“Drop Herder” was designed in mid-late May of 2011 for a 3rd party. Their requirements were to make a game for kids teaching them about diabetes treatments. The toughest part about designing this game – I think – was the age range. They wanted kids ages 4 to 10 playing this game.

Think about that for just a moment: age 4 to age 10. That is QUITE the range. Going from not knowing how to read to wanting to play “cool” T-rated/”tween” games. I think I managed fairly well considering.

The game design is simple: you move a drop of insulin from one point to another in the human body. Once that point is reached, the player is taught something about diabetes.

I think the only thing that I wasn’t happy about after I finished this was that I forgot the explain the secondary purpose of the parent taking a picture of the child’s head. Besides being used in-game to describe to the player the concept of “you,” (remember, ages 4-10 here) and as a profile picture it would serve as a nice transition scene into their body. Imagine taking a picture of your head and then slowly zooming in on it until you’re inside your body. That seems like it would be fun/cool to me if I was 4 or so.

Download: Drop Herder GDD