Saturday, June 29, 2013

Real location based AR gaming with Clandestine: Anomaly

Remember when I wrote the "steal this idea" entry a couple months ago? ZenFri Inc in Winnipeg, Canada was several leaps ahead and is developing possibly the most mind-bending reality-blurring game experience ever.


Clandestine Anomaly is the game I've dreamed of playing since I first discovered augmented reality. See the tremendous "emergent reality" prototype in action:


The game didn't reach it's Kickstarter goal, but the Indie Game podcast interview with chief executive artist Cory King assured us that the game will appear on tablets and PS Vita early next year. Fantastic news!

In short, this project must exist to set a standard for those that follow. Mucho Gusto to the Clandestine: Anomaly team!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The New Artcade Experiment



This past weekend I conducted an experiment: build an arcade in my apartment with a range of indie game formats, intermix it with game themed art and see what the response is.



The response was an overwhelmingly positive storm of jubilation! The GamePad 3000 Experimental Artcade at Bushwick Open Studios in Brooklyn had proven that this format was an exhilarating experience and was the pick of several organizations:










What is the next step? The retro arcade may have died out long ago. So what is the modern arcade experience? A bar filled with old-school cabinets and fancy beer?

It came to my attention after attending game meetups and demos over the past year that there simply isn't a place to regularly play new indie games in a social setting where gamers, enthusiasts and designers can mingle and have fun. And look at gamey art!



Game culture is flooding the mainstream, and such a place must exist. 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sexy Tapeworm screen shots

One of the games to premiere at the Bushwick Open Studios Experimental Game Arcade May 31-June 2.



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

GamePad 3000 Experimental Arcade May 31-June 2, 2013

Every Summer Arts In Bushwick organizes NYC's most epic arts festival: Bushwick Open Studios. This neighborhood-wide Brooklyn event includes thousands of local artists of all disciplines. The dates are: Friday May 31st-June 2nd, 2013. Save em'!

What is GamePad 3000, you may ask? It's my apartment! I play the latest videogame tech on a 3D projector. But for BOS it's transforming into an Experimental Games arcade. Premiering at the show are these works:

Bushwick Dimensions. Remade and updated for release on the Apple App Store! Coming soon.
The Bushwick Board Game. Free beer when you sit down to play this interactive art piece.
Sexy Tapeworm. My first videogame, served up in a worm cabinet.
Video game themed art by Ken Kosces. 
A new game from the progressive game developer team Globhammer.


Other artists will contribute games, so keep it locked here for more updates. And see you there.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Steal This Idea - INVASION: EARTH for PS Vita


     I'll be posting game ideas for anyone and everyone to steal, patent, copyright, call their own and make millions of dollars from. l'll do this is because I have no resources to make it a reality and I would love to see the game exist to the full extent of the vision.
     
     I preordered the Playstation Vita from my local Brooklyn Game Stop. It titillated our psyches: GPS tracking, Augmented Reality gaming and a host of new ways to interact with the handheld console through rear and front cameras and touch panels.

     A blast was had with the AR cards and games. But what I was most interested in, naturally, was the GPS capabilities of this portable console. The Near screen provided indicators of other users in the area by distance, but not on a map. You can trade items and get free game upgrades and power ups from them. Fine and dandy, but what I want to do with my Vita is play

INVASION: EARTH

     Gameplay: On a specific day and time, Vita owners must go to a GPS location in their city such as a park or other open area (e.g. Central Park). There they must stand in "battle position areas", listen to audio commentary from a commander and watch an enemy spaceship approaching on their screens from what looks like a mile away in the sky. As the spaceship gets closer, several smaller ships break away and scatter into the park. Players can view them in AR or on a top down map of the area. They must coordinate their efforts and unleash their arsenal on the invaders to destroy them. Then run to weapon drop zones in the park to replenish their ammo.

     After defeating the horde or being overpowered, the players can form platoons and prepare for the next invasion which could be a week away in another park. Other cities will suffer invasions and platoons can keep in touch and trade items through social networks and anticipate upcoming attacks.

     Does the Vita have the power to do this? Smartphones do. Do we have to wait for Google Glass and the wearables to easily and successfully blend the real world with video games? 

Friday, April 1, 2011

TV collaboration / Smart Grid monitors your life / Facial recognition

   The AT & T merger with T-Mobile might bring higher prices and better coverage. I recently received a pamphlet in the mail from AT & T about the iPhone 4 and how AT & T scientists are developing these technologies:

-Attaching a projector to the phone to view X-Rays
-Remote monitoring, such as sensing when a pill bottle is opened or closed. 
-Location specific ads pushing to the phone.
 -Your house appliances will be connected to the net so someone can watch exactly how long you use each tool. There are privacy issues popping up as every aspect of our lives are monitored using the smart grid.

   Follow how AT & T is taking over with new technologies here.
   This is right after the announcement that Google made an app that can give you information about a person simply by taking a picture of them. Using facial recognition software, the app searches the web for Facebook and website info related to the person. With just one snap, we can learn what a total stranger reads, watches, listens to, etc. Engadget says you will love it or hate it. What do you think?