Still need a title, damn I didn't think it would be this hard

So as the title suggests, we're still trying to figure out a good title for the Community Flash Card game project. The game tech itself is proceeding very nicely, I've got the majority of the game engine tech working already, but I still need to look into the database integration to handle user logins, but I digress.

So here's some of the ideas that Kat and I came up with, but none of them seem to have that special something. Ultimately the name needs to convey a few things, 1) that the game is a flash card/quiz game, 2) that the game is aimed at socially conscious players and 3) that the game involves a community aspect because fellow players provide the questions.

Here's some of the rejects (that maybe become the real title if we can't come up with something better ~_~)
1) Community Flash Cards
2) Flash Card Nation
3) Flash Card Community
4) Com-U-Flash
5) Wiki-Flash
6) Flash Card Society
7) Flash Card Colony

Top Secret Totally Revolutionary Socially Conscious Game Project FTW

So I've finally figured out what I'm going to do for my Top Secret Totally Revolutionary Socially Conscious (TSTRSC) game.

Are you ready to have your mind freaking blown?

Drum roll please.....................................................

Community Flash Cards with weekly prizes (actual title pending)

Here's the high level concept
A new "pack" of 40 Flash cards are released every week and players attempt to memorize as many questions and answers as they can. At the end of the week, 20 questions are randomly selected from the pack of the weeks Flash cards and players play a trivia game. The player that is able to answer the most questions correctly in the fastest time will win a prize, hopefully donated by sponsors or fellow players :).

What makes this game a community game is that the pack of flash cards is actually created from questions and answers provided by fellow players because the "entry fee" of playing the weekly trivia game is that you submit a question/answer for the next weeks flash card pack.

Since I want the game to be a have a positive socially conscious angle, I'll have to come up with some guidelines for the questions and answers so that players are encouraged to submit facts that they want other players to also learn.

Ultimately the point of the game is to get players to teach each other about socially conscious issues important to themselves.

Since the game concept is fairly straightforward, I'm thinking of developing the game for multiple platforms including
1) Web - Flash
2) IPhone/IPod Touch
3) G1 Phone on Android OS

Since I'm already using Flash at work, I'll probably create the main game code in Flash and then port it over once I'm done with the initial prototype.

I'm thinking the Flash version should only take about a month. My main concern is the user management system since I'll have to set up a database to keep track of members.

I'll post a more specific design later, but for now I just wanted to do a brain dump to get my ideas down on paper, so to speak.

Look for more in details in the future and please let me know if you have any suggestions for the design and game name since Community Flash Cards doesn't have much zing to it.

Giving up games...at least for two weeks

Although I'd never think I'd have to utter such a deplorable phrase, I've finally been forced to say "I'm giving up all video games for two weeks!"

After finally finishing Persona 4 which topped off at about 90 hours (frigg'n awesome game by the way), I decided to give up gaming for two weeks so I could focus my free time on my other goals mainly working on Gamers Of Action and working on a top secret totally revolutionary socially conscious game project.

Well I lied about the "totally revolutionary" part because I'm still don't have a solid game concept or design for now although I'm kicking around a few ideas that I would like to tackle.

The real question that needs to be answered though is what do I do about my gaming addiction at the end next week ( I've already been game free for 1 whole week :( ). Do I continue practicing game abstinence or do I just go back to my old habits? Ultimately I think I'll just have to decide to give up gaming on certain days of the week to force myself to get other productive things done.

Man I have to make the "Guilt Be Gone" game that has the magical ability of assuaging my guilt about gaming. It could be a game that helps you rationalize why you play video games and how they better your life and a good use of your time. Hmm now that I think about it, it sounds like the whole rationalization angle is already handled by the mainstream gaming press.

Speaking of the mainstream gaming press, check out Brian Rubinow's blog "The Select Button" for a very eloquent on going critique and reflection on the state of videogame journalism.

The Select Button blog is definitely one to watch as Brian's vision for videogame journalism and the gaming industry in general run parallel to my own goals and dreams for the industry and its gamers.