How much stuff goes into a video game? To celebrate Broken Age going on sale on Steam, Double Fine has released an infographic with a collection of stats from the number of textures in the game to the total coffee consumption of the team.
Tim Schafer Is Happier Now
A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with one of video gaming's most creative people to talk about... money. Money. Business. And how things are so different and so much better in this, Tim Schafer's 25th year making video games.
Broken Age, Act 1: The Kotaku Review
This is what you wanted from Double Fine Adventure: A cartoony stylized world, lovingly rendered in 2D and fractured in ways that only nonsensical combinations of random items can fix. What you're getting in Broken Age, Act 1: All of that, but with a level of cuteness, humor and heartache that's exceedingly rare in the …
I'm Still Not Ready To Introduce My Three-Year-Old To Video Games Yet
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VpWMJvMD--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19d5nv0edqfz8png.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zmnm4ROC--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19d5nv0edqfz8png.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6yOXjzJP--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19d5nv0edqfz8png.png, (large)])
Broken Age almost made me violate one of my golden rules about kids and video games. I almost let my daughter watch me play it.
2014 Might Be the Year to Believe in Kickstarter and Video Games Again
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--8t_s1n56--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/19cutkldclg0epng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yJeWqpwD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/19cutkldclg0epng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4BmorxQX--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/19cutkldclg0epng.png, (large)])
That sound you've been hearing all week? Oh, it's nothing: just the collective exhale of millions of people who are all grateful that Broken Age doesn't suck.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--gF_Qg9L0--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/19cqsk3gecc8tjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LDTjazMi--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/19cqsk3gecc8tjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0_HxLhnG--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/19cqsk3gecc8tjpg.jpg, (large)])
Broken Age Aborts Early Access Launch for Season Pass Approach
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zrbZbpiT--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18ymwqzqup7v3jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ut3F4r1x--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18ymwqzqup7v3jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Lmq3dgvm--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18ymwqzqup7v3jpg.jpg, (large)])
Broken Age, the crowdfunded adventure from Double Fine launching today to its backers, won't be offered on Steam Early Access. It will, however, release under a "Season Pass" model that gives buyers both of two planned episodes.
Part one of Broken Age, Double Fine's crowdfunded adventure game, will launch on Tuesday for their Kickstarter backers, bossman Tim Schafer says. They'll announce the public release date then, too.
Elijah Wood Will Star In Double Fine's Adventure Game Broken Age
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9rfK-HqI--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/198pflmvug364png.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wwHAhxjK--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/198pflmvug364png.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qYFq9ips--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/198pflmvug364png.png, (large)])
Well, this is pretty cool. Tonight at the Spike VGX, Tim Schafer revealed that Frodo himself, Mr. Elijah Wood, will voice the male lead in Schafer's upcoming adventure game Broken Age.
Why Tim Schafer Doesn't Make A Lot Of Sequels
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dW8XuzDV--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/190dd18bl84gujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lsoHlGt---/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/190dd18bl84gujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Q1_64EqN--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/190dd18bl84gujpg.jpg, (large)])
These days it can seem like every other video game is a sequel. Everyone loves sequels, right? They're familiar, they let game-makers perfect their formulas and expand the worlds they've created. But a few developers still make mostly new games.
I Wish All Video Games Had Premises This Good
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yVxOF2G3--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18zz80qj87p1ejpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nH3qOOf5--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18zz80qj87p1ejpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--fXiWBoth--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18zz80qj87p1ejpg.jpg, (large)])
A good video game can get a lot of mileage out of its premise. Lots of games sell themselves on some sort of gameplay hook: It's a stealth game… and you can fly! But how about old-school adventure games? They're all story. To hook you, they've gotta start strong.
Double Fine's Adventure Stars Commander Shepard, Jack Black
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jz5qyYqu--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18yuwfb5p28zjjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MzwJDG5S--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18yuwfb5p28zjjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--N2cY7tcC--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18yuwfb5p28zjjpg.jpg, (large)])
Picking up where he left off with Brutal Legend, it's been announced that comedy actor Jack Black will be appearing in a sort of "cameo" role in Double Fine's upcoming adventure game, Broken Age.
Tim Schafer's Great Video Game Experiment
Tim Schafer had a lot to talk to me about, a lot to clarify, when we met in his offices in San Francisco. It's been a wild couple of months for Schafer and Double Fine productions.
Wasteland 2 Got Too Big For Its Own Good, and Is Now Delayed
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5qiYLqBU--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17j1sijp0792ujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--R3QQwsAj--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17j1sijp0792ujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BXfcmM_i--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17j1sijp0792ujpg.jpg, (large)])
Wasteland 2, like Double Fine's adventure game, is one of Kickstarter's greatest video game project successes. And, like Double Fine's adventure game, it's also run into a snag because, well, y'all just gave it too darn much money.
Somehow, Tim Schafer's Adventure Game Needs More Money
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DmP8t3Cg--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18snyg7t1kdrrjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UNBCRCZZ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18snyg7t1kdrrjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XJU-LxEX--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18snyg7t1kdrrjpg.jpg, (large)])
Double Fine's adventure game Kickstarter was one of 2012's great success stories, bringing in over $3 million in community funding. A year later, though, it turns out that wasn't enough money to get the game finished.
Why Tim Schafer Has A Second Kickstarter
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AuxOygeX--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18pbds24hee0ejpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--RwqhT0xq--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18pbds24hee0ejpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Y3a7C67z--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18pbds24hee0ejpg.jpg, (large)])
"Look, we just made $70,000! Not that I have it up on auto-refresh or anything…"
Nvidia's New Gaming Handheld Is Out In June For $350
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kYwvlobn--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18nnba2q8l3osjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--L0qXhj57--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18nnba2q8l3osjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9rgJabjH--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18nnba2q8l3osjpg.jpg, (large)])
Announced in January as Project Shield, Nvidia's intriguing new handheld now has a price, a June release window, and the promise of Double Fine's Broken Age. Who's ready to spend $350 on a dedicated Android gaming device?
Pay What You Want For A Buncha Double Fine Games (Broken Age Is Extra)
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0rweH9SU--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18myouu68ba5wjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--C15VqJoa--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18myouu68ba5wjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2hviUpuK--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18myouu68ba5wjpg.jpg, (large)])
The folks at Humble Bundle have teamed up with Tim Schafer's Double Fine Productions to launch a Double Fine-themed bundle, where you can pay what you want and get DRM-free cross-platform copies of Costume Quest, Psychonauts, Stacking, and if you hit the right price, Brütal Legend and a preorder of Broken Age.
Double Fine's Broken Age Is Looking Just Lovely In This New Trailer
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ve41CPw5--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18iu7ny3f2jecjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--xOYGDO5l--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18iu7ny3f2jecjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lS4zN6tW--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18iu7ny3f2jecjpg.jpg, (large)])
This trailer for Double Fine's Broken Age adventure game was just shown at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
Get A First Look At Broken Age, Double Fine's New Adventure Game, In…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--H8eh8ED3--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18imjfcgitwaujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1xHE9Yen--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18imjfcgitwaujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DjbvaI-y--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18imjfcgitwaujpg.jpg, (large)])
Given a name over the weekend, Broken Age, the end result of a record-breaking Kickstarter effort run by Tim Schafer's Double Fine, now has some gameplay footage.