Play’s Republic

Old news for some, Jenova Chen’s MFA thesis project, a Flash-based game called fl0w, will make its second, moderately expanded debut on the PS3 in February. Hot. The most recent release dates back to April, 2006, and the for-pay-but-inexpensive PS3 version is promised to expand a bit on the gameplay experience.

Fl0w, the game, is certainly slick and fun, and as a practical experiment in creating an accessible experience that provokes a focused intensity, it is certainly successful. Chen’s thesis explores what he calls “Flow theory,” a minor psychological theory that suggests “energized focus in an activity” can be created by the confluence of certain characteristics of the activity.

While jumping to the crux of the matter may seem to be avoiding Chen’s exposition unecessarily, I’ll do it nonetheless. Chen suggests that there are three things necessary to create a Flow experience within a video game:

1. Expand your game’s Flow coverage by including a wide spectrum of gameplay with different difficulties and flavors
2. Create an Player-oriented Active DDA system to allow different players to play in their own paces
3. Embed DDA choices into the core gameplay mechanics and let player make their choices through play

You should go play the game yourself and see if the success of fl0w on the internet relies on Chen’s suggestions or not. Let me know what you think.