voyage to mars
Friday, May 30, 2003
Rob asks the following question:
I just read that a sequel [to The Longest Journey] is in the works, except I didn't see your name mentioned. If you are not involved, I'd be very very very disappointed. It's like doing the Terminator series without James Cameron. Oh wait, they ARE doing that.
So, are you involved this time? I would hate to see one of my favorite games having a shitty sequel...
I am very much involved, though not in precisely the same fashion - or as extensively - as with the first game. I'm currently working on several projects, and I have to divide my time between them. I'm directing the design and story work, however, and I will probably write a lot of the dialogue, in co-operation with my co-writer Dag Scheve. Additionally, I'll ensure that the game stays true to the vision - although I'm more than confident that the team can take care of themselves, if needed. So don't worry, it'll definitely be a worthy follow-up!
I just read that a sequel [to The Longest Journey] is in the works, except I didn't see your name mentioned. If you are not involved, I'd be very very very disappointed. It's like doing the Terminator series without James Cameron. Oh wait, they ARE doing that.
So, are you involved this time? I would hate to see one of my favorite games having a shitty sequel...
I am very much involved, though not in precisely the same fashion - or as extensively - as with the first game. I'm currently working on several projects, and I have to divide my time between them. I'm directing the design and story work, however, and I will probably write a lot of the dialogue, in co-operation with my co-writer Dag Scheve. Additionally, I'll ensure that the game stays true to the vision - although I'm more than confident that the team can take care of themselves, if needed. So don't worry, it'll definitely be a worthy follow-up!
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
John Doe (dude, is that your real name?) sent me this e-mail:
Some food for thought -- related to games in general and E3, but makes a special note of adventure genre, including TLJ2. I won't explain it here, since the article is self-explanatory:
http://www.avault.com/editorials/index.asp?editorial=edit116
Read, learn, think, etc.
Read it, thought about it, etc. Did I learn anything? I'm getting old. Try teaching an old dog new tricks, and then let's talk.
Okay, so that's arrogant and flippant. I definitely see Mr. Laprad's - and John Doe's - point. However, I do have a few issues with the article, especially the claim that, with the next The Longest Journey, we're "taking a shortcut to success in an industry stricken by a lack of originality." Where did that come from? The fact that we're going from a point-and-click interface to something new, original, and (hopefully) better doesn't mean we're taking a shortcut anywhere. There are no shortcuts in this industry. And we like challenges. We want to evolve and grow - we don't want to do the exact same thing twice. And we want to make TLJ.s (notice the new abbreviation - cool, eh?) an original, challenging, mature, deep, and emotionally complex adventure game that pushes the boundaries of the genre, introduces new kinds of puzzles and interactions - and an interface that reflects the technological evolution of the target platforms - and that has the same type of mainstream appeal that the first one did. Because we were aiming for a broad "mainstream" market with that one, too. Believe it or not. We're not making any compromises to the story, the setting, the characters or the concept in order to appeal to an entirely new audience. We're continuing down the same path we started on, almost seven years ago, and the fact that the next game is not a 2D point-and-clicker has very little to do with anything. I still maintain that p&c adventures are a dying breed. I'm certain that the Syberia sequel will do well, and that there will be exceptions to the rule, but in general we'll have to get used to the fact that the interface, the visuals, even the gameplay - in adventure games - will change with the times. If they don't, the genre is dead. And there's no way that will happen, because people love adventure games...as long as they're not stuck in the past.
See? I've thought about it. It's an interesting article, but I feel their criticism of TLJ.s is unwarranted and uninformed. They don't know anything about the game, our intentions, our vision - nothing. So maybe it's a bit early to be "disappointed".
Oh, and TLJ.s is not going to be a "3D action-adventure sequel". It's not an 'action-adventure', and it's not a 'sequel'. It's the next chapter in the TLJ saga, and a game that - if you're gonna label it, and I hate labels - might be better categorised as an 'adventure-action' game. But that ain't right either. Let's just call it an adventure, for the time being. A revolutionary new 3D adventure, and the next chapter in an epic and unforgettable saga. There. I was never good with the modesty.
Some food for thought -- related to games in general and E3, but makes a special note of adventure genre, including TLJ2. I won't explain it here, since the article is self-explanatory:
http://www.avault.com/editorials/index.asp?editorial=edit116
Read, learn, think, etc.
Read it, thought about it, etc. Did I learn anything? I'm getting old. Try teaching an old dog new tricks, and then let's talk.
Okay, so that's arrogant and flippant. I definitely see Mr. Laprad's - and John Doe's - point. However, I do have a few issues with the article, especially the claim that, with the next The Longest Journey, we're "taking a shortcut to success in an industry stricken by a lack of originality." Where did that come from? The fact that we're going from a point-and-click interface to something new, original, and (hopefully) better doesn't mean we're taking a shortcut anywhere. There are no shortcuts in this industry. And we like challenges. We want to evolve and grow - we don't want to do the exact same thing twice. And we want to make TLJ.s (notice the new abbreviation - cool, eh?) an original, challenging, mature, deep, and emotionally complex adventure game that pushes the boundaries of the genre, introduces new kinds of puzzles and interactions - and an interface that reflects the technological evolution of the target platforms - and that has the same type of mainstream appeal that the first one did. Because we were aiming for a broad "mainstream" market with that one, too. Believe it or not. We're not making any compromises to the story, the setting, the characters or the concept in order to appeal to an entirely new audience. We're continuing down the same path we started on, almost seven years ago, and the fact that the next game is not a 2D point-and-clicker has very little to do with anything. I still maintain that p&c adventures are a dying breed. I'm certain that the Syberia sequel will do well, and that there will be exceptions to the rule, but in general we'll have to get used to the fact that the interface, the visuals, even the gameplay - in adventure games - will change with the times. If they don't, the genre is dead. And there's no way that will happen, because people love adventure games...as long as they're not stuck in the past.
See? I've thought about it. It's an interesting article, but I feel their criticism of TLJ.s is unwarranted and uninformed. They don't know anything about the game, our intentions, our vision - nothing. So maybe it's a bit early to be "disappointed".
Oh, and TLJ.s is not going to be a "3D action-adventure sequel". It's not an 'action-adventure', and it's not a 'sequel'. It's the next chapter in the TLJ saga, and a game that - if you're gonna label it, and I hate labels - might be better categorised as an 'adventure-action' game. But that ain't right either. Let's just call it an adventure, for the time being. A revolutionary new 3D adventure, and the next chapter in an epic and unforgettable saga. There. I was never good with the modesty.
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Did I say "tomorrow"? The story below will continue another day - just not today. Time and energy is in short supply. No, actually, I've wasted my entire evening doing nuffin'. Eating pizza and watching TV. I'm not saying what I've been watching. Too embarrassing. Leave me alone. I'm all jet-laggy.
Busy days, what with having been AWOL for two weeks, stuff's been piling and I'm playing catch-up. Without a glove. Tons of mail to answer, but wading through my inbox trying to sort legitimate mail from junk took hours. Yes, I'm using a spam filter. Yes, I still receive thousands of "enlargement" offers. Every. Single. Day. Ranting about spam is quite pointless and uninteresting - like complaining about the weather or public transportation - but if someone doesn't do something about this soon, I'll go postal. Or stop reading my e-mail. One of the above.
I finally got hold of a novel I've been looking forward to reading for some time; Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay". Bought it at a Borders in San Francisco. I'm still reading William Gibson's excellent "Pattern Recognition", but "Kavalier & Clay" is definitely on top of my pile of Stuff to Read...together with about eight million other books.
Busy days, what with having been AWOL for two weeks, stuff's been piling and I'm playing catch-up. Without a glove. Tons of mail to answer, but wading through my inbox trying to sort legitimate mail from junk took hours. Yes, I'm using a spam filter. Yes, I still receive thousands of "enlargement" offers. Every. Single. Day. Ranting about spam is quite pointless and uninteresting - like complaining about the weather or public transportation - but if someone doesn't do something about this soon, I'll go postal. Or stop reading my e-mail. One of the above.
I finally got hold of a novel I've been looking forward to reading for some time; Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay". Bought it at a Borders in San Francisco. I'm still reading William Gibson's excellent "Pattern Recognition", but "Kavalier & Clay" is definitely on top of my pile of Stuff to Read...together with about eight million other books.
Monday, May 26, 2003
"Journey to Mars, CA"
Hullo, and welcome to part one of my "brief" pictorial pre-during-and-post-E3 road trip recount wrap-up journal...thingy. This might take a while. Not that I'm going to write a lot about the trip - it's just that it'll take a good while for me to wade through the whole darn trip. We're talking weeks here, so let's get started already.
Day One - May 11th
Bedtime: 2:30 AM.
Rise-and-shine: 4 AM.
This is not a pleasant night. I brush my teeth in a near coma. I'm willing to commit heinous murder for another sixteen minutes of sleep. Cue last minute panicky packing of still-drying clothes. Time is slowly running out. Sleepiness and murderous thoughts soon vanish when I start dragging all my luggage - including the damn PC containing all my presentations and videos, and the NBT demo for the E3 show - down the street towards the station. It doesn't take long for me to abandon any hope of reaching the station on foot (it's usually ten minutes away; now we're looking at twice that - I obviously didn't think this through) so I hail a cab. That turns out to be a Very Good Idea, since I actually make my plane.
We'll skip the next, like, twenty hours: First to London with a brief stop-over, and then the always comfy and never boring eleven hour, stuffed-into-a-seat- made-for-a-very-small-child, movie-choices-featuring-movies- I've-either-seen-and-hated-or-movies- I'd-never-ever-want-to-see trip to L.A. Phew. We emerge finally into the dry and pleasant heat of the Californian summer feeling not so very fresh, though, fortunately, things look up as soon as we get to our nice and quite luxurious hotel - right on the beach in Santa Monica - and thus ends day one of our First E3 Then Big Road Trip trip. Lacking in the pictorial aspect, perhaps, but things are about to pick up a bit. Yes, wait for it - it's:
Day Two - May 12th
I've been to L.A. a hundred times (well, okay, maybe not a hundred times - more like a dozen times...or less), but I've yet to see the Griffith Observatory overlooking the city. So after dropping by the convention centre to check on our booth (still under construction, looking very much like a big square with flimsy walls around it - though it's always a joy to see the big, huge Sony and Nintendo stands emerging from nothingness into imposing fortresses), we head up into the Hollywood hills. Only to find that the observatory is closed. Until 2005. Not until next Monday, or July, or next summer. No: Two thousand and five. So instead - having driven all the way up here - we take a brief walk up the path to get a better look at the Hollywood sign and the city below.
This is as close as I've ever been to the sign, so I can't resist the opportunity to shoot two pictures. I'm just wild and crazy.
And here's how L.A. (or at least part of it) looks from high above, through thick, unhealthy, pea-soupy smog. Neat-O.
Of course, no trip to the Griffith Observatory (closed until 2005, dammit!) is complete without a pull-my-finger picture. From left to right: Ulf (which means 'wolf' in Norwegian - cool name), our beloved chief (and rocket scientist) Trond, and my pal Nico:
Mission accomplished (or not so much, no), we head back down into the smog, get plastered and play pool - really, really badly. Wheee! Cue Day Three - but not until tomorrow. (Told you this would take time.)
Hullo, and welcome to part one of my "brief" pictorial pre-during-and-post-E3 road trip recount wrap-up journal...thingy. This might take a while. Not that I'm going to write a lot about the trip - it's just that it'll take a good while for me to wade through the whole darn trip. We're talking weeks here, so let's get started already.
Day One - May 11th
Bedtime: 2:30 AM.
Rise-and-shine: 4 AM.
This is not a pleasant night. I brush my teeth in a near coma. I'm willing to commit heinous murder for another sixteen minutes of sleep. Cue last minute panicky packing of still-drying clothes. Time is slowly running out. Sleepiness and murderous thoughts soon vanish when I start dragging all my luggage - including the damn PC containing all my presentations and videos, and the NBT demo for the E3 show - down the street towards the station. It doesn't take long for me to abandon any hope of reaching the station on foot (it's usually ten minutes away; now we're looking at twice that - I obviously didn't think this through) so I hail a cab. That turns out to be a Very Good Idea, since I actually make my plane.
We'll skip the next, like, twenty hours: First to London with a brief stop-over, and then the always comfy and never boring eleven hour, stuffed-into-a-seat- made-for-a-very-small-child, movie-choices-featuring-movies- I've-either-seen-and-hated-or-movies- I'd-never-ever-want-to-see trip to L.A. Phew. We emerge finally into the dry and pleasant heat of the Californian summer feeling not so very fresh, though, fortunately, things look up as soon as we get to our nice and quite luxurious hotel - right on the beach in Santa Monica - and thus ends day one of our First E3 Then Big Road Trip trip. Lacking in the pictorial aspect, perhaps, but things are about to pick up a bit. Yes, wait for it - it's:
Day Two - May 12th
I've been to L.A. a hundred times (well, okay, maybe not a hundred times - more like a dozen times...or less), but I've yet to see the Griffith Observatory overlooking the city. So after dropping by the convention centre to check on our booth (still under construction, looking very much like a big square with flimsy walls around it - though it's always a joy to see the big, huge Sony and Nintendo stands emerging from nothingness into imposing fortresses), we head up into the Hollywood hills. Only to find that the observatory is closed. Until 2005. Not until next Monday, or July, or next summer. No: Two thousand and five. So instead - having driven all the way up here - we take a brief walk up the path to get a better look at the Hollywood sign and the city below.
This is as close as I've ever been to the sign, so I can't resist the opportunity to shoot two pictures. I'm just wild and crazy.
And here's how L.A. (or at least part of it) looks from high above, through thick, unhealthy, pea-soupy smog. Neat-O.
Of course, no trip to the Griffith Observatory (closed until 2005, dammit!) is complete without a pull-my-finger picture. From left to right: Ulf (which means 'wolf' in Norwegian - cool name), our beloved chief (and rocket scientist) Trond, and my pal Nico:
Mission accomplished (or not so much, no), we head back down into the smog, get plastered and play pool - really, really badly. Wheee! Cue Day Three - but not until tomorrow. (Told you this would take time.)
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Good morn- uh, afternoon.
I slept amazingly well last night, all things considered. A deep, unconscious, coma like sleep. And while I didn't exactly jump out of bed the minute I woke up, I felt reasonably well rested when I opened my eyes at eleven o'clock. And then, in a cruel twist of fate...I fell asleep again. And woke up again at twelve. At which point I rolled out of bed (literally) and crawled to the shower. That was fun.
I'm really, really looking forward to ten days of jet-laggy-ness. Yay.
Seems the word on the street is that I was misquoted on the "action-adventure" bit - and yes, we're talking The Longest Journey again now, probably for the last time in a while - which is sort of funny, because I haven't claimed that I was...even though I was. Sort of. That bit of info originally came from the Norwegian newspaper VG's online edition. At E3, I was caught in a hit-and-run interview that I hadn't expected (there were a couple of those, mostly regarding TLJ, which we'd planned to keep mostly mum on for the time being) or signed up for, and when I'm unprepared for something, I often ramble. I stand by most of what I said in the interview, but I actually never said "action-adventure". I said "adventure-action". Nit picking? Maybe. Point is, neither label describes the game very well. It's definitely not going to be a traditional "action-adventure", which I why I said "adventure-action" - with an emphasis on adventure. I'd prefer to call it just an "adventure", but then - for some - that conjures images of 2D pointing-and-clicking, static (no pun intended) gameplay, with limited environmental interaction and indirect character control. Classic adventures are fun, too, but TLJ:S won't be one of those. Why? Because we want to go further. We want to take the adventure genre to the next level. We want to revolutionise the way people play adventures, and we want to bring new gamers into the fold. If we're successful, expect a lot more adventures - not only from Funcom, but from other publishers as well. But that's just me being my usual cocky and arrogant self.
Thing is, whatever you think you expect to see, expect to be surprised. Yes, there will be action, but action that's perfectly in tune with the story, with the adventuring elements, with the puzzles, the conversations, the environment. No frustrating action. No pixel-perfect twitch gameplay. No button-bashing. No timed jumps. No falling to your death. No "Game Over" screen.
Why action? Because we're broadening the scope of the game's puzzles and challenges. How much action? Enough to provide variation. What kind of action? That's for another time. We're not talking arcade sequences forcibly inserted into the gameplay, by the way. We're talking about a game world that's entirely consistent with itself, where everything feels part of a greater whole. You'll be on an adventure in a world - or worlds - where there are dangers that require an approach that isn't just cerebral, but also physical.
Trust me - it makes sense. The story demands a more multi-tiered approach. The story is also a world better (pun definitely intended) than that of the first game. If for no other reason, play TLJ:S for the story and the characters. You'll be amazed. I promise.
I think that's all I have to say on that. Don't expect a lot of news or information about the game for a good while. When we're ready to do so, we'll launch a website with lots of cool stuff...but that won't happen until the weather gets chillier and everyone starts buying presents. For the time being, sit tight, think happy thoughts, and remember this: You won't be disappointed. Promise.
Oh, and before I forget: I still think that point-and-click adventures are all but dead. There are noteworthy exceptions, like Syberia, and I'm sure there will be a couple of great p&c games in the years to come - a couple - but they won't be made by us. TLJ:S's new mouse-driven PC interface, however, will do anything and everything a p&c interface can do, and more. In a much more streamlined and dynamic fashion. With bells and whistles. Adventure gamers will be dancing in the streets. Yes.
I slept amazingly well last night, all things considered. A deep, unconscious, coma like sleep. And while I didn't exactly jump out of bed the minute I woke up, I felt reasonably well rested when I opened my eyes at eleven o'clock. And then, in a cruel twist of fate...I fell asleep again. And woke up again at twelve. At which point I rolled out of bed (literally) and crawled to the shower. That was fun.
I'm really, really looking forward to ten days of jet-laggy-ness. Yay.
Seems the word on the street is that I was misquoted on the "action-adventure" bit - and yes, we're talking The Longest Journey again now, probably for the last time in a while - which is sort of funny, because I haven't claimed that I was...even though I was. Sort of. That bit of info originally came from the Norwegian newspaper VG's online edition. At E3, I was caught in a hit-and-run interview that I hadn't expected (there were a couple of those, mostly regarding TLJ, which we'd planned to keep mostly mum on for the time being) or signed up for, and when I'm unprepared for something, I often ramble. I stand by most of what I said in the interview, but I actually never said "action-adventure". I said "adventure-action". Nit picking? Maybe. Point is, neither label describes the game very well. It's definitely not going to be a traditional "action-adventure", which I why I said "adventure-action" - with an emphasis on adventure. I'd prefer to call it just an "adventure", but then - for some - that conjures images of 2D pointing-and-clicking, static (no pun intended) gameplay, with limited environmental interaction and indirect character control. Classic adventures are fun, too, but TLJ:S won't be one of those. Why? Because we want to go further. We want to take the adventure genre to the next level. We want to revolutionise the way people play adventures, and we want to bring new gamers into the fold. If we're successful, expect a lot more adventures - not only from Funcom, but from other publishers as well. But that's just me being my usual cocky and arrogant self.
Thing is, whatever you think you expect to see, expect to be surprised. Yes, there will be action, but action that's perfectly in tune with the story, with the adventuring elements, with the puzzles, the conversations, the environment. No frustrating action. No pixel-perfect twitch gameplay. No button-bashing. No timed jumps. No falling to your death. No "Game Over" screen.
Why action? Because we're broadening the scope of the game's puzzles and challenges. How much action? Enough to provide variation. What kind of action? That's for another time. We're not talking arcade sequences forcibly inserted into the gameplay, by the way. We're talking about a game world that's entirely consistent with itself, where everything feels part of a greater whole. You'll be on an adventure in a world - or worlds - where there are dangers that require an approach that isn't just cerebral, but also physical.
Trust me - it makes sense. The story demands a more multi-tiered approach. The story is also a world better (pun definitely intended) than that of the first game. If for no other reason, play TLJ:S for the story and the characters. You'll be amazed. I promise.
I think that's all I have to say on that. Don't expect a lot of news or information about the game for a good while. When we're ready to do so, we'll launch a website with lots of cool stuff...but that won't happen until the weather gets chillier and everyone starts buying presents. For the time being, sit tight, think happy thoughts, and remember this: You won't be disappointed. Promise.
Oh, and before I forget: I still think that point-and-click adventures are all but dead. There are noteworthy exceptions, like Syberia, and I'm sure there will be a couple of great p&c games in the years to come - a couple - but they won't be made by us. TLJ:S's new mouse-driven PC interface, however, will do anything and everything a p&c interface can do, and more. In a much more streamlined and dynamic fashion. With bells and whistles. Adventure gamers will be dancing in the streets. Yes.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Oh, and:
There will be no platform jumping, key collecting, three-lives and you're out, random arcade-y kid-friendly silliness in our upcoming adventure game The Longest Journey: Static!
(Which, by the way, is a working title.)
There.
There will be no platform jumping, key collecting, three-lives and you're out, random arcade-y kid-friendly silliness in our upcoming adventure game The Longest Journey: Static!
(Which, by the way, is a working title.)
There.
So I'm back.
Slouched on the couch, I'm nursing a bruised knee and sore elbow - after a long but reasonably comfy and quite troublefree trip, I took a serious pratfall trying (and succeeding, against all odds) to catch the airport train into Oslo; ruined a brand new shirt and everything *sniff* - and browsing the net for news...something I haven't done for almost exactly one week. Seems like there are a lot of heated discussions about TLJ:S, and I'm dreading opening my mailbox on Monday. I expect a lot of hate mail. Which I don't usually mind - but this time it's quite unwarranted, simply because I expect most of it to be based on suppositions and hearsay. But more on that tomorrow. A little more. Not a lot more. We're placing an embargo on TLJ:S updates for a while.
Good trip. No: Great trip. E3 was brilliant, and the road trip was a lot of fun. I'll write a little road trip wrap-up tomorrow - with pictures! Yay! - because right now I'm vewy, vewy tiwed. Been up for, oooh, 28+ hours? I did catch some Zs on the plane, so I'm not totally wiped out. But I'd rather be staring slack-jawed at the television right now than doing...this.
Why so few SMS updates? Because I didn't think it was working properly. My messages weren't showing. Turns out now that most of the ones I sent - though not all - did get posted. Eventually. So I could've posted more of 'em. C'est la vie. Next time.
Slouched on the couch, I'm nursing a bruised knee and sore elbow - after a long but reasonably comfy and quite troublefree trip, I took a serious pratfall trying (and succeeding, against all odds) to catch the airport train into Oslo; ruined a brand new shirt and everything *sniff* - and browsing the net for news...something I haven't done for almost exactly one week. Seems like there are a lot of heated discussions about TLJ:S, and I'm dreading opening my mailbox on Monday. I expect a lot of hate mail. Which I don't usually mind - but this time it's quite unwarranted, simply because I expect most of it to be based on suppositions and hearsay. But more on that tomorrow. A little more. Not a lot more. We're placing an embargo on TLJ:S updates for a while.
Good trip. No: Great trip. E3 was brilliant, and the road trip was a lot of fun. I'll write a little road trip wrap-up tomorrow - with pictures! Yay! - because right now I'm vewy, vewy tiwed. Been up for, oooh, 28+ hours? I did catch some Zs on the plane, so I'm not totally wiped out. But I'd rather be staring slack-jawed at the television right now than doing...this.
Why so few SMS updates? Because I didn't think it was working properly. My messages weren't showing. Turns out now that most of the ones I sent - though not all - did get posted. Eventually. So I could've posted more of 'em. C'est la vie. Next time.
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
My posts are just not getting thru.Only a third of them have been posted-maybe this too will be lost in the ether.Standing in a loong TBC
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
line at the Metreon for the Matrix.Looking forward to it.Of course.Duh.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
--
This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
--
This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Windmills on all sides-closing in on SF.First order of business:check into the Chancellor.Then eat.Then do the whole touristy thing.Whee.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
--
This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
On the road again-beautiful but windy day.Less than a hundred to go 'til SF.Back seat today.Just enjoying the ride.Road trips-love'em.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
--
This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
--
This service is offered by BWARE Technologies http://www.bware.it/
This service is made with eXcell (r)
To know more about eXcell visit http://www.excell.to/
Starting from June 2002 Bware Technologies offers a new service
based on J2ME platform: JAMS (r), please visit http://www.jams.to/
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Started the long drive up 5 to SF just before 7 tonite,me at the wheel.Stopped just now at motel 100 miles short-onwards tomorrow.G'nite.
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
of interactions and puzzles-including some action.Some.Anything you hear and read about it now is likely to change.Including the name!
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Oh,and regarding that whole "action-adventure" thing:it will be an adventure game,not an action game-but there will be a wider varietyTBC
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
A series of very late nights and early mornings has taken its toll.Good to be on vacation.Might head in the direction of SanFran tonite.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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Saturday, May 17, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Last 30 minutes of the show-scrambling to see SOMETHING before closing time.Anything!
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Friday, May 16, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Meeting upon meeting fill my e3 days,so haven't seen a whole lot of games.Mythica impresses,looking forward to that.30 min. off now.Yay!
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Thursday, May 15, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
DoomIII showed in video form,still cool.HalfLife2 ditto.Currently at IGN party,living it up.But gotta get up in the early AM.So home soon
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Bad Ragnar,no updates.The day was simply packed.Got to do a little walking.Best game so far?Not seen a lot-Metal Gear Solid 3 looked good
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Tuesday, May 13, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Seems that not all my messages are getting thru.Haven't had much to report-but still.Lack of updates mostly because of the busy.TBC.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
Long day at an end.Tomorrow we set up our E3 booth with the screens and posters and PCs-looking forward to that.E3 just a day away.Wheee.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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Friday, May 09, 2003
GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
This is a new test.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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GSM short message from sms@ragnartornquist.com
This is a new test.
Email: sms@ragnartornquist.com
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Yup, it worked, but unfortunately the service insists on posting my phone-number along with the message - which is quite inconvenient (I edited it out of the message below) - along with a bunch of links. I'm going to try and fix it. Good stuff, though. Expect plenty updates from all across California.
So I'm testing this SMS to Blogger thingy that one of youse guys helped me with.Hope it works!This is a test.
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
"Damn, dirty apes!"
I'm trying to find a way to post blogs on the run - throughout E3 and our subsequent annual Californian Car Cruise - using (preferably) SMS messages sent from my mobile phone. All I need is a way for my text messages to be sent as e-mails to an account that forwards them to Blogger. The last part is easy. The first part, I don't know. If anyone out there is more wired than me (shouldn't be too hard), lemme know. Then I can do that whole road-trip thing, and post exciting messages from all over Northern California. Sweet.
I'm trying to find a way to post blogs on the run - throughout E3 and our subsequent annual Californian Car Cruise - using (preferably) SMS messages sent from my mobile phone. All I need is a way for my text messages to be sent as e-mails to an account that forwards them to Blogger. The last part is easy. The first part, I don't know. If anyone out there is more wired than me (shouldn't be too hard), lemme know. Then I can do that whole road-trip thing, and post exciting messages from all over Northern California. Sweet.
Here's a question that keeps popping up:
One day a while back I found out about a book called Prophet Without Honour. Well I bought the book the first day it was out and I have to say it was great. Now the reason I am writing to you is because the book has "Book One" printed on the cover and I have heard that there is a series. I just wanted to know if you are going to release book two anytime soon.
I think I've mentioned this before, but I guess it's a FAQ-y type of question that I should put into some sort of list of questions that are frequently asked - a QTAFA, so to speak. And here it is, the answer:
Nope.
I'm not involved with the Anarchy Online storyline anymore, nor will I ever write a sequel to "Prophet Without Honour". Period.
Sorry.
I'd hoped to get around to it some day, and there are already a few chapters in existence (somewhere on my extremely cramped hard-disk), but for various reasons - I'm involved with a couple of other projects that eat up 150% of my time; the team has taken the story in a completely different direction; decent but not great sales of the first book - it'll be that one rare series of novels that ends with 'Book One'. C'est la vie.
One day a while back I found out about a book called Prophet Without Honour. Well I bought the book the first day it was out and I have to say it was great. Now the reason I am writing to you is because the book has "Book One" printed on the cover and I have heard that there is a series. I just wanted to know if you are going to release book two anytime soon.
I think I've mentioned this before, but I guess it's a FAQ-y type of question that I should put into some sort of list of questions that are frequently asked - a QTAFA, so to speak. And here it is, the answer:
Nope.
I'm not involved with the Anarchy Online storyline anymore, nor will I ever write a sequel to "Prophet Without Honour". Period.
Sorry.
I'd hoped to get around to it some day, and there are already a few chapters in existence (somewhere on my extremely cramped hard-disk), but for various reasons - I'm involved with a couple of other projects that eat up 150% of my time; the team has taken the story in a completely different direction; decent but not great sales of the first book - it'll be that one rare series of novels that ends with 'Book One'. C'est la vie.
Monday, May 05, 2003
"I'm just a dreeeamer"
How fast is this guy? The third Spy Kids movie in as many years, you've got to wonder why some directors spend years putting a project together. And they're just directing. Rodriguez does everything and he directs. The flicks may not be works of art - they're definitely for kids, and their low budgets are betrayed by some rather scrappy-looking effects - but they're fast-paced, fun, and they've made a lot of money. What the kid's done is he's constructed a franchise, single-handedly (almost), and that you've got to admire.
Now this one's in 3D - shot digitally on the same next-gen cameras that James Cameron will be using for his next movie - and it looks like a lot of fun (check out the trailer at the above link). A video-game come to life, like an oh-three version of TRON. And it stars, of all people, Sylvester Stallone. Good for him. Unlike another pumped-up, past-his-prime 80s action superstar, Sly knows not to take himself too seriously, and he's willing to take risks in order to salvage what's left of his career.
Will 3D rule the cinemas once again? (Nice segway, huh?) Well, in order for movie theatres to stand against the ever-mounting tide of the home theatre, they'll have to offer the audience something they can't get on their 60-inch ultra-high-definition, ultra-thin plasma monitors - with the HD-DVD players, the Xbox 2 and PlayStation 3. Aside from huge, IMAX sized screens, increased picture resolution and frame-rate, and cheaper popcorn, 3D might be one way to keep the punters in the seats.
Or maybe not. Wearing those damn glasses is a real pain in the neck, especially if, like me, you're already with the glasses. I hope and trust that we'll keep going to the cinema even when the picture and sound quality is better in our homes - simply because it's great fun to sit in a dark theatre with several hundred strangers, watching a flickering picture on a white screen and laughing and screaming along with everyone else. If that vanishes, we'll have lost something valuable.
How fast is this guy? The third Spy Kids movie in as many years, you've got to wonder why some directors spend years putting a project together. And they're just directing. Rodriguez does everything and he directs. The flicks may not be works of art - they're definitely for kids, and their low budgets are betrayed by some rather scrappy-looking effects - but they're fast-paced, fun, and they've made a lot of money. What the kid's done is he's constructed a franchise, single-handedly (almost), and that you've got to admire.
Now this one's in 3D - shot digitally on the same next-gen cameras that James Cameron will be using for his next movie - and it looks like a lot of fun (check out the trailer at the above link). A video-game come to life, like an oh-three version of TRON. And it stars, of all people, Sylvester Stallone. Good for him. Unlike another pumped-up, past-his-prime 80s action superstar, Sly knows not to take himself too seriously, and he's willing to take risks in order to salvage what's left of his career.
Will 3D rule the cinemas once again? (Nice segway, huh?) Well, in order for movie theatres to stand against the ever-mounting tide of the home theatre, they'll have to offer the audience something they can't get on their 60-inch ultra-high-definition, ultra-thin plasma monitors - with the HD-DVD players, the Xbox 2 and PlayStation 3. Aside from huge, IMAX sized screens, increased picture resolution and frame-rate, and cheaper popcorn, 3D might be one way to keep the punters in the seats.
Or maybe not. Wearing those damn glasses is a real pain in the neck, especially if, like me, you're already with the glasses. I hope and trust that we'll keep going to the cinema even when the picture and sound quality is better in our homes - simply because it's great fun to sit in a dark theatre with several hundred strangers, watching a flickering picture on a white screen and laughing and screaming along with everyone else. If that vanishes, we'll have lost something valuable.
Sunday, May 04, 2003
"Voyage to Mars - The Sequel"
"Viaje a Marte", "voyage à Mars", "Reise zu Mars", "viaggio a Marte" - it all comes down to the same thing. If you Google the name of this page (uh, "voyage to Mars"?), we're numero quattro on the list, baby! Number four! And this site has nothing whatsoever to do with: a) Any sort of voyage anywhere, and b) Particularly not to Mars.
Deception is oh so sweet.
(Voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars - yup, I'm childish. If anyone out there is looking for a voyage to Mars, they'll land on this site. And they will like it.)
"Viaje a Marte", "voyage à Mars", "Reise zu Mars", "viaggio a Marte" - it all comes down to the same thing. If you Google the name of this page (uh, "voyage to Mars"?), we're numero quattro on the list, baby! Number four! And this site has nothing whatsoever to do with: a) Any sort of voyage anywhere, and b) Particularly not to Mars.
Deception is oh so sweet.
(Voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars, voyage to Mars - yup, I'm childish. If anyone out there is looking for a voyage to Mars, they'll land on this site. And they will like it.)
"Lost in kaleidoscope skies"
After the snow comes the sun. Isn't that neat? It's almost as if there's some kind of giant, world-spanning system behind weather. A "weather system" of sorts. Like, whoa.
Nah, that's just silly. It's probably just benevolent (or are they?) aliens with futuristic, brushed chrome weather-cannons that are fired at the sky from above. What's above the sky? Space, dude. Space. Where aliens come from. And also Ben Affleck.
So it's sunny (sorta), and my Ebola is in recession, so maybe I'll have to go outside. What a drag. I was all comfy with the staying inside and the doing nothing, and now I have to put on clothes and walk around? What kind of weekend is that? A bad weekend, that's what.
I think I forgot to mention that RPG Vault posted another roundtable that I took part in, about a week or so ago. The topic was, "are online worlds fun?", and I did what I always do and tried to put a wrench in the finely tuned machinery of adult discussion, and said "nope". Read it and weep. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to participate in the reply-round, but hopefully they'll ask me back for the next roundtable. If I was them, I wouldn't. If I was them, I'd say "enough of that guy - who wants to listen to a petulant, wanna-be with a stick up his a** and an ego the size of a really, really big, round thing? Not us! Instead, we should all discard these trappings of modern society, wear hemp clothing, and move upstate to a commune where we can learn to weave and make soya ice-cream, and dance the mystic dance of the beaver until the full moon rises, and then we should do a big group hug. And eat mushrooms. And have our way with the squirrels." Or something like that. I'm not completely sure. But I do hope they ask me, 'cause I love talking about stuff. Mostly myself, but hey!
Next week I plan to write a few things about writing (ironically enough), which might be of interest to those of you who like that sort of thing. It's all part of the service here at RagnarTornquist.com.
After the snow comes the sun. Isn't that neat? It's almost as if there's some kind of giant, world-spanning system behind weather. A "weather system" of sorts. Like, whoa.
Nah, that's just silly. It's probably just benevolent (or are they?) aliens with futuristic, brushed chrome weather-cannons that are fired at the sky from above. What's above the sky? Space, dude. Space. Where aliens come from. And also Ben Affleck.
So it's sunny (sorta), and my Ebola is in recession, so maybe I'll have to go outside. What a drag. I was all comfy with the staying inside and the doing nothing, and now I have to put on clothes and walk around? What kind of weekend is that? A bad weekend, that's what.
I think I forgot to mention that RPG Vault posted another roundtable that I took part in, about a week or so ago. The topic was, "are online worlds fun?", and I did what I always do and tried to put a wrench in the finely tuned machinery of adult discussion, and said "nope". Read it and weep. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to participate in the reply-round, but hopefully they'll ask me back for the next roundtable. If I was them, I wouldn't. If I was them, I'd say "enough of that guy - who wants to listen to a petulant, wanna-be with a stick up his a** and an ego the size of a really, really big, round thing? Not us! Instead, we should all discard these trappings of modern society, wear hemp clothing, and move upstate to a commune where we can learn to weave and make soya ice-cream, and dance the mystic dance of the beaver until the full moon rises, and then we should do a big group hug. And eat mushrooms. And have our way with the squirrels." Or something like that. I'm not completely sure. But I do hope they ask me, 'cause I love talking about stuff. Mostly myself, but hey!
Next week I plan to write a few things about writing (ironically enough), which might be of interest to those of you who like that sort of thing. It's all part of the service here at RagnarTornquist.com.
Saturday, May 03, 2003
Oh - forgot to mention some premo clickage that you should...click. Right here. It's the brand-spanking The Hulk trailer. Numero cinco. Click it, and your doubts will go twee-twee and fly away on big, green wings. The Hulk will rule you. Oh yes, he will. He no even look plastic no more, ese. Some great modeling-animation-rendering going on there - the ten-footer looks like he actually belongs in every single scene, with the dirt and the water and the lighting and everything else. Great work. So yeah, it's still not real. It's still comic book. There are no huge green dudes with purple pants in real life (or...?). But, hey, that's exactly what it's supposed to be, a comic book come to life! Could you ask for anything more than that? The answer is "no". We're in a golden era of comic-to-film, so just shut your yaphole and enjoy the ride. Sooner or later it'll be over, and we're gonna be back with the dumb, pointless, heartless, and cold Hollywood action movies.
Isn't it ironic that some of the smartest big-budget flicks to emerge from the earthquake state are based on comic books and graphic novels? Makes ya think, doanit?
Isn't it ironic that some of the smartest big-budget flicks to emerge from the earthquake state are based on comic books and graphic novels? Makes ya think, doanit?
"I hate L.A. All they do is snort coke and talk."
Spent the evening at home - bad weather and me all Ebola-ed (or with the cold...whatever) completely justified the pulling of a William Randolph Hearst and going into seclusion on a Saturday night. Right, not so much with the seclusion - you've gotta be, like, alone for that - but it's been sweet spending the whole day inside with the snow and the rain and the coughing and sneezing going on.
Caught up with the latest episodes of Buffy, Angel, and 24 tonight - something I try to do every weekend - and while the latter has been consistently losing it since the Big One (if you've followed it, you know what I'm talking about), B&A are picking up speed heading into their final lap. Angel especially went kabloom tonight - it was the bomb - with a denoument straight out of a fanboy's dreams. Epic, killer, and all rule-y. I was all with the glee. (Yeah, I own up to geeking out once in a while. Hey, I deserve it.) Buffy went twisty too, heading down an unexpected offramp, and the headlights are definitely reflecting off the big "The End" sign at the end of an increasingly dark tunnel. It's good. Dark, but good. Both looking forward to and dreading that final episode. I've been watching the show since season one, and it's been an inspiration. It sounds corny, but I've learned a lot about story, dialogue, and character from watching the Slayer (and Joss Whedon) do her (his) thing. Funny thing is, you can sense - and see - a lot of that in the first Journey. We'd just started production on the game when Buffy began her vampire staking, and while TLJ owes more to Neil Gaiman and a number of other literary and cinematic sources, there's definitely a pinch of the post-modern irony in April Ryan, heavily inspired by what was, back then, a truly groundbreaking television show. You can see Buffy's influences more clearly now, in most of the genre shows aimed at that all-important 18-30 demographic - hell, even most of the non-genre shows. Writers everywhere have learned a lot from watching seven seasons of slayage. It may not be something everyone admits to watching, and loving, but the fans are everywhere, all around you.
And in a few short weeks it'll be over. I'll be sad to see it go, but I'm also happy that they're calling it quits while it's still on top of its game. And, hey, we still got Angel to keep the Buffyverse alive. Maybe. It hasn't yet been renewed - but my fingers are making a big X.
I just learned that Aaron Sorkin is quitting The West Wing after season four. I'm all TV'ed out now, but I'll definitely write a comment about that some other day. See how I'm all with the writers and stuff? Gotta stick with my boys, y'know. My colours. Or 'colors'.
Neighbours are going seismic with the adult contemporary now. Guess it's time for me to strike back with the force of the Yamaha. There are some loud movies I've been meaning to see...
Spent the evening at home - bad weather and me all Ebola-ed (or with the cold...whatever) completely justified the pulling of a William Randolph Hearst and going into seclusion on a Saturday night. Right, not so much with the seclusion - you've gotta be, like, alone for that - but it's been sweet spending the whole day inside with the snow and the rain and the coughing and sneezing going on.
Caught up with the latest episodes of Buffy, Angel, and 24 tonight - something I try to do every weekend - and while the latter has been consistently losing it since the Big One (if you've followed it, you know what I'm talking about), B&A are picking up speed heading into their final lap. Angel especially went kabloom tonight - it was the bomb - with a denoument straight out of a fanboy's dreams. Epic, killer, and all rule-y. I was all with the glee. (Yeah, I own up to geeking out once in a while. Hey, I deserve it.) Buffy went twisty too, heading down an unexpected offramp, and the headlights are definitely reflecting off the big "The End" sign at the end of an increasingly dark tunnel. It's good. Dark, but good. Both looking forward to and dreading that final episode. I've been watching the show since season one, and it's been an inspiration. It sounds corny, but I've learned a lot about story, dialogue, and character from watching the Slayer (and Joss Whedon) do her (his) thing. Funny thing is, you can sense - and see - a lot of that in the first Journey. We'd just started production on the game when Buffy began her vampire staking, and while TLJ owes more to Neil Gaiman and a number of other literary and cinematic sources, there's definitely a pinch of the post-modern irony in April Ryan, heavily inspired by what was, back then, a truly groundbreaking television show. You can see Buffy's influences more clearly now, in most of the genre shows aimed at that all-important 18-30 demographic - hell, even most of the non-genre shows. Writers everywhere have learned a lot from watching seven seasons of slayage. It may not be something everyone admits to watching, and loving, but the fans are everywhere, all around you.
And in a few short weeks it'll be over. I'll be sad to see it go, but I'm also happy that they're calling it quits while it's still on top of its game. And, hey, we still got Angel to keep the Buffyverse alive. Maybe. It hasn't yet been renewed - but my fingers are making a big X.
I just learned that Aaron Sorkin is quitting The West Wing after season four. I'm all TV'ed out now, but I'll definitely write a comment about that some other day. See how I'm all with the writers and stuff? Gotta stick with my boys, y'know. My colours. Or 'colors'.
Neighbours are going seismic with the adult contemporary now. Guess it's time for me to strike back with the force of the Yamaha. There are some loud movies I've been meaning to see...
"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius"
So I got a bunch of votes, which makes me feel all warm and cuddly inside. Thank you. I am beloved. (Or maybe I'm the only one of those developers with a public website, the nerve to go canvassing for votes, an ego the size of that one big country in Africa that I can never remember the name of (Mbundo?), and a bottomless hunger for PR. Give me attention! I crave it!)
I promise to return the favour with two arse-whomping games, heading your way, filled with all sorts of adventure-y goodness. And also strawberries. And amazing graphics. With bananas. And a scoop of ice-cream on the side.
Games. Yes. Wednesday after next, it's going to be all about the games. That's when E3 begins - the biggest darn game industry trade show there is - and I'll be there to talk to the "lucky" few about what I've been working on this past year. Wheee! The preparations are a bitch, however (can I say "bitch"?), and, to top it all of, I'm sick with a bad cold. I've been sick since I came back from Paris. And I keep expecting it to pass...but it just doesn't. Luckily it's another week until I'm flying to L.A., so I'll probably recover by then. Recover...or die. Maybe it's SARS. It could be.
As part of the preparations, we got a brand new demo PC yesterday, and it's the cutest, coolest PC I've ever seen. It's manufactured by Creative Labs, and it's called Slix. It's a "barebone PC" - a box with a motherboard - to which you can add a video card, CPU and memory, hard-disk(s), and a CD/DVD ROM. Plus, you know, monitor-keyboard-mouse-speakers-whatever. Point is, it's small. Real small. You can't put much into it, but hey, who needs to? Our setup includes a P4 2.5GHz, an Audigy2 sound-card, a GeForce 4 Ti-something-or-other (very, very fast), a 120Gb HD, a hybrid DVD-CDR/W drive, and a gigabyte of memory. Plus a wireless Microsoft keyboard and mouse. Pretty sweet. In a geeky way. All in a tiny, brushed metal box that wouldn't look out of place in a stereo rack or right under the TV. I'm getting one of those myself, soon as I can afford it - it's not very expensive at all. I hate the big PC towers that make a lot of noise, and this one looks - and sounds (quiet, like) - more like a Mac than a PC. Esthetics are important, y'know. You'll fall in love with it when you see it - guaranteed.
What will we be using it for? Presentations, mostly. We have a demo that we're showing to a few invited guests, as well as lots of artwork and screenshots. We have a closed room at E3 where we'll be displaying The Longest Journey related stuff, plus our Big Secret Game (that has been sort of announced (our "Next Big Thing"), but is still a looong way off from being shown to anyone except, well, VIPs).
How is the next TLJ proceeding? Very well, thanks for asking. And that's about all I can say until we're past and beyond E3. Why? Because it's secret, that's why. And also because we want those little golden nuggets of information and news to be distributed carefully to all and sundry over the course of the development. No need to rush things. We've got a ways to go. Be patient. When it finally arrives, it will rock you so hard. Oh yeah.
So I got a bunch of votes, which makes me feel all warm and cuddly inside. Thank you. I am beloved. (Or maybe I'm the only one of those developers with a public website, the nerve to go canvassing for votes, an ego the size of that one big country in Africa that I can never remember the name of (Mbundo?), and a bottomless hunger for PR. Give me attention! I crave it!)
I promise to return the favour with two arse-whomping games, heading your way, filled with all sorts of adventure-y goodness. And also strawberries. And amazing graphics. With bananas. And a scoop of ice-cream on the side.
Games. Yes. Wednesday after next, it's going to be all about the games. That's when E3 begins - the biggest darn game industry trade show there is - and I'll be there to talk to the "lucky" few about what I've been working on this past year. Wheee! The preparations are a bitch, however (can I say "bitch"?), and, to top it all of, I'm sick with a bad cold. I've been sick since I came back from Paris. And I keep expecting it to pass...but it just doesn't. Luckily it's another week until I'm flying to L.A., so I'll probably recover by then. Recover...or die. Maybe it's SARS. It could be.
As part of the preparations, we got a brand new demo PC yesterday, and it's the cutest, coolest PC I've ever seen. It's manufactured by Creative Labs, and it's called Slix. It's a "barebone PC" - a box with a motherboard - to which you can add a video card, CPU and memory, hard-disk(s), and a CD/DVD ROM. Plus, you know, monitor-keyboard-mouse-speakers-whatever. Point is, it's small. Real small. You can't put much into it, but hey, who needs to? Our setup includes a P4 2.5GHz, an Audigy2 sound-card, a GeForce 4 Ti-something-or-other (very, very fast), a 120Gb HD, a hybrid DVD-CDR/W drive, and a gigabyte of memory. Plus a wireless Microsoft keyboard and mouse. Pretty sweet. In a geeky way. All in a tiny, brushed metal box that wouldn't look out of place in a stereo rack or right under the TV. I'm getting one of those myself, soon as I can afford it - it's not very expensive at all. I hate the big PC towers that make a lot of noise, and this one looks - and sounds (quiet, like) - more like a Mac than a PC. Esthetics are important, y'know. You'll fall in love with it when you see it - guaranteed.
What will we be using it for? Presentations, mostly. We have a demo that we're showing to a few invited guests, as well as lots of artwork and screenshots. We have a closed room at E3 where we'll be displaying The Longest Journey related stuff, plus our Big Secret Game (that has been sort of announced (our "Next Big Thing"), but is still a looong way off from being shown to anyone except, well, VIPs).
How is the next TLJ proceeding? Very well, thanks for asking. And that's about all I can say until we're past and beyond E3. Why? Because it's secret, that's why. And also because we want those little golden nuggets of information and news to be distributed carefully to all and sundry over the course of the development. No need to rush things. We've got a ways to go. Be patient. When it finally arrives, it will rock you so hard. Oh yeah.
