flower
Latest
Industry veteran Mark Cerny talks about the hugeness of modern developers
Mark Cerny is a game developer with 30 years of experience under his belt, which just so happens to be notched with widely known projects like Marble Madness and Crash Bandicoot. In an interview with Gamasutra, Cerny discusses how the size of game development teams has ballooned in recent years. He explains that there was more accountability when he developed games by himself, adding, "You couldn't blame upper management who didn't understand you, you couldn't blame the marketing guys who didn't put together the proper marketing campaign." Cerny says that his role as a part-time mercenary developer becomes less effective when he's hired by hundred-strong teams, and that some games -- namely, Thatgamecompany's Flower -- simply can't be developed by a gargantuan ensemble. "Because you're taking such a curved path on the way to making the final product, you don't want the art staff of 20 just waiting, just building the models, when Jenova is going to have some idea that goes in a completely different direction," Cerny says. We agree, though we think a larger staff would have allowed for the online deathmatch mode that Flower so, so desperately needed.
Journey closed beta starts tomorrow, open to select few
Following up on last week's report, thatgamecompany has revealed the requirements for taking part in the "very limited" beta for its upcoming project, Journey. According to a recent post on PlayStation Blog, the beta will be restricted to "the very earliest adopters of Flower" who are also PlayStation Plus subscribers. The beta will begin on June 28 (that's tomorrow!) and run through July 12. Those who qualify should receive an invitation via their PSN inbox soon. For those who don't fit the criteria (remember, everyone's on PlayStation Plus at the moment), all hope is not lost. A "limited number of additional spots" will be made available via PlayStation Blog and some unnamed "media partners." Finally, more invitations are being given away via thatgamecompany's Facebook page. You'd best hurry if you want one -- the Facebook giveaway closes at 7pm Pacific tonight.
Thatgamecompany's Flower recreated in LittleBigPlanet 2
We get legitimately excited when we see how beta testers are using LittleBigPlanet 2's creation tools in an ingenious way -- but sometimes, the logistics of their creations give us a wicked headache. Like, for instance, PSN user RAPHEAI's in-game recreation of Flower. It simply boggles the mind.
Flower soundtrack flies onto PlayStation Store this week, only $2.99
The PlayStation Store is continuing to expand its offering of game soundtracks. In addition to the recently released Heavy Rain soundtrack, the PlayStation Store will update with the soundtrack to Flower this week. Best of all, it's a steal -- $2.99/€1.99/£1.59. A key aspect of Flower's allure was it's interactivity, something that this pre-recorded soundtrack won't be able to offer. We do have a helpful alternative, though. Download the OST to your MP3 player, and then just start running through your neighbor's garden, ripping all the flower pedals you see. It'll feel just like the game.
GDC: The music and sound of Flower
On the last day of GDC, a little room in the back of the North Hall of San Francisco's Moscone Center was packed. Most of the audio design and sound creation panels in that part of the building weren't very well attended for most of the week. But on Saturday morning, it was standing room only for the panel hosted by a surprised Vincent Diamante and Steve Johnson, the respective composer and sound designer on thatgamecompany's downloadable gem, Flower. They started off by explaining a little bit about how thatgamecompany developed the game: It all started from the narrative, as co-founder Jenova Chen wanted to try and create a rise and fall story with no actual protagonist to speak of. Then, they loaded up the game itself, and played through most of the levels, talking about their designs as commentary over the gameplay itself.
Into the Pixel goes into the auction on eBay
Hey, you remember the Into the Pixel exhibit at last year's E3, right? Oh, no, that's right, they don't allow the plebes in. Had you been lucky enough to grace it with your stares, you'd have found a "jury-curated exhibition of video game art created by published video and computer game artists." And now that very same art can be found gracing the pages of eBay, as the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has opened up bidding on a smattering of pieces (starting yesterday and running through February 20). Featuring art from games like Flower and Fable 2, the proceeds will help to fund the AIAS' scholarship programs. The bidding has most certainly begun, though most pieces remain at their initial $100 opening bid as of publishing. If you're looking to snap up one of these snappy pieces, we'd suggest you get bidding sooner rather than later!
Buy your love a Flower for half price today
As if yesterday's free copy of flOw weren't enough for you, thatgamecompany has decided to extend its love to PSN users that much further today by dropping the price of Flower to $4.99. For the price of 1/20th of a rose (hey, it's Valentine's Day and those prices skyrocket!), you can give your love a flower that doesn't wither and die over the next week. In fact, we highly suggest you go with that route of explanation should he/she not take your digital gift as well as you hope -- simply explain that you wanted to give something more emblematic of your relationship! Maybe something like, "It's digital, so it'll never die, baby! Just like our love!" Yeah, that should do it. %Gallery-27943%
GDC Awards nominees announced, Drake leads the pack
We've just received a press release revealing which titles will be vying for top honors at the 10th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards, held in conjunction with GDC 2010 on March 11. If you're not familiar with the show, picture the Kids Choice Awards, only ... with video game developers choosing the winners instead of teenagers. Or, alternatively, imagine the VGAs, only without all the half-naked women, pot references and awards named after highly caffeinated soft drinks. You'll see some familiar names on the full list of nominees posted after the jump. Uncharted 2 netted seven nominations, Flower managed to grab five, and Assassin's Creed II ended up with four. Will Ezio be snubbed by Nathan once more in the Game of the Year runnings? We'll find out at GDC!
Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009
Halo Wars Yeah, that's right, Halo Wars. I've already caught enough flak for putting this on my best-of list for 2009 (it's hard to even remember that it came out way back in February), but it deserves to be recognized ... so pay attention once your laughter has died down. Ensemble Studios (RIP) proved that you could bring a real-time strategy game to a console, and still make it enjoyable. Sure, you'll never have 1:1 parity mapping everything a full-sized keyboard offers onto a controller, but this game came close. It's a pity Ensemble closed, since we'll never see any expansion packs or a sequel. The good news is that, since it wasn't received with blaring trumpets and the sounds of cash registers ringing, you can pick this up for under 20 bucks for some good fun.
Best of the Rest: Andrew's Picks of 2009
Flower This year had a number of terrific downloadable games (this list is a testament to that), however no game -- retail or digital -- connected with me like Flower. Jenova Chen's flOw was an interesting experiment, but Flower is an actual game. In fact, Flower is one of the few experiences I can think of that show the true potential of games as a unique storytelling medium. No other non-interactive art form will ever be able to replicate what thatgamecompany has managed to create.
Best of the Rest: Griffin's Picks of 2009
DJ Hero What started out as tepid fascination in DJ Hero quickly turned into a deep, passionate love. I initially thought it was just another rhythm game knock-off with an obtuse peripheral and a too-high price point. However, as my turntabling improved, my fondness for the game multiplied. Based on the game's lackluster sales, I'm guessing most people shared my outright hesitance -- but once you invest a bit of time and patience into DJ Hero, I guarantee you'll get hooked. (And that soundtrack! Oh, man, that soundtrack.)
VGA 2009: Flower developers amidst the explosions and hype
This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here's what we learned from Kellee Santiago and Jenova Chen from thatgamecompany about Flower. Spike TV and the VGAs are all about naked women, shooters, and explosions. What's it like for Flower to be here? Kellee Santiago: It's a very surreal experience. I think it shows that what are sort of seen as "artsy" games aren't niche, they appeal at the most commercial mass level, and that's very exciting for us. Jenova Chen: We had Flower exhibit at the MOCA in Shanghai as an interactive art piece. It's quite interesting to see a video game stand next to these art installations. Being at these awards will hpefully give us even more exposure. The PlayStation Network had a sale during Thanksgiving, and a lot of people picked up Flower who had never heard of it before. Then we started to get a lot of emails thanking us for making the game. We know there are more people who haven't seen the game, and it would be great if they know what video games could be. What's next? Could there be a sequel to Flower? We're working on a third title for PlayStation Network right now, you'll see more soon. Hopefully you'll see something next year, but we don't know yet when it will come out.
Flower, Comet Crash & other PSN titles half-price this week
It seems the PlayStation Store got a little jealous of the brick-and-mortar retailers who were offering discounts during this week of Black Friday Thanksgiving. Beginning with today's specially-dated Tuesday PSN update, a handful of downloadable PS3 titles will be offered for half-price until December 2. Here's a list of the encheapened games, and their temporarily slimmed-down prices: Bomberman Ultra – $4.99 Comet Crash – $4.99 Flower – $4.99 Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao – $7.49 The Last Guy – $4.99 Prince of Persia Classic – $4.99 Smash Cars – $7.49 .nounderline a { text-decoration: none; } Check out Joystiq's Black Friday Game Deals Hub or jump to a retailer guide below: Best Buy | GameStop | Kmart & Sears | Target | Toys"R"Us | Walmart For more Black Friday coverage, check out Black Friday Deals, Cyber Monday Sales, And other Black Friday 2009 stories today from Walletpop.com
TGS 2009: Sony adding motion to existing titles, new RE5 with motion coming Spring 2010 [update]
During Sony's second press conference at the Tokyo Game Show, Capcom's Jun Takeuchi took the stage to demo the PlayStation 3's new motion controller with his game, Resident Evil 5. That's right, Sony will be bringing motion control to a handful of existing titles, including a re-released RE5 in Resident Evil 5: Director's Cut this coming Spring.Sony also showed off LittleBigPlanet being controlled by two people, one wielding a motion wand while the other used a DualShock 3. Apparently a mess of other titles will be getting the motion treatment -- 13 in total (seen here, mostly in Japanese see update below) -- with Flower and Pain standing out as notable examples. Update: We've got the full list right here.%Gallery-73849%
13 PS3 motion control games confirmed for next year, motion-enhanced Biohazard 5 coming Spring 2010
Sure, the company's Tokyo Game Show keynote was a bit of a bore, but in a second press conference for Japanese media, Sony did what it could to make up for it by revealing Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition, the first PS3 title we've heard of to support the new motion controllers -- and better still, it's due out Spring 2010. Also confirmed is the existence of 13 first-party titles with motion support coming at some point next year, including Pain, EyePet and Flower. Both Biohazard 5 (known in the US as Resident Evil 5) and a LittleBigPlanet tech demo were shown on stage, and pics from the announcement are being uploaded now, so stay tuned! Update: Some new details of the LittleBigPlanet motion control demo from our friend Ittousai of Engadget Japan. In the presentation, one player was playing the normal way via DualShock while a second person was "assisting" by means of the motion control.
thatgamecompany's third Sony project is 'something you've never experienced before'
thatgamecompany, aside from giving us a chance to start this paragraph off with a lowercase letter for once, is currently hard at work on its third contractual Sony project. At the Develop Conference in the UK this morning, tgc's Jenova Chen had a handful of artfully abstract information to drop on conference attendees regarding the upcoming game. He said the project "feels like a natural progression" from the company's other titles and will be "something you've never experienced before." So, Flowest confirmed? Not quite."In the future there's a lot of feelings that video games haven't explored that are open for us to find," Chen said -- he specifically cited God of War as "a really good game about hatred." As Eurogamer points out in its coverage of the conference, Chen repeatedly cited the iteration time necessary for a game concept to go into full production -- he says that the concept for Flower took about two years -- and as such, may very well not have any solid information to talk about regarding his company's next game. Have you considered the fourth dimension, Mr. Chen? Hmm? [Image]
Boom Blox producer leaves EA, joins thatgamecompany
thatgamecompany, the studio behind flOw and Flower, has managed to sweep away former EA developer Robin Hunicke. Hunicke worked as the lead designer behind MySims, and produced the two Wii Boom Blox titles. In a statement to Kotaku, Hunicke explains that she wants "to reach new people, with new experiences, via the medium of games and the language of game design" in her new position. With both flOw and Flower completed, Hunicke says thatgamecompany is "at the forefront of the indie movement." It's currently unknown what position Hunicke will serve at thatgamecompany or what project she will be working on. The team is still contractually obligated to develop at least one more game for PlayStation Network.
You gotta believe Masaya Matsuura and Jenova Chen will speak at Develop Conference
Develop has just announced the addition of two speakers to the Develop Conference's 2009 lineup, both respected game designers whose works tend to be more than a little unconventional. Parappa the Rapper creator Masaya Matsuura, whose last game was the Wii marching adventure Major Minor's Majestic March, will present "It's Time for Music Games 2.0," in which the developer will "map out unexplored gaming possibilities and reinvent our understanding of the genre." thatgamecompany's Jenova Chen will present a retrospective about flOw and Flower, and "explore the relationship between games, entertainment and art."The Develop Conference will be held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton from July 14th through July 16th. If you're flying there and the pilot looks like this guy, get off and wait for the next plane.
Flower remains best-selling PSN game in March
It appears thatgamecompany has yet another hit on its hands. Flower, the PSN-exclusive follow up to flOw, has remained atop the PSN sales charts for a second month in a row. We're glad to see gamers embrace the innovative downloadable game and its 200 thousand blades of grass. The full list: Flower Wheel of Fortune Noby Noby Boy Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty Mortal Kombat II Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix 3 on 3 NHL Arcade Red Baron Arcade Age of Booty Linger in Shadows Wheel of Fortune's brand name gave it a great debut (although the game itself is rubbish). Noby Noby Boy continues to confuse gamers, and Quest for Booty's discount price gave it a rather sizable sales boost. GamerBytes rightfully points out the absence of Watchmen: The End is Nigh from the list. Looks like poor reviews and a $20 price tag shunned gamers from the high-profile beat-em-up.
Flower's power exclusive to PS3: 200k grass blades and counting
We suppose grass might not be very exciting, but that doesn't mean it's any easier to put into games than anything else, especially considering the sheer amount of it needed in a game like Flower. In fact, Flower has coded 200,000 blades of grass to simultaneously move and sway in the wind, and co-founder / president of ThatGameCompany Kellee Santiago said this could only be possible on the PS3. "It really would be impossible to make it look the same on any other system," she said in an interview with Gamezine. The developers say rendering Flower's detailed and free-flowing grass "leverages the PS3" and makes good use of the system's advanced SPU. So, the next time someone disses Flower for being a sissy casual title, let them know how hardcore it really is. [Via CVG]
