Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
Ever have the urge to play one of those old old video games from the days of your youth? You’re not alone. But often, finding those titles can be more challenging than it should be. That’s why one company in Vancouver, Washington, is working to keep those dreams alive. But rescuing old titles that have been abandoned by the original publishers.
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Video games hold a great deal of potential for engaging folks on a variety of different levels. But, to be honest, that potential is often squandered. So that’s why it’s incredibly refreshing to see other uses for the medium—like effectively communicating the emotions and frustrations of others. Take Hair Nah, a online game from Portland’s Momo Pixel that provides insight into a common annoyance for black people: uninvited hair touching.
Like many folks in Oregon, the video game community is creative, passionate, and, well, aggressively humble. But once a year, Oregon Games Organization takes the opportunity to make a little more noise than usual. To talk about what’s happening. And to celebrate some of the amazing folks in this community. It’s time for Game On. Read More
The Portland Timbers are no strangers to the world of video games. I mean, they had that little game where Timber Joey bravely lopped of the heads of encroaching Seattle Flounders. But now, the Timbers Army is getting their own treatment, inspired by something for which the Army is well known—one of its chants. Read More
One of the most interesting things about running Kickstarter campaigns, in my opinion, is the validation—or lack thereof—of an idea. Obviously, the funding is helpful. But the realization that other folks believe in what you’re doing and believe that you should keep doing it? That’s the real magic. And now, a new Portland indie video game, has gotten both the validation and the funding it needs. Meet XO. Read More
Okay. Admittedly, playing games on the OMSI Omnimax screen is still absolutely epic. But, playing them on the side of a building? That ain’t half bad either. And that’s exactly what’s happening this Friday at 7:30PM—and for the next month or so after sundown—as part of CTRL ALT PDX. Read More
Without getting too philosophical. There are times. (NOTE: This is getting too philosophical, already.) There are times when you’re kind of there in a moment. And you realize that your perception has been nudged. Maybe tweaked. Maybe changed. But definitely nudged. And it’s some crazy work of art that has managed to do it. And I’ll be damned if Mayday! Deep Space hasn’t managed to do that to me. Read More
There are those rare times. You know, the ones. The ones when you know you’ve been lucky enough to be around at the formative stages. Times were you knew that you were witnessing the beginning of something special. You could feel the momentum building. And that’s just what it felt like tonight at OMSI as video game developers from around Oregon gathered. Read More
Oregon has a long—and unfortunately not as celebrated as it should be—history with video games. For years, Eugene has had a wealth of talent with a series of name brand companies pursuing game development there. And Portland’s amazing indie gaming scene has been growing by leaps and bounds. Read More
There’s something interesting happening in Portland around “digital storytelling” that feels very similar to the tech startup scene a decade ago. And it’s gaining momentum. The latest hint is that the Oregon Governor’s Board of Film and Television—or Oregon Film, for short—now has permission to give tax credits to video game and post production houses. Read More