I got an early look at Jason Rohrer's Sleep is Death. Full story at Kotaku, which I would love for you to read, because this game is like nothing else I've ever played and deserves all the exposure it can get.
At Gamasutra, I've written on why I think the demise of the console game has been greatly exaggerated, and on wondering why I'm really not that into FF13. Y'know, emotionally.
Check them out, please, and lemme know what you think. Meanwhile, did you get an iPad? I can't really tell if I would be interested in one or not -- it'd need to be financially possible for me to know how I'd feel about it, and it's not -- but no, I don't have one.
I had a dream I did, though. In this dream, I wandered into my messy living room to find one that I'd apparently forgotten buying, lying on top of a blanket. Realizing I did indeed own an iPad, I felt silly for making fun of people who couldn't shut up about them on Saturday. However, in this dream, my iPad needed its screen cleaned, and as I tried to polish it gently with a tissue, I caused an enormous gouge to appear on its face. Deciding I'd rather have no iPad than one with a big scratch on the screen, I tossed it aside, reasoning, "guess I'll never use this again."
8 comments:
Sleep is death sounds mildly interesting, but I know that I don't know anyone else who would be even remotely interested in it, so I'll have to just live vicariously through others experiences of that game.
You know, that perspective on rpgs and how you can never get those days back... I was thinking that as I was playing Final Fantasy XII. I was wondering if it was shallow or I had somehow grown "out of it". I was completely engrossed in X and even X-2. I loved Kingdom Hearts despite my own acknowledgment of its shoddy, repetitive gameplay and completely nonsensical storyline. But XII literally did nothing for me. Then xbox 360 came and I couldn't finish blue dragon or eternal sonata and thought I was over JRPGs. But Lost Odyssey brought me back. I will be the first to admit it's myriad flaws, but when I was reading the Thousand Years of Dreams, I couldn't help but get completely enveloped in Kaim's world. I think, personally, that it's Square that's changed. If they released VIII right now, as it was, I'd still be a fan.
If there's one thing I've learned in my Storytelling class, it's that a good story with all the right structural elements in place can last forever. Audience matters in the retelling, but a good story draws in any audience.
Sleep is Death looks fantastic but I'm worried about how fast somebody who is new to it can throw together the sprites and world in such a short time. Were you able to see his interface and did it look like something somebody who is not a programmer or full-fledged artist could handle?
I saw the interface, and it looks like even I can do it!
The time constraint is part of the fun. You can make as much of the game as you want beforehand, but the fun part of being on the design side is if the player wants to do something you don't have time to let them do, then you have to think fast and compensate -- either stall them, or rethink your story! It makes the entire thing very unpredictable and dynamic.
To be frank, I'm a little confused by the surprise Sleep is Death elicits among game critics. Rohrer has built an intriguing playground, but it's a streamlined version of the multiplayer storytelling systems included with games like Neverwinter Nights and Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption. While Rohrer's platform appears far more flavor-neutral and friendly to casual players, it's a matter of refinement rather than revolution.
Awesome, I guess I'll have to try it out when it's released then.
I know each game is personal, between the creator and the player, but you totally have to post your Sleep is Death flipbook. Please?
Yeah, Sleep is Death sounds amazing, i've been watching it for awhile. I wasn't convinced at first, since it relies on two-players to engage with the story and I would be a bit nervous to 'play' in someone else's world to be honest, but I came across this playthrough recently which cast aside all doubts. If you scroll to the bottom there's a flipbook of the session and there's also a shot of the editor.
Given the pixel style - something that automatically makes me go 'oooh, what's that?' - I think this game will be very accessible to non-artists, and the interface looks equally pick up and play. It was interesting to hear Rohrer's thinking behind the name - he's completely right - and how the editor style and sounds prompts the players to weave a more serious story.
What I love about the game is the players' story that comes out of it and how this can be completely different each time. It's genuinely interesting to read someone's description of the game they just had because it doesn't sound like a game. I think that alone will make the game appeal to non-gamers. Just reading your article on Kotaku, Leigh, makes me want to try this game, and yes, maybe if Rohrer agrees, you can show us your flipbook?=)
Sleep Is Death will probably spawn a twisted community; I can already picture thousands of stories that people will write, no doubt many of them extremely interesting.
Pretty cool idea to have come up with such a game.
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