Certainly one of the most popular types of Flash games we see today are of the point-and-click or escape-the-room variety, both of which fall within the first-person adventure-puzzle genre. Their popularity can be traced back to when Myst first arrived on CD-ROM in 1993, which itself contained puzzles similar to those often found in today's Flash games. The most appealing features of these games are the puzzles they contain, which is why I am excited about this next one.
Like eating the middle of an Oreo first, ClickDragType skips past the plain cookie outside to deliver only the sweet puzzle center in a collection of 10 intriguing, mind-bending puzzles for your pure and uncompromising enjoyment.
Each puzzle is entirely independent of the others and none of them provide any instruction as for what to do. Just as in an adventure-puzzle game, the journey is the reward and figuring out what to do is part of the gratification one receives from playing, but often only half the battle.
Want more puzzles? Don't miss the next installment of this series Click Drag Type 3!!.
As the name implies, you will need to click the mouse, drag the mouse, and type on the keyboard to solve the puzzles contained within. Study each puzzle carefully and observe the behavior of each of its elements as you interact with them. Persevere and you will prevail.
Analysis: All too often games rely on the same or similar designs for puzzles that don't stray far from familiar territory. Not so with this collection. One of the most refreshing and enjoyable aspects of ClickDragType is that each puzzle is entirely different in concept and design than any other in the collection and from most others that I've seen. Moreover, every puzzle interface is solid and without any noticeable glitches that these types of games are prone to.
The only downside I found to the game is the short and poorly spliced main menu music loop, which, thankfully, may be silenced easily with the music mute button. (Andrew—if you send me the sound clip you're using I'll fix it so the looping is seamless for you :)
ClickDragType is a brilliant collection of puzzles created by a young computer science student at South Dakota State University, Andrew VanHeuklon. I am looking forward to seeing what other puzzles he comes up with.
Cheers to Childofsai for suggesting the game. =)
Walkthrough Guide
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Here is a walkthrough compiled from selected comments
Puzzle #1
The "recycle" icon is when you mess up the key and need a new one.
Drag the key into the box which will open.
Shave down the key so that it lines up to either side. This will open the box below.
Drag the sliders on the outside edges so the transparent box forms over the "empty" box to get each number.
Type in the numbers from left to right in the white area, then click the green arrow.
Puzzle #2
In this puzzle, you must have the sound on.
The red dial is for the even numbers and the blue is for the odd numbers.
When the lock is closed you are able to turn your dial Right Blue - 1, Left Red - 2, Left Blue - 3, Right Red - 4.
Unlock the lock and bring either the red dial or blue dial to the other side to mute it.
Then lock it again.
Turn the dial that is audible to one side or the other.
Listen to the calculation and type what the answer is to the corresponding number on the bottom.
Turn the dial for the other number.
Repeat this process for the other dial.
When this process is done, click on the green arrow.
Puzzle #3
On the left side of the puzzle area are four circles with colours. Drag all the circles to the top of the screen.
Take note of one colour and drag it down to the bottom. It will change into the colour it needs to be attached to.
Click and hold on the first coloured wire that represents the top colour and draw a line to the corresponding coloured wire on the bottom.
Repeat this process until all wires are connected.
If a mistake has happened or you need to redo, use the wire cutters to erase ALL wire drawings.
If done correctly the phone will ring.
Drag the receiver to desired volume and wait for a pause in numbers. The number right after the pause is the first number in sequence.
Place these numbers in the white box and click green button.
Puzzle #4
Drag one of the "eye glasses" around the patterned area to look for "tabs"; Square, Circle, Triangle, and X.
In the bottom left area you can drag a little leaver left or right to set to "Move" or "Turn". Use this to adjust the squares so that the tabs on the outside match the tabs on the inside.
When they are matched, drag the eye glass around the area that matches the colour of the tabs. This will form a number.
Place the number in the corresponding colour in the lower right corner.
You will notice that the red input area has 2 underscores. This indicates two digits in the number.
Repeat this process till all numbers are entered and then hit the green arrow.
Puzzle #5
At the very top is a half circle with a green dot in it. Just move your mouse over this area. A sliding menu will open on the left side with a key and check mark icon.
Click on the key icon to get an eye glass.
Bring the eye glass to the four-square object.
Click on screen to get rid of eye glass.
The "mechanical" box in the lower right corner is to paint the colours onto the four-square object.
To select what square does not receive the colour, click on a green machine empty square to have them turn to an X. Only the green machine squares that are blank will receive colour.
To add colour, which the machine will use, place a canister (Red, Blue, Yellow) that you need near the left side of the machine near the tube.
It may be necessary to place two colours to combine them to make a combined colour; Red/Blue = Purple, Red/Yellow = Orange, Blue/Yellow = Green.
When you have the colour(s) inserted, place the four-squared object at the top of the green machine.
The top blue machine is a cutter. The dark right angle lines represent the square to be cut, and the lighter line connecting them is the cut it will make. If there is no line, then the square is removed (don't worry, the square isn't gone. You can put the square back with the cutter.)
To rotate the square to be cut, click on the curved arrow tips.
To change the shape of the cut, click within the grey square border.
When desired shape and square to be cut place the four-square object on the left side of the machine. You will need to do this a few times to get the right shaped "key".
When you are done and match the eye glass example, click on the check mark instead of the key.
Puzzle #6
boards: In order to correctly build that shape, you'll have to slide the lowermost rectangle to the top left.
nails: You've only got four nails to hold it all together, but fortunately you can pull and redo nails. You can check your work by clicking boards - connected boards highlight and move in unison.
Puzzle #7
Line up the circles using the red level meters.
Move the circles until the bars above them become clear, unclick it and it should turn blue.
Once you have all the circles placed correctly, form a 2 with the arms.
After that the lock at the bottom right should turn into an arrow.
Type 2 in the white box and click the arrow. You're done.
Puzzle #8
Rearrange the gray boxes so the dark gray parts are coming out of it and point to boxes.
Make sure none are pointing at nothing.
Then cut the wood to fit between the gray boxes to interconnect them.
Then click on the green arrow.
Puzzle #9
Grab the cover plate to the left of the plunger and slide it right to reveal the paintbox.
If the plunger causes two boxes to slide over each other, paint those boxes the same color.
Puzzle #10
Listen to the correct song on the left, and try to match that with the pieces on the bottom.
After you get the bottom song to play in the correct order, match the shape of the pieces with their colors from the cards.
Take the shape of the first piece of the song (along bottom), match it to a color (from the cards), and then change the first color block on the left to the matching color.
Posted by: jay | September 4, 2006 12:16 AM