Tuesday, May 10, 2011

How often does this happen to you?


Now you know why a cruddy computer was able to put my ambitions from 2008 in the back of the freezer. It's that cruddy.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Stereo Flatland

There is a Paper Mario game in the works for the 3DS. I cannot help laughing at this.

Paper Mario is a 3D (or "2.5D") game with 2D characters and objects. It tosses Flatland into the next dimension for a visually fun game. Mario and co. run around as little paper cutouts, flipping around to reveal no depth as they wander about 360 degrees.
No doubt the 3D effect of the new handheld is meant to enhance the show of two-dimensional parts shifting mathematical planes. What I find ironic is that a fuller presentation of 3D will lead to a truer grasp of 2D. It sounds silly but it makes sense. The more you define the spacial axes, the better objects of different dimensions can be distinguished.

And yes, I know Paper Mario doesn't really have 2D parts, only 3D ones with a minimal length on one axis. But I won't be that picky. If you want to, I'd try building Doom for the 3DS. I don't know what those sprites that always face you would do to my eyes. Actually, that part sounds neat. I'd be more concerned about the perspective-bending that occurs when you look up and down right next to a wall and such. Great, now I'm curious. Thank you, anticipated nitpicker.