Quantic Dream’s Kara and Other Videos

Quantic Dream have created an amazing demo video, featuring an android called Kara.  The video shows off new development tech and some fantastic writing too..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtbDDqU3dVI] (more…)

Behind the Scenes: Man vs Machine

MuchDifferent‘s browser-based FPS / world record attempt / tech demo took place on Sunday, and while the team underestimated the number of people who would be interested in taking part, and struggled to balance the game, the world record attempt and tech demo were a success!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJKLHjHjxBc]

The highest number of players reached was 999, breaking the world record!

Man Vs Machine: Review

Man vs Machine is a browser-based FPS, designed as a world-record attempt and tech demo by MuchDifferent.

The aim is for 1000 players to simultaneously battle it out as either Man or Machine: Man is equipped with an explosive projectile dealing splash damage, whilst Machine uses piercing, precision lasers to deal damage to single targets.

First up, the main site was unable to take the strain, and had a Google redirect slapped on it.  I found a mirror; a page with unstyled CSS but most importantly, the option to get in and play.  I managed to get in (as Man) long enough to see a mass of machines under shields on the horizon..

I fired a shot or two before the connection dropped.. I got one kill, anyway.

I reconnected, and was placed on the side of the Machines where I was killed as soon as spawn-protection was over.  This happened over and over, and I don’t think I even killed a single enemy.

Man has splash damage, meaning they only needed to keep firing in the direction of the Machines to guarantee a kill, while Machines have to wait for the shield to disappear before firing, find a target and aim.. and then hope to hit something.

Machines are bunched up in groups, there is no cover, and nowhere to run out from to try and flank the humans.  I feel the Machine’s model is too large as well, as your allies all-too-effectively block your view of the enemy.  A larger map might allow players to get out and move around, and let this be a bit more fun.

Sure, this is a world-record attempt and tech demo – but this wasn’t even close to fun to play as a Machine.

The Humble Introversion Bundle

It’s time for another Humble Bundle, and this time it’s Introversion‘s games up gor grabs!

The main games in the bundle are hacking puzzle-game Uplink, strategy Darwinia and Multiwinia, a set of multiplayer game modes based on Darwinia.. and strategic thermonuclear wargame DEFCON!  For beating the current average price of the bundle, you can also grab Bit Blot‘s Aquaria, an underwater action-adventure, and Kloonigames‘ Crayon Physics Deluxe.. a physics-based puzzle game where you draw objects such as slides, weights and so on, to complete the objective on each level!

There are also a pair of bonus prototype tech demos: Subversion City Generator, which demonstrates the use of procedural generation by creating a complete city environment, and Voxel Tech Demo which explores destructible voxel buildings.

I already have Darwinia and Crayon Physics Deluxe, and again I find myself wishing I could gift the ‘spares’!