• gdc08

    Portal Devs Reveal The GLaDOS That Never Was, Inspiration Behind Weighted Companion Cube

    Kim Swift and Erik Wolpaw, two of the key developers on Portal, gave GDC attendees a behind the scenes look at The Orange Box hit, focusing on the process of integrating narrative and design. The two also showed early and, by their own admission, failed, version's of the game's final boss fight with GLaDOS, the talkative, ever present artificial intelligence. They highlighted three attempts at making a successful boss battle, driving home the fact that ample playtesting brought them to the incinerator battle they ultimately settled on. More »

    12:00 AM on Sat Feb 23 2008
    By Michael McWhertor
    32,379 views, 70 comments

    Latest by obeyjohnny: The line for this panel was soooo long. I was surprised I got in. But then again, it was held more »

  • xbox 360

    Xbox Originals Arrive, Bring Free Themes

    Hey, those Xbox Originals (aka old Xbox games) have arrived on Xbox Live Marketplace as of today, bringing a handful of extras with them. While the more mundane but practical stuff includes PDF instruction manuals and online controller mappings for games like Psychonauts, Halo and Indigo Propechy, there are some fun freebies, too. Picture packs and themes for each of the Xbox Originals are available for download by going to Marketplace > Game Store > Xbox Originals. Gussy up your Xbox 360 blades with free Fable stuff, if you want. Huzzah!

    Xbox Originals Manuals and Controller layouts (and free themes and picture packs) [Microsoft]

    5:20 PM on Tue Dec 4 2007
    By Michael McWhertor
    5,116 views, 57 comments

    Latest by rluzinski: I rented Indigo Prophesy and beat it in one, 8 hour sitting. As others have said, it feels like more »

  • razzle-dazzle

    GameTap Debuts Psychonauts For Free

    'All you can eat' game service GameTap has sneaked out a little present for Thanksgiving.

    Their free games section just added Tim Schafer's awesome brain-trip, Psychonauts, so you can play it on the PC without their monthly subscription. Lest we forget, the description:

    Some kids dream of running away to join the circus. Raz grew up in the circus, and dreams of joining an elite force of psychic special agents — the Psychonauts. Having snuck into the secret training facilities (a summer camp), Raz must now hone his abilities to eliminate an even greater threat. If you're looking for 3D platforming action with a dark sense of humor, Psychonauts is your game.

    The game is free on the service until December 31st - as is Twinkle Star Sprites for the Neo Geo and classic Sensible Software title Cannon Fodder, among others, for those hungry for free game goodness.

    (Image is from the fan-based Psychonauts 'most excellent comic' project.)

    Psychonauts page [GameTap]

    2:00 PM on Tue Nov 20 2007
    By simonc
    4,121 views, 54 comments

  • rumor smash

    Xbox Originals Are Achievement Free

    Microsoft blogger Larry Hryb takes no delight in crushing fan dreams today with an update on the recently announced plan to release original Xbox games via Xbox Live Marketplace. Apparently, some were speculating that the company would go the extra mile for the 1200 MS Point releases, adding Achievements and Gamer Score to games like Halo, Fable, Psychonauts and Crimson Skies. Sadly, Mr. Hryb writes that adding such a feature would be technically impossible for the older titles, even adding a little frowning emoticon to illustrate the seriousness of the matter.

    I'm sure that Microsoft—and many third parties—would love to add these options to older Xbox re-releases. The cash revenue from achievement whores could make even Psychonauts finally turn a healthy profit.

    Will Xbox Originals have Achievements? [Microsoft]

    4:20 PM on Wed Nov 14 2007
    By Michael McWhertor
    3,781 views, 49 comments

    Latest by Billkwando: @okenny :): Xbox Live is meant to expand....everything but the size of your friends list :P Achievements would be cool, yeah....especially since more »

  • brutal legend

    Tim Schafer Talks Shit About XBLA Development

    Oh, not in a bad way. You didn't think based on that headline that... no... oh, no. He's quite a swell fellow that Tim Schafer, despite the potty mouth. He's simply crafted one of the finest analogies in response to questions if he and the team at Double Fine Productions are working on an Xbox Live Arcade title. With Schafer speaking warmly of "blue-sky prototyping" and of a flood of ideas during the development of Psychonauts that didn't make the cut, one would assume that Double Fine was dedicating at least some resources to Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter HD Remix. Nope, says Schafer. More »

    5:20 PM on Tue Nov 13 2007
    By Michael McWhertor
    6,051 views, 51 comments

    Latest by reywing: So the PS3 is the great dane and the 360 is the poodle (in Japan... other way around in the more »

  • freebies

    Xbox LIVE Turns Five, Gives Away Carcassonne

    We've long been waiting to hear what Xbox LIVE would be pulling out for their fifth anniversary. Now we know. Carcassonne, an already released XBLA board game, will be available for free download between 12:01 a.m. PST on Nov. 15 and 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. In addition, members of LIVE who've been faithful since 2002 will be gifted 500 points.

    Also, our new press release has mentioned that Psychonauts is coming to XBLA as a classic Xbox download with the fall update. Score. Here's the full press release: More »

    11:00 AM on Tue Nov 13 2007
    By Mark Wilson
    10,167 views, 121 comments

  • contest

    Double Fine Studios Halloween Contest

    Halloween is just a few days away and it seems pumpkin carving competitions are the contests du jour. Tim Shafer's Double Fine Studios is getting in on the action with a pumpkin contest of their own taking place on their forums. Simply submit a carved pumpkin with any Double Fine or Double Fine product design and you could win some fabulous prizes. Actually, I don't know what the prizes are and neither do they, but they promise a prizes for their favorites including a Psychonauts poster autographed by Shafer himself. That alone is worth a couple hours of drawing and carving. All entries must be in by Oct. 30 and as of now the entries are rather sparse so if you're quick on the draw and have a modicum of talent, you stand a pretty good chance of winning something. Good luck and if any of you win be sure to send us your winning entry so we can post it to our ever growing jack o' lantern gallery of doom. More »

    8:00 AM on Sun Oct 28 2007
    By fdemarco
    2,668 views, 13 comments

    Latest by egyptianruin: I won third place in this contest, it was so amazing. If you go to doublefine's news page you more »

  • rumor smash

    Psychonauts Sequel Not Happening (Tear)

    Despite how we may have gotten your hopes up about Tim Schafer's potential exciting new Psychonauts project, according to the man himself, Double Fine is not ready to announce a new Psychonauts project...yet.

    Haha. Nooooo. There's no new Psychonauts game in the works right now, but I'm glad some people got excited by the idea. I know *I* got excited.
    Mr. Schafer, a storyteller as powerful as yourself should understand the mystique of darkness. You could put a donut in silhouette and half the Internet would be speculating glazed or powdered.

    5:00 PM on Tue Oct 23 2007
    By Mark Wilson
    2,792 views, 32 comments

    Latest by Anicode: Another dream crushed :( more »

  • psychonauts

    Majesco Titles On GameTap

    Every week I am feeling a bit better about that $.99 GameTap free trial that I keep forgetting to cancel. Not only will they have Clive Barker's Jericho for the only price worth paying for it (free), but now they've signed a deal to provide Majesco games to lazy folk like me that never got around to stopping the service. If I had actually gone through with ending it only to have Psychonauts suddenly become available I would have kicked myself so hard. BloodRayne 1 & 2 and Jaws: Unleashed I could give or take, but mmmm Psychonauts.
    "Given the limited shelf space and relatively quick turn of titles at retail nowadays, we consider GameTap to be a valuable vehicle that can help extend the video game lifecycle," said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing, Majesco.
    That's the truth. I've been using the service lately to fill in a few gaps in my gaming portfolio. If you haven't experienced the joy of Psychonauts, now would be an excellent time. More »

    10:20 AM on Fri Aug 24 2007
    By Mike Fahey
    1,587 views, 24 comments

    Latest by Grimspoon: I wish Psychonauts on 360 had widescreen support. more »

  • rumor

    Double Fine Readying Jack Black Attack?

    International House Of Mojo, a site primarily focused on LucasArts, Double Fine and Telltale Games coverage, recently ran a rumor on Tim Schafer and Double Fine's unannounced next game. Dubbed Brutal Legend, the game allegedly stars actor and musician Jack Black as a roadie who dies, is banished to Hell and must claw his way to Rock 'N Roll Heaven.

    The game is rumored to be revealed at next week's Games Convention in Leipzig, where Schafer will be keynoting on creativity. Of course, this is all rumor, as IHOM has since retracted its story, but it should be noted that Black has recently been spotted sporting the above pictured Whispering Rock Spring Summer Camp t-shirt from Double Fine's previous effort Psychonauts.

    Double Fine's new game - Brutal Legend? [Google Cached IHOM via NeoGAF]

    4:20 PM on Wed Aug 15 2007
    By Michael McWhertor
    4,358 views, 48 comments

    Latest by mcderek3000: AWESOME!!! more »