It was a lovely day in the Forest 
Candles, stars and bubbles.
Thank you to all who came.
Author: Auriea
ABIOGENESIS: Epiphany
according to wikipedia:
An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. The term is used in either a philosophical or literal sense to signify that the claimant has “found the last piece of the puzzle and now sees the whole picture,” or has new information or experience, often insignificant by itself, that illuminates a deeper or numinous foundational frame of reference.
It is also a feast of the wise men following a star.
To us it is a festival about the returning of the light to the world, meaning the winter will not last forever.
Let’s get light. Join us on Twin Gods Hill in The Endless Forest on 6 January at 4 PM in Belgium.
get the time in your area
Games I’m looking forward to playing in 2009
As counterpoint to Michael’s post about not having games to play I thought I’d be more optimistic and point to some games that I am looking forward to playing when they’re released next year.
So far:
Flower (Playstation Network, thatgamecompany): We’ve played with an early version of this game some months back and it can give one a feeling of absolute euphoria. Floating along on a breeze, the controls felt just right even back then. It looks like some game-like elements have been added but I bet it won’t dull the primary effect putting you in a dream-like state and giving you a moment’s release from care.
Noby Noby Boy (Playstation Network, keita takahashi, Namco): something that looks this exquisitely insane has GOT to be good. I am also pleased that the designer doesn’t consider it to be a game. The aesthetic is fresh, the play looks open, I can’t wait.
Gyakuten Kenji/Miles Edgeworth Perfect Prosecutor (DS, Konami): Confession, I have played ALL the Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney games. I find the writing to be on par with any television series. The stories are funny and tragic and sometimes a bit strange. Great character design throughout. A spinoff featuring Miles Edgeworth is a fabulous idea.
Calling (Wii, Hudson/Konami?): I’ve only seen (apparently leaked) videos on the net but this spooky game looks awesome! I hope to no end that it gets released outside of Japan. The interaction reminds me of a design we’d come up with for an unfinished game called “The Apartment.”
F.E.A.R. 2 (PC, Monolith): not because i will actually play the game (I cannot play FPS games) but because i think Alma (all grown up now) is the sexiest, most compelling, female character in action game history. What I do with games I can’t, or don’t want to, play is I look at clips on YouTube so I can skip the shooting and get to the good parts (which are the parts in-between the shooting usually.) The first F.E.A.R had some priceless moments. I’m hoping this one will be just as striking.
what can i say, i’ve got strange taste in women.
Tension/The Void (PC, Ice-Pick Lodge): Speaking of mysterious women, this game by our friends at Ice-Pick Lodge is intruiging. It’s getting a release outside of Russia courtesy of Atari. Good on them. While I’m not sure I’ll love the gameplay (but it could happen) I think it may have some interesting narrative resonance. I definitely am looking forward to fully exploring this world. I admire the character and environment design to no end.
Pikmin (WiiWare, Nintendo): i played this on gamecube and it remains one of my favorites. I think the addition of Wii controls will totally add. I’m looking forward to throwing the little guys around. Not so much to having them eaten, set on fire, blown away and rolled over by the garden’s creatures. But hey…
#1 game I’m looking forward to is: The Path (PC, Tale of Tales), of course. Because we’ve been making it for 2 years and having it done is the only thing I can really think of right now. Gaming comes *after*. So many hopes…
So, What games are YOU looking forward to playing?
The Path: alpha testing
We completed a series of player observations as part of the alpha test phase of The Path. 12 players over the past couple months helped us find bugs and gave their observations. We thank them endlessly. It was a very great and educational experience for us which will surely make The Path a better experience for everyone who plays it.
Beauty on The Path
see larger versions on The Path gallery page and on flickr
We have released 4 new screenshots of The Path. The other screenshots on the site are quite old by now and the game has changed a lot in this year of production. Once we get to beta (we are very close!) there will be a deluge of images and video. For now, we just want to give you a peek at what we’ve been up to.
ahem, some quotes from a recent text we wrote about the aesthetics of the game…
“You control the avatar, but she also has a life of her own -directed by Drama Princess, a home-brew alternative AI system. The foliage on the trees turns out to be careful arrangements of gothic ornaments. What first seemed like sound effects, is in fact a continuously changing musical soundtrack -created by Jarboe. Random signs of decay on the screen become helpful hints for navigation. The entire forest feels natural but closer inspection reveals its artificiality. This is not the real world. You have entered a fabrication, a story, a memory, a dream.”
…
“Painting with the aesthetic palette of realtime 3D rather than using the medium for the simulation of reality, The Path could not have been made without contemporary technology. Yet it clearly sets itself apart from any other Next Gen game. The hand of the artist shows. Sometimes messy and strange, sometimes verging on the sublime. Harvey and Samyn are not in complete control. A large part of the attraction of game technology is its potential to surprise. Rather than locking down the look of each and every scene, The Path contains systems that alter the aesthetics of the game in ways that the creators may not have expected. To some extent, the players themselves can decide what things look like. Walking down the path, for instance, changes the time of day. Depending on where you enter the forest, you will be wandering through a bright and misty environment or a dark and spooky one.”
And if all that still sounds overly mysterious, hopefully we’ll be able to pull back the veil with some video… soon, soon, soon.
Spooky Forest Fun!
We will be holding 2 ABIOGENESIS parties in The Endless Forest! The first Friday, October 31st, at 9pm GMT/UTC and the second on All Souls Day, Sunday, November 2nd, at 9am GMT/UTC.
We’ll be performing the first ABIOGENESIS live from FOAM Brussels’ “All Hallow’s Eve celebration of the Guild for Reality Integrators and Generators.” ha!
Weather Report: Expect mist! 😉
Things are getting dark in The Forest…
The Undead Deer has come back from the depths to haunt the forest for another year! Join in this season of oddness in The Endless Forest and be ready to attend the All Hallows Eve ABIOGENESIS party coming at the end of the month!
Meanwhile, on a less spooky note, we along with The Endless Forest Club on DeviantArt have started an initiative to put together the first The Endless Forest Fan Art Calendar! The TEF community has made lots of fabulous artwork over the years and it is high time we all made something a bit more lasting than .jpgs! So, check it out and be a part of it!
This Is Indie!
A little video we made last year because Celia Pearce asked us to. 😉 Its about our thoughts on Independent game development, sort of. It was never used (I believe her response was “what did you make that with? a cell phone camera??” ha! little did she know we don’t HAVE mobile phones!) But we found it so delightfully silly that I’m posting it now in honor of the (first annual) IndieCade International Festival of Independent Games which starts today 10/10/2008. And in which The Graveyard is nominated for an award!
Abiogenesis: The aftermath!
but wait… theres more! view the slideshow.
Great party! My head’s still swimming ;D
Biiig thanks to everyone who was there!!
ABIOGENESIS: Pool Party. Let’s cool off.
Tuesday, July 15th at 9PM GMT we are holding another one of our (in)famous ABIOGENESIS performances inside The Endless Forest. This time we suggest, all you deer, take a swim in the pond. You will turn into a frog and shed your costumes, but in this heat that will feel so good! Now that you’re all cooled off, leave your deer behind for an out of body experience with the Twin Gods. Enjoy the party and spectacle in a whole new way by switching to ABIOGENESIS CAM mode with CTRL+W. Be carried through the forest and witness colors and forest magic like you haven’t before! Find out what time it’s happening in your area.
This performance will also be playing and playable at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles as part of the Indiecade Exhibition of Independent Games! We hear they’re also showing a giant art print of a still moment from TEF. If anyone happens to see it, and can send us a photo 😉 thx.