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LEGO Unity game – The quest for R2 D2

Iestyn — Sun, 17 May 2009 09:27:14 +0000

LEGO.com has the best looking Unity game I’ve seen so far.

Blurring the line between console and browser

Currently there’s just one level, which is split into multiple areas. It’s a fairly simple 3D platformer – run around, collect gems, jump onto platforms, attack enemies. It won’t win any awards for originality, but graphically it’s very impressive. Try playing full-screen.

Unity can also support USB 360 controllers. I tried playing this fullscreen with a 360 controller just now, and yes; it’s almost indistinguishable from a console game from a few years ago. Really impressive work Three Melons and LEGO!

LEGO have announced they’ll be releasing a full version in August 2009, with 15 levels and 4 selectable characters.

Thanks for finding this Ed

[update] Three Melons have more on their blog.

Bow Street Runner up for another award

Iestyn — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:53:00 +0000

It just doesn’t stop. The multiple-award-winning Bow Street Runner we made for Channel 4 is up for another award, this time it’s the Broadcast Digital Awards. We’re in the Best Use of Digital Technology category.

The nominees are:

BBC iPlayer
Bow Street Runner, Channel4.com
Current
Freesat
Mycbbc
Obama: The Inauguration, Sky News

Wow. That’s quite some company to have!

Puzzlebloom – good Unity puzzle game

Iestyn — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:49:34 +0000

Puzzlebloom is a good looking, fun puzzle game made with Unity. Lovely cel-shaded 3D graphics, and fun too. You play the part of a sort of tree-spirit that posesses dumb creatures and robots, and the aim of the game is to turn each dull grey level into one that’s full of life.

I’m getting more and more impressed with what Unity is capable of, and more concerned that Adobe are really losing out in the web 3D space..

Play Puzzlebloom here.

Short URLs with Wordpress

Iestyn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:21:36 +0000

A big thanks to Brighton-based NixonMcInnes for supplying a Wordpress plugin that, with widespread adoption, would help ease the problem that would occur should one of the URL-shortening services die. Jeremy also writes about the problem here.

After activating the NixonMcInnes plugin, the url of this post will be both a search-engine friendly: http://www.iestyn.net/wp/2009/04/07/short-urls-with-wordpress

..and it will also be: http://iestyn.net/wp/?p=290

Ok, so that’s 27 characters vs 25 for a tinyurl, and less should I want to alter some URL rewriting (which I’ll do soon). Not bad, and I’ve just saved my own tiny piece of the internets.

M25 Simulator courtesy of Google Street View

Iestyn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:20:48 +0000

Thanks to the wonderful Google Street View, you can now experience a simulation of the M25! I bet you’ll all spend hours pretending to drive along the most exciting motorway in Europe.

For added realism try sitting in a car while looking at this page on your laptop.

Don’t forget to use cursor keys.

View Larger Map

Torque3D plugin with browser surfaces

Iestyn — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:15:41 +0000

Torque3D allows rendering of a browser onto a surface. Amazing graphics for a browser plugin. Better than Unity maybe?

Via *drawlogic and Garage Games blog.

Blush. Stunning Unity game

Iestyn — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:58:18 +0000

Check out the stunning 3D Blush game by Blurst:

It’s a beautiful Unity game where you play a jellyfish that collects eggs. There’s a number of enemies you need to lash with your tentacles, with some great effects when they die. Check out the sea dragon for a good example.

Blurst also have a number of other good games. I quite like Minotaur China Shop.

I’m really impressed with what Unity can do. I’ve got to get a copy soon!

Great interview with Introversion (Darwinia, Defcon)

Iestyn — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:25:01 +0000

Great interview on Offworld with the indie developer / publisher Introversion. These are the guys who released Darminia and the sublime Defcon:

I admire the way Introversion know that piracy is going to happen, and game the pirates. Impressive.

Related to that, it’s good to see EA releasing a DRM-removal tool.

Google Chrome 3D

Iestyn — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:16:10 +0000

Now you can view the web in 3D! Google have released Google Chrome 3D.

It does something with the RGB channels for every webpage. I wonder what it looks like if you’re wearing 3D glasses? Note the toggle 3D button on the nav bar.

I wonder if it’s something to do with today’s date?

Here’s a screenshot:

Download here.

Papervision experiment #2: 3D colour cube

Iestyn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:28:37 +0000

Here’s another experiment along the same lines as the last one, with the same mouse controls.

This time it’s 15,625 Pixel3D points, and the position in the cube defines the colour.

I really like the moirre effect.