Looming
July 6, 2010 2:41 AM Subscribe
This game is about two lovers named January and September.
No, wait; it’s about a group of people who don’t believe in the sky.
No, it’s about a pantheon of scientific disciplines.
Or maybe it’s about an ancient beast who knew exactly when it was going to die, and how.
It’s about a place. A place called Looming.
A flash exploration game by Gregory Weir (his other games).
A flash exploration game by Gregory Weir (his other games).
Ask me about LOOM™!
posted by obiwanwasabi at 2:52 AM on July 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by obiwanwasabi at 2:52 AM on July 6, 2010 [6 favorites]
I get the feeling I'm missing something here. If this was a text adventure:
...and so on.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:17 AM on July 6, 2010 [7 favorites]
You're in a black field with white dots, all alike. Except that one.
>go to dot
You find the Ancient Ticketyboo of Basketweaving XVII.
>r
You run off in a random direction.
>l
You're in a black field with white dots, all alike. Except that one.
>go to dot
You find the Sit Amet Pencil of Chewing III. Oh, shadows, sweet January!...and so on.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:17 AM on July 6, 2010 [7 favorites]
January, my love:
My clotted prose has formed a visible cloud that trails you like hellhound chili farts at the national gallery. Forgive me.posted by pracowity at 4:58 AM on July 6, 2010 [8 favorites]
ShawnStruck, I don't know how to say this without a spoiler...
The diagram applies to the lampposts as well, yeah two puzzles on one 'item' is kind of weird
posted by Phantomx at 4:58 AM on July 6, 2010
The diagram applies to the lampposts as well, yeah two puzzles on one 'item' is kind of weird
posted by Phantomx at 4:58 AM on July 6, 2010
Oh, joy.
More of what the "Are games art?" debate worried me would occur.
Add one part incomprehensible plot.
Stir in one part retro style low rez graphics (the only ones my failed art classes self could make).
Shake to blend one part cool Flash community hosting.
And pour to serve...
ART GAME!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY USSSSSSSS!
posted by Samizdata at 5:14 AM on July 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
More of what the "Are games art?" debate worried me would occur.
Add one part incomprehensible plot.
Stir in one part retro style low rez graphics (the only ones my failed art classes self could make).
Shake to blend one part cool Flash community hosting.
And pour to serve...
ART GAME!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY USSSSSSSS!
posted by Samizdata at 5:14 AM on July 6, 2010 [3 favorites]
Minus the cumbersome verbiage it's not a bad little puzzle game. There's something about games that require one to randomly trudge about looking for barely-visible items that is incedibly addictive.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 5:29 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 5:29 AM on July 6, 2010
I lost The Game, and I was doing really well, too.
posted by oddman at 5:55 AM on July 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by oddman at 5:55 AM on July 6, 2010 [2 favorites]
Kind of reminded me of a art-fartier, not as weird version of Yume Nikki. I liked it.
posted by kkokkodalk at 6:06 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by kkokkodalk at 6:06 AM on July 6, 2010
OK, here's what I did. I arrow-keyed around looking for anything that looked like a cylinder with an x above it. I put my guy over the x and pressed the x key. That showed me some silly text like "Welcome, Visitor. The time I have left here is brief, and I'm not wearing any pants, so I will dispense with courtesy. I wish you to visit and learn. South of here is a patch of rough ground. Look in the center for a hidden signpost." And sure enough, when I went toddling off to the south, there was another cylinder with another note tacked to it. Also, if I press c I saw a bunch of question marks on the screen. I don't know what that is. If I press c again, they go away. Little stuff moves around and a cloud doles indeed follow me about, but I don't know what's up with that stuff.
So far, I'm not excited. What am I supposed to be learning? Bring on the dancing girls.
posted by pracowity at 6:13 AM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
So far, I'm not excited. What am I supposed to be learning? Bring on the dancing girls.
posted by pracowity at 6:13 AM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
C is your inventory, each question mark is an item you haven't found yet, each line is a type of item.
posted by Evilspork at 6:42 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by Evilspork at 6:42 AM on July 6, 2010
Ah. Thanks. I thought the cylinders were the goal. It's the little twinkling stars. They bing when you run into them and they show up automatically in your inventory.
posted by pracowity at 7:15 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by pracowity at 7:15 AM on July 6, 2010
It's a collection game. There are six types of items to collect. Generally speaking, each completed set enables another exit from the game-board. The apparent intended game flow is for you to follow the hidden signposts and do your collection along the way, but you don't have to do it that way. As you find each exit, the pips on the start screen will color in. Your collection persists when entering/leaving the board (possibly browser setting dependent.)
posted by snuffleupagus at 8:59 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by snuffleupagus at 8:59 AM on July 6, 2010
Why do all these art games seem to be about loneliness?
posted by egypturnash at 9:33 AM on July 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by egypturnash at 9:33 AM on July 6, 2010 [4 favorites]
Okay, so I've managed to find all but the last exit. Hmmm.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 10:22 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 10:22 AM on July 6, 2010
Heh, my question is actually answered in the notes about the game.
The creator gave this hint for the last exit:
The final ending is the most difficult, and requires a bit of thoroughness; there are no real clues as to where to get started. I’ll say this: find some places that are significant, but far away from anything else. Chances are you’ve never been to these places, but they are easy to find once you think to go to them.
posted by Stove at 10:35 AM on July 6, 2010
The creator gave this hint for the last exit:
The final ending is the most difficult, and requires a bit of thoroughness; there are no real clues as to where to get started. I’ll say this: find some places that are significant, but far away from anything else. Chances are you’ve never been to these places, but they are easy to find once you think to go to them.
posted by Stove at 10:35 AM on July 6, 2010
I got about 4 of the endings, but it was at the point where I'd have to walk back and forth over every section of the map (for the second time) to find the last things I missed. Too tedious for not enough reward.
Funnily enough, reading the hints for the last exit, I think that was one of the first ones I found.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:48 AM on July 6, 2010
Funnily enough, reading the hints for the last exit, I think that was one of the first ones I found.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:48 AM on July 6, 2010
How have I missed the second gate? I've got every single other gate, but not the second. It's very annoying.
posted by Caduceus at 10:51 AM on July 6, 2010
posted by Caduceus at 10:51 AM on July 6, 2010
Why do all these art games seem to be about loneliness?
Because they're written by bohemian, consumptive coders, toiling away in their dank dismal garret with only the light of a single tallow candle to illuminate their MacBook and never seeing a living soul for weeks at a time?
posted by Electric Dragon at 11:03 AM on July 6, 2010
Because they're written by bohemian, consumptive coders, toiling away in their dank dismal garret with only the light of a single tallow candle to illuminate their MacBook and never seeing a living soul for weeks at a time?
posted by Electric Dragon at 11:03 AM on July 6, 2010
Why do all these art games seem to be about loneliness?
True Art Is Angsty
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:22 AM on July 6, 2010
True Art Is Angsty
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:22 AM on July 6, 2010
How have I missed the second gate? I've got every single other gate, but not the second. It's very annoying.
The second gate is ridiculously simple, which is why I didn't figure it out without looking at the comments on Newgrounds. rot13'd, it's:
whfg tb vagb gur svefg rkvg, rkprcg orsber tbvat vagb vg lbh jnyx nebhaq sbe n ovg. Cerpvfryl ubj ybat "n ovg" vf V qba'g xabj, ohg V whfg jnyxrq gb gur gbc naq onpx naq vg jbexrq.
posted by eykal at 11:45 AM on July 6, 2010
The second gate is ridiculously simple, which is why I didn't figure it out without looking at the comments on Newgrounds. rot13'd, it's:
whfg tb vagb gur svefg rkvg, rkprcg orsber tbvat vagb vg lbh jnyx nebhaq sbe n ovg. Cerpvfryl ubj ybat "n ovg" vf V qba'g xabj, ohg V whfg jnyxrq gb gur gbc naq onpx naq vg jbexrq.
posted by eykal at 11:45 AM on July 6, 2010
Oh, it's a long, long time between May and December. But the days grow short when you reach September.
Meh to January.
posted by drogien at 1:42 PM on July 6, 2010
Meh to January.
posted by drogien at 1:42 PM on July 6, 2010
I nearly gave up when I first started, didn't have the patience to read the notes or find more things, but something sparked my interest long enough for me to play a bit longer, and then I got hooked. Finished all the levels, though I have no idea what the symbols on the tablets really are supposed to mean, maybe they're not important.
posted by brenton at 6:27 PM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by brenton at 6:27 PM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
I beat it! Had to google for a map and a few walkthroughs for the trickier portals, but on the whole, a very interesting and engrossing playing experience. Thanks!
posted by Zephyrial at 9:39 PM on July 8, 2010
posted by Zephyrial at 9:39 PM on July 8, 2010
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posted by ShawnStruck at 2:51 AM on July 6, 2010