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Greetings from Nottingham – host of GameCity 09!

This year’s festival has been a fantastic blend of talents – wonderful animators, artists, game designers, hackers and academics from around the world. Even tho we are mid-festival, I wanted to take a break and report on its fantastic events!

This is in no small part due to the blend of talking and performance that permeates the festival. Today, for example, I attended a panel on creating media about/for games which featured a live performance of GameBoy synth, and showcased the festival’s “mega=mix” of pixel-art tribute animations:

These were created for the festival by the same amazing team behind the Oxfam “Face the Music” spot – which takes basic game concepts and blends them with a message about climate change to create something truly remarkable:

But that’s just the beginning! Other performances included live playthroughs of Crysis (!!!), karaoke, the passionate singing of game reviews, and the especially cool paper folding session (plus artful arrangement) that culminated in a session about the glory of Elite.

And – as part of my visit, I conducted a live performance of Flower, which was truly wonderful. Not only was the game projected on lovely gauze screens in a beautiful old building… but as I played, flower petals were dropped from above, floating down into the atrium.

My favorite part of the experience was definitely the sound – which filled the hall, reverberating and mixing with the voices of spectators. That was really spectacular. Post-performance, we had a few questions about our new game (sorry – it’s still under wraps!), requests for more Flower content (maybe, someday!) and many lovely compliments.

Many thanks everyone who worked so hard to create Flower (you guys just ROCK!), the team that helped set up the performance (it worked!!) – and of course, to all who attended (you were fantastic)! It was such a pleasure to play for everyone and I think it’s definitely something we should do more often, with all sorts of games.

Finally – three cheers to the organizers of GameCity! Congratulations on creating a wonderful mix of discussion, debate, performance and play!

Thanks to Ross I’m totally falling for Pomplamoose. So genius!!

What did it for me, really? It was her singing in French. Happy Wednesday!

Dylan aka Jega’s new record drops today! Check it!

Described as the Stanley Kubrick of electronic music, having not released an album in 9 years, Manchester’s Dylan Nathan a.k.a. Jega is finally set to release his brand new album “Variance” on the Planet Mu record label. In 2003 a draft version of the album was leaked onto the Internet forcing Dylan to return to the drawing board and re-write vast chunks of the material. Since then factors outside music have meant Jega’s relocation from Manchester to New York and now LA, where he currently resides, and the delay of the project even further. The resulting double album, 18 tracks spread over two CDs, bears little if any relation to the leaked material of so many years back.

Fans in the know may have heard a sneak-preview on the BBC a few months back – and all will be happy to get their hands on the full range of tracks. Ups, Jega!!!

Super wonderful times this week and weekend – everyone in LA for the show, and then some staying over to attend the annual “Missed My Flight” BBQ & impromptu afterparty at Casa de Roja.

In addition to a fantastic first week at TGC I was able to meet up with tons of fun Indie friends (including some quality time with team Scary Girl), rock out with our lovely Harmonix peeps, hang with Mark, Kim, big Ben – and of course, take some great photos!

Here is my favorite triple so far: from our evening with The Beatles – in which Lulu rocks her inner Joan Jett and Ross… just plain rocks!

Even better than having a whole week of seeing my leading lady and man – they will be back in town next weekend for a spectacular birthday BBQ (both she and Juli are celebrating!) that doubles as a shipping, job change and engagement celebration. I would wish for a copy of The Beatles to round out the event – but I’m pretty sure that it would cause Ross to explode in a puff of unicorns, rainbows and 3-part harmony.

Special shout-out and superthanks to our house guest Crankyuser… who not only helped Lulu clean up the whole place today, post-brunching – but also fixed the kitchen tap and front door – so that next weekend’s soiree will not include the sound of continual slamming. Should have known that our favorite UI designer & Project Natal schemer would have great ideas for improving the Casa’s user expereince. Rock on!!

Awesome

.. is really cool! And I’m not just saying that because I’m a huge Deerhoof fan!

Rock on, Burning Star! It’s even got a little Katamari in it! :)

(Spencer’s music: here and here – written up in dusted here).

No Muxtape to listen to while I crank on my scheduling and UI docs this afternoon.

Poopie!

Surreal, awesome movie created with Boom Blox by a Japanese player!

Tip: To achieve this effect (odd music as background for your movies) – go into the options menu on the front screen and turn the in-game music all the way down. That way you get the sound FX but can have your very own soundtrack!

:)

ONE:

I went to see Wall-E on Thursday at midnight (thanks for the invite Disney!!) with a bunch of folks from the team. I know that some people are not really into the switch mid-film to people (from straight up robot romance) but I did not find it as jarring as some. Overall, I thought the film was a triumph of expert, emotional puppeteering – and was especially intrigued by the type of romantic love it explores.

Think of the typical boy-meets-girl stuff you see in film. Rarely, if ever, does such a film feature the kind of strong maternal connection that exists between the two bots. I’m thinking specifically of the scene where Eve catches Wall-E in mid-fall, as his fire extinguisher/space rocket runs out. But the entire sequence, from first kiss to final cuddle, has a tone that resonates with motherly tenderness.

I was also struck by the sequences with Eve, where she is struggling to fulfill her duty almost mindlessly. Frustrated and angry she’s so happy to ignore the advances of her admirer. Focused to a fault, her dedication is destructive on more than one occasion. Career robot of the future meets reformed work-a-day joe with an eye for beauty. Watching that give way to a deeper understanding of what contact could bring – what kinds of unfulfilled longings might somehow blossom when acknowledged… that left me deeply moved.

It’s no secret that women’s lib has introduced complex questions about our professional, personal, romantic and reproductive drives and roles. Media, sometimes brash and alternatively bashful has attempted to address the issues. Sure, it’s a stretch to say that what I saw in Eve’s angry pouting and motherly embrace are allegories for the struggles of modern women. But the fact that I saw something that deep on the surface of this film really surprised me. Even if it was a totally personal, unique response – it speaks volumes to the success of these characters & their creators. Kudos.

TWO:

Los Angeles is spoiling me. Yesterday I woke up at 10 to breezy ocean smells and bright sun. A lazy morning with coffee and a book in the shade led to tea at Jin Patisserie (again, breezy shade & wonderful aromas)… and then to Sunfish Sushi with Team HP. Fantastic fish available in a posh, chain-potential setting… for $35. Then meeting up with Rodrigo to enjoy the karaoke stylings of LA regulars at Boardwalk 11. Strong drinks, kind local demi-celebrities… and Liz Phair in the songbook. What could be better?

I live 5 minutes from the office and have no desire to move elsewhere. But I know I cannot afford to buy a house where I live. And long-term, what ar the chances that my next awesome gig will be in this studio, so close to all that I’m beginning to love? It’s hard to imagine being spoiled like this forever, Westside style. But it’s getting harder & harder to imagine leaving.

THREE:

I miss my Lulu, so much.

Until she returns for E3, the new Death Cab record will have to do.

A funny (and sadly resonant) piece in the SF weekly on the serious space-eating problems caused by the battle between Rock Band and it’s former incarnation/now rival (the name “Guitar Hero” was purchased by Activision), among other peripheral-enabled games.

At the moment I have 3 game guitar controllers, a game drum kit, a digital drum kit (”real drums”), and standard Fender bass in my living room… and taiko drums (abandoned for the new DS game which is so fun!) and DDR dance pads stuffed in the closet.

I’m considering it a personal mission to encourage the next wave of small, unobtrusive and integrated controllers. Get on it, folks!!

Speaking of how much Rock Band roxx… check out this article on how sales of songs are taking off in the 360 game!

Motley Crue: 47k downloads on RB360 – 10K on Itunes and Amazon!!

Kudos to friends at Motion Theory for the awesome work on Weezer’s new video “Pork and Beans” which is totally rad.

Souris’ post about the video lists some of the internt memes that are referenced… how long before a full list is made shot per shot?

Also, very memorable song – just like “Buddy Holly” which I have had stuck in my head since Sunday, when I was drumming to the track as part of the “Lets Haribo” world tour (ROCK BAND ROCKS!!).

:)

Check it out – a really nice piece on Mark Mothersbaugh and the Mutato studio – all great guys!

I *still* hear the Boom Blox editor soundtrack in my head at times – most memorably while climbing a 14K pass in Bhutan. There I am – surrounded by ice and rocks and blue sky – with the twinkling, mellow theme coming to mind like an old friend. Quite a testament – given how many hours I have listened to that song.

:)

There are things like this which will brighten any developer’s day. GO GO GO Harmonix!!

PS: Pre-order Kyle & Co’s game here ! Gootastic!!

How time flies, when you are busy having adventures! My days in Australia were fantastic – and over too soon! I will really miss it – and especially the summer weather!

I have so many ideas and impressions swimming in my head at the moment that it’s hard to really put a nice frame around this visit – but I know that if I don’t try now, the details will slip and I’ll get too busy to post much of anything. This archival pressure/communication obligation was the source of many discussions over the week, as conference guests exchanged guilty confessions about lagging digital chores. It’s a strange time we live in!

But in a nutshell, what I liked most about this trip was meeting a variety of talented artists, film, music and game makers… cultural theorists, journalists, academics and students. When you spend all your time doing one thing, it is easy to forget about all the wonderful opinions, styles and practices that exist outside your own environment. You understand that art is made, films filmed, studies studied – but until you talk to someone who about their personal experiences in these venues – these are just concepts…. like so much type on a page.

I am grateful for the conversations I had there – and would especially like to thank Kat and Yusuf for encouraging me to make the trip. It was hard to pull myself away from the studio but it was worth the effort. Ten fold!

But don’t take my word for it – see for yourself! These photo galleries are part blog, to help describe the experience, as a whole.

- – -

Things I learned about Australia on this trip:

• Australia is closer to the giant hole we have created in the Earth’s ozone – so the sun here is intensely strong. The “safe time” for being outside without sunscreen is 10-15 minutes, depending on how fair you are. My back tells me that I’m in the 10 minute or less range….
• Universities across Australia are dealing with funding cutbacks and consolidation within and across departments.This reduces differentiation/offerings across the board, and students tend to stay local for higher education. As a result, there is a lot less of the “coming of age via college move” culture here.
• Because the population of the country is so small compared to its geography, there isn’t a lot of business development in Australia *for* Australia. Many of their best and brightest leave for Asia or the US when it’s time to make a new idea profitable – which is referred to here as “brain drain”
• There is a conservative feel to the place at the moment. Whenever we discussed this, people were eager to point out that the new government here will be less conservative than the prior one. It will be intersting to see if support for conferences like the one I attended will continue
• There is a quality to the light there that makes everything magical. The food is delicious (great cafe culture in the cities I visited) and the wine is welcome. Sure – you can see kangaroos and climb rocks there – but a relaxing stay in one of the country’s costal getaways is sure to melt just about any cares away.

Things I learned about myself because of this trip:

• I enjoy travelling by myself – much more than I expected
• I sure am glad I hadn’t watched “Lost” before going!!!
• My camera generates more work for me than I can handle. I’ve barely logged half of the photos I’ve taken since Labor Day.
• It is getting quite difficult to manage my various activities – blogging, photos, cooking, life… work. I think about having a baby and wonder – what will give?
• I love espresso!!

Hrm. Maybe that last item will help with the ones directly above???

So one of the perks of old ties is early access to new games. Given that I’m a *huge* fan of music games and especially fond of their offerings over the years, you can imagine how I have relished each and every chance I’ve had to play Harmonix’s latest: Rock Band.

I must say, it is awesome. Beyond the great tracks, fantastically polished gameplay and … DRUMS, it just looks spectacular. The whole package is a notch above the old tech. And watching the screen while you play Orange Crush… you almost feel like you are there in the club with them.

My favorite part of this rev is (no surprise) the KICK ASS character creation system. The models and visual style, the clothes, hair – even the jewelry and shoes are spot on. Partly because they have such clear targets, and partly because EVERYONE AT HARMONIX ROCKS YOUR SOX OFF – the game provides a consistently customizable, believable, aspirational environment in which to create the rocker you’ve always wanted to be. It’s a musical fantasy dream doll designer, plus karaoke and music game, on steroids.

A ton of it comes down to the poses and atmosphere. Mo-cap, combined with extremely artistic lighting, cuts and post-filtering have transformed the seeds of Guitar Hero into something much, much more. I’m not sure how to describe it – except to say that it’s grown up and come into its own as an experience. In single player especially, the screen looks closer to actual footage of gigging muscians than even I expected.

There’s more to life than graphics, but it is really amazing what the art direction and animation tech do to bolster your investment in the character(s) you create, and to enhance the experiences you have with them. From the items you unlock to the incredibly awesome tattoo feature (layers, resizing, warping, coloring)… to the personalized band photos you see as you move from stage to stage. Everything is about making you feel like you’re on the road with them, earning your stripes, learning the ropes.

At one point, our crazy guitarist was featured in a composite sunset shot. Emerging from a limo, as the rest of the band cavorted on the steps to a sleek private jet… we joked about his soulful, off camera look. “You know, things just haven’t been the same since the band got popular.” And as crazy as it sounds… we kind of meant it.

The only thing that is more awesome than all of the above, is watching people play as an entire band, and listening to the banter. “Hey – did you just press the A button? Who’s on vocals? Hey guys – can we just all get to the song select before we start playing??” This holiday season – people are going to get a genuine taste of what it’s like to be in a real, practicing, performing band!!!

:)

HUGE props and congrats to the entire Harmonix team for so many awesome achievements – once again, you have surprised and inspired. Oh, I cannot wait to play with friends in SF.

Ross -> Lulu -> Me -> EA -> Colm -> Traditional Irish Music @ O’Reilly’s -> photos

Super fun to shoot with the new camera!

This is really really beautiful.

How awesome was it to arrive at work this morning and see Boom Boom Rocket on the big screen in the EARS entryway?? While I enjoy the music in the games we put up there – it isn’t usually the tap-feet-and-shake-head-in-time type. That… and the fireworks are sooo sparkly….

That and Rock Band announcement both have me smiling this week. Can’t WAIT to see that one up in the lobby!

Congratulations to the Dixie Chicks for their stunning 5 fo 5 Grammy truimph, to the talented Texan teen who did such a fantastic job in her dial-a-winner Timberlake duet performance… and her inspiration, 3-award winner and survivor MJ Blige.

And a big nerd shout out to Dr. Faust, whose appointment to the presidency of Harvard University makes her the 4th woman president of the ivy’s. You go girl!

Never in my life would I have predicted a musical exploration of the bugs in Saints Row. But oh, how good it is.

Thanks for the link, Xemu!!