Gamertell Interview: Cast, director talk about online horror series, Fear Clinic

Fear Clinic is one of the first series that will be exclusively online and will play exclusively on Fearnet.com sometime in October 2009. The show is directed by Robert Hall (Sarah Connor Chronicles, Laid to Rest) and includes horror greats Robert Englund and Kane Hodder (Freddy and Jason, respectively), co-stars Danielle Harris (Halloween remake) and newcomer Lucas Till, among others.

The show is about Dr. Andover (Englund) who claims to be able to cure any phobia by using his patented "fear chamber." Several unsuspecting clients come to his clinic hoping to get cured. They realize however, the horrors that are in store for them. There are five episodes made so far, each dealing with a different phobia.

I was fortunate enough to sit at a roundtable interview with Hall and the actors to discuss this upcoming series.

First up was Englund, who I could write this whole article about alone. Englund was a nice, docile old man, despite the usual characters he plays. He is also very animated and loves to talk about his projects and past endeavors. It was actually hard to keep him on the topic of this series.

“[Fear Clinic] is looking to raise the bar on the horror experience. It started with a script written by Aaron Drane who wanted to put this series on the web, so we had to figure out how to chunkcate these chapters into episodes.” He also mentioned that each episode would only be about 5-8 minutes long, and that it is all spent anticipating what will happen. “It’s great working with such a fun cast, but we end up killing off half of them.”

Hall, who is the director and producer of the series, was also excited to talk. “I grew up as a horror kid. Jason 7 was my favorite horror movie, so to be able to work with greats like Englund and Hodder is a horror kids dream.”

I asked what he thought about the series being on the internet rather than on TV and he said, “I’m actually cool with it being online, with things like Hulu and YouTube, I don’t think it matters anymore. You know it’s gonna get to people.”

I talked to Danielle Harris about her character Susan who is the first client. Her character suffers from scotophobia (fear of the dark). She said, “Susan’s parents died when she was young, and no one really cared about her. She meets Andover and, even though he is probably trying to kill her, he is the first person to really care about her, which gives them a weird sort of relationship.”

I asked Englund about his character and how he interacts with Harris’ character. “Andover can’t cure her and, because of this, she becomes his obsession, his Achilles heal, because she is his only failure.”

We will see Harris a lot in these episodes, as she tries to escape from this clinic, unlike the other phobia’s who will only be dealt with in one episode.

Kane, who is mainly a stunt man, plays Andover’s nurse in the series. He told me that it was great to work with such a great cast. “Me and Englund were actually in several movies together, but this is the first time we are in scenes, acting together.” He also told me that he prefers to be an actor and a stuntman because it’s easier to coordinate an actor when you are playing them.

Finally there was Lucas Till who is best known for his role as Travis in the Hannah Montana movie. “It is really cool to be able to work with Englund and Hodder in this show, I am not a huge fan of the horror genre, so this is all new to me.” Till worked previously with Hall in Laid to Rest, which is how he got the role.

I had a good time talking to these awesome people and it really got me excited about this new series. It is unclear whether or not their will be more than five episodes since, as Hall explained, it really depends on how the show does and how audiences perceive it. “I would love there to be more and more shows on the internet, and it is great that we are the first one," Kane said.

Site [Fear Clinic] Read [Dread Central]

Square Enix officially announces the games it’ll display at Gamescom 2009

Square Enix, which also includes Eidos now ya’ know, has decided to let the world know what games the company will be showing off when it attends Gamescom 2009 in Cologne, Germany on August 19-23, 2009. It’s a rather predictiable lineup, as Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts games will be there, as well as Batman: Arkham Asylum and Mini Ninjas.

If Gamescom sounds unfamiliar to you, it’s because it’s a new entertainment and games trade fair being held in Europe and supported by the German Trade Association of Interactive Entertainment Software, and the European Game Developers Conference is going to coincide with the event, taking place August 17-19, 2009. Square Enix is already stepping up to offer support by declaring it’s attending.

As for the games, while there will be expected showcases, there will also be a few delightful surprises. For example, Supreme Commander 2 will be playable at the event. Batman: Arkham Asylum will also be there and playable, including a portion where attendees will be able to play as the Joker. Also, Mini Ninjas PC demos will be given out to attendees. Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Front Mission Evolved, Nier, Order of War and Pony Friends 2 will all also appear at the event.

The Mini Ninjas free demo is a nice perk, and I’m sure people will be lining up to play Batman: Arkham Asylum as well. I’m sure Square Enix and Eidos’ booth will be a popular attraction at Gamescom 2009.

Read [GameIndustry.biz] Via [Joystiq] Site [Gamescom]

The iPhone is more powerful than the Wii?

So says a developer at Telltale Games, according to a report at IGN. Addressing the framerate issue of the WiiWare game “Tales of Monkey Island: Episode 1” on the company’s online message boards, a developer under the alias of “Yare” stated, “...The Wii is just not a powerful console. An iPhone is much more powerful than a Wii, even.” Uh oh.

Now, I know nothing about programming, but it seems to me the notion that the iPhone could be packing more power than a Wii is sort of ridiculous. Yes, the Wii is underpowered graphically compared to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but I own both systems. I’ve played games on both systems. I’ve enjoyed an hated games on both systems. There’s just no way you can achieve the look of, say, Super Mario Galaxy or The Conduit on the iPhone. Correct me if I’m wrong, iPhone devs.

More likely, this developer just shares the frustration of having to dumb down graphics to fit the Wii’s restrictions. Console games need to look good, and it has to be annoying to spend time eking as much power as possible out of the Wii’s processor in order to achieve the look you want. On the iPhone, gamers are used to somewhat shoddy looking games. Many of the developers don’t have the experience or knowledge to turn out high-end, 3D graphics. So, when a company with some financial backing comes along and is able to really show off the iPhone’s capabilities (especially compared to the graphics of other phones), that would be rewarding to both the gamer and the developer.

Wii owners need not fret, anyway. The system has never been about the graphics, it’s about the controls and the unique gameplay experience they provide. Personally, I wouldn’t care if the graphics processor in the iPhone outshined the PS3. The touchscreen and accelerometer aren’t conducive to much of anything outside of racing games, and although the iPhone is a fantastic machine, it simply can’t provide the satisfying gaming experience that the Wii does.

The DS, on the other hand, is another story…

Read [Telltale Games Blog] Via [IGN]

Gamertell Interview: Madden NFL 10 Wii art director, Tim Spangler

I was able to meet the art director of the Madden NFL 10 for the Wii, Tim Spangler, at this year's San Diego Comic Con (2009). Tim has worked on pretty much every EA sports title but this is the first title he worked on from start to finish.

According to Spangler , the game has undergone drastic changes. "The visuals changed across the board, we have an all new interface, all new character models, stadium and game modes."

This is also the first year where the characters will have different body types. In the past all the characters looked about the same but, in reality, players in different positions look different. Spangler explained that they made the different characters bodies look different so that a quarterback would look different from a fullback and such. "Defining body types was the hardest to do graphically but it was something we really wanted for this game."

He also explained that crowds in previous titles the audience would be wearing primary colors but, this year, depending on the team you pick, the audience will be wearing that team's jerseys and have merchandise from the team shops.

"Last year they were only wearing basic colors, we wanted more depth with the audience and a more personalized feel," Spangler said. There will also be a mix of women and men, and they will be visibly clapping and cheering for their teams, or jeering if necessary.

When asked about how, as an artist, you try the top the games each year, he said that he keeps a running list of what they want to improve but couldn’t do this year. "When it comes to graphics, it’s all about depth. Each year you want to expand it just a little and make it better each time around."

When it comes to players who have retired or are on suspension, Spangler explained, "[T]ypically when players are under suspension, such as Michael Vick, or retiring, such as Brett Favre, who can’t make up his mind, usually don’t make the final draft when it comes to players to include in the game. So, though you might still want to play with these characters in your team, you have to hope they hold off suspension and retirement till the game is made."

Because this game is on the Wii, new features are included like the ability to actually throw a pass using the WiiMote, rather then hitting a button to do so. The game also features co-op huddle-up mode where the second player can help out the first buy throwing out a block trip up the receiver with the WiiMote. Plus play with your friends to help you complete seasons and individual games, and bring your team to the Super bowl.

Madden looks great again this year and we can thank Tim Spangler and his art team for a job well done.

Site [EA sports] Read [IGN] Read [Gamertell]

Comic Con 09: Hands on with Smith Micro’s Anime Studio Pro 6

Animation and manga software company Smith Micro has just released it's newest version of Anime Studio and Gamertell was able to get an exclusive look at it at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con.

Anime Studio is a program that allows you create fun and detailed Anime cartoons. It’s easy to use and great for a beginning animator. I was able to get a hands-on view of all the features of this program.

The animator started out with a basic drawing - a big blob - and then got to the animating. By clicking on an icon, the animator was able to add bends to his blob so that it was able to bend it’s appendages. He also showed me how to expand or contrast an object so that it got bigger or smaller as it walked across the screen.

On feature I thought was cool was the motion sensor. The animator took an object and had it move across the screen for a few frames, then he added a sensor to a different object that allowed it to follow the first one across the screen. In this case it was a car driving down the street. He added a motion sensor to a chicken he took from the clip art and that caused the chicken to follow the car (at a distance) creating the illusion that it is chasing the car.

I was also shown various effects you can add to your animation such as rain falling, wind blowing, and even allow for a warp speed effect (for a spaceship). These effects are built into the program, and you can also create your own effects. There is also clip art included into the program for quick use, all you have to do is add the animation. You can even import 3D animation onto the program and into Flash.

From what I saw in the display, the controls all seem simple and easy to use. There are many different things you can do to make your character animated. As with everything, it will take practice to get all the effects down, but once you get to know how each icon works, you will be able to make great anime cartoons.

You don’t even have to be an artist, you can make a great cartoon using some of the clip art and scenery already included in the program, as well as your own crude or well drawn characters.

The product is in stores now and is available for $199.99. A bit pricey but worth it if you are truly trying to become an animator or just have a passion for it. It is available on both Mac and Windows.

Site [My Smith Micro] Read [Gamertell] Also read [Designer Today]

Comic Con 2009: Gettin’ telekenetic with Mattel’s Mind Flex

Have you ever thought you had telekinesis? Well it turns out everyone does! I didn’t believe it myself until I tried out the new Mind Flex game by Mattel at Comic Con this year.

I was introduced to a nice man who told me I was about to play a game where I have to move a small foam ball through an obstacle course using only my mind. Of course I was skeptical but then he strapped this helmet to my head (which attaches to your ears as well) and showed me the course. This one was already set up.

He told me that the object of the game was to move the ball through the course that he set up by concentrating on the ball. He told me that it uses EEG technology (which is used by doctors to study brain waves). Basically, when we think or concentrate, we are emitting brain waves.

The helmet I was wearing takes these brainwaves, via sensors, and transmits them to a fan located in the obstacle course. The more you concentrate, the faster the fans blow and the higher the ball goes. Alternatively, the less you concentrate, the lower it goes.

So I try it and, sure enough, the ball moved up and down depending on how much I concentrate.! There is also a knob on the console that you turn to make the course move so, for instance, you could move the ball through different holes and hoops.

Now I still thought their was some trick involved, like he was moving the ball up and down or something but then I realized that wasn’t the case, especially considering this is a game you play at home and the obstacle course is interchangeable. So the only answer is that it really is controlled by brainwaves.

I would not have believed this if I hadn’t played it for myself. There is truly some advanced technology at work here, and it only shows how far we have come in the gaming world.

Mind Flex will be released October 2009 and you can preorder it from Amazon and WalMart for $79.99. You really have to play it to believe it.

Site [Mindflex] Read [MSNBC] Also Read [Gamertell]

Opinion: When a DS device is an in-game tool, a game becomes believable

Video games are designed to take players into an entirely new world. The goal of developers is to make this new environment identifiable, and to create an atmosphere where players can lose themselves in this virtual world and feel they’re a part of events taking place. An interesting mechanic that can be used to help players make a connection is to include some familiar aspects or tools from daily life into the game. Developers have been particularly successful in this endeavor when it comes to DS games.

When game developers choose to create a DS game in a manner where the DS a person is playing on is involved in the story, it can help break down reality’s boundaries. What if a game could really cause a person to die in a week? What if your DS could help you find your long lost father? Many times the scenarios presented by video games are totally unbelievable, but by including a familiar device, a story becomes more plausible.

Let’s look at Contact first. In this game you’re supposed to be helping an alien being, the Professor, and a boy he recruited named Terry, find the necessary components to repair his space ship. At the beginning of the game, the professor tells you that, while Terry is doing all the dirty work, you are using the DS device to control and guide his every move.

This doesn’t do anything extraordinary, if you think about it. Players always control the hero in games. But by acknowledging in the beginning of the game that you are an outside source who is determining the character’s behavior and actions by using a device, Contact is offering players a new way to connect to the game.

Nanashi no Game, the Square Enix horror adventure game, also behaves in a similar manner. In Nanashi no Game, you have seven days left to live after playing a cursed RPG. The DS menu appears in the game when you enter the menu. The top option boots up the cursed RPG, there’s a mail section replacing Picto-Chat, a Load section replacing download play and a Save option replacing the GBA slot booting menu. The top screen displays the in-game date, time and calendar.

Since the goal in Nanashi no Game is to scare you by making you think that ghosts of victims are coming after you and a game could actually take your life, making the DS your only constant tool is a means to connect players to the horrific events. It also makes Nanashi no Game something you wouldn’t want to play immediately after watching The Ring.

Nintendo’s Trace Memory is another game which uses the DS in a way. Ashley uses a DS-like device given to her by her father called the Dual Trace System (DTS). While the device looks like an original DS, it isn’t a gaming device. Instead it’s more of a miniature computer and organizer. Ashley is able to read DTS memory cards, take photos, use Trace I and Trace II, save and find information on various items.

In this case the DS-like device isn’t included to help draw the player into the game and make the game more real. It is there to help a player make a connection. By seeing a familiar handheld device in play, with mostly plausible abilities, it helps make Ashley’s adventures seem more realistic and believable.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor works in a similar way. In the game, the demon world is starting to collide and connect with the human world. Tokyo is under a lock down. Certain individuals with altered Communication Player devices (COMPs) are able to summon and control demons, thus becoming demon trainers. Players help a band of teenagers survive the seven day lock down.

The whole premise of the game seems outlandish, but the COMPs don’t because they look exactly like DS lite systems. The way one character in the game, Atsuro, explains the use of the COMPs to run the various demon summoning, purchasing and controlling functions even makes the logistics and inner workings of the imaginary device make sense. So while we all know we could never actually see such an outbreak and lockdown occur in our world, the idea seems a bit more realistic and plausible due to the existence of the similar device.

While true immersive video game adventures are still a ways off, it’s interesting to see how developers can help encourage connections by the simple inclusion of a common device. It certainly won’t make players think that the adventures in the game could actually happen, but it can help the players think that the idea isn’t as farfetched and encourage a great connection and appreciation for the game.

Site [Nintendo]

Apple App Store gaming update for the week of July 20 to July 26, 2009

The Apple App Store gaming update is Gamertell’s weekly look at the previous week’s Apple App Store game releases. We cover them all - good and not so good - in their respective categories with a breakdown of the great games and the free games right where you want ‘em, at the top and in your face. The list is available every Monday, right as you are about to start that long work week.

What’s Free

Jojos Fashion Show 2 Lite
“Return to the runway with Jojo and Rosalind in Jojo’s Fashion Show 2:Las Cruces. Make stylish outfits for female and male models as you showcase your fashion sense on runways from L.A. to Berlin. Then capture great looks in new fashion photo shoots. In Jojo’s Fashion Show 2:Las Cruces, your goal is to compete in a number of fashion shows, proving you have what it takes to move through the ranks. Earn up to 5 stars in every show.”

Word Solitaire Lite
“Word Solitaire puts a brilliant new spin on a classic favorite. The clever blend of word creation and traditional solitaire will hook you immediately! Drag letters onto each other to arrange them into words. Flip over cards to expose more letters and complete the level by using all provided letters in the creation of words. The longer your words, the higher your score. Then, brag to your friends by tweeting your highest scores and fastest times right from the app!”

U2 Can Yodel
“Introducing U2 Can Yodel, the brand new, exciting, fun way to learn the art of yodeling! With a few tips it’s easy to learn the basics of switching from your chest voice to your head voice. Once you’ve mastered that, you’ll surely come down with a case of Alpine Madness! Remember Tarzan and his jungle call? Believe it or not that’s a yodel, and you can do it too. With master yodeler Kerry Christensen showing you the ropes, you can freak out your friends and family with a burst of yodeling; it’s guaranteed to leave everyone smiling and laughing! Things will get even more fun as you yodel in different styles. We’ll even teach you to yodel like a cat and dog!”

What’s New

Action

HyperBowl Classic: Price: $0.99
“HyperBowl, the fantasy 3D bowling game created by Hyper Entertainment, is now on the iPhone and iPod Touch! This authorized version features the Classic lane. Bowl by swiping the screen to push the ball. Roll forward, left, right, even backwards, but watch your time, and don’t gutter! HyperBowl is a registered trademark of Hyper Entertainment, Plc.”

Man Down: Price: $0.99
“Man Down, agility action game, classic reproduce on iPhone. This game requires you to have a good psychological quality, keen observation and flexible finger manipulation. Down 100 floors if you are brave and agile enough.”

Adventure

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition: Price: $7.99
“Pirates! Adventure! Monkeys! Re-live the hilarious swashbuckling misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he attempts to become the most infamous pirate in the Caribbean!

Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island™: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic pirate adventure game from LucasArts. Featuring an all new re-imagined contemporary art style, complete voice over by members of the original Monkey Island™ franchise cast, a re-mastered musical score using live instruments, plus scene-for-scene hot swap to seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime.”

Touch of Spirit: Price: $0.99
“Our love story begins with the Jester daring to fall in love with the Queen. But the most curious fact is that the Queen answered his feelings. The sweethearts often met each other and dreamed of living a long and happy life together. No wonder that all citizens of this kingdom were terrified, and the Black Warlock, who was the main counselor of the Queen and dreamed of coming to the throne, became furious and decided to get rid of the Jester. The Warlock resorted to all his spells and skills but failed to take the life of the young Jester - so great was the power of Queen’s love! Then he stole the Jester’s soul and turned his body into stone.”

Arcade

Galactic Labyrinth: Price: $0.99
“Galactic Labyrinth is a game built around classic arcade gameplay; simply collect all five of the dark matter objects to beat the stage, while avoiding the black holes and navigating the maze.”

Board

NOTHING

Card

Solitaire +: Price: $0.99
“Enjoy solitaire at its best in GrassGames’ Solitaire for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Included are three different solitaire game versions, multiple card decks, a wide range of backgrounds, high scores, statistics, sound effects, 3D animation effects, and much more. The game comes with an in-built multi-user system, so that more than one person can customize, play and resume games without affecting other players. Also included is the ability to optionally hide the menu and/or status bar, allowing for full use of the complete screen area. With emphasis on ease-of-play and smooth beautiful graphics, this is the perfect solitaire partner for all.”

Casino

NOTHING

Dice

Ten Thousand (A Game of Farkle): Price: $1.99
“Ten Thousand - The Dice Game (also known as Farkle) is a fun and exciting game for up to four players. Beautiful graphics and elegant game play make this a must have game for your iPod Touch or iPhone. Using six dice, each player takes a turn rolling the dice and must set aside at least one scoring die (1’s, 5’s, triples, 3 pairs, or a run of 6.) The player’s turn continues with the remaining dice, as long as there is a scoring number or combination. The player’s turn ends when they decide to stop and score their accumulated points or until they have a scoreless throw. When all six dice are scored in a turn, the player can roll them all again and continue to accumulate points. Scoring combinations (triples, 3 pairs, or a run of 6.) only count when made with a single throw of all six dice. The first player to score a total of 10,000 or above wins the game! (As long as players with a turn left, don’t exceed your score.)”

Educational

NOTHING

Family

NOTHING

Music

Name My Tune: Price: $1.99
“Test your music knowledge using your own music library on your iPod or iPhone. How well do you know your tunes? Name My Tune will help you find out and have a blast doing it! Name My Tune is a great way to enjoy the music you already have. It’s a great music quiz and trivia game to keep you entertained for hours! There are 3 different song guessing rounds - Ring The Bell, Get A Clue, and Just In Time. In each round, you will be given 2 different songs to guess and points are awarded based on how long it takes you to correctly guess the song. At the end of the game, you can optionally submit your score to Geocade, and compare your music knowledge to others in your area or world wide. (Internet connection required).”

Puzzle

Downhill Express: Price: $0.99
“Downhill Express is a very challenging game to control your shopping cart to carry more cube bricks, you don’t need touch anything, you don’t have any monster tokill, just tilt your iPhone or iPod touch left or right to steer your cart. Try to carry more bricks as you can, The more distance you carry the brick, the more score you get. The shopper cart is a physical simulation to real cart, you can not accelerate or brake your cart. Be careful to keep the balance of the cart, It’s funny and not easy. Sometimes，you may think the cart is like a blimp on the fly, and sometimes, the cart will turn around. Quickly tilt the iPhone to keep the balance.”

Racing

Moto X Mayhem: Price: $1.99
“Jump, lean, and race through seven levels of amazing motorbike action in the best side scrolling bike game, Moto X Mayhem! Lean forward and back on your motorbike as you climb hills and fly through the air using accelerometer technology. Witness realistic physics as your shocks recoil when you land jumps or your rider bounces around the terrain when you crash. Compete to be the fastest motocross rider with Moto X Mayhem’s online scoreboard. Everyone can enjoy Moto X Mayhem wether you’re a fan or not of motorcycles, dirt bikes, motocross, or supercross. Take your thumper out on the trail for a day of wicked off road riding!”

Role Playing

NOTHING

Simulation

Touch KO: Price: $2.99
“You are a rising star about to take on contenders from around the world. Do you have the drive to make it to the top? Use your talents, dedication, and sportsmanship to build your own boxing legacy starting from humble beginnings and fight your way up to massive arenas!”

Sports

Volley: Price: $2.99
“Volley is a fast paced multi-touch ball game where you have to slide, jump, smash and trick to win against sixteen super-skilled opponents. Beat an opponent to reach the next level. The higher the levels the harder the opponents. Accurate physics, top-notch graphics and great sounds round out the package.”

Strategy

CREEPYTOWN: Price: $0.99
“Do you like stories of the supernatural? Do you like to break stuff? Do you like to carry a scythe and wear spooky robes? If your answer is yes to any of the above then you will love our latest release: CREEPYTOWN. The town of Creepsford has been overrun by ghosts and the townsfolk have begun to disappear. In this action based puzzle game, you assume the role of the soul harvester, the bringer of death, the Reaper himself. You have been summoned to rid the town of their fallen souls and bring peace once again.”

Trivia

NOTHING

Word

TKO Words Deluxe: Price: $0.99
“TKO Words Deluxe is a fun and exciting word search game. With dazzling graphics, animations, music player (from your own library), and more, this one is bound to keep you entertained for hours!”