Tagged in: video games
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A Conversation with Nadege
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Swords & Soldiers Preview for Nintendo WiiWare
This group of guys aren’t just a bunch of developers huddled in a dark room, (although looking back on it, you could practically print some 8×12’s in the joint – more to do with Dutch weather than a love to bathe in monitor glow I think). Over in Utrecht, I met up with two of the co-founders of Ronimo Games, Jasper Koning and Fabian Akker who sat down and had a chat about their new Nintendo WiiWare game, Swords and Soldiers. Inspired by the ending to Super Moine and the Flash game, Age of War, Swords and Soldiers is kind of like a mutant cross breed between Worms and Civilization. It takes flat style illustration and couples it with strategy as well as the love for senseless, repetitive violence. You make them better. Faster. Stronger.
Not only is this game coming while the company is practically still in diapers (they just graduated last year from HKU), but they’re Dutch, and trying to do comedy all in a $10 game. I personally would have attached some string to a ball and called it a day, but everyone has their thing.
They’ve made the most out of what their education and country has to offer. According to Jasper, they were able to secure some subsidies for their company (albeit not a whole lot, but enough to keep them and their game independent). In fact, when they first started they quickly grew out of building that housed collective artists but were able to get the digs they are currently using for their company alone with the help of the government. Talent definitely has its rewards.
Just because they get a little help doesn’t mean that they have to answer to anyone. Swords and Soldiers is the result of a collaborative effort between everyone at Ronimo whether it was a designer, a programmer, an animator, or that weird guy in the corner (they’re all in corners – HA!). They even got some local high school students to test out the game with high marks from those who like strategy games. I give the boys high marks for being funny and creative. I mean, how long have I been saying there should be a game about barbecue sauce?
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A Conversation with Christine
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Petits-Pierre for Monday Jan. 19, 2009
- HOUSES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL — Pack of polaroids featuring some of Studio City’s best Hollywood homes.
- MORE MISTER DONUT PRIZE PICTURES ON THE INTERNET — The only place us non-Mister Donut people can enjoy its splendor. Thank god for Mr. Jummy.
- KOGI BBQ LISTING THE LOCATION OF THEIR KOREAN/MEXICAN BUS — Finally, a logical use for Twitter.
- IF YOU WANT A GOOD RADIO, TRY TIME TRAVEL — B&O used to pump out quality products. In fact, this looks more modern than the crap they churn out now.
- LACIE’S BIG NEW DESIGN IDEA: BRA STRAPS — USB cables available in a variety of different colors and pins, all completely flat as a pancake.
- GET DOWN WITH YOUR FUNKY SELF — Or at least, “Geek out with your DS out”.
- HARD FINANCIAL TIMES CALLS FOR HARD FINANCIAL SURFACES — As the mortgage crisis goes up, the water in the pool goes down.
- ALPHABET BUTTS — The entire alphabet as spelled out by the back of trucks.
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DO YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR FINGER?!
Yes. Yes, you do. Tamagotchi has taken it to the next level with the new Tuttuki Bako, a Chinese finger trap that has been electrified with Japanese craziness. Apparently, if you stick your finger into the alloted hole, you’ll be rewarded with interactive goodness with a virtual character (poking it, tickling it, whatever it wants). And, it still follows that great Tamagotchi principle – As demanding to take care of as a real pet, but easier to throw away.
Thanks to Nadege for bringing this to our attentions!
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Petits-Pierres for Tuesday, March 4
♥ PRO MAMAS TO GO WITH YOUR PRO NAILS
New adidas shoes that are probably really good for breakdancing or back support for your badonkadonk.♥ FELT IS THE MATERIAL OF GODS!
Hey-Sign in Germany makes all kinds of things with big, thick felt. Favorites include felt-covered books and these keychains which were swag (“shit we all get) from a convention a friend attended.♥ ONE STOP SHOP FOR ONE OF KIND CLOTHES
Tucked in St. Nicolaastraat here in the A’dam. Check out the custom designed umbrellas and make sure you say hi to my girl behind the sewing machine.♥ YASUKO-SAN CAN COOK, YOU CAN TOO!
Learn to cook Japanese home-style with Poco’s mom and cat.♥ YOU HEARD IT HERE LAST, FIRST!
Oh SNAP! Something to jam to with my pro-nails and pro-mamas.♥ WANTS + NEEDS WILL BE FULFILLED IF YOU PUT THEM ON PAPER
Artists Justine & Christine paint what we and the whole of Oprah’s Bookclub who read, “The Secret”, are really thinking.♥ HENRIK VIBSOV CLOTHES AREN’T FOR THE AVERAGE MAN
Pierre would rawk the fuck out of that egg head.♥ THE BLOB FOR WII
This better be Nintendo’s answer to Beautiful Katamari because I just got it and it sucks damacy’s. -
Petits-Pierres for Monday, March 3
♥ WREEEEEETCHES!!!
Gears 2 Announced (from the site): “So by now there’s a slight chance you’ve heard something about…(blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah)… November 2008.” Yes, jeez, thank you.♥ THE TEXTILE COLLECTION OF BENNO PREMSELA
Illustrator for such companies as De Bijenkorf (for display windows), and Van Besouw (for carpets), his designs will be on display at the Utrecht Centraal Museum from March 8th-12th. On side note, currently on exhibition is a collection of iconic fashion pieces throughout time as told by the medium of film.♥ MARK UNREAD, THE DUTCH TRAVELING BOOKSTORE
Well, right now, it’s really only one crappy bookshelf in some dude’s house, but it could be cool volgende weekend.♥ INTRODUCING THE CHANEL PHONE
Designed with Brett Easton Ellis in mind: Is it a compact you can do your cocaine on or your Wallstreet boyfriend’s B&O calculator?♥ THANK GOD THIS GUY ISN’T DUTCH!
Jay Van Buren paints portraits of furries in his studio in Brooklyn.♥ YOU AIN’T SEEN SHIT
Until you’ve seen Richard Niessen and Esther de Vries at TM do their thing with type. Sometimes it even involves cake.♥ YOU HEARD IT HERE LAST, FIRST!!!
Donna Slut knows how to turn it up and you on. [Bedankt, Hollingsworth!]♥ THE NICEST CLEANING TOOLS ON EARTH
I’m sure they get most of their sales from some kind of underground fetish community. Think, “Mommy Dearest”. -
Petits-Pierres for Friday, Feb. 29
♥ IKEA IS PUTTING THE “HO” BACK IN “HOMES”
They be trying to work every corner of the UK.♥ YOUR ASS IS GRASS!
Mariokart for the Wii comes out April 11th in Europe. Stinking Americans have to wait until December.♥ WILL WRIGHT CALLS THE STARS IN THE CARE BEARS THE “SLAVE RACE”
The maker of Sim-City and Spore talks a subject people would be surprised he knew about. I told you growing up in Orinda was fucked up.♥ ANIMAL ROBOTS WILL NOT ENSLAVE THE HUMAN RACE
Instead, they will act as decorative wall art for the uber-hip. -
Petits-Pierres for Thursday, Feb. 21
♥ BAMBOO, CHIGGY! CHIGGY!
Bamboo boards and tees over at Arbor. Maybe if you break the board in two and stick it in the ground, another one will grow!♥ E4 EVERY, EXTEND, EXTRA, EXTREME ON XBOX 360 MARKETPLACE
This game is either impossible to play and impossible to stop playing. Check my video response in the comments section.♥ THE MINISTRY OF SOUND IS LOOKING FOR A GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Services rendered will be paid in E’s and Whizz.♥ TINKY-TINY USB CAMERA
Still trying to figure out if this real and if it takes pictures larger than the common nipple.♥ BEAUTIFUL KATAMARI IN MY HANDS FEB 29TH!
Additional Xbox Live levels include “Shopping Spree”, “Milky Way Constellations”, “High Calorie Katamari”, “The Weaver Girl”, “Mechanical Katamari”, “Dangerous Katmari”, and “Perfectly Sized Katamari”.♥ PUBLIC OUTERSPACENESS WITH INGES IDEE
Four artists who are adding to the environments of spaces all over the world.♥ YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, FIRST!!!
A Muckpoo Podcast production. What? No Stevie Nicks?♥ LAST DAY OF THE ‘DESIGNING HYBRID WEARABLES’ WORKSHOP
More arty-farty fun from Mediamatic in the Netherlands. Hopefully a wrap-up of the last three days of workable/wearable creations will be posted in the coming weeks. -
Petits Pierres for Wednesday, Feb. 13
♥ NINTENDO-THEMED VALENTINE’S DAY CARDS
If you get one, you’ll know just how much that lazy sack of shit on the couch with the bluetooth headset on really cares about you.♥ KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR BLOGS ON LA TIMES
Destined to attract long-time fans, first time listeners.♥ INTRODUCING BUD LIME LIGHT
Lose weight the Karen Carpenter way: With diet drinks and self-induced vomiting.♥ PATTERNED TIGHTS RULE THE RUNWAY THIS SEASON
Which goes along side of the growing trend of “no pants”.♥ YOU HEARD IT HERE LAST, FIRST!
Directions for Listening:
1. Slow dance with the closet door
2. Go to Hospital
3. Have the “Cut Copy” single bouncing in your bludgeoned head all the way there.♥ MUSEUM NACHT (N8) FOR ROTTERDAM & BRUSSELS
Time to get your Tom Cruise Mission Impossible 3 Premier skills on. For one night only on March 1st in both cities.♥ MAN, THOSE HEART SHAPED GLASSES ARE REALLY MAKING THE ROUNDS!
The white ones are pretty hot too, just not on this particular model.♥ TYPE FLICKR
Favorited type Flickr groups from the font freaks over at TypeNeu.