Digital Goldfish and 4iP: How much is left of your liver?

[Ewan McIntosh]

Channel 4 is embarking on a groundbreaking project with Digital Goldfish, the Dundee-based developer already behind one of the most successful games recently released on iPhone. This weekend both the Telegraph and Sunday Herald have covered the fascinating story of the rise of the company and its latest development.

A new development with 4iP, You Booze You Lose will be an iPhone/iTouch game that enables players to track their weekly, monthly and yearly alcohol consumption. The game will then display the effects of your habits, such as weight gain, liver disease and the financial and emotional impact. With the Scottish Government recently announcing a range of measures to tackle binge drinking, the game serves a valuable public purpose.

You Booze, You Lose is the first in a series of projects funded in Scotland by 4iP, which is supported by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Screen. We'll be announcing more here on 38minutes in the coming weeks.

This partnership with Digital Goldfish is a key example of Channel 4 supporting new talent in Scotland and contributing to the burgeoning creative economy. Founded in 2005, Digital Goldfish is a young and highly motivated games development studio which creates high-quality, original content for iPhone, iPod Touch and mobile platforms. Check out the 38minutes profile of co-founder David Hamilton.

Digital Goldfish is the talent behind addictive online and mobile game Bloons, which is currently the fastest-selling game in the Apple App Store in the USA and in the UK’s top five downloads.

Co-Director David says: “The support we have received from 4iP enables us to make the leap from entertainment games to those offering a clear public service – a relatively novel angle in the marketplace. In short, 4iP’s support means we’re able to try something that we always thought would work.”


More news on Scotland and Northern Ireland's first set of commissions and 4iP products in the next few weeks.

[Giles McGellie]

I appreciate it is just an "attempt", but what is surprising is that it's being taken seriously. Surely Jobs will introduce a breathalyser in an upcoming edition of the Iphone anyway - to read your breath if you ever make a phonecall!

As for the smug sign-off, oh how it made me laugh - ho ho.

[Ewan McIntosh]

Well, it's an attempt to see how gameplay might encourage people who wouldn't think they have drink problems to tell more of the truth than they currently do to themselves. For that, the app has a distinct purpose. It's not designed with the crass notion that people will always put in their actual drink habits, but it will help them gain an impression of them which they may not have had before.

It'll also allow people to play with 'what happens if' questions which currently are not served particularly well by anything online and certainly not at all in the iPhone.

Thanks for your feedback - we'll make sure you're in the user group testing :-)

[Giles McGellie]

Oh please....! It's fine to be right into social this and that, but people with drink problems lie about their drink problem - all the time. This kind of gadget will be a virtue counter for those who don't have a drink problem, or a way of deceiving others as manipulated by those who do! Don't believe me, ask someone at Ninewells or wherever, who knows a bit more about livers, for a reality check - please - before you commit the cash.

And as for visual morphing - I still resent the drugs film the police showed me, way back when. The film showed an autopsy in extreme detail in an attempt to persuade us that taking heroin was bad. But autopsies get done every day for reasons that have nothing to do with smack, it was intellectually flawed and even we kids knew it. Fat people get on the scales every day and then they get off....

[Jessica Williamson]

That's awesome David and Ewan, really looking forward to this. Could use a reality check, and perhaps also tackle my tea/coffee consumption if I can bear it. Is that too anti-British culture to worry about excessive tea drinking? Anyways, congrats on the fantastic articles and good luck with the next endeavour!

[Ewan McIntosh]

Funny you should say that, Alisdair. I've actually got another development which will do just what you ask. Bear with us... it should be out late summer.

[Alisdair Gunn]

Well done David on the funding. Looks a great project and one I can help beta test. I fancy taking the app around Glasgow pubs and showing it to a few folks. Would the app allow you take a picture of someone today and then provide them with a picture of the after affects of smoking and drinking !! I might get a few interesting responses.

[Stuart Cosgrove]

Great news for the guys and 4iP but we have a problem - I drank very modestly until I tried to get above level 41 of Bloons - DG's top-selling iPhone game. Now I am a raging alcholic and need their new game to help me out.

Cheers Guys