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THE NEVERHOOD (claymation, p&c adventure game) developers making a new game

Man, Doug TenNapel has been trying to get a proper Earthworm Jim game into development for a long time now. There has been quite a few failed attempts to rekindle that series. It's interesting to see him get back into game development in some form again. I still have my original copy of The Neverhood for PC as well as Skull Monkeys for the PS1. I loved these games. Mike Dietz and Edward Schofield being on the project sound pretty great too.
 

nny

Member
No way! I love The Neverhood. Mr TenNapel is having some busy days, with his KickStarter book nearing release as well.

Oh, and the soundtrack <3 <3

Sound Effects Record #32

Man reading.
Man relaxing.
Woman in outer space.
Man watching TV with volume at zero.
Man watching silent movie.
Freeway sound from 20 miles away.
Lunch at the recording studio.
Man getting a bright idea.
Woman handling a situation with kid gloves.
A mime and his audience.
Tree falling in the forest.
Dead insect.
A swarm of dead insects.

I wonder if anyone even read that whole (literally) wall of text. I remember that when I first played the game I started reading it, since I thought it will be essential for a puzzle or the in-game story. But after 3rd or 4th screen I gave up. And then there were several more screens filled with text that just went on and on... D:
and then, at the end of the horribly long corridor - a single disk lying on the floor. That was cruel.

I've read the whole of the hall of records on two different occasions...
 

Fidelis Hodie

Infidelis Cras
I read all of it. ALL OF IT.

When you're younger, you get lost in that mythos. It became a novel for me. I didn't really care there was something at the end of it.

Me too. My dad and I played the game together and we read the whole thing. Talk about memories. And the burp tree?? Died.

Terry S. Taylor, the original's crazy music guy, is already confirmed!

This is the greatest gaming news of all time.
 

Mr_Zombie

Member
I read all of it. ALL OF IT.

When you're younger, you get lost in that mythos. It became a novel for me. I didn't really care there was something at the end of it.


I've read the whole of the hall of records on two different occasions...

You both have my respect.
I wonder if there's a transcript of the text somewhere on the Internet. *ponders* To the google machine!

Oh, and the soundtrack <3 <3

<3 Indeed.
 

OneLetter

Member
So excited for another game from these guys. Neverhood was one of the games that has always stuck with me throughout the years.
 

Ivan

Member
Great, great news. I played both Neverhood and Skull Monkeys back in the day... Happy kid :).
 
Let me tell you how old i am folks. Side tangent, i fucking loved The Neverhood. It was the greatest game ever made before all the shitty console wars started happening. Anyways, back to the story, i am so old that i actually purchased the game in a big old pc box of yesteryear and i bought it at an egghead software store in Chicago way back when. I miss Egghead software, great little techies delight kind of place.

EDIT: how in the fuck can you people say it had so-so puzzles? Fuck that noise, having to drink and then spit water into musical instruments and get just the right tone out of them to solve a puzzle amongst others is just genius!
 
EDIT: how in the fuck can you people say it had so-so puzzles? Fuck that noise, having to drink and then spit water into musical instruments and get just the right tone out of them to solve a puzzle amongst others is just genius!

pipehouse.jpg


One of my favorite puzzles ever in a game. I love puzzles to do with creating music ever since.

The mouse doors is an incredibly cruel puzzle :(
 
I got hype. And then I remembered Doug TenNapel is a massive hateful scumbag and my hype plummeted back to anti-hype. Ugh.
Eh, I try to separate art from the artist. For instance, Fez is a pretty awesome little game, even if Phil Fish's comments were remarkably poorly phrased or thought-out.
 
Eh, I try to separate art from the artist. For instance, Fez is a pretty awesome little game, even if Phil Fish's comments were remarkably poorly phrased or thought-out.

Phil Fish is just an egotistical douchebag who made a bunch of dumb comments about other developers. He's harmless in the long run.

Doug TenNapel is a hateful bigot who has stalked and harassed people online because of their sexual orientation and funded organisations that promote hate with his art. So it's hard to seperate the art from the artist when the artist is a massive scumbag who uses his art to fund hate and a massive gutpunch to see someone who helped define your childhood with their wit and imagination be a complete failure as a compassionate human being.
 

GhaleonQ

Member
If Sokal, 2 Guys From Andromeda, Tornquist, the Coles, Jensen, TenNapel, Schafer, and the rest actually pull off these revivals, I...I don't know what I'll do. Am I comfortable considering myself a PC-centric gamer when I've identified for years as "Japanese oddity fanboy?" If you'd have told me a decade back that I'd have largely abandoned arcades for consoles, consoles for handhelds, and all of those for Japanese imports and PC games, I'd have been shocked...and wondered where I'd come up with all of that cash.

Ah, well. It's a stellar time to be a PC gamer. This is just the best.

Everyone, also please note that Return To The Neverhood exists, and is pretty good in and of itself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9eN1hgWVAs Yes, the comic has Terry Taylor music. http://www.youtube.com/user/yt4231/videos?view=0&flow=grid

In addition, note that Doug TenNapel is taking risks for gamers now that he has Hollywood money to keep his life stable. This is 1 of a few reasons that he's a good person.

I wonder if anyone even read that whole (literally) wall of text. I remember that when I first played the game I started reading it, since I thought it will be essential for a puzzle or the in-game story. But after 3rd or 4th screen I gave up. And then there were several more screens filled with text that just went on and on... D:
and then, at the end of the horribly long corridor - a single disk lying on the floor. That was cruel.

I was a religion major. That remains 1 of my 5 favorite easter eggs in video games! It's also, somehow, more coherent than the worlds of recent Square-Enix and Ubisoft games. It's genuinely an achievement in and of itself, and reason #1,068 why I ignore video-game-websites-that-think-they're-highbrow is that they've never properly dissected the thing.
 

Tenrius

Member
pipehouse.jpg


One of my favorite puzzles ever in a game. I love puzzles to do with creating music ever since.

The mouse doors is an incredibly cruel puzzle :(

While I liked the idea, I thought it was a bit too much, had to use a guide for that. Probably just me being unable to solve sound-based puzzles, anyway.

Phil Fish is just an egotistical douchebag who made a bunch of dumb comments about other developers. He's harmless in the long run.

Doug TenNapel is a hateful bigot who has stalked and harassed people online because of their sexual orientation and funded organisations that promote hate with his art. So it's hard to seperate the art from the artist when the artist is a massive scumbag who uses his art to fund hate and a massive gutpunch to see someone who helped define your childhood with their wit and imagination be a complete failure as a compassionate human being.

Eh? Didn't know about all that stuff, any way to read up on that? How can you even "use art to fund hate"?

And still, I don't get your point. I really couldn't care less what the creators of something think about other people or what they usually have for breakfast as long as their work is good.
 
Another update on Facebook. Do you want to spend $2 million to get the characters back, or use that money on new characters and worlds?

iwKT1oP8z9Bzk.jpg


"I've got hundreds of characters laying around, and I farted Neverhood and EWJ out in my sleep, so I don't need to protect every single thing I create."

I personally always prefer new original IP. Sequels are tricky, because not only do you have to satisfy old fans who can get quite picky, but also encourage new players on why the previous game was any good. Double Fine could make Psychonauts 2, bla bla bla, but then I wouldn't get to explore around an American suburbia as a kid during Halloween. Or man mechs and fight against TVs in a World War setting. Or play as a Russian doll in a Hitman-like puzzle adventure game set in the industrial age.
 
Another update on Facebook. Do you want to spend $2 million to get the characters back, or use that money on new characters and worlds?

iwKT1oP8z9Bzk.jpg


"I've got hundreds of characters laying around, and I farted Neverhood and EWJ out in my sleep, so I don't need to protect every single thing I create."

I personally always prefer new original IP. Sequels are tricky, because not only do you have to satisfy old fans who can get quite picky, but also encourage new players on why the previous game was any good. Double Fine could make Psychonauts 2, bla bla bla, but then I wouldn't get to explore around an American suburbia as a kid during Halloween. Or man mechs and fight against TVs in a World War setting. Or play as a Russian doll in a Hitman-like puzzle adventure game set in the industrial age.

But I want to see Willie and Robot Bil again :(
 

tkscz

Member
*FANGASMING SO FUCKING HARD RIGHT NOW

This news seriously made my day. You want a suggestion Mr. Tennapel? Bring the original to the eshop so I can play it on the go! But seriously, make it a mystery P-and-C adventure, love those.

Edit:Just read the facebook post. Damn it EA, how is it you always fuck me over?
 

CassSept

Member
Fantastic News! I never got around to finishing the game, iirc the puzzles were too confusing for me as a child, but still loved the game, loved the humor, loved the style, loved the writing.

And Hall of Records was certainly something.
 

Hofmann

Member
I'd enjoy the dream machine more if they finished it. It's been forever since they even reported news on the next episode's progress.

Yeah, it's been like two years since the last episode. Are there any chances that they're going to finish the whole project?
 

GhaleonQ

Member
Yeah, it's been like two years since the last episode. Are there any chances that they're going to finish the whole project?

http://dreammachinegame.blogspot.com/2013/03/chapter-4-5-progress-report.html

It looks like 4 and 5 are going to be completed near-simultaneously, and that they're about 3/5 done with both.

IN ANY CASE, it will be hard to live up to a reinvigorated TenNapel. (His recent comics work has not been near his best, but I'm sure he'll elevate this game to classic status.)
 

Dmax3901

Member
Missed this too.

The Neverhood was a huge thing for my childhood and probably one of my first real PC games.

I remember I cried when I finished it, because it took my 7-8 year old self so long to solve the puzzles. I was also sad it was over and happy at that ending. Truly bitter sweet.
 

SOME-MIST

Member
I was totally bummed when I found out I missed out on his last kickstarter for his hardcover art book (for only $25!!).

This is fantastic news however, as skullmonkeys was my favorite game growing up and The Neverhood was the game to get me into point and click adventures.

I'm a huge claymation fan too (I also love the dream machine), but I love the creepy work of Jan Svankmajer and Adam Elliot.
 

Tenrius

Member
I was totally bummed when I found out I missed out on his last kickstarter for his hardcover art book (for only $25!!).

This is fantastic news however, as skullmonkeys was my favorite game growing up and The Neverhood was the game to get me into point and click adventures.

I'm a huge claymation fan too (I also love the dream machine), but I love the creepy work of Jan Svankmajer and Adam Elliot.

You and me both.
 

SOME-MIST

Member
Sadly, I haven't seen anything by Co Hoedeman.. but you gave me something to look forward to this Sunday! I like moon remix rpg adventure though (I know you're a huge fan :p), so we can still be best friends if you want to be.
 

GhaleonQ

Member
Sadly, I haven't seen anything by Co Hoedeman.. but you gave me something to look forward to this Sunday! I like moon remix rpg adventure though (I know you're a huge fan :p), so we can still be best friends if you want to be.

Aleksandr Petrov? Like or it's a dealbreaker. *laughs* Really, I'm just intensely thrilled that this project has momentum and purpose.
 
Doug TenNapel
"Designing the game: first photo. The Beloved Mrs. TenNapel let me take over the dining room table with hot glue, drill and cardboard boxes to build a dummy of the game world. Mark Lorezen (EWJ 2, Neverhood/Skullmonkeys/Vectorman) is flying out to join me on Wed for a design-a-thon."

559283_523531087685782_1059567956_n.jpg
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
I hope they don't try to make it all clay again, surely it will be cheaper and just as effective (and also indistinguishable to most if done well enough, pixel shaders yo) to go the 3D route with today's technology, and allow for a bigger and better game that way, that isn't in any way restricted by what they can do with clay and how much effort they'd need for slight visual or system changes.
 

Deadstar

Member
I hope they don't try to make it all clay again, surely it will be cheaper and just as effective (and also indistinguishable to most if done well enough, pixel shaders yo) to go the 3D route with today's technology, and allow for a bigger and better game that way, that isn't in any way restricted by what they can do with clay and how much effort they'd need for slight visual or system changes.

I couldn't disagree more. The clay gave it a unique feel and made it awesome. 3d would ruin it.
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
I couldn't disagree more. The clay gave it a unique feel and made it awesome. 3d would ruin it.
Then you don't know the capability of modern 3D. It can emulate clay. Humans, not so much, but such materials are doable.
 
I found my copy of The Neverhood the other day in an old Gateway CD album with a bunch of other old games. Such great memories of playing this game. Can't wait to play their new game.
 
I hope they don't try to make it all clay again, surely it will be cheaper and just as effective (and also indistinguishable to most if done well enough, pixel shaders yo) to go the 3D route with today's technology, and allow for a bigger and better game that way, that isn't in any way restricted by what they can do with clay and how much effort they'd need for slight visual or system changes.

They're using other materials too, much like The Dream Machine. I disagree on CGI being as good, you can see the little imperfections on clay. Obviously, this is a hypothetical argument but if you have CGI of claymation that is as good or hard to spot, I'd like to see it.
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
They're using other materials too, much like The Dream Machine. I disagree on CGI being as good, you can see the little imperfections on clay. Obviously, this is a hypothetical argument but if you have CGI of claymation that is as good or hard to spot, I'd like to see it.

Old/random Maya tutorial. Can probably achieve a lot better by a studio dedicated to the task...

http://www.3dworldmag.com/2010/12/15/maya-clay/

Combine such materials with something like Flushed Away's animation style and you're there.

Well, that movie looks much like claymation by itself, though they didn't try to translate the imperfections of real clay.
 
Flushed Away, I remember seeing, immediately could tell it was CGI. Too smooth. Maybe if a mega company went to town on CGI looking like claymation. What's the point, though? CGI movies are ridiculously expensive too, so I don't see CGI as a cheaper means absolutely.

I personally like the closed-in feeling of Neverhood and The Dream Machine. Feels intimate. Those games don't have many NPCs but still have enough variety of locations to not feel cheap.
 
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