Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
THE INCREDIBLE MACHINE
The Incredible Machine
furnishes an excellent example of an imaginative and clever puz-
zle game that sold well. In fact, it's not just a game but a whole game franchise with five
editions so far. The current version,
Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions,
is
published by Sierra Entertainment (formerly Sierra On-Line).
The game consists of a series of puzzles, each of which involves building a crazy machine
to accomplish a certain task. The player constructs each machine in a two-dimensional
space upon which a variety of mechanical devices can be placed. (Some of these devices
are actually animals, which can be frightened by noises or lured by food.) Each puzzle
starts with a few objects in given positions, and the victory condition states what the
player must accomplish (for example, pop the balloon) using a limited number of addi-
tional devices. The player must place these devices and hook them together in such a
way that the resulting machine, when set in motion, achieves the goal. Playing the game
consists of adding elements to the machine, trying them out, adjusting them, trying them
again, and so on.
Figure 20.3
shows one of the scenarios in
The Incredible Machine
. The
goal is given at the left. Available parts are in the area beneath the main workspace.
FIGURE 20.3
The Incredible Machine
continues on next page
