I was so very sad to hear the news about Seth.
I remembered playing the action adventure game he and Omar created, The Flowering Nose, a couple of years back when my eyes were first opening to the potential the Web offered for games. The Java applet impressed me with the old-school charm of its scrolling tile-based worlds, its quirky characters and dialog, and its addictive gameplay; and all delivered within the convenience of a browser.
And yet the moment the game begins you realize that this is no ordinary Web game. Immediately you are teleporting back to the glory days of the SNES and landing squarely within the Strawberry level. From there your task is to seek out the one last sprout, which is the one item you need to open the final gate.
To find the sprout you will first have to find a host of other items that will eventually lead you to it. Some items you will use, others you will trade with NPCs that you meet along the way. The catch is that you can only carry one item at a time.
Items are magical in this game because each item allows you to teleport to a unique level named after it. Within each level you will find a teleport device that must be activated by placing an item (any item) onto the large red "X" next to the sunflower. Once activated, you can travel to that item's level by moving onto the teleporter.
Control in the game is with the mouse. Left-click to move the Flowering Nose to the square you click on, or hold down the mouse button to have the nose constantly following the mouse. Right-click to toss flowers, which are your munitions against enemies. You can collect more flowers at any time by simply moving over them, the same way you pick up any item. Press [space] to drop an item; you'll use this technique when dropping an item on the red "X" to activate the teleporter. Press [X] to use an item, such as digging with the pick axe, or opening a door with the key.
The game packs several hours of play time, so you will want to make use of the red flag poles in the game to save your progress. Caution: do not save your game (if you can help it) on the Cherry level. I encountered a bug in which the nose got stuck every time it loaded my game from there. I had to start a new game because of it.
Yes, it's an odd game with a few minor issues, and yet it was brilliantly designed by Seth Fisher to contain amazing depth, wit and charm. This strange and beautiful game should not be missed, as it is not often that you will find a game with this level of detail presented in a deceptively simple way. It is a throwback to the video game classics of years ago; a rare find, and one of a kind.
Seth Fisher died suddenly from an accidental fall on January 30, 2006; he was just 33. His artwork and memories live on through his family, and through this wonderful game on collaborator Omar's website.
Game credits:- Seth Fisher (FloweringNose): concept, level design, graphics, story
- Omar Waly (RadicalPlay): engine, programming, sound and music
Java usage note: Although the game will not run on my current Mac (Panther), it should run under Tiger with Java 2 runtime version 5.0 installed. It runs fine on my PC, XP, JRE 5.0.
It's very disenheartening to hear about the death of a collegue, Jay, I sympathize with you.
On another note, the blog/site is updating so fast that I haven't the time to play all these games! Also, can a person write reviews but not be a formal member of the jayisgames collaboration team?
Cheers, Luckdragon, and sorry about the frequent updates(!) ;)
Yes, anyone can write a review, and I would welcome your participation. You can either send me an email directly, or use the "Suggest a game" link at the top of the page to submit a review using the form provided.
The game runs a little slow for me.
When I started the game I had a strange feeling, then I started collecting some flowers and thought... differently boring, but it might get interesting... then I saw some enemies and threw a flower at them... then I thought you got to be kidding me and click it away :)
Then I would say your prejudice will prevent you from any real enjoyment with it. It's a shame because the game is much better than your cursory assessment of it.
Or, maybe it's just not your type of game. =)
Is there a way to make it so I don't get a pop-up menu every time I right click? It's almost impossible to see where I'm throwing flowers if I've got "Back Forward Reload etc" showing up every time I throw something.
Jesse - that was happening to me, too, when I tried using my Mac to play the game. Switching to the PC solved the problem.
It may also depend on the browser you choose as well.
I agree this is less than desirable, and I wonder why the designers of the game didn't use a modifier key in combination with a standard left-click to shoot flowers. I believe it is considered bad practice to use right-click for a command other than a context menu.
I posted about this game on MetaFilter, oddly enough just a few days before the artist died. It really is an awesome and hilarious game, and very challenging. Well worth the wasted hours, especially for the
Llama Level and the Big Pimp Daddy Slug therein
.
Wow. Thanks for that link, Gator. That your post was just days before his death is a bit eerie. The game had been out for almost 2 years.
And it appears that you received a similar lukewarm response to it, which is just bizarre to me.
The Flowering Nose is one of those rare classics that once you find you hope to always have around as a reference to how brilliantly creative a game can be.
A veritable Alice in Wonderland.
I'm enjoying the first two levels, but the window keeps just randomly closing halfway through the second level....?
I'm using the latest versions of Firefox and Java (with an older version of Java the game freezes the first time you teleport).
James - I've played the game using Firefox on a PC without difficulty. Using an older version of Java on a Mac causes the game to freeze, as you mentioned, the first time I teleport.
where is the birthday cake on the second level?
Birthday cake
There is a Greak Oak tree on the rock level that will give you a birthday cake if you give it a donut in exchange.
a few questions I never solved the first time.
Where do I find a second key?
what kills the hell volcano?
Where do I find a second key?
Inside the gold level. Try taking a pickaxe to the pickaxe level and digging around.
What kills the hell volcano?
A golden llama. Once you get a piece of gold, a certain character can make it into a golden llama for you. Be sure to visit the llama level!
Help! Where do I take the glasses to get the slug costume?? This game is obsessing me!! I've spent HOURS playing now.
There are two gold nuggets on the pickaxe level, and you need them both, so make sure you dig around the whole area till you find 'em.
Re: glasses/slug costume --
You don't give them to anyone, you hold the glasses in your inventory and hit the "X" key.
I finished it. It was fun. :D But I have a question...
What was the point of the glasses/slug costume? I never had to use them and never did manage to talk to the box dude on their level. I finally made it to him once I had the sprout already and he wouldn't talk to me.
Thanks Gator! Now I'm stuck at the "letter" level - (the baseball game) - any hints on how to progress?? :D
Oh my gosh, SO UNFAIR!!! WAAAAH!! *SOB* it doesnt work it doesnt work i am so sad... *tear* my computer won't load it ive left it alone for hours... PLS HELP!!!
I found this a long time ago, and it's still one of my favorite online games. Great artwork, great puzzles... replaying is almost as fun as the first time!
As for the glasses:
When you are wearing the costume, enemies will think you are a slug and won't chase you.
Annie - check the version of Java you have installed.
mojassty - I am pleased to hear you feel the same way! And I agree there is a significant replay value in this delightful game. =D
HELP!!! somehow I got stuck tryign to spell "N O S E" I only got the OSE. Is this an error or am I not looking in the right place?
Ive gone totally insane. Ive tried everything. I can't get the "NOSE", Note sure if any of my items have secondary uses im not aware of? here is what I have for items:
donute, key, cake, hammer, empty chest, axe, gold, llama, flippers, cheese, mushroom, banana, cactus, bucket, bones. I haven't found the use for the cactus, empty chest and cheese.
Lols, thanks Jay, I checked it, installed new, and VOILA!!! HOOORAH!!! ty ^^!
This is driving me insane. I'm totally addicted! I can't stop playing this blasted game! So here's my problem. I've been trying to keep all of the items I've collected on one level. That way I know where everything is. But I've not been able to find the second key. I've got both pick axes, gone to the pick axe level, dug up each dugable tile and found the gold, but no key. So, do I have to do something first in order for the key to be there? Any help?? Urgh. Thanx! :o)
If anyone is going crazy trying to finish this game, there is a
walkthrough.
After days of playing, I actually couldn't finish, since I left my cactus on a level that I "used up" the access item to get to. Argghh! Eventually I'll re-do the whole thing so I can see the ending. Great game!
how do you get past the doughnut level? i can't find anything useful.
how do u get past the bones level? I am geting reallllly anoyed with this game.
adam, if you're still checking in: You need the Flippers to get through both the Donut and the Bones levels. You can get the Flippers by taking the Closed Chest to the Carrot level (where the chest-opener-thingy is). You get the Chest by bringing a Key to the Key level.
thanks, Gator. now i'm stuck on the cheese level. any ideas?
Hey! This game is cool.....Can't wait until you find more Jay! I was stuck until I used the Walkthrough...I'm that type of person that is HOPELESS at games like this... -_-
Ohhhhhh it doesn't work on my computer, I've tried installing Java and all that is happening is I get the game pop up with a teeny tiny little dot in the middle, and that's all that happens! Any further advice gratefully recieved
Mel - see my Java usage note above. I, too, am unable to run the game on my Mac, but it runs just fine on my PC, XP and JRE 5.0.
Hi, I would like to know if the game is still open. If yes, how come I cannot play that game. I used to play it like one or two years ago. Tx in advance. Keep the good work Jay.
Cheers, alren! =)
The game still works, perhaps it's your install of Java that's causing the trouble. This is a Java applet game, and therefore requires a working Java Runtime Engine (JRE) to work properly.
Try updating your Java
In fact, it never used to work on my Mac, but I just tried it again and everything works fine! =)
Hi Jay, thanks for your answer, but I have already the last version of JER version 10. The only thing I get is a black square with a small dot in the middle. I went on the site of radical play and the game isnt even there. Too bad I used to play that game. If you have another suggestion, please, inform me. Have a nice day.
Sorry Jay, yes the game is on radical play but I still cannot open it. Would you try it if you are able to play that game, thanks Jay.
Alren - yes, the game still works for me. The game links above all point to the Radical Play site, which is where the game is being hosted. I tried both on my Mac and my PC and the game loaded and played with no problem.
Jay, the cherry-level-saving-bug is "de-buggable". To save your game there, make CERTAIN that Nose is facing the flag at a 45 degree angle. So he needs to be positioned in such a way that he's looking at the bottom left corner of the screen (and looking right at the flag). I've tried this on several browsers and it seems to work fine.
Also, if you DO get stuck at the flag, restart the saved game a few times. Eventually, Nose will fall into Hell, and you can work your way back up from there.
Cheers,
- Merri
i'm stuck on the mushroom level!! the mushroom queen tells me to peel her a piece of bernie bushmans skin but i can't figure out how. and whats the thing about the banana?
how do I dig the thing up on cherry level to get the rocks?!! Someone PLEASE help!
i tried this on my mac then i realized wait... i don't have a right click button....
Silent Legend - you can do a right-click on the Mac by holding down [control] while clicking.
Also, the new Apple desktop mice allow right clicks. You might want to think about picking yourself up one. ^_^
This has to be my favourite game ever. When I first discovered it, I stayed up all night to finish. Great stuff.
could someone please tell me how you get across the water in the dough nut level?
Has anyone got a walkthrough for this game?
Wow cool I played this game ages ago and just noticed it on jayisgames!!! Btw Jay you have a great sense of good games!! :P
The link that you provided was missing as of now.
Anyways, I've actually got some problems with The Flowering Nose in which I can't get the game to open. Radical-Play's just gets me a black screen upon clicking a new game, and FloweringNose's shows the main character and the "loading" text when I clicked a new game.
I'm using Windows 8, and I believe to have updated Java to the latest version.
Update