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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs delayed once more to Q2 2013]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/amnesiapigsareinvolved-1329953438.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.frictionalgames.com/site/node/126">An official blog post</a> from Frictional Games now says that the publisher's <em>Amnesia: The Dark Descent</em> followup, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Amnesia-A-Machine-for-Pigs/">subtitled <em>A Machine for Pigs</em></a>, is due out not in "early 2013," <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/">as last stated</a>, but in "Q2 2013," which means in April of this year or later. That's another slight delay for the title, which was originally scheduled for release back at Halloween last year.<br /><br />What's the holdup? Frictional says that <em>A Machine for Pigs</em> was originally planned as "a short, experimental game set in the universe of Amnesia," but as developers <a href="http://www.thechineseroom.co.uk/">thechineseroom</a> filled out the project, it became apparent that the "short experiment" was becoming "a fully fledged <em>Amnesia</em> game." So Frictional has made the decision to do it up right, which means another few months of waiting for fans. Frictional also says pricing and availability information is coming soon, so we'll keep an eye out for that.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs delayed once more to Q2 2013</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:15:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20468436/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-once-more-to-q2-2013/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia</category><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>amnesia-the-dark-descent</category><category>frictional-games</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Schramm]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:15:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs will take lessons from Dear Esther]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/"><img alt="Amnesia A Machine for Pigs will take lessons from Dear Esther" data-src-height="385" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/08/pinchbeck.jpg" style="margin: 4px; " /></a></div>One of the keys to creating <a href="http://joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a>, said thechineseroom's Dan Pinchbeck, was allowing the player as much control over the narrative as possible. Speaking at a panel during GDC Europe, Pinchbeck addressed the intentional ambiguity of <em>Dear Esther</em>, saying that it gave players more freedom, thus making their time with the game more enjoyable. Rather than presenting the player with predetermined series of events, <em>Dear Esther</em>'s story is filled with ambiguity and revealed randomly, leaving it to the player to interpret it. In a very real sense, they actually participate in the story's creation.<br /><br />While most games lay out their stories in a clear, linear fashion - think big budget FPS and action games - Pinchbeck likens <em>Dear Esther</em>'s story to a toy box. Instead of giving players a cohesive, linear story, thechineseroom created story blocks and lets players put them together. It's a bit like "story Minecraft," he said. "The story of <em>Dear Esther</em> doesn't actually particularly tell you anything. It just suggests things that could have happened, but you can do the work."<br /><br />People are driven to think of events in terms of story, he said. "If something looks and feels enough like a story, people are likely to interpret the action in a storied way." As such, when creating <em>Dear Esther</em>, thechineseroom wasn't concerned with creating a complete, fully rounded story. "What we can try and do in games, is not tell a story, but to provide the player with the toolbox - the tools, the bricks that they need to tell the stories themselves," said Pinchbeck. "In exactly the same way that we consider things like physics sandboxes," he adds, "if you provide those units of useful, interesting stuff that players can play with, they will create an experience from it."<br /><br />During the Q&amp;A session, we asked Pinchbeck if Thechineseroom's next project, <a href="http://joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em></a> will follow the same model of abstract storytelling. Unlike <em>Dear Esther</em>, said Pinchbeck, <em>A Machine for Pigs</em> exists within the constraints of a "classic horror story," so it won't follow the same model entirely. "What we're going to try and do is we're going to try and keep the lessons that we've learned in terms of not funneling the plot down, not being really explicit with the player about what's going on, using inference, using suggestion," he said. "We're trying to have any opportunities we can to keep that open" for players to do the work of piecing together the ambiguous bits, which he says are especially important in a horror game. "You pretty much can't represent anything in a horror game that's going to be more scary than what the player thinks you're going to represent, and the moment you actually show it, you've lost an awful lot of the power you've got to scare them."<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs will take lessons from Dear Esther</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:20:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20299273/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/13/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-will-take-lessons-from-dear-esther/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>gdc-europe-2012</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Mitchell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:20:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs delayed to 2013]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/03/amnesia.jpg" style="width: 530px; height: 346px; " /></a></div>Excellent news for the sanity of survival horror fans everywhere: <a href="http://joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em></a> will not be making its intended 2012 launch. Originally slated to arrive in time for Halloween, <em>A Machine for Pigs</em> will now be released in early 2013, thechineseroom creative director Dan Pinchbeck said in a recent interview with <a href="http://www.gamezone.com/products/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/originals/interview-everybody-s-gone-to-the-rapture-and-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs">GameZone</a>. "The quality of the game is the absolute first, last, and always with this development," he told the outlet, adding that the game "could do with a few more months' work."<br /><br />In a follow-up with <a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/news/no-machines-for-pigs-until-2013/4266/">Giant Bomb</a>, Pinchbeck noted that thechineseroom will "definitely have more to show in the not too distant future."<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs delayed to 2013</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20277127/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/12/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-delayed-to-2013/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>delay</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Mitchell]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Scared Stiff: Amnesia and the evolution of the modern horror game]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<font color="#808080"><small>If it's horror, Colette Bennett knows it. This column is dedicated to everything frightening gaming has to offer, from ghostly little Japanese girls to flesh eating zombie dogs.</small></font><br /><div> <hr size="2" style="padding-left: 5px; " width="100%" /></div><div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/amnesiapigsareinvolved-1329953438.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 4px; width: 530px; height: 320px; " /></a></div>You fumble through the darkness, your feet slopping in the rain. You have no idea where you are or how you even got here. An unfamiliar sound reverberates in the distance, its tinny undertones stinging your ears and furthering your sense of confusion. You're alone and have nothing to defend yourself with. And the only sound you can hear is that of your breathing, ragged with panic.<br /><br />There's no mistaking it - this is survival horror.<br /><br />Unlike the basic action and platform genre, the evolution of horror titles has followed a slow, twisty path. By the mid-nineties, it was known for its signature talent: the ability to reel you into a dark, unknown world like a helpless fish. Titles like <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Silent-Hill/">Silent Hill</a></em> and <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Resident-Evil/">Resident Evil</a></em> acted as some of the first passports into the journey we now refer to as "psychological horror." <em>System Shock</em>, <em>Parasite Eve</em>,<em> Fatal Frame</em>, and <em>Siren </em>were memorable trips into less-than-reassuring territory. Throw in some unexplained, mysterious figures, watch the world spin out of control, and you've got one hell of a recipe for an addictive genre. Who would have thought that fog-choked towns and shambling creatures who greet you with a spray of vomit could be so appealing?<br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835899"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/cellarengine1b_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835900"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/chapel1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835901"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/skybox1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Scared Stiff: Amnesia and the evolution of the modern horror game</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/">Scared Stiff: Amnesia and the evolution of the modern horror game</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20256443/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/scared-stiff-amnesia-and-the-evolution-of-the-modern-horror-gam/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>Dan-Pinchbeck</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>pc</category><category>Scared-Stiff-2012</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>Thomas-Grip</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Colette Bennett]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs dev teases ... um, a pig monster]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe id="viddler-14c365e1" src="//www.viddler.com/embed/14c365e1/?f=1&amp;autoplay=0&amp;player=simple&amp;secret=68458880&amp;loop=0&amp;nologo=0&amp;hd=0" width="599" height="357" frameborder="0" mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true"></iframe><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/machineforpigsheader530pxwmed.jpg" style="width: 530px; height: 350px; display:none" /></div><br />The terror of Frictional's first Amnesia game never involved the almost comical squeals of a pig wielding what sounds like an axe. In <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em></a>, that's all gonna change. See - er, <em>hear</em> - for yourself in the latest teaser, above.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs dev teases ... um, a pig monster</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20259559/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-dev-teases-a-um-pig-monster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>frictional</category><category>frictional-games</category><category>mac</category><category>pc</category><category>teaser</category><category>the-chinese-room</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>trailer</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Gilbert]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dear Esther sales crash against 100,000]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/"><img alt="Image" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/05/100k.png" style="margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 530px; height: 151px; " /></a></div><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a>, the atmospheric indie title from thechineseroom, has sold more than 100,000 copies, shortly following the title's launch for <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/">Mac on Steam</a>. Developer Robert Briscoe shared the news on <em>Dear Esther</em>'s official site:<br /><br /><blockquote class="bq-standard"> "I have to admit I was a little unsure as to what to expect from sales of <em>Dear Esther</em> once we went to retail, we all were - there was no real benchmark to go by at the time, so I'm extremely pleased to see so many people enjoying the game, and most importantly, proving that gamers are open and eager to new ideas and experiences outside of the boundaries of 'traditional' gameplay. Thanks to everyone who has supported us through this journey, and who will hopefully continue to support us in the future!"</blockquote><br /><em>Dear Esther </em>is half off through Thursday, May 17 in Steam's <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/203810/">Midweek Madness</a> sale, running just $5.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/">Dear Esther sales crash against 100,000</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20239732/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/dear-esther-sales-crash-against-100-000/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>100000</category><category>dear-esther</category><category>mac</category><category>pc</category><category>sales</category><category>STEAM</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Conditt]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dear Esther comes to Mac on Steam, is half off through Thursday]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-enters-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/"><img alt="Image" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/05/dear-esther-cave.jpg" style="margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 530px; height: 298px; " /></a></div><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a> has finally wandered across the barren PC wasteland to end up on Mac as part of the larger Steam island system. <em>Dear Esther</em>, developed by current <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em></a> team thechineseroom,<em> </em>now supports SteamPlay and is half off for Midweek Madness, through May 17.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/">Dear Esther comes to Mac on Steam, is half off through Thursday</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 15 May 2012 22:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20238597/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/dear-esther-comes-to-mac-on-steam-is-half-off-through-thursday/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dear-esther</category><category>mac</category><category>pc</category><category>STEAM</category><category>SteamPlay</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Conditt]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 22:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia dev shares secrets of evolving the horror genre]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre-were-s/"><img alt="Image" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/05/amnesia-legs.jpg" style="margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 530px; height: 298px; " /></a></div>Frictional Games proved it knows how to make a game that would scare the bejeezus out of Beelzebub himself with <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-the-dark-descent"><em>Amnesia: The Dark Descent</em></a>, but there's always room for improvement. Frictional's Thomas Grip has compiled a list of 10 items that can "take horror games to the next level," and (surprisingly) it doesn't begin with "Everything opposite of <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/resident-evil-operation-raccoon-city-review/"><em>Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City</em></a>." It does, however, touch on a few points that could have put the "horror" back into that particular survival-horror title.<br /><br />Grip suggests "minimal combat," "long build-up" and "doubt" are essential to evolve the horror genre, and we've already seen these aspects work wonderfully in <em>Amnesia</em>. Another aspect Grip notes is "no enemies," which he clarifies as follows: "What I mean is that we need to stop thinking of any creatures that we put into the game as 'enemies.' The word enemy makes us think about war and physical conflict, which is really not the focus in a horror game."<br /><br />Grip's list seems to focus on different approaches to immersion and connecting to players on an emotional, human level before ensuring they won't be able to sleep properly for a few weeks at least. All 10 points are described in full on Frictional's <a href="http://frictionalgames.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/10-ways-to-evolve-horror-games.html">blog</a>.<br /><br />Perhaps we'll see a few of these fleshed out in <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs</em></a>, a sequel in development by thechineseroom and overseen by Frictional itself.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/">Amnesia dev shares secrets of evolving the horror genre</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 01 May 2012 18:45:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20228361/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/amnesia-dev-shares-secrets-of-evolving-the-horror-genre/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>amnesia-the-dark-descent</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>horror</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>Thomas-Grip</category><category>tips</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Conditt]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 01 May 2012 18:45:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs aims to frighten you, even if you know what to expect]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/03/amnesia.jpg" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; " /></a></div><em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-the-dark-descent">Amnesia</a> </em>proved, among other things, that atmosphere is one of the most important aspects in a horror title, trumping jumpy music, grotesque character designs and top-of-the-line graphics -- but now imagine <em>Amnesia</em>'s panicked, clammy tone coming from a game as dark and beautiful as <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a>. Pure <em>terror</em>.<br /><br />This is what <em>Amnesia </em>developer Frictional Games has charged <em>Dear Esther</em>'s thechineseroom with accomplishing in <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs"><em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em></a>.<br /><br />"The thing is, if we don't frighten people as much as the original, then we've failed," Dan Pinchbeck of thechineseroom told <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/167251/Amnesia_A_Machine_For_Pigs_A_collaboration_of_indie_horror.php">Gamasutra</a>. "But now we have to frighten people that know what to expect. The big design challenge is: How do we protect the things that make Amnesia great, and how do we evolve everything else to make a really fresh experience?"<br /><br />Pinchbeck wants players to be reminded of the original <em>Amnesia </em>with each shiver of fear, but to be so enthralled by the new, horrific world that it will feel as if "something has burrowed into your head and is just scratching its nails at you. But you're so hooked. Inside, you're peeling away like bodies from a pile and you just can't stop yourself," Pinchbeck said.<br /><br />Now <em>that </em>sounds like fun.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs aims to frighten you, even if you know what to expect</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20203387/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-aims-to-frighten-you-even-if-you-kn/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia</category><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>amnesia-the-dark-descent</category><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>horror</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Conditt]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building A Machine for Pigs and expanding the universe of Amnesia]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/amnesiapigsareinvolved-1329953438.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; " /></a></div>It takes place sixty years after <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Amnesia-The-Dark-Descent/">Amnesia: The Dark Descent</a></em> at the turn of the twentieth century, yet the next game to carry the franchise's moniker will feel like familiar territory in one major respect: it is built to scare you senseless.<br /><br />It's six-o-clock in the morning. My tea jolts me awake. The street outside is silent. It's serene and peaceful all around me, until I call Frictional Games designer Thomas Grip. His voice booms in my headset; he's obviously excited. This is the first time his team can talk about his upcoming project. This is how I was introduced to <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Amnesia-A-Machine-for-Pigs/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a></em>.<p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Building A Machine for Pigs and expanding the universe of Amnesia</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/">Building A Machine for Pigs and expanding the universe of Amnesia</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20177569/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/building-a-machine-for-pigs-and-expanding-the-universe-of-amnesi/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>amnesia</category><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>mac</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>Thomas-Grip</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Xav de Matos]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:15:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is the next title from Frictional Games and Dear Esther dev]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/machineforpigsheader530pxwmed.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 530px; height: 350px; " /></a></div>The power of two crowned indie developer darlings have joined together to form one team, set to bring the <em>Amnesia </em>franchise into a new era.<br /><br />Speaking exclusively with Joystiq, Frictional Games and <em>Dear Esther's</em> thechineseroom have revealed their latest project, <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Amnesia-A-Machine-for-Pigs/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a></em>.<br /><br />Developed by thechineseroom and produced by Frictional Games, <em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em> is planned for a debut on PC later this year. No firm date has been set, but internally the two studios hope to launch before Halloween. A recent alternate reality game has been <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/18/amnesia-follow-up-teased-with-arg-more-clues/">teasing the the next <em>Amnesia</em>'s reveal</a>, sending fans into a frenzy.<br /><br />"It's not a direct sequel, in terms of it doesn't follow on from the story of <em>Amnesia</em>. It doesn't involve the same characters," <em>Dear Esther</em> writer Dan Pinchbeck told me. Instead, <em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em> will be set in the same "alternate history and set in the same universe." In short, the game will look to scare your pants off.<br /><br />Set in 1899, <em>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</em> follows the "wealthy industrialist" Oswald Mandus, who has returned home from "a disastrous expedition to Mexico, which has ended in tragedy." Struck by a destructive fever, Mandus is haunted by dreams of a dark machine until he mysteriously regains consciousness. Months have passed, unbeknownst to the industry tycoon, and as he emerges from his slumber the roaring engine of a mysterious machine sputters to life.<br /><br />A detailed interview with Frictional Games designer Thomas Grip and thechineseroom's Dan Pinchbeck is coming later today, delving deeper into the darkness with <em>Amnesia</em>'s next chapter. And yes, the two discuss what <em>A Machine for Pigs</em> means.<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835899"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/cellarengine1b_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835900"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/chapel1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#4835901"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/skybox1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/">Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is the next title from Frictional Games and Dear Esther dev</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:15:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20177210/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Amnesia</category><category>amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs</category><category>Frictional-Games</category><category>pc</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Xav de Matos]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:15:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dear Esther turned a profit in just 5 hours, 30 minutes]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; "> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/dear-esther.jpg" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; " /></a></div>Last year Indie Fund voted to support <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a>, a rebuild of the popular <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/half-life-2"><em>Half-Life 2 </em></a>mod, and it gave developer thechineseroom $55,000 in one lump sum. Indie Fund had its reservations: In an email to thechineseroom's Dan Pinchbeck before handing over the money, Indie Fund said the Steam audience may not understand <em>Dear Esther</em> and it proposed a release on PSN instead. This didn't happen, and thankfully so.<br /><br /><em>Dear Esther</em> recouped Indie Fund's $55,000 investment yesterday in just 5 hours and 30 minutes, selling 16,000 copies and becoming the top-selling title on Steam for the entire day. This means all the sales now are going directly to thechineseroom, whether to fund another game, add to this one or take a team-building sky-diving trip, we'll have to wait and see.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/">Dear Esther turned a profit in just 5 hours, 30 minutes</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20172665/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dear-esther-turned-a-profit-in-just-5-hours-30-minutes/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>dear-esther</category><category>Indie-fund</category><category>Investment</category><category>pc</category><category>profit</category><category>STEAM</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>top-selling</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jessica Conditt]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[PSA: Dear Esther has wandered onto Steam]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/"><img alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/jakobson0065_530x298.jpg" style="width: 530px; height: 298px;" /></a></div>Moving away from <em>de rigueur </em>violence, we're excited to hear about the re-release of <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther"><em>Dear Esther</em></a>, a moody game and former mod that is -- last we checked -- in no way about explosions and wars.<br /><br /><em>Dear Esther</em> is available for $9.99 right now on Steam. It's an adventure game for the Windows PC where, as a lost man, you explore a massive and beautiful island. Go ahead and thank Valve's Source engine, which powered <em>Portal 2</em>, for the "<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/dear-esther-is-looking-especially-sharp-after-being-put-through/">beautiful</a>" part.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/">PSA: Dear Esther has wandered onto Steam</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:59:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20172001/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/psa-dear-esther-has-wandered-onto-steam/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>adventure</category><category>dear-esther</category><category>indie</category><category>pc</category><category>steam</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>valve</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[David Hinkle]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:59:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA['Dear Esther' now launching in early 2012, moved over to Portal 2 engine]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center; ">
	<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/"><img border="1" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/esther0100-530.jpg" vspace="4" /></a></div>
It's strange, isn't it? The day after we're supposed to give thanks for all the special things in life, we subject ourselves to unknown abuse all in the name of saving a buck. Let's instead give thanks for indie game projects that you won't ever find under the heel of a particularly ill-tempered Walmart shopper on this or any other Black Friday. Like <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/dear-esther">Dear Esther</a></em> for example, the promising <em>Half Life 2</em> mod turned real boy, coming to Steam ... when exactly?<br />
<br />
The more calendrically challenged amongst you may not have realized this, but <em>Dear Esther</em> has already missed its <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/">proposed summer 2011</a> release window so you'll be glad to know it hasn't been summarily forgotten. Developer Dan Pinchbeck says the project has been successfully ported to the <em>Portal 2</em> engine, and discussions with Valve indicate a release "very likely to be either the end of January or the beginning of February next year." Right alongside Episode 3, right guys?<br />
<br />
Guys?<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/">Dear Esther</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/#4636196"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/paul0137_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/#4636197"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/esther0100_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/#4636198"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/jakobson0065_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/#4636199"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/jakobson0068-1024x576_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/dear-esther/#4636209"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/11/paul0116_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/">'Dear Esther' now launching in early 2012, moved over to Portal 2 engine</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:17:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/20114631/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/26/dear-esther-now-launching-in-early-2012-moved-over-to-portal/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>dear-esther</category><category>microsoft</category><category>mod</category><category>pc</category><category>robert-briscoe</category><category>source-engine</category><category>thechineseroom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Christopher Grant]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:17:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dear Esther HL2 mod remake to be commercially released this summer]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/02/dear-esther-early-103110-530w.jpg" /></a></div>
Selected in December as Mod DB's annual "<a href="http://www.moddb.com/events/2010-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/editors-choice-best-upcoming-mod-2010">Best Upcoming Mod</a>," <em>Dear Esther</em> is actually a remake of a 2008 <em>Half-Life 2</em> Source-engine mod by the same name. The original mod was developed by indie studio thechineseroom (at the University of Portsmouth, UK) and was "stumbled across" by Robert Briscoe, a former level designer at DICE who had worked on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/game/mirrors-edge"><em>Mirror's Edge</em></a>. While "far from perfect," <em>Dear Esther </em>had both intrigued and inspired Briscoe, <a href="http://www.littlelostpoly.co.uk/devblog/?p=180">he wrote</a> in May 2009, describing it as "an interactive painting or story, told through the eyes of a dying man on a journey to try and make peace with his tormented mind."<br />
<br />
"The whole thing is enveloped in deep mystery and hidden meanings," he continued, "I had the idea of taking the groundwork for the mod and develop [<em>sic</em>] it into a fully fledged, production-quality product." Briscoe took his idea to the original creative director Dan Pinchbeck, who "was very enthusiastic about it, giving me his full support on the project."<br />
<br />
21 months of steady development later and the <em>Dear Esther</em> remake is on track for a <em>commercial</em> release this summer on Steam. That's right -- Pinchbeck and Briscoe approached Valve, which was "impressed enough to grant a Source license for a full independent release," recounts today's announcement (oddly dated July 30, 2010) on the just launched <a href="http://dear-esther.com">dear-esther.com</a>. "Rob was creating something so extraordinary," Pinchbeck told <em>PC Gamer UK</em> in the new issue (via <a href="http://beefjack.com/news/half-life-2-mod-dear-esther-to-see-commercial-release/">Beefjack</a>), "[that] it deserved a wider audience than we could give it as a mod."<br />
<br />
You can get a glimpse of Briscoe's recreation in the June 2010 test footage postead after the break.<br />
<br />
[Pictured: work-in-progress screenshot; source: <a href="http://www.littlelostpoly.co.uk/devblog/?cat=9">Robert Briscoe's Devblog</a>]<p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Dear Esther HL2 mod remake to be commercially released this summer</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/">Dear Esther HL2 mod remake to be commercially released this summer</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/19840786/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/dear-esther-hl2-mod-remake-to-be-commercially-released-this-summ/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dan-pinchbeck</category><category>dear-esther</category><category>half-life-2</category><category>mod</category><category>pc</category><category>robert-briscoe</category><category>source-engine</category><category>steam</category><category>thechineseroom</category><category>valve</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[James Ransom-Wiley]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>