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Real-life Stacking dolls go on sale, promptly sell out
The dolls from Double Fine's upcoming Stacking title have been made real and were -- at least for a short time -- available for sale on the developer's site. Made in Russia, the real-life Matryoshka dolls were produced only in limited quantities and, as of this writing, are sold out. So, if you really wanted these, you'll likely have to start monitoring eBay. A least your predicament means that Double Fine picked up some extra cash. Tim Schafer himself says he hopes Costume Quest vinyls may appear sooner or later, to compliment the Eddie Riggs figure already available.
What's in a Name: Double Fine
It's time for another origin story of an industry presence. Today, we've got Double Fine's Tim Schafer, who can thank Uncle Sam for the inspiration of his studio's name: It came from this sign that used to be on the Golden Gate Bridge. I used to drive down from Sonoma when I was a teenager to see rock shows in the city, and I'd see that sign that said, "Slow to 45 mph, Double Fine Zone" and I thought, man, if I had a band I would name it "Double Fine" so that people would think I bought a really expensive billboard on the GG bridge. All of San Francisco is now declared a Double Fine Zone. Since I never got around to starting that band, or even learning how to play an instrument, I had to use the name somewhere! Double Fine is currently working on a title for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network called Stacking. Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's In A Name Archives.
GDC giving Molyneux lifetime achievement award, tapping Schafer to host again
That's right, one of the most prominent game designers to hail from that magical land across the pond (Merlin and dragons, anybody?) is going to be honored at GDC 2011 with a lifetime achievement award. Peter Molyneux, best known for the creation of the "god game" genre (and child coercion), will be honored during the show's Game Developer's Choice Awards. Not a bad way to celebrate a career that's over 23 years in the making. In addition, Tim Schafer will return as host of the show. He will give a talk on March 2nd and, we imagine, go around the show with a desk on wheels, interviewing random attendees, Conan style. That's what we'd do, anyway.
THQ needs your money to publish more Double Fine games
Between the adorable (and enjoyable) Costume Quest last October, and the forthcoming (and quite charming) Stacking some time this year, we're quite looking forward to the other two downloadable titles in Double Fine's four game roadmap. And though THQ isn't the only publisher that could release them, it would sure like to be. "I really wanna do a lot more with Tim [Schafer]. I've always been a huge Tim fan. Grim Fandango to me is one of the greatest works of art in gaming," THQ Core Games head Danny Bilson gushed to us this afternoon. He said the choice to publish Stacking was an easy one. "Stacking I fell in love with. When Tim brought that in, I was like, 'Let's do this game! This is fantastic!'," he said. The game was later moved to THQ's "Kids, Family, and Casual" department (like Costume Quest), though Bilson's desire to publish more Double Fine games clearly hasn't diminished. He reiterated that, currently, his studio only has a two-game contract with Double Fine: the aforementioned Costume Quest and Stacking. "There's a few more that I've identified, but I haven't made those deals yet," Bilson told us. He then paused before adding, "We've gotta get some hits rolling so I have more money to spend, to be honest with you." And between Homefront, Red Faction: Armageddon and Stacking, there's ample opportunity for that money to be made in the first quarter of 2011.
Double Fine's first 'Action Cast' reveals 'early 2011' release for Stacking
Tim Schafer and his perfect-for-radio vocal stylings have taken to the casting of pods, releasing the first ever Double Fine "Action Cast." For the inaugural episode, Schafer talks Costume Quest with the game's creative leads (Tasha Harris and Gabe Miller), among other topics. Of note, Schafer says that DF's next downloadable title, Stacking, is "essentially done" and "should be out in early 2011," a more specific launch window than we had previously heard. Also potentially of note, Tasha Harris says she's animating a "super secret project" right now. What could it be?! As the first show is a pilot, the studio is basing its decision to make more on listener response, so go get vocal in the post's comment section. We quite like the show and are hoping for more .... not that we're trying to influence your opinion or anything.
Psychonauts 2: Tim Schafer is 'ready to do it'
From our "It's Fun to Dream" file comes a story from the latest issue of PSM3, in which Double Fine's Tim Schafer says he's ready to do a sequel to his classic action platformer Psychonauts. So ... Psychonauts 2: Revenge of the Milkman coming fall of 2012, pre-order now to get your commemorative goggles. Right? Not so fast, bucko. Schafer wants to make a new Psychonauts, but he still needs to find someone to help foot the bill. "It's really a question of getting a publisher who's interested in doing it," he told the magazine. "Over the years it's gotten into the hands of a lot of people ... so if all these people were going to buy the sequel it would be a big hit." So, any of you have a few spare millions kicking around? Maybe if everybody pooled together? Let's see, we have ... $7.12, a piece of Bazooka and a marble. That's ... that's not going to cut it, is it?
IndieCade 2010 award winners announced
Last night's IndieCade 2010 awards ceremony recognized some of the best independently-developed games released over the past year, as well as Tim Schafer, who was not released over the past year. The full list of winners can be found after the jump. You're probably familiar with some of them, provided your gaming tastes wander off the beaten path -- there's Playdead's haunting platformer Limbo, Ian Bogost's Atari 2600 gem A Slow Year, and Steph Thirion iPhone title Faraway, which won something called the "Sublime Experience Award." We're sure the other honors are just as prestigious, but that's the best name for an award we've ever heard.
Tim Schafer to be honored with lifetime achievement award at IndieCade 2010
IndieCade will be awarding its Honorary Trailblazer Award for Lifetime Achievement to none other than Tim Schafer, he of the Secret of Monkey Island series, Psychonauts and most recently Brütal Legend. Schafer was chosen for the honor as a role model to indie gamers everywhere, and for personifying "the risk-taking, boundary pushing spirit at the heart of the indepedent gaming community," according to a statement from the conference. IndieCade 2010 takes place in about a week on October 8-10, 2010 in Culver City, California. Schafer will get his award presented to him by former (and current) colleague Ron Gilbert at the ceremony on Thursday night, hosted by Levar Burton.
Ron Gilbert reunites with Tim Schafer at Double Fine
Adventure game legend Ron Gilbert, who recently completed work on the Deathspank games, has accepted a position with Double Fine. But what, exactly, is that position? "We haven't really talked about that. I'm the boss of Tim," Gilbert said in an interview with Kotaku. Double Fine head Tim Schafer added, "He's the official Ron Gilbert. Though he started out as vice Ron Gilbert, we want to make sure he works out." The addition of Gilbert to Double Fine is a rather auspicious reunion: Gilbert and Schafer worked together at LucasArts, collaborating on the design of The Secret of Monkey Island and its sequel. Gilbert is also responsible for the creation of the SCUMM engine that powered many LucasArts adventure games. Schafer told Kotaku that Double Fine plans to continue working on multiple small games like Costume Quest. Gilbert is designing one of those games. Though he wouldn't go into specifics about it, he said, "It's an idea that I've been batting around for many, many years," adding that it's "very different than DeathSpank, and "fans of those old adventure games will like it." Later, Gilbert clarified, "That's not saying I'm making an adventure game." In case you thought you had it all figured out.
Double Fine: Ten years, two heads, one comic strip
Psychonauts's Raz is back!* *In this special comic drawn by Double Fine's Scott Campbell in honor of the studio's tenth anniversary. What did you think we meant? ... Oh, yeah, that would have been cool too. Anyway, the strip features not only existing Double Fine characters and mascots, but some that didn't make the cut!
Tim Schafer: Brutal Legend 2 isn't happening
During his recent Develop panel, Tim Schafer -- creator of Brütal Legend and head of Double Fine Productions -- revealed that the potential for a sequel to Jack Black's journey through a fantastical world of rockitude is nonexistent. "Apparently when they said it was a done deal, they meant there was no deal, and we're done," he told attendees. Double Fine fans shouldn't mourn the game's loss, however; the studio is currently at work on four new titles, so it's not like Schafer is riding off into the sunset -- unless that's part of one of the four games Double Fine is working on, in which case you heard it here first.
Double Fine's next projects: four 'smaller' games
After releasing only two games over its first ten years of existence, Tim Schafer's Double Fine Productions is heading in a slightly different direction and working on four smaller projects, each with a different producer. Speaking at a keynote presentation at the Develop Conference this morning, Schafer didn't reveal many details about the new game projects. He did, however, mention who was heading up each one. They are: Lee Petty, art director on Brütal Legend, is leading a game Schafer described as "sort of retro but also really new." Nathan Martz, lead programmer on Brütal Legend, is working on a game that's "quite cutting edge." Brad Muir, who designed a lot of the combat and multiplayer on Brütal Legend, is working on a game that "focuses on gameplay mechanics." Tasha Harris, lead animator on Brütal Legend (and former senior animator at Pixar) is heading up a fourth game. Schafer didn't say what systems or formats the games would target, but did mention that some would be available as downloads while others would be retail products. He off-handedly mentioned that the quick development process meant some of these projects would be coming out this year, but quickly caught himself. "I didn't announce that," he said. "I see you writing that down. ... That was not a ship date." Schafer said the transition to multiple smaller projects happened in the wake of the unexpected cancellation of a planned Brütal Legend sequel. "Apparently when they said it was a done deal, they meant there was no deal, and we're done," he said.
Schafer: Comedy games need a big hit before publishers will approve
We had always assumed that we don't see more comedy in games because nothing could ever be funnier than the end of Limbo of the Lost. But speaking with Eurogamer before his upcoming Develop Conference keynote, Grim Fandango designer Tim Schafer said the comedy boom will come when publishers start connecting chuckles with dollar signs. "The industry is imitative," he said. "A lot of people are chasing the last thing that was a big hit. What we need is a big hit comedy game. As soon as we have one, everybody will follow, of course." Schafer also has some choice words for Activision's Bobby Kotick, but our therapist says we need to spend more time focusing on positivity.
Pixar, Molyneux and Schafer also giving talks at GDC 2010
Worried that you're only gonna get one legendary game developer speaking at this year's GDC? Well quit it, because it turns out that March's pontification festival will also feature the likes of Double Fine's Tim Schafer, Lionhead/MGS Europe head Peter Molyneux, Square Enix FFXIII director Motomu Toriyama, a couple of "Pixar notables," and fantasy wordsmith R.A. Salvatore. According to Gamasutra's announcement of the speakers, the gentlemen will join "almost 350 other lectures, keynotes, and panels" taking place at the early March event, giving speeches on everything from comedy in gaming (Schafer, of course) to intuitive game design (Molyneux), and even a sneak peek (the first, actually, if we're not mistaken) of 38 Studios' upcoming MMO (with R.A. Salvatore). For all you zipper and chain-clad folks, Toriyama's speech on creating "The Crystal Mythos" might be more up your alley. If none of that sounds exciting to you, then there's always the other 345 or so folks at the event or ... umm ... a bar down the street maybe? Listen, are you alright?
Psychonauts only costs $2 until Thursday on Steam
Stand up. Walk over to your couch, and remove its cushions. Stick your hand into the exposed crevasses of your sofa, taking care not to lose any fingers in any reclining mechanisms which may be hiding within your chair. Dig out eight quarters, or twenty dimes, or forty nickels, or two-hundred pennies, or any combination of these denominations which add up to 200 cents. Deposit your recently excavated horde in your bank account, or the bank account of a trusted friend or relative. Access Steam, and use these funds to purchase Psychonauts, which, until tomorrow, only costs 200 cents. Download the game, and play it. When you get a free moment, return the cushions to your couch, so it can collect more funds for the next time Steam slashes the price on one of our favorite games ever. [Thanks, Dao]
Fan-made Eddie Riggs figure hits all the right notes
[hugohugo at deviantART] deviantArt is usually the site you go to if you want to see uncomfortable, sexual doodles of anime characters and other such nonsense. Today, it's become the place to see the most badass Eddie Riggs homage known to man. In fact, we're pretty sure user hugohugo sold his soul to Satan for the ability to craft such a magnificent resemblance of Brütal Legend's protagonist. Compared to the official alternative, we have to say we dig hugohugo's a bit more. It's got character and is entirely posable -- even the fingers move for wicked faux-solos! [Via OKConsole]
Brutal Legend's 'Hammer of Infinite Fate' DLC arrives with trailer in tow
Announced earlier this month (though fate had ensured its arrival since the beginning), Brütal Legend's second pack of downloadable content landed on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network this week. In celebration of the release, Double Fine has handed over a brand new trailer for the grab bag of multiplayer maps, skins for Eddie Riggs, and items with which to brutalize (as seen above). As we previously noted, the DLC also gives players the opportunity to endow Mt. Rockmore with Tim Schafer's beautiful face. If that doesn't sell you on it, we can't imagine what would. %Gallery-41208%
Brutal Legend DLC 'Hammer of Infinite Fate' coming Dec. 17
If you claim to love Tim Schafer, the new Brütal Legend DLC, "Hammer of Infinite Fate," is your chance to prove it. When it arrives on Dec. 17, you'll be able to pay the designer the ultimate tribute and carve his giant, disembodied head into Mount Rockmore. Sure, you're still a stalker, but in a totally socially acceptable way. You'll also get the Oculus of the Lost, a Deuce upgrade that shows every collectible on the map, as well as new outfits for Eddie and four new multiplayer maps. The pack's apparently going to be a bit cheaper for PlayStation 3 users, who will pay $4.99 compared to 480 MS points ($6) on Xbox 360. That might be a misprint (we've asked EA for confirmation), but we recall that PSN users did get the first DLC free for two weeks. Teacher's pets.
Tim Schafer talks Brutal Legend, critical response, and DLC
Brütal Legend may have had a smaller-than-expected impact during the game's first month on shelves, but Double Fine head Tim Schafer remains nonplussed. In fact, he hasn't even seen the numbers yet, instead choosing to wait "'til after Christmas," he recently told GamePro. "I like to give it time, you know? I think many people look too soon but a lot of games I've worked on have succeeded based on word of mouth," he explained. And despite somewhat disappointed responses from critics, Schafer said he was happy "for the most part" with how the game was received. While he's still not talking specifics, the idea of more downloadable content is clearly one Schafer's interested in. "We definitely want to do more DLC for both single-player and multiplayer, as well as some tuning patches," he said, and added that the developers are still watching multiplayer online to see what needs fixing. We're betting it won't be too long before we hear what the folks at Double Fine have in mind. %Gallery-75305%
Brutal Legend gets papercrafted
Our grandmother had this saying, "Handicrafts make for strange bedfellows." In fact, she believed in it so much she once stitched the saying into a pillow she made from the skin of drifters she had lured into her home and killed. True, you don't normally think "drifter murder" and "decorative pillows" as a pairing, so she had made her point. But we tried (and are still trying) to convince her that there are ways of stating her case that are both less illegal and involve less risk of contracting hepatitis C. ... So we guess what we're saying is that our grandmother would probably be way into these Brutal Legend papercrafts.
