Dreamview Weekly Roundup #29
Like clockwork, your friend the Dreamview Weekly Roundup has turned up on your doorstep once again this Friday, wittering on about something or other. “Ghost cubes! Cubes that remember where you’ve been!” it says, as you gently take it by the hand and lead it into your house. “Yes, yes, Weekly Roundup,” you say, as you guide it to a comfortable sofa. “Wait there and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea.”
From the kitchen, you can still hear it muttering: “I’ve got a little friend made out of plugs!” It’s been happening for weeks now, and it’s been getting worse lately. Perhaps it’s time to finally put it out of its misery.
Imagine your shock when, hours later, you come across this webpage and realise that it wasn’t talking nonsense, but simply trying to tell you about the five fabulous creations you might want to check out this weekend in Dreams. Oh dear. Well, they say reading is good for the guilt.
A screenshot of a character built of mechanical odds and ends, sat on a workshop desk.
Little Things!#
by arseny3D
Goodness knows where arseny3d’s ideas come from. This creator has given us sentient thumbs, anglerfish lamps and an alien made of egg yolk - and they’re by no means done. Joining the family are these darling little creatures - or robots, or entities, we’re not quite sure - seemingly made of the odds and ends found on someone’s workshop desk. Much credit must go to character designer Gleb Yasinitsky, who’s somehow managed to make scrapped-together screws, bobbins, plugs and wood shavings endearing. But it’s arseny3d’s trademark animation skills that really bring them to life - and, in the case of one poor soul with a tickly nose, blow them apart.
(Requires that you own Dreams)
A screenshot of a figure with its head in its hands, sat in the midst of a space full of tangled black strings.
Mess#
by EBIJAH and Papa_Old_G4m3r
We know SassySouthernGrl well for their stylised art, sculpture and character design - but their soulful vocal talents had completely escaped our notice up until now. Alongside Papa_Old_G4m3r’s thundering accompaniment, all booming drums and dramatic strings, EBIJAH’s dark web of visuals perfectly illustrate the tangled, trapped feeling Sassy sings of. A brilliant example of how a music video can elevate a story previously told only through sound - and a masterclass in creating a powerful sense of dread. Take note, Super Hans.(opens in new tab)
(Requires that you own Dreams)
A screenshot of a collection of blue cubes forming a floating level. A red cube is trying to roll to the end goal with the help of a red 'ghost' cube.
A Little Introspective#
by RAKeogh
Our ‘Remix It Up’ playlist, which highlights games that have also released level creation kits, has inspired many creators to serve up fun twists on their peers’ ideas. Rbdjellyfish’s excellent optical illusion puzzle-platformer A Little Perspective has been one of the most popular remixable choices - and RAKeogh’s set of custom levels is one of the most memorable interpretations. In these seven stages, you’re presented with a mind-bending new mechanic: the path you tumble your little red cube through on your very first run is recorded, and this ‘ghost’ becomes a solid being on your second, still moving back and forth along the recorded route as you puzzle out your next move. To progress, you’ll have to use that ghost to your advantage, planning your first path so that it’s in the right square at the right time to create new pathways to victory. A clever reimagining that is a credit to the original concept, and sets it in a dazzling new light.
(Requires that you own Dreams)
A screenshot of a stylised mixtape sculpt, with an animation showing that it is currently playing music.
Mix tape!#
by HalfUp
This one’s for the creators. First released into the Dreamiverse last summer, this delightful gadget has made its way into our regular rotation again during long sculpting sessions - especially in the VR headset. Want to listen to music while working on a creation in Create mode? Need your in-game headset on for sound cues and audio work? Simply stamp this charmingly-rendered tape player into your scene and ‘Start Time’ by clicking in the left stick to play some tunes while you tinker. You can use your imp to press the play/pause and skip buttons on the side - useful when you’re working on a bit of sound design and need to focus on details. It comes pre-loaded with some lovely ditties, but you can add all of your own Dreamiverse favourites to the playlist by opening up the Logic and stamping them in as timelines.
(Requires that you own Dreams)
A screenshot of a blocky procedurally-generated map full of islands, trees and rivers, seen from an overhead view.
Procedural Map Generation 9/22/2021#
by Appolonius
Appolonius is still quietly working away at some of the most technically impressive stuff in Dreams. Their latest achievement is this terrain generator, which prints a randomised chunk of land studded with trees of varying hues, rocks, flowers, hills, valleys and rivers with the press of a button. After seeing the top-down view, you’re then able to run a puppet around in the space to explore the nuances of each generated landscape up close. The applications of this tech in a full game are surely limitless - of the usefulness of Appolonius’ other recent experiment, however, we’re less sure. A cautionary tale about sugar addiction? A device to make Jamie Oliver pop out of existence through sheer, unbridled rage? Hey, perhaps it’s more practical than we thought.
(Requires that you own Dreams)
Want an easy way to view all of these creations in one convenient collection? Check out the playable version of this week’s Dreamview Weekly Roundup right here in Dreams!
The Dreams User Guide is a work-in-progress. Keep an eye out for updates as we add more learning resources and articles over time.