Tripwire Interactive To Publish The Ball

[hal]

In an interesting development today, Tripwire Interactive announced that they will be publishing The Ball this fall via Steam.

Tripwire Interactive is delighted to announce that it will be publishing Teotl Studios' first person puzzle-adventure game, The Ball, through Steam and in stores world-wide. The Ball won multiple top prizes in Epic's latest "Make Something Unreal" contest and is now following in the footsteps of Tripwire's own Red Orchestra in making the leap from mod to full commercial release. Providing an experience far beyond what the mod offered the commercial release of the ball is highly enhanced and expanded featuring a full 6 hours of single-player gameplay.

"Tripwire Interactive is a perfect match for us" says Sjoerd De Jong, founder of Teotl Studios. "We are thrilled to work with them and are confident this deal will help us maximize the potential of our game."

"When we first tried The Ball we knew this was exactly the type of game we would like to publish - fun, creative and a blast to play" said John Gibson, President of Tripwire Interactive. "This is all the more exciting for us as the winner of the previous 'Make Something Unreal' contest to have the opportunity to help a winner from the latest MSU contest take their game commercial."

About the game:
The Ball is a first person action-adventure game featuring a full single-player experience built on Epic's Unreal(TM) Engine 3 technology. As a swashbuckling archaeologist working on the slopes of a dormant volcano somewhere in Mexico, you get stuck in a cavern. It doesn't take long before you realize this is more than just a cave. You reveal ancient ruins that have been hidden from outsiders for centuries and discover a mysterious artifact, a gold and metal shelled Ball. As you progress towards solving the mystery of this amazing place you must unlock the secrets of The Ball and learn to control this ancient artifact. You will also start to encounter not just puzzles and traps, but also various strange creatures - the guardians of this mystery. These creatures also have to be overcome, using only The Ball to defend you. Venturing deeper into the volcano, you reveal some of mankind's greatest secrets...

Key features:

• Six hours of single-player adventure
• Game mechanics that are very simple to pick up, immersing the user in the physics-based gameplay right from the start
• 8 huge levels to explore
• Includes bonus Survival game mode, with 3 additional levels
• Wide range of enemies to overcome, including mummies, an undead gorilla and boss characters
• Unique vehicles - an underground train and the mysterious "Ball Chariot"
• More than 30 secrets hidden away to be discovered, as well as multiple achievements for the player to earn
• Steamworks(TM) features including achievements and leaderboards The game will be available on Steam and in stores from Fall 2010. For further information on the game, visit the game website: http://www.theballthegame.com/.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Sounds great. Plus, Steam achievements and leaderboards? Okay. I want it now.

 

[Kyllian]

I just imagined rolling The Ball around the halls of BioticsLab in Killing Floor

 

[Ignotium]

Congraluations to all the people involved

 

[UBerserker]

Going to get this absolutely. Amazing job Hourences & Co.

 

[Tzuiop]

jupjup i think we have a buy! anyhow congratulations and the best for the future or maybe the past (who knows maybe someone of you will invent a time time machine or not )

 

[Bi()ha2arD]

and in stores world-wide

I hope they won't have to censor it in germany...

 

[Darkdrium]

Oh wow it's true. After all there is blood in it, though it's Zombie blood.
I hope they don't censor it too.

Anyways, it's a great game I hope it's priced reasonably well so I will get it (On steam it sounds awesome too!)

 

[BITE_ME]

Is this going to be another game that when I see it on the stores self.
The package will say "You must agree to the Steam License and install software that you don't like."

Or can I just insert the disc and play?

 

[Dont be a nubcake]

NICE! Tripwire are like my new favs. (local studio) Congrats to the Ball team. I knew it was only a matter of time.

 

[[NBK]Rattman]

I think steam integration is brilliant...I can see some really cool achievements from this game.

definitely gonna buy this, if for nothing more then to support the work these guys have done!

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Is this going to be another game that when I see it on the stores self.
The package will say "You must agree to the Steam License and install software that you don't like."

Or can I just insert the disc and play?

Guaranteed will require Steam. Tripwire lives on that platform, and for good reason. They live and breathe the money they've made off of Steam.

 

[Slainchild]

Woot! Steamy balls!

 

[elmuerte]

iirc Hourences said they will also release it (themselves) on impulse and through their site. So you don't need to use steam.

it would be a shame if the physical copy requires steam

 

[hal]

Good info, thanks

 

[GreatEmerald]

The Impulse release sounds good. It would be hilarious if there were both a Tripwire/Steam physical version of the game and a standalone physical version of the game in the stores
Oh, and achievements don't have to rely on Steam at all. See Prometheus, Mass Effect, even UT3 without Steam.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Except the achievements in those games are stupid and pointless and practically invisible.

 

[GreatEmerald]

Oh really? I wouldn't call all the bonuses to your shields, health and damage in Mass Effect neither pointless nor invisible.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Unless you go into the achievement list and see what they are, you would never know that you were getting achievements or bonuses for them. And it doesn't exactly direct you there.

 

[Ramm-Jaeger]

Thanks for the kind words and feedback everyone. We're really looking forward to helping the Teotl guys take "The Ball" to the next level.