More future screens and some interactive fiction
Hey! Here’s some more future (current but futuristic-seeming) screens.
My 12 year old brother told me about these SmartBoards, which are used at his school to make things like math class more interactive:
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/SMART+Boards/default.htm
The Fly PenTop Computer uses digital paper and has no screen at all: http://www.flypentop.com/view/page.home/home
Nintendo DS gets interested in interactive fiction with new release “Hotel Dusk” :
Nintendo’s Interactive Novel Puts Players in the Middle of a Mystery
Jan 22, 2007
Femme fatales and shady bellboys bring this ‘video game book’ to life
The date is Dec. 28, 1979. Disgraced New York detective Kyle Hyde checks into the seedy Hotel Dusk in Los Angeles and suddenly finds himself embroiled in a 30-year-old murder mystery. This is the story of Hotel Dusk: Room 215, available exclusively for the portable Nintendo DS on Jan. 24.
The dual screens of a player’s Nintendo DS display stylized sketch animation evoking a comic-book-like film noir. Conversations with more than a dozen characters help players piece together different story elements as the mystery deepens. Players decide where the story goes next by weighing their options and tapping their decision on the touch screen using the stylus.
“Hotel Dusk: Room 215 could be considered a new genre for both video games and storytelling,” explains George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Just as audio books brought the printed word to a new medium, so does this new ‘video game book.’ ”
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 features deep characters, grown-up themes and an engrossing plot. It has more in common with a gritty crime novel than a video game, and appeals to mystery lovers and video game fans alike. As the plot develops, players must make choices before they begin each conversation, like deciding whether to strong-arm a subject or play it cool. Players hold the portable Nintendo DS system sideways like a book, and the touch-screen controls make it easy for newcomers to pick up and play, even if they have never played a video game before. Nintendo’s aim is to expand the world of video games to new audiences through creative new interfaces. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is Rated T for Teen.
I just bought “Hotel Dusk” last week. I thought it sounded really interesting with a lot of potential. As it turns out, it plays very much like an old text based adventure game. Instead of writing commands, you are prompted to tap various items or pieces of text on the screen. I’m pretty sure there is only one path through the game. I think the marketing of this game is the most interesting part. Nintendo seems to be the only video game company actively seeking out a larger audience for games. Hopefully we can talk more about this on Friday. I’ll bring the game in case anyone wants to have a look.
Hey that’s really interesting! I’m so excited you’re bringing it in–I can’t wait to see it!
I just purchased a Fly PenTop Computer form Toys R Us ;) I’ll let you know what it’s like.
caitlin