Rewind (Can I Get A?)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 11:27AM Yes. Yes you can. While working on 'other things' we're also trying to keep track of all the post-Playful chatter/blogging/uploading etc. So far the feedback all over the web has been wonderfully positive. Sadly, I could only find one reference to people being really polite. So, thanks to Twitter's evidence, the One-Behindmanship award of the day goes to Roo Reynolds.
Of course, it would be too ungentlemanly to accept an award, and stalemate would have to be overcome at the stairs to the stage. So here is a video of Roo rocking Playful with Controller Mate/MacBook/Rock Band Guitar Controller/Wah-Wah pedal:
Roo Reyolds plays "Hotel California" from Tom Armitage on Vimeo.
Super, Smashing, Great
Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 10:23AM 
Blimey. All done then. What a day.
We've sent out personal thankyous by e-mail but we'd still like to publicly shout 'Ta Very Much' to all of the speakers from the day. We had the fear, to be sure to be sure, about technology and timings and 'the order of things'...but our fears proved to be unfounded. Everyone who spoke was so nice and funny and interesting and clever that we could have gone to play darts and it still would have worked out fine. But then we'd have missed a SHED load of inspirational stuff. My Christmas list has doubled in size thanks to Matt Biddulph alone.
Flickr Uploader is working it's socks off with all the pictures from Playful as I write. Check the Playful Flickr Group to see what it looked like, and start thinking about what you'd like to see next year. We are.
P.S. We've had some lovely e-mails from people saying how much they enjoyed Playful. If you have any feedback you'd like to share, send us an e-mail, or pop us a comment on this post or any that follow.
Stay warm.
No, After You, I Insist...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 05:33PM 
Earlier today we were trying to think of a good game to play at Playful next Friday. Something with a competitive element, but where no-one dies. So it is with great politeness that we present to you One Behindmanship, a game invented by none other than Pixel-Lab's very own David Hayward.
Instructions will be provided on the day to all who attend, but readers of the Playful Blog can get valuable points on their entrance to the building, or even the tube.
The instructions can be found here. After you...
Om nom nom nom
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 12:19PM
OK, so not big news but we have secured everyone coming to playful a great packed lunch.
Cobs, Chocolate, crisps, fruit and a yummy smoothie from our friends at Innocent.
Digital Fiction - Choose Your Own Adventures
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 12:01PM 
Adrian and Dan Hon will be talking at Playful. They created Six to Start, the cross-media gaming company. I've just been 'playing' with We Tell Stories, their Penguin project. It took me quite a lot to resist following 'The 21 Steps' by Charles Cumming. Now it is safely bookmarked and waiting for lunchtime...as is this from the Playful Vimeo group:
We Tell Stories: A New Form of Storytelling from Adrian Hon on Vimeo.
I've just found out that Dan will be talking at this next week in Birmingham. Can I go? Can I?
(Photo by doctor zeitgeist)
Get It On, Get Flat
Monday, October 13, 2008 at 02:08PM 
I played the demo of Multiwinia at Develop this year, and can't wait to do so again at Indie Games Arcade, by which time full multiplayer modes will be available after Introversion open up LAN.
I was very surprised to read today on Rock, Paper, Shotgun that no-one has yet downloaded the Multiwinia demo. Shocking really, since it's had great reviews across the board (although not as many as one might have hoped) and comes from a highly reputable indie development company.
Still, let's just hope that attention grows as the coverage increases. I heartily recommend downloading the demo (the game is so quick to pick up that you could be install, set up, and be playing multiplayer games in the office within your lunch break), and if you're in London on 28th and 29th October get yourself down to The Old Truman Brewery and track down the Indie Games Arcade at the Eurogamer Expo.
Last Minute Speakers
Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 03:47PM We have sorted out 3 last minute speakers that we are really pleased about :
- Eric Zimmerman, from NYC and Gamelab (not in that order)
- Tom Armitage, from London and Headhsift, especially in that order
- James Wallis, A Siam man who is known as much for his scrupulous honesty
Archie Talks about Cross Media Platforms
Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 01:15PM I asked each speaker to present a 2 minute video introduction to their talk as way of promoting the event.
No one has done it yet.
But then again neither have I.
...and it is only 3 weeks to go, maybe we all feel easier typing than being filmed.
Archie (my eldest son) was keen to talk about games and his gaming habits and who am I to turn down free staff time (even though he is 5, and 1/2). He is as good at Burnout as he is at 45 and in, as hot on Skate and he is on his own board.
Imagine a boy who will grow up expecting his entertainment to be as visceral as Pixar, as interactive as Little Big Planet, as connected as his facebook page: I think he will always be playing, and will expect to, unlike many people who have stopped playing as it is just too childish.
Archie Barnes Talks Platforms from Toby Barnes on Vimeo.
Another example of Generation C. ageless.
Dark Sex At Playful
Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 11:34AM "Dark Room Sex Game is an award-winning multiplayer, erotic rhythm game without any visuals, played only by audio and haptic cues. The game can be played with Nintendo Wiimote controllers or a keyboard."
The game was developed by a co-ed, multi-national team of students at the IT University of Copenhagen. I found out today that I'll have to master this in order to run it at Playful. I suppose there could be worse things.
Chris Delay, Multiwinia & Indie Games Arcade
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 01:58PM Multiwinia - Rocket Riot from Rlan on Vimeo.
Multiwinia will also feature at Pixel-Lab's Indie Games Arcade at the Eurogamer Expo, part of the London Games Festival at the Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane, London) on 28th and 29th October.
Play While You Eat
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 10:19AM 
It's a restaurant in London, called Inamo, with an interactive ordering system designed to make your "dining experiences digital by projecting colorful menus and aesthetic patterns onto touch-sensitive tabletops." They project meals on to your plate for you to choose. Nifty. You can also look up local services, presumably taxis, bars, clubs, theatres etc. Convenient. Part of me is thinking, "what about asking someone?" but really, when I think about it, you could still ask someone couldn't you? The worst they can say is, "I don't know. You should ask your table that's what it's there for."
The design of the place was done by Blacksheep, and is lovely as well as playful (see more pictures here). Things I'd like to do with my table display:
- Use that iPhone pincer action to zoom in on my salad to count peppercorns.
- Change my background to something more akin to fast food outlets.
- Flick digital peas across the room.
PlayCal
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 03:47PM GDL becomes Playful
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 02:30PM We are really happy that Poke London have gotten involved to help us out.
We spoke to Iain Tait a while back about being one of our speakers and he asked what else he could do for the event. What started out as some visual identity work has become logo, and a banner, and some web dressing, and a facebook thingy, and a poster, and some video bumpers.
not bad for a "digital agency that doesn't do any print stuff."
Keep your eyes peeled and lookout for some exciting new looks.
Playful Vimeo Group
Monday, September 22, 2008 at 04:55PM Everything is coming together. We've e-mailed the speakers and asked them to send us a video, a talking head clip about themselves and their talk, about videogames and INTERESTING THINGS.
As they come in, we'll be embedding them in the speaker profile pages (forthcoming), as well as in the Game Design London Vimeo Group which you are quite welcome to join (in fact, we'd love to see you there).
Could be a great idea, could be terrible
Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 04:27PM 
I am well pleased that Kieron Gillen has agreed to close GDL.
He promised us that he would be drinking vodka all day and everything that spews from his demon hole will be the god's honest truth.
I look forward to the truth and fear for the world.
Perhaps the break down of the world's finance markets marks the begining of the final coming, and kieron will be the end?
who knows....

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