Space Giraffe

[Pietho]

I remember playing Tempest as a kid in the arcades. It was fun then, but with the new backgrounds they threw on it looks like Disney went around the abyss one too many times and exploded techno-color spew over everything.

My wife was watching over my shoulder and said, "What in the hell is that mess?"

'Nuff said.

 

[Woe Is You]

Uh, Jeff Minter made Tempest.

No he didn't. He made Tempest 2000, a sequel to the original for the Jaguar.

David Theurer created Tempest while working for Atari.

I stand corrected.

I still stand behind the rest of my post.

 

[Sir Pysco Sexy]

Sorry for the lack of linkage. Hook yourself up:

Space Giraffe [http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/games/space-giraffe]

OH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT.

LAWLS.

Jokes aside, I thought this was one of those things that makes colours and patterns/shapes in accordance to what music you have one. You can actually play dat?

 

[Andy Chalk]

Well, having played the demo a bit, I have to say that perhaps the reason why a lot of people exalt it is because it is very much a game that exudes raw, challenging gameplay.

Actually, I became aware of Space Giraffe when Minter started losing his shit because a Frogger remake was curb-stomping it on Xbox Live Arcade. He basically insulted 90% of the game-buying public for their utter lack of taste and threatened to quit game development altogether. In fact, here:

Minterspaz [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/79250-Jeff-Minter-Vents-on-Original-Game-Development]

Anyhoo, that's the sort of thing that grabs my attention: Games that are interesting enough for people to get mad about them. So when the PC demo was released, I grabbed it immediately - at which point it sat untouched while I brutally ravished Fallout 3. When I finally had my fill of that, I fired up the Space Giraffe demo.

Ewww.

Make no mistake, I love Tempest. I played Tempest a lot in arcades. The sounds, the visuals, even the feel of the control knob are seared into my brain. I absolutely sucked at it, but I played it a lot. So it's not like I don't enjoy that basic element of the thing, and in a way you're right, there is challenging gameplay here: It's called Tempest. But it's not raw, it's heavily, heavily overcooked. I'm not sure what Minter was trying to do here, honestly. Take the essential mechanics of Tempest and... what? Where's the improvement, the innovation? To my mind, this isn't much more than going back in time 25 years and flicking fries and cigarette butts at some guy while he's trying to play Tempest. (Except you don't end up getting punched out.)

And yes, I'm posting on Christmas morn. Joyeux noel, mofos.

 

[GloatingSwine]

I didn't think the demo on XBLA was that bad, but it wasn't my kind of shooter. It's certainly got potential in exploiting the traditional shooter simple mechanics to score big points way, but something didn't click with me, and I think a lot of other people are the same.

I found the same with Every Extend Extra and Lumines (obviously in the puzzle way), both of which have fairly devoted fanbases.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Sorry for the lack of linkage. Hook yourself up:

Space Giraffe [http://www.llamasoft.co.uk/games/space-giraffe]

You could have just linked here Maly http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88182

 

[fluffylandmine]

No more "I am the walrus". Now it's "I'm the giraffe".

 

[Aiden Rebirth]

space giraffe, whats next comsmic lion? right, right, am I right? yeah okay im not funny...
tough luck but at least the demosaved u from wasting money on the full game.

 

[Handofpwn]

I kinda liked this game.

 

[geldonyetich]

[I fail at comprehending how to use the snip tag]

[So you do]

I didn't know who Minter was nor particularly care if he's the temperamental artist who can't seem to keep it in his pants. I was just addressing why it was that some people find Space Giraffe appealing.

For what it's worth, I'd have to agree with what's said in the game that it's not particularly fair to say Space Giraffe is Tempest. It's like saying Galaga is Space Invaders.

 

[jamesc]

What was going on? I couldn't even tell what part was gameplay.

 

[Andy Chalk]

For what it's worth, I'd have to agree with what's said in the game that it's not particularly fair to say Space Giraffe is Tempest. It's like saying Galaga is Space Invaders.

Maybe, but I think a more apt comparison would be that it's like saying Galaga is Galaxian.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

I finally got around to trying the Space Giraffe demo for the PC. I like to consider myself open to new and unique game design ideas, and I want to support independent developers whenever possible. But I'm just not getting this. Am I missing out on something? Is there some secret I'm missing, or some insight into the game someone can offer? Or is it really just what it appears to be - a half-assed, stroboscopic mess?

Hey, man, I tried to warn you... Minter having a tantrum over poor sales of this title is like Ford throwing a hissy fit over the Edsel. Sorry, I don't care how much good you've done in the past, this thing's a lemon and insulting my intelligence (not only by openly questioning it because of my refusal to purchase this tie-died Tempest clone, but also by offering a tie-died Tempest clone as something new and exciting) doesn't change that fact.

Space Giraffe is a dog, don't have a cow, man. (Have a frog instead.)

-- Steve