Deadlight - freshly released on XBLA

One of the first things I got to touch - ever so barely - at Microsoft Studios was this cool side scrolling zombie game from first-time studio Tequila Works out of Madrid.  Oozing with atmosphere, it harkens back to Prince of Persia and Out of This World while bringing tons of stylistic innovation to the mix.  It was great to play some of this ahead of time because I’m genuinely a fan of the game and the studio.  Can’t wait to see what Tequila Works does next.   

An amazing lineup of people whose work I revered on the Apple II.  Literally gives me goosebumbs. 

It’s interesting to wonder if a picture like this could even exist today, and if it did, how representative would it be?  First of all, just about everyone in this picture is not only a game designer, but also a game programmer.  Also, there could be no dispute over who the “author” of their games was, since often they were the only person working on it.  Compared with the “AAAA” game creation world today, with hundreds people, there’s just no way one person can “have it all in their head” the way people routinely did when the projects were 100 times smaller. 

I can’t think of another medium that has undergone such a transformation, from a time when one person made a game by themselves (extremely focus authorship, like a novel) to today, where the biggest games have hundreds of people on them and the definition of “creative director” is more of a team captain than a “Guy Who Makes the Game." 

Certainly, indie games and mobile games are returning to a more "auteurist” world of small game development.  But still, it’s not the same as back then.  I guess you had to be there.   

Thanks to Brian Fargo for unearthing picture. 

oldfilmsflicker:

there are times in my life where the only thing that really matters is that Sunrise is a real thing

Though most people typically think of Child in Time as the definitive Jon Lord showcase in the Deep Purple catalog, I always loved the mostly-instrumental Lazy, particularly the performance on the Made in Japan record.  Made in Japan was one of my key high school records, a cassette tape played heavily as we drove around the Berkshires.  There’s no video of that live album that I know of.  But here we have a spiffy clip of the band doing the song right before Machine Head came out.  The beginning bit is no doubt some stuff Lord made up on the spot.  (You know, back when rock bands remembered how to improvise.)  Simply awesome.

RIP Jon Lord. 

MadCatz is releasing a WWII flight simulator to go along with one of their flight sticks, and they’ve titled it something quite dear to my heart.  Do you think there will be any “consumer confusion” from a Mac (and later PC) tactical FPS I released 15 years ago?

Mostly I think it’s amusing, and going after them seems like a lot of trouble.

Plus, I very much doubt the MadCatz game has anything nearly as cool as a Glenn Fabry title screen. 

Five Things I Will Miss About Montreal:  Bagel Etc.

The name is deceptive.  They have those weird Montreal bagels on the menu, sure, but they are but a footnote to the whole experience.  Really good breakfasts in a kitchy art deco interior and a signed picture of Leonard Cohen on the wall.  What more could you want? 

Five Things I’ll Miss About Montreal:  The Abundance of Slush Puppies

The best frozen beverage on earth seems to be more popular in Quebec than it is anywhere else on this continent.  Signage is everywhere.  Only downside is they disappear during winter, just like all the ice cream stands.

Five Things I Will About Montreal: La Ronde

This isn’t like any other Six Flags.  First of all, it’s so close to the city, it’s practically downtown.  Second of all, it’s built on the sight of the Montreal Expo ‘67, with lots of interesting relics of the fair still around (like the classic La Pitoune still in operation).  And unlike most things in Canada, it’s relatively inexpensive. 

Five Things I’ll Miss About Montreal:  Montreal Dollar Cinema

Traveling here is like a time warp to the 80s, with two giant screens that look exactly like they did 30 years ago, but are still in relatively good condition.  Buried in the back of a half-empty mall, you’ll find cheap second run movies and cheap snacks to go with them.  Not sure how this place stays in business, but I’m glad it does.