Appealing to a wide audience requires that your game design be straightforward and easily understood. Games that are instantly and universally accessible are generally based on simple concepts and mechanics that most everyone can identify with. Quite often it's the simpler games that win over our affection, and our attention, and become a joy to pick up and play merely because they feel both natual and familiar.
Blow Boat is a good example of just such a game, created by Luis Buenaventura of HighFibre.org. The simple gameplay of blowing a boat back and forth across a running stream brings back to mind youthful days sailing paper boats on a pond. This is a concept that almost everyone can identity with, and it works. The wonderful and charming graphics transport us to the edge of that tiny little stream, even if the scenario is less than plausible. We believe because we want to, because it's fun to play.
This is very orisinal-ish
For a game which is "straightforward and easily understood", it's remarably hard to figure out what to do. I left before I could, and I work with games all day long.
:)
Nic
Nic - either I got this one wrong, or you never blew paper boats across a stream before. You should get out more often. =)
It can be a little wierd at first. The kids start out blowing at the boat to keep in going straight. When you click on one kid, he covers his mouth and stops blowing making it go towards him. you can cover both their mouths and make it go straight again.
Anyways, It's a fun game and i like the visuals with the fish and and water. I just don't understand how all these things are passing by yet the ground and the kids are in one place =P
That's where the "we believe because we want to" comes in. Maybe more appropriate would be "a willing suspension of disbelief." =)
just stumbled across this blog entry today via google. i really appreciate the feedback regarding BlowBoat :) i actually haven't built any other Flash games in over a year because I started focusing on web-dev so much, but if i ever get around to making a followup, i'll definitely try to keep within that "sweet and simple" game genre (and hopefully come up with a slightly more logical scenario hehehe)
thanks!
:luis buenaventura
quezon city, philippines
I didn't really like it, but the idea was cool.
Doesnt work anymore! I keep getting http 404 not found!
Update