Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

These Vanishing of Ethan Carter screenshots move

They're alive!

Polish developer The Astronauts has released three moving screenshots of weird fiction horror game The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

In the spirit of 2013, they're GIFs. But this is actual in-game footage captured in Fraps before being converted, explained Astronauts leader Adrian Chmielarz in an email.

The first GIF, the Rocky Path, is a section near the opening of the game. It shows off something called photogrammetric technology, which apparently allows small teams to pump out impressive visuals.

The next GIF, the Ghost Draisine, shows the game's occult detective hero, Paul Prospero witnessing a supernatural event. This is connected to memories of a corpse he's "questioning", Chmielarz mentioned. "Okay, this is a longer story, so let's leave it for another time." Note the changing foliage.

The third and final GIF, the Cemetery, shows a cemetery.

Do you feel dizzy yet?