LudumData

Signal Steve by Isaac Hisey

[raw]
made by Isaac Hisey for Ludum Dare 59 (JAM)

Signal Steve is a puzzle game about reading, adjusting, and matching electronic signals to progress through each level. Every obstacle in the world, from locked doors to the exit tile, responds to a specific target signal. To move forward, you must inspect nearby objects, study the signal display, and adjust your own signal until it matches the required amplitude, frequency, shape, and color.

As you explore, you will use different signal computers to change each part of your signal. FRQ changes frequency, AMP changes amplitude, SHP changes shape, and COL changes color. The UI shows both your current signal and the target signal, along with indicators that tell you which values are required and whether they are currently correct. Colored crystals collected throughout each level unlock new color options for the COL computer, opening up new paths and solutions.

The goal is to understand the signal system, solve each room’s puzzle, and reach the end of the level with the correct signal. Signal Steve is about observation, experimentation, and learning how each piece of the system fits together.

If you feel a bit stuck in the first room, activate the door, it'll show you the way!

Itch.io https://thetornadotitan.itch.io/signal-steve
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/59/signal-steve

Ratings

Overall 381th 3.616⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Fun 324th 3.523⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 243th 3.674⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Theme 76th 4.326⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 585th 3.375⭐ 46🧑‍⚖️
Audio 434th 3.244⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Humor 465th 2.652⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Mood 639th 3.256⭐ 41🧑‍⚖️
Given 41🗳️ 67🗨️

Feedback

LDJam user 428140
Apr 20th · 05:23 UTC
The puzzles are a lot of fun and fit the theme perfectly!
bonedaddy
Apr 20th · 14:25 UTC
This is actually a good edutainment title, really reinforces the understanding of the components of a wave in a fun way
kaki
Apr 21st · 03:07 UTC
Such a clever and unique idea! The concept fits the jam theme really well, and it feels fresh compared to many other entries.
Lemma
Apr 21st · 03:36 UTC
Pretty cool game. I only got to level 3 or 4 before stopping, but what I saw was original and fun.
JudJudson
Apr 21st · 04:07 UTC
Fun puzzle game! Very chip's challenge.
🎤 Isaac Hisey
Apr 21st · 04:13 UTC
@judjudson Direct inspiration! Thanks for saying so!
4farandbeyond
Apr 21st · 04:49 UTC
Clever puzzle game! I wish I realized sooner that pressing space on the doors set your goal. Very cool!
MrTroy
Apr 21st · 04:59 UTC
I had to pause around level 4, I'm really curious how many levels there are. I do enjoy that it's progressively getting more complicated with the back tracking. I think I'm going to leave it muted in the background until I have a chance to come back and try and complete it.
🎤 Isaac Hisey
Apr 21st · 05:15 UTC
@mrtroy You're on the last one, just four. :)
MrTroy
Apr 21st · 05:30 UTC
Completed!!!
franklyn01
Apr 21st · 07:17 UTC
I really enjoyed it once I got figured out you can press space on the doors :D Love the music especially. What a creative idea!
nyxkn
Apr 21st · 08:47 UTC
Cool game! I thought the gameplay idea of matching the waves was very fun and engaging! One thing I found confusing at first was having to walk all the way to the exit door for the signal to change, and then walk back to the terminals. Just felt a bit tedious. Other than that great game!
MuzzLove
Apr 21st · 09:01 UTC
Realy great project!
LDJam user 409682
Apr 21st · 10:59 UTC
I liked the idea — it fits the event theme really well. But I couldn’t get past the room with the three computers. I tried a lot of different combinations :(

Thanks for the game!
martinfernandezGD
Apr 21st · 12:38 UTC
This is so much fun! It got easier when I realized I could see the signal by pressing the space bar.
noneegy
Apr 21st · 16:01 UTC
It is a cool idea, it is an interesting way to interpret the theme. The graphic is nice. Overall it is a solid jam game.
desi
Apr 21st · 20:08 UTC
it took me a while to get the hang of it but after it was quiet addicting :D!!

also cute graphics i rly enjoyed it!
braktheman
Apr 21st · 20:20 UTC
Fun little puzzle game feels like a modernized Chip's Challenge a bit. Great use of theme.

It's my fault for not reading the full instructions first, but it took me a while to realize I had to interact with the doors to get the matching waves so for a while I thought it was just an experimentation game.

Once I got that down the puzzles started flowing and got through it in relatively quick time.

Good level design and could be a fun concept to expand on.


Well done, team!
Jakob Meier
Apr 21st · 20:24 UTC
**STUCK?** Press space ON THE DOOR!
It will show the target signal.

I don't know why, it was absolutely not intuitive to me to interact with the door. I would inspect everything else but not the door. Maybe a visual hint that there is something to look at on the door would help? Something that looks like a display with a signal drawn on it, for example.

Cause here am I, was counting and studying every detail of the placements in the rooms, trying to find a hint on what shape, amplitude and frequency the game wants from me haha
takhomasac
Apr 22nd · 01:38 UTC
interesting concept and cute art! nice work
LDJam user 342640
Apr 22nd · 01:59 UTC
Fun puzzler! As others have said this is a good educational game for how waves work, and also that I think it should be stated that you can interact with doors to see the signal 'cause I also got stuck on that for a bit lol. Good job!
ursagames
Apr 22nd · 05:00 UTC
Really neat take on the theme and puzzle application! I also had the issue of not reading instructions first and didn't figure out how to interact with anything without reloading lol. I think a little sign or something with the interact button near a door might have saved a lot of people from that as the rest was very intuitive! The puzzles weren't too hard but were still fun to progress through!
zpdlf003
Apr 22nd · 08:58 UTC
Personally, I really enjoyed playing this game. The rhythm was really good.
oramun
Apr 22nd · 11:11 UTC
I really thought the mechanic of changing the signal to open the doors was really unique and i really enjoyed the puzzle aspects of the game. Fun game thanks
LDJam user 426288
Apr 22nd · 11:23 UTC
Matching signals to open doors is a great idea!
Accelerate0814
Apr 22nd · 11:28 UTC
I absolutely love the music, it's such a banger!
VenomousMouse
Apr 22nd · 13:59 UTC
Good game and interesting idea!
Haln
Apr 22nd · 16:32 UTC
It took me a second to figure out how things worked, but once I got it the gameplay was fun trying to figure out how to match the signals.

Once I figured it out, it was fun for a bit.
But then the constant backtracking started to interfere with the joy of solving the puzzles.

If you got the time between the player understanding the puzzle to them being able to complete it down, I really think you'd have a banger of a game.
DazyLude
Apr 22nd · 19:46 UTC
Pretty fun and interesting submission. The puzzles seem unique and entertaining, although it feels like most of them kind of solve themself :)

At the last door sequence I expected to have to go all the way back to get to the right terminal and fix the signal, but was relieved to find that wasn't the case haha
quitewavy
Apr 22nd · 22:01 UTC
it's an interesting concept! the puzzles are great, I had fun playing this game! art and sound are also very climatic
beats
Apr 23rd · 04:32 UTC
The puzzles were easy to follow and provided a bit of challenge, Would have been good to provide controls I was walking around the tutorial room thinking the signal would trigger by walking.
LLlarsO
Apr 23rd · 15:34 UTC
I like your puzzle ideas. With even more mechanics there is plenty room for more fancy riddles. :)

I think it would be a good idea to put the tipps/hints of your game on your game-page here on Ludum Dare too (especially that you can interact with the door). Otherwise there is a lot of text to read.

Very interesting game and the theme is absolutely visible.
anku
Apr 23rd · 19:42 UTC
A cool puzzle game. The 8-bit style is executed really well. I only felt it could have used a bit more dynamics, but overall it’s a great game.
Papaver
Apr 23rd · 21:23 UTC
Interesting puzzle game! Maybe there was a little too much of walking around needed.
At the third level, I noticed the green and red lights above the signal. In the fourth level I got a bit bored by the puzzles and all the walking around. But I pushed through and found the end of the game. :smile:

Nice clean graphics, a happy Steve in a gray environment. ;) I like the beat of the music, but the other noises are a bit repetitive and harsh, but they fit to the computer/signal theme. :wink:

Very clever game idea! :clap:
dqso
Apr 23rd · 23:13 UTC
Beautiful, challenging puzzle! Feels like a classic logic game from the old days
Planetary
Apr 24th · 07:57 UTC
Ha! I completed all 4 levels! Nice puzzle game!

I got stuck at the first level, in the last part (I panicked and refreshed the page), but after that it went smoothly! Graphics are good, same for the audio. Great job!
matt2728
Apr 24th · 12:49 UTC
Nice work, aligns with the theme :)
Jezzamon
Apr 24th · 15:29 UTC
Nice game!
🎤 Isaac Hisey
Apr 24th · 22:58 UTC
@lllarso Good idea! I added to the description: "If you feel a bit stuck in the first room, activate the door, it’ll show you the way!"

I always feel uneasy about making any changes as I feel the game should be in whatever state it was in when things were "pencils down" so to speak. Like once its submitted, that's it; that's the game.

Editing the description seems fair though :)
zimny11
Apr 26th · 22:34 UTC
Just finished the whole thing! Those were some solid puzzles, I loved it. The puzzles were great, only last and next to last puzzles felt like the difficulty was a bit revered (as in I found last one easier), but it might be also that I got used to the game mechanics. Speaking of, they were super intuitive in my opinion and I was able to figure out really fast how it worked and what game expected of me. Which also says a lot how well the whole thing is design. I was also pleasantly surprised with the amount of level, and that they didn't felt same-y. My only two kind of complains would be: I would prefer for the character to move just a little faster, since there is a bit of walking back and forth and music being kind of repetitive. That's it. Awesome job with the game.
CoastersPaul
May 01st · 16:01 UTC
Took me far too long to realize the doors were matching specific things it was telling me and I didn't have to match perfectly or just guess and it worked sometimes... but a lot of that's probably on me. :sweat_smile: Puzzles got pretty good! Difficulty curve felt maybe a little uneven in the middle - not sure how much of that was me just getting better, of course - but definitely still some good puzzles toward the end. Movement did feel just a little slow for some of the larger puzzles. Really liked how the sound effects fit the signal changes!
Fi7Games
May 03rd · 11:12 UTC
very cool puzzle