It took 20 years for Children of the Sun to become an overnight success

Children of the Sun burst onto the indie scene like a muzzle flash on a dark night. Publisher Devolver Digital dropped the game’s first trailer on February 1, showcasing frenzied sniper shots and a radioactive art style. A Steam demo highlighting its initial seven stages went live that same day and became a breakout hit during February’s Steam Next Fest. Two months later it landed in full and to broad acclaim. This explosive reveal and rapid release timeline mirrors the game itself — chaotic but contained, swift and direct, sharp and bright. Though it feels like Children of the Sun popped into existence over the span of two months, it took solo developer René Rother more than 20 years to get here. René Rother As a kid in Berlin in the early 2000s, Rother was fascinated by the booming mod community. He spent his time messing around with free Counter-Strike mapping tools and Quake III mods from the demo discs tucked into his PC magazines. Rother daydreamed about having a job in game development, but it never felt like an attainable goal. “It just didn't seem possible to make games,” he told Engadget. “It's like it was this huge black box.” Rother couldn’t see an easy entry point until the 2010s, when mesh libraries and tools like GameMaker and Unity became more accessible. He discovered a fondness for creating 3D interactive art. But aside from some free online Javascript courses, he didn’t know how to program anything, so his output was limited. “I dabbled into it a little... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2024-04-18 19:45:11 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "It took 20 years for Children of the Sun to become an overnight success"


Hilary Leichter: Bookstores Need to Be More Accessible

Drew and Christopher chat with Hilary Leichter in three different Damn Libraries for another first of its kind digital episode—our first Zoom guest! We discuss Hilary’s novel Temporary which leads to talk about things like gig work, her love of pirates, and how the book started as a short story.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-26 09:33:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


OverDrive to acquire RBmedia library business

OverDrive—the digital learning platform for libraries and schools—has announced it is acquiring RBmedia's library business. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-24 09:38:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Attention: Please stop microwaving your library books.

As libraries begin to reopen around the country, patrons are excited to get back to borrowing books—but they’re also still nervous about COVID-19, which is understandable. At least some of them have been “getting creative” in their attempts to protect themselves, prompting at least one public... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-23 18:08:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Libraries to reopen on 4th July as lockdown eases

Libraries in England will be able to reopen from 4th July as the country's lockdown measures continue to ease, Boris Johnson has announced. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-22 22:02:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Librarians and the Power of Social Media

A reader considers how social media has given libraries a new tool for community engagement, outreach, and promotion. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-22 10:32:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Middle Grade Magic: Great Books for 7th Graders

With most schools and libraries closed across the country closed, parents are left scrambling in a lot of ways: distance ... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-19 10:39:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Black Writers’ Guild calls for sweeping change in UK publishing

More than 100 authors join new body calling for the industry to address deep-seated inequalities in output and personnelMore than 100 writers including Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo, Benjamin Zephaniah and Malorie Blackman have called on all major publishing houses in the UK to introduce... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-15 17:08:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Alphabet partners with local library to deliver books to students

Schools and libraries have been closed for months, but some kids aren’t going to get away with playing video games all summer. Kelly Passek -- a middle school librarian in Montgomery County, Virginia -- is sending out summer reading via drones. After... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2020-06-12 18:18:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Internet Archive is ending the National Emergency Library over lawsuit from publishers.

Internet Archive’s National Emergency Library initiative, which made more than 1.3 million books available online for free, will end early as publishers sue for copyright infringement. The nonprofit began offering free books during March as the coronavirus pandemic forced Americans to quarantine... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-12 14:06:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Internet Archive Will End Its Program for Free E-Books

The nonprofit has said its National Emergency Library was a public service to people unable to access libraries during the pandemic, but publishers and authors accused it of theft. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-06-11 19:56:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Libraries Strive to Stay ‘Community Living Rooms’ as They Reopen

Safely lending books is just the beginning. Libraries are figuring out everything from how to remain welcoming spaces to how to respond to changing reader behavior. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-06-11 09:00:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this


10 Books Set in Museums

Museums are a lot like libraries and bookstores: quiet, contemplative spaces filled with wondrous objects that can light up your imagination and transport you to a different time and place. Now, like so many other cultural institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, most are shuttered for the time... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-06-09 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


What Makes a Good Summer Reading Program?

We're talking to library staff about how libraries are working to plan for summer reading programs despite the limitations caused by a global pandemic. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-08 10:33:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Authors, Austerity and the UK’s Save Our Libraries Campaign

The UK's Save Our Libraries campaign, spearheaded by librarians and authors, began nearly 10 years ago - but has it achieved its goal of stopping closures? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-06-08 10:31:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


All By Ourselves

As states push to reopen, many libraries are having to figure out their own way forward. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Libraries Offer Access to Graphic Novels in Pandemic

Facing closures and budget shortfalls, libraries look for new ways to support graphic novels amid the ongoing pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


In the Field: Stopping the Covid Slide

Suzanne Tonini, collection development supervisor for Denver Public Schools, shares how her the city’s public schools and libraries are continuing to meet students’ educational needs amid the pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


NYC libraries will reopen for limited service “very soon.”

Even with their physical locations shuttered, libraries have been an invaluable resource to everyone stuck at home and desperate for new reading material. According to Time Out New York, the NYPL has seen a 864% increase in digital library card sign-ups since March. Still, the loss of the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-06-04 15:02:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Book publishers sue Internet Archive for allegedly enabling piracy

When libraries around the US began closing their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Internet Archive (IA) responded by creating a “National Emergency Library,” a collection of 1.4 million books from its free e-book repository Open Library. Pu... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2020-06-01 19:33:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this


9 Books for Those of Us Missing Libraries and Bookstores

We may not be able to escape to bookish destinations right now, but we can be transported by these books about libraries and bookstores. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-05-28 10:39:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this