GDC08: Game Design Challenge tackles inter-species markets
The annual Game Design Challenge is our favorite part every year of the Game Developers Conference ... and thanks to errors in understanding our Google calendar, we missed it. (Note to self: remember time zone differences when adding events.) Fortunately, Gamasutra attended and wrote up the session for us to peruse.This year's theme was to create an inter-species game, one that could be played by another creature. Last year's winner Alexey Pajitnov design Dolphin Ride, a shooting hybrid of the virtual and real worlds that has players working co-operatively with the dolphins. Brenda Braithwaite designed OneHundredDogs, a series of games for dogs (and their owners) to play with and against one another centered around a Facebook-style website.
The winner of this year's challenge was Steve Meretzky, creator of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the game). Meretzky decided to expand his potential audience early by targeting the largest demographic: bacteria. Thus he created TrayStation, where millions of bacteria in a petri dish will have to fight off "defence microwaves." Those that don't perish would "level up." Said Meretzky, "It's the game that makes germ warfare available to the whole family, the game that puts the fun back into fungicide."










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rew @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:37AM
He created Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I could have sworn he worked with Douglas Adams on the interactive game version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...?
Exo @ Feb 22nd 2008 7:28AM
douglas adams is indeed the writer/creator of hitchhikers guide
Ross Miller @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:26AM
Yes, folks, but he made the game for the book way back when.
Psaakyrn @ Feb 22nd 2008 7:00AM
So much cruelty...
Then again, war's but a game for the higher ups, isn't it?
mr mobius @ Feb 22nd 2008 8:03AM
Love the name, love the concept. If this doesn't come out in HD with 1080p then I'll be so pissed.
J @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:43PM
I should have known Brenda would come up with a networking game. At least she beat "Tetris Guy."