New, original 3rd party game for DS: Drawn to Life

ihugo

Published by THQ developed by 5TH Cell Media

Release according to Gamestop and Bestbuy: 11th September 07

It's being released in the US and Europe (and Aus), but not in Japan. Which is interesting given the game looks like it could appeal in Japan. I guess THQ just doesn't have the clout in Japan, at least for an up front synch'd release.

The game's hook is that you draw your own hero, and various obstacles and tools that you encounter throughout the course of the game. Your drawings come to life and form part of the game. There is a robust drawing tool, an emulation of which was featured in an IGN competition a while back - I don't know if its still accessible as I've misplaced the link.

Genre is Adventure/Platformer. Two main game modes are:

1. A story mode which sees you playing the role of "The Creator", who restores a fallen village to its former glory through the hero you draw and by interacting with the villagers and drawing creations they need.

2. A platforming game where you play your hero through 4 distinct worlds (15 levels total) rescuing villagers and recovering template pages to let you draw the creations needed in story mode. There are vehicles, platforms and other objects that you draw along the way through the levels.


I personally have never been a fan of platformers, but this is a game I feel compelled to retrieve my DS from the kids for, purely on the merits of its original concept. Even though I'm not much of an artist, having my own goofy drawings forming part of a game really appeals

Hands on preview at IGN is a few weeks old http://au.ds.ign.com/articles/808/808213p1.html - but I wanted to post this and get a bit of discussion going on this game. It looks to me like the most innovative 3rd party game so far for the DS

Zephyr

so it's like an entire game similar to the celestial brush in okami?

slash000

I predict about a zillion people, whether they intend to or not, making their drawn hero look just like Bomberman.

Dirtchamber

slash000 wrote: »

I predict about a zillion people making their drawn hero look just like a giant wang.

Fix'd.

Fiz

Reminds me of Graffiti Kingdom, which was pretty fun. If we can make things other than the standard person it would be an automatic buy.

DarkPrimus

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Inzigna

DarkPrimus wrote: »

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Don't hold your breath, we've all seen a fair share of games with good ideas fail.

Hoz

So they split into two modes? Sounds like failure to me.

Inzigna

Or two fantastic games in one. Could go both ways, easily.

Zombiemambo

Inzigna wrote: »

DarkPrimus wrote: »

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Don't hold your breath, we've all seen a fair share of games with good ideas fail.

Pessimist.

DarkPrimus

Inzigna wrote: »

DarkPrimus wrote: »

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Don't hold your breath, we've all seen a fair share of games with good ideas fail.

THQ has come out with a lot of gems in recent memory, so I am hopeful.

randombattle

Dirtchamber wrote: »

slash000 wrote: »

I predict about a zillion people making their drawn hero look just like Cloud.

Fix'd.

If the cover is any indication.....

Inzigna

Zombiemambo wrote: »

Pessimist.

Optimist.

Dirtchamber

randombattle wrote: »

Dirtchamber wrote: »

slash000 wrote: »

I predict about a zillion people making their drawn hero look just like Cloud.

Fix'd.

If the cover is any indication.....

Crap, how didn't I notice that before? If he had a sword as big as his torso, it'd be a breach of copyright.

Rlan

Inzigna wrote: »

DarkPrimus wrote: »

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Don't hold your breath, we've all seen a fair share of games with good ideas fail.

From the videos floating around, Drawn to Life looks like a VERY competent platform game. Double Jump, enemies, swimming. Enemies don't seem to be much of a problem [Similar to the Stafy games I suppose], but that's fine. Apparently the mode where you rebuild your town is pretty complex too.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=f6l2PfrSq1k

It's also pretty long from what I hear. I'll definitely be purchasing it.

LewieP

ooh, really does have a cool Staffi/Kirby vibe.

My interest is peaked, and also piqued.

thunderclump

ActRaiser with a stylus?

Dirtchamber

Rlan wrote: »

Inzigna wrote: »

DarkPrimus wrote: »

You have no idea how excited I am for this game.

Don't hold your breath, we've all seen a fair share of games with good ideas fail.

From the videos floating around, Drawn to Life looks like a VERY competent platform game. Double Jump, enemies, swimming. Enemies don't seem to be much of a problem [Similar to the Stafy games I suppose], but that's fine. Apparently the mode where you rebuild your town is pretty complex too.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=f6l2PfrSq1k

It's also pretty long from what I hear. I'll definitely be purchasing it.

I don't mean to piss on your parade, but that video makes the game look kind of shit. The platform sequences seem really generic and dull, while drawing appears to be limited to replacing textures on otherwise static objects, which you can already do in Animal Crossing.

My anticipation for this game has been totally deflated now. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY. YOU'VE RUINED CHRISTMAS.

bruin

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

ihugo

bruin wrote: »

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

Well if you want the hero to animate and not look completely retarded, it needs to have a defined skeletal structure.

slash000

bruin wrote: »

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

So? That's still awesome.

DarkPrimus

bruin wrote: »

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

If you don't see the appeal of playing a game where you fight cupcakes and grab dongs for 1UPs, you have no soul.

PiptheFair

Dirtchamber wrote: »

slash000 wrote: »

I predict about a zillion people making their drawn hero look just like a giant wang.

Fix'd.

dang

I figured I was the only one

urahonky

My fiancee would love this game!

I'm really bad at drawing, so I wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

slash000

PiptheFair wrote: »

Dirtchamber wrote: »

slash000 wrote: »

I predict about a zillion people making their drawn hero look just like a giant wang.

Fix'd.

dang

I figured I was the only one

Man, guys... I should've figured you'd all say this.



But I based my original comment on the fact that the base for drawing your character, in the game, looks, by default, just like Bomberman. Meaning, if you want to quickly draw a character and get it done, it'll look like Bomberman.




This is the kind of game that if I were to buy and play, I'd spend a lot of time on meticulous detail making my hero exactly how I wanted him.

wenchkilla

There was an article about this game in the last Nintendo Power, and it looks SO promising! THQ will be at PAX and release date is awfully soon, so hopefully, maybe, possibly *crosses fingers*

SirUltimos

This is the kind of thing I want to wait and see what reviews say and what you guys think. I personally think it's a great idea, but it could completely flop.

But I'm an optimist, so I have high hopes.

slurpeepoop

I think I'm the only one who's old enough to remember this, but on Sesame Street or Pinwheel or something, there was a series of shorts where this kid named Simon had a magic pencil, and he could draw things, and they'd come to life. He always taught us about numbers and math, but he'd draw rocket ships and such and fly to the moon or draw cars and go driving.

I used to love that show. Goddammit, I'm humming the song now.

If this game is anything like that (maybe without the basic math), I'll buy 10 copies, then roll around naked on top of them.

DarkPrimus

I wonder... do the SE++ artists know about this?

bruin

slash000 wrote: »

bruin wrote: »

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

So? That's still awesome.

If what I'm drawing has absolutely no affect on gameplay, I'd rather have a professional artist do the character art than me. If I can draw horns on his head and use them as weapons, yeah, that's awesome, other, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Zephyr

maybe you can draw your weapons

like change the sword into a penis

sleepykisses

my friend jeff worked on this game. it looks really good.

exist

Zephyr wrote: »

maybe you can draw your weapons

like change the sword into a penis

I'll take eight!

Glal

The video killed my interest in it also, I'm afraid. It's an interesting concept, but the gameplay looks uninspired (cock enemy potencial aside) and I just don't dig the character and his animation. Maybe if you drew his limbs from a side view, and they'd put a lot of effort into animating him, but in those videos it all just looks very basic and clunky.
I mean, this is essentially the same way Odin Sphere was animated, just textures on skeletons, and while the lack of filtering and resolution wouldn't give you nearly as good a result (not to mention lack of frames for emoting), it could still be loads better animated than what we see right now.

Marty81

bruin wrote: »

slash000 wrote: »

bruin wrote: »

I stopped being excited for this gam when I read previews saying that you have to draw stuff within certain boundaries (arms here, legs there, etc.), and what you draw has no actual affect on gameplay, it's purely cosmetic.

So? That's still awesome.

If what I'm drawing has absolutely no affect on gameplay, I'd rather have a professional artist do the character art than me. If I can draw horns on his head and use them as weapons, yeah, that's awesome, other, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Wasn't there a PS2 game that did something similar? Graffiti Kingdom or something?

Frem

Was the link to the flash demo mockup thing posted?

http://microsites.ign.com/nintendo/drawntolife/index2.html

Yeah, aside from the drawing, it looks pretty generic.

Inzigna

exist wrote: »

I'll take eight!

Have higher ambitions boy.

Eight is barely man.

Dodge Aspen

I like the idea, but I don't really see it working as most of us dream it would. I'll wait and see how it reviews, but I don't have high hopes. It would be pretty badass to have Darth Maul or someone running through this world, but I just don't have the artistic skills to make something like that happen. Maybe if you could swap drawings over WFC.

Dangerous

I think it looks like a lot of fun. I'm not expecting the return of pixel jesus or anything but I am still really pumped to play it. The character drawing mechanic looks well done and less gimmicky than I imagined.

5TH Cell

Anyone with a DS can grab a free Drawn to Life Downloadable Demo at PaX. We'll have someone in the Handheld Lounge sending them, and then a few servers at the THQ booth for those interested. The demo has a fully functional draw tool (minus stamps / palette changing), and a short tutorial level to test out your character. Thanks!

5TH Cell

slash000

Will you give me a copy for free?

I'm kidding. But I do think it's cool that you're providing downloadable demos.

I fully support downlaodable demos of DS games.



I wish there was a 'DS Demo Channel' on the Wii, where you could use DS/Wii connectivity to download DS demos from the Channel, and zap them over to the DS, to try out a game before-hand to see if you want to buy it. Or to get people hyped up abotu a game or whatever.