Fantastic Contraption

Both those words are a stretch, to be honest.

The physics playgrounds return to haunt me, as does Flash, this time in Fantastic Contraption, a little toolbox to play around with on your lunch break. Your goal is clear. Can you get there?

Yeah, right. Like I've got the brains to get there. Come on then. Let's see how fast we fail.

Frustrations

I might have given the conclusion away already with this one, and highlighting that point now has definitely given it away. I don't like Fantastic Contraption at all, mostly because I don't like engineering silly little contraptions in trial and error and physics-based gameplay.

The goal, as shown above, is simple. Get a pink thing into the goal. Doesn't matter how, just get it done. I suppose I'll give it points for allowing some freedom there, but we are limited by only being allowed to build within a certain area of the already small stage too.

The tutorial shows us that this can be an easy game. One ever-spinning wheel, one connecting rod (made of water, don't know how), and one pink ball pushed into the goal. Smashing. Fantastic, even.

Then it shows how we can use physics, and you get bet your house that this was the moment I began to thoroughly dread Fantastic Contraption.

Here's the cool thing about these games, and maybe even engineering in general, for me: seeing the finished solution, the fantastic contraption that solves the problem. Doesn't matter what form it takes, cool little robot, fancy vehicle, industrial production line... a final fantastic contraption is a sight to behold.

Here's the not cool thing about all of that for me: the goddamn legwork that goes into designing the bastard contraption in the first place.

Now that's probably a bit of an angry opinion, and there's no need for anger in a Flash game. Physics can be fun, even in failure (and preferably within the safety of a computer simulation - bridge failure inside a sim: neat. Bridge failure over a ravine: not neat). But Fantastic Contraptions doesn't really give me the feeling of fun failure in the same way a bridge constructor game would.

This level, for example, had me confused. The pink target block fell under gravity (duh, physics game), so you'd have to catch it before delivering it. An interesting challenge, no? This blue thing on the side must be my starting point. I need to finish it off then hit play to watch it drive off, catch the block, and deliver it into the goal.

Well, no. That blue thing is there to remind you that triangles exist, and does nothing to explain how you are to use them. You can figure it out pretty quickly after you just bolt some wheels to the target and let 'em roll, though.

Who tested this tutorial? You can't make idiot-proof games. Idiots like me will find a way to be even dumber than you think.

Clearly satisfied it had done enough, the tutorial just ended and let me loose on a level with a little gap to get past, giving no hints as to how you might do so.

As you can guess, this is where I checked out. I hadn't grasped anything it was teaching me, I didn't get the difference between the rods, I didn't understand how best to use triangles. I was done. Defeated, near instantly, because I know this isn't the kind of game for me.

Final Word

I don't want to talk about the look of Fantastic Contraption, because a) it's a Flash game, and b) it's not about looks. It's about gameplay, physics, education. It has a place, but not in my life. Not in this form, at least.

I play games to be entertained, mostly, and challenged a little bit here and there. I have played and probably will play yet more little physics games. Can you build a thingymajig to get a doohicky over this obstacle? I don't know. Can I? Give me a good enough reason to find out and I might just give it a go. Give me no reason at all, and I'm not interested.

Fantastic Contraption doesn't interest me. I wonder if whether a tool like this had been available when I was in school would change my opinion on these kinds of games. Would I understand all of this had I actually used it as a teaching aid, and not as a lunch break distraction? Would I be less angry with it if I knew what was going on?

Is that my problem? Am I angry at what I don't understand? Angry at myself for not getting what looks for all intents and purposes to be a simple task done?

I don't know what is so special about Fantastic Contraption that isn't seen in the other physics-based games we've come across. Am I just forgetting the other physics-based games? I literally can't even name one right now, so maybe I am. What does this game do that we must experience, according to this 1001 list? Building better cars than in Nuts & Bolts?

With the death of Flash finally just over the horizon, you'll soon have to actively track down Fantastic Contraption if you want to play it, and if you're the kind of person who wants to actively play Fantastic Contraption, you've likely played a more recent game that does it better.

But who am I to say for sure? I am, after all, inept in this department.

Fun Facts

Before anyone really knew how to monetize Flash games, you could pay $10 to create your own levels.

Fantastic Contraption, developed by Colin Northway, first released in 2008.

Version played: Flash, 2008.