E3 2008: fl0wer

By: Derek Yu

On: July 17th, 2008

thatgamecompany’s fl0wer was shown at E3 this week. The game, which is slated for a “soon” PS3 release, has you guiding flower petals over lush landscapes by controlling the wind. The game purportedly uses a similar dynamic difficulty adjustment (“DDA”) system to fl0w.

You can see more screens here (Kotaku), and there are two gameplay videos after the jump. It looks (and sounds) lovely.

TIGdb: Entry for fl0wer

(Source: Tim, via the IndieGames.com blog)

Posted in Previews, Videos | Tags: thatgamecompany

http://www.eurogamer.de Robert

You lied, there is no jump!
Derek

O RLY?!
sinoth

The sounds remind me of Rez. Ahhh, Rez.
polygon

Cave Story ripoff..
muku

It indeed looks extremely pretty. I’d really like to know if there’s any sort of gameplay besides flying around (probably, else there couldn’t be any diffculty adjustment going on, huh?). The videos don’t make that clear to me at all.
Krux

remembers me a bit to cloud.
Zeno

Jeez this looks boring.

I’m gonna stick with blowing up zombies.
cougarten

I don’t get it.
and it’s way to milky
Bob Saget

Looks absolutely gorgeous, sounds absolutely gorgeous, but I don’t really see any fun gameplay here.
Trotim

What is this, the Final Fantasy 14 intro maker?
Keops

Looks interesting, but I also fail to see a game there. Game = objective. fl0wer = what’s the point? Looks like it’d be better off as a showcase of a pretty brand-new flat screen TV set. Unless you get some sort of objective to fulfill or some competitive edge there (dunno, who flies more petals around XD) then it fails to be a game.

Then again, I sure would like to try that experience, as it looks to be more of a sensorial experience or a good looking relaxation tool than a game. Even Rez had some simple game mechanics thrown in there like high-scores or unlockable levels / stuff. Maybe fl0wer will feature that too, dunno :)

Thanks for sharing though, definitely looks worth a try.
LordZero

First, sorry for my English.

Second, this is what i think about how this game works. You are controlling the direction of the wind, that subsequently is transporting a petal, with that petal you have to pass close to the flowers to make them blossom, every flower you make blossom, drop another petal that join to your first petal and so on.

Anyway, the game seems very simple (including the gameplay) and beautiful, the music add a nice feel to it too. I would like to have a ps3,though.
The Legend of Castle Zombiestein: Nightmare Apocalypse

Looks Katamari’ish.

The game that is, not the art.
http://sophiehoulden.com GirlFlash

I think people cling too much to objectives and things, I hate to say it, but even when there is no explicit objective, players will still make their own, even if its just ‘I’ll go over there’. and I’ve found that by not telling layers what to do, they become much more involved in the world resented to them anyway.

besides, what is so bad about crossing the wall that divides the definition of games with the other possibilities of play?

regardless of issues, I’m looking forward to this, as a gamer, an artist and somebody who enjoys relaxing in the evenings :)
FISH

if do not think this is amazing, i do nto care much for you.

also, NO MORE CAVE STORY RIPOFF “JOKES” EVER. OKAY? FUCK.
Trotim

Yes my liege~
lol

FISH is a cave story ripoff
lol is a cave story ripoff

FISH is a cave story ripoff is a cave story ripoff
Fish

is a Cave Story ripoff

& this game looks a bit too bland really. looks as much fun as Pokemon Ranch but… without missions!
Steve Swink

I suggest reserving judgment until you experience it firsthand. I had a chance to play an early version a looong time ago. Even then, it was one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve ever had interacting with a computer. What they’re doing is an inspiration to me, as it should be to anyone with a heart and a brain.

Troll that, huzzah! :)
jph

It looked quite clear that the objective is to control the wind to open the rows of flowers, and eventualy run the giant wind turbines? What are you guys looking at? If the only ‘objectives’ you can comprehend are to shoot some ‘other guy’, then go buy another FPS,. there be no durth of those,. Perhaps some ppl would enjoy a game that was not about killing people once in a while,. no?
To each his own.
FISH

seriously, you people are peasants.
Peasants

We also demand ground oats with our videogames!
0rel

nature simulators in hd SUCK! they suck, as the turbines there do. that’s so sad… enjoy nature, the wind, the flowers: and go out, man…
Right

So anyone who doesn’t see the point in this automatically felates giant gun-totting space marines, or [insert another polar extreme game].

Or it could be I think that this game sucks along with many other FPS or GTA games.
Hmm hmm yes.
Oddwalz

Gameplay looks kinda reminiscent of corridor platformers (like Sonic) only in freeform 3D and with a lot of Cloud mixed in for good measure. intriguing!
http://www.intuitiongames.com torncanvas

First of all, TGC is trying to push the definition of games. So that means _by definition_, this game is not very gamey by today’s terms. Saying “This isn’t a game!” is a moot point. Part of the point is that this shouldn’t be a “game”, to push the very definition of what games are.

Second, in order to make the game more immersive, they’ve specifically made it less obvious what the goals are. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. It just means that video of the game can’t do the game justice at all. This is a great thing! It means that they might actually be expressing something that’s unique to games! The more you can understand what the game is trying to express by watching a video, the less it needs to express that thing through a game. Why not just make it a video?

Third, some people believe that the more you want to express a concept or emotion, the less challenges/goals you should use. Not sure if I agree to that completely, but one can understand the point.

Fourth, their games are meant to give you an emotion that is specifically NOT intense. The shortest word for that is “zen,” though I’m sure the emotions that are meant to be felt are quite a bit more complicated than that.
Prio

Uhhhh.
If it has a difficulty, which it is said to, then it basically has goals. Not difficult logic.
This isn’t even an issue of “oh gee is it good or bad to have goals in a game do you need them blah blah blah.” IT HAS GOALS. It’s a moot point. I’d call kicking and throwing balls into nets pretty fucking vague and zen if looked at objectively, but. Yeah. You know where I’m going with that. Same with playing cards and building forts and shit like that.