iSplume Out Now (w/ Video Proof!)

By: Brandon McCartin (BMcC)

On: September 11th, 2008

WARNING: Reading this post frightens me— and I just wrote it. Focus on the iSplume part, OK?


iSplume (that’s Splume for iPhone/iPod touch, kids) is now available for purchasing in the iTunes App Store… for, like, three bucks. (What’s that, a pack of gum nowadays?) And it incorporates all that touch screen and tilting wizardry I’ve been hearing so much about. It’s even getting mentioned alongside the likes of Spore: Origins in press releases and such. (Which means something, I think?) Quick tangent: What the heck could Spore: Origins be about, anyway? Doesn’t Spore have you starting out as a single-celled organism? We developed the theory on Skype the other night that this “Origins” installment will have you starting out playing as God or The Big Bang or the primordial ooze itself or something. Of course, going from God to microorganism would be a bit of a letdown, wouldn’t it? I’m just saying… I’m glad I’m not the one to have to answer these questions!

Splume (which you can play here) was the first release in a series of games started as an experiment in rapid development by the gentlemanly and modern gentlemen at Flashbang Studios, who went on to craft such indie touchstones as Off-Road Velociraptor Safari and Jetpack Brontosaurus, as well as host the first annual TIGJam. (For future reference, you can find their weirder, mostly dinosaur-themed games over at their new site, called Blurst — I guess maybe to create some distance from Flashbang’s more “casual” reputation?)

Dang, this might be the best TIGS post I’ve ever written. I mean, look at all the formatting. And the video! I’m going to take this moment to point out that my first article on TIGS was also the first (yes, in the world) to break the news of gaming on the iPod, and now it’s like the gosh-darned Golden City of Milk & Opportunity over there! I humbly accept all credit for this and wait patiently for the numerous parades in my honor.*

Hrm, I just noticed we haven’t yet posted the first gameplay video from Jetpack Brontosaurus. Shameful! Dare I create a new article? No, that’d make for one-too-many videos on the front page… Okay. I’ll stash it after the jump. With a secret TIGJam-related note!

*Also, I’m a huge narcissist now?


This is awesome.

SECRET NOTE FOLLOWS: Derek, Jeff, Steve, Matt… someone. I need to go to TIGJam. Fantasy Grill alone sparks a roaring fire in my loins. And I was thinking. I’m like the F’n Senior mother-F’n Editor of mother-F’n TIGSource, mother-F’ers. For word. Like, I should already be on my way via a courtesy rickshaw following a path of, like, rose petals or peonies or whatever. Lilies. Some pimp stuff.

But seriously, I know I haven’t been the most consistent “mother-F’er” on the planet, and I know this article is pretty erratic (likely to the point of warranting concern), and I know I could be contacting you guys directly (wait, why haven’t I done that?), but this would bring me scads of happiness. I wanna see you guys again! I wanna smell you guys again… I mean it. Gimme a call or email or something, yeah? Hopefully we can make this happen!

And so ends the last article I will ever write… today.

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    I figure, all that work… I’d *better* regret this in the morning.

  • Adam Atomic

    petals.

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    It must be a Server Error or something. I’ll see what I can do.

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    It took some doing, but I think I fixed the glitch.

  • deadeye

    Holy fucking shit, it’s a dinosaur

  • Trotim

    My comment! My beautiful comment!

    YOU FIEND.

  • Gravious

    Stay off the coffee Bran..

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    @Trotim: Sorry, I actually deleted one of the many duplicate articles I had posted in a frenzy. So it’s not personal. But that article HAD to GO.

    @Gravious: “Coffee Bran” could be a pretty marketable cereal.

  • Derek

    Er, I think you should just buy a plane ticket to Arizona and see what happens!

  • beetlemania

    I would like to know how many shares of TigSource does flashbang studios own.

  • http://www.cymonsgames.com guesst

    Spore Origins. Did you not see this when it came out:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5xA8-XvjNk

    You wanna get all up on yourself for being on the bleeding edge of gaming on the iWhatever.

  • BeamSplashX

    Bee Mick See, a poster is he
    A wondrous man, a-blee blee blee

    “The BMcC Fight Song”

  • splotki

    it’s all about Critter Crunch! (it won IGF awards)

  • splotki

    though isplume is nice too:)

  • http://www.mawsoft.com/blog/ Impossible

    More great news from Flashbang Source.

  • OMG

    TEH SCANDAL.

    REPORT TEH NEWS TO TEH INTERNET TEH CONSPIRACY IS GROWING OMG OMG OMG

  • John Evans

    Ah, I remember Splume…I got up to (checks) level 12 and it turns out level 12’s impossible, so I got really frustrated. And now you can be frustrated on your iPhone too!

  • http://blurst.com Matthew

    I can’t resist the front page vibe. Must…become…snarky…!

    **John Evans**: You aren’t alone! Level 12 was–

    mysql> select count(*) from highscores where level > 12;
    +———-+
    | count(*) |
    +———-+
    | 360496 |
    +———-+
    1 row in set (0.24 sec)

    Never mind. You *are* alone.

  • Mailman

    Ha, that’s pretty cool! I’m planning on getting an iPod touch, too! So, convienience! (especially with them new prices)

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    **@beetlemania:** Well, I gotta give it to you… You finally got us. *TIGSource Enterprises Ltd.* is in fact a full subsidiary of *Flashbang Studios Corp.*, which now feeds us all our stories direct from their secret HQ _deep below the Earth’s crust._

    But how did you manage to piece it all together? I was sure we– wait. Do you get the picture yet?

    Probably not. (Your comment was *stupid.*)

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    **@Derek:** Heck yes! I’ve emailed Matt and I’m talkin’ to Ben right now. (So very excited!)

    **@Matthew:** It’s a snarky day, for sure.

  • http://www.benruiz.net Lith

    SO snarky!

    Yet so loving.

  • DoucheBag

    YOU GUYS SUCK

    I WANT TO BLINDFOLD PHIL FISH AND DO HIM

    PLAY THE UNDERSIDE EVERY DAY

    every day.

  • Dusty Spur

    Man, BMcC, just beatin’ around the bush and shit. Just straight up go “fuck y’all bitches”. Word.

  • PHeMoX

    Level 12 is not impossible, I’ve managed to beat it up to level 22 or so, then I simply lost interest.

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    **@Dusty Spur:** Damn straight.

    **@guesst:** Haha, hey man, I don’t claim to *know* anything about any of this stuff… I just claim to have *popularized* it. :P

    I watched the video you linked me to. It took a few tries, though, ’cause my Indie Reflex kept kicking in each time I heard “industry leader,” forcing me to close the window.

    So, what exactly was I looking for? “Primordial soup?” I believe the record will show I said starting “as” primordial ooze, not starting “in” it…

  • Scott

    That dinosaur keeps going all wire frame..

    Does this have a story like Assassin’s Creed?!

  • Moose

    Hey, does this mean that Unity can compile to iPhone now?