Chalk

By: Shabadage

On: May 24th, 2007

Chalk is a very unique game from Joakim Sandberg of Noitu Love fame. The levels themselves are presented in a typical Shoot’em Up fasion, but the gameplay is far from standard. Using chalk (simulated with the mouse), you must make your way through the levels, drawing lines between enemies and their own bullets to destroy them. As is typical of Joakim’s games, the art style is beautiful and the game is highly polished.

Get to downloading already.

Updated! Note from the author:

Me again! I added fullscreen now, even if itâ€™s a bit over-steeredâ€¦ :(

Just use ESC to restart the game, not F2 anymore, it causes trouble.

Derek’s Edit: Thanks to Mr. Peckerston, there’s a gameplay trailer in the extended!

Posted in Action, Freeware, Highly Recommended, Shoot-em-ups, Unique / Bizarre, Windows

konjak

Yay!
konjak

Dear god, people, don’t download just yet! Big bugs… :(
Shabadage

really? I didn’t run across any obvious ones?
konjak

Fixed (hopefully)
konjak

The bug was that when you died and chose to continue you could advanced three “virtual stages”. So if you were late enough in the game you could start on a nonexistant level, IMPLODING THE UNIVERSE.

Or rather, an empty level would appear.
http://www.arsecast.com DrDerekDoctors

Ooh, this is a bit good. :)

Can’t help feeling you could have dealt with the instructions a bit better but the gameplay is very refreshing.
nukem

It feels like it belongs on the DS.
I had alot of fun!
Though only frustrating thing is when I click the window when I’m frantically drawing.
a

joakim, it’s not possible to complete the game.

have a look at this
Pyrrhon

This game is brilliant! Very creative and fun gameplay and very nice design. I would like some animated instructions though. I didn’t really understood what to do with the blue items at first even though it was explained in the help section.
Cube

To A: That’s exactly what mine did. I tried to hit a fish, and the whole blue thing just goes kerpow and off the screen. Stuck.

Hey, so awesome game otherwise. My only request is FULL SCREEN. I’m glad it’s always on top, but right clicking on another window is EXTREMELY frustrating.
konjak

I believe I added a solution for the bungee line now. It was problematic before, but I believed I fixed it… :(

Anyway, I also added a TXT to the download explaining why MMF won’t let me do fullscreen, and I also explained it in the TIGsource forums, I believe…
konjak

Me again!

I added fullscreen now, even if it’s a bit over-steered… :(

Just use ESC to restart the game, not F2 anymore, it causes trouble.
xix

running the game in full screen on a tablet pc is really fucking nice. is there any way we can switch the right/left mouse buttons, though?
Shabadage

You can go under mouse options in control panel (Not sure if that’s on tablets as well tho) and switch it to left handed. A bit of a pain. Now I’m gonna try this on my Wacom.
konjak

Sorry, no… :(

It doesn’t matter to people having already played some, but the Help section is now interactive.
Zaphos

I don’t get how to beat the circle boss guy on stage 2? I see he turns blue and I can move him around, but there’s nothing else on the screen to move him in to …

This is a really cool game but I think it might need better instructions.
Dustin Gunn

“I see he turns blue and I can move him around, but thereâ€™s nothing else on the screen to move him in to â€¦”

Slam him against the wall maybe? I can’t believe you didn’t think of that.
darkreaver

zaphos: hurl him at the edges of the screen.

just like to add that this is a cool little game. I really like the aesthetics, and the concept =D
konjak

I was hoping that he’s a big blue diamond like the hundred others on the level would make you try to throw him. :)
AdamAtomic

This game is AWESOME, congratulations! The boss fights especially are totally friggin sweet. I agree, This game could live happily on the DS I think! The only thing I found myself wanting is to be able to MOVE using the directional keys, while still drawing with the mouse. But then, I use a tablet PC, so right clicking is somewhat difficult :P I will try again later with a real mouse. However, it does nothing to change my opinion of the game’s design – top notch all around, great work!
konjak

Thanks you! :)
Zaphos

“I canâ€™t believe you didnâ€™t think of that.”

I did think of that, but when I tried it, it didn’t work. The controls seem picky … if you push him to the edge of the screen, he just makes a weird noise and comes back. And if you make a throwing motion but don’t release the mouse early enough, he doesn’t fly off and just makes a weird noise and comes back. And if you release too early he doesn’t really seem to get thrown at all. And there’s no wall to throw him at, so there’s no particular reason to think “oh, I didn’t throw him correctly” instead of “that doesn’t kill him”. Perhaps a less picky throwing system and some spike walls would help?

Also, when I pause, minimize, then come back, I can’t unpause … the only key that works is F2 to restart.
Zaphos

(that last was quite a picky comment … wanted to follow up and say despite me not getting that one thing, I went back and played it some more and it really is a continually surprising and awesome game. Good work, konjak!)
konjak

Thanks!

The Pause thing worries me…
konjak

If anyone’s been plagued too many times from bugs, Tim’s Independent Gaming posted a save that has the level select unlocked.

I fixed the Pause bug now, though.
http://isadorblog.blogspot.com Isador21

Download link not working, Pwease someone post a new one!
konjak

it isn’t because I’m uploading
Aubrey

This, is quality street.

Love it. Well done. Congratulations. You win.

You have distracted me from work, and Tommy got so mad that he left the room.

Gotta get back to work to save our professional relationship! Bye!
http://www.armorstyle.com Sandcrab

As an alternative to making the game full screen, would it be possible to make the window resizable? I suppose it runs the risk of having players grab the side of the window by accident, but if I could get a nice big border of non-clickiness outside the playing field it would stop me from right clicking on the desktop, which is annoying me more than just not being able to play in fullscreen is.

Another thing I’ve seen done is making it so the mouse doesn’t leave the window except under certain circumstances, in ZSNES you must move the mouse “quickly” to get out of the window, but if you move it slowly, you can’t get past the borders. Would it be possible to impliment something like that?
http://www.armorstyle.com Sandcrab

Alternately, I second the request for a cursor key/WASD control method. :) It really would be fabulous with my tablet but not if I have to use the right mouse button!
negative zero

damn, wish i had a graphics tablet.

brilliant concept and artistic style, reminds me alot of yoshi’s island. i like how every level is fresh and innovative, building on each core gameplay mechanic as you progress.

only at the 4th level, but does a red coloured chalk make an appearance?
konjak

I am suffering from the limitations of MMF2. It doesn’t have much mouse control, and what you asked for window control I’d love to do, but MMF is too slow to handle it. :(
konjak

I tried WASD controls and it felt nice so I added it for the tablet users out there! And anyone else.
Cube

I think I’m in love.
negative zero

hmmmm, can’t seem to beat the boss on the 2nd level when in full screen. i was able to before when i grabbed him and dragged my mouse outside the window.

there a trick to this?
Cube

Throw him like you would a diamond thingy. So let go before you get to the edge of the window.
konjak

Damn you, second boss!!

I’ve done several updates to the game, like WASD control, a special pointer and a colored tie on the main character to make her easier to make out in the corner of your eye. :)
basara

Damn this game is awesome!
Konjak, good job!
Perhaps it was a bit easy though, I beat it in my first try ( that didnt happen in noitu love ;)
konjak

Difficulty varies a lot for people, though. :)
BranDude

An instant classic! I really enjoyed it!
CosMind

this game design is wonderfully executed and presented.

kudos to joakim!

one of those rare examples of a game design being tailored specifically to the platform it is developed for. this takes full advantage of the pcâ€™s mouse interface, and definitely couldnâ€™t be pulled off on any other hardware (of course, it could be redesigned and rebalanced to accomodate other platforms, but it wouldnâ€™t be the same experience).

again, way to go, jaokim :)
Mr Peckerston

Oh my god this game is amazing!

Here’s a playthrough of level 1 for those people who still haven’t downloaded this yet for whatever reason:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4jbPd30wHQ
Mr Peckerston

I’ve recorded & youtubed S-rank playthroughs of the other 5 levels now, if you want to spend your time watching someone get lots of points on a freeware game..
sum1

Wow. This game looks amazing. I seriously think you could find a DS publisher if you really wanted to.
chalkboarder

i request a soundtrack of this games music!
AdamAtomic

Ok this is a really, really specific complaint, but I’m gonna toss it out here anyways, because in my eyes this is an otherwise PERFECT game.

If you are playing fullscreen on a tablet PC, it is really hard to throw the level 2 boss off the side of the screen. In windowed mode its no problem, but its nearly impossible in fullscreen. Not sure why, suspect something to do with the mouse oversteering fix?

Anyways, congrats again, this game rocks, and thanks so much for the WASD steering, makes it WAAAAYY more fun on a tablet!!
Jonathan Blow

This game is totally sweet.

But yeah, I had a lot of trouble with the level 2 boss on fullscreen as well. (Fortunately I played the game before fullscreen… well… unfortunately too, due to all the bad mouse clicks).
Skeletor

Wow! What a beautiful game. The whole concept and leveldesign are perfect which really makes me think. So many overpriced games out there are far from this kind of perfection. The only thing that ruins the fun a little bit are the technical issues (fullscreen, mouse too fast, can’t throw the second boss properly against the wall in fullscr.). My way to deal with this is to set screen resolution to 800×600, gives you a bigger window and there you go:-)
Add a nice Alice in wonderland kinda story, more beautiful artwork and you have one of the best Nintendo DS titles! Thanks for the great game.