lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Dear players,

i'd like to get three of my games to your attention.
I describe them as light-logic action games. DROD is about solving logical puzzles,too. So maybe some of you would like to give them a try.
The goal in all three games is to remove all colored blocks by hitting them with a jumping ball. You can only remove blocks that have the same color as your ball. By touching color switches you can change your ball's color, that's where the logic comes into place. There are also colored blocks which kill you when they have your color.
There are other items like bombs and stuff and enemies, don't want to get into detail here.
Please don't get fooled by the early levels which might look like it's a simple action game.
Controls: cursor keys left,right
shift/space/control for vertical thrust
Here come the games:

1. Summer Bound (freeware)
30 levels, rather easy.
http://www.blueskied.com/summer_bound.htm

2. Christmas Bound (freeware)
32 levels, some are quite tricky.
http://www.blueskied.com/xmas/christmas_main.htm

3. Bound Around (shareware demo)
12 levels of 160+ are playable.
http://www.blueskied.com

Would be very interesting to hear what you think about the games.
Thanks,

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I took a quick look at Summer Bound and played the first 13 levels. It's a fun game with some nice puzzles in it. There are some reflexes involved but not too much in the levels so far. Most of the time, the reflex parts can be planned ahead and it is fairly easy to guide the ball over your planned route. I'll keep playing it for a while and hopefully the levels won't get too twitchy for my taste.

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I stuck on Summer Bound, level 19. It doesn't look like there is any way to get both of the purple blocks that are encased in skull blocks. The rules of apple explosions are that the 8 squares surrounding the apple at time of impact are destroyed, right? If so, I just don't see any place I can drop the apply that will give me access to both purple blocks.

Anybody know the answer?

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Hi Erik,

thanks for commenting on the game. Helps me to get a better picture of how people perceive it.
Solutions to the most levels can be found here:
http://www.blueskied.com/summer/sb_solutions.htm

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

I finished the Summer one except 25. (I know how to solve it, but I'm not fast enough...)

The game is not unlike Hitblock, slower, but with more puzzle-oriented and more thinking.

I guess, the main problem with this one is, that (1) there are too few puzzles, (2) the puzzles were not too hard, and (3) there were a lot of timing required in the later levels.

It was a nice little puzzle for a rainy day. I've finished this one in a few hours...

I hope the other two will be even better

-- Tim

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Thanks for playing,Tim.
Yes,Hitblock is very similar to my games because they are based on the same old c64 game (Crillion).
I like a mix of action and puzzle solving (big fan of Boulder Dash and Solomon's Key),that's why i made the games.
Maybe the action is too lame for action players and the puzzles are too shallow for puzzle fans,might be a problem.
The other two games are harder (puzzles and timing).

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I just finished Summer Bound. I'd say my opinion is close to Tim's. The puzzles are decent, but not very hard. The timing challenge is probably at the limit of what I enjoy. I'll give Christmas Bound a shot later, but I dunno how much further I'll get with my jittery nerves. That's not to say it's a bad game--my tastes just veer away from arcade elements. I can't really put up with a game like say N, but lots of people here enjoy it. So I imagine it is the same with the Bound games.

Is there a level editor for the game?

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Level editor: I made one for my first game Frozen Fruits (yes,another one of these Bound games). I was curious to see what creative levels people would come up with. Unfortunately the user-created levels were a disappointment to me. People mostly created action-only levels (dodging enemies) without puzzles. Anyway, i made Frozen Fruits 2 with these levels:
http://www.blueskied.com/fruits2.htm
There's also an unoffical,unreleased editor for Christmas Bound. If someone thinks s/he can make good levels, please contact me and i will give you the download link.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I am true Christmas hero!

(That's what the game told me.)

I beat Christmas Bound. It was actually quite a lot of fun. As Lakibuk said, the puzzles got more challenging as did the timing. There were 3 levels that I had to slow the game speed way down to complete. I discovered this feature when I was close to giving up. There's no way I could have completed the game at normal speed.

I'll pick up Bound Around a bit later.

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Thanks for playing,wouldn't have expected you'd like it.
About the gamespeed option: That was some important feedback. I will have to make a new version of the games where the speed option is better documented for the players.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

John259
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 57
Registered: 11-18-2005
IP: Logged

Karl,

Nice games, nice graphics, well designed and very enjoyable. I haven't finished any of them yet so I can't comment regarding difficulty or long-term interest.

One detail: Your web site's home page is for Bound Around, with no links (as far as I could see) to the pages for Summer Bound and Christmas Bound.

John

____________________________
2006 A DROD Odyssey: "Open the pod bay doors Halph" - "Not possible!"

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Hi John,

yes,there are no links to Summer & Christmas from the main page.
Subscribers to my newsletter get a link to Summer Bound and some other games.
Probably will change this when i make a new website in the distant future.
Strange that you like the graphics, i think they are rather weak. That's why i am working with an graphic artist for my next shareware game.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Karl, do you have level hints/solutions for Bound Around?

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Yes.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Wait... You mean there's a slow down key somewhere? Am I missing something?

Oh, by the way, the individual graphics weren't that bad. They just don't match together. If they have all the same style it would look better. Although they are very functional right now (i.e. not too bad).

-- Tim

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Tim wrote:
Wait... You mean there's a slow down key somewhere? Am I missing something?

While playing, hit escape, and there is a game speed option you can set.

Oh, by the way, the individual graphics weren't that bad. They just don't match together. If they have all the same style it would look better. Although they are very functional right now (i.e. not too bad).

For me the graphics are very likable, if not completely polished. Some of the tilesets do look better than others, i.e. there is one underground tileset that shows a lot of shading to it, and another one that looks like it was made with a very limited palette.

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Any chance that you can give examples of tiles that don't fit stylistically? I have tomatoes on my eyes.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Sorry to reply this late, I was too busy with other things the last few days...

How should I say it? the blocks and the backgrounds look "simple but effective", and the apple look out of place because it looked so real. The ladybug looks cute, but the pumpkin looks evil.

I think, if you can keep an consistenly simple, cute style, it will fit a bit more.

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Thanks. That was enlightening to a certain amount.

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

Kevin_P86
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 535
Registered: 06-28-2005
IP: Logged

I just must say I love all of those games - I have beaten Summer Bound, Frozen Fruits, and Frozen Fruits X all to 100% completion, and all 172 stars (also 100% completion) of Bound Around (almost twice - the 2nd time I'm currently only at 167, or so).

Just today I downloaded Christmas Bound (never even knew it existed before today!) and have currently beaten 21 of the 32 levels. I will try the others later. As a side note, the tree level in Christmas Bound (which is very similar to one in Bound Around) is too hard. Both of them are . However, still not as hard as the last of the heart levels with the skulls on top and bottom in Bound Around - the one with the three skulls in the middle.

Kevin

____________________________
+++++[>+++++<-]>[>+++>++++>+++++<<<-]>.>+.>-------.<++++.+++++.

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[Last edited by Kevin_P86 at 04-28-2006 08:12 PM]

ErikH2000
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2794
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Yeah, I ended up beating every "Bound" level for all 4 games. I actually found Frozen Fruits to be the hardest of all the games. That tree level was !@@!## hard. I had to set speed to lowest on that one, and still replayed many times.

I wonder if Lakibuk is going to keep making more games in the same style. There's something to be said for sticking with one type of game and refining it.

-Erik

____________________________
The Godkiller - Chapter 1 available now on Steam. It's a DROD-like puzzle adventure game.
dev journals | twitch stream | youtube archive (NSFW)

Kevin_P86
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 535
Registered: 06-28-2005
IP: Logged

Yes - the tree level was challenging. And I agree - Frozen Fruits was probably the hardest in general, even though there's only 30 levels or whatever it is. However, I refused to slow down the game for any of the levels - I kept it at the default for all of them.

____________________________
+++++[>+++++<-]>[>+++>++++>+++++<<<-]>.>+.>-------.<++++.+++++.

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Just replayed the heart level with the 3 skulls. Solved it at the 4th attempt. But it's hard, i admit.

I wonder if Lakibuk is going to keep making more games in the same style. There's something to be said for sticking with one type of game and refining it.

Working on a Lemmings-like game now. The more time passes the more i think you are right. I don't get anywhere with this game.
If i make some Bound-like game again, i want to focus more on the logical puzzles than on reflexes. I am inspired by DROD.


____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

John259
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 57
Registered: 11-18-2005
IP: Logged

Karl,

http://www.bluskied.com appears to be offline. I tried several times yesterday and again today, no joy.

John

____________________________
2006 A DROD Odyssey: "Open the pod bay doors Halph" - "Not possible!"

bdwing
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 288
Registered: 02-16-2003
IP: Logged

John259 wrote:
Karl,

http://www.bluskied.com appears to be offline. I tried several times yesterday and again today, no joy.

John

I bet http://www.blueskied.com will work for you.

____________________________
In the words of Cyndi Lauper:

"Until it ends, there is no end."

John259
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 57
Registered: 11-18-2005
IP: Logged

Aaaargh - how embarrassing! Wot a plonker!

John

____________________________
2006 A DROD Odyssey: "Open the pod bay doors Halph" - "Not possible!"

lakibuk
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 93
Registered: 03-26-2006
IP: Logged

Feeds my doubts if it was a smart move to call my domain blueskied.com

____________________________
Karl
Blueskied Games (main site) - Gratis Spiele (german site)

John259
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 57
Registered: 11-18-2005
IP: Logged

Domain name good, my typing bad - John

____________________________
2006 A DROD Odyssey: "Open the pod bay doors Halph" - "Not possible!"