games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 



erer

See that picture? You're probably wondering why I posted it, right? Why would I bother making my headline photo nothing more than a collection of static? 

I'm posting it because it's a goddamn screenshot. The above photo was taken from Lost in the Static, an indie game which is entirely built around the idea of obfuscation. It was highlighted in the "Experimental Gameplay Sessions" lecture today alongside several other games which, regardless of how fun or good they are, attempted risky and unusual and balls-out experimental things.

The entire two-hour lecture was basically just a big list of games everyone should check out for their experimental qualities, so hit the jump to get that list along with a very, very short descriptions of what made them so experimental. 

The highlighted games were broken up into four categories: Replay, Obfuscation, Games Made By Rod Humble Titled "Stars Over Half Moon Bay," User Generated/Controlled Levels, and Two Levels at Once. The categories should be pretty self-explanatory, and if they aren't then that's a good thing: though the entire lecture consisted of the speakers playing these games while explaining their experimental aspects you should really play these games without any primer rather than listening to someone explain them and rob them of all their intrigue.

Replay

cursor*10

Timebot

Braid

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom

 

Obfuscation

Lost in the Static

Transparentor

Space Giraffe

La La Land

 

Games Made By Rod Humble Titled "Stars Over Half Moon Bay"

Stars Over Half Moon Bay

 

User-Generated Content

Line Golfer

Desktop Tower Defense

The Kingdom of Dewdith the Witch

Crayon Physics Deluxe

Audiosurf

 

Two Levels at Once

Yin Yang

Shift

Shadow

 

Though Braid, Winterbottom, Half Moon Bay, Crayon Physics Deluxe and Shadow aren't playable for the general public yet (and I couldn't find a link to The Kingdom of Dewdith the Witch -- perhaps I wrote it down incorrectly), all the rest of the games are really, truly worth finding and trying out if only for how they experiment with game design.


Continue: More GDC stories





prev next

24 comments | showing # 1 to 24

MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 21:49
MechaMonkey
Obfuscation is the Word of the Day.
Loki Power's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 21:53
Loki Power
Space Giraffe! I should definitely check hat out!
bottled dark's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:05
bottled dark
Obfuscation ftw!
Fleet3000's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:12
Fleet3000
yay i'll add it to my mental dictionary.
Jetsetlemming's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:13
Jetsetlemming
Too busy to actually provide links? I googled up Lost in the Static, and it was kinda cool, and surprisingly creepy as hell, but about two dozen screens into it the controls started acting weird and lagging, so that the player character would respond to my movements up to 20 or 30 seconds after I pressed the buttons. Don't know what was up with that.
nicojay's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:16
nicojay
It's one of those hidden image thingies right?

I see a wo............... ew gross dude.
Dr Milkdad's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:22
Dr Milkdad
Looks like a cock
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:28
Tubatic
Its a scooner.
weirdfunk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:29
weirdfunk
This game seriously creeps me out
allisonaxe's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 22:33
allisonaxe
@tubatic:

no, its a sailboat!

i've actually played "lost in the static" before and it sucked. it was a sort of interesting idea, but it wasn't any fun and it gave me a headache.
Ogu's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 23:15
Ogu
this was in IGF some time ago, I agree with allisonaxe. It's kind of interesting but not all that fun and pretty much headache inducing.

Relevance of this experiment? dunno.

Other games in the list are pretty nice though and more relevant to game design. This one just has the shock factor.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 23:23
Necros
I honestly have no idea how you're supposed to play that.
Sheir's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 23:32
Sheir
Oh man, I'm too late with the Mallrats references.
Batthink's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/21/2008 23:58
Batthink
Bloody hell, I never liked those Magic Eye images. My eyes go funny trying to find the image. I never do.
Nubc4kes's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 01:04
Nubc4kes
Rev. Do you just keep sneaking Desktop Tower Defense into these lists, or is it actually suppose to be there?
Kurtz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 02:03
Kurtz
Loving Timebot and cursor so far
HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 02:56
HarassmentPanda
Bookmarked. I can't wait to give some of these games a try when I get the time. Continue the great GDC work!
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 04:35
mistic
next time i boot in windows I'm so gonna try that static-game, sounds really good!
hjd uk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 06:07
hjd uk
ying yang is cool , shame its limited to flash - would be ace on full platform.
wardrox's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 07:22
wardrox
Space Giraffe you say?
wardrox's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 07:35
wardrox
Ok, I started playing Lost in Static, but got stuck on this level (It's the one with the static ball at the top that shoots smaller static balls at you):

Zac Bentz's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/22/2008 08:57
Zac Bentz
Wow, the ending of Static is...a let down? The huge, lumbering dude was really awesome though.
Mekanikles's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2008 06:03
Mekanikles
Goddamn that static game sucked, just a simple 2 cent platformer wrapped in, ooh, "innovative" graphics. Might as well have been a virus too, at the 8th screen or so, it crashed forcing me to reboot. I want my 5 minutes back! *waves angrily with fist*
jaybird1905's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/29/2008 11:58
jaybird1905
Stars over Half Moon Bay ....... can someone please explain to me how this is really creative ... or even a game?

It reminds me of that game Passage. There's so little interaction, it borders on the definition of a game. I understand pushing the boundaries is the idea, and finding the limits of gameplay ... but if something is so far outside the realm of the term "game", it really shouldn't be categorized as such.
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos

    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    Left 4 Dead 2 review
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex review
    Arkedo Series - 02 SWAP! review
    EyePet review
    more reviews
    Chugging along with Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    Online Lessons 101 Monster Slaying in Monster Hunter Tri
    Hooking onto, under and above Just Cause 2
    PS3's 256-player MAG
    Rooms The Main Building
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 50680 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing
    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jim Sterling: Think L4D2 is an expansion? You're a f*cking idiot





















    More Destructoid Originals



     Popular now more






















    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief    		 Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor    		 Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor    		 Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor    		 Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman    		 Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
         		Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong
    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    		 support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    		 keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online     		seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap     		our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?



    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006