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[webrunner]

5th Cell might be better known as the Drawn to Life guys, possibly even the Lock's Quest guys, but I'm fairly certain that - come September - they'll be known primarily as the Scribblenauts guys.

They're local, so when they asked if they could drop by and show it off, we didn't hesitate. I looked over at Gabe's screen, and saw a space shuttle crash into a schoolhouse. I don't think that was the goal. For my part, in order to secure a subterranean whooziwatsit, I needed to crack the crust of the earth. I wanted to create an excavator, and when I entered the word, it wanted to know: did I mean a tracked construction vehicle, or a person who excavates?

Um, SOLD.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/

 

[Blizzard]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/

I was wondering if Penny Arcade would discover the game. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't make a comic or have more information on it (specifically, maybe linking to videos), since they could have a big impact.

Still, I'm glad they liked it!

 

[webrunner]

I was wondering if Penny Arcade would discover the game. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't make a comic or have more information on it (specifically, maybe linking to videos), since they could have a big impact.

Still, I'm glad they liked it!

I imagine they will in september.

 

[cooljeanius]

How badly do you want to see a penis in the game? Or poop? Sure, it'll be funny for like one puzzle or two, but not funny enough to warrant an entire SKU.

If you really wanted, I'm sure you can summon something in the game that looks like poo (mud? chocolate pudding?) and pretend that it is poo. It probably won't look that much different than what the "real thing" would like had the artists drew it in Scribblenauts style.

It's not so much about wanting to see a penis, poo, alcohol, or other M-rated thing as it is about actually having everything in the game. I just want a version where I can know that they're there. I don't go looking for porn or other M-rated topics on Wikipedia, but it makes it the more complete encyclopedia simply because it includes them. Blue links > red links, even if one doesn't actually click them. It's mostly an anti-censorship thing.

 

[SirPenguin]

I've been following Scribblenauts on a few forums since E3, and literally all at once every last one of them has immediately lost all hype/discussion.

Doh!

Guess there won't be much more discussion until we start getting more videos and interviews. Hope they come soon! It's gonna be a long summer.

 

[MNC]

I've been following Scribblenauts on a few forums since E3, and literally all at once every last one of them has immediately lost all hype/discussion.

Doh!

Guess there won't be much more discussion until we start getting more videos and interviews. Hope they come soon! It's gonna be a long summer.

Discussion may have stopped but the wanting of it is increasing every day. For me, atleast.

 

[Dacvak]

How badly do you want to see a penis in the game? Or poop? Sure, it'll be funny for like one puzzle or two, but not funny enough to warrant an entire SKU.

If you really wanted, I'm sure you can summon something in the game that looks like poo (mud? chocolate pudding?) and pretend that it is poo. It probably won't look that much different than what the "real thing" would like had the artists drew it in Scribblenauts style.

Here's to hoping you can write "mushroom tower" and "chocolate log" instead.

Spoiler

Seriously, who cares?

 

[SirPenguin]

Heh, over at another forum there was a topic about Scribblenauts and I saw the fastest conversion of somebody I have ever seen

His initial response:

Scribblenauts? Whats that? Never heard of it, what platform is it on?

Then someone explains the concept to him. He's not entirely sure of the premise

Weird. So it has some sort of inbuilt dictionary that recognises certain words? So what happens if you write something it doesn't recognise?

Still doubting the game and what it might be capable of...

What happens if you write something it doesn't know? For example like the tc said, Cthulhu. I doubt it will recognise that. So what happens if you write Cthulhu and it doesn't recognise it? Default object, or it gives you a "do not recognise" message or something?

Then someone says that Cthulhu is actually in the game

What the fuck, it [recognizes Cthulhu ]? Maybe I should buy a DS

And finally someone links him to the IGN video of God vs. Cthulhu

WHAT THE FUCK IT ACTUALLY HAS CTHULHU. HOLY SHIT.

I think I might get a DS! That game looks fun as FUCK.

Then as if to seal the deal...

Do you guys think a DS Lite or a DSi is better?

So in 6 posts this guy - who doesn't even own a DS - went from having no idea what Scribblenauts was to seriously considering buying a DS and is already asking people's opinions on whether he should be a DS Lite or DSi

That's pretty impressive. Nintendo/WB, you gotta make sure people know about this game. It can push units. It can move god damned mountaints!

 

[evilromero]

Haha. I think we were all like that before they showed off the videos.

 

[Blizzard]

That's pretty impressive. Nintendo/WB, you gotta make sure people know about this game. It can push units. It can move god damned mountaints!

That's my problem with it, that people are excited because cthulhu or death is in the game. The point of the puzzles is that you're supposed to think creatively...using cthulhu or Einstein with a shotgun isn't going to solve most puzzles, and I suspect people will get bored after trying weird things and memes, and disappointed that their pet meme isn't in the game. And annoyed, because "purple dildo" doesn't work and they didn't read the ruels about adjectives and E10 words.

You know the really simple puzzle in the most recent video? Where you go over, through, or under? Does anyone remember which puzzle it was? Assuming it's in the first 10, that's good. But if that were puzzle like...199, then I could see how people would get bored. Hopefully the hints can be turned off too. :lol

 

[SirPenguin]

The Over/Through/Under was 1-10. Indeed all videos we've seen have been from the 1-x series, The Gardens.

 

[Blizzard]

The Over/Through/Under was 1-10. Indeed all videos we've seen have been from the 1-x serious, The Gardens.

Interesting. 1-10 was far simpler than 1-9.

 

[MNC]

That's pretty impressive. Nintendo/WB, you gotta make sure people know about this game. It can push units. It can move god damned mountaints!

You can use dynamite to blow the bottom half off, a giant drill to pulverize it and a bulldozer to move the rubble! Or you can make a teleporter and make it appear in a different spot! :lol

 

[FoxSpirit]

In some way, I am relieved they are not aiming for a M rating... and yet somehow let down too -.-

 

[BorkBork]

That's my problem with it, that people are excited because cthulhu or death is in the game. The point of the puzzles is that you're supposed to think creatively...using cthulhu or Einstein with a shotgun isn't going to solve most puzzles, and I suspect people will get bored after trying weird things and memes, and disappointed that their pet meme isn't in the game. And annoyed, because "purple dildo" doesn't work and they didn't read the ruels about adjectives and E10 words.

Yeah I feel this way as well. It's important to remember that this is a GAME first and foremost. While summoning random and obscure objects is fun, demonstrates the vastness of the database, and has served to fuel the massive hype that has preceded the game, I hope people remember that that in itself is not the point of the game. 5th Cell's goal is to present the player with a puzzle and give the player basically the world to solve it. I hope reviewers won't be nitpick how their particular meme didn't work and hate on the game because of stuff like that.

 

[Jocchan]

using cthulhu or Einstein with a shotgun isn't going to solve most puzzles

Don't worry, Einstein will come up with something, AND he has a fucking shotgun!

 

[Colocho]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling the "GAF backlash machine" will be big on this one. There's no way this game lives up to the monumental hype it has.

Hope it does though.

 

[Blizzard]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling the "GAF backlash machine" will be big on this one. There's no way it lives up to the monumental hype this game has.

Hope it does though.

Oh, there will probably be lots of people who hate it or complain about it, especially if it's popular. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to keep expecations low, so I enjoy it anyway.

 

[SirPenguin]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling the "GAF backlash machine" will be big on this one. There's no way this game lives up to the monumental hype it has.

Hope it does though.

Probably. Still, the difference between this game and most other games that ride the hype train is that this one does what it says. Most games that fail promise you the world and fail to deliver even a fraction of what they promised.

This game doesn't promise you the world. It simply promises you the dictionary. And from all accounts and does exactly that

 

[batbeg]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling the "GAF backlash machine" will be big on this one. There's no way this game lives up to the monumental hype it has.

Hope it does though.

I've yet to be disappointed by a game I've hyped myself up for, and I've hyped myself up for what GAF would consider some objectively shitty games. So if this is actually a critically successful game, and I enjoy it, it'll be like... fucking glorious.

I honestly fail to see how this game can do anything but exceed my expectations, which is hugely insane praise, but it's how I feel.

 

[Blackhead]

Probably. Still, the difference between this game and most other games that ride the hype train is that this one does what it says. Most games that fail promise you the world and fail to deliver even a fraction of what they promised.

This game doesn't promise you the world. It simply promises you the dictionary. And from all accounts and does exactly that

Great tagline

 

[xfactor]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling the "GAF backlash machine" will be big on this one. There's no way this game lives up to the monumental hype it has.

Hope it does though.

Getting the best of E3 showfloor award is sure to make lots of console fanboys who doesn't have a DS seeing red in their eyes. I'll be surprise if it doesn't have backlash at all.

I hope 5th Cell will release a trailer showing off a bit of the 'traditional platformer' level though, because I think people are starting to mistaken that this is just a game where you spawn 2 things which fight each other, or the level objective is just some simple 'chop down tree' or 'push whale into water' kind of thing.

 

[Forkball]

The only way this game is going to be bad is if the puzzles are repetitive or uninteresting. The ones shown to us thus far are pretty basic, but they are different enough to show that the missions will have variety to them. Hopefully it's not too easy though, I think a lot of people might be worried about that since the game is also targeting kids.

 

[BorkBork]

The only way this game is going to be bad is if the puzzles are repetitive or uninteresting. The ones shown to us thus far are pretty basic, but they are different enough to show that the missions will have variety to them. Hopefully it's not too easy though, I think a lot of people might be worried about that since the game is also targeting kids.

Even if the game has 220 SHITTY puzzles, there is still a level editor for people to play with. I don't really see any scenario where this will be a weakness of the game.

 

[Jackson]

Interesting. 1-10 was far simpler than 1-9.

Those levels were not in the correct order and were only placed in a random order for e3, they don't represent the level order of world 1, in fact some levels (which no one video tapped) weren't even from world 1...

The only way this game is going to be bad is if the puzzles are repetitive or uninteresting. The ones shown to us thus far are pretty basic, but they are different enough to show that the missions will have variety to them. Hopefully it's not too easy though, I think a lot of people might be worried about that since the game is also targeting kids.

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

 

[BorkBork]

People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels.

"Wah wah puzzles look too simple!"

Jackson tells you to STFU.

 

[Dreamwriter]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

That makes me feel a lot better, I was thinking that since you can summon *anything* to help you, it'd make the game pretty darn easy. I definitely welcome a challenge in a game like this.

 

[Blizzard]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

Captain Jackson, he's my hero! (the 10-year-olds playing the game will be frustrated, leading to a different SORT of backlsah! ;p)

But seriously, that's awesome to hear, and thanks for the note about how the levels weren't in the "proper" order!

 

[GDGF]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

That's what I wanted to hear.

 

[Jackson]

Captain Jackson, he's my hero! (the 10-year-olds playing the game will be frustrated, leading to a different SORT of backlsah! ;p)

But seriously, that's awesome to hear, and thanks for the note about how the levels weren't in the "proper" order!

I said "some" levels, not all. There's a reason the game is divided between puzzle (casual) and action (hardcore) and playground (no objective). So everyone can enjoy it! I get play testers all the time who tell me they prefer X mode over Y mode or enjoy all modes. That's the point! Play the way you want, why should we limit you?

 

[Danthrax]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

badass.

Spoiler

I hope GameFAQs entries are written up quickly for Scribblenauts >_<

 

[Blizzard]

I said "some" levels, not all. There's a reason the game is divided between puzzle (casual) and action (hardcore) and playground (no objective). So everyone can enjoy it! I get play testers all the time who tell me they prefer X mode over Y mode or enjoy all modes. That's the point! Play the way you want, why should we limit you?

Don't worry, I'm happy about it. I'm aware that some are simple! =)

 

[SirPenguin]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

You made my night, sir. I love difficult puzzle games. And a difficult puzzle game that challenges your imagination?

Oh god, back on the hype train

 

[xfactor]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

Thanks for the assurance I was getting a little worried that you guys will put too much focus on the 'write and spawn everything' aspect of the title (since the current attentions and hypes are surrounding that) over the level designs

 

[Nocebo]

badass.

Spoiler

I hope GameFAQs entries are written up quickly for Scribblenauts >_<

Spoiler

you have no soul >_<

 

[MNC]

Big Boss saves the day :lol

Part of the hype for me IS the creativity and so many ways to solve puzzles. I am actually looking forward more to the puzzle levels than the dictionary now. We know it has just about everything September can't come soon enough

 

[abstract alien]

:lol People are going to cry and swear at me for some of the difficulty on the levels. You people have no idea.

Quoted again for awesomeness.

 

[DDayton]

Careful. If I remember right - and it's been a while - Jabberwocky is the name of the poem, and nothing more than that.

The Jabberwock, on the other hand, that is a real creature. Er, as real as things can get in this context.

Ummmmmmmm.....er............um............

Drat.

Both would work, though. "Jabberwock" calls up a dragon-thing in a waistcoat. "Jabberwocky" results in all the words of the poem dropping on the head of the character.

Spoiler

BAH! I made a rookie mistake... I've dishonored my English degree.... sniff... sniff.

 

[turk128]

Tried my hand at scribbling... the style is surprisingly hard :\

Can't waits for the game.

 

[abstract alien]

Tried my hand at scribbling... the style is surprisingly hard :\

Can't waits for the game.

Beautiful, and what a nod to the art style! Great job, I love it!

 

[Jocchan]

Really nice!

 

[mclem]

So, since we all know about the phenomenon of speedrunning, I wonder if there's potential to attempt wordruns - complete the game / a world using the fewest distinct words. Would encourage creative alternative uses of some things. I suspect the early worlds should be particularly good in that respect.

It came to mind through thinking that you could use an axe in the chop-down-a-tree level and also give it to the fireman in the give-to-professions level.

 

[Gabyskra]

Tried my hand at scribbling... the style is surprisingly hard :\

Can't waits for the game.

NICE!

 

[MNC]

Amazing job at drawing them AND retaining the art style properly!


I want to scribble-fy my avatar Someone help me?

 

[Shiine]

I wonder if you can use "Antidote" against Zombies to make em humans again.

 

[Fuu]

Tried my hand at scribbling... the style is surprisingly hard :\

Can't waits for the game.

Great work. Love the Jack one.

 

[SirPenguin]

Article on WorthPlaying. Apparently it's new (dated yesterday) but I swear I've heard these impressions before.

edit: Ah, now I remember. This author is actually a SomethingAwful forum member

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=63580

Some highlights:

Whatever you type, you create. The game can even recognize multiple terms for single objects. Type "cloud," and you can clarify if it is a rain cloud or a regular cloud, for example.

The final mission we got to try was the hardest of the lot: the aforementioned zombie mission. We had to help a character get from the left side of the screen, through a horde of zombies, to a helicopter waiting on the right side. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, since the zombies were fast and aggressive, and if they touched the person, the victim was instantly turned into a zombie and we failed the stage

Having just seen some things about God of War 3, I decided to fool around and try "Zeus." Unfortunately, it didn't work, but the demonstrator nearby was quick to mention that Zeus would be present in the final build of the game.

Eventually, boxed in a corner, I decided to go whole hog and counter the Titan with "Spartan." This, naturally, created a burly man who took the fight to the Titan, while I quickly used the chance to have Maxwell escape. It was absolutely hilarious and fun just to see what happened with the random objects I created. I could easily seem myself spending hours or more writing down various tools and characters and seeing how they interacted.

With that said, the game wasn't quite flawless yet. It was a bit difficult to get the characters to interact with the items you created, although the E3 game floor was not the most ideal place to test this out. This was especially noticeable during the intense zombie mission, where trying to create a chainsaw and then equip and use it before the zombies munched on my escort was extremely difficult, to the point where it didn't appear as if anyone else who played Scribblenauts on the floor had been able to complete it before I got there

Most of these were obscure oddities that I frankly wasn't expecting the game to know, but I did a double take when the game didn't recognize "Valkyrie" as a valid choice

It might be a simple-looking 2-D DS title, but Scribblenauts is up there with the best at this year's E3.

 

[abstract alien]

I wonder if you can use "Antidote" against Zombies to make em humans again.

Good one. Maybe a medical kit could deal high damage like casting Cure in an rpg?

 

[Blizzard]

Valkyrie should be in the final build. HEADS WILL ROLL if not, etc. I'm kind of surprised Zeus would be in but valkyries would not, since I thought "valkyrie" is a non-proper noun referring to a class of ancient warriors, but my mythology is rusty.

I did wonder about how quickly you'd need to do some things, though, like equipping items or aiming for levels where zombies etc. are quickly charging you.

 

[the year 20XX]

Valkyrie should be in the final build. HEADS WILL ROLL if not, etc. I'm kind of surprised Zeus would be in but valkyries would not, since I thought "valkyrie" is a non-proper noun referring to a class of ancient warriors, but my mythology is rusty.

I did wonder about how quickly you'd need to do some things, though, like equipping items or aiming for levels where zombies etc. are quickly charging you.

There is definitely a time element to it -- at least one of the levels in the tutorial area is a race, and you have to place stuff QUICKLY.