English Country Tune, a commercial game for PC, Mac, iPad, and iPhone. There’s a demo available for the desktop versions.
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87 Comments
Great game, I love it !
Glad you’re enjoying it.
(L, thanks, mjau, yep, deleting the comments because
1: they’re a bitttt spoilery
2: you had your concerns dealt with).
This puzzle game is excellent. I hope it sells a million copies
Yeah, I’m so sorry about that. Should’ve known better.
Love the game.
Nah it’s fine, mjau :) Just didn’t want to leave the comment hanging around once your issues had been answered.
Increpare, this game is increpedible!
Thanks, man
One of the finest puzzle games I’ve ever played. definitely top 3.
Doing Adv. Cutting on an iPhone is murder for the eyes though.
Any chance of an android port one day?
Jimntonic, it might happen, but I don’t have any plans for it right now.
Berbank, thanks. Mmm, I might have a look into trying to zoom them in a bit more if I can whenever I do my first patch.
I get a blank screen after quitting the game. Then I have to reset my computer.
Game options:
Screen: 1440×900
Graphics quality: Fantastic
Square speed: Slow
Computer Specification:
Intel i5
ATI Radeon HD 5750 (latest driver)
4G Corsair RAM
Downloaded the MAC version today. It crashes when I enter the first puzzle of the first world. I’ve tried ‘fantastic’ and ‘good’ levels of graphic, but I don’t think my computer normally has problems handling heavy graphics
Woah two crash reports, both coming at once. Excellent. Sent both of you guys mails. Hope we can figure these out.
I figured out the problem. It was my annoying Antivirus Comodo
I suffered the same as Mr. Blume on my G4 ibook even with ‘fastest’ level.
Ditto on MAC demo version crash (first puzzle of first world). After I maneuver towards the first square and press enter, the screen zooms in on the square and freezes.
Mac OS X 10.4.11 , 1.33 GHz Ppc G4
I’m looking into the Mac crash. I may get in touch soon with a test build….
Brilliant game! Works smoothly on Linux with wine-1.3.28 and Nvidia GF 9800 GX+.
I hope for the native Linux release though =)
Trefmanic – you and me both :) I’m using the http://www.unity3d.com engine, so I have to wait for them to support it before I can do anything.
And : thanks :)
Stephen Lavelle, how did you created the music for “English Country Tune”?
Sorry for the mistake.
created -> create
Is there more than one solution per level?
Augusto, I used a combination of a midi keyboard, some custom midi-generation code, Absynth, Garageband, and Reason. Some other things as well, but that’s most of it.
“Is there more than one solution per level?”
Why do you ask this?
I could feel my mind being reprogrammed while playing this – seriously a puzzle game like no other. Great job and thanks Stephen!
Thanks for the support and for the answer
I’m asking if there is more than one solution per level to find the other solutions after I have passed the level
Two more question, I will not bother you more
Is there any chance to have the soundtrack released?
And about a level editor, will you create one?
“Is there any chance to have the soundtrack released?”
Not really. The music is part of the game.
“And about a level editor, will you create one?”
I have one already for my own use, and it’s pretty nice, but … making a level editor available for other people would involve a *lot* of work. No immediate plans.
“I’m asking if there is more than one solution per level to find the other solutions after I have passed the level”
Okay. I’m not going to answer the question.
wonderful game. One of the best I’ve played this year for sure.
I’d love to see a level editor too, there are some really intelligent concepts here and I’d really like to see them explored even further.
I’m going to concur with Berbank, too, the ios screen makes things pretty tiny.
Is there a button to make the camera stop moving around while I move around? I’m getting really dizzy doing the second level of Adv. Whale.
Bryce, there’s no way to do that, no. Sorry that it’s not pleasant for you. :(
So, I’ve been playing your games for months, and I have to say, this one makes me squee with joy. It’s really good Stephen, you’ve outdone yourself again =3 And… back to redownloading all yuor other games after an unfortunate hard drive failure >.>
On the iPad. The adv whale puzzle that looks like a pyramid is kinda B.S. You can’t see what you are doing and nor can you move the whale at all from what I can tell.
Nevermind, figured it out
half-sided is so evil
Awesome, awesome game. I’ve been evangelizing it heavily to my friends and family, with some successful purchases as a result!
Some of these are brutal, but they’re always fair. You’re one of the best puzzle designers I’ve come across.
Thanks :)
Hello,
I just finished playing this game, and it’s been a delightful, mindbending experience. Though i want some more now ! are you planning something like an extension or dlc of some sort, or a sequel ? or maybe a level editor of some sort ?
I am *thoroughly* enjoying it! Fantastic work, very impressive.
Thanks so much for a wonderful few hours of head scratching greatness! I loved every minute of it (especially the “Lesson” level). I accidentally saved half-sided to the end, because I couldn’t figure out how to even play the first level in the set, but I got it after beating the last sets.
Aside from that frustration, I couldn’t be more happy with the game.
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hope you make much cash. Me, I’m scratching my head at the first level of advanced whale, saying “say what” and such.
Ok, I’m trying to figure out wtf are you supposed to do in half sided. Ive completed all puzzles in all levels previous to this one and now I am stopped.
On a good note: at least it led me to here, where I find there are a number of further intricacies to explore. ;)
You’ll figure it out.
I’ve done as Paul did. Half-sided was kept for the end. I still cannot pass the first level, [CENSORED BY INCREPARE]
You’re wondering if you can have a hint or a spoiler? Not here, you can’t.
Nick, you figured out the 2nd advanced whale puzzle 32 minutes after you called it B.S.? I’m still stuck. :( UGGHH, this game is challenging! But I really like it so far.
increpare edit : no spoilers allowed here.
If somebody told me they were making a 3-D sokoban I’d just roll my eyes. This is not at all what I would expect. Incredibly fun game.
Hi, Stephen! and a million thankyou’s for this amazing game, such a refreshing experience! The design, the sound, the menu, everything is just wow, larvae camouflage system especially. I was initially going to ask for a hint on a specific level in W&L but hey ))
Great game! The puzzle mechanics are perfect! I would have enjoyed the “organic” feel that you generate with the atmosphere effects and music to have been also carried into the puzzle visuals. Strange to be diving into this microscopic biological world but then suddenly have a retro/q-bert puzzle look.
I think the English Country Tune puzzles are more original than Braid. However Blow’s game are far more financially successful than Lavelle’s game.
I feel a bit sad about it.
Anyway, you have my vote for igf audience award, English Country Tune
Crap! I lost my save!
:(
My fault, or your fault?
My fault.
Recently bought it.
Normally I hate puzzle games.
However I simply LOVE this game.
Thank you for making it. :)
Fantastic game, congratulations. I find he mechanics amazing and surprising. Quite difficult and I like that. Also like the Rez touch :)
Just a question, how long did it take to design all the puzzles ?
Great game !!
“Just a question, how long did it take to design all the puzzles ?”
I don’t know. The whole game took 8 months.
The moment I saw the trailer, I bought on the spot and played it…
Tooo nice! Insanely flawless!
By the way, I have not yet cleared the game, I want get its soundtrack. What should I do?
Thanks. The game doesn’t have a standalone soundtrack that I’m distributing.
You have composed?
If so, it’s also a great talent. It was a very nice ambient music.
If the soundtrack are selling, I will also buy it.
Really great game Stephen! One of the most unique and challenging puzzle games I’ve ever played. I really love the atmosphere and music too, they add a TON to the overall experience.
I have one question – how do the saved games work, and where are they located? I recently upgraded to Windows 7 from XP and I’m trying to transfer over my progress from the old hard drive. I hope it’s possible!
Thanks. Okay, save-games are a little messy to transfer on windows – the save game information is stored in the registry.
It should be stored under something like – HKCU\Software\increpare\English Country Tune
regedit is the program for editing/browsing the registry. I haven’t used windows in a couple of years, but from what I recall it should be possible to copy/paste the data.
Let me know if you’ve any problems with this.
I discovered this game through its mention on the New Yorker website:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/03/missions-impossible-the-joy-of-ridiculously-difficult-videogames.html
Congratulations! They’re only recently begun acknowledging video games as legitimate art. Bad news though — if you become too popular, you may have to get off the dole, and then how would you be inspired to write such games as Queue? =D
I’ve been playing your game using Nvidia 3D vision but shadows seems to be a bit off. Is there a way to fix this?
Hey, interesting. Thanks for letting me know.
I don’t have access to this hardware so can’t really test it/try to figure out it – you could try playing it on a lower quality setting and see what happens (some of the lower ones have shadows turned off I think).
Here’s something Hamish Todd wrote on Action Button:
“The best game of this year, by the way, seems to have been English Country Tune(****) – that game gives us almost all the things we expect from a post-Portal puzzle game.”
http://www.actionbutton.net/?p=2132
I’ve enjoyed this game immensely since a friend writing an article on it gave me the app to review. Really has been addictive. I’ve passed every level up to ‘Lesson’, and am sadly stuck. It’s been 2 weeks. :(
Thanks for the great work though.
What a wonderful surprise: a release on Steam! Good luck!
Fantastic game. Grabbed it again on Steam the other day. Nearly finished it all up… one level of Half-sided and Lesson yet to be completed. Probably my favorite puzzle game of the last year, and in my top few of all time.
Need. Soundtrack. NOW.
This. Game. Is. Beautiful.
Every so often something truly original turns up and this is one of those moments. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
I’ve posted on the drod forums too and hope it gets at least a few more people to try it.
Thanks again for all the hard work!
thanks – glad you enjoyed it :)
Playing on OSX 10.5.8. When I start the game, the settings window doesn’t pop up: it boots immediately into the game. When I’m there, the greyed out worlds don’t show up, only the red bubble for larva. Every level is half-visible, and choosing any causes the game to stall on the screen, though the ambient menu effects do not stop.
Mellman, sent you a mail.
Thankyou for bringing this game into the world. There is some kind of indescribable joy in playing this. I would love there to be some DLC / extra levels – the game is so perfect that you could just add content as it is.
The core is brilliantly executed, but it’s the other stuff that makes me love it. The music is so incredibly atmospheric and dreamlike, it produces an instant meditative state, allowing the left brain to really work on the puzzle without right brain frustration. This is even better because you can level restart without the music restarting as well – flows on and on.
Somehow, it also reminds me of Amiga puzzle games (maybe like marble madness without the madness) – but the best thing is how you coded the camera to follow the movements of the player – elegance.
Thankyou so much for this.
Did I mention I would love more content?
“but the best thing is how you coded the camera to follow the movements of the player – elegance.”
I’m happy you appreciate this. It was a hard problem!
“Did I mention I would love more content?”
I’m working as hard as I can (not as hard as I’d like, but as hard as I can) on a couple of new games. (I did make http://www.increpare.com/2012/06/puzzles , which has something in it like something from ECT ).
Thanks for the reply.
Yes, I thought the camera would have been hard to code. I struggled with the movement when it first switched to 3d, but at some point the concept clicked, and now I can whiz around without thinking, and the joy of moving in the world is a big part of why I like the game (it helped that I forced my self not to use the back button, but always restarted every puzzle instead, which made me learn much quicker).
Thanks for the link to your other game, have downloaded and will play once ECT experience is finished.
Not sure what others think, but I would happily throw cash at you if there was an ECT extra-levels/DLC since I love the world, the feeling of mind expansion and interface so much – I just think of those larvae and the “plop” of them dropping around the level and wish there was more like that… :-)
Oh yeah – and now I remember what it reminds me of – Mindwalker on the Amiga (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA1qz2QQ89E) – similar music and elegance, with a unique abstract world (Mindwalker a little more frantic though).
Thanks again!
ah cool, mindwalker is pretty mesmerising!
Great game! The thing I like the best is on the level selection screens, when you’re moving around looking at which level to play, you can see microscopic things floating around in the air. It’s like a little ‘Increpare signature’. I’m thinking you saw all this empty space and thought that you need to put something in it. A really nice touch!
I’m having trouble reseting the zoom. there doesn’t seem to be an option from the config settings. Can you tell me where the config file is so I can reset it by editing the file?
art, check your mail.
Hey Stephen, absolutely fantastic game.
I was wondering if you (or maybe anyone else who sees this comment) might be able to point me to any sort of related graph-theory/combinatorics/whatever stuff that would be relevant to the shrub levels, particularly half-sided.
Also, is there anything to say about possible analogies between aspects of the game(-play) and the Finnissy pieces? Just curious.
Glad you like it
>I was wondering if you (or maybe anyone else who sees this comment) might be able to point me to any sort of related graph-theory/combinatorics/whatever stuff that would be relevant to the shrub levels, particularly half-sided.
No idea about the maths side of things (I did think about it). Now that I think about it, the half-sided stuff might have some things in common with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domino_tiling
I spent a while trying to come up with something interesting to say about the resonator towers, and found some interesting relationships, but no real answers.
>Also, is there anything to say about possible analogies between aspects of the game(-play) and the Finnissy pieces? Just curious.
Probably not. I like Finnissy.
Increpare – I finished ECT a while ago and finally got around to writing a review on metacritc.
Thankyou for one of the most incredible experiences of my gaming life. Any time you want to do a kickstarter for a levels pack, feel free to add me to your mailing list.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
This is an incredible game. Can anyone recommend other puzzlers with similar difficulty?
glad you liked it. Big puzzle games I’d recommend,
Drod: The City Beneath ( http://caravelgames.com/Articles/Games_2/TCB.html )
Spacechem ( http://http://www.spacechemthegame.com )
Drod is awesome, but can take a little while to get into. Both of the above are more difficult than ECT – I haven’t finished either, but I did enjoy both of them quite a bit.
I can recommend Michael Brough’s puzzle games – I posted a bit about some of them here:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=35093
Oh and there’s Jelly No Puzzle, which is super great:
http://qrostar.skr.jp/index.cgi?page=jelly&lang=en
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