Possibly interesting game release | The Coffeehouse

androidi

http://www.destructoid.com/review-machinarium-152301.phtml

The graphics tone remind bit of "Beneath a steel sky" and the review suggest it's a modern take on retro adventure. And the price seems right, I might have to get this.

Of particular note are the visuals which atleast look like they've done a proper attempt instead of the shoddy work seen in most of every 3D game except maybe Fallout 3 where the LOD in few places approached to that what a properly done 3D adventure requires. Since that's so expensive it's just more economical to do 2D. This among other things leads me to believe that 3D adventure game is the most expensive single player game genre. So it's not that the genre nearly died temporarily due to lack of players but due to economic constraints. It's just cheaper to do shoddy 3D and hope the 3D is enough to keep the users interest vs doing a proper 2D game where every screen has to be done tastefully to keep the player interest up, atleast if it's a game of tedious and weird puzzles. (The review sounds like that might not be the case for this game which is why I have to check it out)

From Wikipedia:

Machinarium was developed over a period of three years, by seven Czech developers, who financed the project with their own savings. The marketing budget for the game was a scant $1,000. Machinarium won the Excellence in Visual Art award at the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival.

CreamFilling512

This is a 2D game, in fact its a Flash game.

androidi

In reply to CreamFilling512

#Oct 20th @ 3:12 AM

Your point is? Is there something that prevents making say a Monkey Island or Star Control II with say Silverlight (or flash)? I don't know enough about flash to say if there's a technical limitation there preventing that.

Dodo
I'm your creativity creator™ :)

In reply to androidi

#Oct 20th @ 3:18 AM

You could, in theory, even write a 3D game in JavaScript, HTML and CSS. It would be horribly slow, because you would use 1px DIV blocks and change their color with scripting to generate the picture, but it'd work... and it's a bad idea...

LeoDavidson

In reply to Dodo

#Oct 20th @ 3:53 AM

http://www.benjoffe.com/code/demos/canvascape/textures

Wolf3D-ish engine using Javascript.

(Doesn't seem to work in IE8. No walls appear. Works in Firefox.)

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

I buy on steam ,and i love it Big Smile

Amazing Game in Flash

androidi

Well I bought the game just for the artistic merit. So far I'd say that it looks like it's a kids* game. If I had had this in the age I played Loom and enjoyed it very much, this would've also rated highly. Now having played all kinds of much more action oriented stuff and mean spirited MMOs I find that the thrill/excitement factor here is on the low side. I still enjoy something like Another World which is a mix of puzzle/action/adventure/scifi but so far this hits only one of those and the puzzles are on the bit too simplistic side atleast so far.

* one those with young kids will also enjoy most certainly. Some of the animations and small details are quite funny.

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

In reply to androidi

#Oct 20th @ 5:31 AM

Hardly a child could solve the puzzles that arise in some levels

androidi

In reply to Dovella

#Oct 20th @ 5:34 AM

Just edited to say that I meant more as a family experience with young kids kind of thing. The difficulty seems quite right for school age kids. And depending on the kid that might mean from age 7 to 30. Smiley

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

In reply to androidi

#Oct 20th @ 5:36 AM

7-33 Big Smile

mikexkearney
Only when trust is earnt can sex and free discounts be exchanged.

In reply to Dovella

#Oct 20th @ 5:45 AM

£13.61, why not.

http://machinarium.net/demo/

androidi

In reply to mikexkearney

#Oct 20th @ 5:48 AM

Did you get to pay +xx% tax too? I don't quite understand how that works. I can order stuff from ebay and if the total is below certain amount then there's no tax and stuff to pay. Here the sum was below that amount but taxes were added.

mikexkearney
Only when trust is earnt can sex and free discounts be exchanged.

In reply to androidi

#Oct 20th @ 5:58 AM

No tax, £13.61 inc VAT. used paypal.

Different downloads for Windows(346mb), Mac, Linux versions & the soundtrack.

Harlequin
http://twitter.com/TrueHarlequin

In reply to Dovella

#Oct 20th @ 5:34 AM

Don't be so sure. I don't buy movie-based games anymore since my boys end up finishing them quick. Think the last game I bought they finished in 4 hours. Not really worth the $30 =)

androidi

Well this ain't half bad. It plays a LOT like Beneath a steel sky! Similar pacing and puzzle difficulty. I'm warming up to this more as it goes on. Smiley Definitely worth the money. The music is pretty good in some rooms too.

areo11706

looks reall good, nice ratings on it as well

exoteric
I : Next<I>

Looks interesting. I played a lot of adventure games those 15-25 years ago, including Beneath a Steel Sky.

Bass
www.spreadfirefox.com/5years/

In reply to Dodo

#Oct 20th @ 3:53 AM

There is also Web3D which I believe is supported in Safari 4 already.

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

SteamPowered Midweek Madness - Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition $5 Until Thursday http://bit.ly/dE6jG

ZippyV
Fired Up

Gameplay video:

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/extended-gameplay-machinarium/53857?type=flv

androidi

Well I finished it now, I'd say it turned out to be more of a Myst type of thing with the varying puzzle and mini games than a traditional pnc adventure.

I'd say it was definitely worth the money but in the end, only a "proper attempt" at a masterpiece but fell bit short. Another World didn't use dialogue either but the themes and finale really gave it a satisfying conclusion. The endings shared one or two things but the developers here forgot the great role that audio plays in enhancing the themes present.

So like I said before the music & ambiences were "pretty good". Had this excelled in the audio department by augmenting story delivery then it might've been very close to a masterpiece.

magicalclick

Looks cool, the 2D art reminds me of Braid on XBLA. The style is more than the technical graphics. Wish to see it on XBLA since that's where all my smaller games are stored, including, "I MAD3 A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1E5 IN I7" really hard to type the name properly, just a spelling here haha.

CreamFilling512

In reply to magicalclick

#Oct 21st @ 7:33 PM

Yeah an XBLA release would be nice, although they'd have to port Flash, or re-write the game. I believe Castle Crashers on XBLA actually uses flash animation, so it might not be too hard. There's suddenly all these point-and-click adventure games coming out. Axel & Pixel and Sam & Max on XBLA last week.