fl0w: Q&A with Jenova Chen

Given that flOw won’t be arriving until next month, this gives a lot of use more time to sit down, relax, and have a quick chat with the game’s developer. Gamasutra has just had a sit-down talk with Jenova Chen, who was happy to talk several game matters.

On top of the list was his explanation of how the game came to be, and how on one hand it was his thesis, on the other an attempt at alternative gaming that delved more into helping the player relax. As he explained:

Originated as a practice and testbed for the “Active Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment” theory formulated in my thesis, flOw is designed to attract a wider audience, allowing players with different tastes to enjoy the experience in their own way. The game features an abstract, aquatic world inviting players to learn, explore and survive.

Now, for the guys wondering just how Chen felt about the game being compared to Xbox Live‘s Geometry Wars, Chen did say he played Geometry Wars, and was flattered that gamers would compare flOw to the said XBL game. He further added this point:

However, flOw is focused on delivering an experience gamers have never played before. It is a mesmerizing non-interrupted experience, which is very different from the “try-and-die” cycles in arcade games like Tetris and Geometry Wars. flOw is an experiment; it’s a totally different type of game play. We hope that many different types of players will enjoy it, but we won’t know for sure until it’s released.

For further details on Chen’s outlook on possible sequels, and details on Cloud – his other downloadable game, click on the read link.

Given that flOw won’t be arriving until next month, this gives a lot of use more time to sit down, relax, and have a quick chat with the game’s developer. Gamasutra has just had a sit-down talk with Jenova Chen, who was happy to talk several game matters.

On top of the list was his explanation of how the game came to be, and how on one hand it was his thesis, on the other an attempt at alternative gaming that delved more into helping the player relax. As he explained:

Originated as a practice and testbed for the “Active Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment” theory formulated in my thesis, flOw is designed to attract a wider audience, allowing players with different tastes to enjoy the experience in their own way. The game features an abstract, aquatic world inviting players to learn, explore and survive.

Now, for the guys wondering just how Chen felt about the game being compared to Xbox Live‘s Geometry Wars, Chen did say he played Geometry Wars, and was flattered that gamers would compare flOw to the said XBL game. He further added this point:

However, flOw is focused on delivering an experience gamers have never played before. It is a mesmerizing non-interrupted experience, which is very different from the “try-and-die” cycles in arcade games like Tetris and Geometry Wars. flOw is an experiment; it’s a totally different type of game play. We hope that many different types of players will enjoy it, but we won’t know for sure until it’s released.

For further details on Chen’s outlook on possible sequels, and details on Cloud – his other downloadable game, click on the read link.