Thanks, statements like this, will very concretely help us raise the money for the next game, so double up on a 1000 x thanks!!!
Painful realization? It gotta be a bit painful, when he realises, that he is not spoiling anything! Did you get here? And do you know, why he's not spoiling a thing by any chance? (It makes a game designer blush a bit, I have to admit) /Esben - designer - Heartbeats
Imgur the wasp nest! We're trying to figure out what imgur thinks of our press release puzzle: If you want to try it, the link for the actual puzzle is also posted here: http://imgur.com/gallery/7ajsDGD
I'm on the chess level and it seems incredibly buggy. I tried a move, wasn't good. Tried it again, it worked. Makes it seem like I'll never pass, because while I'm mucking about, the timer is running out. I've only managed to complete 1 in the timer, even when I get the first one right away. And now that I confirmed something I tried didn't work even though it was the answer, I'm hesitant to waste my time on it. Anyone else have this problem? Edit: I finally got it, but it still feels very slippery. Considering there's a timer, there needs to be more feedback so you don't keep trying the same moves over in case it's being buggy.
Thanks for the feedback! It ought not be buggy, but the design is certainly pretty unforgiving, that's true. SPOILER: Spoiler The "rules" of that puzzle are (hence the hints in the puzzle text): you have to make only one right move in every board in which you make a white king checkmate. The boards are random everytime a new one spawns even though there's only a certain amounts of boards to pick from, so every so often the same one will return. But hey, I hope you'll get through with the walkthrough now, though.
I knew what I needed to do, thanks. Problem was executing it. Finally got it, Spoiler but only because of the repeating puzzles. When I got five I already beat, I was able to to do it in the timer. But I still think it was a bit buggy, as, like I said, I tried a move and it didn't work, then after trying several other moves, my first one worked.
After having this sit unplayed for a bit of time I finally got around to giving it a try. Well worth it. I do like the art style, it's quite distinctive. The puzzles, on the first three levels at least, certainly are unique and very satisfying to get past once I sorted it out. I do like the option to play my own music, but I think it could have been better with a nice wee moodly ambient soundtrack as an option. I don't keep any music on my device, so without one as default I played in silence, which I think detracted from the atmosphere. Even without, it was still a bit unsettling. Which is by no means a bad thing. From what I see in the thread above, there seem to be some timed elements coming up later. To be honest, that does dissuade me from buying the full game. I personally prefer my puzzles to be a purely cerebral affair and strongly dislike any physical element added on, whether it is reflex or working against a clock. For me, it ruins the immersion in the game and worse, can make a puzzle difficult or impossible to solve even after I've worked out what I want to do. That frustration has ruined quite a few games for me in the past.
I, too, prefer relaxed puzzles without timers. So far, I'm on the 7th puzzle and two required reflexes or had a timer. Edit: I finished the game and didn't come across any more reflex/timer-based puzzles. So just those two!
Thanks, guys, yeah, we kind of felt the danger of having the action based elements in there. I think next time around we're gonna look at the option to leave them out. They are still sort of nice to come up with, while you design, that's probably part of why they are there in the first place. Darlings. Thanks a lot!
We grew up? My mom will think we finally grew up, because we made it to Time Magazine's best game of the week now! "A game that feels like a Gogol short story, Heartbeats is a puzzling little challenge that will take you quite some time to crack. The appeal of this game is largely in the way its designed as a series of scrawled, eerie doodles. The game tells a story, too: solve the puzzles one man left behind as his entire legacy. Each presents a unique task that will make you work hard and think differently. A strange game that should make the top of the charts in little time." http://time.com/3753451/iphone-best-games-mr-jump/ Do you agree with my parents or Time? I'm with Time. /Esben - designer - Heartbeats
The playlist provider interviews! Danny has released bleak electronic music under various guises for years. He Runs the drone & doom metal label Drowning and was active in the extreme music organisation noisejihad. Give Danny Kreutzfeldt's playlist a spin here: http://goo.gl/zP4lsk Interview We asked Danny a couple of questions about him and Heartbeats: "Us: Please, describe yourself as a music playlist creator. Danny: I like music with explorative, gloomy, abstract and/or ritual elements. As long as they are present, then genres are not that important. For the playlist I have focused on the death theme and sci-fi element in the game. I have also given it an ambient feel so the gamer could concentrate on the puzzles without too many screams, blast beats and base drums. Based on these criteria I have not been so polite, that I haven't added a couple of tracks I have been involved with. Us: How come you entered into this project? Danny: I am not a big game enthusiast, but the story and the aesthetic seemed appealing in relation to what I could contribute to regarding mood and atmosphere. It is also an interesting idea to have a game draw upon the huge cultural heritage available on various streaming platforms. I guess it is just a question of time before these services can provide their own playlists based on criteria like mood, genre or theme, which the game developers then can hook up to." Check more of what Danny Kreutzfeldt does: Periskop: Solo music project with industrial dub techno and U-boat noice http://periskop.cc/ Drowning: Drone & doom metal label. Releases free d(r)ownloads. http://drowning.cc/
From game design document to final artwork: Kamila Slocinska really deserves all the credit she's earning from Heartbeats, I think!
Great game. Bought almost immediately after the first 3 levels and the great hands-on Appspy did. Having difficulty in the soldiers level. Spoiler I got the first 2 words: "Eradicate All", but the last one eludes me. I get there's an "eel" and a "bell" minus the L, and perhaps "tear" or "sad" with the right soldier minus the A but it doesn't seem to work even with S the eel makes out. Tried secrets binders etc. Can I get hint before you tell me? Am I even on the right track? BZ
Boy, that one had me stuck completely. Once I figured out the pattern based on how far you got, I got the last word. Hint 1: Spoiler Move the ink bottle! Hint 2: Spoiler Bell, Tears
What would YOU do in a follow up? The reactions from you guys and the reviews in App Store you see below, really want us to make a follow up - or rather an entirely new graphic puzzle like Heartbeats! It's that simple. Thanks! What do you want us to explore, improve and include in a new graphic puzzle? Reactions from App Store players:
A Battle Against A Game Critic! I got a chance to battle a harsh critic on Heartbeats, and it turned out pretty funny, actually. Tell me, please, who you think came out on top here: http://www.gamereactor.eu/blogs/esbenkongorange/4894/#21484 And btw. this has made us proud http://www.148apps.com/reviews/heartbeats-review/ says Quote: "A work of indie art, its a cut above the rest of the App Store - reminding us just how creative gaming can be when the right minds get to work."
