DrunknMunky Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) By Patrick Garratt SCEE?s confirmed that arty floaty thing, Flower, will cost a sensible ?6.29 in Europe. It?s out on February 12, and will cost $10 in the US. Flower?s developed by thatgamecompany, and is a game form of ?poetry,? apparently. Saying nothingSource: VG2477PS3 Trophiess[/url] Definitely not buying it for ?6+:/ersonally :/ Edited February 13, 2009 by DrunknMunky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 2, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) **** the haters, day 1 baby :cool: February is Flowerzone 2 month. This will be my "zen gaming" in amongst killing helghast. Oh and Noby Noby Boy also, it's out the same day as Flower :laugh: A demo of Flower: The most inspired game for the PlayStation 3Imagine the wackiest premise for a video game possible, and you probably still won?t come up with anything as crazy ? or inspired ? as Flower. The PlayStation 3 game created by thatgamecompany for Sony?s PlayStation Network opens with a view of six flower pots overlooking a dank urban landscape. The flowers are sentient beings that have dreams. And inside their dreams, you play the role of a ?consciousness? that takes its shape in the form of the wind. The flowers dream about escaping the concrete jungle to find the peace of a natural environment. Set to sentimental music, you start actual gameplay in a grassland that has lost its color. You use the game controller ? tipping it one way or another to activate the motion sensors in the PlayStation 3 game pad. And so you maneuver through the grass to find the flowers. Each one you touch bursts into colorful life. Your mission is to blow the breeze that carries color into every part of the world, combating the drabness that surrounds the flowers in the city. The game is pure eye candy ? I haven?t seen anything like it. Describe it in words? It?s a first-person plant game. It takes enormous computational power ? all of the power of the IBM cell microprocessor and Nvidia graphics chip inside the PlayStation 3 ? to render a hundred thousand individual blades of grass that sway in the wind. Through music and colorful graphics, you embark on a complex emotional journey. Flower is pure artistic inspiration at its best. It?s almost like watching an IMAX movie in a curved theater ? except you get to direct which way the camera turns. It is the brainchild of Jenova Chen, the founder of thatgamecompany in Santa Monica, Calif. ?When we created this company, we wanted to push the boundaries of the interactive art form,? Chen said in an interview. ?It?s partly a simulation, part fantasy. We immerse you inside a world and inspire feelings inside you.? That?s the sort of talk you hear from a lot of game developers. But Flower is the real thing, reminding us what happens when we confine video games to the narrow genres of fighting or racing. Flower doesn?t fit inside that space ? it?s a game for adults who have left cartoon or violent worlds behind. Chen, 27, was a film student at the University of Southern California when a professor, Tracy Fullerton, asked him to make a game that was off the beaten track. He felt that the games currently on the market were naive and shallow. He wanted something that would prove the industry is maturing as an art form, a medium with variety to it. So he started working on a game that would be the polar opposite of popular crime title Grand Theft Auto. First, his team made a game about a cloud to give users a taste of the freedom of flight. When he posted the game, it was so popular that it crashed a series of servers. Cloud appreciation groups wrote to tell Chen and his co-developers how much they liked the game. Some said it even made them cry. But no one would fund Cloud. That game led to the next inspiration, a title dubbed flOw. Chen founded his company to build that game, financed by Sony?s PlayStation Network (a game downloading service that Sony was readying for the PlayStation 3). In this psychedelic game, you are an aquatic creature that consumes other organisms to evolve. Chen describes flOw as a peaceful, Zen-like game with dream-like graphics. The team pulled it off in nine months with a half dozen developers. When it launched in March 2007, flOw was an instant hit and it stayed in the No. 1 spot for months on the PlayStation Network. Sony gave the company even more money to develop Flower. With a team of about seven employees and a handful of contractors, it spent about a year trying out different prototypes. The idea was to create a game that is relaxing but not boring. The finished product takes just a few hours to play all the way through. Chen says he views the game as a dance, and he is a choreographer. The player then executes the dance as he or she sees fit. The game debuts on Feb. 12 for $9.99. You need a PlayStation 3 connected to the internet to download it and play. Chen says his team is already at work on another project. But in the meantime, here is a demo of Flower that Chen gave me in San Francisco. (And please check out the link to our upcoming GameBeat 09 game conference coming up March 24.) Video demo - http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/27/a-demo-o...-playstation-3/ This is a good watch as well, video interview with Jenova - http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/01/27/...or-jenova-chen/ Edited February 2, 2009 by Audioboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troist Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 ?6.29?:// Its a bit steep. I hope theres a trial that I can have a look at first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunknMunky Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Author Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 Flowers: The painted ###### of the plant world /Homer :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belazor Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 ?6.29 is steep? I spend more than that in the college cantina during the course of a week (though I'm starving myself to save money these days:pp) Wonder if the "couple hours to play through" involves just completing the game, or doing -everything- in it. I'll still want it if it's the latter, but curious still:pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyro Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 7 pounds? ouch . thats a questionable game to be called as game, sissy boys who drink tea lifting their pinky fingers are gonna love this i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 2, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) 7 pounds? ouch . thats a questionable game to be called as game, sissy boys who drink tea lifting their pinky fingers are gonna love this i guess. kyro, STFU. Thank you :p /serious hat on Lack of bald space marines, guns, blood, fighting, enemies, tedious tasks, time limits, game over screens, health bars, linear paths, ect is a nice change from the normal. Quite frankly these more relaxing games do help me after a stressful day and I'm glad they are able to exist in some fashion, even if they aren't popular amongst the hardcore. I can tell you though, expect this game to sell pretty well... People are naturally intrigued by unusual concepts. These aren't games for people who are completion nuts, or those who can't view games as something without strict goals and paths. I mean it's something my parents would probably pickup and get captivated in for a good 10-15-20 mins and not even realize. It's nice to see such options on the market though, so while it is funny for people to mock the concept [it is, I mean a game where you're the wind controlling flowers? ;)], I don't think anyone can really burn variety at the stake. Flow was and still is one of the best selling PSN titles. I can say while I bought it and found it a worthy concept to try, Flower has evolved into what Flow wanted to be. Flow lacked enough "gamey" concepts, Flower seems to have a better balance, giving you loose goals to go along with the experience. It's the music as well, the whole thing will tie up to be a nice audio/visual experience. /serious hat off Edited February 2, 2009 by Audioboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoL Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 **** the haters, day 1 baby :cool: February is Flowerzone 2 month. This will be my "zen gaming" in amongst killing helghast. Oh and Noby Noby Boy also, it's out the same day as Flower :laugh: http://venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/...jenova-chen.jpg Video demo - http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/27/a-demo-o...-playstation-3/ This is a good watch as well, video interview with Jenova - http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/01/27/...or-jenova-chen/ yep day one for me too :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyro Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 HAHAHAHA AB , i knew you drink tea and lift your pinky finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 7 pounds? ouch . thats a questionable game to be called as game, sissy boys who drink tea lifting their pinky fingers are gonna love this i guess. HAHAHAHA AB , i knew you drink tea and lift your pinky finger. :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyro Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 ya AB i need this kind of game to relax actually, i cant handle stress lately and my body reacts bad to high stress , doc told i am leading towards high bp , so this kind of game might actually help :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunknMunky Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Author Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 You bought Fl0w? You know its free online right lol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshBluebird Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Not my type of game (even if I had a PS3), but for once we're having a bargain. $10 is around ?7. So we're actually getting an 80p saving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyLarry Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 First day for me as well actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 2, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 2, 2009 You bought Fl0w? You know its free online right lol? Yeah but cmon, it looks better on my 40" Bravia :p The PSN version is actually more "feature" packed than the online version also. I think it has more creatures or something, and better visuals. To be fair, it was one of the only things on the PSN store back in the day :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Gotta be honest, I'm definitely getting this game - It looks so soothing and relaxing, nice graphics and sounds like it has innovative gameplay. I truly hope more developers create these 'relaxing' games ... No, who am I kidding, insta skip - If I relax any more when playing games, I will **** my pants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 2, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 2, 2009 HAHAHAHA AB , i knew you drink tea and lift your pinky finger. I do drink tea, but I keep that damn pinky down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyro Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 LOLLL Cool man ... Jusss pulling your leg :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 2, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 2, 2009 LOLLL Cool man ... Jusss pulling your leg :) I know you are :p Trying to pitch such a "game" must be a laugh as it is - "Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, my name is Jenova Chen, and my project is Flower. It is an emotional concept where you are a gust of wind, navigating the dreams of a flower, and bringing those dreams to life...." Sony Exec 1: Pssst, is this guy high? Sony Exec 2: Uhhhh, I'm thinking he might be... Kaz? Kaz Hirai: I'M HIGH ALSO, SIGN THIS GUY ON, I'VE GOT A PR INTERVIEW TO GO DO JUST NOW. Sony Exec 1: Uhhhh Kaz, remember what happened last time you done an interview high? Kaz Hirai: NO? Sony Exec 2: Neowin had a melt down at your PR spins Kaz... :rofl: All laughs aside, I do hold excitement in unusual projects getting the green light. I think Jenova is an intelligent guy, with some out of the box thinking. I believe Thatgamecompany will release a lot of unique concepts over the years. But it's also things like PixelJunk Eden getting the go ahead, I just enjoy these unusual, more relaxing experiences. They aren't there to replace playing a frantic FPS online, but more for times where you want something a little different. In saying that though, Eden can actually get quite stressful when you play for completion, but a casual playthrough is more relaxing, especially with the newest patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyro Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 lol.. nice imagination there. ya, the more diverse games the better. I don't worry about diversity at all, hell I totally enjoyed solving puzzles in Elephunk which i thought only sis would play . :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunknMunky Veteran Posted February 2, 2009 Author Veteran Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm all for relaxing games, but I don't want lame flowers or gardens or fake safaris :p Fl0w I liked, but would never buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbandonedTrolley Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Day one for me on this one, I'm still awaiting Afrika to get an EU release for another chilled game experience too :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted February 4, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted February 4, 2009 Two new screens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corris Veteran Posted February 5, 2009 Veteran Share Posted February 5, 2009 **** the haters, day 1 baby :cool: yep day one for me too :D First day for me as well actually. Day one for me on this one, I'm still awaiting Afrika to get an EU release for another chilled game experience too :) *High fives* Me too! 7 pounds? ouch . thats a questionable game to be called as game, sissy boys who drink tea lifting their pinky fingers are gonna love this i guess. Yes we will. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoL Veteran Posted February 5, 2009 Veteran Share Posted February 5, 2009 Yes we will. :D I guess Im one of those sissy boys too but I dont drink tea, I drink coffee and I dont have pinky fingers lol :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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