Space Paranoids is alive and real.

May 8, 2010 4:37 PM

Greetings, Programs! This is enough to make the hearts of every sci-fi geek everywhere go pitter and patter (yes and no, like a bit!). Space Paranoids was "invented" by a young programmer named Kevin Flynn back in 1982. Now it's finally come to life!

Of course, this is all part of the marketing effort to build word of mouth about Disney's upcoming sequel to the 1982 classic. But it's still pretty awesome in an old-school kind of way.

Yes, it will seem pretty easy at first. But wait until you get to Sector 8. It gets pretty hard after a while.

End of Line.

posted by zooropa (21 comments total)

What is a Unity Web Player and why do I want to install it?
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:41 PM on May 8, 2010 [4 favorites]

The Unity Web Player enables you to view blazing 3D content created with Unity directly in your browser, and autoupdates as necessary.

Unity allows you to build rich 3D games with animated characters, sizzling graphics, immersive physics. Then you can deliver the games to the web or as standalone players.

http://unity3d.com/webplayer/

It seems a little much to install just to see this - are there any alternatives?
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 4:44 PM on May 8, 2010

Space Paranoids Online gameplay montage
posted by Burhanistan at 4:48 PM on May 8, 2010

I mean, aside from the Tron-influenced graphics it's not really that great.
posted by Burhanistan at 4:48 PM on May 8, 2010

It seems a little much to install just to see this - are there any alternatives?

A strange game. The only way to win is not to install the player.
posted by hal9k at 4:49 PM on May 8, 2010 [20 favorites]

Killjoys. ;) It's not about the uber-fantastic gameplay. It's about something cool from your childhood coming to life. I really don't care that this is Doom with tanks. I just put on the Tron soundtrack, started playing this, and felt like I was "in the universe." That's just ... well, cool.
posted by zooropa at 4:50 PM on May 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

zooropa, it's good that you enjoyed it, but you're really trying hard to convince people that they need to install yet another web player on their computer just to see the post.
posted by Burhanistan at 4:55 PM on May 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

There's actually a little more to it than just the game.
posted by SpaceBass at 5:00 PM on May 8, 2010

I am enjoying the promos for Tron: Legacy. Mmmm.
posted by cavalier at 5:03 PM on May 8, 2010

@Burhanistan : for “web player” read “plug-in”.
It crashes less than Flash, and it does fun things. E.g. the joy that is Minataur china shop
posted by silence at 5:09 PM on May 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

Armagetron - awesome multiplayer lightcycle game
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 5:57 PM on May 8, 2010

Unity is safe, but I don't much like installing it. If you want some cool Tron inspired videogaming, check out the 2003 first person shooter Tron 2.0. It's quite good.
posted by Nelson at 6:14 PM on May 8, 2010

All I'm saying is that if I was a Master Control Program, and I wanted to digitize people and suck them into my mainframe, asking them to download an "innocent browser plug-in" is probably the way I'd go. Is all I'm saying.
posted by bicyclefish at 7:32 PM on May 8, 2010 [9 favorites]

Bring in the logic probe!

No way I'm installing Yet Another Media Plugin, though. Was there something wrong with Flash? Wait... I mean I know there's a lot wrong with Flash but at least it's already infectedstalled on most of our systems.
posted by Justinian at 7:39 PM on May 8, 2010

This thing will not load for me

- End of line
posted by nola at 8:04 PM on May 8, 2010

Metafilter: It crashes less than Flash, and it does fun things.
posted by eye of newt at 9:24 PM on May 8, 2010

Okay, I know you guys are leery about installing Unity 3D. But let me just say it's legit, it's a wonderful plugin, and it's a great engine for making games in.

I know you cats have precious megabytes on your computers, so you'll need some more games to justify the two minutes it takes to download/install.

3D Raptor Safari Drive around in a jeep killin' raptors.

Actually, I don't need anymore games. That is THE game, y'all. C'mon now. Install it now any ya won't even notice it.
posted by hellojed at 10:51 PM on May 8, 2010

Unity is a cool plug in and there are great games for it, but this game is not one of them. I'd pass on installing it for this if you're wary.
posted by empath at 7:25 AM on May 9, 2010

The Unity Web Player... blazing... rich... sizzling... immersive...

Total derail here, but when I see this many adjectives thrown around I'm immediately suspicious of the quality of the product in question.

Sizzling? Really?
posted by lekvar at 10:29 AM on May 9, 2010

Oh sure, I'm going to download a plug-in to see an ad. THAT was a dumb move.

Seven months to promote this sucker, positioned like Avatar. I hope Disney isn't expecting a box-office bonanza on this film. Tron was a fun film and all, but even the original is only a 6.6 at IMDB... and after seeing the trailer, the -sequel- ain't no I Am Legend.
posted by Twang at 12:57 PM on May 9, 2010

Things MeFi does not do well: Unity.

Other than having some iconic elements the game was pretty "meh". The big leggy thing's attack is kind of lame (why the eff am I stopped if he hasn't squished me?) and the tanks were kind of whatev' as well. It -was- cool for a few minutes to be playing, like, TRON, but then I thought how much the 3d blew whatever 1982 would have been able to put together and it ruined it.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 3:15 PM on May 11, 2010