Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Splice cuts its way to PS3 this year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/splice-cuts-its-way-to-ps3-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/splice-cuts-its-way-to-ps3-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/splice-cuts-its-way-to-ps3-this-year/#commentsSplice cuts its way to PS3 this year Splice is on its way to PSN for PS3, by early fall at the latest. Splice is the successful gaming experiment from Cipher Prime, a studio with a rich history of crafting clean, artfully scored and brain-twisting games, such as Auditorium, Fractal and Pulse.

It's a puzzle game disguised as a science project, asking players to create specific cell strands from an unorganized group of binary branches. Each strand has a max number of moves, and if the player can't complete it within that framework, it's possible to reverse time and try again. Splice offers more than 70 puzzles to tickle your own cell strands. In your brain.

Splice is available on PC, Mac, Linux (on Steam), iPad and Android.

JoystiqSplice cuts its way to PS3 this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-primeplaystationps3PSNspliceWed, 12 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/#comments This year's PAX 10 include JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and moreThe PAX 10, an illustrious group of indie games chosen annually to be spotlighted during PAX Prime in Seattle, have been selected. This year's rarified group include the likes of Johann Sebastian Joust, Offspring Fling! - a game we highlighted in length on the Super Joystiq Podcast - and hypnotic iOS darling Puzzlejuice.

Other lesser-known titles include the latest from Cipher Prime, the studio behind Auditorium and Fractal, a Steam title called Splice, and puzzle games Containment: The Zombie Puzzler and The Bridge. Puzzle-platformer The Swapper is also represented, along with DigiPen's stealth-action game Deity and Catch-22. Turtle Sandbox's action-strategy hybrid Cannon Brawl rounds out the list of ten.

All PAX 10 titles will be featured in their own special area at this year's PAX Prime, which goes down August 31 through September 2 in downtown Seattle, WA.

JoystiqThis year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asher-vollmerbootsnake-gamescannon-brawlcatch-22cipher-primecontainment-the-zombie-puzzlerdeityDie-Gute-Fabrikdigipenfacepalm-gamesiosipadiphonejohann-sebastian-joustkpulvmacmango-downmicrosoftmobileoffspring-flingpaxpax-10pax-prime-2012pcpuzzlejuicesplicethe-bridgethe-swapperturtle-sandboxty-taylor-and-mario-castanedaxboxFri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Splice takes experimental puzzle games back to the lab today on Steam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/splice-takes-experimental-puzzle-games-back-to-the-lab-today-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/splice-takes-experimental-puzzle-games-back-to-the-lab-today-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/splice-takes-experimental-puzzle-games-back-to-the-lab-today-on/#comments
Splice takes experimental puzzle games back to the lab today on Steam
Splice, the newest game from Auditorium developer Cipher Prime, is available today on Steam for $10, on both PC and Mac. Splice is also available as a soundtrack package deal for $13, and the soundtrack, Flight of Angels, is purchasable on its own for $5.

Coming from a studio known for its musicality, the Splice soundtrack should be a piece of microbial heaven: Immerse your senses in its auditory particulates with the video above or listen to the soundtrack on Bandcamp.

Splice takes place in the world between millimeters, under microscopes, presenting geometry and sequence puzzles in the form of microbial strands, all set to the soothing melodies of science. Splice features almost 100 strands in all, with each one presenting new challenges and riddles.

Gallery: Splice

Continue reading Splice takes experimental puzzle games back to the lab today on Steam

JoystiqSplice takes experimental puzzle games back to the lab today on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-primemacpcsoundtrackspliceSTEAMThu, 14 Jun 2012 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Auditorium 2: Duet raises the full $60,000 through Kickstarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/auditorium-2-duet-raises-the-full-60-000-through-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/auditorium-2-duet-raises-the-full-60-000-through-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/auditorium-2-duet-raises-the-full-60-000-through-kickstarter/#comments

When we first began covering Auditorium, Pulse, and Fractal creator Cipher Prime, developer Will Stallwood spoke mostly in uncertainties concerning his coming sequel, Auditorium 2: Duet: "We're hoping to," "Only if," "We're going to try" and similar phrases. Today the update on Duet's Kickstarter is full of certainty: "WE DID IT!!!!!!!"

With less than three days left to fund the project, Cipher Prime raised more than $60,000, completing its goal and ensuring work on Duet is a go. More than 55 hours still remain in its campaign, and it is still collecting what we like to call "icing" funding.

"We're going to make Auditorium Duet for you, and it will be awesome, and we truly, truly, truly owe everything to you guys," Cipher Prime wrote in its Kickstarter victory post. "Thank you to all of our long-time fans and people who've only just heard of us (we'll convert you into long-time fans soon enough!)."

JoystiqAuditorium 2: Duet raises the full $60,000 through Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditorium-2-duetauditorium-duetcipher-primeDain-SaintfundedkickstartermacpcWill-StallwoodWed, 28 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Schafer stigma: How his successful Kickstarter went to your head]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/the-schafer-stigma-how-his-successful-kickstarter-went-to-your/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/the-schafer-stigma-how-his-successful-kickstarter-went-to-your/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/the-schafer-stigma-how-his-successful-kickstarter-went-to-your/#comments I first heard about Kickstarter at San Diego Comic-Con 2010 in an early morning panel about black writers and artists in the graphic-novel industry, titled "Nappy Hour." I was there to secure a seat in the following panel -- which was a Dark Horse feature and may have included an appearance by the wonderful Gerard Way, writer of The Umbrella Academy and singer in this amazing band you probably haven't heard of (don't judge me) -- but "Nappy Hour" turned out to be one of the best presentations I saw that weekend.

Throughout the panel, author and performer Pam Noles mentioned Kickstarter as an underground, free-spirited way of funding creative projects, and said she had used it to fund a few of her own endeavors. I imagined an online co-op of artists and philanthropists holding hands and running through rich, green fields together, composing sonnets about how wonderful everything was, and supporting only the most remarkable of projects. When I got home and checked it out myself, I found a site similar to Etsy, but where the items for sale were half-finished, semi-formed ideas from people who seemed dedicated to carrying them out.

I thought it was wonderful.

Continue reading The Schafer stigma: How his successful Kickstarter went to your head

JoystiqThe Schafer stigma: How his successful Kickstarter went to your head originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidAuditoriumauditorium-2-duetcipher-primedouble-fineDouble-Fine-Adventureiosipadiphonekickstartermacmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3Tim-SchaferWill-StallwoodxboxThu, 01 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How one indie studio burns $15K per month (or: this graph looks like Pac-Man)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/how-one-indie-studio-burns-15k-per-month-or-this-graph-looks/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/how-one-indie-studio-burns-15k-per-month-or-this-graph-looks/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/how-one-indie-studio-burns-15k-per-month-or-this-graph-looks/#comments $15,000 sounds like a lot of money -- why yes, I would like to buy a brand new motorcycle, thank you -- and for an indie studio, it's just enough to keep the engine running. Indie Studio Cipher Prime know this better than most, having tried various funding styles for its three titles, Auditorium, Pulse and Fractal, and now banking on Kickstarter to finance its newest installment, Auditorium 2: Duet.

Dain Saint of Cipher Prime put together this handy visual breakdown of what $15,000 means for his studio, and for the likelihood that his team will be able to buy groceries each week. Co-founder Will Stallwood points out that the graph doesn't include health insurance, because they "opted for food over health insurance," and it doesn't list the debt Cipher Prime has piled up from using credit cards to offset slow months.

Check out the full graph below for a rough representation of Cipher Prime's expenses. Again, note that it doesn't account for everything, including equipment costs or the price of a pro license of Duet's engine, Unity, which runs $6,000.

Continue reading How one indie studio burns $15K per month (or: this graph looks like Pac-Man)

JoystiqHow one indie studio burns $15K per month (or: this graph looks like Pac-Man) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditorium-2-duetauditorium-duetcipher-primeDain-Saintiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3Will-StallwoodxboxWed, 29 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The price of independence: What it really costs to be an indie developer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/the-price-of-independence-what-it-really-costs-to-be-an-indie-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/the-price-of-independence-what-it-really-costs-to-be-an-indie-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/the-price-of-independence-what-it-really-costs-to-be-an-indie-d/#comments Will Stallwood is a gambler. He's had the same addiction for years, yet he's never stepped foot inside a casino.

He's never found himself hunched over a table fitted with worn green felt, sliding his last two chips between sweaty, shaking palms. He's never felt the sick dread as a slot machine whirs through its final frame; he doesn't know if he prefers red or black. Stallwood has been addicted to gambling on the success of his indie studio, Cipher Prime, since its triumphant launch of Auditorium in 2008. But this year feels different. This year Stallwood feels as if his lucky streak may finally be running out.

Cipher Prime isn't an unknown team of novice developers working out of a garage, but that doesn't mean they're rolling in dough either. Its previous titles were successful, but after a deal went raw with Fractal's publisher, Zoo Games, Cipher Prime was stuck with a rushed title and more debt than it ever expected.

Stallwood and Cipher Prime co-founder Dain Saint had to legally fight for the rights to their own game, eventually getting them back more than 200 days after Fractal launched on the App Store. Saint and Stallwood were understandably turned off of the old-school publishing route.

"We were not a fan of the publisher model before, because it just covers development and we never see royalties no matter how good the game goes," Stallwood said. "Now, we're just completely sour to the whole thing. We're not completely opposed if it means the difference between making games or not, but if there is any way we can avoid it and still make games, we're certainly going to try."

Cipher Prime has found another way -- it hopes -- with Kickstarter.

Gallery: Auditorium 2: Duet - Multiplayer Design Concept

Continue reading The price of independence: What it really costs to be an indie developer

JoystiqThe price of independence: What it really costs to be an indie developer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditorium-2-duetauditorium-duetcipher-primeDain-SaintIndieiosipadiphonekickstarterlifestylemicrosoftmobilemoneypcphillyplaystationps3PublisherWill-StallwoodxboxWed, 29 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Auditorium 2: Duet multiplayer wants you to make sweet harmonies with that special someone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-2-duet-multiplayer-wants-you-to-make-sweet-harmonies/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-2-duet-multiplayer-wants-you-to-make-sweet-harmonies/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-2-duet-multiplayer-wants-you-to-make-sweet-harmonies/#comments Indie studio Cipher Prime has launched a Kickstarter project for Auditorium 2: Duet, the sequel to 2008's rhythm-physics title Auditorium, which is celebrating its debut on Steam today. Duet aims to be a polished playground built on the experience Cipher Prime has gained developing Auditorium, Pulse and Fractal over the past three years, but its most exciting feature is something none of the developers have attempted before -- multiplayer.

"When we first started our studio we were very nervous," Cipher Prime's Will Stallwood told Joystiq in an exclusive interview. "We created Auditorium by accident and had little game design experience. We've spent the past three years honing our skills so we could tackle multiplayer.

"Auditorium has been our playground since the day we started, so the only logical step is to keep her as our playground," Stallwood adds, unknowingly outing Auditorium as a female game, for those of you keeping score.

Auditorium 2: Duet will be optimized for two-player gameplay, and Cipher Prime will be testing it as a local feature to start, with tentative plans -- more like vehement wishes -- to include PS3/Steam and iPad/Steam crossplay functions down the line.

Gallery: Auditorium 2: Duet - Multiplayer Design Concept

Continue reading Auditorium 2: Duet multiplayer wants you to make sweet harmonies with that special someone

JoystiqAuditorium 2: Duet multiplayer wants you to make sweet harmonies with that special someone originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Auditoriumauditorium-2-duetAuditorium-Duetcipher-primedomesticityfractaliosipadiphonekickstartermobilemultiplayerpcplaystationps3PulsesequelTue, 28 Feb 2012 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Auditorium devs look to Kickstarter for sequel funding]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-devs-look-to-kickstarter-for-sequel-funding/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-devs-look-to-kickstarter-for-sequel-funding/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/auditorium-devs-look-to-kickstarter-for-sequel-funding/#comments Will Stallwood and Dain Saint of indie studio Cipher Prime don't want to buy new Ferraris.

Actually, they may want to do that -- because hello, Ferraris -- but that's not where their current focus lies. Cipher Prime wants to make a sequel to its first title Auditorium, titled Auditorium 2: Duet, and has turned to Kickstarter to crowdsource a portion of its budget.

Cipher Prime is the conductor behind a trio of ambient, subtly beautiful, rhythm-based brain busters. After launching the originally Flash-based Auditorium in 2008, the developer orchestrated two follow-up titles: Pulse and Fractal. Since then Auditorium has been ported to iOS, PS3, Xbox 360 and PSP, and today marks its launch on Steam -- and, Stallwood hopes, the launch of its sequel's development.

Speaking exclusively with Joystiq, Cipher Prime's Will Stallwood says development of Auditorium 2: Duet will only take place if the team manages to hit its sizable Kickstarter goal of $60,000. According to the developer, the goal represents half of what the team needs to complete the project, with Cipher Prime contributing the other half of necessary funds.

Continue reading Auditorium devs look to Kickstarter for sequel funding

JoystiqAuditorium devs look to Kickstarter for sequel funding originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Auditoriumauditorium-2-duetauditorium-duetcipher-primeDain-Saintfractaliosipadiphonekickstartermicrosoftmobilemultiplayerpcplaystationps3pspPulsesonyWill-StallwoodxboxTue, 28 Feb 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Fractal: Make Blooms Not War (iPad)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/portabliss-fractal-make-blooms-not-war-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/portabliss-fractal-make-blooms-not-war-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/portabliss-fractal-make-blooms-not-war-ipad/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Fractal: Make Blooms Not War..
My entire life, I've had a problem. When I see multiple shapes or objects of the same color, I feel this need to push them together and make them vanish. It's instinctual, some kind of primordial need I must fulfill at every given opportunity.

And that's why I can't put down Fractal: Make Blooms Not War from Cipher Prime, the developer of Pulse and Auditorium.

Gallery: Fractal: Make Blooms Not War (iPad)

Continue reading Portabliss: Fractal: Make Blooms Not War (iPad)

JoystiqPortabliss: Fractal: Make Blooms Not War (iPad) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-primefractalfractal-make-blooms-not-warmobileportablissFri, 02 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Get Pulse on iPad for $1.99 through August 12 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/05/get-pulse-on-ipad-for-1-99-through-august-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/05/get-pulse-on-ipad-for-1-99-through-august-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/05/get-pulse-on-ipad-for-1-99-through-august-10/#comments Auditorium developer Cipher Prime released Pulse on iPad back in May and has since enjoyed 12 consecutive weeks in the top 10 iPad music game charts. To celebrate this success, Cipher Prime has slashed the price of Pulse: Volume One down to $1.99 through Wednesday, August 10 -- a 60 percent saving off its usual asking price of $4.99. [Update: The deal has been extended and will now conclude on Friday, August 12.]

We'd never dare tell you what to do with your money, but we can think of worse ways to spend a couple bucks. Did you really need that comb that looks like a switchblade? Okay, definitely, but you get the point.

Gallery: Pulse: Volume One (iPad)

JoystiqGet Pulse on iPad for $1.99 through August 12 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipher-primeipadmobilepulsepulse-volume-oneFri, 05 Aug 2011 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pulse, from makers of Auditorium, now on iPad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/pulse-from-makers-of-auditorium-now-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/pulse-from-makers-of-auditorium-now-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/pulse-from-makers-of-auditorium-now-on-ipad/#comments The lovely, addictive Auditorium is a big favorite at Joystiq HQ, and developer Cipher Prime has just delivered an equally enjoyable follow-up, Pulse: Volume One, a new rhythm game for iPad. It's unsurprisingly tough to describe, but if you like tapping screens in time with music as you simultaneously create lovely visuals, we imagine you're really going to enjoy it.

If you're a little nervous about parting with $5 sight unseen, we've got a gallery of screens and a promo code for one of you just after the break.

Gallery: Pulse: Volume One (iPad)

Continue reading Pulse, from makers of Auditorium, now on iPad

JoystiqPulse, from makers of Auditorium, now on iPad originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditoriumcipher-primeiosipadmobilepulsepulse-volume-oneThu, 05 May 2011 19:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Auditorium flowing to XBLA, PSN and PSP next year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/auditorium-flowing-to-xbla-psn-and-psp-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/auditorium-flowing-to-xbla-psn-and-psp-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/auditorium-flowing-to-xbla-psn-and-psp-next-year/#comments We haven't heard anything about Cipher Prime's plans to port its hypnotic musical puzzler, Auditorium, since the studio won a publishing contract in the 2BeeGames competition back in July. Today, a press release from newly named publisher Zoo Games revealed a few details about the title's console destinations: It's coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, both as a PS3 and PSP download "early next year."

For those who want to know what the soothing buzz is all about, you can check out Auditorium for free on the 2BeeGames site. For those who can't access that site for some reason, just turn on some classical music, go turn on the nearest water faucet, and try to redirect the stream with your hands.

JoystiqAuditorium flowing to XBLA, PSN and PSP next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditoriumcipher-primeMicrosoftmusicpsnpuzzlexblaXbox-360zoo-gamesWed, 04 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie music-puzzle game Auditorium coming to consoles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/indie-music-puzzle-game-auditorium-coming-to-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/indie-music-puzzle-game-auditorium-coming-to-consoles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/indie-music-puzzle-game-auditorium-coming-to-consoles/#comments
Auditorium has been singularly responsible for reducing the work capacity of this blogger. Why? It's addictive -- why not give it a try? The music-puzzle game is simple to learn, but hard to master. An ethereal stream flows across the screen and players must position various orbs to redirect the flow. As you activate various pads, the background music becomes far more complex and lively. (Let's just say it's much more effective to play than to explain.)

The developer, Cipher Prime, recently won an indie game competition at 2BeeGames, and will now find the game published across multiple console systems. While specifics haven't been announced yet, we're hopeful to see the game appear on as many platforms as possible.

JoystiqIndie music-puzzle game Auditorium coming to consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2beegamesauditoriumcipher-primeindieWed, 22 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST