Last Life
[vimeo 88592346 w=500 h=281]
This is the coolest concept! A strategy game that mixes sci-fi and noir into an adventurous storytelling game that lies in the same vein as Telltale’s Walking Dead series and Kentucky Route Zero. You are murdered P.I. Jack Parker, who has been brought back through the wonders of 3D printing for a limited-time celebration. Of course, you’re not interested in celebrating so much as solving your own case (and maybe unwrapping the mysteries behind Earth’s demise). Set on MarsTopia eleven years after Earth has been destroyed, the Kickstarter aims to bring Episode One – out of a planned three – to life. I love the noir vibe and the graphics of the game – though the BitCoin mention did have me rolling my eyes a bit – and it’s a game I think is more than worth checking out.
Under $20 Rewards: For $15, you’ll get every episode of Last Life that is funded through this Kickstarter. That means, if funded, you’ll be guaranteed a DRM-free copy of Episode One and if they reach stretch goals for more episodes, you’ll get those as well. So I think the moral of that is to spread the word?
Ends May 9, 2014.
She Got Game
A documentary meant to look at how gaming fits into the lives of women, both professionally and socially, through the eyes of a fellow female gamer. There’s already a sampling of content over on their Youtube page that covers topics like beauty in the gaming world and the love and hate of gaming. There is also a focus on female gamers and female gaming-centered events. Aiming to be as inclusive as possible, not only do they want to hear from any female gamers interested in the project, but they want to make it possible for girl gamers of all levels to enjoy the documentary. With plans to cover a lot of interesting topics (like women who hate video games, video games as a stress reliever, and game development and social responsibility, among other topics) and an openness to cover topics you’re interested in, it’s hard not to get excited or involved in this project.
Under $20 Rewards: For $1 CAD, you’ll get a digital wallpaper and a thanks. For $5 CAD, you’ll receive a digital calendar with photos and hand-drawn and digital art based on video game culture. $10 CAD will get you a “Prologue” of highlights and segments that don’t make it into the documentary, as well as a digital wallpaper. For $15 CAD, you’ll get the “Prologue,” the digital wallpaper, and the digital calendar. For $20 CAD, you’ll get a digital download of the documentary and a digital calendar.
Ends April 24, 2014.
Storium – The Online Storytelling Game
[youtube=http://youtu.be/3z4Y7YYuV68]
This concept is essentially taking play-by-post role-playing and organizing it into a more structured web-based online game, making it more accessible to everyone. With elements from card games, video games, and role-playing games, you’re able to either become the narrator of the story or become one of the characters. You are provided with cards that help you shape your character (weaknesses, strengths, assets, goals, etc) and provided with a setting for your character to interact with others. The narrator guides the players through a series of scenes, in which they provide challenges for the players to overcome. Everyone works together to tell a unique story that never loses forward momentum and allows for player creativity. As an avid writer, I’m really intrigued by this concept and by the worlds they’re creating to place these stories in. The possibilities are truly endless in storytelling in this capacity.
Under $20 Rewards: For $10, you’ll get instant access to the Beta testing of Storium, where you can jump right in and check out this game yourself. For $20, you’ll get the Beta access, as well as one year of Storium once the game launches publicly.
Ends May 8, 2014.
English
Interesting to see another feminist gaming documentary project in the works. It’s good that there’s more of this kind of work out there, both treating gaming seriously and looking at gender issues in the medium. But the thing that most caught my eye out of all this was the idea of bringing someone back from the dead by 3D printing, as in Last Life. That’s an approach to resurrection I’ve not seen elsewhere, but a great extrapolation from current tech.