New York brings games into public space
This is a digital version of a story that appeared in the print publication of Gamercamp Magazine. Dork Shelf is Gamercamp’s official media sponsor. Gamercamp takes place in Toronto from Nov. 3-4. For more details, click here.
Now in its third year, NYU Game Center’s No Quarter Exhibition has commissioned exciting works from independent game developers around the world with the focus of looking at how games move beyond the digital space to transform the physical one.
The exhibition is in some ways a throwback to the days of the arcade, when games lived in a public space, whereas now most play sessions are in the privacy of one’s home. The games of No Quarter Arcade are happiest in a crowded bar with a cold beer, where eager game enthusiasts are ready to strike up conversation, glad to spend some time out of the house.
Here’s a sample from No Quarter:
Nidhogg
Nidhogg, by Mark Essen, a.k.a. Messhof, pits two players against one another in a swordfight from hell. Players try to reach opposite ends of an arena while attempting to kill one another with rapiers, or even better, their fists. The game recently won the Nuovo award at the Independent Games Festival, and it’s easy to see why: its stylish, engaging, and a bloody good time.
Guts of Glory
Guts of Glory is a competitive card game by SpellTower developer Zach Gage. The game is set around an eating contest in a post-apocalyptic world. Players receive an array of delicious items to eat, such as a box full of spiders, some granting unique abilities. The goal is to become the world’s greatest eater. Bon appetit!
Deep Sea
Deep Sea is unlike anything you have ever experienced. Often dubbed the “gas mask game,” Robin Arnott asks players to give up their dependence on sight. In total darkness, they must navigate a level only using clues they pick up from the sound they can hear. Inventive and unique, Deep Sea is both a must-see and a must-hear.
After a day of playing, discussing, and making games, join us Saturday night (November 3) for the Social on the Toronto waterfront. The Social is the official party of Gamercamp festival and will be hosted by the charismatic Shaun Hatton of Electric Playground.
At the Watermark Pub (207 Queens Quay W.) you’ll get a chance to check out the Canadian exclusive Gamercamp No Quarter Arcade, featuring eight ultra-rad games curated from New York University’s Game Center. Afterwards, chat face-to-face with many of the New York-based developers, who will be on-hand to show off their games.
But that’s not all! Gamercamp has also lined up performances by a powerhouse duo of talented Canadian game musicians: Vancouver’s Leonard J. Paul (Retro City Rampage) and Toronto’s Peter Chapman (ModNation Racers, Guacamelee) will each take the stage, putting on a live electro-pop set to get your body moving.
Passes are now on sale for the Social at www.gamercamp.ca, so don’t miss your chance to meet, unwind, and hang with people who love games as hard as you.
Gamercamp is the Canadian exclusive home for the No Quarter Arcade, which boasts eight games from the No Quarter Exhibition. The games and many of their developers will be showcased at the Festival and the Social.
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