SpaceChem enthusiast
So remember a while back I mentioned this game called SpaceChem, and how I was playing the demo? (Yeah, last post, I don't update often, etc.) Well, my bro-in-law bought it for me for my birthday, and it's been pretty much the only game that's really captured my full attention since then.
What is it? Well, if you're a programmer, you'll probably love it. You're basically programming finite state machines on a 2D grid where you can put a single instruction and/or direction in each square. Each 'reactor' is basically two of these finite state machines grids on top of eachother (one red, one blue) so there's a parallel programming/synchronization element to the whole thing. You can chain reactors together, although your number of reactors per puzzle is limited. And that's.. pretty much it.
There is a standard instruction set that the first tutorial levels introduce you to slowly. From then on, every new 'planet' throws a new instruction or concept at you to explore, and each planet culminates in a unique final level, which adds in its own mechanics to keep things fresh.
Oh, and it keeps track of leaderboards for each puzzle, so you can compare how 'optimal' your solution is compared to everyone else and/or your best buddies who play this game. So if you're competitive at all, it can get quite.. interesting.. trying to eke out that last little bit of performance from a design. Or throwing out a working design entirely and just trying something crazy. :)
At this point, I'm most of the way through the single player campaign, and the puzzles have gotten tough..mensa tough, even. As someone trained in software development, I'm finding them enjoyably challenging. The single player Portal 2 puzzles felt like a yawn in comparison to this. The elation at solving each puzzle in SpaceChem--real puzzles with a real difficulty to them--is so very rewarding.
So yes, really really loving SpaceChem. :)
Last time I talked about it, I mentioned rage-quitting the game. I went back to it the following night and solved that puzzle. Great puzzle games are like that.. they require you to sleep on it sometimes. Sometimes for several nights. This.. is a great puzzle game.
Also, it helps that the story has its own charm. :)
What is it? Well, if you're a programmer, you'll probably love it. You're basically programming finite state machines on a 2D grid where you can put a single instruction and/or direction in each square. Each 'reactor' is basically two of these finite state machines grids on top of eachother (one red, one blue) so there's a parallel programming/synchronization element to the whole thing. You can chain reactors together, although your number of reactors per puzzle is limited. And that's.. pretty much it.
There is a standard instruction set that the first tutorial levels introduce you to slowly. From then on, every new 'planet' throws a new instruction or concept at you to explore, and each planet culminates in a unique final level, which adds in its own mechanics to keep things fresh.
Oh, and it keeps track of leaderboards for each puzzle, so you can compare how 'optimal' your solution is compared to everyone else and/or your best buddies who play this game. So if you're competitive at all, it can get quite.. interesting.. trying to eke out that last little bit of performance from a design. Or throwing out a working design entirely and just trying something crazy. :)
At this point, I'm most of the way through the single player campaign, and the puzzles have gotten tough..mensa tough, even. As someone trained in software development, I'm finding them enjoyably challenging. The single player Portal 2 puzzles felt like a yawn in comparison to this. The elation at solving each puzzle in SpaceChem--real puzzles with a real difficulty to them--is so very rewarding.
So yes, really really loving SpaceChem. :)
Last time I talked about it, I mentioned rage-quitting the game. I went back to it the following night and solved that puzzle. Great puzzle games are like that.. they require you to sleep on it sometimes. Sometimes for several nights. This.. is a great puzzle game.
Also, it helps that the story has its own charm. :)