Why isn't this stickied ?!? (Echocrome author's website == free demo)

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 12:24 PM)

Edit: thanks to MJP from Beyond3d's forums.

It might as well be veeeery old news for NeoGAF... still here it is:

http://tserve01.aid.design.kyushu-u....tem/index.html

I still find it that a gem like this has to be enjoyed by as many people as possible (like fl0w and SSHD it will be a "must save up to buy" kind of PSN game for me).

Direct-ish download:

http://tserve01.aid.design.kyushu-u....nateSystem.zip

Most likely it will tell you that you are missing a d3dx9_ dll so download it here

http://www.m3fe.com/760/

and put it in the game's folder.

PLAY IT NOW!

NOW!

nofi · (07-17-2007, 12:25 PM)

New to me, thanks. That's essentially EchoChrome. =)

Jube3 · (07-17-2007, 12:28 PM)

such an amazing idea, thanks for the link. it really blows my mind how this works lol

Linkzg · (07-17-2007, 12:29 PM)

I just messed around with it a bit, im gonna try to make some crazy things later on.

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 12:30 PM)

PSN made the right choice giving trust to small indie developers and thanks to that we have titles such as fl0w, LBP, Echocrome, and hopefully many others to enjoy.

Splatt · (07-17-2007, 12:30 PM)

That was pretty cool but i'm having a weird bug. I can't see the cursor when i'm bulding something, only when i'm selecting the material. Weird.

Linkzg · (07-17-2007, 12:31 PM)

Originally Posted by Panajev2001a:

PSN made the right choice giving trust to small indie developers and thanks to that we have titles such as fl0w, LBP, Echocrome, and hopefully many others to enjoy.

Everyday shooter is also up there on awesome things comming to PSN

agent069 · (07-17-2007, 12:35 PM)

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

Escalation · (07-17-2007, 12:35 PM)

The concept is surprisingly deep. Thanks for the demo.

warthog · (07-17-2007, 12:36 PM)

Thanks, didn't know about the demo.

Ikuu · (07-17-2007, 12:37 PM)

Shame there seems to be noway to save layouts and share then. Thanks for posting this though.

USD · (07-17-2007, 12:47 PM)

Craziness. There were times I was building stuff on a different plane and different know it. The system's not perfect, as there were times when I'd have pieces that visually were connected but the character didn't seem to recognize it. I'm guessing that's one of the big things they'll be working on. Though this is just a demo, I'm sure they it working better, in whatever it is now.

MadFuzzy · (07-17-2007, 12:48 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

Actually it looks like the author of the PC version may have submitted it to SCEI as part of their Game Yarouze programme, where indie developers can submit games and get them released on the PlayStation platform. It seems like a lot of quirky SCEI titles released over the last few years came from this competition, including Xi (Sai, AKA Devil Dice) and Dokodemo Isshou.

More info (in Japanese) is here. It seems that SCEI are running some sort of indie development competition called "Digital Meister" (you can see the logo for it at the start of the trailer for Echochrome), and the website is going to update on 21st July with more info.

Raist · (07-17-2007, 12:51 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 01:02 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

Copying ? AFAIK, this is the home page of the guy (or one of the people) behind Echocrome.

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 01:04 PM)

Originally Posted by Ikuu:

Shame there seems to be noway to save layouts and share then. Thanks for posting this though.

You gotta buy the PSN release ;) (which seems quite improved over this: music wise, graphics wise, etc...) in which hopefully they will allow sharing of user created content and you will have crazy levels made for you by the game's authors.

Linkzg · (07-17-2007, 01:07 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

you are joking, right?

nny · (07-17-2007, 01:12 PM)

thanks so much for the links, was completely unaware of the existence of this.

Visualante · (07-17-2007, 01:15 PM)

I bet if they trawled through the piles of Yaroze submissions that magazines and publiishers were sent they'd find a couple of absolute gems.

I do wonder how they found this after all that time. I remember one particular shotoer that came on a PSM cover disc and it was really fantastic.

No Mac support so i'll wait for the official release. Would hope for hundreds of levels and additional download packs or user created content in the same manner as Little Big Planet.

MadFuzzy · (07-17-2007, 01:24 PM)

Originally Posted by Visualante:

I do wonder how they found this after all that time. I remember one particular shotoer that came on a PSM cover disc and it was really fantastic.

SCEI do a big Game Yarouze competition in Japan every year (and have done for more than 10 years) and pick the best winners to turn into full games from that.

In some ways it's interesting to see that SCEA is now following Japan's lead by signing good US indie developers (like the Flow team and the guy behind Everyday Shooter). I'm surprised they aren't doing an annual indie competition like Game Yarouze themselves.

chapel · (07-17-2007, 01:34 PM)

Well its cool that Sony is picking some cool indie devs for games. The problem I see that when compared to MS and Nintendo is that to get on PSN you have to be picked by Sony, and they aren't very open about how to do that. There are tons of low key indie developers that probably would never be able to get onto PSN but because XBLA and WiiWare have a more open platform (for the most part mostly WiiWare because XBLA has an approval process) that at least with XBLA is common knowledge. WiiWare is still new, but only requires a Dev Kit and ESRB rating, they will bug test the game and set a price, and you're set to go. I just wish Sony would make the process open like WiiWare or give more information how to get on there.

Aisenherz · (07-17-2007, 01:40 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

idot

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 01:41 PM)

Originally Posted by chapel:

and they aren't very open about how to do that.

Oh come on :P.

http://www.us.playstation.com/beyond/welcome.html

http://www.gameyarouze.com/edi_jp/gy...eister_jp.html

http://www.us.playstation.com/beyond/kr/default.html

It is not like you have to go through some unsurmountable obstacles to get your ideas pitched to Sony.

(http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...php?story=9931)

DieH@rd · (07-17-2007, 01:44 PM)

Awesome little game.

Station42 · (07-17-2007, 02:07 PM)

Lusso!!...i'll go check.

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 02:25 PM)

Compared to this demo, in the E3 trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/21880.html), they have fixed a lot of the small gameplay inconsistencies/issues.

Those guys have not been wasting their time

.

chapel · (07-17-2007, 02:54 PM)

Originally Posted by Panajev2001a:

Oh come on :P.

http://www.us.playstation.com/beyond/welcome.html

http://www.gameyarouze.com/edi_jp/gy...eister_jp.html

http://www.us.playstation.com/beyond/kr/default.html

It is not like you have to go through some unsurmountable obstacles to get your ideas pitched to Sony.

(http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...php?story=9931)

I don't know why you had to link to the Japanese and Korean versions of it. I honestly didn't know about that, but then again I hadn't read any news on it like I had about the other competing services. It sounds like they are a bit more selective though. Its hard to say, Im not an indie developer (well not atm at least) and so I don't have much room to speak now that I know there is a path. I think WiiWare's supposedly open process is better because innovation will not be stifled by corporate agenda. Who knows how this will all play out though.

haowan · (07-17-2007, 02:59 PM)

WiiWare's supposedly open process is a luxury afforded by the fact that it's difficult to become a Nintendo registered developer.

border · (07-17-2007, 03:08 PM)

So this is just a level editor, not an actual game?

MatiasB · 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by border:

So this is just a level editor, not an actual game?

They're making it a retail/online game now, Things change when they go retail.

Anyone know how to change the resolution? Or at least disable fullscreen?

Also doesn't this call for a gaf contest?

Panajev2001a · 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by chapel:

I think WiiWare's supposedly open process is better because innovation will not be stifled by corporate agenda.

I cannot follow you here.

It is ok to be positive about a company which you like and support what it does, but I personally think you are taking it too far.

It is one thing to say that you are excited by the WiiWare initiative and hope that some cool games will come out because of it.

It is an entirely different thing to state basically:

WiiWare = "innovation will not be stifled by corporate agenda"

Sony EDI = "innovation will be stifled by corporate agenda"

when you present nothing to back-up your statements with.

Both process are NOT open in the PC sense: users downloading from the PSN Store or from the WiiWare channel in the Wii Shop channel will both get content filtered/approved by the platform holder: you will not see porn games released on WiiWare or other titles which would never pass approval process as regular Wii/PS3 games due to inappropriate content or other similar reasons.

border · (07-17-2007, 03:26 PM)

Even though I am not an indie developer and don't know a thing about Sony's submission and approval process, I am positively certain that Nintendo is better sight unseen!

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 03:28 PM)

Originally Posted by border:

Even though I am not an indie developer and don't know a thing about Sony's submission and approval process, I am positively certain that Nintendo is better sight unseen!

Of course you are an indie developer if you have written even a single line of code in your life (HTML does count :P)!

MatiasB · (07-17-2007, 03:32 PM)

The nintendo indie development store will be horror. The file size limitation alone will close off most development groups. Also nintendo doesn't even have examples for developers to go by.

I can't believe anyone wants to downplay what sony is doing. Sony is walking the walk while nintendo so far has been only talk.

Panajev2001a · (07-17-2007, 03:34 PM)

Originally Posted by MatiasB:

Also doesn't this call for a gaf contest?

Yes, it does ;).

I would like to see an updated demo of this, if you start playing with this demo and replicate some of the things seen in the E3 trailer you will notice that the way blocks mix/fuse together and let the character pass or fall through has been improved from the state it is in the demo.

Still, a great idea :).

AdmiralViscen · (07-17-2007, 03:36 PM)

Cool stuff, thanks for posting.

Pristine_Condition · (07-17-2007, 03:41 PM)

Originally Posted by agent069:

First Nintendo, now indie developers, those Sony guys can't get enough copying stuff

It's insane, it's the very same stuff, I can't tell any difference between this and tjhe Echochrome demo, it's awesome, I don't have to spend 600€ to try this "non-game"

Not smart.

VideoMan · 04:02 PM

Press F2 to get a pre-made level.

Also, it seems to work a lot better if you keep the camera so it's always looking down at the blocks at a 45 degree angle (if that makes any sense). In the EchoChrome video it looks like the vertical angle will be locked within a certain vertical range and you'll mostly only be able to move the camera left or right. It seems to work best this way.

Bastard11 · (08-20-2007, 03:18 AM)

While I applaud the efforts of all 3 big companies to allow smaller development teams to get some exposure on their platforms I have to disagree with you statements.. strongly.

I'm not sure how long you've been following indie development or the games industry in general but it is pretty much common knowledge that Sony is the most open platform of the 3... and have been since the original PlayStation era. Not just in terms of indie development but also in terms of the structure that huge Publisher/Developers have to follow as well. Many devs seem to like having their hands held by Microsoft these days but once upon a time people applauded the freedoms that Sony's platforms afforded developers.

XBLA and XNA is a great innitiave.. but MS more than anyone will cherry-pick which projects get the go-ahead as they run a very tight ship and everything needs to fall into their master blueprints. Let me tell you my friend.. there is a reason Master Chief is green!

Nintendo, on the other hand, is like an exclusive club. It is not easy to get licensed at all.. the requirements are very steep and render the idea of an upstart or very small indie dev getting a dev kit impossible. And I don't know where you got your information from but there certainly will be an approval process.. one that is likely stricter than Sony's in terms of content and theme.

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not coming down on the "other guys" I'm just correcting your misinformed points.

Father_Brain · (08-20-2007, 03:56 AM)

Originally Posted by Bastard11:

Nintendo, on the other hand, is like an exclusive club. It is not easy to get licensed at all.. the requirements are very steep and render the idea of an upstart or very small indie dev getting a dev kit impossible. And I don't know where you got your information from but there certainly will be an approval process.. one that is likely stricter than Sony's in terms of content and theme.

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not coming down on the "other guys" I'm just correcting your misinformed points.

I certainly don't know enough to comment on your other points, but Reggie and others have said quite explicitly that (other than bug-checking), Nintendo will not exercise any control over the content of Wii Ware titles, as long as they get ESRB ratings.

No_Style · (08-20-2007, 04:00 AM)

Thanks for the heads up, OP. Loving it!

Ranger X · (08-20-2007, 04:02 AM)

Arrrrgh!! I don't have my PSP. I sold it for the new model coming :(

No_Style · (08-20-2007, 04:07 AM)

Originally Posted by Ranger X:

Arrrrgh!! I don't have my PSP. I sold it for the new model coming :(

It's a PC demo.

Router · (08-20-2007, 04:36 AM)

I has a Mac :(

joshcryer · (08-20-2007, 04:41 AM)

Very cool find! So it seems yet another indy dev is making it to PS3/PSP. Things are quite optimistic looking these days on that platform. :)

joshcryer · (08-20-2007, 06:09 AM)

I know it's bad form to bump threads, but others should see this! It really is Echochrome (with an editor no less) for free!

I seriously kill lots of threads I post in, wtf is wrong with me. :(

FirewalkR · 11:19 AM

Edit:forget, bumped thread