Synapsis
Comments: 34 Responses
This game is called Synapsis and its a voyage into the mind of David Carter, a completely odd adventure game that I’ve been trying to make for about 3 years. The production started about June time 2007 but the idea had been floating round my head in various forms for ages, the only problem was that it was June before I’d got good enough at programming to be able to make it. The actual game is pretty straightforward as I really didn’t want to do anything too illogical although the settings and the atmosphere of the game is really “David Lynch”. I’ve half got the sequel worked on but I need a break, this game completely did my head in during the last month of development. The process of the design of the game was pretty much as random as the game itself, me and Jason basically just wanted to do a room escape game with a series of rooms, originally it was meant to be one room after another with no particular story to it. so we went away and each came up with a few locations and puzzles to solve to get out of the room.
This all felt a bit clunky though and would be very frustrating if you got stuck on a room so I came up with an idea for the game story and the hub room which you could choose each room to “escape from”. It probably explains a lot of why the game is such an odd ball as there really was no planning at all on the overall game, it just kind of evolved. I also wanted to make a back story which was deliberately ambiguous as to whats going on as good stories never fully reveal what was going on.
Its been reviewed on a couple of the big casual games sites like Jayisgames and has gone down really well. I’ve also had endless people email me in the last week for help as they are stuck, if you are one of them there’s a really nice synapsis walkthrough on mousebreaker.
Man, I have to tell you, I’m no game guy by any means, I’ll do some things here and there in my very small amount of free time (have 2 kids, no time), like logic or puzzle games and I REALLY dug Synapsis. It’s probably one of the better games I’ve played as far as production, eerie music, and vibe. YouTube ‘crooked rot’ and that’s the same feeling that I got playing this (just like David Lynch bizarre-ness). Thanks for this, hopefully there is more. Really like the panda games, played 2 of them and just stumbled upon your site tonight and realized that you were the same guy that did it all. I’ll have to check out more stuff that you did. Oh, the best part of Synapsis was the creepy lounge music at the end.
Really great game. Can we have another? x
Yep, synapsis 2 is in the pipeline. We started planning it out a bit more this week.
I’ve been addicted to escape games in my free time during college.
I’m not a “hardcore gamer,” but I’ve grown up with games and I know them.
This is the best escape flash game I’ve played that’s associated with addictinggames.com, hands down.
This game wins simply for its originality and complexity. The game was just easy enough to be manageable without a walk through without being annoyingly difficult or confusing.
Of course the game could be considered confusing due to the subject-matter, but that’s part of its style.
I would give this game 10/10. There might be escape/adventure games out there with better graphics, but this is the most original online/flash escape game I’ve played. It’s really good. Brought me back to the days of King’s Quest, Space Quest, Myst, and of course the Castle of Dr. Brain.
Keep it up. I’d like to request that you make either a sequel or even better, a new more in-depth version of this game. The concept deserves at least a new version. I realize that people don’t want to play anything too long and difficult, but as a programmer I think that if you took this concept to the next level you could develop your skills and create a piece of art you could sell.
I don’t know anything about the gaming industry, but I do know from a gamers perspective, if you worked concept on a larger scale and put it on a demo reel, it would definitely turns some heads could potentially land you a job in video game design…if you aren’t already in the field.
I don’t normally make long-winded positive comments…I’m usually really critical. So don’t think this comment is any less sincere than what it sounds!
Good job, keep it up.
I also want to say that I really liked how the game wasn’t restricted to unidirectional timeline.
You could start in any room and it would change your “experience” with the game. Excellent touch, that’s one of the things that adds to this games originality. This technique MUST be in the sequel if you want the sequel to rock equally as much!
Why isn’t there a sequel?
when do you think you’ll release the sequel?
it should be either today or tomorrow ! 18th / 19th of July 2011.
A few questions:
1. What are you going to call it? I hope its not going to be “Synapsis 2″ because that would be king of boring.
2. Is it going to be longer and much harder than the first? Because its very easy to complete once you’ve played it a few times.
Oh and:
3. You said and I quote ‘it should be either today or tomorrow ! 18th / 19th of July 2011.’ well its the 20th and where is it?
4. Can I get your autograph? PLEASE?
Oh and can I get your permission to convert your game and possibly your 2nd synapsis game into a script? lol I love your games.
Richard,
1. Its is called Synapsis 2, because most people will think thats what its called if they are searching for it.
2. Its about the same length as the first one, slightly more content, its about the same difficulty.
3. Slight delay with the game as the sponsor is at casual connect and I didnt get it approved, New launch date is 25th, sorry.
4. Er… presumebale you want that with a cheque.
A script for a film ?!? sure, as long as you
a) credit me for for the original game inspiration
b) send me a copy
Rob.
1. Alright.
2. Okay.
3. No I do not. It’s just that I love collecting books, coins, comic book etc. It’s okay.
4. Thank you very much! But I hypothetically do not want to get in trouble with the school. They take this very seriously and one non-original work could get me expelled. But I’ll think about just keeping the short story/screenplay for myself and I’ll definitely send you a copy online. Oh if you haven’t heard about him, Stephen King is a spectacularly edgy writer from Maine in America, and I hope you read one of his books to give you ideas on the plot-line of your future Synapsis games.
Can I ask you the reason why David Carter has to go to Goldsmiths?
Can you give us any spoilers on the second game?
Goldsmiths is an investment bank he worked for, although its not actually a bank.
The only thing ill say is the sequel does have lots of references to stuff in the first game.
The third part which I’ve started will clear up most of what actually happened, the second one will probably make you more confused.
It’s also looking like Monday now as the sponsor still hasn’t approved it for release.
If this was a book and if this was on the back cover, I would definitely read it!: David Carter is one of the many employees of Goldsmith’s Bank in London, England. But under the mask of the bank lies a deep and strange secret. David is abducted from his home, and is forced to embark on a dangerous and mysterious quest to escape his prison-his mind.
yeah, nice, I think you’d have to invent a few more characters and write a lot of backstory to make it of a decent length.
We have approval now, I have to make one small chnage though, so its either going up tonight, or at the very latest tomorrow.
No, In my short story, the only characters are Mr. Goldsmith and David. I’m already up to Knowledge in the short story.
Cool, looking forward to reading it. Might even get a few ideas for what happens in part 3.
i love this game it is intense!
wtf do u do with the razer and the ring help me
use the razor blade on the wall at the back of the cell, the ring you need to hold over the celing light and then use on the robot.
WOW… harder than syanpsis2. those crows had me all over the place, and the razor too!
great game, keep it up!
congrats!
Yeah it is a lot harder when I went back to play it. Thanks for the comment.
wat do u do in the room under the train station.
you need to use the heart in the box on the wall.
Is there any way to make the game full screen ?
Nope, sorry. It wouldn’t look that great anyway.
Any hints on when the Synapsis 3 will be out?? Really looking forward to it!!!
not for a while, I got sidetracked, hopefully end of summer.
man i have played a lot of escape games but never one as great as this end the man with the tv on his head were you playing bioshock while you were making this. played this on a another website like last year or so and did not know this was from you
and somebody said you were making a Synapsis 3 is that true. if it is can’t wait
oh i am not good at this game realy and i got 4 things to find only but the game is still cooooooooooooooooooooooool
bob u asked to make it full screen
and i will tell u how
it will not make it that big but just prees f 11 on your keypoard i cant tell u more than that sorry keven