Stout Games News http://thestoutgames.com/:news enStout GamesA new update to Dinner Datehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/RbLo6hXKXUw/:news:2011.09.08.12
Presently, „Dinner Date” has been updated to a new version. This version adds five new languages:
One may now become the subconsciousness of Julian Luxemburg with subtitles in:
- English (UK)
- Dutch
- Russian (with kind thanks to No Signal Studio & Klishin Arseniy)
- Italian (with kind thanks to Davide Alexandro Fiandra)
- Danish (with kind thanks to Tobias Kosmos & Camilla Holm)
- Catalan (with kind thanks to Eric Miret)
- Spanish (idem)
- Mexican Spanish (with kind thanks to Constantino Andrés Saldaña Ortega)
One can download the new version from the Stout Games store - those who purchased on Steam may be happy to know the game should update itself within due time.]]>2011-09-08T12:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.09.08.12An update to the Dinner Datehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/KblG0iA_6N0/:news:2011.04.25.16
Just now „Dinner Date” has been updated to a new version. This version adds the Italian language option and, as may be of further interest to those acquainted with the game, expands the way the game is played a little bit.
Of course, in the new version of „Dinner Date” one still plays the subconsciousness of Julian Luxemburgh. However, this version adds the notion of optional involvement. In various correspondance there was a particular playing style for which the game had not been designed: letting go. The new version of „Dinner Date” now recognises this as a viable playing option: if one does not interact with the game long enough one is not stuck in one action, but rather the game will take over for a moment. Any key-press will return things to the original state. This means that if one decides not to interact, as one may perhaps do to better listen to the dialogue, the game will recognise this as a valid playing style.
With this addition Stout Games hopes to recognise more leisurely playing styles and manners of interaction with „Dinner Date”.
It perhaps should not go unmentioned that it is no longer required, as some have counted, to finish Julian’s story by pressing 10 keys: if one is so persuaded, one may finish the game without pressing a single key. Rather one may sit at ease and interact when it pleases.
The new version also includes Italian subtitles, which have been translated with the incredibly kind effort of Davide Alexandro Fiandra and the aid of Federico ‘Reolo’ Nejrotti.
One can download the new version from the Stout Games store - those who purchased on Steam may be happy to know the game should update itself within due time.]]>2011-04-25T04:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.04.25.16Steam, GamersGate and an interviewhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/YQvJrkOXH5k/:news:2011.03.28.15
There is quite a large interview now available on Thanks for Playing - for those interested in the thoughts behind „Dinner Date” as well as general philosophy of Stout Games, it may very well be worth taking a look.
„I see an art game as a game that has the intent and purpose of being judged as art; in the sense of a Gesamtkunstwerk, even, that every aspect of it, certainly including its rules, serve to craft something meaningful in an artistic sense. A game can be incredibly pleasurable without having the goal of being art – but ‘art game’ is a little like the concept of an art-house film; it is implied you judge the film for its artistic merit as a whole, to which all the elements of cinematography are relevant.” (read on)
Furthermore, „Dinner Date” is available through two outlets other than Stout Games' own store: one may also notice it would seem Dinner Date has gotten up Steam or, indeed, that one may have a Dinner Date on Gamers Gate.
Kindly note that the Dinner Date OST will be included, as a dulcet memento, with a purchase of „Dinner Date” directly from Stout Games - but those who find they have already purchased the game elsewhere may be pleased to know it is available to be bought seperately as well.]]>2011-03-28T03:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.03.28.15„Dinner Date” - a Valentine gone byhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/BUvIbqrb9WM/:news:2011.02.14.19
The day after Valentine’s the special had to end - wishing much joy to those who took advantage of the Valentine’s Day special to obtain two „Dinner Date”'s for the price of one - and happy listening to the Original Soundtrack. „Dinner Date”, albeit a single copy, is still available for €4.95.
Included with a purchase of Dinner Date is the Original Soundtrack, composed by Than van Nispen tot Pannerden, which is both a pleasant listen and a dulcet memento of playing the game itself. You will get a copy of the soundtrack as a lagniappe if you choose purchase „Dinner Date” directly from Stout Games.]]>2011-02-14T07:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.02.14.19„Dinner Date” and a Lonely Valentinehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/hKaS_XYKqdg/:news:2011.02.13.10
Stout Games is happy to announce that in the spirit of Valentine’s day it offers a two-for-one deal on „Dinner Date” (that is 2 copies for €4.95) - and, furthermore: the long-awaited soundtrack is finally available!
The Dinner Date Original Soundtrack, composed by Than van Nispen tot Pannerden, is both a pleasant listen and a dulcet memento of playing the game itself. You will get a gratis copy of the soundtrack if you buy „Dinner Date” directly from Stout Games (and a complimenteous copy has been given to all purchasers so far, of course).
If you are still looking for a Valentine’s gift, why not wrap „Dinner Date” in a big heart-shaped box? Until February 15th (7pm GMT) you may purchase two copies of „Dinner Date” for the price of one.]]>2011-02-13T10:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.02.13.10„Dinner Date” at the GDChttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/g-pbwiC_Mjg/:news:2011.01.21.20
Stout Games is happy to announce that after its Independent Game Festival Nuovo award nomination, „Dinner Date” is set to appear at the IGF pavilion coming Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
For those keen on perusal, following the review on shacknews, there is an interview with Jeroen D Stout on the Indie Games Channel on the character of Julian, sources of inspiration, pacing, cuts, and what shall come next for Stout Games:
JS: „I am quite aware being stood up is atypical for games, but I think it is not illogical. After all, it is a subject which is explored to great extents in all other media. It is in a way rather atypical for a medium to wait so long before ensuing the approach of these subjects.”
Additionally, games-industry site Gamasutra spots a trend in their article on ‘The Era of Behaving Playfully’, iterating part of Stout Games’ design philosophy of making ordinary actions playable. It discusses the play of the Sims, Mateas’ new project, The Prom, and looks back on with him on the project which is one of the inspirations for „Dinner Date”, Façade, and talks with Hecker on pretend-to-be-an-AI game Spy Party.]]>2011-01-21T08:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2011.01.21.20„Dinner Date” nominated for the IGF Nuovo Awardhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/AfHVXTqsn3g/:news:2010.12.20.20
The IGF Nuovo award is meant to „honor abstract, shortform, and unconventional game development which advances the medium and the way we think about games.” The jury, consisting of previous IGF award winners, developers and industry icons, has out of hundreds of games selected eight games. It selected „Dinner Date” on the following grounds:
„Stout’s first-person/internal-monologue of a would-be romantic-encounter was noted not just for being ‘about something totally untouched by games’, but for being a game that symbiotically manipulates both the protagonist’s subconsciousness and that of the player as well, and was praised for being more ‘play as in theater or instrument than it is play as in sports.’”
This (rather wonderful) news goes well together with a short reminder of the Christmas celebration: Stout Games will give a free copy to everybody who owns a copy of Dinner Date - putting another present underneath the tree for all those who purchase before December 23rd.
Dinner Date is now available for $12.45 and is, upon purchase, directly available for download. To receive a give-away copy gratis, kindly make sure you own a copy of Dinner Date before December 23rd, 10pm GMT.]]>2010-12-20T08:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.12.20.20A dance of Snowflakes: Christmas Giftshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/Iy-AOwC0iG4/:news:2010.12.16.08
As the cold sets in and festivities come close, Stout Game announces its special Christmas celebration!
In the spirit of sharing, Stout Games will give every person who purchases „Dinner Date” a free additional copy on December 23rd: to put under the tree for a lucky recipient!
This indeed means that every account which owns at least one copy of „Dinner Date” on the 23rd will receive an additional copy, compliments of Stout Games - including those who have purchased the game as early as the pre-release!
If you have not purchased „Dinner Date” as of yet and are looking for a nice addendum beneath the tree, you may kindly wish to take into consideration that the Stout Games gift page allows one to pick their own colours along with a personal message to make the gift distinct - and to fit in with other presents new wrapping paper has been designed specially for Christmas.
With this celebration Stout Games hopes to give those who purchase and enjoy games such as „Dinner Date” a chance to share them with friends, colleagues and family and introduce such games to those who may have a curiosity for art-games that has at present gone unsatisfied.
„Dinner Date” has become part of IGN’s Year in Sex 2010, posing it next to titles such as Heavy Rain and citing the pressure indicated in Julian’s musings on the possible ends to his dinner date: „Sex and love make it seem like something extraordinary is just about to happen, something that could redirect the entire course of one’s life over a bowl of soup. And sometimes that's just what happens.”
Meanwhile, TK-Nation’s Cassandra looks back on Dinner Date: „I still hate him. I doubt I’d stop. But that, really, is the beauty of Dinner Date.” The piece takes another look at Julian in a charming and deep way: „I was more than prepared to write off Julian as one of my most despised protagonists yet. Now that I've had time to think about it, I don't know. He might actually be my favorite.”
Dinner Date is now available for $12.45 and is, upon purchase, directly available for download. To receive a give-away copy gratis, kindly make sure you own a copy of Dinner Date before December 23rd, 10pm GMT.]]>2010-12-16T08:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.12.16.08Reviews & Insightshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/gqbdVAxQ6RA/:news:2010.11.20.18
„Dinner Date” has been met with some interesting reviews, amoungst which Rock, Paper, Shotgun, TK-Nation, ynet, Techolive and others forthcoming. We will take a moment to look at how Dinner Date has been received.
Quintin Smith from Rock, Paper, Shotgun is quite evoked by the game - „When this game hits its high points you really do feel like you’ve rubbed the condensation off a grubby window leading into another human being.” He does place some quite stern critique with Dinner Date choosing polish over high concept by simply not being mad enough: „Some amount of non-linearity would have been one option. Another would have been to make this game episodic, and also present Julian’s life in his office cubicle, in the bathroom at a club or cleaning up after a poetry recital, making the game a kind of lonely soap opera.” Yet Dinner Date can be seen thus: „as proof of concept, I’d call Dinner Date a dirty great success.”
„The game is strictly linear, which isn’t to say this interactivity is purposeless,” Quintin says, and elsewhere, „for reasons known only to the Gods of videogame design, having the most inconsequential control over Julian’s actions draws you into his world utterly,” echoing previous thoughts of Cassandra of TK-Nation who also remarked „you will find the act of eating bread strangely appealing” and who along with Quintin is quite vocal about Julian’s likeability, something heavily pulled into question - a factor which one may have to see for oneself:
Someone who feels for Julian is the man behind Life, the Universe and Video Games, who offers praise for Dinner Date as art: „Dinner Date is definitely an art game. It gives the player a chance to become emotionally involved with Julian's situation because it is something guys can all relate to,” and is also gripped by his role as subconciousness: „You can't console him nor can you assure him that the girl is just running late. You are absolutely helpless.”
Tim Hage of Techolive places Dinner Date in the interactive novel area of games: „Dinner Date tells its story very well through the use of a one-sided internal narrative [...] It’s best to think of „Dinner Date” as an interactive novel of sorts. By no means is this a bad thing, it just means that the game itself will only appeal to a small demographic of gamers.”
חגי אלקיים (Haggai Elkayam) of ynet also sees a place for Dinner Date next to other art games: „The Graveyard גורם לנו לחשוב על מוות, The Path נותן לנו נקודת מבט מאד מעניינת על "מה המשמעות של לסטות מהשביל שאמרו לנו ללכת בו", ו-Dinner Date גורם לנו לחשוב על מה זה להיות לבד,” which we may roughly translate to „The Graveyard makes us think about death, The Path gives us a very interesting perspective on "What does it mean to stray from the path they told us to travel", and Dinner Date makes us think about what it means to be alone.”
If you have thoughts on Dinner Date - do let us know after playing.
Dinner Date is now available for $12.45 and immediate download - and saving $5.65 one may buy a Dinner for Two - two games specially for those arriving in pairs.]]>2010-11-20T06:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.11.20.18Become the Subconsciousness of Julian Luxemburghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/Ao7EUr816AI/:news:2010.11.17.17
Stout Games is proud to announce the release of „Dinner Date”.
Those who have pre-ordered may have already been casting anticipatory glances at release countdown but their wait is far from over! Make no mistake, you can now download the game - and yet the true awaiting glances at the clock will continue in waiting with Julian for his elusive date.
Stout Games wishes all players a fulfilling experience!
Dinner Date is now available for $12.45 and for immediate download.]]>2010-11-17T05:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.11.17.17Tasting the soup: Interviews, Previews, Reviewshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/1v1YmkvfW_s/:news:2010.11.10.16
Stout Games’ „Dinner Date” has received media attention in the form of two interviews, a preview and a first review.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun has a lengthy interview: „Dutch developer of Dinner Date Jeroen D. Stout got in touch, and we ended up having a bit of a chat about the game, his influences, Hamlet (!) and which videogame character he’d like to have dinner with.”
Another genial date was had with TK-Nation - discussing the design, production and inspiration of the game as well as earlier prototypes, being judged by literature, the joy of eating bread.
Techolive has a preview: they have tasted the soup and you may catch a glimpse of the start of the game.
Though watching is not enough - as is evident in TK-Nation’s review: there is praise of the play: „Dinner Date does dish out what it promises. [...] In Dinner Date, you are the hands and feet and the eyes, the camera man that directs the flow of the story, the puppetmaster that brings the mannequins to life.”
Yet Julian’s mentality evokes high emotions - is he real enough to be hated? Read the review here and to see how Julian's other dates fare, watch this space for more forthcoming press coverage of Dinner Date.
As a reminder, if you pre-order now you only pay $9.95 and can download directly when Dinner Date is available: Wednesday November 17th, at a quarter past 5 (GMT).]]>2010-11-10T04:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.11.10.16Join Julian in his Wait - Pre-Purchase availablehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/y0UNjGLgmls/:news:2010.11.03.18
Released today, the pre-purchase allows you to purchase the game for $9.95 - saving $2.50 off the release price and allowing you to download the game as soon as it is available, November 17th, 5.15pm gmt.
Stout games is not forgetting those coming in pairs - also available is ‘Dinner for Two’: two copies: One for playing, one for sharing. Give the game to a fellow enthusiast or to someone unacquainted with games.
Should you find yourself rendered feverish with irreconcilable impatience, then do keep your eyes peeled concerning this news page for further news and upcoming interviews with the founder of Stout Games, Jeroen D Stout.
For those a little mystified as to what „Dinner Date” is, in Dinner Date you play as the subconsciousness of Julian Luxemburg, waiting for his date to arrive. You listen in on his thoughts while tapping the table, looking at the clock and eventually reluctantly starting to eat...
Pre-order now for $9.95 and download directly when Dinner Date is available: Wednesday November 17th, at a quarter past 5 (GMT).]]>2010-11-03T06:00:00+01:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.11.03.18Join Julian in his Wait - Pre-Purchase in a Weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/UQjEpm0QtGw/:news:2010.10.27.18
„Dinner Date” has been met with speculation on its uncommon theme.
In an interview between NPR and Stout Games founder Jeroen D. Stout the connection between the player and Julian Luxemburg is noted, leading NPR to cite: „Perhaps the premise of Dinner Date is a bit misleading. The player is told that Julian is being stood up—but that doesn’t mean that he’s alone.”
The whole interview can be read here.
„Dinner Date” may be pre-purchased in under one week for $9.95, a $2.50 discount off release price. Also worth considering is the Dinner for Two packet - two copies of „Dinner Date” at a large discount - invite a friend, acquaintance or, indeed, romantic partner to join Julian's Dinner Date.
When pre-purchased, „Dinner Date” can be downloaded as soon as it becomes available, October 19th, 5.15pm gmt.]]>2010-10-27T06:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.10.27.18Dinner Date Trailer now Livehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/FYm6Y5_Ly64/:news:2010.10.07.17
A first impression of Stout Games' „Dinner Date”: the announcement trailer is now available!
In this trailer you will catch a first glimpse of the troubles of Julian Luxemburg as he is stood up by his elusive date - and of your unique role as his subconsciousness.
(Do watch the trailer fullscreen and in HD should you be a connoisseur.)
Dinner Date will be available Wednesday November 17th, at a quarter past 5 (GMT).]]>2010-10-07T05:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.10.07.17Dinner Date Announcedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StoutGames/~3/GspzDJB-5IY/:news:2010.08.17.14
Stout Game is proud to announce its début title „Dinner Date” for a November release.
You play as the subconsciousness of Julian Luxemburg, waiting for his date to arrive. You listen in on his thoughts while tapping the table, looking at the clock and eventually reluctantly starting to eat...
Dinner Date is the portrait of Julian: from his desires and doubts to reflections on his friends and his place in the world. You are not merely witnessing - by interacting with Julian and his world you gain a clear vantage point on his life. The wait for the beautiful girl he invited over becomes longer and she becomes the dominant factor in his thoughts. And yet his true problems may not even begin with the girl: what of his work, of his boss, the headhunter, his fascination of Byron and his friendship with Jerry, who had been pushing Julian to take on this date?
In Dinner Date you will experience all this: with some drinks, some bread, some soup - and with a clock that slowly mocks the constant wait for when she comes, this elusive girl who will solve everything.
Dinner Date will be available Wednesday November 17th, at a quarter past 5 (GMT).]]>2010-08-17T02:00:00+02:00http://thestoutgames.com/:news:2010.08.17.14
The IGF Nuovo award is meant to „honor abstract, shortform, and unconventional game development which advances the medium and the way we think about games.” The jury, consisting of previous IGF award winners, developers and industry icons, has out of hundreds of games selected eight games. It selected „Dinner Date” on the following grounds: