Hi, I am a big fan of puzzle games and a hobby app developer for mobile apps (both iOS and Android) during my free time. In summer 2010 I came up with an idea about a puzzle game, which I believe is quite novel and unique (AFAIK). After several months of development during late-night hours, I am finally ready to release an iOS puzzle game app based on this idea. The app is called FUUSIO. 'Fuusio' is a Finnish word meaning 'fusion'. As the name suggest, the idea of the puzzle is centered around combining blocks by applying a set of logical rules. The objective of the FUUSIO puzzle game is to remove all Shape Blocks (see the examples in the video below) from a puzzle puzzle grid. Each Shape Block consists of 1 - 8 colored tiles. When a Shape Block is modified to contain 9 tiles of the same color it is removed from the puzzle grid. Shape Blocks can be modified or moved by combining them with other Shape Blocks or with Operator Blocks of various types (Color, Filter, Jump, Invert, Mask, Move, Pattern, Rotate, Shift, Swap, and Teleport). Operator Blocks can be also modified or moved by using other Operator Blocks. This makes the puzzle levels more dynamic, interesting, and challenging. The extensive set of Operator Block types provides means for creating a variety of different types of puzzle levels. I am still experimenting with various ideas. If you get a good idea, please contact me. I hope the following game play video presents the idea well enough. I am sorry for the bad quality of the video. I just used Quicktime to do a screen recording with an audio. The app also looks very sluggish on video, but that is because the video is recorded using a iOS simulator on an old and slow Macbook. At least on iPhone 4 the app runs 60 fps. A better game play video is the works. (I am interested to receive advice about how to produce decent game play video without spending a fortune either on hw or sw). Note: The puzzle levels solved on the video are simple tutorial levels. The tutorial levels are used to introduce various block types and the rules to combine them. At the end of video there are couple of actual puzzle levels. Puzzle grid sizes are from 3x3 to 6x6 grid cells, but even 3x3 levels can be quite tricky to solve. The first released version of the puzzle game comes with 200 levels. More levels will be added on each update release. I have also created a level editor which is an desktop app for developing the puzzle levels. However, I have also a prototype for a built-in level editor. Game Center support with a Leaderboard is included. This is the very first game app I am about to release, so I am looking for your feedback and comments. I am committed to continue with this project and I have quite many ideas how to extend both the app and the puzzle game itself with new features. You can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FuusioPuzzle I am writing a blog about FUUSIO: http://fuusiopuzzle.blogspot.com You can also contact me via email: [email protected] Thx, -- Marko
Thank you for your feedback. That particular block your referring to, is the "Invert" block. It modifies other blocks to be logically their "opposite" blocks. For instance, a Shape Block is actually a 3x3 grid containing 1 - 9 colored tiles. If you combine a Shape Block with an Invert Block, the latter toggles the visibility of individual tiles in the Shape Block: A tile that is visible is set to be invisible in vice versa. I hope the following screenshot taken from the info pages of Fuusio app illustrated how the Invert Block can be used to modify some other types of blocks:
Brief instructions for FUUSIO Hi, I added a blog post that provides brief instructions for playing FUUSIO. The same instructions are also included in the app: http://fuusiopuzzle.blogspot.com/2012/05/brief-instructions-for-playing-fuusio.html
A Small Competition Hi, I am still waiting for my app to be approved to App Store, and I have to say that I am really excited about releasing it. I have been developing the app alone, and I would like to get some new and fresh ideas. So, I decided to arrange a small competition: I would like you to propose me new block types I could add to FUUSIO. As an example, I have one new block type already in the works, called 'Mirror Block'. As the name suggests, the Mirror block transforms Shape Blocks and Operation Blocks like mirror. I will pick up three best ideas, and I will give a free promo code for each of them. If I receive several ideas that can be consider to be basically the same, I will select the first one. Surprise me
FUUSIO approved for sales Hi, I am pleased to announce that FUUSIO has been approved for sale on App Store and should be available within next 24 hours I will post the iTunes link later on.
I love puzzle games, but I think that this one could pose a few problems in remembering what all the special "operator" blocks do - especially if you come back to the game after a lengthy absence and have forgotten the tutorial. Could I suggest that when you tap on one of the special "operator" blocks onscreen that you get a little popup saying what it does? I know you said you have info/help pages within the app, but it's always better to find your answer on the same screen you're on, rather than leave the screen, navigate somewhere else, find your answer and then navigate back. BTW, the games looks awesome, and I'll be buying a copy right now...
Seeing it in gameplay, I understood it, but I would say, that just by looking at it, it's not obvious what it is. I'd suggest altering it to a 3x3 checkerboard grid, rather than a 2x2 checkerboard grid...?
Hi, Thanks for the comments Some of my friends have made quite similar comments to yours concerning the rather large number of various "operator" blocks. Your proposal is really worth considering. In the next update, I probably add a feature where the type of the currently selected block is shown.
Yes, it is on my todo-list to expand the FUUSIO app to be universal - I do not have plans to release a separate HD version. I have an iPad, and I like to play FUUSIO using the 2x mode.
I am not a graphical designer, and it has been a bit painful for me to create block symbols that would be obvious. When I created the symbol for "Invert" I actually did a google image search, and I found that there is no "standard" icon for representing invert action. I took inspiration for the current symbol from an icon I saw in some old graphics/bitmap editor. I will consider 3x3 checkerboard grid styled icon (as well as any other proposal ), but I see the problem that some users would consider it be too similar to Mask Block icon.
How about this symbol? The SWAP Block here looks more like a 180-degree ROTATE block. Wouldn't a pair of arrows pointing in opposing directions be more appropriate? Also, I think the Duplicate block needs a Plus symbol. But otherwise, I think all the other icons look great! Nice job!
The auto-commit mode is on by default. The mode means that when you select two blocks to be combined, you do not need to press the Apply button in order to finalize the combining of the blocks. It is possible to toggle this mode off, and then the user needs explicitly to press the Apply button in order to finalize merging of the blocks. Did I answered your question?
Yes, I have seen that particular "invert" symbol, and I did consider to use it. At least it is distinctive from other symbols, and used in some other contexts for representing invert action. I will re-consider to use it. Heh. The previous version of the symbol for Swap Block was exactly what you described Something in it bothered me, and I replaced it with the current one. I choose to use the current copy icon, because it is well know icon. I personally interpret a plus icon as an action to create and add a new item. Thank you for your active commenting - very good ideas to be consider for my *first* update for FUUSIO.
I don't know if I described what I meant properly - I meant keep the exact same icon you already have but just add the plus symbol to that existing icon...
