No Show Conference

I’m giving a lecture at the No Show Conference at MIT in July! The title of my talk is “Designing for Togetherness.” It’s a fluffy topic, but I hope to ground it in some concrete lessons I’ve learned through my work on weird physical games like Biba and Graveyard Snuggle. You should come :)

The game I’m prototyping now, however, is very much a traditional screen-based solo experience. I’m not sure how that fits in with my portfolio, or even my identity as a designer. If I truly believe that games are tools to bring people together (and I do), should I not permit myself to explore designs outside of that? And if I allow myself to explore other philosophies and styles of play, am I at risk of becoming a shallow designer?

Graveyard Snuggle — Out Now for iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android

Get it on iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play! :) And don’t forget to check out the video! :)

Cross-platform Mobile App Development Showcase

How to Play Graveyard Snuggle

Graveyard Snuggle comes out tomorrow, April 26th, on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, and Amazon’s Appstore for Android! To prepare you for your forthcoming snuggle adventures, I’ve written up a short description of the game’s rules. It’s dead simple :)

  1. Sit in a circle with 2 or more of your dearest friends.
  2. Summon the skeleton by tapping on the glowing skull. Listen closely for the skeleton’s commands.
  3. Obey each command by placing one of your bones on another player’s bone. You may also be commanded to pass the device from one player to another.
  4. Everyone must obey the skeleton’s commands — even those not holding the device! For example, if the skeleton orders you to place your left hand on another player’s skull, everyone in the group must person that action to the best of their abilities.
  5. Do not take turns, and do not wait for the device to be in your possession before moving.
  6. Continue knotting your bodies until someone moves the device too abruptly and ends the game.

Hopefully that paints a picture in your head :) Expect a gameplay video either today or tomorrow!

The game is done! :) If all goes well, Graveyard Snuggle will be released on Thursday, April 26th, 2012 on the iOS App Store (for iPhone and iPod Touch), Amazon Appstore, and Google Play. I’ll post a gameplay video a day or two before the game’s release date so you can get a better idea of how it plays. I’ll also post a short writeup explaining the game’s rules (there aren’t many). I hope you’ll like it! O_O

The game is done! :) If all goes well, Graveyard Snuggle will be released on Thursday, April 26th, 2012 on the iOS App Store (for iPhone and iPod Touch), Amazon Appstore, and Google Play.

I’ll post a gameplay video a day or two before the game’s release date so you can get a better idea of how it plays. I’ll also post a short writeup explaining the game’s rules (there aren’t many).

I hope you’ll like it! O_O

The game is almost done! :) I’ve been receiving an abundance of helpful feedback from all of my playtesters. Thank you to those of you who have been participating! I’m conducting one big final playtest tomorrow. I hope to capture it on video so you can see exactly how it plays. For now, here’s a look at the game’s host :) He’s dying to play with you.

The game is almost done! :) I’ve been receiving an abundance of helpful feedback from all of my playtesters. Thank you to those of you who have been participating!

I’m conducting one big final playtest tomorrow. I hope to capture it on video so you can see exactly how it plays. For now, here’s a look at the game’s host :) He’s dying to play with you.

>

http://bit.ly/zlEzK7

Would you kindly sign up to playtest my little game? I would love to hear your feedback :)

Here’s a peek at the title screen for Graveyard Snuggle. The environment is composed of several overlays that fade in and out. The colour of the clouds, houses, graves, and stones slowly changes over time.

Here’s a peek at the title screen for Graveyard Snuggle. The environment is composed of several overlays that fade in and out. The colour of the clouds, houses, graves, and stones slowly changes over time.

Now Playtesting

I’m slowly starting to distribute Graveyard Snuggle to my list of playtesters. I pretend not to care what people think, but really this is the most terrifying part of development for me.

I designed this game with the idea that it would be fun for families of all configurations to play on game night or around the holidays. I imagined that kids would enjoy the physical challenge and adults would (secretly) enjoy the awkwardness of it. I imagined that Great Grandma would enjoy spectating and the family dog would enjoy interfering.

Of course, playtesting inevitably shatters my hopes and dreams :) I think the game is fun with the right group of people, but I can’t be sure, so I fear the worst :)

On that note, if you have an Android or iOS (iPhone or iPod Touch) device and you’re interested in trying it out with some of your friends, give me a shout :)

Viktor and I have been iterating on the Graveyard Snuggle logo. Here’s the final product :)

Viktor and I have been iterating on the Graveyard Snuggle logo. Here’s the final product :)