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We're pretty big fans of indie developer Metanet Software's first offering, N+. That may explain why we were so excited for the announcement of a second currently-in-development title on the company's blog -- Office Yeti. Another explanation could be that the game is about a freakin' yeti in an office. The game is still early in development and was only being worked on "part-time" until recently. Metanet teases Rampage and Skool Daze-inspired gameplay, calling it: "A single-player action/puzzle/simulation game in which players assume control of a yeti who works in an office." Magical!

Unfortunately, it appears that we won't be seeing anything new on Robotology in the near future, as the developer is still working hard on having a playable entry for the IGF deadline this November. "Despite months and months of work, it's still nowhere near complete, but at the same time we've managed to get most of the vital parts figured out," Metanet says. Aside from the teasing of possible screenshots coming soon, it looks like we're not going to get anything new this year to play. Sometimes a taste of honey is worse than none at all.

Source 1 - Metanet
Source 2 - Metanet

[Via Offworld]

In fairness, Metanet Software's first video for Robotology (found after the break) is more physics demo than it is gameplay demo -- or even proof of concept, for that matter. Though considering the pedigree behind the game (Metanet made N+, this week's Xbox Live deal!), we're willing to overlook the less than thrilling minute-plus video in celebration of the sheer tenacity with which Metanet attacks its game development.

In fact, according to the Metanet website, the action in the video represents, "almost 800 lines of code, painstakingly hand-transcribed from graph paper and Flash mockups" -- oh my! Here's hoping it all pays off when the game ships ... eventually. And now, friends, we play the waiting game.

[Via Eurogamer]

After we played the excellent pre-alpha DS version of N+, we were asked by the game's producer, David Geudelekian, if we wanted to meet Metanet, the creators of the original N. It's sort of a strange feeling, to play a game and then be escorted directly to the people responsible for it, by another person responsible for it. Or, at least, it would have been, had Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns, as well as David, not been so genial. Metanet was at PAX promoting the Xbox Live Arcade N+, which they are developing along with Slick Entertainment.

Metanet's N+ booth, hidden behind Atari's in the corner of the exhibition hall, was as indie as the game, featuring a custom-built 360 display unit accessible only after a series of wall jumps and guarded by automated machine gun turrets; Mare and Raigan took a break from challenging convention-goers to multiplayer N+ (victors got t-shirts) to take part in an impromptu chat about the new multiplatform adaptation of their Independent Games Festival Audience Award-winning Flash game, its platforming influences, and even about their mysterious new game, Robotology. The interview continued via email afterward, when we weren't in one of the world's loudest places.