An experimental and award-winning computer game designed by University of Portsmouth lecturer Dr Dan Pinchbeck and part of a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has won full independent release for this summer.
Dear Esther was designed to break new ground in gaming and it has now been granted a license by Valve Software and will go on general sale via Steam. Originally released in 2008 Dear Esther is a ghost story told using first-person gaming technologies. Rather than traditional game-play, the focus is on exploration, and each player’s experience is determined by the choices they make.
Since 2009, professional game artist Robert Briscoe has been overhauling the visuals and levels in collaboration with Dr Pinchbeck, of the School of Creative Technologies, and the game now has been granted a license.
The re-make features a new environment, a re-orchestrated soundtrack by composer Jessica Curry, new areas to explore and an expanded story.
The game is one of four to emerge from The Chinese Room, a research studio set up by Dr Pinchbeck.
Dear Esther has gained a cult following and international critical acclaim, including an Indiecade award in 2009, and Mod of the Year in 2010. It tells a story about a deserted island, a lost man, memories of a fatal crash and a book written by a dying explorer. It has been downloaded more than 60,000 times since it was released.
Dr Pinchbeck said: “Dear Esther is about pushing at the boundaries of storytelling in games, and was designed to show how researchers can innovate in areas of high risk, making a real contribution to the medium and to industry.”
Briscoe and Dr Pinchbeck first showed the rebuilt mod to Valve in 2009 and they were impressed enough to grant a Source license for a full independent release.
Dr Pinchbeck said: “We’re hugely excited about the license. The new version of Dear Esther will take the game to a completely new level and we’re confident it will be one of the stand-out indie titles of 2011.
“Once again, this shows that games are probably the most exciting and innovative medium on the planet right now, and we’re really happy to be right at the cutting edge of that.
“For everyone who played the original mod, we can promise a new experience that will keep the soul of the original while pushing the game to a completely different level. For people who have never experienced Dear Esther, get ready for a game unlike anything you’ve ever played. In 2011, we’re going to answer once and for all the question of whether games can be art.”
Dr Pinchbeck said that having his finger on the pulse of current industry trends is crucial for his students: “Our graduates understand exactly where the gaming industry is at and where it’s heading which is vital in this field.”
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Links:
School of creative technologies - www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/ct/(opens in a new window)
Dear Esther - www.dear-esther.com (opens in a new window)
The Chinese Room - www.thechineseroom.co.uk (opens in a new window)
AHRC Media Contact Jake Gilmore j.gilmore@ahrc.ac.uk Tel: 01793 41 6021
Notes to Editors
Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Each year the AHRC provides approximately £112 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,300 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.