- UPDATE: Adjusting the MASTER MATCHER achievement - 28 February 2024
Today's update changes the unlock logic for the MASTER MATCHER achievement (for HACK*MATCH) so that it unlocks when you reach the "thanks for playing!" screen instead of after you dismiss it.
- UPDATE: Adding support for selecting the TTS voice on Windows - 6 August 2023
Today's update adds a hidden setting (i.e. only accessible by editing the game's config.cfg file) to let users change the text-to-speech voice on Windows. This also fixes a bug where the game would sometimes use the wrong voice on computers with multiple language packs installed.
- UPDATE: Fix for 20th Century Food Court delete bug - 5 December 2022
Today's update fixes a bug where you could delete undeletable machines (like inputs) in 20th Century Food Court by left clicking and right clicking on them at the same time.
- UPDATE: Fix for mysterious hang when entering text on Mac - 22 September 2022
Today's update fixes a mysterious hang when entering text on Mac. It also updates some par scores for X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path.
- UPDATE: Improved histograms - 12 September 2022
Today's update replaces the game's live histograms with a cached dataset that has been filtered to remove players who used guides play through ChipWizard and 20th Century Food Court. It also fixes a small bug where adding and removing metal connections to pads in ChipWizard did not play the correct sound effect.
- UPDATE: Bigger win count, smaller fixes - 5 September 2022
Today's update includes the following changes: Increased the maximum win count for Dungeons & Diagrams and the solitaire games from 999 to 9999. Please don't interpret this as a challenge. Updated the best known score for the "A. ZURI" bonus puzzle in X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path from 10 to 9. Fixed an obscure crash on Mac when switching between monitors. Fixed an issue on Mac where the presence of a camera notch would sometimes cause the mouse position to be shifted.
- UPDATE: Fix for an obscure Mac input bug - 17 August 2022
Today's update includes a fix for a seemingly obscure Mac input bug where clicks would sometimes not register when using the "tap to click" setting in macOS.
- Last Call BBS, the final game from Zachtronics has left Early Access - 4 August 2022
Last Call BBS, the final game from the clever people at Zachtronics has left Early Access and is out now along with Native Linux support. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/08/last-call-bbs-the-final-game-from-zachtronics-has-left-early-access
- UPDATE: 1 new model kit and ~12,000 new puzzles - 3 August 2022
Today's update includes the following changes: Added a new model kit based on the Pascal operational unit. Added "The Shadow Caverns", a new "replayable puzzle" with ~12,000 variations generated by a certain Discord user on the unofficial Zachtronics Discord server. The puzzle is unlocked in the final row of the puzzle selection grid. Fixed a bug where a card you needed would sometimes be automatically moved to the foundation. Fixed a visual bug where some fusion previews weren't shown in the rules panel. Fixed a visual bug when drawing a sheet of nori with two different types of fish on it.
- UPDATE: More weird symbols for X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path - 21 July 2022
Today's update adds more weird symbols to X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path. Specifically, after you solve a puzzle, you'll now see a little indicator above the completion button that shows how many rules you used and what the lowest known score for that puzzle is. Today's update also fixes a few small bugs: Fixed a bug where two pixels were missing from Locke's foot. When custom server names are too long for the drop-down menu they will now be truncated instead of disappearing completely. Unsolved puzzles will now always be drawn as a question mark so that it's more obvious which unsolved puzzle is blocking you from progressing.
- UPDATE: An update for our last update - 19 July 2022
Today's update fixes a few things we missed in yesterday's update: Fixed a bug where endless mode in HACK*MATCH had no music. Fixed a crash when the STEED FORCE Hobby Studio save directory did not exist. Added some missing characters to NETronics Connect! that might be useful for custom servers.
- UPDATE: Too many cool things to list in an update title! - 19 July 2022
Today's update adds a bunch of cool new features to Last Call BBS: X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path now includes a 14-puzzle bonus campaign that is unlocked after completing the main campaign. All of these puzzles were created by the players whose names are below the puzzles, although I did mess with a few of them in ways that may have made them unsolvable... HACK*MATCH now includes an ENDLESS MODE similar to the one included in the original version of HACK*MATCH in EXAPUNKS. Start matching those logic bombs, you're going to need them! STEED FORCE Hobby Studio will now let you assemble each kit as many times as you want. To create a new copy of a model you should click on the box in your collection window instead of selecting your previously assembled model. Last but not least, NETronics Connect! now includes support for custom dial-up servers written in JavaScript. Create your own single-pla…
- UPDATE: Lots of small improvements - 13 July 2022
Today's update includes a bunch of small improvements: Clicking on the simulation timeline will now run the simulation to that time and stop. Fixed a typo in the Electronic Lock puzzle. Fixed a bug where scanners and sensors could see into enclosed machines. Fixed a bug in the Meat+3 puzzle where the types of sides weren't adequately checked. Adjusted the artwork for the Café Triste puzzle so that it's more obvious how many cigarettes are required. Fixed a bug where cards could be lost by returning them to a collapsed stack. Drawing a line of walls or markers that start on an empty space will no longer replace existing markers and walls. Adjusting the way that unsolved puzzles are drawn on the level select screen to make them more obviously unsolved. Adjusting the scoring system to award more points for larger combos. Fixed a bug where the controls window would not honor the selected ke…
- UPDATE: Early Access improvements - 8 July 2022
Today's update adds a level editor to X’BPGH: The Forbidden Path. After you have beaten the game you will now see an extra button in the top-right corner of the level select menu. If you click that button it will open a puzzle without a goal that lets you add and remove generic metal pieces by left and right clicking on empty cells in the first dish. We are attempting to create a set of 10 to 15 user-created puzzles that will unlock after the campaign is completed. If you want to design a puzzle and see it included, send me a screenshot of your "solved" puzzle (custom metal pattern + desired flesh result) via email ([email protected]) and let me know what name you would like to be credited (first initial and last name). If you do not want to use your real name you can make one up, as long as it sounds like a plausible name. We will be creating custom metal pieces for these puzzles, s…
- Why Last Call BBS is the last call for indie studio Zachtronics - 5 July 2022
Zachtronics announced Last Call BBS by casually calling it "the last game from Zachtronics!" That caused a bit of a stir, excitement for a new game balanced by concern over the closure of the studio announcing it. Is this really the end? "We're definitely shutting down Zachtronics," says Zach Barth, the studio's founder and creative director. "It's not like, 'Surprise! Zachtronics is back open!' No, Zachtronics is over.".. Read more.
- UPDATE: Launch day bug fixes - 5 July 2022
Today's update includes the following changes: Fixed a crash when opening the application. Fixed a crash when deleting silicon from complex transistor arrangements. Fixed a bug where undo/redo was possible while the solution was running. Fixed a bug where cards could not be placed back on the waste pile. Adjusted the aces so that it's slightly easier to tell them apart when covered.
- Last Call BBS, the final game from Zachtronics is out in Early Access - 5 July 2022
With Zachtronics moving on from game development, their last game is now out in Early Access with Last Call BBS although it's actually not just one game. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/07/last-call-bbs-the-final-game-from-zachtronics-is-out-in-early-access
- Zachtronics is making its final game: Last Call BBS - 17 June 2022
Redmond-based indie studio Zachtronics was founded by Zach Barth, designer of sandbox builder Infiniminer, AKA the game Notch ripped off to make Minecraft. After that, Zachtronics made a name for itself with 2011's SpaceChem , which dresses like a game about synthesizing chemicals for space colonies but sneakily teaches you programming and circuit-building. It, and other Zachtronics puzzle games that are either explicitly about programming (like TIS-100, Shenzhen I/O, and Exapunks ), or sneakily about programming (like alchemical device-builder Opus Magnum ), have been dubbed 'Zach-likes' by fans. The studio has made games in other genres though, like AI-themed visual novel Eliza , and alternate-history strategy game Ironclad Tactics ... Read more.
- The last ever game from Zachtronics releases July 5th - 16 June 2022
No doubt plenty of puzzle fans will be sad, as Zachtronics will be hanging up their development hat and moving on after the release of Last Call BBS. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/06/the-last-ever-game-from-zachtronics-releases-july-5th
- Retro-styled puzzle compilation Last Call BBS is the final Zachtronics game - 16 June 2022
Infinifactory developers Zachtronics have revealed what they say is their last game, Last Call BBS . It’s a compilation of eight smaller games, some new and some reworked elements of previous games. These range from assembling Gundam-esque models to the tile-matching from Exapunks , now with an added single–player campaign. Of course, there’s two solitaire games thrown in for good measure too. Check out Zachtronics’ last hurrah in the trailer below. Read more
