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The Maw developer not keen to idea of Community Games
In a comment made to MTV Multiplayer, CEO and software engineer Michael Wilford of Twisted Pixel Games (the team behind recent XBLA release The Maw) admitted that the Community Games program is less than appealing and that they're happy developing on the XBLA with Microsoft support. Partly due to the fact that the Community Games program is shrouded in mystery. "I like the looks of the business model, but Community Games face[s] the same problem PC web portals do," said Wilford, "which is an open platform and an overabundance of not-so-stellar games." He continues, "we may develop for Community Games at some point, but XBLA is very successful partly because it is a closed and tightly managed portfolio of games." Adding that, with their relationship with Microsoft, they hope to continue "down the XBLA path."We tend to agree with Wilford. The new Community Games section is a great opportunity for start ups, offers great potential and is generally a good program for up and comers. But the sheer amount of titles and amount of lower quality games tarnishes the program's goal. What say you?
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: The Maw
After a week on hiatus, XBLA in Brief is back with a brand new episode. This week, we bring you The Maw, a surprisingly enjoyable action adventure title. Feed Maw all the animals he can stomach (hint: a lot) and watch him grow and gain lots of nifty powers. Oh, and did we mention the game is gorgeous? Yeah, well it is. Check out the latest episode and see if it's for you.Download the trial version of The Maw from Marketplace.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V directly.
Get'em boy! 'The Maw' dragged to the XBLA
Update: According to Major Nelson, FunTown Mahjong is actually supposed to release next week. Yay?This week, the Xbox Live Arcade is featuring the award-winning independent 3D platformer, The Maw. Developed by Twisted Pixel Games, The Maw features an adorable alien named Frank who is trying to find his way home after a failed kidnapping attempt finds him crash landed on a strange planet. As Frank, players will team up with a hungry purple creature named Maw who can be led around the world on an electronic leash and sent to devour everything in your path. Twisted Pixel promises a "lengthy" single-player campaign, "intense cutscenes" (Read: one of the first is a spoof on Kill Bill) and "cutting edge graphics." The Maw clocks in at nearly 150MB and will run gamers 800 for the full version.Also, Major Nelson notes that another XBLA release should be on the service today. According to the Major, FunTown Mahjong is supposed to be available now, in all regions except Korea, for 800 but as of this story going live we have yet to see it online. Download a trial version of The Maw now. Gallery: The Maw (XBLA)
This Wednesday (yeah, today): The Maw and FunTown Mahjong hit XBLA
This week's first XBLA release is FunTown Mahjong. Protip: If you wander into a village marked by a big sign that says "FunTown," and the first guy you see tells you that they've only got one game in town, that it's Mahjong and it costs $10 to play it ... then you're not in FunTown. You're in Awfulville, and the Chamber of Commerce has just changed the name.On the bright side, we're also getting The Maw, a very pretty action-platformer that has us quite intrigued. You can also pick that one up for 800 ($10).
This Wednesday: Castle Crashers DLC hitting XBLA
We've got new Castle Crashers DLC coming to Xbox Live Arcade this week for 160 ($2), according to Major Major Major Major (Nelson). As of this writing, no other details were available on his site nor on the Behemoth's blog, but we suspect it's probably the new characters and weapons we heard about in September. Sure, it's not technically a new title, but we'll let them slide this time. After all, it could be worse. As for the week after, you've got The Maw.
The Maw opens on Xbox Live Jan. 21
The Maw isn't just the pink blob you see in the pic above. It's also the name of an action-platformer that sports some of the nicest production values we've seen in an Xbox Live Arcade title (you can get a sample right here). Developer Twisted Pixel Games has just revealed that we'll be able to see if the gameplay lives up to the graphics and stellar music when the game arrives on Jan. 21.So, that covers next Wednesday, but we're still wondering what's coming tomorrow.[Via X3F]
The Maw chomps its way to the XBLA Jan. 21st
Twisted Pixel Games just informed us that their intergalactic, purple colored and completely original Xbox Live Arcade game The Maw will be releasing to the Arcade next Wednesday, January 21st. The Maw will be priced at 800 Microsoft points and contain enough purple goo creatures to satisfy your need for purple goo creatures. Want more? How about these Twisted Pixel supplied (and completely random) The Maw facts and figures: The Maw is comprised of over 900 animations, 1000 sound effects, 25 music tracks, 200 visual effects, and 150 models. The Maw uses 85:1 compression technology making it a 150MB download. Without it, the game would be a chunky 2GB. The Maw allows gamers to unlock free gamer pictures and a premium theme. The Maw is a video game. %Gallery-24978%
New video for The Maw
When we first set eyes on The Maw we knew we were looking at something interesting and new. With a concept like "eat everything to change yourself and world, to get an alien home" it sounds like a winner. And now with some video to go with the idea, we're almost sure it's going to be a winner. Using some sort of electrical tether that looks similar to something seen in the newest Banjo trailer the player swings and grapples around the world while directing the loveable purple glob to down useful items as needed.This looks really good, good enough, in fact to be one of the finalists in the PAX 10 indie game competition. Congrats to Twisted Pixel!%Gallery-24978%
The Maw, you know: It's coming to XBLA
"Full featured 3D action adventure" news now, with independent studio Twisted Pixel Games announcing The Maw, a colorful new addition to Xbox Live Arcade's future lineup. The titular maw refers to the gaping gob possessed by the pictured pet blob, capable of eating anything from a house to corn on a cob. (You can't unread that!)In their quest to guide adorable alien Frank back to his home, players will need to "harness The Maw's unstoppable growth and the incredible powers he earns," likely commanding him to strategically greet and eat creatures doubling as powerups. As you might expect, Twisted Pixel promises things like a "lengthy" single-player quest, "intense cutscenes" and "cutting edge graphics technology." We'll be sure to toss you scraps of info as soon as we learn more about The Maw.%Gallery-25036%[Via X3F]
New XBLA game: The Maw
No no, dear reader, not The Maw like the Halo level, but rather the maw as in the gullet of a voracious animal. See, The Maw has to do with Frank (the player, and character on the right of the above screen) and the game's namesake (the purple blob on the left). Both of whom are aliens trying to use the Maw's insatiable appetite to eat items, change shape from them, change the items themselves, and somehow use this to return Frank home. Sounds like an interesting concept, sort of mixture of PowerUp Forever and Katamari Damacy, and given Twisted Pixels' stated commitment to "a lengthy, full scope, single-player experience" as well as "personality and humor" we'll be keeping an eye on this one as more is released. Also worth noting is an unannounced game of theirs that looks like it's style could fit XBLA too ...%Gallery-24978%
