Casual Gameplay Escape
Platform: Flash
This week, we present the exclusive debut of a super-duper, extra-special room escape game, one we can guarantee that absolutely no other website has yet featured. Don't you feel special? To all the JIG faithful, we present to you the world premiere of.... Casual Gameplay Escape!
Casual Gameplay Escape is the result of a collaboration between Jay is Games and Sean Hawkes, whom, as you may remember, took first prize in our very first Casual Gameplay Design Competition (CGDC1) with his wonderful puzzle game Clack. Now, granted, Clack's chain reaction-y goodness is far removed from the escape game genre; in fact, this is Sean's first room escape game. In my mind, however, this is a plus; the fact that Sean is approaching the genre from a different direction encourages innovation and novelty. And indeed, Casual Gameplay Escape is not at all typical and it delivers a truly remarkable experience!
There is no inventory; in fact, there are no objects to collect whatsoever. There are no codes to crack, no hotspots to click around madly for. Instead, what is presented is a series of puzzles—some straightforward, others not so much—that you must solve in order to unlock the door. I won't give any hints regarding these puzzles, but I will say this: look at everything, pay attention to detail, and think outside the box.
In truth, while this game is indeed situated within a room from which you must escape, the setting is mainly a neat structure within which to present a wide variety of interesting, intelligent and unique puzzles. This is not a criticism, however. Casual Gameplay Escape is a new and intriguing twist on the genre, one that I believe will engage room escape and puzzle fans alike.
I would have liked a bit more backstory to balance out the lack of other classic room escape game features. Still, despite these minor quibbles, I greatly enjoyed Casual Gameplay Escape. I found it to be creative, well-made, and challenging without crossing the line into migraine-inducing. Enjoy!
Solve the puzzles, escape the room: Play Casual Gameplay Escape!
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August 27, 2008 4:58 AM
Walkthrough Guide
Casual Gameplay Escape: Hint-Through
Since these are hints and not explicit step-by-step, the clues will always assume that you have explored the screen and the obvious clickable items.
Ready?
Getting Started:
So, facing the door at start, you've got a light switch, a panel of 8 red lights, a locked door and a note. Then, two walls each with three panels, and a grid wall that appears clicky but not scrolling.
Actually, you've already got the info you need for the grid wall.
Yes, I know what the note says, but you can't trust a game developer. ;)
And the three-paneled walls...
...maybe the room is too bright to really see them.
Turn the light off, and look again.
FYI:
Technically, you don't have to solve both of the three-panel puzzles in order to go forward after solving the grid... but it helps immensely.
Three-Panel Walls and the Grid
Grid:
On the grid, recreate the pattern that appears in red squares on the note.
It has to be exact.
If you numbered the rows and lettered the columns, the grid coordinates would be 1,a; 3,c; 8,c; 10,c; 4,d; 9,d; 3,e; 6,e; 7,f; 2,g; 6,g; 1,h; 2,i; 1,j (thanks, SHA and Tonypa!) Here's a screenshot to assist.
House:
Fit the shapes into the outline. You won't use all the shapes each time. You'll know you have it right when the next panel opens.
Also, you'll have to bring shapes from the first and second panels over to use later.
Stickman:
You have to get the man through the door safely. Unfortunately, there are many ways to kill him before he gets there...
...namely, clicking on him too much or letting him get by a laser or fireball. You know, the usual.
Pre-set the purple icons to direct him, and then click him to start moving.
The icons can be set left, right, up (jump) or gun.
Order for Stickman Icons (there are multiple solutions for these but the following will work):
1:
Starting in the top left: up, shoot
middle level: left
bottom level: right, no change Here's a screenshot of the icons set up for 1st panel.
2:
top: jump, shoot
middle: left
bottom: right, shoot, up, no change. Here's a screenshot of the icons set up for 2nd level.
3:
top floor: first one is right, and then no change for the other four
middle floor: up, up, shoot, left
bottom floor and then to the right up the stairs: right, right, up, right, shoot, up, up, up, shoot, up, up. Here's a screenshot of the icons set up for 3rd level.
Argh! Help me! WHERE ARE THE "POSTER PUZZLES" everyone is talking about?
This is a little confusing, because the puzzles aren't actually in the posters. That's why you can't do anything besides zoom in on them.
-There are six posters, which will appear behind the wall panels when you've completed the house and stickman games.
-There are also six more puzzles, that live in the grid wall. You can get to them by scrolling. You'll know you've accessed them when you can see the light blue "pipes."
-The posters aren't actually puzzles, but clues to the six puzzles in the grid wall. It won't be obvious which corresponds to which - put your thinking cap on.
Posted by: pineapple
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August 27, 2008 5:19 PM
Hint-Through Part 2:
The "Poster Puzzles", Part 1 (I'll refer to these by what appears when you first view it in the grid scroller.)
Pipes:
The poster clue here is "CG Wireless".
It's a bizarro-world pipes puzzle, to be sure.
Whatever you do for a regular pipes puzzle, don't do here.
"No connections," see?
Solve this one by making sure no pieces connect. Screenshot of my solution.
Line of Green Blocks:
The poster clue is the DJ party.
You need to add red, green and yellow blocks into a specific pattern.
The design you need to recreate is hidden in the poster.
The bottom giveth, and the top taketh away.
In other words, by clicking on the bottom row, you can add blocks, and by clicking on the top row, you can remove them.
I had to use a walk-through on this one, eventually: Click the top of the second column twice, then the bottom of the first column twice. Click the top of the third column once, then the top of the fifth column three times, then the bottom of the fourth column once. Click the top of the seventh column twice, then the bottom of the sixth column once. Lastly, click the top of the eighth column once. (Thanks, SHA!)
Tank and UFO:
The poster clue is the "peace tank"...
...although there isn't much "clue" needed.
This is like a very simple ground defense game.
Only the mouse won't work.
Use your arrow keys to avoid the UFO's beam, and don't die. There's a hint for you. ;)
Posted by: pineapple
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August 27, 2008 5:45 PM
Hint-Through Part 3:
The "Poster Puzzles", Part 2 (I'll refer to these by what appears when you first view it in the grid scroller.)
Rows of White Numbers and Triangles:
The clue here is the casino supply poster
Notice anything about the numbers in this puzzle?
They don't go any higher than 6.
Much like a die.
Notice the red outlined shape on the puzzle? What would that shape fold up into?
The red outline represents the red dice on the poster.
Click the triangles to make sure all six numbers are represented in the red outline. Click the check mark to reset if needed. Screenshot of solution.
Crossword Looking Thing:
The clue is the JiG poster with the gameboard pieces.
You need to make some sense out of the letters.
The final layout of the solution appears in the poster.
Move the letters by clicking the white dots, to swap rows and columns.
Click the round icon to reset.
There are four words in the puzzle, all of which should be very familiar by now.
Here's a screenshot of the solution.
Red and Yellow Blocks:
The clue is the JiG soda poster.
I found this one to be too abstract for a logical hint sequence, so I'll just say that you want to try and recreate an image from the poster, using the clicky lights.
What image in the poster could you faithfully recreate in the puzzle?
It's the J from the soda can.
You need to click on red buttons, and then press the big red "scanner" button, in order to light up a yellow J.
If you were to start at the bottom right corner of the red side and number those squares backwards and vertically, it corresponds to the yellow side, backward and horizontally.
Or something like that. Anyway, here's a screenshot.
When you've completed all eight puzzles:
(the stickman, the house, and the six poster puzzles), the panel on the door should be lit completely in green. Be free!
Posted by: pineapple
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August 27, 2008 6:32 PM