By Rob on July 29, 2014
When we design and build game systems, we’re often interested in exploring emergent behaviour, or more specifically emergent gameplay. Even simple rules can give complex outcomes and part of the process of designing a game is to discover what the possibilities of its system might be. A classic example of emergence in computer simulations, for example, is flocking algorithms, where extremely lifelike group movement can be created with a small number of rules.
In games, emergence might equally appear in 3D physics, dynamic meshes, puzzle design or artificial intelligence (AI) opponents. Emergence is what is happening when a developer sees a non-player character (NPC) do something unexpectedly clever, or by equal measure something unexpectedly stupid. This is what a puzzle designer is harnessing when they use a minimal set of puzzle elements to create a mind boggling array of clever levels.
Art can help us to visualise these processes. Ryan Fox’s video Avant-Garde (R.P.M. 2) is a fun example of unexpected emergence created by combining two seemingly well-understood systems: a car and a GoPro camera.
Damien Hirst – Beautiful sunburst of cowardly yellows and shocking pinks painting (detail), 2001
The work brings to mind the outcome of similar experiments, whether it be the large-scale mechanical systems of Damien Hirst’s spin paintings, the wild abandon of Cy Twombly’s Bacchus paintings or the organic cycles of Hans Haacke’s Condensation Cube.
Cy Twombly – Untitled (Bacchus), 2005
By thinking like these artists when we make games, we can conduct unusual experiments, invent new systems and find different ways to play.
Also covered in the Guardian.
By Rob on July 17, 2014
We’ve been working with talented cartoonist and illustrator Jerry Carpenter to make an illustrated How-To guide for our live game for crowds, Cat On Yer Head. The storybook explains how to get started with the game, a couple of basic extensions to the rules and variations created by players at parties and conferences around the world.
Watch our Twitter feed and sign up to the Cat On Yer Head mailing list for more info about the release soon.
By Rob on July 10, 2014
When making games, we often think about colour, movement and texture, so it’s refreshing to see the approach taken by artists Floto+Warner. Their amazing paint images were shot in Nevada using high-speed cameras and demonstrate how a still image can capture the feel of movement, much like the techniques pioneered by Jackson Pollock in the 1950s.
We love the chaos and randomness of these artworks, as well as the challenges they effortlessly evoke for game makers who want to make elegant, liquid systems with digitally simulated physics.
Also covered in the Guardian.
By Rob on June 16, 2014
We have been working on three game projects with New York-based educational game publisher Amplify. Our team has been enjoying the process of developing and iterating game concepts, paper prototypes and digital prototypes; with one game now in full production and another soon ready for it’s first digital prototype outing.
Paper prototype playthrough
We can’t say much about the games yet, but watch this space for more info soon…
By Gemma on December 16, 2013
GameCity 8 turned somewhat zanier this year as we brought our tabletop card game, Insane Robot Battle, to the Open Arcade. First-time gamers and veterans alike were invited to sit at picnic tables and try our prototype combat game, which has been steadily refined since doing the rounds during IndieCade 2013.
We ran games for up to 4 players using a variety of play modes, with home-made robot cupcakes going to the proud winners. Some games even took on a life of their own as repeat players began to teach newcomers. We were thrilled to see so many enjoy the game, and were grateful of the chance to test it at such a diverse and inclusive festival as GameCity.
If you’d like to follow our progress in developing Insane Robot Battle, or to gain early access to the game, please check out our Tumblr!
By Gemma on November 3, 2013
We recently returned from Culver City in California, where Cat On Yer Head was included in IndieCade’s Official Selection for 2013. This was Playniac’s second year in a row at IndieCade, and we’re grateful to them for extending their hospitality to us once more!
Cat On Yer Head followed the Red Carpet Awards ceremony at Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) on October the 6th 2013. A crowd of around 50 were present for the game’s Transatlantic debut, where the game designer crowd invented ideas such as a stealthy cat hunter (Chris Bell), rhythm-based timing (Colleen Macklin), 20s popup timers on the cheese and some uncannily accurate cat and mouse impressions (Eric Zimmerman).
It’s a joy to have brought the game to an American audience, but Cat On Yer Head will return home to London in 2014. Be sure to keep an eye on our website and follow us on Twitter for further updates!
By Rob on October 18, 2013
We’ve been prototyping a brand new card game, Insane Robot Battle, which we plan to launch next year. We debuted the game in early Oct at IndieCade 2013, Los Angeles and were honoured to play test it with a stellar array of game makers who were in town for the festival. Thanks everyone for your generous feedback!
Playing the prototype at Culver City Hotel during IndieCade 2013, Los Angeles
Insane Robot Battle’s first public UK appearance will be at GameCity 8 Open Arcade on 25th and 26th Oct 2013 and you can read about how we are making the game and sign up for early access at www.insanerobotbattle.com. You can also follow the game on Facebook and Twitter, where we’ll be posting occasionally.
By Rob on September 26, 2013
We’re delighted that our games are being featured at IndieCade for the second year running! This time our live game for crowds Cat On Yer Head is an IndieCade 2013 Official Selection in the Big Games category.
We will be performing Cat On Year Head at the IndieCade Red Carpet Awards event at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles on the evening of 3rd Oct. After several appearances in London earlier this year, this will be the first time the game has been run in the US.
You can still attend IndieCade’s events, festival and conference running from 3rd to 6th Oct in Culver City. Find the full schedule and registration info here.
By Gemma on June 30, 2013
Cats and mice have been running wild across London during the past two months, as Playniac’s mass-participation, non-digital crowd game Cat On Yer Head went on tour across four comedy and games venues in the UK’s capital. Cheese was gobbled, mice were teleported, and one game even featured an “elephant on yer head” as a variety of audiences all brought their imaginations to bear.
(Read more…)
By Gemma on May 3, 2013
Rob was invited to the New York Film Academy earlier this year, to talk to game design students about the game development process.
(Read more…)
