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Blackout's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Audio | #260 | 3.927 | 3.927 |
| Creativity | #379 | 4.268 | 4.268 |
| Enjoyment | #1126 | 3.732 | 3.732 |
| Artwork | #1911 | 3.732 | 3.732 |
| Narrative | #6956 | 2.024 | 2.024 |
Ranked from 41 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
How does your game fit the theme?
The game revolves around decrementing numbers to zero.
(Optional) Please credit all assets you've used
See description for full credits.
(Optional) What would you like to be called if GMTK features your game?
Isak
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Comments
Really relaxing vibe! Great combination of art and music. Nice work.
If you have a minute, I'd really appreciate if you checked out the puzzle game my team and I made as well and maybe give it a rate.
Thank you! I’ll give your puzzle game a go when I have the time. 🙂
Love that you made such a simple game so interesting to play and at the same time so difficult. Great game!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. <3
Man i suck @ss at this game LOOOOL but honestly a simple but clean game. Well done!
Thank you! <3 You wouldn’t be the only one that finds it difficult.
Solved 2x2 after a few time (thanks Yousurname for comments); for higher diffs had to call Yakov Perelman. Really cool puzzle and env (nice of you to add such calming music)!
Thank you for your kind words, and well done beating the 2x2. The higher difficulties to ramp up quite a bit. 😆
Very challenging puzzles, I wasn't able to solve even a 2x2... It definitely felt doable though!
Thank you! Very difficult but also very doable indeed.
Absolutely love the BGM. The game loop is very nicely designed with a good challenge level. Had fun playing it and loved it! Also the game feels very polished. Nailed it!
Thank you for your kind words, and I'm glad you liked it! For the background music all credit goes to musician Scott Buckley from whom I got it - and I couldn't agree more, it's a lovely track.
A very simple yet challenging puzzle. I managed to get the 3x3 after a long while. I was trying to solve it with linear algebra but the matrices were too big. I’m wondering if there’s a logical strategy that is feasible for humans to execute. I did notice that once you get all the cells to either 0 or 5 then it simplifies to binary as the number of clicks you need for each cell is either 0 or 5.
For 2x2, let w, x, y, z be the numbers in the cells at the top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right respectively. Then, let S be 7(w + x + y + z). The number of clicks you need in each cell are a = S - z, b = S - y, c = S - x, d = S - w, all mod 10. Alternatively, you can multiply the inverse of the matrix [1 1 1 0, 1 1 0 1, 1 0 1 1, 0 1 1 1] by the vector [w, x, y, z] and then multiply by 21 and modulo each number by 10.
Frankly, I'm not well versed enough in linear algebra to go from a defined system to solving said. I'd be interested to see how you arrive at these results for the case of the 2x2 grid, if you don't mind sharing. I'll try to dig into the math of this tomorrow and write a solver.
Both come from the system of equations w = a + b + c, x = a + b + d, y = a + c + d, z = b + c + d, all mod 10. These come from each click affecting all cells except the one opposite from it. If you add these equations up you get w + x + y + z = 3(a + b + c + d) (mod 10). The modular inverse of 3 mod 10 is 7, as 3 * 7 = 21 = 1 (mod 10). So, the equation can be rewritten S = 7(w + x + y + z) = a + b + c + d (mod 10). To solve for a, subtract b + c + d from both sides, and since b + c + d is z, a = S - z (mod 10). Similar steps can be applied to b, c, and d. The second method is solving the system using linear algebra method and you multiply by 21 to make the resulting vector all integers since 21 = 1 (mod 10).
Smart! Thanks for sharing.
It's indeed a linear modular system, that should be solvable - at least for the computer. For the case of 0's and 5's only it's binary alike that of lights out puzzles which this game was inspired by. As far as I'm currently aware by my own testing and reading of comments, there's not a discovered logical strategy that leads directly to solutions. Thanks for taking such an interest in my little game!
It seems this unsolved mystery didn't sit quite right with me. Here's a solver I wrote in python, that does not apply linear algebra techniques. I'll try to explain it here shortly, but if you want implementation details see the paste below. Although scaling severely worse than a linear algebra solution, the approach is capable of solving 7x7 grids. I would upload a video of a demo, but it was a bit of hassle to do with itch.
https://paste.myst.rs/1eux4vll
I'll use the term move here to denote the clicking of a tile. Firstly, iterate through all possible sets of moves that could be applied to the top row, that is for any tile anywhere from zero to nine moves, and apply these to a copy of the grid. Secondly, iterate through all the tiles in the second row and apply as many moves to said tile as the value of the tile above in the top row - for any other amount of moves, the tile above would never achieve the value zero. Continue the process of applying moves in a similar manner for all rows. Lastly, check if all the tiles in the bottom row are zero, in which case the puzzle is solved.
Nice, relaxing puzzle game, that was also way more challenging than it looked. I loved the general vibe of this game! Great work!
Thank you!
Really fun game! Almost got the 3x3 except for one tile lol. Will likely come back to it later and try to beat it! Great work!
Thank you! Good luck should you attempt it again.
Such a great puzzle! I managed to beat the 3x3, and got close (or at least it felt like it) on the 4x4, but unfortunately I didn't have time to complete it. I may come back and solve that one as well though, it's a very engaging challenge. Great job on designing the puzzle, but also complementing it with such nice music, art and sound design
Wow, you solved the 3x3! 🎉 You'd be the first to do that going off my other commenters' comments on the difficulty... Well done, it's an impressive feat. Thanks for your kind words, and good luck should you give the 4x4 another go! <3
Its like a lights out puzzle but even more challenging. I felt very accomplished when i beat the 2x2 but I couldn't get any higher than that.
'
It's like a lights out puzzle but instead of one of two states being valid, one of ten states is - and that probably explains the added difficulty. Well done completing the 2x2, that's more than most people.
managed to get the 2x2, then lost my mind when I realized there was a 7x7. great execution.
😂 I added a 7x7 just because, and it's possible in theory but I'd be really surprised to see someone do it, myself included. You'd really have to develop some sort of more advanced strategy at that point, like algorithms for a Rubiks's cube. Thanks, and good job solving the 2x2, not everyone does!
Clean and elegant! There's a strategy to this but I can't for the life of me figure it out for the 2x2 version, let alone anything larger
😂 The key is experimenting a bit with it and you'll eventually get it - for the 2x2 at least. Thanks for your kind words!
I fear I am not smart enough (or maybe can't think far ahead enough) for this game but!! I really enjoyed the music/audio, how tactile the controls were and the soothing color palette. (Despite the fact I'm not very good at it,) this is a great game that feels very polished.
You're not alone! It's a very difficult game I've heard from other commenters and experienced firsthand despite being the developer. I'm glad you enjoyed it nevertheless, and thank you for your kind words. <3
What a crazy amount of depth for such simple mechanics! Definitely need to get the "knack" of it, sure there's a logical progression but way over my head atm, but excited to try more. So lovingly executed; the gentle music, sfx, and art style reminds me of those calming Mahjong games, almost a "place" you occupy for a while than just a game. Love it. (as an aside, the page itself is so nicely put together!)
This must be one of the nicest comments I've ever gotten on a game. Thank you for your kind words, it warms my heart. And I'm glad you noticed the itch page; I spent some time styling that with a bit of CSS magic.
I love a game with simple mechanic yet scratches your brain when playing like this one. The theme is implemented really well, it's really relevant in the game especially when you're always thinking of ways to make these numbers go down. Nice.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. <3
Deceptively challenging puzzle! The execution is really neat
Thank you!
Really loved the puzzles! Loved how the theme itself was implemented like that as a puzzle.
The game itself was really calm and challenging, but overall still enjoyable to think about.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. <3
A neat, clean puzzle game with a simple concept that's surprisingly challenging. Liked the pastel palette and the overall cozy feel.
Thank you!
Very simple to understand and very tricky to win. Super clean UI! Well done!
Thank you for your kind words! It’s very tricky indeed - even for the developer.