Dashing to the Sky: On a Meal at Heaven’s Diner

How does one ascend through heavenly ranks in a mythological world populated by Greek gods and goddesses? By feeding them of course!  Heaven’s Diner is a new social, time-management Facebook game that lets players test their Iron Chef skills by   preparing and serving a variety of user-generated dishes per the liking of the gods.

Here at TriplePoint PR, we have been fortunate to have successfully launched this game, spreading the word among casual and social gaming enthusiasts. Finally, something fast-paced, dynamic and overall, really addictively fun to do on Facebook! Then again, what else would you expect from the founders, a group of former executives from Google, Yahoo! and Oracle?

In Heaven’s Diner there is a lot going on:  time management, social interaction, as well as myth and fantasy. All of the dishes that players serve to the angels and gods are user-generated pictures of real restaurant dishes. Players upload pictures into the Facebook game, and the dishes that are most frequently selected by other players garner higher appeal and become more pleasing to the gods. The developers will soon add a companion iPhone app that will add a location-based dynamic into the game.

While Heaven’s Diner just officially launched this past Tuesday, October 19, critics are taking notice.

Here’s what the recent game reviews said:

“I’m excited about Heaven’s Diner and can’t wait to see it evolve into something even deeper than it already is. The user-generated content and actual time management gameplay make this game stand out from the pack and may even catch the attention of some more traditional gamers.”  — Nicole Tanner, IGN

“Heaven’s Diner was fast paced and I had a difficult time keeping up with the orders, especially when they added in the extra ingredients. This is definitely a game of skill and not just a standard restaurant simulation. It does a great job of keeping pace a good and I was generally thrilled and concerned when the gods showed up.  Heaven’s Diner plans to take social games to the next level by combining many different elements: time management game play, user-generated content, real world quests, geo-location, and food spotting. Whether all these elements combine together to create a dish worthy of a Michelin star or end up being an inedible mess is to be seen. So far, though, we like the taste of it.” – Joel Brodie, GameZebo.

“Compared with other social games this kind, Heaven’s Diner is definitely a triton of the minnows, and a ‘dish’ that includes many fresh new ingredients: time management game play, user-generated content, real world quests, geo-location, and food spotting. This unprecedented combination may spark a revolution in social games of this kind.” – MMOGameSite

“With its bright and charming graphics and solid, if simple, time management gameplay Heaven’s Diner looks to be doing something rare: namely, being a Facebook game that actually feels unique.” – Andrew Webster, About.com

Now it is your turn!

Hungry? Don’t wait any longer. Go on Facebook and see for yourself what flavors the game critics are raving about. And don’t forget to have a camera ready next time you get a large sushi boat. Though it is unknown if Zagat is open to rating online restaurants yet (with pictures for food), this fresh Facebook game can whet any appetite. From the charming soundtrack to the sweet cries of the angels when they get impatient for their food, Heaven’s Diner will make for a nice dining experience for you and your Facebook friends.

Played, written and enjoyed by Sasha Szczepanski & Erin Fan

‘Gamifying’ Your Business

Integrating game mechanics into business models is the method used by companies to “gamify” their existing offerings, making them more attractive and engaging to their end users, and thus deepening the brand’s connection with its intended audience.

Gabe Zichermann, author of the book Game-Based Marketing gave a compelling speech on the topic of gamification at this year’s Virtual Goods Summit West, entitled “Integrating Game Mechanics Into Your Service,” which discussed relevant applications of game mechanics into various business models. Continue reading ‘Gamifying’ Your Business