Time Vacuum: Play the 8-Bit Mad Men Video Game

We've seen some mighty talented 3rd Warders working on their own charmingly retro video games in our Web Design classes--but today's lovingly-deemed Time Vacuum might raise the bar. 

See, after the Mad Men premiere last week, we were slightly shocked to hear people say that it didn't live up to their expectations or--worse yet--that they were bored. But after this last episode (directed by Jon Hamm) we have to admit we're starting to see their point. Not that we can't get into a fat Betty storyline (though it is somewhat surreal to see January Jones all chubbed out) but fat Betty is, in fact, boring. Her bitching is still boring, her new tumor is boring, even her nightmare is boring. 

Remember when watching Betty was still kind of exciting? When you couldn't wait to see how she would fail as a mother next? Well now you can go back to days of gun-toting Betty in a choose-your-own-adventure-style 8-bit video game. 

The point of the game is to fill up Don's "New Ideas, Inner Peace and Confidence" levels so he can save Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Choose the right dialogue and action paths to help take credit for Peggy's ideas (and then steal her thunder by announcing Don's plans to marry his secretary), steam roll Campbell's threat to blackmail him and send Betty off on her own private crazy train. Choose the wrong path and (spoiler) Betty will shoot Don instead of the neighbor's birds. In addition, Peggy will reveal information that triggers a heart attack and Bert Cooper will go all out ninja and slice Don in half with one of his samurai swords. 

The game is peppered with plenty of humor about drinking, smoking, philandering and episode jokes, like the fact that Don and Betty's son Bobby has been played by three different actors or that Don only married Megan because she didn't flip out when Bobby spilled the milkshake in LA.

So game designers take note: Satisfy our nostalgia appetites with pixelated graphics while simultaneously catching a pop cultularl zeitgeist and we will write about you.

-- Perrin Drumm

TIME VACUUM // Wonderputt: Mini Golf in Another Dimension

 

Typically, with online Flash games, you've got your forever-2D Frogger, Pacman, Tetris, etc. When we think of mini golf, we recall childhood birthday parties and maybe that scene from Happy Gilmore.

Then enters UK-based animation guru Reece Millidge and his interactive arts studio Damp Gnat with Wonderputt; one of the most impressive showings of web creativity we've seen. Expanding the territory of the Flash game into an immersive 3D environment, Millidge's managed to create 18 playable holes littered with killer whales, alien abductions, crop circles and ski slopes. Playing the game isn't necessarily about trying to stay below par, but more about mastering the intricate concepts that govern each hole.

Just as fascinating as the game itself is the story behind its creation, which spanned almost an entire year. Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the making of Wonderputt, from conceptual sketches and design notes to info on sound design and play testing.

Watch the Wonderputt trailer after the jump and tee off now. Though get ready to minimize the screen if you sense the old boss creeping around your desk, this one doesn't exactly qualify as "productivity" (unless of course, you're taking tips on completely inspiring online animation.)