flower
Latest
iOS game sale offers discounts on 'Journey,' 'Flower' and 'Donut County'
You can save on a bunch of Annapurna Interactive titles.
'Flower' brings its zen gameplay to iPhone and iPad
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it had snagged exclusive rights to the next game from indie studio Thatgamecompany. Sky (described as a "romantic social adventure game") will be an Apple TV exclusive. But, there's more to the relationship between the two firms. On Thursday, the developer revealed its given its indie classic Flower the iOS treatment. The game is now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, priced at $4.99.
Genetic engineering creates an unnaturally blue flower
Blue flowers are rare in nature, and for good reason: the color is usually the result of mutations and quirks of acidity levels rather than an actual blue pigment. That makes genetically engineering a blue flower tricky, since you can't just make a straightforward tweak and expect a garden full of unnatural hues. Scientists have just managed a breakthrough, though. They've produced the first truly blue chrysanthemum (above) by splicing in genes from two naturally blue flowers, the butterfly pea and Canterbury bell. The modifications shifted the plant's acidity level, turning normally reddish pigments to the blue you see above.
Researchers create working electronics inside a rose
Plants and electronics frequently get along, but you don't see electronics in plants -- not surprisingly, it's hard to insert circuitry without killing the host. Swedish scientists just overcame one of the biggest hurdles to creating these strange cyborgs, however. They've successfully made the key elements of an electronic circuit inside of a rose and light up ions inside the flower's leaves. The trick was to insert a special polymer that self-assembled into wires throughout the stem, carrying electricity without cutting off the flow of life-giving nutrients.
'Abzu': a scuba diving game that's part Zen, part 'Journey'
Abzû, the debut game from game development house Giant Squid, may as well have the subtitle Journey 2 or maybe even Flower 3. Studio founder Matt Nava, the former thatgamecompany art director of those aforementioned art house gaming touchstones, is making yet another emotionally bald, deeply pretty game about communing with nature through fluid controls here. In playing Abzû, though, any cynicism born out of its similarity to Nava's past work floats away like so much foam on a wave. This undersea adventure is immediately familiar, clearly of a piece with Journey's nomadic wandering and Flower's breezy environmentalism. Even in just a brief demo session, though, Abzû is equally transcendent. Of all the games from E3 2015 I got to play at early events, Abzû is the one I didn't want to stop playing. Even in a pre-alpha state, Giant Squid's game makes you feel like you're somewhere else.
Journey studio nets $7 million for 'emotionally engaging' game
Journey studio thatgamecompany has raised an additional $7 million in funding for its next project, thanks to a partnership with Capital Today and other investors. Thatgamecompany announced the investment on its blog: "With this new investment, our studio is able to scale up development efforts to focus on making the best game possible in the same spirit as flOw, Flower, and Journey. We'll also begin laying the infrastructure to self-publish, market, and distribute on our own terms for this next project and beyond. Since finishing Journey, the team has been hard at work to make an emotionally engaging experience centered around human connections for players of all ages and backgrounds." Thatgamecompany's next game builds on the studio's vision to create "meaningful interactive experiences that inspire, connect, and emotionally touch the hearts of players around the world." Chances are it's not a first-person shooter filled with hordes of violent enemies. Thatgamecompany said it will reveal more information about the new game as development continues, and thanked fans for their patience.
Joystiq Streams: Flower in winter and glorious 1080p on PS4
Cue the Vince Guaraldi Trio smooth jazz and somber walks down holiday decoration-encrusted streets: Winter is in full effect! That means it's time to pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa and settle in with Joystiq for some streaming games. At 4:30p.m. Eastern, we'll be doling out a healthy dose of virtual sunlight on PlayStation 4 as we stream half an hour of Flower.
Thatgamecompany's flOw swimming to PS4 next week
Thatgamecompany's flOw will launch next Tuesday, December 17 on PS4, Sony Santa Monica announced in a PlayStation Blog post today. The port of the artsy aquatic indie game will cost $5.99, with its lone DLC priced at $1.99. Developed by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark as a Flash game in 2006, the game was ported to PS3 in February 2007 by thatgamecompany as the developer's first release with music provided by Austin Wintory. Chen and his team went on to develop Flower and Journey, the former joining the likes of flOw, Sound Shapes and Escape Plan on PS4. All four games are Cross-Buy compatible, so owners of any one version of the respective PS3, PS4 or Vita games will have access to the other ones as well.
Flower, flOw, Sound Shapes, Escape Plan coming to PlayStation 4 in November
Sony announced today that upgraded PlayStation 4 versions of Flower, flOw, Sound Shapes, and Escape Plan will hit the PlayStation Network shortly after the console launches at retail next month. The PlayStation 4 version of thatgamecompany's Flower will run at 60 frames-per-second and in 1080p when it premieres alongside an updated version of Queasy Games' rhythm-platformer Sound Shapes on November 15. On November 29, Sony will launch PS4 ports of thatgamecompany's flOw and Fun Bits Interactive's PS Vita puzzler Escape Plan, both of which feature reworked controls optimized for the DualShock 4. All four games are Cross-Buy titles, and will be available as free downloads for players who purchased previously-released editions for the PlayStation 3 or PS Vita. Sony additionally revealed that the PS Vita version of Flower will feature Cross-Buy support when it hits PSN on November 15.
Breezing through Flower on PlayStation Vita
Having indirectly announced the PlayStation Vita version of thatgamecompany's Flower, the Indiecade booth at this year's E3 went on to hosting a playable version of the game. Flower on the smaller PlayStation suffers no loss in its vibrancy or serenity (provided you have some headphones handy), and it offers a new control scheme suited to the platform's touch screen.
Flower lands on Vita, viewable at E3's Indiecade exhibit
Flower is coming to Vita after four years as a PS3 exclusive, according to the list of Indiecade games coming to E3. Flower used tilt controls on the PS3, and the Vita version will take advantage of the system's touchscreen and motion-sensing abilities. "Using simple touch or motion controls, the player guides the lead petal and accumulates a swarm of flower petals as he moves at his own pace within the environment, causing the on-screen world to change," the Flower Vita description reads. Flower was designed by Jenova Chen and thatgamecompany, which went on to develop Journey. Indiecade's lineup of E3 games lists two Vita titles, IGF finalist Hohokum from Honeyslug and Flower Vita. Indiecade consistently brings a solid batch of underground games to E3, and this year it features 37 PC, Vita, mobile, console, card and Sifteo Cubes games, including 7 Grand Steps, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Legend of Dungeon, Guns of Icarus Online, Tower of Guns and Towerfall.
thatinterview with thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen
In a relatively quiet, upstairs nook of the rain-soaked Palmer Events Center in Austin, TX, thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen and I sat down to discuss Journey, his company's future and his thoughts on free-to-play business models, among other things.For Chen, 2012 was an auspicious year. Journey was a critical smash hit, earning top honors at DICE and a five-award sweep at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts game awards, among other illustrious achievements. Beyond its success with the press, however, Journey's release represented an even larger milestone for Chen and thatgamecompany: The developer's three-game exclusivity agreement with Sony had come to an end.
Journey art director opens new studio, first game to include music from Austin Wintory
Matt Nava, former art director for Journey and Flower, announced that he will be opening a new game development studio, Giant Squid. Nava teamed up wth Los Angeles television and film company Ink Factory to found the studio, and will serve as creative director.Nava is joined by Nicholas Clark, who assisted in developing Journey, Flow and Flower and will act as an advisor to the developer. Grammy-nominated Journey composer Austin Wintory has signed on to score the music for the first Giant Squid game, according to the developer's official site. It's unclear if Wintory will join the team on a permanent basis.
NC State nanoflowers can boost battery and solar cell capacity, make great prom accessories
We see a lot of sleek-looking technology pass through our doors, but it's rare that the inventions could be called beautiful by those who aren't immersed in the gadget world. We'd venture that North Carolina State University might have crossed the divide by creating an energy storage technology that's both practical and genuinely pretty. Its technology vaporizes germanium sulfide and cools it into 20-30 nanometer layers that, as they're combined, turn into nanoflowers: elegant structures that might look like the carnation on a prom dress or tuxedo, but are really energy storage cells with much more capacity than traditional cells occupying the same area. The floral patterns could lead to longer-lived supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, and the germanium sulfide is both cheap and clean enough that it could lead to very efficient solar cells that are more environmentally responsible. As always, there's no definite timetable for when (and if) NC State's technology might be commercialized -- so call someone's bluff if they promise you a nanoflower bouquet.
Journey: Collector's Edition won't make the trip to Europe
European fans hoping to pick up the upcoming collector's edition of Journey may be waiting a long time, possibly forever. It appears that the special boxed edition of Journey won't be available in Europe at all, according to thatgamecompany's Twitter account. "We wish Europeans could get it, but there's nothing we can do," reads a TGC tweet, adding further that perturbed fans should make their complaints known to the PlayStation EU Twitter account.Journey: Collector's Edition was fully revealed over the weekend, and features lots of goodies for the discerning thatgamecompany devotee. In addition to copies of Journey, Flower and Flow, the disc also includes a 30-minute documentary on Journey, commentary, art, screens, soundtracks and three additional mini-games: Grave Digger, Duke War!! and Nostril Shot.
'Journey: Collector's Edition' gets 'exclusive minigames,' all three soundtracks on Aug. 28 for $30
Journey Collector's Edition's contents got a lot clearer this morning, as thatgamecompany revealed the box art and more details on its website. The collection comprises all three thatgamecompany PSN games – Flow, Flower, and Journey – and also includes a one-month PS Plus membership, "exclusive mini games," creator commentary audio tracks, soundtracks for all three games, and a variety of other bonuses (the full list is below the break).The re-release launches on August 28 for $30 in North America ("info for additional territories to be announced soon"), and the minigames are described as "three exclusive mini-games born out of a thatgamecompany tradition: the 24hr Game Jam." The three games, "Gravediggers," "Nostril Shot," and "Duke War!!," were each created by TGC "start to finish in 24 hours," and their release with this collection marks the first time the trio can be played (except for those who played the games while visiting TGC).There's also reversible cover art on the box – TGC's first physical release – which excites us greatly. Remember that sweet Ico/Shadow of the Colossus reversible cover art? That was pretty much the best. We're hoping this woos us even more.
Journey, Flower and Flow PS3 bundle listed for late summer
thatgamecompany confirmed early this morning that a disc-based Journey collector's edition, which will include Flow and Flower, is a thing for PlayStation 3, but "can't say anything more."That's okay, we'll let retailers do a little more of the talking: both GameFly and Play-Asia list the compilation with an August release date. There is no speculation on price at this time.None of thatgamecompany's PlayStation Network PS3 titles were previously available on disc, but Flow was available on PSP. The most excellent Journey concluded the developer's three-game deal with Sony and now thatgamecompany is moving toward unknown horizons in self-publishing.Update: Added full statement from company after the break.
Six years in, Journey studio rewards itself with two new hires
Did you know that today is thatgamecompany's sixth birthday? It's true! In those six years, the team of approximately a dozen people created Flow, Flower, and, most recently, Journey, all the while cementing their place as heads of the art games movement. The company recently completed its contract with Sony for three exclusive titles, but that doesn't mean it's resting on past successes. For instance, TGC is already in talks with publishers for whatever's next.Alongside its success, some big names at the studio recently moved on – co-founder Kellee Santiago and executive producer Robin Hunicke both exited in the past few months, following the launch of Journey this past March. Today, TGC adds two new employees.In light of its big sixth birthday, thatgamecompany is announcing the appointment of two new stars: former director of marketing and business development of PowerMMO Games, Sunni Pavlovic, becomes studio manager, and taking up the new position of audio director is Cloud and Flower contributor Vincent Diamante.In a prepared statement from TGC, Diamante said, "I'm very excited to be a part of thatgamecompany, joining forces with both friends from past projects as well as new faces. The last time around, I worked with TGC mostly as a music contractor. Things this time around will be a bit different, as I'll be dealing with all sound and music issues on their upcoming game."Diamante related his first several weeks at TGC as akin to "tight-rope walking with chainsaws," which is, like, the exact opposite of what we imagine working at TGC to be like. Isn't it all floaty stuff and soft music? Quit ruining our illusions, Diamante! You've only just started!
Journey is fastest-selling PSN game ever, soundtrack coming April 10
We thought Journey was a very good game, as you may recall, and apparently we weren't the only ones looking forward to its release, as Journey is now the fastest-selling SCEA-region PSN game in all of recorded history. Previously, that honor was held by Sucker Punch's Infamous 2: Festival of Blood."We thank you so much for your support, for spending time and money to play our game and for spreading the word about Journey to your dear friends and family," said thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen in a post on the PlayStation Blog. "We have received more letters from fans in the two weeks since Journey's launch than we did for Flower over the past three years!"Chen also announced that Journey's brilliant score (composed by Austin Wintory) will be available on the PS Store and iTunes come April 10, with a "limited" CD release to follow shortly after.
thatgamecompany's Kellee Santiago on Vita, and her ongoing argument with Roger Ebert
With Flow and Flower, Kellee Santiago and Jenova Chen's 12-person dev studio, thatgamecompany, completed two thirds of its three-game contract with Sony. And when Journey arrives some time in 2012, that three-game contract will come to an end, leaving Santiago and co. to an unknown future in the game industry. At a recent Sony press event in New York City, Santiago wouldn't say what the future holds for TGC ("Right now we're really focused on finishing Journey," she told me), but she did speak to her own interest in the PlayStation Vita. "I could definitely see all of thatgamecompany's titles on the Vita," Santiago said. "But, as you said, we're a team of 12, so for us in each title we just try to focus on the specific platform we're distributing on, and then leave the future to the future." The studio's first game, Flow, ended up on Sony's last handheld system, so the idea of Flower and Journey ending up on the Vita isn't exactly a far-fetched one. Given Santiago's apprehension at speaking about TGC after Journey, I instead prodded her about her interactions with famous (infamous?) film critic Roger Ebert. Had anything transpired since her last note? Santiago laughed before telling me, "He seems to have conceded that while he has his opinion, he can't really have it 'cause he doesn't play games anyway." In her last response, Santiago even offered to send Ebert a PlayStation 3 with Flower. "We did send him a PlayStation 3 with Flower," she said. But has he played it? "At least of the last writing on it, he has not played it." Maybe she should've sent an employee to play the game for him as well? [Image credit: TED Blog]
