

*runs*

Those Evil Assholes defiled the the single thing that we hold dear. I'm just gonna cry in a corner and plot to bring EA down.

That shit looks boss, I refuse to be upset by something that looks fucking cool.

Boss* indeed. Looks slick and entertaining. EA has been confusing me as of late by showing previews of certain games which look to be of genuine, bonafide quality. This being one of them. Can't wait.

On the other hand, Monocles. They's ours! Also, I'd like to call Gainsworth Rip Off right here. HATS-Worth? The co-incidence is unsettling.  :-X


*Benza! Someone else uses Boss as an adjective! My Word. That's Boss.

I don't see what the big deal is, really. EA isn't some giant robot, people actually work there, people who get inspired just like the rest of us. (side note: EA IS PEOPLE!! *ahem*) How many indies are inspired by other games, the metroid-vania term come from somewhere remember? In the end, if it is a good game and the creators make some money off it, I'm all for it.

Also it looks pretty... uh, pretty.   ;D

I call Godwin's Law. I guess.

I'd have thought it would be pretty easy to NOT ruin this. The trailer seems to completely miss the target audience and be aimed at a.d.d. sufferers.

The gameplay interview is quite interesting though.

I changed my mind. The game looks good and if EA continues making such games, we might have the golden days of mainstream gaming back.

Man. I can't believe everybody hates it just because it features monocles, and you think the monocles are yours. This looks like exactly the kind of thing I would love to death, and most of you all would love to death too. You're just afraid to admit it because it's a mainstream giant that's making an indie game. And they are making an indie game, definitely. It's a platformer-puzzler featuring a monocle-top hatted gentleman attacking people with a machete. I'm fucking psyched, man.

I mean, I joined indie gaming for the games, not what I see as the BS that everybody claims is the "indie spirit". I enjoy playing indie games because the genres in them have died out in the mainstream world. This is sort of what I predicted a while back: The mainstream triple-A game producers will soon realize that they can't get the revenues to keep up with the costs of new projects. They're beginning a shift back into the games of yore, the platformers and run 'n guns. And what better way to do that than to target the gamers who already like platformers and run 'n guns? That would be primarily the indie game crowd.

Buy this game. If it succeeds, it'll be the start of a grand new era in gaming. Trust me.

That should be frontpag'd. 8)

I quite certain everyone is joking, old bean ;)
_{(Obviously the british gentleman stereotype doesn't belong to tigs!)}
(... okay, maybe some people do actually hate EA, though.)

Poppycock! No reason to hate EA!  :gentleman:
[/sarcasm]

Seriously, though. This game could really turn out to be "boss".
And then shall follow a new era. A golden era of gaming. Games made by gamers, for gamers. Just like the good old days when games were fun. When games were innovative, when gameplay was the priority and not shiny graphics.
And when the day comes, gentlemen, we, the indie gamers, shall rise from our long slumber, and finally find our ranks amongst the mainstream. We shall live together. We shall live...in peace.

O.o ... ah ... ok

YES
DO EEEEET

i for one was joking. sort of. i really do dislike the general style of EA but this game looks okay-ish (i dont think i like its lower-screen puzzle stuff). but i still insist on bashing it for the sole reason that i dont have a DS. D:

Gentlemen; I fear we have a traitor amongst us. A few minutes ago, I was sent an email by one of my insiders at EA. Now it seems that they've been secretly making a new project and it is called; Panda Doctor. Of course, at first I couldn't believe such nonsense. When asked for evidence, I was sent this:

(http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/6422/pandaum6.jpg)

Yes, it is terrible. Just look at that hud. That cursor. Those cel-shaded graphics. And the content was obviously stolen from our forums.
Whoever is responsible of such treachery ought to be lynched and banned from this site. In a rather sophisticated manner, of course.

Gentlemen, this only means war! I believe it is time to put down our pipes and pick up the pwn.

O.o ... ah ... NOOooooo

they've gone too far now...

Hats are also one of TIGS smaller meme's; top-fezs anyone?

Oh, I do think it could be a good game, and if it is, I'll probably buy it.  That said, you're being awfully optimistic; and anyway, we've surpassed what mainstream gaming is willing to risk anyway (eg. Cactus).  Games like Cactus' can't be developed in that big studio environment, they have to be done by <5 people to come out right.

I'm pretty sure Contra 4 was the start of that era (as it came before Mega Man 9).

And in reference to your "indie spirit" comment Valter, I think that even if EA and all the other major studios move in the right direction, you'll still end up in a film industry like setting where all the super experimental and artistic stuff is in the independent realm.  They may return to the action platformer genre (which I must say would be awesome) but they simply aren't able to create art games of the caliber that indie's can.

The "old skool" nature of indie games is one of the reasons that I got into the indie scene, but for me the art games (eg. Passage) coming out of our scene are far more significant, and they're why I'm so proud to be indie.  They are literally pushing the medium forward in a way that would be too financially risky for the big studios.

Fixed.

Well, it might be that I am the only person in the world who likes EA games, which is probably part of the problem. To me the ultimate enemy is Activision. Grr! >:(

I'm a pretty huge C&C fan, so I have to put up with EA because of that.

I certainly think they've done a fine job with that series, even after the whole Westwood mess up.

I like EA Games, if they hadn't taken over Bullfrog and cancelled Dungeon Keeper 3 I would like them even more.

But seriously they're also bringing out Mirrors Edge and that looks fucking slick as.

yeah, some of EA is shit, some of it is great, but..
THE MONOCLE IS NOT YOURS TO TAKE.  YOU ARE NOT INDIE, EA.

Sorry but the indie scene doesn't get to claim monocoles as there own either. It's reserved for gentlemen.

THE MONOCLE IS TAINTED.
PSHAHH...

the indie scene is comprised of nothing but gentlemen  :gentleman:

We can do nothing to resist the relentless reification and commodification of all we hold dear.  We must move on.

You know what would be really horrible and depressing, if at some point after that game is out, someone comes to this site and thinks we're all obsessed with it and ripping it off with our memes.

That would be a sad day for Tigers everywhere.  :'(

Surely something actually good from EA will have to be created by a small minority within the company, independent from the rest?  Could this not be the sign of a resistance within EA, the last stand of creative minds within against the pressure of corporate agendas?

Is the monocle tainted, or has it become a sign of hope for not only the indy gamers, but for all gamers, one and all?  FOR FREEDOM!


... okay, I'm done.  My train of thought has clearly derailed, but managed to stay upright and continued down the highway, up the off ramp, and down the sidewalk for a bit before stopping at the bus station.

even as you speak, several people have gotten on  ;)

i don't know.. it looks really polished and.. dare i say..fun?!  but i haven't really seen a whole lot of good come from EA lately.. that and the fact that they're basically the all-absorbing amoeba of the game industry makes me a little distrustful of them.

My feeling is that EA think that the current way of producing large commercial games is a sinking ship, and they are looking for other ways. This, that game that isn't a rip off of TF2 but looks the same, probably something else. They are branching out.

Also, this could be interesting. I own a DS, I might give it a go when it comes out.

I don't give two shits who's funding it.
The dev team are keen and the game looks nifty.
That's cause for celebration.

Word.

ammm ... i'm afraid indie games are converting to look like the mainstream :http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2008/09/freeware_game_pick_avert_fate.html (http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2008/09/freeware_game_pick_avert_fate.html)

and the mainstream is converting to look like indie."that ea monocle thing"

ah .... should i cry now ??

The thing that pisses me off is that they go out of their way to call it "indie-inspired." What the hell does that mean, anyways?
There's just something inflammatory about that one, hyphenated word.

Yeah. It just seems like a cheap marketing stunt to benefit from the recent surge in indie visibility and quality. (The name does, not the game. The game I can only reckon will be very nice.)

This just in: People can't help but find some reason to hate EA, whether they do good or not.

I keep hearing some indie dev named Kyle Gray mentioned, and how this is his game.  I have no idea who he is though, so someone should fill us all in.  Maybe his involvement is why this is "indie-inspired."

I watched a few seconds of the video and Kyle Gray said he prototyped the game then showed it to EA, who then "were cool enough to throw money in our direction". He certainly doesn't *look* like a suit, so I think he (was?) Indie.
Hey, I dislike EA as much as the rest but props to him for getting his game funded and published..

I think I read somewhere that he was/is connected to that "Experimental Gameplay Project" site.  I can't say I know that much about it, though I'm pretty sure I went there at one time, and it did seem pretty indie.

SPOILER : Man when you work at EA , YOU'RE NOT INDIE ANYMORE. YOU CAN PRETEND AS MUCH AS YOU CAN? BUT WHEN THE CEO TELLS YOU TO DROP THE TROUSERS AND BEND OVER? YOU'LL BE DOING IT WITH A SMILE.

I like how everybody totally ignores cyber95 and goes back to bashing EA for being an evil corporation.

think about it, though! Without mainstream, there is no indie! They have to exist for us to! You're destroying yourself!

I don't know, I have an okay reason to hate EA.  Like how they absorbed every company that made games I loved, and proceeded to destroy their IPs.  Oh, and massively corrupt DRM.

Ok so EA are a big company, and they used to suck horribly. I get that right.

But I don't get the hate for em.
They publish some rad games, why should I care who publishes them?

And massivley corrupt DRM isn't really exclusive to EA is it?

Uh, no, but I can still hate them for it.

EA is improving, as far as new, quality IPs go.
No, but they're notorious for it.
Ninja edit: HIVEMIND

For all of the people who didn't go to GDC '08, here's a summary of the panel at the Independent Games Summit surrounding Kyle Gray and Kyle Gabler.

http://www.gamedev.net/columns/events/gdc2008/article.asp?id=1126

Cover the Giraffes, guys! And hide those top-fez(es?)!

I actually kinda feel sorry for EA.

They used to be this awesome company, back in the day. Now they're just like some fat clumsy kid who comes running up to his old mates shouting "HEEEEEEEY GUUUUUYS" before he knocks over their Lego and they shout at him until he cries.

I don't really know why I feel like that, but there definitely isn't any reason to hate them. DRM is just an issue which has been blown out of proportion so that the amoral among us feel like they can legitimise the piracy which they would still commit anyway.

To paraphrase somebody from another forum, it's the kind of shit that has happened to Spore which kinda justifies the way EA go about using DRM. And, while it would be interesting to see whether EA will 'redeem' themselves over time by using less restrictive DRM, it would be more interesting to see whether people would then buy their games instead of pirating. The answer to both of these questions is almost certainly no.

That's so sad  :(



Eh?

Mixed feelings.

I went under the impression that whatever happened to Spore was caused BY their DRM, not the other way around :wtf:

Although either way, I don't get what's all the fuss about. I mean, we went through shit like frigging STARFORCE and now people are getting their panties in a bunch over a bit of EA DRM with SecuRom?

I think sometimes people just need SOMETHING that they can unreasonably hate and rage on.

Yeah, this seems like it was an interesting panel. It's pretty cool that two friends from EA decided to go totally opposite routes to get their ideas made. I don't think it matters if the guy went through a 'mainstream' company or not, so long as he's passionate about bringing his project to life. And considering this wasn't made up by a committee, and all the hard work he had to do to pitch it, it probably is a labor of love.

Relook that post. Nao.

Th-that was the most awesome comparison I've ever read.
 :beer:

Seconded and thirded :gentleman:

Valterson has a point. :-\

Well, more generally speaking, the way EA go about their business as a whole.

I mean, why the hell would you want to try something INNOVATIVE and DIFFERENT, and - *monocle pops* - actually try and PROTECT yourself with what really is perfectly acceptable levels of DRM, when people are just going to bitch and winge about how it isn't Red Alert and bitch and winge about how it isn't easily copied onto 35 of their mates' computers for free and bitch and winge about how it isn't actually an accurate model of the Universe somehow squeezed onto their little desktop computer?

Much better to just make Madden '09, don't you think?

The worst people can do is bitch and winge about how the faces always look shit. ???

People need to realise that EA are still actually a videogame company, with people working for them who are actually passionate about videogames, and that they are allowed to harbour feelings of affection, even *love*, towards the games they create. Not everyone who works at EA is rotten to the core.

So when the universal disappointment with Spore and its DRM turns into foaming hatred thanks to the incredible melting-pot that is the Internet, and Spore becomes the most pirated game ever and receives stupidly unfair numbers of 1-star reviews on respected sites such as Amazon, what's going to happen? Those people who poured their creative juices into that game have had it ripped out of them. They're not going to make the same mistake again.

Much better to just make Madden '09, don't you think?

They have to make Madden '09. EA actually do try to move the game forwards, funding auteur stuff like Spore, publishing We :-* Katamari, and have gone on the record saying that lack of innovation is killing mainstream gaming and that they will try to do even more.

This whole thread stinks of people who feel the need to rail against some higher power regardless of what that power is. Stick it to the man, guys! By the way, sorry to break it to you but you're not the sole proprietor nor originator of the image of the quintessential English Gentleman either!

I don't hate EA for anything. I just have my reasons to not like them to use monocles.

our monocles.

I don't really see how people are connecting the DRM with the huge amount of piracy. Spore was overhyped and advertised enough to become the most pirated game by itself. And probably already was by the time it was released, considering the pirated copy was already available on the 1st.

Personally, I don't think that there's anything wrong with DRM.

Automatic DRM hatred is just a trend among bored nerds with nothing unique to say.

I don't have any problem with EA, maybe I don't like some stuff like their DRM, but that's all. I mean, even if you don't like DRM, I don't think it's enough to hate them, and it's definitely not a good reason to hate a game. Also, I just checked the list of EA games, and there are lots of good games there.

This game looks kind of cool.  Curious how the puzzle-game-on-the-bottom-screen/platformer-on-the-top thing will work though, that trailer didn't really explain it.

I wonder if one of us has passed the monocle on to EA.



SMIIITHYYYYYYY!!!!

if you watch some of the other videos it makes sense, he explains it.

Looks interesting, although I'm not sure how the puzzle mechanics are anything but a level of abstraction away from traditional action-RPG leveling up, or Super Mario World's powerup storing. Might be an interesting level of abstraction, though, leading you to prepare your puzzle grid before bosses to make certain powers easily accessible or something.

And Tower of Goo was one of the games inspired by his Experimental Gameplay Project, so he's got indie cred, EA aside. I agree with Shinygerbil that by railing against EA when they try to actually do something different, it makes it that much harder for the next programmer with a dream to do something innovative there.

I have to say, the game itself does look pretty cool.

The commercial sucks, though. I HATE commercials, they're NEVER made right. Or they ARE made right... I can't tell the difference, but the things that are highlighted are never the things that are of interest to me.

The game itself looks really cool indeed.

This makes it even harder now to decide between getting a DS or a PSP.

I have both!  ;D

...

What, I'm a portable gamer.  I have lots of bus time (well, not currently), so that's when I get a lot of my gaming time in.

Be careful when you sleep then. >:D

Henry Hatsworth is coming out in March. My excitement levels are nearing critical mass :crazy:

Same here.

This game is going to be... (sorry, but it REALLY DOES warrant this word:)

AWESOME!

The NP article just increased my already massive excitement.

You can get the whole soundtrack of the game's site.

Now we're back where we started.
Link, please.

I don't hate or love any big mainstream game companies. except blizzard and iD. they're made of awesome an shit.

I did that almost a month ago.  I'm not going to really listen too it much until I've played the game though.

And yeah, it definitely seems like something to get exited about (even if that excitement is because of silly memes...).

Got it, and loved every second of it! I especially like "Molotov on the Rocks"!


Same! (Well, one DS, two PSPs...)


I actually just think it looks great. Monocles aside.

Are there any more recent online previews of it? I think it looks pretty cool, but I'm not really convinced that the transition from action to puzzling is really smooth, although the interactions sound cool, and it sounds like it could be too easy.

Anyway, I'm now getting Bangai-O Spirits. I doubt that's going to be easy, hah.

I know a bit about it;

The transition is done by touching the bottom screen. Action on the top screen stops, and you can solve puzzles. However, while playing the top screen, stuff still gets added to the bottom (your fallen enemies, or some specific attacks of some enemies / bosses). So, you will need to occasionally solve the puzzles, or take damage. Also, solving the puzzles adds points which you can then use to activate super attacks.

That a good description?

So the puzzle section is sort of like an opportunity system that lets you do things at the right moment to unleash extra power. That sounds fine to me, and I've always been a fan of the falling blocks game (Re: Meteos).

You know, I don't mind games that mix touchscreen and controls on principle, as long as the remember one thing: there are left handed people too! I mean, in N+ I couldn't use the level editor not because it's unwieldy but because it didn't work for me. However, as big as they are hopefully EA will notice and solve it.

Amano, I might just get this game for the heck of it.

What have I got to lose?

Yes, but it is necessary at times, because I think bombs and such can be thrown down there.


They have a left handed option.

I think that's rot. Major studios have always, from time to time at least, created great quirky games of at least equal calibre to the best of the indies. Or at least funded them and published them. As do the big movie studios, in fact.

Well... a game like Passage isn't just financially risky, it would be financial suicide. For anyone. It's just not a saleable product. The thing that's really revolutionising our culture is the internet, in creating a huge global audience for things that have no commercial value. This is happening in all media.


Might I suggest - Dapper Dildos: Detective Squad. Each of the five playable dildos has a different special ability!

Yep, it is, although my main concern is just how the mix will "feel". Considering that most of the time you play the game using the buttons and only occasionally have to switch to touch controls it might be a bit awkward. But, I guess as that's such an elemental thing to this game, it's most likely going to work, anyway.

By the way, I've read that after you fire a bullet, you can switch to puzzle screen, thus freezing it in mid-air, match some of the stones and power up the bullet this way, so it's super-effective when you switch back again. Nifty!

Yes! And, I read you could just use the buttons for the puzzle, if you wanted.

Game definitely feels indie, just from the looks of it, even if they are trying to force it a little bit. Either way I'm glad sprites aren't gone from the commercial gaming scene yet.

I don't think anyone here would be whining about how "indie" it is if they saw what happens when you activate "tea time" :epileptic:

Stop talking about stuff that you don't link, goddammit.

It's on Destructoid. Quit whining about stuff you don't care about enough to look up yourself.

I'm not sure if I don't find that tea time a bit extreme, but by common indie standards it's definitely awesome! :D

There's a new trailer out! And I'm going to revive this topic every single time something new about it happens, until and probably after it's released.

Why do that, you ask? Watch the trailer.
http://www.viddler.com/explore/Destructoid/videos/199/

That's much better than the first trailer they released.

I wanna DS now. :'(

The little monsters are cute.

This is going to be the best game ever.
:gentleman:

Anyone who is upset by the theme of the character is a fucking moron, there I said it.

edit: awesome, nobody's said that since I last posted. Carry on, chaps  :gentleman:

i smell a hit.

go kyle go!

Listen to the interview (might have already gotten posted): http://www.gametrailers.com/player/39959.html

This definitely sounds like EA actually has some grain of sense in their head and have been snooping around for talent in the indie scene. It seems like Kyle is following the "rockstar" model; make some Flash games, send in demos, get noticed, get some big-name company excited about you, and proceed to get money thrown at you. I think the only reason why this seems shocking is because that generally hasn't happened in the big league gaming industry for a solid 15 or so years.

This sounds like it will be a really awesome game.

This game is looking more amazing by the minute! I love that certain bosses can mess with the puzzle area. Real unique ideas, in this here game!

SHUT YOUR FACE!

Just kidding. I'm a Rockstar fan.

I just got a DS a little while ago with only two games for it so far, so I've been scouting for more. I'm going to keep an eye on this one. I like the cut of its jib already.

The game looks very rad, the only thing I found a bit annoying was indeed the 'Indie-inspired' -term. Why not just "retroish" or "2D", why "Indie-inspired"? ;D

"Indie" does have a culture outside of retro and 2D. The gameplay synthesis of puzzle and platformer is part of that culture, as is the somewhat genteel disposition of the protagonist.

But I still wonder why the word 'Indie' is needed there.

Agreed; it's kind of patronizing, really.

maybe they say it's indie inspired rather than retro inspired because it was inspired by current indie game developers rather than decades old game developers

and maybe even... dare I say it? ... OUR TIGSAUCE!

I might get a DS just for this... :addicted:

I had Tiger beer last week.  :tiger:  It was OK (but I'm not a huge beer person to begin with, so I'm probably not the right person to judge).

How about the gentlewomen, eh?

I'm not sure what is indie about this, but it looks nice and the gameplay seems cool.

It's indie because of Kyle Gray.

Ah, I see now. Good for him.

Though technically, it stopped being indie because of EA.

But that horse has already been beaten to a pulp in this thread, I guess...

EA's cool now.

And besides, indie or not, it's awesome.

I consider it indie with funding from EA. It's just Kyle Gray and 6 other people working on it.

EA Los Angeles = Westwood Studios :) and still the westwood games are way better than the sequels, that are "classic" rts without any innovation


because they KNOW that it cames from TIGS memes and the indie community... i mean, it only show that isn't really a coincidence, but someone at EA follows tigsource  8)

Just arguing semantics here, but I think that with funding from EA, a game suddenly becomes not-indie. I mean who are independent developers really independent from if not big corporate studios? That's kinda what indie's pride themselves on right? Not taking money from fat-cats and all the censorship and control that comes with that? So by taking money from EA, I'm sure they lose any indie status they had.

That isn't to say that games made by big studios are bad or uncool it just means that the team developing this game is certainly not an independently run development studio, therefore the game is not 'indie' in my book.

But semantics suck, I hate arguing over the meaning of words. I'm done.

Well, does it really matter anyway? It looks like it will be a great game, so let's leave it at that.

The whole funding thing really is messy.

I mean, we still consider thatgamecompany and Flower to be indie, and yet that has massive funding and support from Sony.  This, while the Sony funded PixelJunk series isn't considered indie (I know I'm not the only one that thinks it isn't).  But there's definitely a contradiction there, so yeah.

I highly doubt that statement.

Try being angry at Activision. It's far easier than being mad at EA these days.

Besides, I liked EA even when it was "evil". It did some awesome things with the Lord of the Rings IP. The Two Towers and Return of the King were both excellent.

In case anyone missed it, there is now the soundtrack available for download over at http://www.henryhatsworth.com/

Also check out the song that plays in the "about the game" section. Proper british gentlemanly singing! It's brilliant. Cannot wait for this game now.

Ohh man, that ad was just awesome. I want to play this so bad now.

I hate the cube things with faces. Cheapen it so much  :'(