Software:Gerbil Physics

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
Gerbil Physics
Title screen
Developer(s)Pencel Games
Publisher(s)Microsoft Studios
Designer(s)Kevin Small
Artist(s)Jon Goosens
Composer(s)Kevin MacLeod
EngineFarseer Physics Engine
Mercury Particle Engine
Platform(s)Android, Windows Phone
ReleaseDecember 7, 2009 (Demo)
March 14, 2012 (Full Release)[1]
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Gerbil Physics is a mobile video game created as a demo as an Xbox Indie Game in 2009 by British[2] studio Pencel Games and released fully in app stores officially on March 14, 2012.[1] A sequel titled Gerbil Physics 2 was released for Xbox 360 on May 17, 2010.

Plot

The evil Toad King has a hatred for Gerbils and has them imprisoned in blocks that are stacked into monuments. The player is tasked with demolishing those monuments to liberate the Gerbils and restore their land.

Gameplay

The object of the game is to knock down every block with gerbils imprisoned in them beneath the yellow line in 84 levels. The player makes use of bombs, blasts or nukes to knock the blocks away, ideally supporting blocks to collapse the monument. Gerbils in red blocks must never be touched. Points are accumulated by liberating as many gerbils as possible in the shortest time.

Development

The game was coded in the C# language. The audio was composed using the Audacity tool.[3] The levels were designed using the Gleed2D application.[4] Kevin Small hired someone from Brazil to voice the gerbils.[5] The game had to be rewritten in order to cater for the mobile platforms.[6]

Reception

Kotaku reviewed the game as both adorable and enthralling.[7] PC Magazine rated it as one of 30 "Best Windows Phone Games".[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dredge, Stuart. "Apps Rush: Daniel Johnston, Flud News, Mass Effect 3, Met Opera, Super Monkey Ball and more". https://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2012/mar/14/apps-rush-daniel-johnston-flud. 
  2. ↑ "Celebrate Valentine's Day with Gerbil Physics". 2 February 2010. https://kotaku.com/celebrate-valentines-day-with-gerbil-physics-5462316. 
  3. ↑ "The Making of Gerbil Physics". Pencel Games. 2009. http://pencelgames.com/MakingofGerbilPhysics.aspx. 
  4. ↑ "Gerbil Physics Credits". Pencel Games. 2009. http://pencelgames.com/GerbilPhysicsCredits.aspx. 
  5. ↑ Paul Acevedo (October 18, 2012). "Xbox on Windows Phone: Gerbil Physics update details and mini-interview". Mobile Nations. https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox-windows-phone-gerbil-physics-update-details-and-mini-interview. 
  6. ↑ Danny Cowan (March 14, 2012). "Gerbil Physics Arrives For Windows Phone". UBM Tech. http://indiegames.com/2012/03/gerbil_physics_arrives_for_win.html. 
  7. ↑ Mike Fahey (February 2, 2010). "Celebrate Valentine's Day With Gerbil Physics". Gizmodo Media Group. https://kotaku.com/5462316/celebrate-valentines-day-with-gerbil-physics. 
  8. ↑ "The 30 Best Windows Phone Games". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis, LLC.. February 2, 2010. https://www.pcmag.com/feature/298827/the-30-best-windows-phone-games/21. 
  • Official Website
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Gerbil_Physics&oldid=4141478"