Support NeoGAF

[Community Forum]

EB and GameStop will be selling the title online as well.

 

[ghibli99]

LTTP on this title (my friend bought the J-import, and played it for about 4 hours before shelving it), but isn't Electroplankton, at its core, basically a multi-channel music tracker with different types of interfaces and input methods to create the music? Sounds like something I was doing on my Amiga back in 1989... only Electroplankton is more limited. Not hating on it, I just fail to see why this game is such a big deal around GAF. Thanks.

 

[shuri]

It's not a tracker. It has nothing that you could even liken to a tracker. Remember when you were a kid when you tried to make music with random sound effects from the sfx test mode of a videogame? Elecktron Plankton is worse than this, and it has the self indulgence of pretending to be an 'artistic' experiment in sounds and multimedia.

 

[Sho Nuff]

I think Electroplankton is tripe for the sole fact that it won't let you save the stuff you make for later

"But why don't you record it with your computer?" you say.
"If I'm sitting in front of my computer, I'll just fucking use Reason," I reply.

 

[ghibli99]

I think Electroplankton is tripe for the sole fact that it won't let you save the stuff you make for later

Woah... you can't save your work? What's the point of creating something if you can't save it? Even Parappa back in 1996 had the ability to save replays, which is what helped make it a phenomenon in Japan with people sharing their "rap styles" with other users.

 

[marc^o^]

I really advise you to try it first, cause you may not like it. I didn't, it's weird and fun, but too limited.

 

[Hyoushi]

Nah, you can't save. This is just a collector's item in my view, at least the japanese version is.

 

[Shiggy]

Nah, you can't save. This is just a collector's item in my view, at least the japanese version is.

Thanks goodness I got it as a Christmas present :lol
The US package is ugly and doesn't include those nice headphones (some friends already asked me where to get them ). NoE won't change that most likely.


I like this non-game - you're able to sit back for half an hour and you can do what you want / relax. Great (at least for me^^)!

 

[:Motorbass]

Here's a small song of mine, used 2 Planktons, recorded on PC:
http://www.rockxz.de/electroplankton/the_two_of_them.mp3

Also, this is going to be a small EP-Fanpage; early status, it responds on your microphone:
http://www.rockxz.de/electroplankton/

 

[Ranger X]

Woah... you can't save your work? What's the point of creating something if you can't save it? Even Parappa back in 1996 had the ability to save replays, which is what helped make it a phenomenon in Japan with people sharing their "rap styles" with other users.

That sounds wierd but it fits with the game. It's not a music creating title. It's a "messing with sounds" title. You don't need to save anything it there, there's no point. You'll understand when you'll play


Personally i've played the Jap version and when you start playing this game is OMGWTF amazement time. I've been completely absorbed and i messed with the game non stop until going to bed. But it's like a one trip and then it goes "meh".
This barely reach the beginning of it's potential. I'm seriously interested in this idea and probably will buy it to mess with it from time to time (it's very relaxing) but OMG my mind is already imagining a full fledge masterpiece-like version of this game...

 

[Jeff-DSA]

Huh, Nintendo has us under embargo until the 6th. I guess these guys either broke it or scored an exclusive somehow.

 

[vitaflo]

Elecktron Plankton is worse than this, and it has the self indulgence of pretending to be an 'artistic' experiment in sounds and multimedia.

"Pretending"? Toshio Iwai is one of the most famous New Media artists around today. Go to a friggen art museum. The game is many of his art pieces rolled into one "game".

It's not a music composer or some sampling game, it's a conceptual New Media art piece.

 

[GDJustin]

Huh, Nintendo has us under embargo until the 6th. I guess these guys either broke it or scored an exclusive somehow.

I don't know why you sound so surprised? Scored the exclusive "somehow" ?

That's how exclusives work. Everyone is under an embargo but one publication. That's WHY the embargos for the other publications are in place... to keep it exclusive.

 

[:Motorbass]

"Pretending"? Toshio Iwai is one of the most famous New Media artists around today. Go to a friggen art museum. The game is many of his art pieces rolled into one "game".

It's not a music composer or some sampling game, it's a conceptual New Media art piece.

Thats right. I saw his "hardware-prototoype" of the Plakton Luminaria (the one with the grid of arrows that the planktons follow) at a multimedia exhibition. And a piano that can be controlled via a Trackball, emitting light when the sound is produced. That was some years ago and I was surprised when I found out that it was Iwai's work. :]

 

[Musashi Wins!]

No seriously people are like "Great review", but did they notice the paragraph says "In short, it allows me to be myself."

I lol'ed

yea, that was good stuff.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I don't know why you sound so surprised? Scored the exclusive "somehow" ?

That's how exclusives work. Everyone is under an embargo but one publication. That's WHY the embargos for the other publications are in place... to keep it exclusive.

I know how exclusives work, it's just usually IGN, Gamespot, or 1up that gets them...

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

I know how exclusives work, it's just usually IGN, Gamespot, or 1up that gets them...

GameDaily has gotten quite a few exclusives over the past year.

 

[BocoDragon]

Thing is, it better show up at Canadian EBs, since most of the online sites that are selling Electroplankton have been instructed not to ship outside the US! If you're a Canadian and you don't snag a copy at EB, you could be outta luck.....

 

[sammy]

It's funny that people have such a damn hard time accepting software that fronts a rather dynamic range of sounds, chords, instruments, sharps, flats, etc. ---- a rare 'game' in that over dramatized "music genra" that actually gives you a tool in interactive control, creativity, and a sort of cerebral expression.
yet...
when the likes of Guitar Heroe or Quendan hit the shelves boasting their edge in that "music genra" and all they offer in interactivity is following a song to a fucking dot... And no real interaction beyond "oh the song stops now, 'cause you didn't land the floating magical play-button"
people fall head-over-heals for the games' presentaions..... I like Guitar Heroe and Quendan as much as the next guy, but there's little manipulation of any music.

Electroplankton is a step in a good direction, should be less than $44 I'd say ---- but I'd certainly like to see more of the "music genra" verge on the edge of actually being a tool.

I can understand issues people have with a lack of saving your music, but hell, on that note it would've been great in Colossus to be able to take screenshots of the landscape at will.... It would be great in any game to be able to save your replays.

 

[GDJustin]

I know how exclusives work, it's just usually IGN, Gamespot, or 1up that gets them...

Well you just sounded so surprised

 

[jaundicejuice]

Rather, it taps into my brain and brings out my very best. In short, it allows me to be myself.

If you don't have any of that, well, you wouldn't like it, now would you? For those people, there's always EA.

These two quotes at least gave me a good laugh.

 

[DDayton]

The problem is that Electro Plankton isn't a game, but a musical toy... and one that offers only immediate satistfaction. All you can do with it is play for the moment... you can't try to "beat" it, you can't save your creations, etc.. I tried it, and, well, I'm not impressed enough to recommend it to most people. It's a quasi-musical instrument, really.

 

[jaundicejuice]

I can just think of so many better uses of my time and money, like the copy of Rez I just bought, playing through Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 2, putting the money towards the HDTV I'm eyeing. I just don't see the appeal of Electroplankton.

 

[sammy]

The problem is that Electro Plankton isn't a game, but a musical toy... and one that offers only immediate satistfaction. All you can do with it is play for the moment... you can't try to "beat" it, you can't save your creations, etc.. I tried it, and, well, I'm not impressed enough to recommend it to most people. It's a quasi-musical instrument, really.

Exactly ... what's the problem? It's somewhat of a simulated musical-instrument --- And some people out there get a kick out of that.

I "play" photoshop every day of my life, as much as any game console --- and am always entertained equally with both ... What's the problem with entertainment in interactive software as a tool, why should all games be structured as "here's conflict, solve conflict" .... Why can't there be more console software structured as "here's tool, create"

Electroplankton would've done a lot more convincing with more development for sure --- It would be viral if people could save their creations and offer them up for download and manipulation.

 

[DDayton]

Exactly ... what's the problem? It's somewhat of a simulated musical-instrument --- And some people out there get a kick out of that.

I "play" photoshop every day of my life, as much as any game console --- and am always entertained equally with both ... What's the problem with entertainment in interactive software as a tool, why should all games be structured as "here's conflict, solve conflict" .... Why can't there be more console software structured as "here's tool, create"

Electroplankton would've done a lot more convincing with more development for sure --- It would be viral if people could save their creations and offer them up for download and manipulation.

It's fine for what it is, but it would have been better with the ability to save your work. As it is, it's essentially a small musical instrument. This rather radically limits the appeal of it to most gamers.

 

[GDJustin]

Well I don't see what the problem is. It's like we're arguing about something EVERYONE agrees on. Its limited appeal is why its online only. Even Nintendo agrees with you

 

[Ranger X]

There's a genre of games called "non-games" now as it seems. I'm not surprised that Electroplankton won't be the number 1 interest of most people. This game is nice because it's "experimentation with sound" and that the only thing about it. And it's something fun too. This game does not respect the frame of what we usually call "a game" so of course it will be misunderstood.

I just hope this game inspires other game designers and lead us to new genres of music games. The idea of Electroplankton is awesome in fact, it's having ALOT of potential and i hope people will realise this.

 

[FortNinety]

I can just think of so many better uses of my time and money, like the copy of Rez I just bought, playing through Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 2, putting the money towards the HDTV I'm eyeing. I just don't see the appeal of Electroplankton.

I don't know... I just don't see how someone who enjoys Rez wouldn't want to give this game a try.

 

[Shard]

LTTP on this title (my friend bought the J-import, and played it for about 4 hours before shelving it), but isn't Electroplankton, at its core, basically a multi-channel music tracker with different types of interfaces and input methods to create the music? Sounds like something I was doing on my Amiga back in 1989... only Electroplankton is more limited. Not hating on it, I just fail to see why this game is such a big deal around GAF. Thanks.

http://www.toastyfrog.com/verbalspew/pivot/entry.php?id=18

 

[argon]

Is there any benefit to getting the U.S. version instead of importing? What's the difference, other than price?

 

[Mr_Furious]

My order just shipped from EBGames.com. WOOHOO!