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Waking Mars plants itself on Steam
Waking Mars has now made it all the way through the Steam Greenlight gauntlet, going from community-supported addition to actually available game. Tiger Style's self-described "action gardening" game, about the discovery and subsequent management of a subterranean ecosystem on Mars, was officially chosen as a Greenlight release at the end of November.The game costs $9.99, and supports SteamPlay on both Mac and PC. For more information about the PC release of Waking Mars, check out our podcast interview with creative director Randy Smith.
Steam Greenlight advances 13 more games, including Dragon's Lair
Valve is giving the Steam Greenlight to 13 more games and six non-gaming bits of software, taking the total for software advanced via Greenlight to 50. Moreover, the new batch of greenlit games includes a few recognizable names, including MMORPGs Darkfall: Unholy Wars and Dawn of Fantasy, and, yes, laserdisc classic Dragon's Lair.Digital Leisure, who only this year brought Dragon's Lair to Xbox Live Arcade, will now deliver the 1983 arcade game on Steam. As with the XBLA release, the Steam port will feature remastered game footage in 720p high definition.We have the full list of advanced software after the break.
Faceless: Slender Man stalks, blocks Greenlight's top game from Steam
Faceless has been the No. 1 game on Steam Greenlight since fans voted for the first batch in September, and it was the top game during the second round, which Greenlit 21 games in October. Faceless still holds the spot today, but when Valve announces the next group of Greenlight games, chances are it will be skipped over once again. Faceless is haunted by the rusty chains of the legal system. It's a horror game that tells the tale of Slender Man, the elongated, suited phantom notorious for stalking gullible children and teenagers (though mostly just those who own handheld cameras). Victor Surge initiated The Slender Man mythos on the Something Awful forums in 2006, and it migrated to YouTube in 2009 in a series of "lost footage" videos from Marble Hornets. The footage chronicles Slender Man as he haunts a film student, Alex, slowly driving him to paranoia before he is lost to the ether and insanity. The first episode has 2.4 million views and the channel now hosts 64 full entries, last updated in October 2012. Slender Man is a horrific viral hit. In a sense, Slender Man stalks Faceless developer Justin Ross just as he does Alex – the Slender Man legend is the reason Faceless can't yet be approved on Greenlight. "We've been the No. 1 game since the service launched and have yet to be Greenlit due to copyright issues with Slender Man, which is a free-to-use entity, and we've even gotten permission from the creator Victor Surge," Faceless developer Justin Ross tells Joystiq. "It's starting to feel like Greenlight games aren't chosen by the community like Valve has stated, and it's instead their choice, not the community's."
Snapshot: Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
There are so many games out there we couldn't possibly review them all. Welcome to Snapshot, where we highlight games that might fall outside our usual coverage but are still something we think you should know about. Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is older than I am. Ancestrally, at least – The Great Giana Sisters launched in 1987 on Commodore 64, Atari ST, the Amiga and a few other, old platforms. The publisher, Rainbow Arts, was immediately embroiled in scandal for the game's similarity to Super Mario Bros. It was pulled from retail and eventually the IP shifted to Spellbound Entertainment, which released Great Giana Sisters DS in 2009. Spellbound went bankrupt in 2012 and many of its members re-formed as Black Forest Games with the Giana Sisters IP in hand.On August 31, Black Forest's Kickstarter for "Project Giana" earned $186,000 of a requested $150,000, promising fans a modern, direct "grandchild" of The Great Giana Sisters. Now, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is the second game to launch on Steam through the latest crowd-sourced initiative, Greenlight. After 25 years of refusals, bankruptcies and a shifty legal foundation, the only thing that matters is if the game, in the end, is worth it.Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is worth it.%Gallery-169126%
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Humans Must Answer
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. This week, former GSC developer and co-founder of Sumom Games, Eugeny Yatsuk, talks space chickens and shmups with Humans Must Answer. The babies are Yatsuk, co-founder Denis Matveenko and artist Olexa, by Olexa. What's your game called and what's it about?Humans Must Answer. It's a shmup, and one most will recognize as having an old-school vibe about it. You play as the pilot of a scout ship called The Golden Eagle, which is manned by chickens – they like to think they're a higher species of bird than they are.They're on the lookout for something (we're not saying quite yet) and discover it within the solar system that us humans inhabit. As it is set far into the future, humans have expanded to the other planets and set up a number of industries upon them. They also have a huge legion of robots operating for them around space. So the enemies you'll come across consist of robots and humans. Yes, humans are enemies – there are far too many plots about evil aliens when, in fact, humans are most likely more evil than anything we could fictionalize.The chickens attempt to contact them in a friendly manner but the humans respond by firing at them, which isn't particularly nice. They live to regret it though because we let you, the player, go on an explosive rampage against the aggressors. There is a purpose behind it other than mere carnage though, but that doesn't appear until later in the game's narrative.How does working on your own indie project compare to working on a larger series such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?Very different. Faster decisions and far fewer constraints. It's a very good feeling to be the author and be responsible for all aspects of the game, and not just some cogs as part of a big company.I know some guys who work on bigger projects and ownership of their creations boils down to things like, "I made that table and chair on Level 25." You start to fear for yourself when hearing this and want to avoid ever being in that situation. When I am 40 years old I'll look at what I have created in my life. I hope to be proud of it.%Gallery-170198%
Next round of Steam Greenlight titles drop November 30
Valve has revealed it is targeting to announce the next set of Steam titles to earn "greenlit" status from its community-powered submission program on November 30. Since it was first announced, Steam Greenlight has navigated a bumpy road, most recently leading to the addition of a "concepts" category to help developers generate a following for their titles.The next wave for Greenlight will bring with it at least ten new offerings, the company says.At least five of those ten will also include the program's first Software (meaning non-game) graduates, a category that Valve added to Greenlight earlier this month. Valve says all of the titles chosen will be offered worldwide distribution agreements, so presuming everyone agrees, you'll be able to buy them right off of Steam no matter where you lay your head.
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Brand
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, founder and CEO of Nine Dots Studio, talks the craft of customization, XBLIG sales and launching near Diablo 3, with Brand. What's your game called and what's it about?The game is called Brand and it's about building a sword fit for a king. The game is in 3D, but the gameplay is in 2D. It features three large explorable levels, in a somewhat similar fashion to games of the Metroidvania genre, although a little simpler.How do you support yourselves, working full-time at Nine Dots with no salary? Is it worth it?I had saved up about $25,000 before starting the business, and I started doing a few consulting jobs to fill in my pockets a little whenever I can. Some guys work on the side, while others get support from their parents. It's not an ideal situation for anyone, but we try to make the most of it.We're all young and it's the right time to make these sacrifices. I think it's definitely worth it. The experience is unique, and even if Nine Dots was to fail, we'd still have a very strong portfolio piece, a unique background and we'd be of the very few developers who could proudly say: "We made the game we wanted to make, the way we wanted to do it." Some people have been in the industry for 15 years and can't say that.%Gallery-169115%
Steam Greenlight 'Concepts': Post your game without the $100 fee
"Concepts," a new section on Steam Greenlight, allows developers to post their games without paying the $100 fee normally required – the catch? Games can't be Greenlit through Concepts. Concepts is a hub for developers to gauge interest in their games and build a community, even if the developer doesn't have the resources to take its chances on Greenlight."This section is intended for items looking to gather feedback from the potential customers and begin building a community," the Concepts description reads. "If you like projects here, feel free to rate them, favorite them, and leave feedback for the developer. The voting here serves only to give the developer data and reactions and doesn't work toward getting the game distributed on Steam."Concepts offers a compromise between the completely open system that Greenlight launched with (and quickly amended), and the $100 fee now required for hosting a game on Greenlight. It allows developers to see if their games have a chance, to generate a following and resources, before taking them to Greenlight or elsewhere.Concepts joins the "Software" tab recently added to Greenlight. As of publishing, there are only 15 games on Concepts, so if you have a potential indie hit, maybe get it up there now, while the getting's good.
Non-gaming software category added to Steam Greenlight
Steam's crowd-sourced Greenlight approval process has now begun accepting applications for non-gaming software, which the platform began featuring recently. The submission, voting and approval process for software is identical to that of the existing system for games, which is to say that approval comes by way of popular vote.So! If you've been sitting on an alpha build of a program to track your cat's sleeping patterns, now might be a good time to dig it up and start debugging.
Steam Greenlight gives go-ahead to 21 more games
Greenlight has curated its second batch of indie games worthy of launching on Steam, and instead of the 10 we expected, this round sees 21 new titles. Greenlit games include AirBuccaneers, Forge, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, Octodad: Dadliest Catch and The Stanley Parable: HD Remix."This second wave of titles was originally targeted to include at least 10 titles," Valve writes. "Given the number and quality of games submitted, and the ship date of many of the top-ranking titles, the decision was made to increase the size of this group."These 21 games join the 10 previously greenlit titles; of those, only McPixel has launched on Steam so far. In September, Steam had more than 2,000 games to sort through on Greenlight, with 800 live for public voting. The Greenlight system is far from perfect for some indie developers, but Steam may still be refining its system, if the increased number of greenlit games is any indication.Check out the complete list of freshly minted games on Steam Greenlight below:
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Cloudbuilt
Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We believe they deserve a wider audience with the Joystiq Indie Pitch: This week, Johannes, Anders, Martin, Poi and the Coilworks team discuss going Greenlight and modern-retro challenges with Cloudbuilt. What's your game called and what's it about?Our game is called Cloudbuilt, and at its core it is all about challenging high-speed action and platforming. We are borrowing inspiration from old-school games, combining it with modern elements and adding some unique twists. We really think that we have brought booster powers to a whole new level with this game.So what will Cloudbuilt bring in terms of challenge?We want there to be plenty of room for the player to improve. We don't want to make Cloudbuilt challenging in the sense of simply killing the player. Sure, there are parts of the game where people tend to die a lot, but we make sure it's not because of unfair design. Our goal is to make you feel in control, thus should you fail, it would be due to your own fault. That makes it truly rewarding and when you clear a level, you'll feel like you've improved and mastered something.Doing several easy tasks at once quickly becomes challenging. Wall-running on its own is not that hard, but wall-running while dodging mines and shooting at enemies, all while preparing to jump onto a new wall, is a little bit harder.Because we are giving the player access to all abilities from the start, we will be focusing on the player's development instead of a character's. There is no difference in what a player can do in the beginning compared with the end. But there will most likely be a big difference in play style and the player's way of thinking.%Gallery-167845%
(Not) Getting noticed on Steam Greenlight: Incredipede's story
In the indie world of secret handshakes and underground brunch meetings, there's a specific phrase for the following complex process, as described by developer Colin Northway: "Apply to Steam, be rejected, release without it, get popular, be noticed by Valve, release on Steam."This is widely accepted as the "Offspring Fling" submission process. It takes the name of Kyle Pulver's retro platformer, which launched on Steam in May, months after not launching on Steam, despite Pulver's attempts. Northway shares this rejection jargon with us in terms of his own puzzle game, Incredipede, and Steam Greenlight:"This is the path Offspring Fling took before Greenlight and it's the path Incredipede will take after Greenlight. It's kind of sad because I thought the point of Greenlight is to specifically avoid the 'Offspring Fling' situation."
DLC Quest modestly proposes new content in Greenlight bid
DLC Quest, the satirical platformer that has players pay (with in-game currency) for necessary assets such as moving to the left, has a fresh batch of DLC coming its way, titled "Live Freemium or Die." This content brings a new campaign, world and enemies, along with buckets of new DLC to purchase, set to launch in Q4 2012 for PC, Mac and Xbox 360.DLC Quest is on Steam Greenlight, hanging in at number 23. Developer Going Loud Studios would like to see DLC Quest in the top 10, and Live Freemium or Die will be included in the Steam version in an attempt to sweeten that deal. Check out DLC Quest in our Indie Pitch, interview with creator Ben Kane, or directly on Greenlight.
Steam Greenlight approving ten new games on Oct. 15
Valve will add at least ten more games to the "Greenlit" section of Steam Greenlight on October 15, according to a community update issued today. Ten games were already picked by the community for distribution on the Steam platform earlier this week. Additionally, Valve has improved conversation sections and tweaked the ranking system for the service, allowing developers to see their numerical ranking and progress to being approved.According to a tweet by indie dev Going Loud Studios, DLC Quest is currently ranked at #18 on Steam Greenlight, though voters aren't able to view games by their rankings.
Shantae: Risky's Revenge attempting tri-platform with Steam Greenlight
WayForward, the developer behind adorable DSiWare and iOS game Shantae: Risky's Revenge, wants to get this thing on Steam, and it's using Greenlight to do so. You may recognize WayForward as the team behind the Adventure Time game for DS, as well as BloodRayne: Retrayal and Double Dragon Neon.Shantae: Risky's Revenge is the highest-rated DS game of 2011 and WayForward has a slick track record, making this particular project both believable and desirable. Check out the Greenlight page right here.
You light up my life: What Steam Greenlight is for indies, from indies
Steam Greenlight isn't for everybody. Literally – five days after pushing Greenlight live, Valve implemented a $100 barrier to entry in the hopes of eliminating the barrage of prank game ideas by people who don't "fully understanding the purpose of Greenlight."Before the fee, it was difficult to know what Greenlight was going to mean for the indie community, since its "new toy" sheen hadn't yet dissipated. It's even more difficult to gauge what Steam itself wanted Greenlight to accomplish, with or without the fee.In its launch announcement, Valve says Greenlight will serve "as a clearing house for game submissions" and "provides an incredible level of added exposure for new games and an opportunity to connect directly with potential customers and fans." If that sounds a lot like Kickstarter, it's because it sounds a lot like Kickstarter. This isn't a bad thing; it equates Greenlight to something that has run the online course and has experienced public showdowns and successes, something known.While a few developers benefit from the high-speed, viral-hinged community vetting of crowd-sourced creative sites, even more have failed. Still, sites such as Kickstarter truly can help raise awareness for a legitimate project, even if that interest doesn't transform into cash. In this sense, Greenlight has an advantage, in that it's not trying to raise money. It only wants attention.Developers want their games to reach astronomical levels of awareness as well, and recently this translates into a fixation on one particular service for the success or failure of their projects – Kickstarter, and now, Greenlight. Hundreds of pitch emails switch from titles such as "Snappy the Turtle, a new indie adventure game" to "Kickstart Snappy the Turtle" or "Vote for Snappy the Turtle on Greenlight." This shifts the focus away from the game itself, in both the mind of the developer and the person receiving the emails.Since most people receiving the emails are video games journalists and potential publishers or fans, it's safe to say they don't particularly care about Kickstarter or Greenlight – they care about the game. So should the developer, more than anything.Those who have succeeded on the development side offer a unique perspective on Steam Greenlight. We asked a few what they think about the service, the $100 and its impact on indies: Adam Saltsman, Markus Persson, Edmund McMillen, Christine Love and a group discussion among Rami Ismail, Zach Gage, Greg Wohlwend and Mike Boxleiter. Their thoughts are below.
Steam deletes games with 'Half-Life 3,' offensive content from Greenlight
Steam's Greenlight service allows anyone to upload a game idea for community vetting, no matter what stage of production it's in – including "not real." This is an issue Valve predicted, and it has started taking measures to ban games that are obviously fake, such as anything called "Half-Life 3," and those that are patently offensive, such as "Best WTC Plane Simulator."The only way Greenlight will succeed in its intended purpose is if its users take it seriously, and unfortunately for Steam, "the users" are "the internet." We'll keep an eye on Greenlight's progress once the initial hubbub dies down.This is why absolute freedom is a terrible idea, people. The rabble can't be trusted with such a liberated, unchecked service, and let's be honest, most of them need to be kept on a short government-dispersed leash. That in mind, check out our new game on Steam Greenlight, Freedom Sucks: Revenge of the Plutocrats.
Valve launches Steam Greenlight to pick cream of indie game crop
Steam has developed a reputation as a haven for indie games like Super Meat Boy, so it's only fitting that store owner Valve has just launched a section to welcome more of those games into its tent. Greenlight lets small developers submit titles and have gamers vote as to whether or not the candidates should get space on Steam's virtual shelf. Pickier players don't have to see every game in contention; they can filter the list down to specific game types and platforms, and collections can narrow the selection to categories hand-picked by fans or publishers. No games have cleared Greenlight just yet, but it won't be long before the logjam becomes a flood -- between this and general apps, Steam is about to get a lot more crowded.
Steam Greenlight is live, more than 30 games awaiting judgement
Steam Greenlight, a community-based means of discussing and judging potential games for launch on Steam, is up and running with more than 30 games on the docket. Steam Greenlight, announced in July, is a hub for developers to post information about their games to collect fan feedback and get voted onto Steam's radar for future releases.Greenlight currently hosts Mutant Mudds, The Intruder, Organ Trail, 8Bit MMO, Paper Monsters, DLC Quest, Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land, But to Paint a Universe, EvilQuest and Cute Things Dying Violently, among other low- and high-profile indie titles."We've been working on this feature for the last few months with the input from a group of indie partners, and the response has been extremely positive," Valve's Anna Sweet says.Discuss and rate the available games on Greenlight now.
NC governor will let cable-backed bill restricting municipal broadband become law
We've repeatedly hammered Time Warner Cable (and its big-cable cronies) for crying to the North Carolina legislature about municipal broadband. TWC claims it can't compete with taxpayer-backed ISPs such as Wilson, NC's Greenlight -- and that it shouldn't have to. In fact, Greenlight and four other municipal providers came about specifically because corporate players refused to provide inexpensive, fast broadband. And now that local governments have proven they can provide it, the cable companies have cried foul, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into select political pockets all the while. That's the drama so far, and now a bill restricting municipal broadband -- mandating that providers pay taxes similar to private companies, for example -- has landed on the desk of Governor Bev Perdue. She won't veto the bill, meaning it will soon become a law; for whatever it's worth (read: not much), she also refuses to sign it. The reason? Here it is from the horse's mouth: I will neither sign nor veto this bill. Instead, I call on the General Assembly to revisit this issue and adopt rules that not only promote fairness but also allow for the greatest number of high quality and affordable broadband options for consumers. The legislation strikes a blow against public ISPs in a country that ranks ninth in the world for broadband adoption and download speeds. And that, apparently, is what "fair competition" looks like in the US. [Image courtesy of IndyWeek]
