# Fabulous online physics-based game **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 21, 2008, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233 "2008-07-21T05:32:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/141 "2008-07-24T12:36:23Z")
[QUOTE=Saint Cad] I tried the game but I still prefer [Armadillo Run](http://www.armadillorun.com/) [/QUOTE] Someone else mentioned that game upthread. I am resisting the temptation to download it. For now. Well, maybe just one round… Anybody remember that PC game from the mid-90’s called “Lemmings”. You have this line of lemmings all following the first lemming in line, just marching toward their doom. You have to give them instructions to build various contraptions to change their direction or build bridges over gaps and so on. The fact that lemmings don’t really march mindlessly off cliffs is not important. What is important is that you could turn the little fellas into time bombs in a pinch. They would cover their ears and then…boom! Sometimes you had to crack a few eggs. I played that game for hours in college. Is it still out there somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/142 "2008-07-24T12:49:44Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard] Someone else mentioned that game upthread. I am resisting the temptation to download it. For now. Well, maybe just one round… Anybody remember that PC game from the mid-90’s called “Lemmings”. You have this line of lemmings all following the first lemming in line, just marching toward their doom. You have to give them instructions to build various contraptions to change their direction or build bridges over gaps and so on. The fact that lemmings don’t really march mindlessly off cliffs is not important. What is important is that you could turn the little fellas into time bombs in a pinch. They would cover their ears and then…boom! Sometimes you had to crack a few eggs. I played that game for hours in college. Is it still out there somewhere? [/QUOTE] Try [http://www.abandonia.com](http://www.abandonia.com) ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/143 "2008-07-24T12:58:36Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t Call Me Shirley] Try [http://www.abandonia.com](http://www.abandonia.com) [/QUOTE] Hmm. Our web filter blocks it. Probably lucky for me. I’ll check it out from home. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/144 "2008-07-24T13:01:45Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard] They would cover their ears and then…boom! Sometimes you had to crack a few eggs. I played that game for hours in college. Is it still out there somewhere? [/QUOTE] Lemmings was definitely a great game. What I like so much about Fantastic Contraption, though, is how open-ended it is. I love solving a problem, then looking at other solutions and seeing several completely different approaches to it. Several of the solutions i’ve seen (especially that two-piece balance solution to the wall) have had me laughing in astonished delight. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/145 "2008-07-24T13:27:54Z")
I’ve finally made it through Back and Forth with my own design! [Ugly as sin though…](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=59118) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/146 "2008-07-24T14:33:28Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] Here’s my solution for [Mission to Mars](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=56737). [/QUOTE] Nice. Bonus points for bouncing off the ball on the destination side. Interestingly, I found out last night when I was working on [this solution](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=50553) that you can actually _break_ chains made of water rods. I originally had the cart tethered to the ramp and the ball tethered to the front of the cart. The plan was that the cart would go up the ramp, be pulled to a screeching halt, and the ball would fly off of it, swinging around into the destination area. What I actually found was that the cart’s chain would pull taut and snap, with water rods flying everywhere. Oh, well. My final solution was cleaner anyway. [QUOTE=Saint Cad] I tried the game but I still prefer [Armadillo Run](http://www.armadillorun.com/) [/QUOTE] Bah. Windows-only. Their Web site says they’re working on some other platforms. I’ll try it then. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/147 "2008-07-24T14:36:00Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Several of the solutions i’ve seen (especially that two-piece balance solution to the wall) have had me laughing in astonished delight. [/QUOTE] Yes, I’ve been slightly humbled by some of the ingenuity on display. Me, I tend to go for the unsubtle approach where possible - build a massive tank with lots of wheels. If it doesn’t work, add more wheels. For the staircase one I ended up with a giant 9-wheeled behemoth that simply ground its way up the slope. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/148 "2008-07-24T15:10:16Z")
[QUOTE=NaturalBlondChap] And discovering you can actually move the red load around yourself kind of helps as well [/QUOTE] You can do _what_?! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/149 "2008-07-24T15:14:06Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] For the staircase one I ended up with a giant 9-wheeled behemoth that simply ground its way up the slope. [/QUOTE] I’ve been wasting time on tank articles on Wikipedia, that’s probably driven me to similar solutions. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/150 "2008-07-24T15:46:54Z")
I’m not so good with the really complex designs (I don’t have the patience), but I’ve had some success with the ridiculously simple. [Mission to Mars.](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=60720) ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/151 "2008-07-24T15:49:24Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Lemmings was definitely a great game. What I like so much about Fantastic Contraption, though, is how open-ended it is. I love solving a problem, then looking at other solutions and seeing several completely different approaches to it. Several of the solutions i’ve seen (especially that two-piece balance solution to the wall) have had me laughing in astonished delight. [/QUOTE] I agree, I think being able to save and share so easily makes the game a lot more awesome. Armadillo run is, IMHO, a better game from a physics/design perspective, but this is awesome because we can all play “together” in the thread. [QUOTE=Tengu] It’s amazing how much just a tiny change in the length of a stick will change things. [/QUOTE] Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/152 "2008-07-24T15:49:26Z")
Most people seem to have approached Down Under differently to me. My solution doesn’t attach the pink ball to anything. It’s pretty fast, too: > **[Fantastic Contraption: A fun online physics puzzle game](http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=60745)** > > An online flash puzzle game where you build whimsical machines to solve each level. Save your contraptions and share them with your friends. Free! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/153 "2008-07-24T15:55:01Z")
Nothing gets you [Higher](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=60869) than a good, old fashined rocket. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/154 "2008-07-24T15:58:09Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Nothing gets you [Higher](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=60869) than a good, old fashined rocket. :dubious: [/QUOTE] That’s awesome! Can anyone explain why attaching pipes to corners of the same wheel turn it into a freaky little spring engine? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/155 "2008-07-24T16:04:05Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] Most people seem to have approached Down Under differently to me. My solution doesn’t attach the pink ball to anything. It’s pretty fast, too: > **[Fantastic Contraption - Launch Level](http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=60745)** > > The classic physics puzzle game from 2008. Build whimsical machines to solve puzzles. Now available on Steam with new updates coming soon! [/QUOTE] Very nice. I tried to do something like that and could not make it work. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/156 "2008-07-24T16:09:47Z")
Heh, that rocket repeatedly launches itself if you watch it long enough (well, I gave up after the second launch, but it just keeps on going) [ETA] Oops, no, it eventually slides off the platform ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/157 "2008-07-24T16:10:06Z")
Continuing my minimalist theme, I present: [Handling, done in five pieces](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=61079). ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/158 "2008-07-24T16:27:24Z")
I’ve been brute-forcing my way past most levels. I’m of the opinion you can accomplish anything with enough wheels. 😃 I’m very proud of [this one](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=61304) for its elegance, though. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/159 "2008-07-24T16:29:00Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] That’s awesome! Can anyone explain why attaching pipes to corners of the same wheel turn it into a freaky little spring engine? Daniel [/QUOTE] It doesn’t always – my [over the top](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=61261) solution to Awash uses 'em, too, but just for added traction (I’m actually not sure if they’re strictly necessary in the finished version, though). That rocket is absolutely brilliant, though. It’s even reusable – after it crash-lands, it gets twisted up badly, but after some time, it rights itself up again! How did you even think to try that, **Ale**? (Actually, I wonder that with quite a lot of the solutions I’ve seen.) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233/160 "2008-07-24T17:07:57Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Can anyone explain why attaching pipes to corners of the same wheel turn it into a freaky little spring engine? Daniel [/QUOTE] Curious, too. Check out [rocket](http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=52530) 2. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabulous-online-physics-based-game/457233.md?page=9)