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[sega]

So, we know it's damn cool that De Blob is coming out on Wii AND DS.  IGN posted screenshots and videos of the Wii version.  Check out some of the videos, and you'll see a game that differs more than slightly from the Blob game we played.  Some changes good, some "eh".

Here's the original design for the Blob character:


He's happy-go-lucky, roly-poly, shaking and squishing as he rolls around.  His arms out and his huge smile feel good.

So, I don't know who was responsible for this change, whether it be THQ, the original developers, or the new developers if there's a new team, but someone didn't like the original design, and decided to change it:



Whoever it was seemed to forget this isn't 1991.  I'm not sure the blob needed to change into a "dude with attitude".  I liked how dopey and happy the original character was, but I guess that's not "cool".  ALSO, if you'll watch the video, he doesn't roll around like the original Blob did.  He kinda slides forward.  In the original, the character would be flipped upside down, lumbering around giddily, and I thought that was fun.  The new one doesn't jello jiggle like the original either, but maybe that's temporary.  We'll see how it turns out when it gets closer to release.

So, what they added, was a lot of freedom of movement.  You can jump on and off of stuff.  The character is a lot more acrobatic, which I guess is why they wanted to give him a sleeker design.  Makes sense, I just don't personally like it.

Anyway, even though I know it's a fact of life, it's always unsettling for me to see indie games get picked up by a publisher, and changed from the original vision.  Luckily, this seems to be adding quite a bit to the original game that might be fun.  The visual design change is hard for me to take though.

[Alex May]

Seems all right, I prefer my heroes to look like innocent victims though. I never played the original though so I'm not as attached as others.

[queasy]

So, I don't know who was responsible for this change, whether it be THQ, the original developers, or the new developers

in the 1up preview article it says

HQ took notice, swooped in, nabbed the full rights, and handed the concept over to studio Blue Tongue

So I guess THQ now fully owns the game and the original development team has nothing to do with it.  Also, I tried googling Blue Tongue and it turns out they're an internal THQ development house.  Here's a link to their games history:

http://www.bluetongue.com/browse.asp?page=353

I dunno.. don't get too excited?

-j

[Keops]

It's bound to happen...

At least I hope the original team got a good amount of cash for their property. Maybe they were raped, I hope not

However, as if the game will be any good, it's too early to tell. I have a wait and see approach with this one.

[rey-o]

i liked how the original blob a had sneakers for no good reason.

but hey, at least they didn't give him two hand guns like 'shadow the hedgehog'

[fish]

not a big fan of the new blob, but i do like the world's new look a lot better.
especially the few screenshots where everything is grey. looks good!

and about blue tongue.
dont be too quick to judge.
i work at a studio that makes these types of games.
small stuidio needs money, big publisher comes by, offers some shitty licence.
studio takes it, makes a shitty game because publisher gave them very little money and time. then the game sells okay because it was riding the marketting wave of the movie/tv show/sugary cereal. so the publisher is happy, and offers a similar gig to small studio, which has little choice but to smile and take it up the ass.

often the people working on these games arent actually as bad as the games would leave you to believe. so when an original, fun and exciting project comes along like that, everybody wants in, everybody sees it as their chance to show what they can do. their time to shine.

i know, we're pitching for something MUCH more exciting than what were used to at work, and people are practicly fighing off each other to make sure theyll be on the one exciting project.

so go blue tongue! you can do it!

[sega]

Hah, I didn't make this connection earlier, but did you notice the original Blob had a prominent blue tongue for no reason?  What are the chances that their IP would be pawned off to a company called Blue Tongue?




Also, I did some work for them on Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis when they were with Vivendi-Universal.  I'll just say I've experienced worse.

[queasy]

dont be too quick to judge.

you're right, it's not fair for me to judge before it's even done!   i guess i'm still bitter over the whole tumiki thing...

-j

[PoV]

I know it's not fair to judge the game on only one screenshot, but to be honest, I think art in the original game looks better.

[Alec]

I didn't know the original team wasn't involved... I just assumed they'd be doing the port.

Guess I'm not looking forward to this anymore. 

[Impossible]

I actually like the new blob (and the new character designs overall) because they remind me of Vinyl toys and I think more games need to borrow that aesthetic.

[Kon-Tiki]

They seem to've done some pretty good improvements to the new Blob, mainly the new movements, and the level part. Rolling around a city's fun, but after a while, you kinda need a new challenge. That, along with the lack of jumping, were the only two weak points of De Blob, and they're tackled now, at the cost of the main character's look. Good price to pay, I'd say.

[GP Lackey]

The variation in opinion here is funny.  The main reason I never tried the original Blob was because of what I find to be a bland "designed for a tourism board" aesthetic, at least now it seems to have some art direction!