Orly's Draw-A-Story
Encyclopedia
Orly's Draw a Story is an award-winning computer game released in 1999 by Brøderbund
. The game won the 1998 Interactive Achievement Award for Computer Innovation. The game is aimed at the 5-10 year old age-group and carries an age rating of 3+
. It was designed by ToeJam & Earl Productions
and released by Broderbund. The main character Orly is voiced by Alreca Whyte. It was first revealed to the public in 1997, but was not officially released until 1999.
talking frog
friend Lancelot who lives in Jamaica
. The game features four unique stories narrated by Orly. The child is able to illustrate each of the stories with their own paintings, either original drawings or using ready-prepared objects. As Orly tells the story the user is asked to create an item such as a friend for a flying monster or a birthday present to give to Orly.
The objects become animated and are then used as part of the story. Clicking on the shutter opens up a series of template drawings that can be coloured by the child. At the end of the story, the user can choose to save or discard the picture and then view it back in full.
Additional features within the game include "Make A Storybook" where the child can create their own series of scenes and type text to make up their own story, while there is also a "Doodle Pad" for practising drawing skills.
's Lisa Karen Savignano wrote "This is a game full of ideas that will spark wonderful and creative stories from your child, both onscreen and off." She went on to say "The game is much better than most contemporary drawing games on the market... Don't be surprised if the game uncovers the storyteller in your own child and you are treated to some very imaginative stories." The Independent
listed the game as one of the 50 best ways of boosting a child's brainpower in 1999.
as an educational game for use in schools.
Brøderbund
Brøderbund Software, Inc. was an American maker of computer games, educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools. It was best known as the original creator and publisher of the popular Carmen Sandiego games. The company was founded in Eugene, Oregon, but moved to San Rafael,...
. The game won the 1998 Interactive Achievement Award for Computer Innovation. The game is aimed at the 5-10 year old age-group and carries an age rating of 3+
Video game content rating system
A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes part of the local motion picture rating system...
. It was designed by ToeJam & Earl Productions
ToeJam & Earl Productions
ToeJam & Earl Productions, Inc. was an American video game developer. Founders Mark Voorsanger and Greg Johnson started the company in 1989.- History :...
and released by Broderbund. The main character Orly is voiced by Alreca Whyte. It was first revealed to the public in 1997, but was not officially released until 1999.
Gameplay
It focuses around the two main characters, Orly and her anthropomorphicAnthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
talking frog
Talking animals in fiction
Talking creatures are a common theme in mythology and folk tales, as well as children's literature. Fictional talking creatures often are anthropomorphic, possessing human-like qualities but appearing as a creature...
friend Lancelot who lives in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The game features four unique stories narrated by Orly. The child is able to illustrate each of the stories with their own paintings, either original drawings or using ready-prepared objects. As Orly tells the story the user is asked to create an item such as a friend for a flying monster or a birthday present to give to Orly.
The objects become animated and are then used as part of the story. Clicking on the shutter opens up a series of template drawings that can be coloured by the child. At the end of the story, the user can choose to save or discard the picture and then view it back in full.
Additional features within the game include "Make A Storybook" where the child can create their own series of scenes and type text to make up their own story, while there is also a "Doodle Pad" for practising drawing skills.
Stories
Each story has a unique storyline and the child is asked to design different objects and scenes for each one.- The Ugly Troll People
- The Strange Princess
- Lancelot, Bug Eater
- One Big Wish
Critical reception
The game received positive reviews from video game reviewers. allgameAllgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
's Lisa Karen Savignano wrote "This is a game full of ideas that will spark wonderful and creative stories from your child, both onscreen and off." She went on to say "The game is much better than most contemporary drawing games on the market... Don't be surprised if the game uncovers the storyteller in your own child and you are treated to some very imaginative stories." The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
listed the game as one of the 50 best ways of boosting a child's brainpower in 1999.
Awards
Before its release the game was nominated for an award at the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards in 1998. The game was nominated for the Computer Innovation Award and triumphed in a category also featuring Disney's Magic Artist, Barbie Cool Looks Fashion Designer, Print Artist Platinum and The American Girls Premiere.Educational release
The game was repackaged in 2001 by The Learning CompanyThe Learning Company
The Learning Company is an American educational software company, founded in 1980. It produced a grade-based system similar to Knowledge Adventure's JumpStart series. The products for preschoolers through second graders feature Reader Rabbit, and software for more advanced students features The...
as an educational game for use in schools.