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flOwer looks very relaxing ... sleepy even
flOwer still seems like a mystery. Perhaps that's part of its charm. A sort of hazy daydream -- I'm-floating-high-in-the-sky kind of whimsical fairytale. We feel soothed when we watch these clips, though we can't help but wonder how to play this game, and really, what's the point of it? What do you do? Where do you go? It's funny ... we ask these things and have yet to walk away. If you too are somewhat mesmerized by the aloofness of flOwer, then hit the break to watch the second clip.
Jenova Chen talks about flOwer and Sony's interest in 'grown up gamers'
Not much is known about thatgamecompany's mysterious flOwer. The PSN downloadable was revealed at TGS as their big follow-up to the best-selling flOw, but few gameplay details have been unearthed. Jenova Chen talked to Gamasutra about developing another PSN title, and how the team has finally come to grips with the incredible power of the PS3."When we were working on flOw we didn't really use any SPUs, which is the biggest asset of PS3. Or, even if we used them, it was done by other programmers, not the programmers on our team," explained Chen. "But now, the team has caught up, and they've all started doing SPU programming. So that is really making a difference. We actually used the power of the PS3 this time."After flOwer's release, thatgamecompany is still obliged to producing at least one more game for Sony. Thankfully, it appears that Sony has been incredibly respectful of the development process. "So far we have had a great relationship with Sony. They totally understand what we are doing, and they appreciate what we are doing." Sony's quest for artistic games is something that resonates with both parties: "I think Sony is much more interested in making games stylish and artistic; more appealing to adults. On that aspect, I think they are the same as we are. Because we are making games for people who are, I would say, like grown up gamers, who expect to see more out of a game than traditional actions."
World of WarCrafts: Basket of flowers
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.Mother's Day is just around the corner, and though your mom (or wife) may not know anything about a Badge of Justice or Super Potions, she will most likely appreciate a Basket of Flowers. This project is super easy and would be a great way to get the kids involved in making a special gift for mom.Here is what you will need: Flower Bushes (a variety of artificial flowers should do) Basket Dry Styrofoam (preferably green) Spanish Moss Scissors (or cutting pliers) Ribbon (or a pre-made bow) Click on the images below to view a gallery of step-by-step instructions. %Gallery-21875%
PS3 games to look for in 2008: part 5
Also in 2008 %Gallery-3823% First revealed a while back, Sony's The Agency is touted to be the first major MMO title to get released exclusively on a console. It takes some stealth, some action, some FPS, and some RPG elements to make a pretty decent looking title that could swerve either into the "overhyped junk" pile or the "hidden gem of the PS3 universe" pile. We won't know until it gets a release date. Read More PS3 Exclusive %Gallery-12752% Saying that Final Fantasy XIII is a major PS3 exclusive is an understatement. Even if you don't like RPGs, it's ignorant to believe these games haven't shaped the console world as we know it -- the titles on the SNES rocketed the success of that console, the release of FFVII cemented the original PlayStation as the best console released and FFX greatly assisted in the adoption of the PS2. This latest installment looks drastically different from the others, but we're hoping it turns out as stellar as the other titles have been. Read More PS3 Exclusive %Gallery-12750% That Game Company made a weird title with flOw. They weren't scared to try new things and they're not scared to do it again with the spiritual successor, flOwer. We still don't know what you're supposed to be doing -- guiding a flower in a field? Guiding pollen from a flower in a field? Guiding the sunlight to vitalize flowers spouting pollen in a field? Who knows. Until it gets a release date, the mystery continues. Read More PS3 Exclusive %Gallery-12670% It's been a while since we've seen anything on The Getaway -- one of those PS3 titles announced long ago and subsequently swallowed up in the black hole of vaporware. We aren't giving up, though -- little drips of information appear every now and then and until we know when the game's coming out, we can only imagine what's in store. Read More PS3 Exclusive %Gallery-12672% Shown off at E3 as a secret surprise title, we don't know what to make of Infamous other than a sandbox hero/villain creation story where you can protect or destroy a city. We're making assumptions, but it's probably not too far off the mark. We've seen and heard nothing since the original trailer, so a release date is anyone's guess. Fall would be our assumption. Since we've made enough of those so far. Read More Some of our favorite games are on the next page! >
flOw dev discusses blossoming new project
If the Tokyo Game Show trailer was any indication, flOw developer Thatgamecompany is not shying away from abstract projects. Speaking at the Montreal International Games Summit (via Gamasutra), TGC President Kellee Santiago explained how music played an important role in the the initial development phases of Flower. Two musical pieces were commissioned to set the tone of the project, according to Santiago, to "get everyone on the same page... doing sample audio tracks to evoke the emotion [will] keep everyone's work consistent." Details about Flower itself are rather scant, aside from confirmation that at least part of the game has to do with growing flowers. Said Santiago, Flower involves the "possible emotional impacts of the feeling of growing a flower, and possible interactions as the sun." The title is due out on the PlayStation Network sometime in 2008.
So what's up with Flower?
Ever since we first got wind of Thatgamecompany's next project, Flower, we've wondered what the game actually was. With flOw, we learned that there's more to gaming than explosions and storylines, and with this game, we figured there was some sort of similar cathartic mechanism in the works. The first "details" of the game have been released and all we can say is there's certainly a lot of emotion to go around, but we've still no idea what to expect. You raise flowers in a field, but the game aims to make you "experience a field in a way you couldn't in real life," according to Thatgamecompany's Kellee Santiago. During the game's development cycle, the team constantly wondered what the emotion interaction would be with the field if you played as the wind, or the sun, or the "emotional impact of flying petals around" as well as the emotions felt when growing a flower. The game originally had you controlling petals in the wind in an early prototype, but it's unclear whether or not that's still part of the game. Initially, there were even magical elements and special abilities in the game, but those were removed since they got in the way of your emotions. No matter what Flower ends up being, we know it's going to be an experience that will be difficult to explain to friends, but once we give them the controller, they'll understand. Maybe they'll shed a tear. Or not.
Sysbay International's PF500: the flowery 7-inch PMP
Make no mistake about it, there's certainly a sect out there ready and willing to snap up just about anything smothered in a flowery print, and it seems that Sysbay International is looking to cash in. The seven-inch PF500 media player sports a 480 x 234 resolution panel, integrated speaker, 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, AV output, USB connectivity, support for JPEG, BMP, MP3, WAV, WMA, AVI, DivX and XviD files, and of course, a not-exactly-elegant border. Reportedly, the unit comes with up to 2GB of internal memory, but if you actually feel the urge to add one of these to your own collection, you'll have to send in a price inquiry of your own and wait for remorse to set in.[Via PMPToday]
TGS07: fl0w team's next game, fl0wer
It's amazing to see what adding two letters to the end of a word can do. thatgamecompany, creators of the fan-favorite fl0w, is working on a brand new project. Not much is know about the new project, but considering the unique atmosphere created by the team's previous endeavors, we're excited to see what they can bring to the table. [Via Joystiq]
Today's most flowery video: 'fl0wer' trailer
If the title looks like a blatant ripoff of indie fave fl0w, that's because it's actually the same developer. Thatgamecompany, that game company which brought abstract underwater battle to PSN, is working on a new game, announced via a short, artsy trailer at the Tokyo Game Show. We don't know much (okay, anything) about fl0wer -- only that it's being developed for PS3, and that it's not yet playable. Based on the name, we expect that it will at least be a spiritual successor to fl0w, which started as game designer Jenova Chen's graduate thesis. View the serene teaser after the break, and let the speculation begin.
Ragnarok Online announced for DS
Better get a DS now if you don't have one, because when Ragnarok Online comes out, all DS shipments will by necessity be diverted to Korea. Ragnarok, for those of you lucky enough to avoid the onset of MMO addiction, is a hugely popular Korean MMO known for its adorable 2D sprites and mascot characters (at least, that's what we know it for.) Like Maple Story, we have no idea if this will actually be a DS version of the real game, or if it'll be a smaller-scale online game, or even online at all. In the same press release, publisher Gungho Online Entertainment announced an aquarium simulator and a flower-arranging game. That's pretty great too.[Via Famitsu]
This is why we're dorks
Considering the amount of remixes Mims' hit rap single "This is Why I'm Hot" set off -- R. Kelly's "This is Why I'm Cold," the NBA's "The Phoenix Suns Are Hot," and Chubbs' "This is Why I'm Fat" for example -- we're surprised that it took this long for its catchy hook to reach video gaming's catch-phrase-hungry communities. Mirroring Mims' insipid lyrics, the simplicity of SnorgTees' shirt design leaves no room for confusion on its message or the company's plans to rake in crazy money by exploiting our nostalgia-addled minds. We can imagine the office congratulations and "props" received by the young designer who paired the 8-bit fire flower with the narcissistic mantra. They all agree, this is why he's hot. The $16.95 shirt comes in royal blue and black, its lowercase Myriad Pro text staying chalky white on both colors. If you haven't heard the song several hundred times already, you have the option of checking past the post break for an embedded music video of the club track.
DS Style details emerge-- screenshot-style
The first screenshots of Square Enix's DS Style series of nongames have shown up, and they look ... well, functional. The problem with nongames is that it's impossible to build hype for something that is used just for looking at a map of France, or teaching yourself yoga, even if the software in question is extremely well-designed.These screens answer the biggest question we had about the series: how could a game about listening to classical music possibly fill two screens meaningfully? The answer: dog animations and quizzing you on your feelings about the music.
Square Enix brings lifestyle titles to DS
Continuing its praiseworthy support for the Nintendo DS, Square Enix has announced DS Style, a new line of software for the casual gaming audience. According to the latest issue of Famitsu, the company is venturing away from its RPG franchises for a moment, focusing instead on leisure activities like yoga, classical music, and gardening. It might not sound as exciting as SRPG battles or Chocobo mini-games, but different strokes for different folks.Square Enix will also be releasing DS travel guides based on the popular World Walking tour book series in Japan. These guides will provide maps and other useful information for sightseers visiting countries like France or Thailand. Check past the post break for the full list of destination guides and verbose titles from Square Enix's DS Style lineup. [Via NeoGAF]
Asahi Kasei unveils singing Rain Sensor flower
We've got flowers that have seen fire, and now we're seeing ones that brave the rain, as Asahi Kasei's plainly-named Rain Sensor spends (quite literally) half its time perched outdoors awaiting those sprinkles. As you might expect, this two-part device consists of a mountable rain sensor that resides outside and connects wirelessly to the indoor monitor in order to alert you when it begins to drizzle. Presumably aimed at those who frequently leave their car windows down or wet clothes on the line, this little fella belts out a friendly jingle whenever its drop-sensing partner feels the water. Although there's always the "look out the window" approach, this device does indeed save you from focusing intently on what's happening outside in order to determine precisely when the first drop falls, but even if it doesn't seem worth the ¥3,980 ($33) asking price to you, be sure to click on through for a live demonstration anyway.[Via Plastic Bamboo]
Sega's iSmile animated flower grooves to the music
Animated flowers in the home certainly aren't a new fad, as we've seen talkative ones, printing ones, networked ones, and even petals that douse fires. Sega Toys' latest gizmo takes the electrified flower to another level, as it looks to integrate the bouncy demeanor of the iSmile flower with your music to create a housemate that jumps and grooves to your tunes right alongside of you. The device accepts any musical source via a 3.5-millimeter input jack, and also features a built-in speaker, illuminated petals, moving leaves, and an expressive face to boot. The iSmile even reacts accordingly to the genre of music coming through, as it gracefully grooves to slow jams while shakin' it until the leaves fall off when listening to heavy metal. Sure, this thing desperately needs a speaker pass-through output so you're not stuck utilizing the presumably weak integrated driver, but nevertheless, you can pick up your own iSmile now for just about 40 bucks.
Talkative Communication Flower adds character to your plants
For those who are (understandably) strapped for cash, but have a hankering for a talkative robot to befriend them, E-Revolution's latest creation is just the thing. While it's certainly not a voice-activated R2-D2, nor a channel-flipping R100, the Communication Flower pulls double duty by sprucing up your living room and adding a bit of chatter to break up the depressing silence. Although you can't wirelessly cater to its every need, this device sports a colorful motif and packs an integrated speaker to randomly belt out "200 words and phrases" whenever you speak to or touch the connected bouquet. Although we aren't sure how quickly the novelty factor would wear off (or how repetitive it's bound to become), the Communication Flower can be picked up next month for ¥4,179 ($36).[Via Akihabara News]
