By Terry
This is one of two games I worked on at last weekend’s big game jam here in Cambridge – it’s a collaboration with Stephen Lavelle, Jasper Byrne and Tom Morgan-Jones.
It’s kinda cool to see this finished, because I’ve had it hanging around in one form or another since last summer. Originally it was a KOTM game about an assassin who spent all his money on designer furniture, and it was called “Killing Spree”. (It was the game about interior decorating I was referring to here)
(As for the other jam game I worked on last weekend, I’ll talk about it very soon! It’s been a while since I posted anything, so I’ll try to catchup this weekend.)
Hi Terry.
The game looked really interesting but I didn’t now how to play it, some brief instructions would be really nice (I couldn’t find the button to buy stocks). Other thing, The game screen didn’t fit my laptop so I think I couldn’t see everything.
I liked the graphics a lot.
Greetings.
It’s just arrow keys and z to play – press left and right on the trading screen to buy and sell.
[…] by Terry Cavanagh and some cohorts (Stephen Lavelle, Jasper Byrne and Tom Morgan-Jones) at a game jam in Cambridge […]
Kreender, if you want it to fit more nicely, go to
https://ded.increpare.com/~locus/american_dream/Main.swf
That should resize to fit your window.
The controls are listed at the bottom of the page, but obviously not much help if you’re not scrolling down. Hmmm.
Thanks Increpare, I ended up with 935,321 on week 64 and with a stock of 50 Bill Cosbys and 50 Maddonas. Surprisingly addictive, I only cared to update my room when I had a lot of money. Good work!
I don’t really get it. I kept not buying anything on the stock screen and ended up with lots of money. How do I sell stuff? So anyway, I ended up with a load of money which I bought a load of stuff with and got some furniture, which I was then opf course had to update coz it was all out of date. Then there was a party in which I was spanked and I was told to buy an Arnold Schwartzeneger. Then I gave up. I’ll try to enhaust my funds next time and see what happens.
Very addictive little game.
I finished around week 89 after becoming a millionaire.
It becomes pretty easy once it starts telling you whom to buy. I assume this happens at an increased rate when you upgrade your flat.
Again, very good.
“How do I sell stuff?”
right arrow to buy, left arrow to sell
you get an allowance of $100 each week even if you do nothing.
man it’s great to be an american.
…
…
party time.
This is fantastic. I think I finished on week 56.
I’m not sure if this was your intention, but this game made me feel like being poor can’t be all that bad.
This review made me want to play the game – crazy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBYIT5upG9g
this is the greatest browser game i’ve played in a while. i felt so connected to the game. after like an hour i felt like i was buying real stock and lonely in my house. incredible. about to play again. thank you.
We certainly have a nice start to 2011.
This was really fun (surprisingly enough!) What’s cool about it (atleast in my experience) was not knowing what the game was or anything about it. Here you are, this is the American Dream, now go!
Its actually pretty funny, when you think of it that way!
This is exactly what I want my life to be like.
Thank you so much for making this. You’re a fucking breath of fresh air in the gaming industry.
Have I mentioned that this is really good?
finished in 31 weeks, played through the 2nd time
by the way, it reminds me of dope wars (series 60).
I really liked the music when you finished the game.
Who composed it?
[…] responsible for brilliant titles like VVVVVV, Don’t Look Back, and the recent game jam entry American Dream, which he created with fellow scenesters, Stephen Lavelle, Jasper Byrne and Tom Morgan-Jones.What […]
This game is awesome, and hilarious. I made a million dollars and had lots of drunken debauchery with wall street insiders!
Loved the game, great concept and balance.
Cheers!!!!
Cool idea and some nice touches. Cunning idea for a game jam game too, to do something where the shallowness of the experience is the point! I got bored after week 40 though and didn’t bother continue, I forgot my ambition was to become a millionaire. Oops!
Stole this from me, suing now. I made this about 3 years ago, when one day my computer was hacked and the code stolen. Now I know who did it. You will work the rest of your life to pay me back.
Pathetic, dude.
I became a millionare but I never figured out how to buy furniture.. 😛
This game was strange but really good. I got addicted lol
Ugh. I’ve seen a lot of games like this, but none this stupid.
Excellent little game. It’s amazing to see a game so saturated with hilariously bitter irony with your name on it, which I know from VVVVVV which couldn’t be more genuine. You have some real scope, can’t wait to see your next work.
I just love the comuting screen and music
Got it at week 51.
The whole time I was thinking, “I seriously doubt real life trading was this easy.”
I have to say, I kept expecting there to be a subversive message to it, like just before the end you have the option of investing a huge amount of money in a sure thing, only to have it bomb big time. It would make it true to life anyhow.
Oh wow… I just played all the way through to 1 million and never realized I was supposed to be doing something outside of trading. I just went to work every single time it showed the house.
I was just curious about what happened at 1 million, I didn’t think there was anything else to the game. =P
[…] Freeware – gioca qui […]
Just finished. That felt scathing.
Being an American, I totally understood the game play controls, and object of the game. I thoroughly related to everything that was going on in the game. I’m surprised how well you guys (working from Cambridge) could have so accurately depicted the American Dream, but you did a knock out job. I shall have to do a “Response” game that so accurately depicts the U.K. dream, which might not be too much different… I’ll have to do my research!
I hope you do, Jason! 🙂
Rick Astley, seriously?
it taks for ver to beat this game
this passage was amazing it touched me truthfully i hope u write more!!
i love this book because it is great and i live in america.
what is action button i am so confused
Like it very much! Nice sarcasm over american dream.
Hit 1.2M at the end of week 52 exactly on my first go’round! A really cool and super-fun game for its genre!
Any chance I could get my hands on the little tune that plays after you win?
[…] the Interactive, it provides some interactive stories such as American Dream, Make It Good, This One Time, […]
just play and made a $1 million dollars on the OUYA version. great work, keep it up 🙂
Good
we
Terry,
Friend of mine found this game while back and showed it to me. I was wondering if you have worked on any other games in the past few years. the art style and idea of this game gave me a good laugh, but the ending made me, sad. It would make me happy to see if you had worked on anything new lately.