Seiklus

Infobox VG
title= Seiklus


developer= cly5m
designer= cly5m
license = Freeware
publisher= Independent
engine= Game Maker
released= 2003
genre= Platform game
modes= Single player
ratings= Unrated
platforms= Windows
media= Free download
requirements= See site
input= Keyboard

"Seiklus" (Estonian for "adventure") is an unusual and distinctive platform game for Microsoft Windows, created by a single author, cly5m, using Mark Overmars's Game Maker game development software. The game took approximately 6 months to complete.

Overview

"Seiklus" is a puzzle platformer written on GML (Game Maker Language) with an emphasis on exploration. There is no dialogue or literary exposition of the plot. The game consists of various different, loosely connected areas the player has to explore, collecting both items to help on the way and floating "wisps" of various colours, which should optimally be all obtained. Seiklus has no weapons and no violence. There are various "hostile" lifeforms in some areas, but at worst they only set you back a little. It is impossible to die or get stuck.

Music

Cly5m did not compose any of the game's music. Rather, he chose to include various chiptunes from other artists that are widely available in the Internet, hoping to expose chip music to people who would perhaps never find it otherwise. This style of music recalls the simplicity of music from early computer games, where primitive sound chips forced musicians to rely upon compositional skill and melody rather than orchestration or production values.

The soundtrack of the game consists of:
#"Believe in Yourself" by Stalker (original by emax/trsi)
#"C64-Driller" by Warwick Gaetjens (original by Matt Gray)
#"Puzzle Game 3" by Front 6
#"Rainy Summerdays" by Radix
#"Sanxion" by Dreamfish (original Thalamusik by Rob Hubbard in the game Sanxion)
#"Wings of Death" by Jochen Hippel
#"Yoghurt Factory" by Radix

Impact

Since its release, Seiklus has had a broad and growing influence on certain circles of indie game development ( [http://www.tigsource.com/articles/2006/05/23/within-a-deep-forest cited] as inspiration by Nifflas, the creator of "Within a Deep Forest" and "Knytt"). In its visibility, Seiklus has gone some way to help legitimize software produced with canned game creation utilities, illustrating the benefits of design over rote technology. [ [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2157&Itemid=2 Retail Guide: Mega Man Rocks the PSP : Next Generation - Interactive Entertainment Today, Video Game and Industry News - Home of Edge Online ] ] Its influence has spread to the point where, even in mainstream industry publications, the game has become something of a point of reference: a name drop, [ [http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050207/carless_01.shtml Gamasutra - Features - "Question Of The Week Responses: 2004's Most Creative Games" ] ] to get across various points about game design. [ [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1092&Itemid=2 TGS: Sing a Song of Sony : Next Generation - Interactive Entertainment Today, Video Game and Industry News - Home of Edge Online ] ] It has also featured in some direct capacity in publications as diverse as [http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2005/06/have_legs_will.php Edge] and [http://www.gamersquarter.com/ The Gamer's Quarter] (including cover status, and extensive interviews with its creator).

Footnotes

External links

* [http://autofish.net/clysm/games/seiklus/index.html Official page] - includes a download, reviews, and screenshots
*
* [http://gamemakergames.com/?a=view&id=52 Game Maker Games Download page] - includes more reviews
* [http://www.planetfreeplay.com/interview/22/ Planet Freeplay Interview]
* [http://autofish.net/clysm/art/video_games/seiklus/publicity/seiklus_walkthrough_by_andrewfm.txt Walkthrough]