GDC 2010: Hands-on with Faraway14: 00 12/03/2010, Mike Schramm, aesthetics, arrows, circles, kite, remote points, game, game, gdc2010, gravity, hands-

GDC 2010: Hands-on with Faraway14: 00 12/03/2010, Mike Schramm, aesthetics, arrows, circles, kite, remote points, game, game, gdc2010, gravity, hands-on, the screen of the iPhone, Mac, space, Steph Thirion, stephthirion, universe, video, vacuum the Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
Filed under: Games, Software, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPad


Steph Thirion first iPhone game is Elissa, a touch screen based arcade games that had to be combined and maneuver around other planets, and trying to match them with size black holes to score points. As we said (stay tuned for an exclusive interview with indie developer), which was very difficult - even more than I really wanted to be. So, for their second iPhone game away, has been much simpler. Inspired by the iPhone game Canabalt, Thirion has created a one-key game in which the goal is nothing less than to explore the universe. I have a Mac in the show (so you can project the video on a bigger screen), and we have some practice time with the new game.

You control a kite that flies around an empty black ink and speckled circles, aesthetics eliss pixelated space is back. This time, however, only one control, and is a tap anywhere on the screen. Doing so will cause the comet to gravitate toward the nearest point static, then sling it around the star until you let go, and throws in a new direction comet. There is an arrow pointing off the screen, and by deep calendar correctly, the kite will face in the direction of the arrow.

Once you move in the right way for a period of time (the game has a countdown timer constantly), will come to a giant circular body, like a large white sun. Once you hit that way, the screen flickers, and goes into another mode of play - the kite drag a line around the screen, and increasingly gravitating around a star, the line is connected between the stars who gravitate around a. To continue the connection, and may continue to accumulate points, but cross or touch the line (or the outer edge of the screen), and that the object is more - you are given your score and your comet ejected in a new direction, a little extra time to the clock continues to count down to end the game.


Sounds complicated, but in practice, the simplicity of a button remains fairly easy to understand. There are several ways out of the sun hitting you aspire giant - red polygons that affected his kite will go faster for a while (which lets you close the space for the sun along much more quickly), and add white polygons time the clock in general, allowing you to play the game for long.


The game tracks your high score, but that's all, really - the objective is to keep the kite going for as long as possible. And it's addictive - like Canabalt, every time you play you feel like you've discovered a new trick, or just press the gravity of a star, just right, you careening off on a new high score.


Is very exciting. Thirion has not decided on a price or release date (stay tuned for information in the interview that is), but especially if you like the simplicity of a button Canabalt (and who does not?), Faraway seems that 'll be fun expedition at the edge of space.
TUAWGDC 2010: Hands-on with Faraway originally appeared on the Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms of use of feed.


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