I really wanted to talk about Double Fine’s incredible Amnesia Fortnight at some point. This is where the development house takes a break from their main project and for 2 weeks breaks up into separate little teams to make as many as five games that have been brainstormed by different teams members. Games like Costume Quest and Stacking have come from this process. It’s amazing… Well this time… The team went on Humble Bundle and made the voting process public(Usually Tim Schafer just picks). So we are at the end of the two weeks and all the people who participated in the bundle were able to download the prototypes today. They are all AMAZING! The idea that each one was made in two weeks is absolutely incredible. They aren’t exactly games, as they are little pieces of what the final game could be. Like the spirit of the game. Hence prototype. I wanted to have screenshots and such but for whatever reason my screenshot capture thing, doesn’t like any of these games. And there are no screenshots online. I was able to take some screens from Hack n’Slash and Space Base but that is because they run natively in windowed mode. None of the others would work. So I have some screens from them. Let’s start there.
Hack n’Slash is an amazing little game. It is in homage to the Legend of Zelda. But instead of getting a sword to fight enemies. You get a laptop. And here the fun begins because as you download more and different codes you can begin to change the game. Making paths where there aren’t any, slowing down time, etc… The prototype doesn’t really allow you to do this but you do get the idea of what the game could be.
I think this is a great prototype and the game could be absolutely amazing. Even if it would end up being a mobile game with simpler controls that would be cool too. But this game definitely deserves a chance.
On to SpaceBase….
SpaceBase is basically a version of the SIMS except in space and with a slightly more interesting art style. I really loved what they are trying to do here. Probably one of those sky’s the limit projects for a full game. Especially because Engineers can build out the bases themselves. Which really adds to the dynamics of what could be in a finished product.
Because I don’t have any more screenshots to show. I decided to use the team leader’s pitch videos that are on Youtube to give you an idea what the finished prototypes are like.
Next we have Black Lake. Which is amazingly beautiful prototype. Where you are the hunter’s daughter following a fox with some really creepy woods. You have to use special sense powers and a combination of turning on and off your lantern if your going to survive for long. The demo does somewhat reward exploration. But as in many of these prototypes the game has a fixed camera which severely hampers your ability to check for enemies. This, I’m sure has to do with this being a prototype and having only 2 weeks for development. I loved this little bit, I got to see and can’t wait to see more.
There were more videos for our next game Autonomous so I decided to pick a more action oriented one. The game is a about creating robots out of spare parts in an 80s future. Like Tron… The game looks very cool and sounds very cool. The controls are a little floaty but that is really the only thing I can level against this prototype. A full game of Autonomous would be a massive amount of fun. Would love to see this…
White Birch is probably the most whole of any of the prototypes I’ve played from Amnesia Fortnight. It’s about a girl who is trying to reach the top of a tower and get the prize hanging from it. All of the elements of this are completely realized with descent platforming and a beautiful art style. The girl tends to slide around on surfaces sometimes which makes them hard to maneuver through but it does checkpoint you from the very last place you were before you died so that’s great. Also, no fall damage. I think this would make a great game and would love to see it get published as a full title.
In closing, I would just like to say that this was an amazing process to watch. Seeing the fruits of the team’s labors was very satisfying and even if none of these prototypes would take a person more than a few minutes to play they are all wonderful and definitely show that the teams are committed to the spirit of these game ideas. The other thing I love about each of these titles is that none of them really call on practiced tropes. They all want to say something new and different. Even if it’s as simple as, “What if the SIMS took place on a Space Station?” or as complicated as “What if in a game there were other ways to progress other than shooting/killing something.” If it seems like I’m gushing.. It’s because this is the kind of creativity and freedom that people in the game industry have seemed to lose as a whole. Everyone is SO worried about taking chances that they never stop and think what they could do if they weren’t afraid. I think that’s what the real lesson of Amnesia Fortnights are, “Don’t be afraid to be creative!”
Would just like to thank the entire team over at Double Fine Studios. You folks are awesome. And everyone who contributed to Amnesia Fortnight was really lucky to get a glimpse into what you folks do everyday. Even if none of your prototypes become full games, I would like to reiterate that they are all wonderful and are REALLY good ideas. Thanks again…
Your Fan, Timothy Pecoraro…
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