Category: KO_OP

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Charming Puzzler GNOG now Supports HTC Vive and Oculus Rift

After launching colourful puzzle title GNOG for PlayStation VR just over a year ago developer KO_OP had planned on launching a PC version with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift support in November 2017. That didn’t occur for an undisclosed reason, but today that delay has come to an end.

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GNOG is a 3D puzzle game set in a tactile world of toys and secrets. Designed as a type of puzzle box, where each level is self contained players explore a series of colorful worlds with vibrant visuals and a dynamic soundtrack. Each puzzle is a monster head which players can point, click, grab, poke, spin, pull, play and more to unlock the level’s mysteries.

Each of the nine Gnoggin‘s hide a multitude of secrets so it’s all about getting hands on with each puzzle. Grab a bookcase and spin it to reveal a hidden pile of coins, slide levers to navigate a damaged ship through outer space, crank a wheel to cook a stew on the stove – each playful interaction is all part of a chain that has knock on consequences.

For the launch indie studio KO_OP has collaborated with Double Fine Presents (Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin) who’ll be publishing the title. The PC release will also feature an all new VR mode with tactile interactions that will allow players to get up close and face to face with each GNOG.

GNOG-screenshot2

VRFocus reviewed the original GNOG for PlayStation VR, giving it a four-star rating and saying: “GNOG is an excellent title and well worth anyone’s time. It takes excellent advantage of the PlayStation VR functionality to produce something beautiful and striking, both visually and aurally.”

GNOG will release for PC and Mac with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift support, via Steam, Oculus Store, Itch.io, GOG, and Humble Bundle today. For any further updates fro KO_OP, keep reading VRFocus.

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AR Version of GNOG Out Now on iOS

Earlier this year, developer KO_OP released unusual virtual reality (VR) puzzle title GNOG on PlayStation VR. After the release of Apple’s ARKit, the developer announced that the title would be getting a port to augmented reality (AR). The AR iOS version is out now.

GNOG is inspired by the colourful miniature toys of the 1990s, such as Polly Pocket and Mighty Max. The videogame is divided into various different puzzles, which are represented by blocky monster heads, each of which contains its own unique diorama. Players need to manipulate the puzzle heads in various ways, pushing, poking, moving and sliding things to solve the puzzle and animate the diorama scene.

The iOS version appears to be quite similar to the PlayStation VR, though with controls that have been modified for use with touchscreen controls. Users can play GNOG iOS on an iPhone or iPad screen, or can activate the optional AR mode to transform a flat surface such as a table top into a virtual toy box, letting players interact with the monster puzzle heads in a new way. The iOS version also contains other new features such as iMessage stickers featuring animated GNOG themes.

KO_OP also announced that the planned Steam version of GNOG was delayed. This version was announced back in October, 2017 and was originally planned for release in November, 2017 and would be compatible with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR. The developers say the delay is due to the development team add more new VR features and new controls. KO_OP now anticipate a January 2018 release date.

The VRFocus review for the PlayStation VR version said: “GNOG is an excellent title and well worth anyone’s time. It takes excellent advantage of the PlayStation VR functionality to produce something beautiful and striking, both visually and aurally.”

VRFocus will bring you further news on GNOG as it becomes available.

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Puzzle Title GNOG Coming To PC VR

Quirky virtual reality (VR) puzzle title GNOG will soon be headed to Steam for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive according to a tweet from developers KO OP. The title had previously been released on the PlayStation VR, with some hints at plans for a ARKit-powered version for iPhone.

GNOG is a brightly coloured puzzler inspired by the type of miniature diorama toys that were popular in the 80s and 90s, such as Polly Pocket and Mighty Max. Each ‘level’ is a separate diorama or puzzle-box type arrangements which resemble monster heads. Each ‘head’ has various interactive elements that can be manipulated to perform certain action, ultimately resulting in a very pleasing tune when a puzzle is completed.

Replay value is created by the multitude of secrets, Easter eggs and achievements that can be found by performing various, sometimes very unusual, actions on or in the various puzzle boxes. The title features a dynamic soundtrack that reacts to the player’s actions, with the music along with the environment guiding the player with subtle clues to the solution of each puzzle.

As the VRFocus review for the PlayStation VR version said: “GNOG is an excellent title and well worth anyone’s time. It takes excellent advantage of the PlayStation VR functionality to produce something beautiful and striking, both visually and aurally.”

The PC version of GNOG will be headed to Steam sometime in November, 2017, and will be compatible with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR. A precise release date and price point have yet to be confirmed. Further details and updates can be found on the Steam Store page.

VRFocus will bring you further new on GNOG as it becomes available.

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KO_OP’s Puzzler GNOG is Coming to AR for iPhone

Yesterday Apple took the tech spotlight – as if you didn’t know – with a special event to mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. The company unveiled a new iWatch, iPhone 8 and 8s, plus the iPhone X. Hardware aside, on the software front – more importantly augmented reality (AR) – Apple showcased several apps and videogames built using ARKit that consumers would see once iOS 11 launches next week. While VRFocus knows of a few AR apps being created using ARKit, Unity Technologies has now revealed several more, one of them being PlayStation VR puzzler GNOG by KO_OP.

At present the studio hasn’t announced plans to bring the virtual reality (VR) version of GNOG to other headsets, so it’s surprising to see it go in the direction of AR. GNOG levels are designed as a type of puzzle box, where each one is self contained. Players can spin the box around to find all sorts of brightly coloured components that are linked with various levers and switches. With the AR version, players will now be able to put these puzzle boxes on a table in front of them.

Unity has only given sneak peek into GNOG’s AR development so it’s unclear if it’s an AR port of the VR version or something entirely fresh.

GNOG on ARKit

GNOG isn’t the only AR videogame being made with Unity that’ll be coming to Apple’s mobile devices. Cabbibo and Viacom Next have created ARQUA! an AR aquarium creation tool where players can add fish, kelp, coral, crystals and other rainbow objects to their world.

Then there’s The Walking Dead: Our World AR videogame being made by Finnish developers Next Games – which VRFocus reported on last month. Or how about RAC7 Games’ puzzle title Splitter Critters – currently available as a non-AR videogame for iOS and Android – which will have AR exclusive levels. Or lastly Mammoth Mini Golf from Ezone.com, a caveman-themed world of mini-golf.

None of these videogames have a confirmed released date just yet, but Unity expects to see them arrive this fall.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Apple and ARKit, reporting back with the latest AR projects.

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Boom Shake The Room: VRFocus Return To The Mini Worlds of GNOG

Those of you who grew up in the 90s might remember the pocket-sized objects that contained a tiny world with miniature characters to play with, such as Mighty Max or Polly Pocket. GNOG takes that concept of interactive dioramas and brings it into the vivid world of virtual reality (VR).

GNOG was announced back in 2015 by developers KO_OP for the PlayStation VR, and its recent release saw it receive some praise from the VRFocus official review.

In the latest gameplay video, Rebecca reutrns to the neon bright world of GNOG to take on another puzzle, this time getting to grips with the PURP-L level. Resembling a retro ‘boom box’ music player, the level is themed around sounds and music. Can Rebecca solve the puzzle and make her way to the next stage? Watch below to find out.

VRFocus will return with more gameplay videos throughout the week. Keep checking back for more.

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Swamp In Your Pocket: Watch VRFocus Take On The Puzzling World Of GNOG

Imagine a world full of colour. Dancing, pulsating colour. Then add loud and equally pulsating music to it. When you’re done there add a series of self-contained puzzle boxes with those boxes filled with micro worlds for you to explore in the style of Polly Pocket or Mighty Max – and then put it into virtual reality (VR) for good measure. Complete that recipe and you’ve pretty much got GNOG.

Supporting Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) PlayStation VR, GNOG was initially announced by developers KO_OP back in 2015 and its recent release saw it score well on VRFocus‘ official review.

For today’s video we’ve another part of Rebecca’s recent PlayStation VR Twitch livestream, in which we see her first enter the world of GNOG and take on her first puzzle box ‘FRG-Y’; a swamp filled world full of frogs (or frg-s) and moths (mth-s?). The latter ideally an excellent dinner for the amphibians. How will Rebecca work her way through the world? Watch below to find out.

VRFocus will be back with part two very soon, look out for daily gameplay videos from us at 7:30PM UK time throughout Monday to Friday.

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Review: GNOG

The words ‘Double Fine have brought out a new game’ are usually enough to make most gamers take an interest. Although Double Fine are the publishers in this case and not the developer, they have cultivated a reputation for knowing good quality when they see it. The is certainly the case with GNOG.

GNOG (pronounced during the title sequence as ‘gun-ogg’) is a puzzle game on the surface. Each level in the game is a box resembling the head of some kind of monster creature, which contains a huge variety of buttons, lights, dials and levels that can be poked, pulled and prodded into doing something. The boxes themselves can be turned in every direction by using a combination of the DualShock trigger buttons and right analogue stick. Everything else is controlled with the left analogue stick and the X button. Curiously, it doesn’t use any motion controls, which is something of a lost opportunity.

The heads/boxes turn out to be little dioramas filled with complex worlds, which may remind children of the 90’s of Polly Pocket or Mighty Max toys. Everything you can interact with reacts to your actions, often with changes in the music and sound effects, resulting in the box-worlds playing a rather excellent tune when a puzzle is solved. The soundtrack in general is amazing, multi-layered and dynamic and really best enjoyed over headphones. Unless you happen to be lucky enough to have an excellent 5.1 surround sound set up.

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The graphics are amazing. Developer KO_OP has done an excellent job in creating a very distinctive visual style that makes everything look like it was built out of neon and candy. It’s very crisp and smooth, but the myriad colours can be a little overwhelming after a while.

Solving the puzzles inside the boxes/heads requires logic whilst following subtle clues from the environment. There are secrets and hidden trophies which can be found by performing some slightly esoteric actions within each level. There is occasionally something of a frustration in the trial and error style gameplay – especially when something that should work doesn’t the first time – such as during a sequence with the mother bird (this could have been a bug or a simple mistake).

A downside to GNOG’s visual spectacle is that it’s very short, with almost all the puzzles completed in a single sitting. While there is replay value to be gained from going back to find hidden trophies and easter eggs, there’s really not enough for puzzle fans. There are some other flaws as well, some of the levels feel like they could’ve been developed further, the aforementioned possible bug and the lack of motion control is really inexplicable in a title that relies on moving an object around.

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GNOG is an excellent title and well worth anyone’s time. It takes excellent advantage of the PlayStation VR functionality to produce something beautiful and striking, both visually and aurally. While it could potentially benefit from some extra puzzles and a bit more polishing, it is still a solid title and worthy addition to your PlayStation VR library.

80%
Awesome
  • Verdict
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GNOG Developers Release Level Trailers and Discuss Audio

Developers behind upcoming PlayStation VR puzzle game GNOG have released three trailers that show off what to expect from three of the levels within the title as well as discussing the intricacies of the soundtrack and how it came to be developed.

The post on the PlayStation Blog goes in to some detail about how the soundtrack came to be in its final form. Despite not being out yet, GNOG has already received praise for its soundtrack and clever use of music and sound. The soundtrack was composed by Marskye, whose original pass at the composition was much darker in tone, more in-line with the early concept art and early visuals. As the videogame evolved during development, it was recognised that the moodier tone was no longer suitable.

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A new approach was settled on where the changes in the music could act as a subtle ‘reward’ for players, as each step towards solving the puzzle adds a new layer to the music, slowly harmonising into a complex soundscape and allows the player to feel like they contributed towards the creation of the music as well as giving them a reason to keep going in hopes of hearing the final composition.

Developers KO-OP say that they are hoping to release an official soundtrack for GNOG some time after the title has seen a full release. GNOG is currently available for pre-order from the PlayStation Store, with a pre-order bonus of a free dynamic theme. The full version will be released on 2nd May, 2017.

You can watch the level trailer videos below.

VRFocus will continue to bring you news on GNOG and other upcoming VR releases.

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KO_OP Reveal the In’s and Out’s of Colourful Puzzle Title GNOG

At the end of March indie development team KO_OP announced that PlayStation VR puzzler GNOG would be arriving in May. VRFocus caught up with the studio’s director Saleem Dabbous at the recent Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2017 in San Francisco to discuss the title.

If you’ve seen previous coverage of GNOG you’ll know that it’s a brightly coloured, puzzle box style experience which Dabbous said has: “Been inspired by kids toys like Polly Pocket or Mighty Max.” On describing the game he comments: “You discover a series of monster heads, and each monster has a little world inside of it. And we don’t tell you what the puzzle is, the whole game is about messing around, playing around, discovering the puzzle and how to solve it.”

VRFocus has previewed the title twice over the last couple of years. The first time in 2015, then its most up to date version at GDC 2017, saying: “GNOG possesses some truly engaging and inventive ideas that might just make it stand out for players.”

GNOG will initially launch for Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) PlayStation VR on 2nd May 2017. Steam support will also be implemented in the future although no date has been confirmed.

Checkout the full interview below, and for further update on GNOG, keep reading VRFocus. 

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GNOG Coming to PlayStation VR in May

Back in 2015, indie developer KO_OP announced development on its first virtual reality (VR) GNOG. Supporting Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) PlayStation VR, GNOG is a colourful puzzle title that’s now got a release date for May.

GNOG is designed as a type of puzzle box, where each level is self contained. Players can spin the box around to find all sorts of brightly coloured components that are intrinsically linked. Some components work by being spun, while others need to be pressed or slid. Figuring out what does what, and where to look to see what activates is all part of the fun.

GNOG-screenshot2Sound will also play a big part in the nine levels that’ll be available at launch, with a soundtrack composed by Marskye.

KO_OP recently attended the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2017 in San Francisco, showcasing its latest build. VRFocus got to preview the videogame, saying: “GNOG possesses some truly engaging and inventive ideas that might just make it stand out for players.” Adding: ‘it could certainly be one of the most interesting to arrive in 2017.’

The title will launch for PlayStation 4 with PlayStation VR support on 2nd May 2017. The studio has an official website for the title where players can per-order GNOG if they wish.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of GNOG, reporting back with any further updates.