ANN: Pipe World

[negativegeforce]

Impeller Head Games announces the release of Pipe World for Windows PC.

Pipe World is a new kind of puzzle game that combines some of the traditional puzzle solving with a new mix of game play and beautiful graphics. The game features two game modes that will keep anyone busy for hours of fun.

screens 1 (http://impellerhead.com/games/pipeworld/01.jpg) 2 (http://impellerhead.com/games/pipeworld/02.jpg) 3 (http://impellerhead.com/games/pipeworld/03.jpg) 4 (http://impellerhead.com/games/pipeworld/04.jpg) demo (http://impellerhead.com/redirect.php?id=1)

Main features of the game


Beautiful 3D Graphics.
5 types of pipes with variations of each.
2 Modes, Puzzle Mode and Arcade Mode.
95 levels in Puzzle Mode.
Online scores for Arcade Mode.
Auto saves the progress of up to 10 players.


If you have any problems with the game please post here or email me at support [at] impellerhead [dot] com. Any bugs found would be appreciated.

For more information, screenshots and the demo download, please head over to www.impellerhead.com. Thanks for looking!

[xelanoimis]

Your game looks amazing!
Very beautiful graphics.
I'll check the demo tonight.
...not to mention I have an issue with a pipe at home (for real)
and I can hardly find someone to fix it :p

[Desktop Gaming]

Right... next time I come up with a crackpot idea for a game, I'm just going to make the damn thing without talking myself out of it. Had a very similar idea to this about three years ago (screenshot 3 was particularly freaky) and it slowly worked its way to the bottom of the pile.

Going to download the demo and have a go...

[edit]Tried it, didn't work. However, I notice you don't claim it supports Windows Vista - it desperately needs to!

I have Vista on here with dual monitors - the game didn't run at all, but it did change my primary monitor to 800x600 resolution @ 60Hz. Nothing else happened and I had to manually change it back. Tried it again after disabling my secondary monitor, same thing happened.

I'll get around to trying it on my XP system probably tonight.

[negativegeforce]

hmm, I am not sure how it wont work on vista, I am not really doing anything special. Its just a slightly modified version of NeHe's startup code. I don't have vista to test on unfortunately. I will try looking into what could be wrong. Thanks

[Desktop Gaming]

Vista is an awkward beast for games, and I have a theory.

I noticed you're using 'pak' files in your game. Are you attempting to unpack the contained files into the game folder? If so, there's your problem. Vista doesn't like you doing things like that at all, and will put the files in a 'VirtualStore' instead. When you try to reload those files from the program folder, they aren't there, hence, crash.

[negativegeforce]

I am loading the files from the pak straight into memory. Could that be a problem?

[Desktop Gaming]

I am loading the files from the pak straight into memory. Could that be a problem?I wouldn't have thought so unless they're going via a temporary file on your hard drive.

I checked the debug log, by the way - its empty.

[Desktop Gaming]

Just a lil update - I just noticed that I had two instances of the game running silently in the background, so I closed both.

Tried to run it again, same problem, but this time I ended the task manually as before. My desktop was restored, although some stuff on my 2nd monitor was out of place.

I'll try some stuff.....

[edit] No idea on this one. Something's definitely happening though as your app is using 90% CPU time even though nothing is visible.

[edit again] Found the problem - its OpenGL. Ati Catalyst drivers + OpenGL are shafted under Vista. 99% sure that's why it isn't working. :s

[negativegeforce]

Yes, I am using OpenGL. I thought vista supported opengl through the vendor driver. =/

[Desktop Gaming]

I've tried the latest Catalyst drivers and also the drivers which Windows Update provides (that's the one I'm currently using). In all cases, nothing that requires OpenGL will work and frantic Googling has failed to find a solution, although it did transpire that I'm not the only one with this problem. ATI drivers have turned to crap over the last year or so.

I've got a new Nvidia 7600GT coming, but 'her indoors' won't let me have it til Christmas! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[negativegeforce]

Desktop Gaming - thanks for the feedback on the issue. I had a friend test the game on his laptop running vista with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 chip and it runs perfect. I guess this is an ATI issue. =/

[Desktop Gaming]

Works fine on my XP system (which is crap) - ran really well. Its a nice game, I like.

Two things, however (puzzle mode):

1. You spelt "compromise" wrong on the level 10 tip.
2. What the hell do you do on level 13? Completely stuck!! I'm a pipe short!

[edit] never mind, figured level 13 out! :D

[Maupin]

Worked fine for me with Windows XP SP2, but I was unable to tab out to any other programs, which was a bit annoying.

I played up to level 13 in puzzle mode. I like the simple, colorful graphics, and the control scheme works well. I suggest making the pieces that can't turn, can't be moved, etc. more distinctive - maybe change their graphic slightly? Bolts holding them down? Perhaps I was playing through too quickly, but I didn't get a good idea for which pieces were which until I clicked on them and nothing happened.

Check your spelling! I saw one out of place apostrophe and the word "compormise" in one window.

Do the switch pieces have any function?

When I was a kid I played a game called Pipes on the Vic-20 where you had to buy different-shaped pipes to run a line from the water works to a house, and you could turn on the water with an incomplete line and watch the resulting spill. :) It would be cool in Pipe World if you had to click on the water works after you think you've completed the puzzle, and see if there are any leaks.

[Desktop Gaming]

Holy mother of Christ @ level 15 :eek: :eek: :eek:

[AnttiKi]

cool game! Very nice steady (and not very steep) slope of rising challenge, I played levels from 1 to 20 in one session (about 20 minutes). I'll definitely give it a shout in my blog!

[negativegeforce]

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. I will try fixing some of the issues with the game. I also need a real website :D. This is my first game so please bare with me. :p


I played up to level 13 in puzzle mode. I like the simple, colorful graphics, and the control scheme works well. I suggest making the pieces that can't turn, can't be moved, etc. more distinctive - maybe change their graphic slightly? Bolts holding them down? Perhaps I was playing through too quickly, but I didn't get a good idea for which pieces were which until I clicked on them and nothing happened.

I will ask my artist if he might add different pipe graphics. I thought different colors were good enough.


Check your spelling! I saw one out of place apostrophe and the word "compormise" in one window.
fixing it, thanks


Do the switch pieces have any function?


yes they do, they switch on off :P


When I was a kid I played a game called Pipes on the Vic-20 where you had to buy different-shaped pipes to run a line from the water works to a house, and you could turn on the water with an incomplete line and watch the resulting spill. :) It would be cool in Pipe World if you had to click on the water works after you think you've completed the puzzle, and see if there are any leaks.

I thought about adding the leak effects through some simple particle system. If the game starts selling well enough I will add this.

I will also try to add alt-tab support.

[negativegeforce]

cool game! Very nice steady (and not very steep) slope of rising challenge, I played levels from 1 to 20 in one session (about 20 minutes). I'll definitely give it a shout in my blog!

Glad you like it, I appreciate any advertisement or press anyone can give since I am basically 1 person.

[Desktop Gaming]

Can I ask - what's the timer in the top right corner for? I thought at first that it would make the game stop working when it reached a certain time, but it resets to zero each time I play.

[negativegeforce]

The timer is there just to keep track of how long you have played mainly. Speaking about the timer....Those who have bought the game should re download the full version because the nag screen comes up after 30 minutes, I also fixed a few other small bugs.

My artist is doing the more distinctive sprites for the different pipes right now, and it should be updated tomorrow.

The game does have a few more issues I need to address, so if you do end up having a problem with it, please email me at support [at] impellerhead [dot] com, most likely I am fixing the problem or a simple re download is all that is needed. Thanks

[negativegeforce]

I updated the game a bit if anyone wants to try it again :). Alt-tabbing is added and the options menu was reworked. The artist has agreed to make the art for the static and non-rotational pipes to make them more distinct. Thanks for the feedback so far.

[James C. Smith]

Very nice game. I played for 30 minutes and then purchased it and played 30 more.

Speaking about the timer....Those who have bought the game should re download the full version because the nag screen comes up after 30 minutes, I also fixed a few other small bugs.


You might want to let your customers know that in an e-mail.

[cyrus_zuo]

I tried it, beginning with the arcade mode (since it was at the top of the list) and was going to immediately uninstall it b/c that mode I found entirely uninteresting, Rocket Mania Deluxe -esque, and just as uninteresting to me.

But...I decided to give the puzzle mode a go before giving up on the game, and I really liked it!

My only suggestion would be to make puzzle mode the default mode. It has progression with goals that keep me wanting to play and push into newer harder areas, while also making me feel like I have accomplishments while playing.

[negativegeforce]

Very nice game. I played for 30 minutes and then purchased it and played 30 more.


I am glad you liked it enough to purchase. Thanks.


You might want to let your customers know that in an e-mail.


Your totally right, I should have done that sooner.


My only suggestion would be to make puzzle mode the default mode. It has progression with goals that keep me wanting to play and push into newer harder areas, while also making me feel like I have accomplishments while playing.


I am going to switch around the modes. The arcade mode is there just for those more hardcore points race types of people trying to beat someone else's score on the table. Some people may like arcade mode or puzzle mode more or both, but I felt like the game needed something a little different that more people may enjoy. Thanks for trying it out :).