It is not often that I get to play games, and even more seldom that I write about them, but Splitter is a game that has many of the elements I like:

• It takes no time to learn
• You can play it for just a few minutes (perfect while waiting for a render)
• You have to think about solutions
• There are many solutions to each puzzle
• No killing necessary
• You can restart each lever without penalty
• And it involves real life physics

Another game I can recommend is Buggles Connect over at the Casual Collective. Here you can play against other online players. It is quite fun trying to guess what the other player(s) might do and adjust your own strategy accordingly.

You place your markers in an empty spot and try to grab as many little Buggles as you can. Whoever has caught most of them at the end of 10 rounds, wins.

Enjoy.

While there are some rumors that 3D will be the next big thing in the world of visual media, there are some things that are better in 2D, which is the world most of us cameramen live in. While some may see that as a limitation, I find limitations to be challenging, refreshing. If everything was possible, life would be rather boring.

Games and cameras

The early computer games were static, 2D. A bit later on came scrolling games, still two-dimensional. Next came the 3D wave (and I remember some games even claiming to be 4D; maily because movement was said to be a dimension in itself). And even later the addition that the player could control the camera, often having features where you could view your previous game from pretty much any position. Some games have evolved into stages where you can almost direct your own short movie.

Many games seem to focus on their graphics, and seemingly 3D is a must-have. But must they?

Here is a upcoming game, Echochrome, that would not work in 3D at all. It rather plays with our ways of interpreting 2D pictures as 3D. Escher taken to the 21st century.