Splotches
Intro
Installation:
Today's game is a 36.7Mb download that unpacks to two files, a read me and a dual activation and set up module. The installed game is 36.3Mb. Shortcuts are installed to the desktop and the Start/Programs menu, plus there’s also an uninstaller which is accessible from the start menu.
Explosion
Introduction:
Splotches is a new puzzle game with lots of paint, explosions, and bright colors. Spread and mix colors to make brown, which explodes in a flurry of awesome sound effects and mesmerizing particles. Your goal is to destroy the rainbow Orb, but you’re sometimes hampered by several obstacles that you must overcome, such as volatile mines, locked walls, teleporters, and all the habooglery of other interesting items.
Reference http://splotchesgame.com/index.php accessed 28th aug 2020
Explosion Stage 1 (Brownsplosion)
Explosion stage 2 (Woot)
End of Level Statistics
Progress from in-your-sleep easy mode to brain-meltingly hard spluzzles.A detailed tutorial is included with the demo. Splotches only requires a mouse.
Brush up on those things you learned in art class long ago:
Yellow + Blue = Green
Red + Yellow = Orange
Blue + Red = Purple
And you'll be right at home.
Reference http://www.indiepubgames.com/game/Splotches accessed 28th Aug 2020
The Game:
The goal of the game is to destroy orbs, and other items by combining specific colors to create brownsplosions (explosions) near the object to be destroyed. Creating the wrong combination can result in black splotches that will impede your progress and lower your level scores. Once you’ve completed the level a window appears with the level stats that includes your score, any black splotches you’ve made, which give a negative score as well as the number of moves you made. The smaller the number of moves the more points you score.
The game starts up in a window. To get to the main menu click on the play button from the intro screen. You’ll find the screen mode button to the bottom right of the main menu. The main menu is rather different from the usual main menu with the different difficulty levels being shown where you normally get a main menu. There are four categories; 9 tutorial levels, 21 easy levels, 26 medium levels and 11 hard levels, making a total of 67 puzzles. This seems rather a small number of puzzles for a full version game; however there is a levels editor that the developer calls a spluzzle maker, that enables you to make as many custom made levels as your imagination will allow. At this time there is no facility on the developers site to access other peoples custom levels, but if this game takes off I’m sure that will become an option (hint to the developer) :)
Color chart
Along the bottom of the main menu you’ll find several buttons that give access to the title screen, a color chart which shows you the various color combinations you can make.
There are four sections covered which include the following:
• Mixing Primary colors
• Brownsplosions
• Ingredients covered
• Black splotches
To win levels you have to combine primary colors to create mixes that are then mixed with a specific primary color (which is dependent on the secondary color you’ve created) to create brownsplosions. Mixing the wrong color combination will result in a black splotch which will take away points. Black splotches cannot be removed and can cause obstructions. If you get stuck you can restart the level, and you can replay any level you wish to improve your score. (:
Main Menu
In Game Image showing sevral item types
There’s also a button for changing the volume, though there is no separate button for effects and music and a button to access the levels editor (spluzzle maker). The spluzzle maker is relatively easy to use with an inventory button that gives access to all in game items such as bombs, mines, color plates that only allow the color specific to the plate to pass, teleporters, locks, keys and conveyors, that move splotches around automatically. Beware of these as you can end up in a trapped loop if you don’t select the correct conveyor, as well as the primary and secondary colors.
To save a custom made level click on options. A drop down menu will appear that enables you to set the difficulty, name the level as well as save or load to test it. At first glance the level editor looks a little confusing; as does the game play; however, once you’ve played through the tutorial levels the game and levels editor inventory will make more sense.
Video:
You can watch several videos of the game play HERE, HERE and HERE, plus a trainer video HERE
Images:
I’ve posted over 50 images in a slideshow that include tutorial images and in game images which you can access HERE. Yu can also check all of the images on one page by clickin on the grid button. Just hover your mouse pointer over the bottom right of the screen and a film strip will appear with the grid button above it. There’s a zoom facility once you’ve opened the zoom page.
Tutorial Image
Conclusion:
This is a rather entertaining and original take on color mic=xing and puzzle solving, though initially I found the game rather confusing due to the lack of any read me instructions. however the tutorial did help make things clearer. I'd definitely recommend starting off with the easy levels once you've completed the tutorial levels, then progress to the more difficult levels. by the time you've completed the game you'll easily be able to design more levels for the rest of the family to solve.
I’ve uploaded screen captures of all of the tutorial screens, which you can see via the image link I’ve provided above. The ability to access any of the puzzles is a plus and the colourful look to the game should be appealing to both adults and children, though I do think adult supervision will be required, especially to show how the game works. The harder levels may also be too challenging for all but the brightest of children and adults.
The rules are simple, but the harder levels are quite complex to crack.
It’s definitely a game I’ll be keeping for a rainy day as there’s potential in this game. In my opinion it’s well worth 7.5 out of 10 for originality and family fun (I've revised my original score after spending some time playing this appealing and addictive game.
A useful addition to this game would be access to a upload page where you can upload or download custom made levels. I’d also like to see a read me with clear and concise instructions on all aspects of the game including the levels editor and a rationale for creating the game. Finally a few mini games would improve the overall feel of the game.
Thank you to the developer for sharing this little gem and as always to the game giveaway team for bringing us free games. although we aren't supposed to post emails in the forums once i've sorted the codong for the forums i'll post this together with the developers email so that you can send him your created levels. :idea: Who knows the developer may even release them as free add-on packs to the main game, with the names of the creators acknowledged. cool! :)
The developer has suggested that you post any custom made levels that you create to his Email. Please PM me if you have any levels to upload and I’ll PM back his Email. You can access his website HERE
