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[josh_s]

I haven't really been following this, but that feels so much more responsive than when I tried it back in March. Lovely.

Yeah, I've done a few things you mentioned: fewer dialogs / clicking, easier hit detection and you can now also drag from resource to catalyst as well as vice versa.

josh

[josh_s]

I've created a promo video for Tricone Lab!

Here it is:

[josh_s]

One of the other gamedevs at GameCity mentioned that Tricone Lab introduces new mechanics before exploring enough the puzzle opportunities of existing mechanics. So... in response, today I created 3 (fairly easy) puzzles which use only breakers. Screenshots below.

Over the next few weeks I'm planning to extend this process, basically stretching the existing mechanics to see how many genuinely good puzzles I can get out of them.

[josh_s]

Another breakers-only puzzle, this one is a bit harder.

[JobLeonard]

Just tried it again, it's a lot more engaging than before even though it doesn't feel like much changed!

[josh_s]

Just tried it again, it's a lot more engaging than before even though it doesn't feel like much changed!

Good, the mechanics and early puzzles haven't changed much, but I've done quite a lot of work on streamlining the user experience, so I'm guessing that's where the engagement comes from.

PM me if you would like a free license key for the full alpha (including 71 levels, level editor etc.)

[josh_s]

a fairly easy new level using breaker catalysts and, like the other recent level, "cone ambiguity" -- which cones are used by which tricone catalyst.

[JobLeonard]

Thanks for the offer, but I barely play any games - I just like to follow the development of them

[josh_s]

Tricone Lab has been Greenlit!



Thanks everyone for voting and leaving positive comments.

Next steps will be writing more levels and then packaging up for Early Access.

[JobLeonard]

 

[josh_s]

Today I wrote some new levels which just use anti-catalysts and breakers. The first two are easy.

[josh_s]

A couple more anti-catalyst/breaker levels. I'm estimating that these are medium complexity, but I'd need to watch a few people playing them to properly establish the difficulty level.

[josh_s]

New level with anti-catalyst, constructor and +/- charge. I think it has two equivalent solutions that look different but are the same topologically.

[josh_s]

new level: involves +/- charge, constructors, breakers and anti-catalysts

[oyog]

Tricone Lab has been Greenlit!

Congrats!

Do you plan on using the Steam Workshop for distributing player made levels or will you keep that entirely in game?

[josh_s]

Do you plan on using the Steam Workshop for distributing player made levels or will you keep that entirely in game?

I've implemented Tricone Lab Online, which you can use right now if you have the full version key. It works like this:

• Players create an account through the game
• They get a link via email to validate the account
• Once you have an account you can upload / download levels from within the game, based on the database on the game's server
• There is also an approval system for levels -- basic quality control

The nice things about this database is that I collect stats on who has played what levels, how hard they are etc, and I plan to publish this stuff, along with an image of each level, on the game website.

In terms of Steam integration, I have not really planned for this.

What would be nice is at a minimum to have players Steam accounts automatically give them accounts on Tricone Lab Online. I'd also like to have basic achievements and things like "oyog is playing XXX level of Tricone Lab" notifications, which I think should be fairly straightforward to implement. I'm not sure what benefits would come from Steam Workshop. I guess I wouldn't have to run the server at all. Steam Workshop would maybe add a player rating system for levels, which Tricone Lab Online doesn't have.

Any thoughts on this would be useful!

[oyog]

I've implemented Tricone Lab Online, which you can use right now if you have the full version key. It works like this:

• Players create an account through the game
• They get a link via email to validate the account
• Once you have an account you can upload / download levels from within the game, based on the database on the game's server
• There is also an approval system for levels -- basic quality control

The nice things about this database is that I collect stats on who has played what levels, how hard they are etc, and I plan to publish this stuff, along with an image of each level, on the game website.

In terms of Steam integration, I have not really planned for this.

What would be nice is at a minimum to have players Steam accounts automatically give them accounts on Tricone Lab Online. I'd also like to have basic achievements and things like "oyog is playing XXX level of Tricone Lab" notifications, which I think should be fairly straightforward to implement. I'm not sure what benefits would come from Steam Workshop. I guess I wouldn't have to run the server at all. Steam Workshop would maybe add a player rating system for levels, which Tricone Lab Online doesn't have.

I logged in before I posted 'cause I couldn't remember how much you'd implemented. There are a couple of benefits of Steam Workshop I can think of that I imagine could be added to the Tricone Lab Online, either in game or on the website.

Off the top of my head those are:
- Player comments.
- As you mentioned, a rating system.
- The one that really sticks out for me is a browseable list of levels.

If you're publishing level information on the website I expect you could simply add these features there. That would also allow for a more controlled community than Steam. I suppose rating systems and comments can end up potentially being abused depending on the maturity of your user base.

Not sure how helpful this will be since I don't know how much work implementing any of this is.


As an aside, I think I've already said it but I really enjoy the music. I've had Tricone Lab open in the background writing this and the menu music is super chill.

[josh_s]

As an aside, I think I've already said it but I really enjoy the music. I've had Tricone Lab open in the background writing this and the menu music is super chill.

Glad you like it! The music is by Iain Foxwell, aka holobeams, he wrote it especially for the game.

You can find more here:

https://soundcloud.com/holobeams

josh

[oyog]

Glad you like it! The music is by Iain Foxwell, aka holobeams, he wrote it especially for the game.

You can find more here:

https://soundcloud.com/holobeams

Thanks! I'll definitely be following him. His stuff is excellent.

[josh_s]

Some new levels I made over the weekend, using exploders, replicators, +/- charge, anti-catalysts and constructors: