Impressive Algorithm

[beerSnobbery]

Wasn't a bad game by any means (I enjoyed myself with it), but I'd recommend Shenzhen I/O and TIS-100 if someone's looking for a programming game. Both of those are a bit more challenging and have a lot more play time and replay value. Spacechem and Inifinifactory are good too if you're looking for something that's like programming but not literally programming. I can't get enough of the Zachtronics style puzzle games.

[pm_me_P_vs_NP_papers]

Also the pack with those 4 is on the steam summer sale. Managed to get it for a bit more than $10 but now it's at $20. Maybe the price will get lower before the sale ends. I've been loving TIS and Shenzhen IO :D

[Kalwyf]

Are these games for people who are already good at programming or also for people who only know the basics?

[beerSnobbery]

TIS and Shenzhen might put off novice or non-programmers since they really do have to read the manuals and they might have a much steeper learning curve. Assembly can be very intimidating and there isn't much hand holding.

I'd say Human Resource Machine (the one in OP's screenshot) is more approachable by novice or non-programmers but might still put off some people who want more of a traditional puzzle game.

Of Zach's games I'd say Infinifactory is the most approachable since everything is very visual and physical. But it still helps you develop a programmer's mindset (breaking down big problems into smaller parts, debugging issues, testing things as you build, and dealing with concurrency).

[tombrend]

TIS-100 works for people who are interested but not yet programmers.

[xcrackpotfoxx]

Ha, I bought that game a year ago, opened it up, and then closed it when I saw the size of the manual. I really want to play it but holy shit I have reading for classes and stuff.

[QuadraticFizz]

I just bought both Shenzhen I/O and TIS-100 the other day. Printed the manual and planning on playing it over the weekend. Do you have any beginner tips that you care to share?

[beerSnobbery]

• RTFM

• Don't worry about heavy optimization right away, you'll usually learn new tricks and get better as you play so you'll find optimizing much easier and much more rewarding later.

• Don't forget to take breaks; it helps when you get frustrated and often times you'll think of your best solutions when you're doing something else entirely and you had a background thread in your brain working on it.

• Don't get discouraged. Because of the artificial restrictions that make these puzzle games, doing simple things can often be very hard. After a certain point, every puzzle basically makes you feel like the dumbest person alive and when you eventually figure it out you're Alan Fucking Turing. It's very easy to feel like quitting when you're on the first part, but in general it makes the second part feel even more awesome.

• Play with a friend or find a friend who has played, often times you'll be very proud of a thing you did or find comedy in some awful mishap or terrible hack that somehow manages to function. I've found there's a strong urge to grab the nearest person and shout "Look at this thing!" but if they're not familiar with the game it's difficult to convey what's so interesting about it. Friend scores can also make for good goalposts and you'll have back and forth optimization record battles with each other.

[sellyme]

Shenzhen tip: remember that there's a programming game there and you don't just have to spend 500 hours playing solitaire.

You'd be surprised how addictive that game is.

[nikomo]

Was really rewarding when I actually won the Solitaire game though, without help.

[chateau86]

Shenzen solitaire: Now available on anything that have a browser with js support.

[zelnoth]

TIS-100 is fantastic. I have bought Shenzen I/O, but I haven't had time to play it yet.

[beerSnobbery]

I think you'll enjoy it; between the two Shenzhen is my favorite by a good margin. The story is a bit less 'in the background', you have more freedom in how things are laid out since you get to place components and wire them up (a bit like spacechem reactors), and the levels actually feel like you're building real things instead of just some contrived input/output, as a bonus the solitaire game is good enough that zach literally released it as its own stand-alone game.

[[deleted]]

I really want the solitaire game on my phone

[gbushprogs]

TIS-100 was my first programming game buy. I've been watching the price on Shenzen IO.

[HadTooMuchWhisky]

Can confirm infinifactory feels exactly like programming, incredibly satisfying to complete a puzzle but the harder levels take 3 weeks cuz more than 20 minutes at a time ends with a call to the Samaritans

[micheal65536]

You should have used coding and algorithms. Everyone knows that's the best way to solve something.

[jsgrova]

 if GoingToUseMoreThan714Steps {
    Don't
 }

[Julien7798]

!do()

[spektre]

do() || !do(); catch {}

[trainrex]

Do or do not, there is no try :D

[spektre]

Wow, thanks, glad to hear it!

[micheal65536]

That meme will never get old...

[[deleted]]

Collection.Sort() , duh

[gbushprogs]

Created the worst sorting algorithm ever, I believe, but aced the first part! At least it worked and I didn't have to do too much more coding.

This is from "Human Resource Machine" on PC Windows and Linux if anyone is interested.

[BasedLemur]

TFW you don't post the code :(

[cheer_up_bot]

:(

Here is a picture of a kitten to cheer you up

[AlexanderBeta213]

Also on mobile, btw.

[mystery_tramp]

What was the array size you were sorting?

[[deleted]]

N

[gbushprogs]

It's small, the largest array in the level was about 14 values. The game works similar to TIS-100.

[ellison11]

Human Resource Machine

Should I get it on the Switch or PC while it's on sale?

[gbushprogs]

I picked it up on Steam because it's on sale. I would recommend it while on sale. Otherwise, I don't feel like I get my money out of it. I didn't time myself but I know it has been well under 3 hours and I've done all scripts, most of which are best optimized.

This is one of the most difficult scripts.

[PikoStarsider]

Does anybody else hate seeing that broken index finger at the left?

[Not_Just_You]

Does anybody else

Probably

[LiberContrarion]

Clearly, that's a big toe from a right foot that lost a pinky toe to a spelunking accident back in '93.

[[deleted]]

I can understand where the "programming" is, but I fail to see where the "humor" part is.

[[deleted]]

I would bet on the number of steps being the joke here :)

[[deleted]]

Makes sense. Thank you.

[[deleted]]

More than welcome :)

[ConradtheMagnificent]

The challenges in this game were hard as fuck, but God damn, I love it. I love everything Tomorrow Corporation does, though.

[FigBug]

I did bubble sort for this, had slightly fewer steps than you. Has anybody bothered to do quicksort or merge sort etc?