Believe it or not, this colorful 3D world represents “setting up the polyphonic pad pattern sequencer.” Synths, reimagined as 3D game. Image courtesy the developers.
Amidst its future-arcade, glowing 3D architecture, Fract is a game. In a broken-down “abstract world,” you are piecing together puzzles, reconstructing machinery. But Fract is also a synth studio, one that promises the ability to create your own synth instruments, design your own sounds, and eventually piece together your own music. If Tron let you imagine a fantasy inside the computer, Fract takes you inside your synth. It’s like getting sucked into Reason. (Damn, now I want to meet Thor and Redrum…)
I called it Myst meets music making when we saw it last year. Since then, the Montreal-based indie team producing it have been powering forward, improving both visual and sonic engines and finishing off the title as it nears a Windows/Mac release.
That means we get a new look (and listen) to the wonders of Fract. And we get the chance to vote for its development on the ubiquitous game service Steam. Vote it up, and you increase the chance of getting this on Steam. (Please. Yes.)
FRACT OSC [Project Greenlight; how it works]
Most promising, there are lots of ideas about creative interfaces, which could extend beyond game worlds. A beautiful new trailer released earlier this month gives a glimpse at how all these notions fit together:
Take a listen to the sounds, and see some more:
The 3D game world uses abstract geometries, but also traditional controls as heads-up displays, arranged in the game space.
Real synths are feeding into the game. Yamaha CS-15.
A Yamaha CS-15 in the studio, as the virtual world of the game looms in the background.
The modular world beneath, powering the synths.
Development timelapse:
And they’re parenting at the same time. The family that synths together, stays together. See you on CDM soon, Zoe! (You’ll probably be reading us through Google Glasses or something.)
And yes, this looks like an amazing game world.
Read their news feed for lots of interesting commentaries on development, including details of how they’re thinking about note stealing.
Polygon has a wonderful write-up on the game, via writer Tracey Lien.
FRACT OSC: Making a world through music
Indie Statik also has some nice thoughts. It’s great to see the game scene getting into this.
They’ve got my vote.
This is so amazing! I’m really excited about this and what it means for the music genre of games. I’m curious though if it will take MIDI so we can use our MIDI controllers as game controllers. Then I would really feel like a spaceship commander!
Midi in (or even out, then to CV, oh my) is totally technically possible for us and is a much requested feature.
First we finish the game though, then we’ll see about adding those features.
This is so amazing! I’m really excited about this and what it means for the music genre of games. I’m curious though if it will take MIDI so we can use our MIDI controllers as game controllers. Then I would really feel like a spaceship commander!
Midi in (or even out, then to CV, oh my) is totally technically possible for us and is a much requested feature.
First we finish the game though, then we’ll see about adding those features.
This is so amazing! I’m really excited about this and what it means for the music genre of games. I’m curious though if it will take MIDI so we can use our MIDI controllers as game controllers. Then I would really feel like a spaceship commander!
Midi in (or even out, then to CV, oh my) is totally technically possible for us and is a much requested feature.
First we finish the game though, then we’ll see about adding those features.
This looks awesome! I already made an account to vote it – but do you have to buy a game from the site in order to vote?
Ya, unfortunately that’s how they set up the system. They really aren’t considering the fact that maybe new games might bring in new users unfortunately.
Thank you for the support though! Much appreciated
Thats ok! – I just might make a small purchase just so I can vote for your game! Does it matter how much I spend?
I did it! You got my vote! Literally
Thank you so much!
This looks awesome! I already made an account to vote it – but do you have to buy a game from the site in order to vote?
Ya, unfortunately that’s how they set up the system. They really aren’t considering the fact that maybe new games might bring in new users unfortunately.
Thank you for the support though! Much appreciated
Thats ok! – I just might make a small purchase just so I can vote for your game! Does it matter how much I spend?
I did it! You got my vote! Literally
Thank you so much!
This looks awesome! I already made an account to vote it – but do you have to buy a game from the site in order to vote?
Ya, unfortunately that’s how they set up the system. They really aren’t considering the fact that maybe new games might bring in new users unfortunately.
Thank you for the support though! Much appreciated
Thats ok! – I just might make a small purchase just so I can vote for your game! Does it matter how much I spend?
I did it! You got my vote! Literally
Thank you so much!
Cant wait for this! MIght be the only game on the radar for me at the moment… I used to play games a lot as a kid (Snes etc), but honestly they bore me these days. I actually thought that being so involved in music and media making softwares with all the sliders and dials and buttons, was kinda like a form of video game anyway. Cool to see the two merge! Awesome work!
Cant wait for this! MIght be the only game on the radar for me at the moment… I used to play games a lot as a kid (Snes etc), but honestly they bore me these days. I actually thought that being so involved in music and media making softwares with all the sliders and dials and buttons, was kinda like a form of video game anyway. Cool to see the two merge! Awesome work!
Cant wait for this! MIght be the only game on the radar for me at the moment… I used to play games a lot as a kid (Snes etc), but honestly they bore me these days. I actually thought that being so involved in music and media making softwares with all the sliders and dials and buttons, was kinda like a form of video game anyway. Cool to see the two merge! Awesome work!
Mind = Blown
Bringing together my two most time-wasting activities : music and videogaming
Hello FRACT OSC , goodbye Social life .
PS : instantly voted .
Mind = Blown
Bringing together my two most time-wasting activities : music and videogaming
Hello FRACT OSC , goodbye Social life .
PS : instantly voted .
Mind = Blown
Bringing together my two most time-wasting activities : music and videogaming
Hello FRACT OSC , goodbye Social life .
PS : instantly voted .
I remember meeting you at GDC San Fran a few years ago when you were demoing the project. It looks like it has come a long way. Very keen to have a go myself.
What engine are you building it in and what are you using for the audio synthesis?
Thanks, the game engine is Unity, and we developed the synth tech with pure data
I remember meeting you at GDC San Fran a few years ago when you were demoing the project. It looks like it has come a long way. Very keen to have a go myself.
What engine are you building it in and what are you using for the audio synthesis?
Thanks, the game engine is Unity, and we developed the synth tech with pure data
I remember meeting you at GDC San Fran a few years ago when you were demoing the project. It looks like it has come a long way. Very keen to have a go myself.
What engine are you building it in and what are you using for the audio synthesis?
Thanks, the game engine is Unity, and we developed the synth tech with pure data
This with Oculus Rift support would be totally awesome!! And it would get a lot of internet buzz too. Just saying 🙂
We have a devkit! A few things to figure out first though 🙂
Unreal! can’t imagine how amazing that would be. Good luck 🙂
This with Oculus Rift support would be totally awesome!! And it would get a lot of internet buzz too. Just saying 🙂
We have a devkit! A few things to figure out first though 🙂
Unreal! can’t imagine how amazing that would be. Good luck 🙂
This with Oculus Rift support would be totally awesome!! And it would get a lot of internet buzz too. Just saying 🙂
We have a devkit! A few things to figure out first though 🙂
Unreal! can’t imagine how amazing that would be. Good luck 🙂