There's no rich bed of subtext here other than what we each bring into it. From my perspective it just kind of summarizes life right now. I need more but I'll take what I can get if it means being close to something important to me. Getting a foot in the door is important right?

Well since I don't really have much to say about the comic, I'd like to talk a moment about Raptor Guts. I hinted for a long time at the game they were supposedly working on. You might remember that I spent a week after ConnectiCon with my pal Richard, his wife, and their new baby. While I was there we fleshed out what I had in mind. Of course it was never going to be a real game, but it was fun to lay out the course. I had every intention of illustrating the development of the game.

It was called "Mr. Binkybear's Happy Happy Fun Time". The idea was that you would be in control of teddy bear mayhem as Mr. Binkybear navigated his toy world, fighting and removing other toys' stuffing in the most disturbing ways possible. I even had the idea that the collectors edition would ship inside a stuffed animal that gamers would have to rip open so get their game. Before they even started playing they would have a visceral experience.

Then before I ever got going on that story arc, 505 Games announced Naughty Bear. My heart was broken. And I let Raptor Guts fall by the wayside. **shrugs and grins**

That's the way of things huh?

Naughty Bear will release for the 360 and PS3 sometimes this year. [more info]

It's like they have a someone mind reading your brain and stealing your IP before you can copyright it. Talk about data mining, huh.

Nah. I never told anyone about the game beyond Taks, Richard and his wife. And to be releasing the game this year meant they had to have been already working on it.

Admit it though. You love that collector's edition inside a toy you have to tear apart bit huh?

Yes !! That would have been an AWESOME collector's edition Woody!! You are spot on bro!. I would have bought it and just stored it!
Hell, I still have an unopened ( in the cellophane) Original Diablo 2 DVD --- Edit to clarify, the movie that shipped with the game, I believe it was the cut scenes, not the game.
I love collecting awesome stuff, and that would be a top of the list item bro!

I would want a collecters item like that! Nothing like distroying a cute teddybear.

I'd unstitch the seam(s) and carefully remove the stuffing, remove the game (CD/DVD/whatever), replace the stuffing in its original configuration (possibly requiring extra stuffing to fill whatever void the game media previously occupied), and restitch the seam(s), so I could keep the teddy bear for my collection.

Originally Posted by Catila Amano:

I'd unstitch the seam(s) and carefully remove the stuffing, remove the game (CD/DVD/whatever), replace the stuffing in its original configuration (possibly requiring extra stuffing to fill whatever void the game media previously occupied), and restitch the seam(s), so I could keep the teddy bear for my collection.

Awww A Teddy Bear ripped open with the stuffing hanging out would make an awesome addition to any TB collection though!

Woody, having spent some time in the gaming industry myself I know it's rather common that great minds think alike. The odd timing of similar games happens way more than you'd think. If you're idea is different enough, or rather unique enough, or the execution will be better than what 505 has shown, then it's an easy decision to proceed.

Look at this way, they've set the bar. You get to jump higher and have a better game. They've shown you what not to do. It actually gets easier from here because you have a baseline to work off while incorporating your own ideas.

BTW, I know a guy that would be an awesome game producer if you're interest. Actually I know two guys who would probably fit this kind of game.

Daggot, more than *I* would think? Or more than someone in general would think? Because I've been poking fun at the gaming industry for most of GU's existence. I'm perfectly aware of how often ideas overlap.

And you do realize there's no such game developer as Raptor Guts right? It's an entirely fictional entity that was working on an entirely fictional property. So any need for a game producer would be entirely fictional as well.

So use puppies. cute lovable little puppies that go insane and tear anime children apart. There can be special cute ribbons and dog collars and custom doghouses. Hello Kitty meets Cujo.