Reviews for < lightBot >

[RichJewPimp]

From an engineering standpoint...

This game was great. I am currently working with engineering and this game is very well made, especially with the function ideas. Although, I must agree with both TooDice and GreatMagicHat that it was a bit tantalizing about the limited space, but it only made it more challenging. You should definitely make a second, but you might want to consider putting in some more functions, a larger main, and new program commands (i.e. diagonal across space or something like that). Overall, two thumbs up, 10/10.

[TooDice]

Another programmer's opinion

I am also a programmer, which is probably why I was also attracted to this game. However, as I write games, I understand the design choice made here. The limits are deliberate, and are what really provides the challenge. The puzzles included would be worthless if the space available for commands was increased, even if only by a little bit. Anyone can write an infinitely long program and see their way through the puzzles, but having to condense everything down to a brief routine and two even shorter procedures is what makes them difficult.

However, as a programmer I felt an itch to build huge and complex chains of instructions and I think that is was GreatMagicHat was also afflicted by. More levels, with a bit more main method space becoming available and an extra function or two (to allow for longer programs, thus more complex puzzles) would be nice. A few more commands unlocked in these later levels, like the flow control that GreatMagicalHat suggested would make this a classic. Perhaps even an unlimited (or as close as you can get) sandbox mode of some kind would extend the life somewhat and maybe even provide some video sharing opportunities. (The world's simplest machinima would be cool, right?)

Overall though it's a very nice game, akin to Tower of Babel from the Atari/Amiga days. The music is a little bit repetitive but the simplistic graphics suit the game's style perfectly and more than make up for it. I reckon it's worth a play for any puzzle game fanatic.

You get a 10 from me for making a game I've been itching to play since the days of the Atari ST.

[blazingman1]

ti si cool man ti cool

I like the game

[GreatMagicalHat]

Good, but I do miss a few things

I really, really, really liked the innovative idea behind this game. However as I consider myself a programmer (think C++. Java, Javascript, and php amongst other languages), I think the game was lacking some things and was somewhat misrepresenting at other times. I know it may not have been your goal to represent programming in a game type of form, but I guess that is how people probably see this.

I am missing:
(1) control structures (if, loops ed). You are not programming if you're not doing any control structures - and there most definitely are ways of making loops simple enough for this game.
(2) a way to 'insert' statements. A programmer - more than anyone else - is reliant on the ability of computers to let you write a line between line 4 and line 5, but here one can only overwrite

Furthermore there is one point which is seriously misrepresenting programming: the limited space. The way the space is set up and divided into three functions (one of which is main) has a lot of downsides: first of all you are removing one of the properties of programming: "every problem has multiple solutions - not all are equally simple (for the programmer to make) or fast (for the computer to run)." Secondly, this system makes people look for 'unnatural' functions, functions which are not present because they make sense, but just because a pattern in the 'code' was repeated a number of times and would thus help decrease the code size if put in a function.

Anyway, even though my criticism might make one believe otherwise, I did really like the game - it was a bit easy and short though (oh yeah, that's for me only - not for the majority of the people. I would love to see a longer part where it would get harder than this, but I do see that that is not possible in the way the game is right now). So, still a big thumbs up for you!

[humanshell]

I make the little bot dance! :P

This was an incredibly enjoyable game unlike any I've ever played. Any thoughts on making a second one?