pocode is a new open-source C++ library designed by Potion for the production of interactive media across multiple platforms. The frameworks provides a robust, high-performance software infrastructure that allows for the creation of all types of software, from simple visual sketches to elegant mobile apps to entire software applications.

Continue reading.... Pocode – New open-source C++ library by Potion [c++]

While the euphoric, dynamic forms of computational artist Marius Watz are probably quite familiar to CAN readers, the artist’s curatorial and educational undertakings should definitely not to be overlooked. As an extension of his practice, Marius consistently organizes prescient and formative exhibitions and workshops (see the upcoming Generator.x 3.0: From Code to Atoms) and often teaches within various design and architecture schools across Europe and North America. Marius just posted the above slideshow of an upcoming teaching exercise that he’ll be overseeing at the The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) and it is worth clicking through. Entitled “Screensaver Culture” the assignment is a critical reflection on the current potential of the screensaver given that the days of CRT monitor burn-in have long passed. In setting up the exercise, Marius provides a chronological lists of essential precedents including scrnsave (1983), After Dark (1989), SETI@home Classic (1999-2005) and reconsiders that lineage in light of contemporary computing (and data practice) trends to extrapolate a range of approaches that his students might employ. Check out Marius’ slide deck and assignment brief – it offers a surprisingly compelling retelling of an easily overlooked topic within the broader history of computer graphics.

“Boy uncertain of his sister’s faith enters limbo” is the tag line of the absolutely wonderful game “Limbo”, now available for Mac!

The game takes on a journey of a boy that transverses through the ‘horrible world’ challenged by obstacles which gradually more difficult and more hostile (see video interview at the bottom with Mads Wibroe, the producer). Somewhat influenced by film noir, the game is a solitary, dark, black, silhouette filled journey filled with soft depth blur to describe mood. No text, no music, in “Limbo” you are in the game, alone, in the dark. - our post from may 2010

Limbo won Excellence In Visual Art and Technical Excellence award at the IGF and previously only available for the XBox. You can read the full interview with the PlayDead’s CEO Dino Patti on IFC.com.

Download from the AppStore ($9.99)

Continue reading.... Limbo [Games, Mac]

Created by Ted Martins, Fireplace is a type controlled pixel art fireplace for your mac or pc to stay warm this xmas. Type words to interact with the fireplace or just sit back and enjoy. The log burns down to ashes in about 30 minutes. Some things to type: log, match, paper, marshmallow, smore, hotdog, eat, blow and water (to quit).

tedmartens.com/fireplace/

Merry Christmas everyone!

/via @e_svedang

Submitted to this years IGF 2012, Parallax by Zi Ye and Jesse Burstyn is an interdimensional platforming and puzzle-solving game. The goal in each level is to reach the exit by travelling between two overlapping dimensions through rifts. Parallax challenges the player to think beyond the spatial boundaries of traditional platformers.

Continue reading.... Parallax [Games]

Karl D.D. Willis, Ivan Poupyrev, Scott E. Hudson and Moshe Mahler have just released details of their latest project at Disney Research, a novel interactive system that allows multiple people to play and work together using a custom handheld device. The device combines handheld projector, IR camera and a ranging sensor. The project is a step forward from MotionBeam, first project by members of the team developed with Disney and  Computational Design Lab at Carnegie Mellon University.

The system is immediate and simple: users simply project onto a surface and their projection becomes aware and responsive to other projections nearby. Interaction can range from projector-based games, such as boxing with projected characters, to everyday tasks such as exchanging contact information by ‘dragging and dropping’ onto another user’s projection.

The system consists of a hybrid mobile projector that outputs both visible and invisible projections at the same time. The invisible projection contains tracking data that can be recognised by the device camera, allowing accurate location tracking of multiple projections and lightweight communication between devices. The games range from boxing match to task management and file exchange. See video for details.

Continue reading.... SideBySide [c++, Mobile, Mac, Games]

Textoy is a cinder app by Ariel Malka that is all about physical interaction with text and a slight touch of generative sound. Latest work in progress in the series of projects exploring interactive text and typeface, in this latest experiment Ariel has created an app that allows you to draw a curve along which custom text follows. The iPad version is to be multi-touch, use the accelerometer and allow you to enter your own text.

Meanwhile, Ariel has made a version for the desktop:
- Turn on your speakers
- You can press the enter key to clear the current curve
- Then, just draw a new curve with the mouse…

Continue reading.... Textoy [Mac, Windows, Cinder]

Created by Kim Asendorf, ExtraFile is conceptional software with practical usage. It’s main intention is to offer an alternative to the static system of image file formats. It is also an attempt to address an alternative image file format, a piece of art, far away from the mainstream and commercial standards.

The freedom not to have to pay attention to the file size or the loading and saving times provides the option to implement artistically byte orders, odd quality behaviours and visual designed formats. ExtraFile is breaking the rules of commercial formats like JPG, PNG or TIFF. It is a pioneer art project in storing image data. The process and the resulting bytes, regardless of content, become the artwork itself.

Continue reading.... ExtraFile File Formats [Mac]

Created by Santa Ragione, a micro game-studio based in Milan, Fotonica is a “Pay What You Want” first person game about jumping, sense of speed and discovery. The key is timing, the goal is exploring and traveling flawlessly through the environment. The setting is an abstract – mainly duotone – outlined world, with a look referring to the geometrical abstractions from the 50s a the 3D low-poly gaming era.

Continue reading.... Fotonica [Games]

GRID is an interactive multi-touch sound visualization for the band Mathon and the ZKM AppArtAward 2011. Created for live events, the application consists of a desktop version for realtime graphic visualization of music – created using Processing and also an iOS version for interacting with the Processing app – created using openFrameworks.

The basic appearance is based on a shape that deforms synced to an audio signal. A never ending journey through portal-like visuals, organic and technical scenes take the viewer into a surreal feeling atmosphere. Forming rapidly changing pictures out of those shapes the viewer seems to be part of electrical impulses catching short impressions of the human and his role in the universe…..Continue reading.... Grid [iPhone, iPad, oF, Processing]