Chronotron
{{Short description|2008 video game}}
{{distinguish|Chronoton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Chronotron
| image = Chronotron-game-main-menu.png
| caption = Main menu
| modes = Single-player
| platforms = Flash
}}
Chronotron is a Flash video game developed by Scarybug Games.{{cite web
| url =
http://www.ibabuzz.com/videogames/2008/07/12/pax-10-five-questions-with-scarybug-games-joe-rheaume/
| title = PAX 10: Five Questions With Scarybug Games' Joe Rheaume
| accessdate = August 29, 2008
| date = 2008-07-12
| last = Willis
| first = Danny
| work = Gamester / Contra Costa Times
| publisher = MediaNews Group
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080821042845/http://www.ibabuzz.com/videogames/2008/07/12/pax-10-five-questions-with-scarybug-games-joe-rheaume/
| url-status =dead
| archivedate = August 21, 2008
}} Chronotron launched on the Kongregate website in May 2008.{{cite web
| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122291033879496763
| title = Notes From the Underground: Indie Videogames Come of Age
| accessdate = 2008-10-02
| date = 2008-10-02
| last = Lawton
| first = Christopher
| work = The Wall Street Journal
| publisher = Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081005005634/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122291033879496763.html
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-10-05
}} It was selected as one of the ten games for PAX 10 2008 out of more than eighty entries. Reviewers have considered the game innovative.
The protagonist is a robot named Chronotron who travels back in time to cooperate with himself.
{{cite video
|people =
|date = 2008-08-29
|title = The PAX 10: Chronotron
|url = http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/videos/28215/The_PAX_10_Chronotron.html
|format = embedded Flash video
|medium = Television production
|publisher = G4 Media, Inc.
|location =
|accessdate = 2008-08-31
|time =
|id =
|isbn =
|oclc =
|quote =
}} (Excerpted from the television program X-Play.
The main character must fetch an item before moving to the next room.
Solving the puzzles requires sending the main character back in time to coordinate with previous selves.
The gameplay requires thinking ahead.
Chronotron records the control input, not the protagonist's position.
As a result, actions by later selves can interfere with earlier selves.
A number of web sites have licensed Chronotron, including Kongregate and MTV's AddictingGames. It was featured on the front page of Kongregate.
The game appears on over 2,000 web sites
and has been played more than seven million times.{{Cite news
| last = Alesia
| first = Tom
| date = October 26, 2008
| title = Madison man has hit with Internet game
| periodical = Wisconsin State Journal
| place = Madison, Wisconsin
| publisher = Capital Newspapers
| publication-date = October 26, 2008
| pages = A1
| url = http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/311310
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081027115414/http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/311310
| url-status = dead
| archivedate = October 27, 2008
}} Archived from [http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/311310 here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027115414/http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/311310 |date=October 27, 2008 }} on October 26, 2008.
The developer splits advertising revenue evenly with Kongregate and made more than $1,000 in 2008. The developer had made nearly $15,000 in profits from the game in 2008.
Development
Chronotron was developed by Madison, Wisconsin-based Scarybug Games, which consists of a single person: Joe Rheaume.
Rheaume was the sole developer of Chronotron.{{cite web
| url = http://www.pixelsocks.com/2008/09/06/interview-with-joe-rheamue-of-chronotron/
| title = Interview with Joe Rheaume of Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-09-06
| last = Niese
| first = Adam "pixelsocks"
| work = PixelSocks
| publisher = Adam Niese
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715085801/http://www.pixelsocks.com/2008/09/06/interview-with-joe-rheamue-of-chronotron/
| url-status = dead
| archivedate = 2011-07-15
}}
Development for Chronotron took seven months.
Chronotron's sponsorship support was handled through FlashGameLicense.com.
Interest in sponsoring Chronotron allowed Scarybug Games to hire Romanian artist Bogdan Ene to replace the graphics.{{cite web
| url = http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=23478
| title = Joe Rheaume's Excellent Adventure: Chronotron goes from Madison to Penny Arcade Expo
| accessdate = 2008-08-29
| date = 2008-08-13
| last = Shipley
| first = Zac
| work = The Daily Page
| publisher = Isthmus Publishing Company, Inc.
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080926093947/http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=23478
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-09-26
Royalty free music was purchased for the game.
The music's author is Helge Krabye.
Sound effects came from the Freesound Project.
Chronotron credits screen.
{{cite web
| url = http://www.kongregate.com/games/Scarybug/chronotron
| title = Play Chronotron, a free online game on Kongregate
| accessdate = 2008-08-31
| date = 2008-05-06
| publisher = Kongregate
}}
Chronotron's time travel elements was inspired by advertising for the Xbox game Blinx: The Time Sweeper and an article on Braid.
Rheaume claims to not have played Blinx.
Chronotron was released before the release of Braid.{{cite web
| url = http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/05/08/chronotron/
| title = Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-08-31
| date = 2008-05-08
| last = Meer
| first = Alec
| website = Rock Paper Shotgun
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080929171938/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/05/08/chronotron/
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-09-29
}}
Rheaume claims to have "thought of the idea of recording input and going back looping on yourself."
Rheaume wanted there to be no limit on how many times you could travel back in time.
The game contains references to time travel stories including Back to the Future, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Doctor Who.
The puzzle platformer elements were inspired by The Lost Vikings.
Rheaume notes the similarity between cooperating with your self to the cooperation between the three Vikings in The Lost Vikings.
Puzzle pacing, with later puzzles building on what is learned earlier, was inspired by Portal.
Portal also inspired the use of humorous signs in game as hints.
Rheaume is a Flash developer for his day job.
Chronotron was built as a hobby.
As a hobby, Rheaume can develop ideas which don't fit the ideas, time constraints, and budgets of his regular job's client projects.
Chronotron was developed because Rheaume thought it would be fun to play.
Rheaume developed it further because he "thought it really had legs."
Interest from other people kept Rheaume going.
The name of the game and the protagonist comes from "chrono" for "time" and "tron" as a generic term for "robot."
Reception
File:Chronotron scfeenshot.jpgThe game was selected as one of the ten games for the prestigious PAX 10 in 2008.
Joe Rheaume was an invited guest to show Chronotron to the Penny Arcade Expo in 2008 as part of the PAX 10.
Chronotron was selected as one of ten games from over eighty submitted.
Chronotron is the only browser-based Flash game in the PAX 10 2008.
Chronotron has been described as "a very deep, complex game involving time travel and past selves."
Game designer Greg Costikyan described Chronotron as "a simple, satisfying, and enjoyable exploration of the effects of one novel mechanic on a well-established form."
{{cite web
| url = http://playthisthing.com/chronotron
| title = Chronotron: Platform Puzzler with Time Travel
| accessdate = 2008-08-29
| date = 2008-07-18
| last = Costikyan
| first = Greg
|author2=costik
| authorlink = Greg Costikyan
| work = Play This Thing!
| publisher = Manifesto Games, Inc.
| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20080828172828/http://playthisthing.com/chronotron
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-08-28
}}
A review on Jay Is Games described Chronotron as "a platform puzzler with a really innovative (and addictive) twist."
| url = http://jayisgames.com/archives/2008/05/chronotron.php
| title = Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-08-31
| date = 2008-05-08
| author = Josh
| work = CasualGameplay/Jay Is Games
| publisher = Jay Is Games
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080914050951/http://jayisgames.com/archives/2008/05/chronotron.php
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-09-14
}}
The same review said of the "rewind mechanic", "the concept is refined—and executed almost to perfection."
A reviewer on Rock, Paper, Shotgun said "Certainly I feel worn out after wrapping my head around a few levels, but also satisfied and pleased — you really should go play this."
Kotaku called it "a hell of a fun flash game."{{cite web
| url = http://kotaku.com/5020536/back-to-the-present-with-chronotron
| title = Back to the Present with Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-06-28
| last = Good
| first = Owen
| work = Kotaku
| publisher = Gawker Media
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080826100222/http://kotaku.com/5020536/back-to-the-present-with-chronotron
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-08-26
}}
Gawker.com rated Chronotron "Pretty pretty good" and said "If you loved Portal, you'll like this enough for two lunch breaks."{{cite web
| url = http://gawker.com/389371/chronotron
| title = Lunchtime Flash Game: Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-05-12
| last = Douglas
| first = Nick
| work = Gawker.com
| publisher = Gawker Media
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080724213941/http://gawker.com/389371/chronotron
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-07-24
}}
Jamie Fristrom of Torpex Games, a fellow honoree at the PAX 10, said, "Chronotron is actually my favorite of the PAX 10."{{cite web
| url = http://www.gamedevblog.com/2008/09/notes-on-pax.html
| title = Notes on PAX and the PAX 10
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-09-01
| last = Fristrom
| first = Jamie
| work = GameDevBlog
| publisher = Jamie Fristrom
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080906183742/http://www.gamedevblog.com/2008/09/notes-on-pax.html
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-09-06
}}
A GameCyte author "wholeheartedly recommend[ed] Chronotron to any and all puzzle fans."
| url = http://www.gamecyte.com/2008/05/08/chronotrons-time-traveling-puzzles-are-made-of-win/1200
| title = Chronotron's Time-Traveling Puzzles are Made Of Win
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-05-08
| last = Hollister
| first = Sean
| work = GameCyte
| publisher = GameCyte / Panteon Labs, LLC
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080907134322/http://www.gamecyte.com/2008/05/08/chronotrons-time-traveling-puzzles-are-made-of-win/1200
| url-status = dead
| archivedate = 2008-09-07
}}
Hecklerspray described Chronotron as "incredible" and "so impressively playable that it'll probably kill your productivity for the day stone dead."{{cite web
| url = http://www.hecklerspray.com/slackerjack-chronotron/200814186.php
| title = SLACKERJACK - Chronotron
| accessdate = 2008-09-08
| date = 2008-05-16
| last = Heritage
| first = Stuart
| work = Hecklerspray
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080926035129/http://www.hecklerspray.com/slackerjack-chronotron/200814186.php
| url-status = live
| archivedate = 2008-09-26
}}
The developer believes the "biggest" and "fairest criticism" are problems with synchronizing robots' actions between time loops.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.scarybuggames.com/2008/05/chronotron/ Chronotron] on Scarybug Games ([http://www.scarybuggames.com/chronotron.swf download])
- [http://www.kongregate.com/games/scarybug/chronotron Chronotron] with bonus levels on Kongregate ([http://chat.kongregate.com/gamez/0001/0359/live/chronotron.swf download])
- [http://www.scarybuggames.com/ Scarybug Games]
Category:Single-player video games