PixelJunk Monsters Logo Burn In Issues

To:  PixelJunk / Q Games / Et Al

I own a plasma screen television.

I also love PixelJunk. The company has so far produced one of the most addicting (to me anyway) games available from Sony's Online store, with Monsters.

This game has proven very fun, but also potentially damaging to my television.

The issue specifically comes from the bright white "PixelJunk" logo situated dead center and on the bottom of the status bar. This status bar plays along with every single level in the game, meaning that so does the logo.

After only 3 hours of play the first night, I immediately noticed some ghosting after switching to a different input.

I read through some forums, and purchased the "Encore" add on, with the "burn in reduction" feature, but was disappointed to realize that it did no more than just dim the logo. This works to a point, but plasma owners all know that this "fix" will only delay the burn in, and not remove the problem.

Many posts from forums I have read have come up with better ideas, and here are a few I would like to suggest :

1. Blend in Text/Logo with the background color of the status bar (brown).
2. Fade the logo out completely after the start of each level (15 seconds).
3. Remove the logo altogether!

The decision to place this logo in such a place during gameplay as it is seems strange in a digital age. High tech screens (i.e. Plasma) have existed for long enough that programmers should have been aware of this potential hazard from the beginning.

Need we be constantly reminded of the game's publisher/designer while we play? I have never had such a problem with any other game I loved. Does Rockstar feel the need to keep one of their starred "R's" on the top right corner for the duration of a GTA session? No, and yet plenty of people are well aware of who they are and what they do.

Please, PixelJunk, QGames, and those involved. Think about people who have openly admitted to loving and being addicted to these games. Yes, it is a small qualm. But, after seeing new screenshots from your forthcoming project, "Eden", the same very logo graces (disgraces?) the bottom of the status bar yet again!

I am hugely enthusiastic about your products, but find myself at a point where I will have to neglect them if it will cause permanent damage.

Below you will find two screen shots for visual aid.

Monsters :
http://psipab.googlepages.com/pixeljunk_monsters_hard3.jpg

Eden :
http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/kotaku/2008/05/pixeljunk_eden_impressions.jpg

Image credit to those hosting.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The PixelJunk Monsters Logo Burn In Issues Petition to PixelJunk / Q Games / Et Al was created by and written by Jeremy Zunk (jeremy.zunk@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.