GDC 08: The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom

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9:33 PM on 02.21.2008, Anthony Burch

25 comments | 10278 views

wew

Of all the nominated games I saw at last night's IGF, one in particular stuck out in my mind the next day -- not because the gameplay looked great, or the graphics looked sexy, but simply because I didn't know what the hell it was about. That game was The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (how can you not love a game with a title like that) and, curious as all hell, I headed out to the IGF show floor to get a glimpse of it.

As it turns out, it's a platformer puzzle game in which the player is simultaneously hero, villain, platform, and tool.

Don't know what the hell I'm talking about? Hit the jump to read more about this incredibly interesting student project.

Alright, watch this:

Basically, Winterbottom is a platform-puzzler which uses quantum physics and cloning as its main gameplay mechanics. In order to solve puzzles, the player has to complete one part of a puzzle while hitting the "clone" button, then release it. The clone will loop back to its original position and continue to do the action over and over and over, at which point the player can either make another clone to do another part of the puzzle, or just do it themselves.

If this sounds a lot like Jonathan Blow's Braid to you, then you're not alone. I asked the lead designer about the similarities, and he responded that games like Braid or Cursor*10 or Winterbottom all use time as their main gameplay conceits, but that each game uses the mechanic in a totally different way. Braid's time conceits are varied but usually helpful; Cursor*10's exist to make the player cooperate with himself ten times over. P.B. Winterbottom differs from the other in that the Winterbottom clones can always be interacted with, regardless of their timeline. If you make a clone of yourself jumping up and down, you can jump atop your own head to get an extra boost. You can literally make a ladder of your past selves to reach high areas, or smack your clones into the air to reach difficult areas.

We were also showed a really, really cool bit of design where the player is forced to collect an evil, red pie. After doing so, an evil and deadly clone of the player is spawned, who continually runs over the exact same path the player took to grab the pie the first time around. Since another evil pie spawns after the player collects the first one, the player has to find a way to collect the next pie without running into the past version of himself. Collecting the second pie spawns another evil clone who runs over the second path, and the evil clones just keep building up and building up and the player has to constantly find ways to avoid the older versions of himself.

In other words, it looked fucking awesome. Winterbottom, with its general mechanical similarities but assuredly different design differences, showed me that indie developers actually managed to create an entirely new genre: the time manipulation game.

Think about that for a second.

A group of developers, working for very little money in very small teams, actually managed to invent their own fucking game genre. If that doesn't strike you as completely mindblowing, you're really missing out.

The game isn't available for play yet, unfortunately (we were promised a May release date, as the game has to be done by the USC deadline), but it's definitely a title you should keep your eye on.

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24 comments | showing # 1 to 24

Milhouse

And another indie game that I really have to try...

Jonathan Holmes

MIND----

BLOWN!

It's everything I wanted but didn't get from Sylvia's Replay move in Viewtiful Joe 2.

Thank you, P.B. Winterbottom!

Spykron

ahh i wish indie games were all on psp.

Its... Beautiful...

WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN RELEASED?

I WANT IT SO BAD

CAPS LOCK STANDS FOR CAPITAL LETTER LOCK

ToxinBlackheart

The game looks slightly confusing, but also hectic, original, and lots of fun.

I really want to play it, and I'm so happy that originality in gaming lives on.

Mxyzptlk

This sounds like the most insane Lemings clone I've never heard of. Very cool!

Chad Concelmo

This game is AMAZING! I can't even put into words how much the indie games are impressing me here at GDC. Wow. :)

Eschatos

Reminds me of those Mario movies with 200 versions of him playing at the same time. Except they couldn't jump on each other.

MechaMonkey

Jigga-WHAT?!?!

No shutdown

FOR PIE!!!!

MPHtails

Sounds like it's going to be a hell of a game Definately got to check this.

hc22

hmm, it reminds me of this game, mouse 10 or mouse 9, something like that was the name. Its a flash mouse were you use time limited clones of yourself to go trough levels. They may have gotten the inspiration from that game. If i remember the name, ill post it here.

Wedge

I wouldn't say it's a totally new concept. Blinx the Timesweeper did stuff like this, but this is a much larger expansion on the concept. And it has pie.

m3ds

Have indie games always been this amazing, or was I just not paying attention before now? I mean games like Audiosurf, Fez, Crayon Physics Deluxe, and Winterbottom all feel like they're exploring new ideas in gaming.

I'd personally like to thank Destructoid and more specifically Anthony for introducing me to indie games.

Necros

Wow, it's like that 100 Mario movie, except you can interact with them.

Boolean

Great concept, shitty game

Nubc4kes

Sweet, the world first indie created genre. I can't wait to get my hands on them.

HarassmentPanda

For some reason, this game reminds me of Cloning Clyde, but the gameplay mechanic is very different. The game title alone was enough for me to take my wallet out.

Eschatos

Reminds me of those Mario movies with 200 versions of him playing at the same time. Except they couldn't jump on each other.

brad drac

Damn... I'd really like to break into the indie scene, but all these awesome games in development are making my ideas seem somewhat inadequate. I must get my ideas raiment on.

Holyetheline

Wow that is amazing. Such an interesting concept. So much brilliance. The future of technology is in our games.

braulio09

holy shit...i want

angusm

New genres rock.
Although, most people will probably label it as "Action Adventure".
Fuckin' hell.

GLORNS

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