{"author_link":"\/author\/rumachine\/","author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","comments":[{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 16, 2012 @ 3:25pm","epoch":1355671200,"text":"If you have questions about the game control and\/or the concept, please feel free to ask!\r\rAlso, FYI, My current high score is 33 6's. I'm sure I'll get to 40 soon!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 16, 2012 @ 9:42pm","epoch":1355693820,"text":"And I would love to hear about everyone's high score"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:02am","epoch":1355702220,"text":"Yup, got to 42."},{"author_name":"Cosmologicon","author_uid":"1151","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 3:50am","epoch":1355715900,"text":"I can't figure out the controls for the life of me. Whenever I press left or right I go wandering in some random direction. You say you can get the hang of it, but I've played about 15 times and my high score is 4. Is there anything you can say that would help explain the controls? Does it have anything to do with the background colors? I'm stumped!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 8:39am","epoch":1355733240,"text":"Just imagine the the 7 is a boat in the ocean, and that that there is a weird current that makes it float in a different direction depending on where it is in the screen. Also, imagine that when you press right it accelerates it in one direction (not necessarily right), and when you press left it accelerates in the opposite direction. Only, you don't get to see the current and you don't get shown what direction the control pushes it!\r\rAlso, I made it even more difficult by randomizing the current in the background :) and also making the current time varying. So, that means that each time you play, you have learn a little about how it will respond to your L\/R input and then try and catch 6's."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 8:42am","epoch":1355733420,"text":"Hint: At the beginning, the hidden current will be either right or left above the vertical center line, and the opposite direction below. Pressing R will accelerate the 7 either up or down, and L will accelerate it in the opposite direction. Hope this helps!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 9:07am","epoch":1355734920,"text":"The whole process of learning how the 7 moves in response to your inputs (in space and time) is the main point of the game. It's not supposed to be easy! It's really, really hard!"},{"author_name":"BipoleMoment","author_uid":"17283","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 10:03am","epoch":1355738280,"text":"The controls seem a bit difficult at first, but once you get a hang of it, they are actually really fun and unique. I really love this game and find it hard to put down. My high score is 7. One disadvantage is that I feel it would be better suited for a tablet (which I do not have), so I'm judging entirely from a PC perspective. But otherwise, great job! I really love this!\r\rI also thought 'You are the VI77AIN' was funny."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:01pm","epoch":1355745360,"text":"Thanks a lot for the feedback! I'm glad you were able to appreciate. I'm personally very fascinated with human learning, especially the abstract type, so I like to incorporate this into my games.\r\rAlso, I do agree with you that it is more enjoyable on a tablet, although at the beginning it may make you want to throw it across the room out of frustration."},{"author_name":"joekinley","author_uid":"3012","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:24pm","epoch":1355746740,"text":"This is a really cool and original game. I love the idea about the 789 thing. I love how you challenge the player to learn the weird controls. And yeah, it is challenging and fun and totally frustrating. Good work."},{"author_name":"xgeovanni","author_uid":"11296","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:25pm","epoch":1355746800,"text":"The controls seem off and the window scrolls when you're trying to play it."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:26pm","epoch":1355746860,"text":"Thanks joekinley, I'm glad you enjoyed it!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:28pm","epoch":1355746980,"text":"xgeovanni - html5 with canvas can sometimes be glitchy, i.e. the arrows may be controlling browser position rather than the game. If you reload the game it should work."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:40pm","epoch":1355747700,"text":"xgeovanni - actually, you are right, if the browser window is too small, then along with moving the 7 you also move the browser screen, sorry about that. You can also use your mouse and click on the left and right side if you like!"},{"author_name":"Manest","author_uid":"4323","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 12:59pm","epoch":1355748840,"text":"Controls are realy hard to understand at first. But at final it's challenging. Thanks for you game."},{"author_name":"waveon foxdale","author_uid":"11565","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 1:06pm","epoch":1355749260,"text":"The 789 idea is quite original and well made. However, I feel that the controls are a bit awkward even after reading the instructions and the comments.\r\rThe current you speak of makes the game more fun and challenging, but since it's hidden and randomized it also makes the controls feel completely random. Randomness is always nice, but this makes you feel like you have little control over your 7. I suggest thinking a bit more about the controls and\/or current.\r\rAll in all, it's still a nice game that I'd play more after some polishing."},{"author_name":"RandomM00","author_uid":"3221","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 1:07pm","epoch":1355749320,"text":"I love the controls, but I did have to read the comments to work it out. A hint at the beggining would be nice."},{"author_name":"arch.jslin","author_uid":"18318","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 1:15pm","epoch":1355749800,"text":"Never seen anything like this before. :) For some reason... I thought the path 7 is taking is drawing 6s and 9s..."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 1:17pm","epoch":1355749920,"text":"Thanks for all the comments :) I wish I had added hints earlier!\r\rThe randomness and additional gameplay (random obstacles and targets) is something that I'm playing around with right now (I have more ideas). It's actually an extension of my first game for iOS, sigsys, which I released recently. Sigsys has more structure and completely deterministic controls (although still spatially challenging due to the non-intuitive dynamic movement), which means the learning curve is not as steep as 789!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 1:18pm","epoch":1355749980,"text":"Thanks arch.jslin! And yes, you do make a lot of 6's and 9's when you play :)"},{"author_name":"har_g","author_uid":"18614","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 2:15pm","epoch":1355753400,"text":"best score 3\rI definitely don't understand how to navigate my square.."},{"author_name":"Cosmologicon","author_uid":"1151","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 3:57pm","epoch":1355759520,"text":"Thanks for the hint about the current. I tried it again and did much better (16). I agree that it's a fascinating human learning question. It reminds me of Wason's 2-4-6 task, in that I was constructing elaborate rules to try to explain the weird behavior, and eventually it was simpler than I thought.\r\rHaving said that, this is Ludum Dare, so unless you make it really clear that you have an interesting mechanic to explore, most people are going to think it's just buggy. I strongly suggest you add to your description that discovering how the motion works is half the point of the game!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 5:41pm","epoch":1355765760,"text":"Thanks Cosmologicon, I will!"},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 5:46pm","epoch":1355766060,"text":"Ok I added a hint straight out of the comments. I hope people don't think it's just buggy :)"},{"author_name":"robashton","author_uid":"7112","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 6:34pm","epoch":1355768940,"text":"I really suck at this, but I quite like the weird control system once you get used to it.\r\rBetter on the tablet I think."},{"author_name":"Dark Acre Jack","author_uid":"2947","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 7:08pm","epoch":1355770980,"text":"I didn't get the hang of it before losing my patience. That's on me. The Wagner was good, though."},{"author_name":"gesangbaer","author_uid":"15261","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 10:31pm","epoch":1355783160,"text":"Cool concept but the controls are way too weird. If there was any indication at all of "current" or "rudder" like you mention then it might be okay."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 10:32pm","epoch":1355783220,"text":"A slow frustration at first, then an anxious addiction. Wagner helps both."},{"author_name":"loren","author_uid":"17687","time":"Dec 17, 2012 @ 10:44pm","epoch":1355783940,"text":"Hurray for abstract number and color games! Glad I got to play this :)"},{"author_name":"h.attila","author_uid":"8403","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 1:27am","epoch":1355793720,"text":"Nice concept, but I couldn't really master the controls even after I read all the hints."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 1:46am","epoch":1355794860,"text":"To master the controls make take a lifetime. The truth is hidden in both space and time, only with repetition can you truly see. This may be one of those 10,000 hours things."},{"author_name":"CoffeeOnimal","author_uid":"1643","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 2:53am","epoch":1355798880,"text":"I'm fascinated by your theories on the control scheme and really like that you explored something new.\rThat being said, it ran out of fun for me quickly. Top marks for Innovation."},{"author_name":"rylgh","author_uid":"15833","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 4:59am","epoch":1355806440,"text":"Very neat, though I had to read your explanation to get it. The L\/R keys didn't seem to work either (not sure whether you meant the actual "L" and "R" keys, or the Left\/Right side of the keyboard, but tried both)"},{"author_name":"haxpor","author_uid":"647","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 7:09pm","epoch":1355857440,"text":"I found it pretty hard to avoid that dark 7 to eat you because I see it bounces back-and-forth. I think I don't get the goal of the game."},{"author_name":"rumachine","author_uid":"19333","time":"Dec 18, 2012 @ 11:03pm","epoch":1355871480,"text":"The goal is to get you to think nonlinearly, and to learn patterns in space and time. This doesn't happen after playing once. This doesn't happen after playing ten times. It takes much more than that."},{"author_name":"leafo","author_uid":"4321","time":"Dec 19, 2012 @ 1:29am","epoch":1355880240,"text":"very interesting concept. I got to 12 after a couple tries. I like it."}],"images":["ld25\/19333-ef55bbf89f1c6d79f366cd30bfad871b.jpg","ld25\/19333-31054e92bafef33163d6ce1deb6404ae.jpg"],"links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.rumachine.com\/789\/","text":"Web"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.rumachine.com\/789\/","text":"Source"}],"metadata":{"g_key":"27835","g_author":"19333","g_event":"LD25","g_eventkey":"14","g_subevent":"COMPO","g_urlkey":"27865","g_title":"789","g_status":"UCHK1","g_place":"563","g_commentcount":"36","g_site2_node_id":"0","g_hide":"N","g_has_icon":"Y","g_rqueue":"0","g_random":"0"},"nds":[],"node":null,"orig_images":["http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/201083\/19333-shot0.png-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/201083\/19333-shot1.png-eq-900-500.jpg"],"text":"I'll be honest. The point of this game is to challenge you to learn hidden patterns in space and time and to think nonlinearly. That's not an easy task. Many people don't get it. That is ok. You won't get it after one play. You won't get it after 10. After 50 times, 100, then you're probably getting somewhere. \r\n\r\nWhy is 6 afraid of 7? Because 789. Now, all the 9's are gone. So the 6's are in trouble. Lucky for you, you get to be the 7. But watch out, your other 7's have it out for you! How many 6's can you eat?\r\n\r\nLeft\/Right arrow keys to move. Tap Left\/Right touch screen to move on tablet. Open your mind.\r\n\r\n789 is an HTML5 game. The game is written using javascript engine CreateJS. The graphics were created using Artboard. The game is simple, and limited to a single level high score challenge. I have a lot of stuff going on this weekend, so I could only spend a couple hours on this. I've tested it on multiple modern browsers on PC, Mac, iPad, and iPhone.\r\n\r\nTwitter: @rumachine\r\nEmail: sean@rumachine.com\r\nBlog: www.rumachine.com\r\n\r\nIn response to some comments, I am adding a hint description:\r\n\r\nJust imagine the the 7 is a boat in the ocean, and that that there is a weird current that makes it float in a different direction depending on where it is in the screen. Also, imagine that when you press right it accelerates it in one direction (not necessarily right), and when you press left it accelerates in the opposite direction. Only, you don't get to see the current and you don't get shown what direction the control pushes it! \r\n\r\nAlso, I made it even more difficult by making the direction of the current in the background random for each new game :) and also making the current time varying. So, that means that each time you play, you have to learn a little about how it will respond to your L\/R (touch screen) input and then try and catch 6's.\r\n\r\nHint: At the beginning, the hidden current will be either right or left above the vertical center line, and the opposite direction below. Pressing R will accelerate the 7 either up or down, and L will accelerate it in the opposite direction. Hope this helps!\r\n\r\nThe whole process of learning how the 7 moves in response to your inputs (in space and time) is the main point of the game. It's not supposed to be easy! It's really, really hard!\r\n\r\nIt's a slow frustration at first, then an anxious addiction. Wagner helps both. Also, if this is too much for you, or just enough for you, sigsys for iOS (my first game ever) may be your cup of tea.<\/p>","title":"789"}