Craftomation 101: Programming & Craft
- February 19, 2024
- Luden.io
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Craftomation 101: Programming & Craft" is a craft automation game where players program robots called CraftoMates to harvest and terraform a frozen planet. The game offers visual programming and regular updates every 2 weeks, with a discord stream every Friday for community engagement. Players can get involved by filling a form, joining the discord, wishlisting on Steam, or simply following on Twitter, with an optional Pay What You Want support offer available.
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Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging way to learn basic programming concepts through visual coding.
- The art style is charming and the gameplay is addictive, making it easy to lose track of time.
- There is a solid foundation for automation and crafting, with potential for creative problem-solving.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and UI/UX issues that can hinder the overall experience.
- Resource management can be frustrating, with high energy consumption and the need for constant micromanagement.
- The current content is limited, leading to a feeling of repetitiveness and a lack of long-term goals.
- gameplay32 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Craftomation 101 is praised for its unique blend of crafting, automation, and programming, offering an engaging and intuitive experience that appeals to both beginners and seasoned players. However, some users find aspects of the gameplay tedious and frustrating, particularly due to AI issues and repetitive mechanics. Overall, while the game features a captivating story and creative possibilities, it suffers from minor bugs and quality of life concerns that detract from the overall experience.
“Overall amazing concept and perfect mechanics to get someone involved in simplistic programming.”
“Craftomation's gameplay offers a perfect balance of challenge and reward.”
“In conclusion, Craftomation 101 is a masterfully crafted experience that seamlessly blends crafting, automation, and programming into an addictive gameplay loop.”
“Parts of the game are fun, but parts of them are tedious, and the thorn mechanic is just straight obnoxious.”
“The gameplay loop is fine, although a little frustrating.”
“I wanted to like this, but I found the core gameplay to be a bit tedious and frustrating.”
- stability14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and stability issues, including frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches that hinder gameplay. While some players appreciate the concept and potential of the game, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems, making it difficult to recommend at this stage.
“But the game is so buggy at this point that I can't recommend.”
“Really great idea, but it's just too buggy to be fun at this point.”
“It is very buggy (I crashed 2 times with progress loss and was locked in interface 4 more times in 2 hours).”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging experience. The reliance on resource production, particularly for fire and batteries, can detract from creativity and enjoyment, as many basic actions are locked behind quests that require manual effort. While there are moments of fun and creativity, the overall grindiness can lead to frustration and a sense of obligation rather than exploration.
“Everything relies on fire (2 stone combined, + 1 coal, combine) which is extremely tedious and you need to devote the majority of your robots to just produce batteries and fire.”
“Feels like a tedious (even when automated somehow) and repetitive version of a supply chain game that leaves only a very thin margin for your creativity.”
“Also, even basic actions are locked behind quests, which means that you cannot automate anything properly without first grinding semi-manually.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with users praising the charming retro visuals and pleasant art style, contributing to a meditative gameplay experience. While some feel that improvements are needed, the overall aesthetic is considered appealing and fitting for an indie title.
“Nice, meditative gameplay with pleasant graphics.”
“And with some really pleasing graphics too.”
“With charming retro visuals and a fitting soundtrack, this game is a gem worth exploring for any fan of indie titles.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing significant performance issues, such as low frame rates and stuttering, particularly in the full version compared to the demo. While there are engaging optimization puzzles, the overall performance can hinder progress and enjoyment, especially when the game is played offline.
“There are a lot of simple scripting puzzles and one pretty interesting optimization puzzle that appears in both 'fire' and 'water' tending tasks.”
“But again, if you like optimization and logic games, you could be entertained for hours without making much progress on that content.”
“Once I had a performance degradation when I reached a certain number of bots.”
“Very bad FPS and stuttering in the full product and not in the demo.”
“The game also asks for internet access, which I blocked, and I am unsure if this causes the stuttering issue.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for being somewhat repetitive, yet it complements the charming retro visuals and enhances the overall experience, making it a worthwhile choice for indie game enthusiasts.
“With charming retro visuals and a fitting soundtrack, this game is a gem worth exploring for any fan of indie titles.”
“I found the music a little repetitive, but it's a good start.”
“Music gets repetitive.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is highlighted as captivating and engaging, complemented by interesting mechanics and a variety of missions. Players appreciate the unique narrative experience it offers, making it a must-play for those looking for creativity in gaming.
“All coupled with an interesting story and frozen ground mechanics.”
“With its captivating story, intuitive mechanics, and endless possibilities for creativity, it's a must-play for anyone seeking a truly unique gaming experience.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its humor, with players finding it genuinely funny and deserving of positive reviews for its comedic elements.
“This is a funny game.”
“I was trying to be funny the first time around, but this game deserves a good review.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers generally find the game's replayability lacking, citing insufficient content as a key factor that diminishes the incentive to revisit the game.
