Indie Game Pick: Polynomial (Dmytry Lavrov)
Polynomial is a 3D arcade shooter that features mathematically generated fractal scenery, with simplistic ship controls and a configurable difficulty setting that allows players to engage enemies in intense dogfights or explore the vast reaches of space at their own leisurely pace. The included editor can be used to generate new fractal sceneries and arenas, although the save option is only accessible for customers who purchased the game.
Gameplay basically consists of flying around, shoot at enemies marked by red boxes, and collect green items. You can repair your ship by floating near any of the coloured particles in space.
The demo offers ten arenas to play in, and there is no time restrictions that hamper your gameplay experience in any way. An online multiplayer option is in the works.
Available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. (source)










Comments
this game was really nice experience
Posted by: alastair_jack | June 23, 2009 8:11 AM
The windows build is for 32bits CPU (quoted from log). won't run for me
Posted by: Kidna | June 23, 2009 9:09 AM
awesome!
i feel another new space.
Posted by: akarolls | June 23, 2009 10:11 AM
Can't tell if it looks fun to play, but man that's a pretty game.
Posted by: cactus | June 23, 2009 11:08 AM
Hmm. If it failed to run on 64-bit CPUs, you would get no log.txt . It is probably a video card problem.
Posted by: dize | June 23, 2009 11:22 AM
Brilliant!
Posted by: Kouga | June 23, 2009 11:59 AM
It looks incredible - just a shame that a more interesting game couldn't have been made from it.
Posted by: Alex May | June 23, 2009 12:43 PM
Visuals are very enjoyable, however the demo is soundless, and there is nothing to do, making the experience dry.
Posted by: Lucaz | June 23, 2009 1:04 PM
the demo isn't soundless...
Posted by: increpare | June 23, 2009 1:24 PM
Then the sound failed in my system.
Posted by: Lucaz | June 23, 2009 2:04 PM
Very fine visules! Loverly splosions, and the sounds of those are too cool! esp. the hits preceding the POP with the rainbow particles bleeding out of the enimey er,. whatever they are. The game play is good 3d dogfight stuff,. hopfully it will get as interesting as the visules,.
Remindes me, I gota learn that 6 DOF math, but it does hurt my brain so..,
Posted by: jph | June 23, 2009 2:27 PM
It looks beautiful but I've got to agree that if only there was more game there. Imagine a full Elite like title with this kind of gorgeous imagery. Or at least some more interesting elements.
Posted by: KaL | June 23, 2009 3:16 PM
runs fine on my 64bit vista.
the game looks beautiful. but the game play is rather bland and borderline beta. for $20 i think ill pass. and the "experimental" pricing is outright laughable. $40 and $80.
Posted by: andy | June 23, 2009 3:41 PM
amazing graphics, i wish i were capable of that stuff; but other people's comments on the gameplay don't make me desirous of playing it
Posted by: Paul Eres | June 23, 2009 3:58 PM
Talk about eye candy, this game is a visual overload! And that's good.
Posted by: Gio | June 23, 2009 4:48 PM
I get sick after about 10 minutes of playing :( Looks great though.
Posted by: grybalski | June 23, 2009 8:15 PM
To me, its a quite impressive techdemo of an interesting idea - what it however isn't to me, is a finished polished game.
Posted by: Lyx | June 23, 2009 11:05 PM
Amazing. I love the visuals.
Posted by: Ivan | June 24, 2009 12:36 AM
I would like to see another game with this visual concept.
I would like to play somehow with the graphics instead of shooting down stuff. And chillout music instead of the John Williams-like score.
I will pay 40 bucks for that B-)
Posted by: Lucaz | June 24, 2009 2:05 AM
Lyx (and others) complaining about the completed-ness of this game, the very first words from the website do read;
"The Polynomial :: Preview
This is the game I'm currently working on."
So the creator has never stated otherwise,. I am unsure why this bothers anyone. I for one am very happy to play a free demo of an unfinished work esp. when it is this cool!
Posted by: jph | June 24, 2009 2:07 PM
i never complained the game was incomplete. i complained that its incomplete AND he is charging for a SLIGHTLY more complete version.
thats downright despicable. $20, $40, and $80 for the promise that you MIGHT one day get a complete game?!
he doesnt have much of a game right now so ill assume he wont have much when its finished. so im not going to buy it now. and i wont buy it then unless he really gets his act together.
what he should do: sell the engine. those graphics are beautiful but man the core game play concept is drab and uninspired. so let someone else make a great game instead of trying to sell a promise.
Posted by: andy | June 24, 2009 11:05 PM
[noticed it in referer log]
Firstly, thanks for the nice review.
Now, to address comments...
It's been in development for little over 6 months. Of course gameplay is minimalist at the moment.
A lot of people rather like minimalist gameplay, and it would be a dumb mistake not to sell to those people (and to go broke in middle of development).
You see, LARP players may think that 1 page of football rules is a 0.1% complete 1000-page LARP rulebook, but football players don't think so.
On business side. I calculate my price based on available data.
If I wanted to bet money that mathematics is wrong, I'd do that in Monte-Carlo
[Americans: I.e. in Vegas]
To address people whom evidently find Indie developer making any money developing a game 'downright despicable'... hmm I had to look that word up in dictionary, and don't think any more that this even needs to be addressed.
Posted by: DL | June 25, 2009 8:52 AM
Ahh, and to clarify Monte-Carlo math joke - its both a gabling city and math term, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_method
Anyway. The page clearly and honestly states the difference between free and full, and does not make any unreasonable promises. There is explanation and FAQ on that page.
Of course I'm not making any millions with incomplete game - but it does help pay the bills, and all the customers are happy.
Posted by: DL | June 25, 2009 11:31 AM
Yum. Get it onto XBLA and I am totally sold. Love it.
Posted by: Foxy | June 26, 2009 6:36 PM
Loving it!, the visuals are amazing, and for the lack of music i reccomend listen to Solar Fields http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Insum/1240551 and you're in for a ride.
Posted by: Dusan Vlahovic | June 27, 2009 1:41 AM