2009 Dream-Build-Play winners announced, Dust takes top honor
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Sep 6th 2009 at 8:30PM } 
Second place (and $20,000) went to Panya Inversin from Coin App who created Max Blastronaut, which looks to be a mix between Super Stardust HD and ... Double Dragon? We're just as confused as you are, but see for yourself after the break, below the Dust clip. Third and fourth place went to Mauricio Garcia's Rotor'scope and Hu Ling's HurricaneX2 Evolution, respectively. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!
Gallery: Dust: An Elysian Tail
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Max Blastronaut
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
fnordbot @ Sep 6th 2009 8:48PM
"extra duckets"
Surely you mean "ducats"?
:-)
M
Phillip @ Sep 6th 2009 9:00PM
Im guessing that the Dust dev is korean or something? It looks pretty good. I don't like the visual style too much myself but its the gameplay that counts.
DeepFriedSushi @ Sep 6th 2009 11:25PM
i read somewhere that hes half korean.
WiredKnight @ Sep 6th 2009 11:29PM
Yea it is really nicely animated, but that running animation has got to go.
Annoying Poster @ Sep 7th 2009 11:19AM
totally agree, the game is way too asian themed and gay.
however, the graphics are awesome and i have to give major props to the indy dev. however,that dumb running animation really really does have to go, it looks so retarded
RANDOM G [King of the Scribblenauts][Sweatshop Retiree] @ Sep 6th 2009 9:05PM
Looks like a really violent Disney movie.
Skaz @ Sep 7th 2009 8:33AM
That pretty much sums up Korean animation in general...
Roger @ Sep 6th 2009 9:12PM
Looks alot like odin sphere...DO FUCKING WANT!
as long as its on xbox live.
Mr Khan @ Sep 6th 2009 9:15PM
Furries indeed. Damn.
Phil @ Sep 6th 2009 9:16PM
Huh, looks like the developer's played a lot of Princess Crown/Odin Sphere/Muramasa or something...
I dunno, the art style isn't... appealing. It's good but... Guh... furries. Do not want.
Gameplay on the other hand, massive chains, side scrolling combat, massive boss fights, Do Want.
...This may be a tough decision once it hits live.
psych7111 @ Sep 6th 2009 9:21PM
Both games look cool but Elysian Tail looks freaking awesome! Definite buy. I can't believe someone could make that on XNA! I've heard the tools are easy to use for developers but hey what do expect from Microsoft, one of the best software developers ever.
Vertimyst @ Sep 6th 2009 9:53PM
Just because something's easy to use doesn't mean it doesn't produce good results. Remember, XNA isn't a point and click app, it's a framework that plugs in to Visual Studio. It's all pure coding, same as with all other professional game design tools.
But I do agree with you, these games look amazing. I'm glad some XNA/Indie Games are standing out from all the crap.
tenor77 @ Sep 8th 2009 6:15PM
You need to think of XNA like Direct X that works with the PC and 360. You can have engines for it, but in it's native form it's straight code, it's just really easy to get content started because all the groundwork is already done.
Melenor @ Sep 6th 2009 9:20PM
That's right, I forgot, you can do so much better.
val @ Sep 6th 2009 9:29PM
Dust is made from the creators of Jazz Jackrabbit. He ain't asian. Not to say he DIDN'T play Odin sphere, but he's got his own credentials that are not only worth your time, but make this game enough to be hyped about and to stand on its own merits. Don't write it off because it LOOKS like it came from the same place that gave us Saiyuki
>.>
val @ Sep 6th 2009 9:31PM
correction:
One of the creators of Jazz Jackrabbit.
Phillip @ Sep 6th 2009 9:34PM
You sure? The logo for Dust has korean on it. It says dust, obviously.
Vertimyst @ Sep 6th 2009 9:49PM
Really? Jazz Jackrabbit was, if I remember correctly, a pretty awesome/fun game. Now that you mention it, this really reminds me of it.
WiredKnight @ Sep 6th 2009 11:25PM
Jazz Jackrabbit was made by Epic, and Cliff Bleszinski was one of the original creators. It's possible his co-creator made Dust, but I haven't found anything that says so.
Perhaps you were simply referring to someone who worked on the game, rather than create it?
val @ Sep 6th 2009 9:42PM
Of course. Look at Earlong Royal Encyclopedia's entry on him:
"Dean Dodrill aka Noogy is the creator of the Jazz Jackrabbit 2 intro and end animations, as well as the animator of Lori Jackrabbit. He was the main artist of the abandoned Jazz Jackrabbit 3 game.
Dean Dodrill used to have a art & animation forum at the JMMB, in which people could share their art. After Dean Dodrill moved his forum to his own domain, Noogy.com, the forum was eventually changed into “The Art Forum”.
Currently, Noogy is working on his own movie, Elysian Tale (originally called Elysium Tail). "
http://www.jazz2online.com/J2Ov2/wiki/index.php?Dean_Dodrill
Well...it's not technically the original. But he did work on the second.
sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Sep 6th 2009 10:04PM
wow gtfo.
sony boy (6 years til sony man child!) @ Sep 6th 2009 10:05PM
KOREA FTW.
Special Agent Steve @ Sep 6th 2009 10:12PM
I saw Elysian, and the first thing that came to my mind was Professor Layton.
Mr Khan @ Sep 6th 2009 10:21PM
I thought of Elysia, gas planet of Metroid Prime 3 (though that's the mindset i'm in right now, with MP Trilogy)
Special Agent Steve @ Sep 6th 2009 10:41PM
Lol, me too with Diabolical box.
reversecycology @ Sep 6th 2009 10:15PM
This is what I love about XNA tools, people can create awesome games like these. XBLA of course have the best downloadable games and now the Indie Game section is getting some quality titles as well, and they're really priced very good. I bought Avatar Drop for a buck, 80 ms points, that's so awesome. I'm buying Avatar Golf next for $5 bucks, 400 ms points, soon. Just fun games.
Snowblind @ Sep 7th 2009 7:19AM
Try "I Made a Game with Zombies"
If you haven't already. Probably the best game on there, he absolutely nailed the formula. Really fun, simple to play and cheap. (80 points).
Kleptomaniac @ Sep 7th 2009 9:22AM
Wow do you work for Microsoft or something?
Jcarpio @ Sep 6th 2009 10:16PM
The Max Blastronaut game looks like a lot of fun.. can't wait to try it
Lurkero @ Sep 6th 2009 10:38PM
Dust certainly looks interesting. I love how 2D platformers are making a comeback. That and Shank have me excited for the future of the genre
RobLink (Alex Kidd incarnate) @ Sep 7th 2009 12:35AM
Shank looks AWESOME! Have you played it?
Fuzunga @ Sep 6th 2009 11:32PM
Jazz Jackrabbit was created by Cliff Bleszinski. Just throwing that out there.
I Are ODST @ Sep 6th 2009 11:39PM
I love shirley temples.
Durden @ Sep 7th 2009 12:07AM
The art style reminds me of Heart of Darkness on PS1.
Come to think of it, wasn't that game in 3D?
freaparn @ Sep 7th 2009 12:21AM
Nah, it was just really well-done 2D. I think the multitude of death animations was my favorite part of that game, heh.
Access Granted [No one can stop Mr. Domino!] @ Sep 7th 2009 12:49AM
Dust is a must-buy for me for two reasons:
1. The gameplay is smooth as butter and pretty lookin'
2. I haven't played a fun sidescroller that wasn't 2.5d in ages and this looks fun!
So yes you can have my MS points as long as the price is reasonable. ;)
Jcarpio @ Sep 7th 2009 9:40AM
well, since the indie games are capped at 400pts now.. that should be reasonable right?
BlackBeltJones @ Sep 7th 2009 1:57AM
I learned of dust on bitmob a few weeks ago and at first I thought it was made by the Odin Sphere guys. I mean it looks incredible for a game let alone a game made by one guy.
Knives @ Sep 7th 2009 6:06AM
When I was young I used to think this kind of art\design style was cute.
Then I was introduced to furries. Now I can't even play through Inherit the Earth without vomiting a little. I can't watch Disney's Robin Hood without feeling uneasy. Somebody designed this. SOMEONE THINKS THIS IS SEXY. I know it's weird that someone else's perversions are ruining an experience for me, but, come to think about it, I simply can't relate to anthropomorphic animals on any level anymore, I can't look at them anymore without thinking some freakin' monster drew this because it gave him a stiffy.
Furries raped my childhood :[
mahouneko @ Sep 7th 2009 7:03AM
I'm surprised that you're not avoiding fish or getting the f- out of society thanks to Disney/Pixar's other anthropomorphism projects like Finding Nemo and Cars. >_>
Knives @ Sep 9th 2009 6:07PM
I haven't been looking, but I doubt there's anyone with a fetish for the cars in Cars. Besides, I know a lot of people get off on a lot of things that I find mundane and not sexual in the least and I really don't mind, but furries specifically totally ruined anthropomorphic animals for me. And I used to like all that stuff as a kid. Which is exactly what I was saying, but you know.
HappyWulf @ Sep 7th 2009 6:19AM
So how far along is it and when can we expect to see a release window?
meatee @ Sep 7th 2009 1:14PM
For such a beautiful looking game, that title screen looks like crap. There's at least 3 bad Photoshop clichés in that thing.
Vandell @ Sep 7th 2009 1:36PM
I doubt the guy was actively thinking "furries!" while creating this..
Probably more like, "anthropomorphic!" or "allegory!"
Bad Joystiq. Bad.
Markers1713 @ Sep 7th 2009 1:48PM
I can't tell if they misspelled 'tale' or not...
kompulsive @ Sep 7th 2009 1:52PM
think someone has a furry fetish?
Josh @ Sep 7th 2009 3:32PM
I think it looks better than it looks like it plays (graphics looks better than gameplay).
Josh @ Sep 7th 2009 3:34PM
Dust, I mean.
Max Blastronaut looks a'ight, too.
JeezWhiz87 @ Sep 7th 2009 6:19PM
My hatred of Furries is at extreme odds with my love for original, and fun sidescrolling platformers.... but I guess it doesn't matter since I don't have an XBox.
kiwasabi @ Sep 7th 2009 11:47PM
I think Microsoft chose visual polish over innovative fun. Production quality only counted for 30% while fun factor was 40% and innovation was 30%. How many points should Dust get for innovation? Zero; this is an extremely generic hack n slash side scroller with good animations (with a bad art style and bad choice in regards to characters).
I can't really comment on the fun factor too much since I haven't played the game; but just based on looks alone, I'd say it's not nearly fun as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. And if you can't even match 15 year old games in the same genre in terms of fun factor, what's the point of making a new entry into the genre anyway? Microsoft is wasting everybody's time by forcing their customers to play the same old, tired crap since they won't allow the truly innovative indies to flourish. They claimed Dream Build Play was all about innovation; it turned out it was all about polish instead.