Is Google's Pac-Man Doodle Causing Frustration Among Users?

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The discussion revolves around Google's Pac-Man 30th birthday celebration on its homepage, featuring a playable game and accompanying music. While some users appreciate the nostalgic element and the fun of playing Pac-Man, others find the persistent music annoying, especially if left on for extended periods. There are mixed experiences regarding the visibility of the graphic, with some users in the UK reporting a plain Google page instead. The gameplay is noted to become challenging as the levels progress, with ghosts moving faster than Pac-Man. Users share their browsing habits, with some admitting to leaving the homepage open for long durations, which contributes to the annoyance of the music. Overall, the conversation highlights both enjoyment and frustration with Google's interactive doodles.
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OK, I think it's clever that Google changes its home page now and then, to honor a holiday or other significant event.

But today's is just annoying. It's Pac-Man's 30th birthday...fine, a big *yawn* from me but I liked the graphic. But if you leave the home page up for a few minutes, the theme "music" starts to play! And it doesn't stop!

Wow, that's really annoying!

(Is this just a US thing?)
 
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Even better, when the music starts you can actually play Pac-Man in the graphic.

I didn't realize it until I read this thread and tried it for myself.

Edit- I get bored with all the google celebrations as well, but this was a pleasant surprise.
 
Odd, Kurdt said he saw the pacman thing, But all I'm getting is a plain google sans any graphics, so I thought maybe it was a UK thing. I am getting their really annoying new page format though.
 
Evo said:
Odd, Kurdt said he saw the pacman thing, But all I'm getting is a plain google sans any graphics, so I thought maybe it was a UK thing. I am getting their really annoying new page format though.

did you hit 'insert coin'?
 
Yeah, I'm in the US and I get the same annoying Pacman graphic/sound thing on Google.
 
Annoying? more like AWESOME!

You can put in a 2nd coin and have 2 players! WOOOOOT!
 
I get it too. The music freaked me out, I didn't expect it.
 
Pengwuino said:
Annoying? more like AWESOME!
Ditto!
 
But if you leave the home page up for a few minutes, the theme "music" starts to play! And it doesn't stop!
Why are you sitting on the homepage for extended periods of time?
 
  • #10
It gets really difficult when you get to level 5 or so and the ghost things can actually move faster than Pac-Man!
 
  • #11
seems to go in random directions sometimes, but i did get past a couple of levels
 
  • #12
Saladsamurai said:
It gets really difficult when you get to level 5 or so and the ghost things can actually move faster than Pac-Man!
They move faster than you starting at level 2.

Guess it's now obvious what my productivity over the last couple hours has been.
 
  • #13
leroyjenkens said:
Why are you sitting on the homepage for extended periods of time?

I usually have it open, along with a national news site, a local news site, PF, and sometimes a weather site, all in the same browser but on different tabs. And my mail, of course. All that sits under what I'm working on (usually a spreadsheet or Word document). Personal quirk, I guess.
 
  • #14
I guess maybe I don't see it because I haven't cleared my cache?
 
  • #15
Evo said:
I guess maybe I don't see it because I haven't cleared my cache?

I advise you to not clear your cache.
 
  • #16
I loved the concept, but the execution is lacking, and the sound IS annoying as hell, especially if you are not expecting it.
 
  • #17
lisab said:
i advise you to not clear your cache.
lol.
 
  • #18
Pacman owns, I have the game on google.ro + the music :P
 
  • #19
Damn it, the music keeps making me jump, but my love of pacman keeps me from getting angry. That, and the music for Tetris are ICONIC.
 
  • #20
IcedEcliptic said:
. That, and the music for Tetris are ICONIC.

All your base are belong to us !
 
  • #21
DanP said:
All your base are belong to us !

Ancient Greek version: [PLAIN]http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/4694/trojanhorse1of8.jpg
 
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  • #22
IcedEcliptic said:
Damn it, the music keeps making me jump, but my love of pacman keeps me from getting angry. That, and the music for Tetris are ICONIC.

Tetris has music?
 
  • #23
DaveC426913 said:
Tetris has music?

You're kidding, right?

I think you are, but just in case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmCCQxVBfyM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmCCQxVBfyM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
 
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  • #24
IcedEcliptic said:
Ancient Greek version

This is awesome.
 
  • #25
Oh, and the original midi of the 600 AD theme from Chrono Trigger, that I once recreated in a junky little program for MSDOS called CubicPlayer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RqZaFDA7PXY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RqZaFDA7PXY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

And the lovely piano version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hk6AVDeID78&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hk6AVDeID78&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

DanP: Yeah, when I first saw that I laughed so hard I was nearly hypoxic!
 
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  • #26
IcedEcliptic said:
You're kidding, right?

I think you are, but just in case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HrA1Wr2iYq4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HrA1Wr2iYq4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
 
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  • #27
IcedEcliptic said:
You're kidding, right?

I played Tetris on a PC. We probably had the sound off for most of my Tetris years.

I've never touched a hand-held game device. Burned out my video gaming during the Golden Age of he Arcades.
 
  • #28
There is a little icon on the graphic to turn the sound off. Can we just stop complaining and contemplate how awesome this is?
 
  • #29
I normally leave the sound off on my computer anyway. Wouldn't have known to try playing if I hadn't seen this thread!

I thought Pacman was faster than the ghosts going around corners, but not in a straight run? It has been a long long time since I played.
 
  • #30
Without this thread, I'd have never known. I have the little Google search bar installed in my browser, so never actually visit the site to start a search. I haven't noticed anything while doing searches today, but usually you need to go to their home search page to see their silliness. Now I need to go look. :biggrin:

Edit: Ha ha ha ha! That was fun! I love those silly old games. :smile:
 
  • #31
Moonbear said:
Without this thread, I'd have never known. I have the little Google search bar installed in my browser, so never actually visit the site to start a search. I haven't noticed anything while doing searches today, but usually you need to go to their home search page to see their silliness. Now I need to go look. :biggrin:

Edit: Ha ha ha ha! That was fun! I love those silly old games. :smile:

Silly?! You find the pill addiction of an yellow circle FUN?! Hell, pacman is so into the junk that he thinks he's being chased by ghosts, and his munchies are so bad he'll eat a KEY.

:)
 
  • #32
lisab said:
Wow, that's really annoying!

I like Windows 7. Turning on or off the computer doesn't sound like the King just entered the room, anymore.
 
  • #33
The last time I listened to this was in my friend's car while he was flying at about 100mph down the freeway swerving between cars. I don't get in cars with crazy koreans anymore.
 
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  • #34
It's kind of neat getting all those tunes playing together. :biggrin: Makes me nostalgic for arcades.
 
  • #35
I don't ever go to the Google main page either because I use Chrome the address bar doubles as the Google search input space. But the Pacman game/logo on the Google page is way super cool! The "insert coin" button is hilarious!

The Google people are clever folks. I've always liked their themed celebratory logos.
 
  • #36
Just in case anybody wanted to know, the ghosts never seem to enter the spot that pacman starts. Even if you begin to play and return to this spot the ghosts do not come. This should make it much easier to advance.
 
  • #37
That's certainly not the case in the first life, as I can just have Google open and I'll lose a life within 30 seconds without moving or anything. It seems like that's the case after the first life, however, because the ghosts have just been circling around me for ten minutes now. But your results may vary.
 

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