Michael Silverman

I'm calling shenanigans on Molyneux:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23441

I'll admit its possible he has a design for a new game but... Come on man. From now on anyone from our division who meets him has permission to hit him with a broom.

Calder always drew me in as a kid. Here are some good source images, via wikipidia/other internet sources:

I'm not going to hide the fact that my first exposure to this one was at the end of "Back to School" with Rodney Dangerfield. However, its quite a Michael Silverman sentiment, and I would be a fool not to try to articulate that in my work. So here's Dylan Thomas's version:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Read more for the Dangerfield version.

I've been following Closure's Apple and PC port closely. Tyler Glaiel has put together an interesting tool set to build his game. The result is that he has a specific well defined potential level set:

He's going to be pretty tough at the next IGF.

GAINAX, the legendary anime studio, has a great origin story.

I would make games for no reason. I started coding because I love the game making process. I've had a "what do you want to accomplish?" list:

Run a studio.
Reach a large audience.
Make high quality games.

But that doesn't answer the question. These are all ways to accomplish a goal. Why am I doing this?

I'm not too interested in making games to challenge people's intellect or skills. I certainly don't care about demonstrating my technological mastery or inventing the next greatest chunk of code. I'm not even interested in making games that haven't been made before.

Life is in general unpleasant and people are usually selfish and all sorts of other bad things. I will make games that are window into a better world. I will make you believe, if only for a few minutes, in hope, optimism and the strength of the human spirit.

Now, onto another piece of source material that asks, "Wouldn't you like to get away?"

I've allowed a self imposed Miyazaki ban in terms of visuals. There are some people who like to use his stuff too often it seems and I missed that train. However, I don't really find too much Joe Hisaishi inspired music. So, without further adu:

Music is always more powerful at reaching audiences viscerally. I want people to belive so I'm going to need as many hooks as possible. Music seems to get past people's desires dissect everything.

I too have gotten into this division's wordle craze. I like the aesthetic presentation but I'm most curious to see what I'm obsessed with. Obligatory screen shot:

I'm going to e-mail wordle's creator suggesting an animated version that shows the relative growth of the words over time. Not technologically tough I'd imagine.

I'm also offering up the idea here so anyone who wants to can take them on with a competing word visualization service. Just let me know if you get it working!

Resurrecting "Game of the Week," I'll talk about 2009 IGF winner of excellence in audio "Brainpipe:"

Studio: Digital Eel

Format: PC, 1 Player, Download/Install

Core Mechanic: Fly through space (on rails), Avoid or Collect

Control: Mouse look. Click to slow.

Via Kotaku:

The music is a little over the top, but its an interesting video.

This video has no sound but its still quite cool. Be sure to watch it in HQ mode. I like the movement of the clouds and water. Also, the bands of lights around the horizon and their reflections are nice.

Its interesting that there are so many, "it looks like a video game," comments on the youtube channel. It probably has to do with the speed at which the tanker is traversing the world.

This week we have an indirect control shooter. This game was part of the "Sense of Wonder" night at the most recent Tokyo Game Show. (USC also had 2 games there. Represent.)

Creator: "Dong"

Format: PC, 1 Player, Download/Unzip

Core Mechanic: Avoid/Indirectly command attackers.

Control: Arrow keys move your ship, attackers follow. X dashes. Z creates a lock on circle/ stops attackers from following. Attackers shoot locked on enemies.

Challenge: How long can you go without shooting yourself?

Now with music by Charlie Silver.

For Perry Hoberman's Experiments In Interactivity 2, I present how to make an arduino controlled RC Mustang.

Its fun to watch a level designed to intentionally annoy the player... the design tables have turned! If you can handle the 8 minutes there is a nice twist at the end. (Video contains cursing in frustration.)