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Painterly approaches to video game art are nothing new, though most attempts in the past have been to simply apply painted textures to models using fairly conventional rendering techniques.  In 2006, Clover Studio developed Okami, which featured a groundbreaking display of Japanese sumi-e art, and has since been the hailed as the finest achievement in bringing a classical artistic sensibility to video games. Then, in 2008, lone indie developer Eskil Steenberg, under the moniker Quel Solaar, began releasing screenshots and videos from a project called Love:

Love is a strategic MMO about defending a community from an empirical overlord. Steenberg has relied heavily on procedural generation of maps, characters, and scenarios… a world that builds itself and constantly unfolds to offer an endless number of possible environments and conflicts.  All rendered in a phenomenally lush, impressionistic style.

Steenberg is an immensely talented and visionary developer who truly seems to understand that drama isn’t just conveyed by narrative alone. He states on the Love website: “You won’t be told a story, but you will get to live one.” This kind of attention to developing immersive experiences manifests itself in the art as well, foregoing minute detail and slick materials for vague and emotive impressions. What results is a far more evocative experience than much of what we’ve seen before. I’m very excited to see more on this game:

All images copyright Eskil Steenberg/Quel Solaar:

A Flash image gallery should be here. Please visit Uncommon Assembly to view.

Love doesn’t appear to have a release time just yet. For more, visit the Love website, and see a great article over on Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

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One of the more notable results of the 2009 Global Game Jam, was 4 Minutes, 33 Seconds of Uniqueness. It was developed by Petri Purho (and team), who also created the clever indie breakout hit Crayon Physics Deluxe under his Kloonigames moniker. The game was created within a 24-our window and was provided by the competition with the theme “As long as we have each other, we’ll never run out of problems“.

Purho’s solution was to create a black screen that slowly fills up with white, from left to right, taking 4 minutes and 33 seconds. There are no controls, and no user interaction. If the screen fills up with white, you win. But if another individual anywhere in the world starts up the game, you both lose. You can only win if you are the sole unique player of this game for 4′ 33″.

The game takes it’s name from a controversial musical composition for piano created in 1952 by experimental composer John Cage. Cage composed a score that was completely silent, lasting 4 minutes and 33 seconds. Sometimes called Silence, 4′33″, or 4′33″ of Silence. The inaugural performance was carried out by famed pianist David Tudor, who sat in front of a piano with a stopwatch, with the keyboard closed, periodically turning the pages of the score. Cage’s 4′33″ was generally intended to challenge the very definition of a “performance”.

I found the graphics for 4′33″ the game to be reminiscent of abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko’s “Multiform” paintings from the same era… striking blocks of opposing colors and values. Though, being dynamic, the game gives an additional sense of urgency:

	Works by Mark Rothko

4 Minutes, 33 Seconds of Uniqueness can be downloaded at the Nordic Game Jam site. In the Global Game Jam tradition, all games created for the competition are free. Just wait a few minutes, so I can finish my game.

A Flash image gallery should be here. Please visit Uncommon Assembly to view.

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