Dyson

No, this isn’t a plug for the excellent Zombie Cow Studios point and clicker (whoops – it is now), but just a note to say that entry for the naming competition is now closed.

We’ve received an overwhelming number of entries, and it is going to take us a few days to go through them and gently pluck out the finest and most delightful name you lovely people have come up with. We’ve taken a quick peek through the hundreds of mails and found some names to go in pretty much every category from outrageous all the way to sublime, so it should be entertaining!

We’d like to thank everyone who entered and we will be back soon with the results.

(Image credit: waferboard)

Right people, big news. I am quoting a press release to give you all the relevant info. (Not because we are pompous, but because it is quicker that way.

PRESS RELEASE – 24 September 2009

2009 Independent Games Festival Finalist, Dyson, To Be Renamed By The Public Via Contest on IGN’s Direct2Drive

Special 25% off pre-order discount available now on Direct2Drive

Indie game “Dyson,” a 2009 Independent Games Festival finalist and the festival’s Grand Prize and Direct2Drive Vision Award nominee, is to be published as a full commercial title under a new name to be chosen by the public via a contest sponsored by IGN’s Direct2Drive.com.

The game’s original name was inspired by the work of theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson, which was suitable whilst it was a freeware exploration of procedural gameplay. The game has since adopted a commercial dimension, which made the developers, Rudolf Kremers and Alex May, feel that the name was no longer appropriate.

To reflect the new status of the project and to honour the loyal fans of the game, the developers have teamed up with Direct2Drive, IGN’s digital download store, to invite fans and other members of the public to come up with a new name for the game.

The competition will launch on Wednesday 23rd September, and the rules are simple:
Find a new name for Dyson (www.dyson-game.com) that best encompasses the mood and themes of the game. For those that haven’t yet played it, a demo is available at FilePlanet (Download here). Name ideas will be submitted directly to the developers, who will pick and announce the best name by Tuesday 29th September.

Direct2Drive will offer prizes for the winning entry: a copy of the as-yet-to-be-renamed Dyson, as well as any two digital PC games available on D2D. Contest details can be found at the content page and name suggestions can be emailed directly to . A pre-order of the game is currently available, with 25% discount, on Direct2Drive, until the game is released. The Game Formerly Known as Dyson is slated for release approximately 20th October 2009 and will host a large number of improvements and new content.

The game’s commercial version features:

A single player campaign boasting over 20 levels
A skirmish mode against AI opponents with highly procedural (and replayable) original levels
Integrated LUA Scripting allowing for enormous modding potential
A unique soundtrack of over two hours of music created by Brian Grainger, AKA Milieu (www.milieu-music.com)
New unit types that expand on the game’s unique aesthetics and gameplay
A massive improvement in AI
An improved and almost completely mouse-based interface
Many visual improvements

Original inspiration for the game can be found here in this: previous blog entry.
For further questions contact Rudolf Kremers at:

Here’s the link to the preorder page: Click here!

So there you have it! Please have fun and help us out at the same time!

Rudolf

Had I posted this yet?
We have been offered a booth at this lovely indie games event and gratefully accepted. The main event will bee pretty cool, as there will be some great games on offer, but the big deal for us is that we wil be showcasing Dyson at the Indie Games Arcade 

which is a real opportunity to show Dyson to loads of people and to meet some of our fans. Please drop in if you can! I suspect it will be loads of fun!

Rudolf