Software:Souptoys

From HandWiki
Souptoys
Developer(s)Souptoys Pty Ltd
Publisher(s)Oberon Media
Platform(s)Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Release
  • WW: 2006
Genre(s)Sandbox game
Mode(s)Single player

Souptoys Toybox, also known simply as Souptoys, is a physics-based sandbox video game and "desktop toy" program for the Microsoft Windows systems. It was developed by a group of friends known as the Soupboys, based in Western Australia.[1] The game was initially made available for purchase sometime in early 2006, however was released as freeware on July 14 the same year.[2] A number of updates have been released that add new toys to the game, although the game's official website is no longer accessible.

Gameplay

Souptoys includes a variety of physics-based objects which can be dragged from the "toybox" window onto the desktop, with the ability to be thrown and moved around with a computer mouse. Some objects, such as balls, cannons, gears, titling platforms, and colored wooden blocks, allow for level-building and the construction of Rube Goldberg-like contraptions, which could then be saved as a "playset" file and uploaded to the Souptoys website for others to download.[3] Several pre-made playsets are also included with the base game. While Souptoys overlays itself directly on to the player's screen, there is also an option to turn on a background which hides the desktop and any open programs with a blue checkerboard pattern.

Toys are divided into themed categories; Sports, Make & Break, Ted's Castle, Souper Six, Bumble Party, Pirates, Astrobots, Soup Labs, and Christmas Toys.

Reception

Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
CNET (Download.com)StarStarStarStarHalf star[4]

The game was received positively, with PC World describing the game as "amusing", although noting that the game can "eat up a lot of time if you're not careful."[3] Lifehacker praised the game as a "nice stress reliever for adults", but similarly mentioned "the potential to be the biggest productivity killer of all time."[5] Download.com editors' review compliments the number of pre-included playsets and verdicts that "the whole point of the game is experimentation".[4]

  • 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.[3] 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".[6] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[7] 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.[8] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[9]

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.[10][11] 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.[9] 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.[9]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[12] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[11] 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).[13] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[14] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[11]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[15] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[16][17][18] 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.[3] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[19]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[20] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[21]

See also

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

References

  1. ↑ "Souptoys - New News and Featured Playsets". 2011-07-28. http://souptoys.com/index.php. 
  2. ↑ "Fun-Motion » Souptoys Released for Free" (in en). https://www.fun-motion.com/news/souptoys-released-for-free/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Free SoupToys Toybox Turns A Desktop Into a Playground" (in en-US). 2010-06-05. https://www.pcworld.com/article/512917/souptoys.html.  Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":0" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Souptoys - Editors' Review" (in en-us). 2009-11-10. https://download.cnet.com/Souptoys/3000-2102_4-10551080.html. 
  5. ↑ "SoupToys Is Endless Desktop Fun for Your Child, May Decrease Your Productivity" (in en-us). 11 April 2010. https://lifehacker.com/souptoys-is-endless-desktop-fun-for-your-child-may-dec-5514594. 
  6. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  8. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  10. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  12. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  13. ↑ 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. 
  14. ↑ 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. 
  15. ↑ "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. 
  16. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  17. ↑ "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/. 
  18. ↑ "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/. 
  19. ↑ 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/. 
  20. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  21. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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References



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