Rather than let it wait for weeks, I rushed to crop a bunch of pictures and write a bunch of commentary about IGF 2007!

It was a really great year and we had a lot of fun. It's starting to feel like my life is an infinite loop of Comic-Con and IGF. Not to mention we're going to our second PAX this year, so throw that one into the rotation. Wash, rinse, repeat! It's always a good time, though.

I went to a talk by Koji Igarashi from Konami, the guy who makes the Castlevania games. He talked a bit about their challenges with sprite characters in high definition. One solution has been to make 3D games that play from a 2D perspective, while the other was to use traditional hand-drawn animation. However, Koji noted that traditional animators aren't as experienced with animating for games. Sounds like there could be jobs out there for traditional animators who are...

There were related concerns from other companies I talked to, who were finding they couldn't cram high-resolution art into the size restrictions of their games. We faced a similar challenge when it came time to turn Alien Hominid HD into a 50 meg game for XBLA, so we developed some cool tools that made it work.

Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers feature 100% hand drawn, high-definition art. There are tons of traditional animators right here on Newgrounds who are drawing with a Wacom tablet. After all this talk about sparking a 2D revolution, I feel like we really are on the cusp of something... With the release of the original TMNT arcade game on XBLA this week, I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if they released the original game, but with hand-drawn art that was identical to the cartoon. It would have been pretty cool, right?

What I'm getting at is... Think about how your art can apply to gaming. I'd love to see a lot more artist / programmer teams come together the way many already have here on Newgrounds. I think there's a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon. ;)

BTW... Don't forget that Pico Day is less than two months away! This would be a good opportunity for some programmers and artists to team up and WIN CASH!

At 3/14/07 03:01 PM, TomFulp wrote: I feel like we really are on the cusp of something...

I hope you're wrong, only because right now it feels like things are on the up and up, and a cusp would graphically push them in the exact opposite direction.

But at the same time, if you are right, and it does push things in a positive direction... it means things are in a negative direction at the moment.

You're either a short term optimist and long term pessimist, or vice versa.

But that's all irrelevant, I suppose. Hopefully cool things start happening!

Mmmm. Sounds like fun, and good press for Castle Crashers.

So...Any new word on a release date for the new layout?

Oh, come on, someone had to say it.

pico day comming up :D

defenitly worth the try to make something for it :D

i'm on it

At 3/14/07 03:05 PM, Evark wrote:

I hope you're wrong, only because right now it feels like things are on the up and up, and a cusp would graphically push them in the exact opposite direction.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't a sudden positive change still be considered a cusp? I never thought a cusp had anything to do with direction change. I'm pretty sure I'm right.

Anyway, you sound like you're really in the loop, Tom. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I've always wondered, though - maybe you've answered this question elsewhere. Have you ever considered dealing with 3D with any of your games in the future? I'm not talking about sprites rendered from 3D models, but the realtime deal. I'd guess not, since 2D really seems to be your thing, but I'm sure that you'd have a lot of fun seeing what you're capable of doing with it. Something like that.

Wow It must be great to meet all your childhood heroes or at least their creators

No redesign info?

Blah

jk

Cool

I thought Pico Day was March 30th. I still have tons of time if its still a month away.

I shall name you Invisible Burger Man, and you shall be mine.

I wonder what the C stands for in your initials on those high score boards :)

yay IGF coverage, I'm so.... meh

But I will probably download alien homind and castle crashers (If its out) on xbox live

Hahaha. Two in the pink, one in the stink.

Tom Carmichael Fulp?

Tom Christopher Fulp?

I want some stickers :D
Can't wait for the redesign, should be good.

Cool. That sounds exciting. And I can't wait for Pico Day.

Gold.

At 3/14/07 03:38 PM, Bolo wrote: Tom Carmichael Fulp?

Tom Christopher Fulp?

Tom "Crushinator" Flup.

Glad all of the AH and CC stuff is still going well.

But never forget about NG =(

Are they still giving out those Wacom tablets. If so how can i win one.
When is the next art thread?

Tom Fulp - Representin' the CC.

Sounds like you had a lot of fun. :)

Some great pics there, looks like you had a great time!

Bucca Di Beppos ftw.

Also, tell Dan that Black Shirt/Gold Tie combo was sexxxy.

At 3/14/07 03:04 PM, fuzzies wrote: 1 day closer to the new layout release.

i'm excited.

One day closer?! Tomorrow!?

I'm excited too ^^

What's with the extreme bloom on the shigeru and cliffy b pics?

Nice pictures there..

At 3/14/07 03:20 PM, WilliWowza wrote: I shall name you Invisible Burger Man, and you shall be mine.

I feel like...I've seen him before. But where....

They released TMNT on the XBLA?! Why wasn't I informed?!

I think Komix and I kinda had more in mind than what Flash could offer when we started putting together the Blockhead game. It was kinda ambitious for such a notoriously stingy program, and I'm still convinced it would have been easier/more fun if it ran a bit quicker. Alas, Flash is a hard nut to crack when you've got grand ideas. We might try something a little more Flash friendly in the future, but we'll see.

Haha, and dapper as always in your Tank shirt, Tom. I always thought you should put together a photo album of any prize pack winners who wanna show off their NG attire post-reception.

cash is always good i wish i wuld go to comicon

That's what I've been saying (just not out loud >_>).
I would love to see something like a hand drawn Street Fighter, as opposed to them using that crummy old Morrigan sprite yet again. :/
One question I gotta ask about Alien Hominid, when Dan does the animation, is able to convert the animations direct from flash to the game via some voodoo, or do you have to export each frame individually?

Thanks for the pics!