Connecting with the younger generation

[alias_sqbr]

I was sitting at the train station today playing scribblenauts on my DS when I noticed a 12ish year old boy trying (and failing) to surreptitiously look over my shoulder.
So invited him to have a look and explained how it worked(*) and he was utterly enthralled. We spent a while discussing the game and the possibilities and he asked me the name and how to spell it saying "I'll put it in my mental spam filter. If I hear "chocolate" or "Scribblenauts" I'll pay attention, but I tune out stuff like "flowers" and "Jane Austen"."
"Dude" says I "Are you knocking Jane Austen? Because she is awesome."
"Absolutely" says his mother, who had been watching with amusement.
"I agree" says the random woman sitting on the next seat.
"Um" says the boy, suddenly realising he's surrounded. Teehee.

(I forgave him and we talked about Squeenix games and Evil Genius until we arrived in Perth)

(*)You are given a sidescrolling scene filled with objects and have to fulfill an objective ("Collect the star"(**) or "Save the penguin from the killer whale") by creating new objects, which can be any word in the very large dictionary, from "rope" to "Cthulu". It's awesome, even if most of the later stages can be solved with a pegasus and a rope and maybe a black hole or superhero.
(**)I tried this and it doesn't help you complete the level :)

Comments

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

XD That'll teach him!
Did he actually say "spam filter"? That is so... 2000s. Hah.

I am stuck on a particular level now, not because I don't know how to pass it, but because I don't know how to pass it without summoning pegasus and a black hole. Sigh!

Edit to make my short comments less repetitive.

[alias_sqbr]

He did! I know, that is SO not something I would have said at that age :)

I let myself solve the puzzles any which way I could the first time through, but am trying to be more creative doing the "solve it three times different ways" challenge.

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Stop brainwashing children! :o

[alias_sqbr]

It's not brainwashing, it's educating.

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

... so pegasus really is the best form of flying transport or has everyone just arrived at it separately because they're awesome? I haven't found anything more precise that lets me hover yet...

[alias_sqbr]

I must admit I cam across it in a walkthrough when I got stuck on a level (in my defense I was very ill at the time) and if nothing else like it because it's pretty :)

[thanners.livejournal.com]

Does pegasus benefits over pterodactyl (or helicopter if passenger transport is needed)? (I know, I could just try it myself, but I'm at work.)

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

I've never tried pterodactyl! I'll try it now. I usually use aeroplane for passengers but helicopter might be a better idea...

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

Yep, they're about the same in terms of flying. I guess it might be handy to choose between them if carnivore vs herbivore becomes an issue though.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm beginning to think that pegasus may be the way to go for ease of 'typing', though. (c:

[alias_sqbr]

You want "roc" then :)

[pedanther]

creating new objects, which can be any word in the very large dictionary, from "rope" to "Cthulu".

How about "Marshall McLuhan"?

[alias_sqbr]

I tried, and nope (they also don't have waffles or pancakes, which is both bizarre and annoying in the "give her something for breakfast" level). You can summon the game developers though (they don't do much) I think my favourite is the time machine: you click on it once, it takes you to a random scene set in the past. Click it again and you're back in the level. Utterly useless afaict, but cool :)

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Ceiling cat! :D

[alias_sqbr]

Wait...omg it's true!
*plays around with ceiling cat, basement cat, orly and ya rly, then somehow ends up with a firefight between a witch and a wizard ending up with lots of wands and frogs*
This game is fun :)

[thanners.livejournal.com]

lol wut

[alias_sqbr]

This post has been very educational

[thanners.livejournal.com]

Did you try it?

[alias_sqbr]

Of course!

[thanners.livejournal.com]

Hmm, think I'm running out of other memes to try. Or I'm just not trying hard enough. (c:

[alias_sqbr]

You know, there is more to the game than putting in memes, there's this whole "solving puzzles" aspect, I don't know if you noticed :D

(Also woo shark+laser)

[thanners.livejournal.com]

Wait, what. There's a game in here, too?

[thanners.livejournal.com]

wait, here's one (kinda) that I'd forgotten to mention:

shark + laser

[trs80.ucc.asn.au (from livejournal.com)]

Don't forget long cat.

[alias_sqbr]

Hee!

[thanners.livejournal.com]

They have 'waffle' (singular). At least I think they did. I was pretty tired when I last played it.

[alias_sqbr]

*checks*

Huh. Well it's odd they didn't offer "waffle" as a suggestion for "waffles". Maybe I typed it as worfles or something, I wouldn't put it past me.

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

They have "crepe"! That's what I gave her :)

[alias_sqbr]

It turns out they have "pancake" too. Just not "pancakes"

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

"Um" says the boy, suddenly realising he's surrounded. Teehee.

LOL!

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Ooh, sounds an intriguing game, yay for luring in 12 year old boys with things they think are actually *cool* (as opposed to utterly boring and pointless...)

You should have mentioned Pride and Prejudice and Zombies *nods*

[alias_sqbr]

He mentioned it himself, as an example of Jane Austen being vastly improved by something good :)

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Well informed kid...though sadly I tried reading it and there's still too much Jane Austen (also not a fan, and I don't like zombies. Now werewolves, that'd work... :) )

[alias_sqbr]

I love Jane Austen but HATE zombies, so haven't been willing to give it a go :)

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

:-)