Rockets Away!
The time has come to put a name to one of the insidious drains on my time, and that name is "Rocket Mania." A free, web-based offering from PopCap Games, Rocket Mania has three attributes that continue to pull me back for more: 1) It is fun to play, 2) It has an amusing Ranking system in which I am continuing to advance, and 3) It features applause.
The game is played by rotating tiles which contain segments of fireworks fuse. When you form a continuous line between a match on the left and a rocket on the right, the fuse lights, and launches the rocket. You must launch a certain number of rockets in the provided time in order to advance to the next level. There are some other fiddly details in there as well, such as coins to upgrade your rockets and such. Now, the important part: each time you launch a rocket, there is a whooshing sound, the sound of fireworks exploding, and an unseen audience claps politely. If you launch multiple rockets at once (through the use of branching segments of fuse), the takeoff is more intense, the explosions are louder, and the the audience applauds more enthusiastically and utters expressions of appreciation such as "Oh!" This is exactly the sort of positive feedback that I need from a video game. A numeric score is all well and good (and the game features that as well), but an appreciative audience for you to entertain is so much more satisfying. I remember many years ago playing the arcade game Klaxx. That was the first game I had ever played that applauded when I did well, and sympathetically expressed despair when I screwed up. It really added to the experience for me.
Rocket Mania's other bit of well-designed positive feedback is its ranking system. I may be missing a few ranks in between and possibly have a couple out of order, but it goes something like this:
Inquisitive Child, Curious Badger, Young Salamander, Promising Youngster, Junior Apprentice, Apprentice, Initiate, Freshman, Graduate, Assistant to the Master, Student, Wanderer, Performer, Crowd Pleaser, Master Performer, Disciple of the Pearl, Disciple of the Lotus, Master of Pyrotechnics, Imperial Pyrotechnist, and so on.
I was happy to become a Crowd Pleaser. During a later game, I was delighted to become Master of Pyrotechnics. Later still, I thought it was awesome to be given the title Imperial Pyrotechnist. But earlier this evening I managed to achieve my highest rank so far: Master of Fire. Mmm..."Master of Fire." I want business cards that say that. Heck, I'd love business cards that say I am the "Imperial Pyrotechnist." I hope to one day find out what rank comes after Master of Fire, but it may take a while. I'm restricting myself to playing no more than once per day, lest I find the game consuming even more of my time.
The game is played by rotating tiles which contain segments of fireworks fuse. When you form a continuous line between a match on the left and a rocket on the right, the fuse lights, and launches the rocket. You must launch a certain number of rockets in the provided time in order to advance to the next level. There are some other fiddly details in there as well, such as coins to upgrade your rockets and such. Now, the important part: each time you launch a rocket, there is a whooshing sound, the sound of fireworks exploding, and an unseen audience claps politely. If you launch multiple rockets at once (through the use of branching segments of fuse), the takeoff is more intense, the explosions are louder, and the the audience applauds more enthusiastically and utters expressions of appreciation such as "Oh!" This is exactly the sort of positive feedback that I need from a video game. A numeric score is all well and good (and the game features that as well), but an appreciative audience for you to entertain is so much more satisfying. I remember many years ago playing the arcade game Klaxx. That was the first game I had ever played that applauded when I did well, and sympathetically expressed despair when I screwed up. It really added to the experience for me.
Rocket Mania's other bit of well-designed positive feedback is its ranking system. I may be missing a few ranks in between and possibly have a couple out of order, but it goes something like this:
Inquisitive Child, Curious Badger, Young Salamander, Promising Youngster, Junior Apprentice, Apprentice, Initiate, Freshman, Graduate, Assistant to the Master, Student, Wanderer, Performer, Crowd Pleaser, Master Performer, Disciple of the Pearl, Disciple of the Lotus, Master of Pyrotechnics, Imperial Pyrotechnist, and so on.
I was happy to become a Crowd Pleaser. During a later game, I was delighted to become Master of Pyrotechnics. Later still, I thought it was awesome to be given the title Imperial Pyrotechnist. But earlier this evening I managed to achieve my highest rank so far: Master of Fire. Mmm..."Master of Fire." I want business cards that say that. Heck, I'd love business cards that say I am the "Imperial Pyrotechnist." I hope to one day find out what rank comes after Master of Fire, but it may take a while. I'm restricting myself to playing no more than once per day, lest I find the game consuming even more of my time.