Not even a week ago, I was talking to fellow @web-gnar about a video on YouTube I had come across. It was about a couple who, with no experience, decided to build a game from scratch and hit the jackpot. I have to say, I loved the story, loved the video—but the game itself, I didn't quite understand the appeal.
You see, it might be a generational thing, but I don’t fully get cozy games. I mean, I do… but I also don’t. My wife, in an effort to help this aging man understand why someone would want to play as a cashier in a video game (and that’s it, by the way—no bullets, no flying—you’re just a cashier), reminded me of a little pocket device we had as kids: the Tamagotchi.
“It’s kind of like that,” she concluded.
I accepted her explanation, even nodded, but I’m still not entirely convinced they’re the same. Tamagotchis do die, after all—but I digress. The point is, games don’t always have to be high stakes. It’s not always about outrunning the police like in GTA or killing demon spawn like in Quake.
With all that said, memories of the Tamagotchi days came flooding back. People were obsessed with those things. I even remember fights breaking out because someone had trusted their Tamagotchi to a friend who let it die. I think I had one at some point, but I wasn’t very committed.
I’m lying in bed now, embracing a tinge of nostalgia, and then this other idea pops into my head. An idea, of course, tied to Hive—because everything is.
Imagine a Hive Tamagotchi. A Hive Pet. It lives in your browser. You feed it by interacting with people. It gets happy when you’re social. It gets sad and hungry when you don’t do anything.
Simple enough, I thought. It’s not even a game. I don’t know what it is, exactly. A reminder to be nice? Maybe that’s more accurate. But not with notes or annoying notifications—just a little critter walking around your screen.
So I’ve started playing with the idea a bit. Of course, I’m not going to dedicate too much time to this right now. I think my brother would get upset if I don’t stay focused. But in between tasks—when I’m waiting for him to yell at me about my poor implementations after a review—or when I just need a short break from Hive Snaps (because I’m human, after all)...
I’m curious…
What do you guys think?
MenO