Comments on: The Connection (BK-TN)

By: CFK

CFK — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:13:53 +0000

If you read my post carefully you’ll find that I am not, in point of fact, complaining. But even if I was, aren’t games in a jam (partly) judged on how well they execute the theme? Seems to me that that makes it valid criticism.

By: Martin_Monosys

Martin_Monosys — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:20:43 +0000

Well, I haven’t done too many of these jams (I did something for that one, but … never mind!), but in those I entered I found that it’s rather hard to make something really fitting the theme. And later, when you look at peoples games, you sometimes wonder were the theme is hiding. But that is because it’s not that easy to do, and also, most jams encourage you to take a “creative” look on the theme… So as long as the game is fun to play, why complain ?!?

By: CFK

CFK — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:55:26 +0000

Yes except the title screen specifically says “Chaos jam”.

Of course there’s space for interpretation, but do you see chaos when you look at those puzzles? I see a system that has a certain degree of disorder and I realize my goal is to reduce that disorder to a minimum. That’s not the same as chaos (regardless of whether or not you’re using a mathematical definition thereof).

By: Martin_Monosys

Martin_Monosys — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:48:53 +0000

Maybe sometimes, the release of a game and a game jam just happen to be on the same weekend..
However, the concept of chaos is a very broad one, as maybe the puzzles ARE in chaos and it’s your job to put them in order again.
So if you use your imagination a little bit, it fits the theme !

By: Newfur

Newfur — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:06:02 +0000

Never mind, I’ve got it now. Having got a bit further, I’d say that the things that set it apart from Antichamber that made it great would have to be easy access to any room, clear lessons learned, an ability to fail, and no penalty – in fact, occasional benefit – for that failure.

By: Newfur

Newfur — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:04:19 +0000

OH NOOOOOOOOOOO

By: CFK

CFK — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:26:54 +0000

Well, that was certainly enjoyable.

I don’t think it ties in very well with the theme at all- I read the developer’s comments on that, but I don’t really see where they’re coming from. A game world is always structured, really; if not by delimiting boundaries, then at least by the rules of the system, without which you wouldn’t have a game at all. So maybe the very outermost boundaries of the play area were created by (mathematically) chaotically placing cubes; I can’t tell, and I didn’t try to, because it’s not really relevant since I didn’t see them and think “oh hey chaos” but rather “oh hey boundaries”. Their only salience consisted in what they were not. The rest of the play area was well-structured and orderly- there were clear paths, goals and obstacles. Even the puzzle-solving was rigidly inflexible and consistent in its rule system.

Which is a good thing- can you imagine trying to solve a puzzle without any internal logic? Chaos can certainly be evoked by a game, but this one simply doesn’t do it, and this kind of game probably shouldn’t. (Maybe a future version could have urban textures and fog and Slenderman chasing you around. That’d immediately make it a lot more chaotic. ) Basically what I’m trying to say is I liked it a lot, I’m just at a loss as to why it was submitted to this particular game jam, though I’m glad it was.

Spoiler Inside: Possibly quite major spoilers	Select Show
I would like to know for sure what the “LIFE” puzzle does- it’s the only one the player can reach the central tower without having completed, and the only one with a differently-colored cube when solved. Presumably it powers the elevator, but why? And who knows for sure?

By: Harpsichord

Harpsichord — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:31:18 +0000

Oh, I see, red cube. I’d imagine that something in the city powers it up. Or maybe there are multiple red cubes?

Who knows, but what a cool little game.

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:31:06 +0000

Heh, nice try though I deleted your comment, but just installed a plugin to allow you to leave spoilers in the comments. Let’s try it out!

Spoiler Inside	Select Show
I WARNED YOU OH NO

By: Harpsichord

Harpsichord — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:27:32 +0000

The first one after you fall doesn’t have 8 pieces? Maybe the path splits somewhere really early?

I’ve done 5 or 6 now, but no colored blocks so far. Just the all-black puzzles getting more and more complex. I’m on one with 17 pieces right now and I’m pulling my hair out.