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The Glass Bead Game (beta)

Archive: 13 posts

An as yet unfinished/WIP/beta I've been working on and off for so long on now that I thought I may as well publish as is - its playable, just lots to work out still/much more work to be done. It's quite likely that this version will be scrapped ultimately in favor of new verison... it's also quite likely I may never finish another level at this rate, hence publishing this as it functions without being complete.

Here's what it's all about -

The Glass Bead Game is an enigmatic, arcane game of aesthetics and musical composition - over the hundreds of years since the games inception the rules have been long forgotten - some say there were none to begin - the point is simply to play intuitively, for the sake of the game itself. CONTROLS - left stick moves hand. Holding X picks up bead, releasing X places bead. L1/L2 moves up and down layers. R1 shows board overview. L3 takes snapshot

Many thanks to shropshirelass for playing and reviewing so fast - not even sure how you found it! And for taking the pic.

http://i5.lbp.me/img/ft/76573735990f8aaf6501ad2b10ce71aba3b4cb02.jpg

On going thanks to JWW for his help with my accute Luditism!		2013-01-27 14:14:00

Author:
AccumulationNone
Posts: 58

I got to play with this a long time ago and blew my tiny mind away... Quite amazing!!! I shall go in for another try for some feedback.

Here is your photo..

http://i4.lbp.me/img/ft/a14b054fe368cb89e806968402950292f577f3b9.jpg		2013-01-27 15:06:00

Author:
jwwphotos
Posts: 11383

Many thanks to shropshirelass for playing and reviewing so fast - not even sure how you found it! And for taking the pic.

http://lbp.me/v/hr9x9x

You're welcome and there's no magic to it. I just happened to be online when you published it and because you're in my hearted creators list it popped up in my activity stream.

I've been having another go.

http://i5.lbp.me/img/ft/76573735990f8aaf6501ad2b10ce71aba3b4cb02.jpg

It really is very intriguing and enigmatic, as you say. It's also slightly disconcerting as I have no idea if I'm doing the right thing - I know you said there are no rules but even so... Anyway, I just keep moving the beads around and seeing what happens. I take it that if you finish the level, then the picture beads may also "do" something? It's very cool and just as wonderfully eccentric as your Wunderkammer levels. You really do have a unique style.		2013-01-29 01:39:00

Author:
shropshirelass
Posts: 1455

added to the queue.2013-01-29 04:43:00

Author:
biorogue
Posts: 8424

This was very impressive, I'm also rather unsure of the reason I was doing what I was doing, I dropped some music notes in the 'right' spot and BOOM everything got very pretty. I was rather impressed, and relaxed.

I'm not sure what the finished bits would result in, but... well as I said I liked this, reminded me of fl0wer as in, you're never really sure if something happened because of design or random coolness that comes about due to design.		2013-01-29 09:56:00

Author:
Mr_Fusion
Posts: 1799

Thanks v much shropshirelass! I have to ask about the pics - are you taking them with the L3 snapshot function, or some external way? I can't seem to take photos using it, I presumed it was because the player is hidden so had just thought it didn't work - now I'm intrigued!

And thanks Mrfusion, yeh hopefully once finished the connections will be slightly more obvious, I want it to be very open, no right or wrong, but it should be more logical than it currently is - there will also probably be some random bead distribution etc, so you have to work together. For instance the planet beads (spoiler?!) will not be all in a row on one players panel as they are currently, so the players will have to make that connection themselves.

It's been through many different remakes, trying to get a more cohesive system going. This is the earlier, more chaotic version that im returning to. I'm nearly there...

Thanks all for playing in this scrappy state!		2013-01-29 10:48:00

Author:
AccumulationNone
Posts: 58

Actually the comparison with Flower is a good one. You do just get absorbed in experimenting with the different effects. I do hope you complete the game because I would love to have some more elements to play around with.

I took the photos using the camera you access when you press the start button in a level. Just to the left of the heart button there's a camera button and clicking on it takes a full screen shot which you can upload once you've finished the level. 		2013-01-29 19:18:00

Author:
shropshirelass
Posts: 1455

I took the photos using the camera you access when you press the start button in a level. Just to the left of the heart button there's a camera button and clicking on it takes a full screen shot which you can upload once you've finished the level.

Well I never knew that - Very handy thanks!		2013-01-29 20:44:00

Author:
AccumulationNone
Posts: 58

Wow what a strange and mystical creation! Of course, what else would one expect from the creator of Wunderkammer! I feel like this game was actually being played in a backroom somewhere in your museum. The sites and sounds were mesmerizing and I felt I was transported to another dimension just to play this game. Wonderful that there's no right or wrong - it's all about the experience. I'll definitely play again!2013-02-03 00:57:00

Author:
TheCountessZ
Posts: 537

You've created a very fascinating kind of level here.
To be honest, I don't really know what's to do there, but after half an hour I realized that I'm still playing it
thats a very fresh idea. Good job.		2013-02-05 17:52:00

Author:
avundcv
Posts: 2526

As usual Accu, you have perplexed players with your amazing concepts. I remember the first time I played this thinking "What the heck?". As that is usually your goal, you far exceeded yourself!

Lovely use of colors, light, effects and madness along with ever changing music and sound. I love all the fun effects as you try and guess if this is a good move or a bad move. Incredible!!

I think it would be a nice touch there was a legend of sorts or maybe popup instructions for the different control movements. I see you have them listed in the description of the level. As most skim that or if not the leader completely miss that in loading the level, it would be nice as a reference to know what does what.

I think it would also be cool to have some movement sounds to the changing levels with the hands. Something very subtle.. Another thought is extra hums or some such sound as elements get close to each other while moving. Possibly at random times when going after different beads, you can almost hear whispers in some strange other language adding to the immersion.

Regardless, it is totally amazing. It really gives you that feel like you stumbled on some control device or possibly a game from another world or dimension. Like C said, something found or played deep in the backrooms of Wunderkammer itself.

Congrats!		2013-02-05 18:26:00

Author:
jwwphotos
Posts: 11383

interesting photo i will play it as soon as i will be back from school tomorrow 2013-02-05 22:11:00

Author:
Luke_MK_II
Posts: 1121

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Thanks avundcv, thats exaclty the approach I hope people will take!
The initial inspiration actually comes from your fellow countryman Herman Hesse, his novel Das Glasperlenspiel (or the Glass Bead Game to us non German speakers)

CountessZ, that's a great line about being transported to another dimension to play - just the mood I was aiming for!

JWW, great feedback thank you, some great ideas - subtle noises to indicate connections is v smart, something I hadn't considered. Illegible whispering - v cool!
This is really useful as I'm currently working on the new version (about the 8th!)

One thing that started to bug me after a while was having to go back to the outskirts of the board for the beads, so im hoping to have them just appear in the hand each turn - this though loses The choice of bead element, but tht maybe doesn't matter (?)
The new version, im playing around with a concept where all the beads are neutral at the start and then gain powers through connecting to others, this is more in keeping with the concept. Then you choose the beads in play if you want a specific one.

Good point about the controls not being available to everyone in this one, easy to do and would help I'm sure!

I'm really pleased to see people playing this level, it's sat on my moon for a year!		2013-02-07 10:17:00

Author:
AccumulationNone
Posts: 58


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