In the global scheme of things, a local Christmas Fair isn't that big. But...I used a DB Pro written game with a public audience for the first time today, and it went down a storm (maybe that's a Yorkshire phrase, it means it was very well received
)
The basics of the game is "Splat the Rat", the traditional game of whacking poor defenceless creatures over the head with a hammer. This child-friendly version uses custard pies, and photographs of "willing", upstanding members of the local community (including a doctor and a social worker!).
There's a host of features which make it suitable for a fundraising event, which I may go into at a later date. Needless to say, it includes protecting your expensive computer equipment and making sure nobody can do anything except play the game.
I ran the game on an overhead projector, kindly lent to me by the company I work for. It stood out from the crowd and became an instant attraction - computer game in your face!
The volume was cranked up with an arcade style adrenalin-pumping track.
I didn't get a single moment of peace the whole afternoon. The competition was fierce amongst friends, and I got a host of parents, teachers and the local priest cheering them all on. The highest scores of the day won the prizes, and it was won, quite literally, on the last game.
Screen shots below. This is part of an ongoing project, due for release next year. You can see the menu, in-game screen, and the hi-score table, which includes graphics of the prizes on offer. There were also certificates for the best players. As you can also see, it was fully customised for the event.
Footnote: You may notice the number of girl's names on the Hi Score table. My contestants were about 90% girls, 10% boys. This took me by surprise. Looking back at the day, I think it was a case of the boys not wanting to be shown up by the girls!!!
BatVink
