Busy Buddy

Ellietrick Vibes Software presents... Busy Buddy!

I cannot focus. I've got too much on my mind, pulling me in too many directions, and can't just sit down and put myself into the task at hand. However, I did notice that it's a bit easier when working with a friend. Whether at a coffee shop, my apartment, or even in an office space, the simple act of being around people makes it easier to tune out distractions. Unfortunately, it's not like you can just make a buddy appear any time you need to work, right?

That's what Busy Buddy is for. Busy Buddy is an app for the Playdate that combines the pomodoro method with fun "buddies" who can nudge you to stay on task. The pomodoro method uses timed work periods and break periods, so you can focus on one task at a time, saving distractions for later.

Fun buddies "knocking" on your Playdate, keeping you from getting distracted on your phone, combined with pomodoro intervals means you can stay focused all the time. You can even use your break time to play a game on your Playdate. Come back to Busy Buddy afterwards and your session will still be active!

Busy Buddy is highly customizable, with different sounds and intervals for all interactions and timers. It's also great on your battery life, allowing you to use it for an entire eight-hour work day and still have plenty of battery life left for gaming.

Busy Buddy's made to be fun, with silly bios and characters in a wacky office setting. Each buddy has a unique personality and personalized quotes to keep you from getting too far off task. It's a fun way to stay focused, making even work just a little bit better. And when you're done for the day, leaves you with plenty of battery life to enjoy a few of your favorite games. It's helped keep me on task while I was working on it, and I hope it can do the same for you!

Age level:

We think this game is appropriate for everyone. Some office-based humor may be biting for adults though.

Instructions:

Move selection and scroll with the D-pad. The crank will also work. Select items with 'A.' Dismiss them with 'B.' Press Menu to pause the timer. You can also return to the main menu, however this could let your device sleep. If it does so during a break, it will assume you stepped away and took your break! Press 'B' on the main menu to jump back up to the the top item. Press 'A' on the buddy screens to read the bio on each buddy. They've all got a personality!

Accessibility:

This game makes use of the D-pad or crank for menu navigation and option selection, as well as the A and B buttons.

Credits:

- Ellie, Ellietrick Vibes Software. 

- Some sound effects and fonts via Panic's Playdate SDK