Pulsus, a game of particles by Anthony Mattox
Pulsis is a puzzle game about particles designed by Anthony Mattox.
About the Game
Pulsus is a flash game in which players must solve puzzles by arranging objects in order to move particles from an emitter into goal points. The game is in part about solving puzzles, but also about exploring and understanding a dynamic, engaging, system.
The goal of the project was to create a game that was aesthetically compelling, fun, and logically engaging. Players enter the game with little explanation and, through initially simple levels, explore how to manipulate the system to accomplish goals. While it is essentially a puzzle game, the system being solved is constantly in flux.
Within the game, each level consists of a few objects on the stage and others which can be placed onto it. These include objects which generate, particles, and destroy particles. Using these objects players must move particles into goal objects on the stage. The particles and objects are each one of three colors. Particles are effected differently by objects of their own color. Force objects attract their own color and repel others. Goal objects are filled with their own color but are drained by others. Objects can also be a fourth, neutral, color, which accepts, pushes, or otherwise manipulates all particles the equally. Most objects on the stage at the start of each puzzle are locked in place.
Resources
Pulsus was created using Adobe Flash and Actionscript 3. The audio was created in Pure Data with some mixing in Audacity.
The concept of the game emerged from my work with particle systems in Processing, and was heavily inspired and influenced by the work of the Processing community. Ultimately, Flash is a more broadly accessible platform and a standard for web games.
About the Creator
Anthony Mattox is a digital artist and designer. His recent work consists largely of generative applications written in Processing. His generative work often uses particle systems in order to construct complex, colorful images exploring form, texture, and pattern.
As an interaction designer, he aims to create intuitive and aesthetically engaging systems. This is a explorative synthesis of his artwork and interaction design in what is hopefully an enjoyable game.
Anthony is not a gamer and hopes that Pulsus, his very first game, will be enjoyed by the gaming community. He would also like to encourage feedback in order to improve this, and future games.