SpaceChem
Encyclopedia
SpaceChem is a cross-platform
indie
puzzle game from Zachtronics Industries, creator of Infiniminer which was the main basis of the cult indie game Minecraft
. It runs on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux
and iPad
.
to produce particular batches of chemical shipments for each level.
The primary game mode of SpaceChem is the internal workings of a Reactor, mapped out to a 10x8 regular grid. Each reactor has up to two inputs and up to two outputs, and supports two waldos, red and blue, manipulated through command icons placed on the grid. The player adds commands from an array to direct each waldo independently through the grid. The commands direct the movement of the waldo, to pick up, rotate, and drop atoms and molecules, and to trigger reactor events such as chemical bond formation. The two waldos can also be synchronized, forcing one to wait for the other to reach a synchronization command. The reactors may support specific nodes, set by the player, that act where atomic bonds can be made or broken, where atoms can undergo fission or fusion, or where logic decisions based on atom type can be made. As such, the player is challenged to create a visual program
to accept the given inputs, disassemble and reassemble them as necessary, and deliver them to the target output areas to match the required product. While the two waldos can cross over each other without harm, collision of atoms with themselves or the walls of the reactor is not allowed; such collisions stop the program and force the player to re-evaluate their solution. Similarly, if a waldo delivers the wrong product, the player will need to check their program. The player successfully completes each puzzle by constructing a program to generate the required output repeatedly to meet a certain quota.
In larger puzzles, the player can also guide the formation of chemicals through multiple reactors, which they place out on a larger rectangular grid representing the planet's surface. From here, the output from one reactor will become the input for another reactor; the player is often free to determine what intermediate products to produce to send to the next reactor. The player must not only program the individual reactors, often limited in functionality such as one that can only break bonds but not form them, but plan out the location and order of reactors to make the final product. Certain puzzles in the campaign require the player to efficiently create chemicals and deliver them in a timely manner, once the reactor systems have been started, to trigger defense systems to ward off attacking enemies before they destroy a control structure.
Upon completion of each puzzle, the player's performance is compared on a leaderboard based on the number of instructions placed in their reactors, the number of cycles it took to meet the quota, and the number of reactors required to meet the solution. The player also has an option to upload videos of their solution to YouTube
. The game's single-player campaign presents a number of these puzzles in order, with some optional side puzzles of increased difficulty. The player, once having cleared a puzzle, can return to previous puzzles to try to improve their solution by reducing the number of instructions, cycles taken, or reactors used. SpaceChem supports downloadable content
created by the developers themselves, and user-submitted puzzles through its "ResearchNet" service.
SpaceChem was released on January 1, 2011 via digital download from the Zachtronics website and was subsequently made available through other digital distribution platforms such as Valve Software's Steam distribution platform on March 4 and GamersGate
on March 17, 2011.
At first, Barth's team e-mailed Valve Software about the possibility of publishing the game on Steam, but nothing came out of it so Zachtronics launched their own store and self-published SpaceChem. After the game got reviewed by Rock, Paper, Shotgun
and got high marks, Zachtronics was contacted 2 days later by Valve Software with an interest to add it to Steam.
On April 29, 2011, multiple new features were added to the game with the Shareholders' Report update:
Barth has mentioned the possibility of a sequel in an interview with IndieGamer.com.
Zachtronics Industries has encouraged the game to be used as a learning tool for programming and chemistry concepts, and have offered a discounted rate for educational purposes. According to The Independent Games Developers Association
, schools in the United Kingdom have started using SpaceChem to teach students fundamental programming concepts.
SpaceChem has also been ported to the iPad
in October 2011, using touch controls instead of mouse and keyboard to manipulate the visual program. The game was included in the Humble Frozen Synapse Bundle
charitable sale in early October 2011.
and 9.5/10 at Igromania
. Quintin Smith of Rock, Paper, Shotgun
said "I think we might have just received one of the year’s best indie games in the first week of 2011" and Team Fortress
creator Robin Walker called it "Pretty much the greatest game ever made," with it as the only game on his recommendation page.
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
indie
Indie game
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
puzzle game from Zachtronics Industries, creator of Infiniminer which was the main basis of the cult indie game Minecraft
Minecraft
Minecraft is a sandbox-building independent video game written in Java originally by Swedish creator Markus "Notch" Persson and now by his company, Mojang, formed from the proceeds of the game. It was released as an alpha on May 17, 2009, with a beta version on December 20, 2010...
. It runs on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
.
Gameplay
In SpaceChem, the player takes the role of a SpaceChem Reactor Engineer whose task is to create circuits through which atoms and molecules flow with the aid of WaldosRemote manipulator
A remote manipulator, also known as a telefactor, telemanipulator, or waldo , is a device which, through electronic, hydraulic, or mechanical linkages, allows a hand-like mechanism to be controlled by a human operator...
to produce particular batches of chemical shipments for each level.
The primary game mode of SpaceChem is the internal workings of a Reactor, mapped out to a 10x8 regular grid. Each reactor has up to two inputs and up to two outputs, and supports two waldos, red and blue, manipulated through command icons placed on the grid. The player adds commands from an array to direct each waldo independently through the grid. The commands direct the movement of the waldo, to pick up, rotate, and drop atoms and molecules, and to trigger reactor events such as chemical bond formation. The two waldos can also be synchronized, forcing one to wait for the other to reach a synchronization command. The reactors may support specific nodes, set by the player, that act where atomic bonds can be made or broken, where atoms can undergo fission or fusion, or where logic decisions based on atom type can be made. As such, the player is challenged to create a visual program
Visual programming language
In computing, a visual programming language is any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating program elements graphically rather than by specifying them textually. A VPL allows programming with visual expressions, spatial arrangements of text and graphic symbols, used...
to accept the given inputs, disassemble and reassemble them as necessary, and deliver them to the target output areas to match the required product. While the two waldos can cross over each other without harm, collision of atoms with themselves or the walls of the reactor is not allowed; such collisions stop the program and force the player to re-evaluate their solution. Similarly, if a waldo delivers the wrong product, the player will need to check their program. The player successfully completes each puzzle by constructing a program to generate the required output repeatedly to meet a certain quota.
In larger puzzles, the player can also guide the formation of chemicals through multiple reactors, which they place out on a larger rectangular grid representing the planet's surface. From here, the output from one reactor will become the input for another reactor; the player is often free to determine what intermediate products to produce to send to the next reactor. The player must not only program the individual reactors, often limited in functionality such as one that can only break bonds but not form them, but plan out the location and order of reactors to make the final product. Certain puzzles in the campaign require the player to efficiently create chemicals and deliver them in a timely manner, once the reactor systems have been started, to trigger defense systems to ward off attacking enemies before they destroy a control structure.
Upon completion of each puzzle, the player's performance is compared on a leaderboard based on the number of instructions placed in their reactors, the number of cycles it took to meet the quota, and the number of reactors required to meet the solution. The player also has an option to upload videos of their solution to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. The game's single-player campaign presents a number of these puzzles in order, with some optional side puzzles of increased difficulty. The player, once having cleared a puzzle, can return to previous puzzles to try to improve their solution by reducing the number of instructions, cycles taken, or reactors used. SpaceChem supports downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
created by the developers themselves, and user-submitted puzzles through its "ResearchNet" service.
Development
SpaceChem took about a year of weekends by a team of 7 people from around the globe to create: Zach Barth on design and production, Collin Arnold and Keith Holman on programming, Ryan Sumo on visuals, Evan Le Ny on music, Ken Bowen on sound and Hillary Field on narrative.SpaceChem was released on January 1, 2011 via digital download from the Zachtronics website and was subsequently made available through other digital distribution platforms such as Valve Software's Steam distribution platform on March 4 and GamersGate
GamersGate
GamersGate AB is a Sweden-based online video game store offering PC games, Mac games and electronic guides via direct download. It is a competitor to online video game services such as Valve's Steam, Direct2Drive and Impulse....
on March 17, 2011.
At first, Barth's team e-mailed Valve Software about the possibility of publishing the game on Steam, but nothing came out of it so Zachtronics launched their own store and self-published SpaceChem. After the game got reviewed by Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a UK-based PC gaming blog written by Alec Meer, Jim Rossignol, John Walker, and previously Kieron Gillen and Quintin Smith. Rock, Paper, Shotgun launched in July 2007. In 2010 the website partnered with Eurogamer...
and got high marks, Zachtronics was contacted 2 days later by Valve Software with an interest to add it to Steam.
On April 29, 2011, multiple new features were added to the game with the Shareholders' Report update:
- ResearchNet which gives players access to a level editor and new assignments via the Journal of Reaction Engineering
- Steam achievements
- Friend Leaderboards
- Team Fortress 2Team Fortress 2Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play team-based first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed by Valve Corporation. A sequel to the original mod Team Fortress based on the Quake engine, it was first released as part of the video game compilation The Orange Box on October 10, 2007 for Windows...
integration: Team Fortress 2-themed levels were added to SpaceChem while promotional virtual itemsVirtual goodVirtual goods are non-physical objects purchased for use in online communities or online games. They have no intrinsic value and are intangible by definition....
were added to the first-person shooterFirst-person shooterFirst-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
online game Team Fortress 2. - Customized Forum Signatures
Barth has mentioned the possibility of a sequel in an interview with IndieGamer.com.
Zachtronics Industries has encouraged the game to be used as a learning tool for programming and chemistry concepts, and have offered a discounted rate for educational purposes. According to The Independent Games Developers Association
The Independent Games Developers Association
TIGA is the national trade association representing the business and commercial interests of video and computer game developers in the UK and Europe...
, schools in the United Kingdom have started using SpaceChem to teach students fundamental programming concepts.
SpaceChem has also been ported to the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
in October 2011, using touch controls instead of mouse and keyboard to manipulate the visual program. The game was included in the Humble Frozen Synapse Bundle
Humble Indie Bundle
The Humble Indie Bundles or Humble Bundles are a series of game bundles, that are sold and distributed online at a price determined by the purchaser. The games are multi-platform, DRM-free, and independently developed, and buyers can set the revenue split between the developers, charities and...
charitable sale in early October 2011.
Reception
SpaceChem got a 7/8 from Out of Eight, 89/100 at PCGamer, 9/10 from EurogamerEurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
and 9.5/10 at Igromania
Igromania
Igromania is a monthly Russian games magazine published in Moscow and distributed mostly in Russia and the CIS countries. Tekhnomir company started the publication in September 1997. The circulation in June 2009 was 190,000 copies . Each issue contains 208 pages...
. Quintin Smith of Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a UK-based PC gaming blog written by Alec Meer, Jim Rossignol, John Walker, and previously Kieron Gillen and Quintin Smith. Rock, Paper, Shotgun launched in July 2007. In 2010 the website partnered with Eurogamer...
said "I think we might have just received one of the year’s best indie games in the first week of 2011" and Team Fortress
Team Fortress
Team Fortress is a team- and class-based online multiplayer video game mod based on id Software's Quake. Team Fortress was designed and written by Robin Walker, John Cook and Ian Caughley in 1996. The mod's gameplay has caught on with a large following of fans, which has spurred many developers to...
creator Robin Walker called it "Pretty much the greatest game ever made," with it as the only game on his recommendation page.