RO®, the game of Simple Complexity

RO "Expert 5" puzzle solved.

2010-10-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Simple mathematical relationships are the basis for the increased complexity of the puzzles in RO. While designing RO, we were able to solve the majority of the puzzles during the design phase. But we continued on through the production phase without having solved the final puzzle, Expert 5. We knew it was solvable, because the math was telling us so, but it wasn't until last month that it was finally solved, with confirmation.

Summie of Redmond Washington made this photo evidence available to us, confirming that she had indeed solved Expert 5. She should have entered our Expert 1 Contest.

Theoretically, Expert 5 should be solvable in less than 555 moves, much less. But, it is an Extreme visual puzzle, and that visual complexity can make it very challenging to decipher a solution in the minimum possible number of moves.

RO®

RO® is now $0.99

2009-09-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

RO® is now available at the iTunes AppStore for a mega spectacular price of only $0.99.

RO®

2009-06-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

The RO® $500 "Expert 1" Contest starts tomorrow. link

RO® v1.1 upgrade

2009-05-21T14:35:00.001-07:00

The RO® v1.1 upgrade offers the player a new image import feature, from either the camera or the photo album. Load your own favorite photos and web images, and discover how using your own images affect the complexity of the puzzles. Explore to find your own images that make the puzzle fun for you. Hard core puzzlers will enjoy making any level increasingly more challenging, through their image choices.

RO® - Intermediate 3, "Hook", a solution.

2009-05-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

RO® - Intermediate 2, "Oil", a solution.

2009-05-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

RO® - Intermediate 1, "Luna", a solution.

2009-05-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

RO® - Novice 5, "Slot", a solution.

2009-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

RO® - Novice 4 "Splitz", a solution.

2009-05-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

Reviews of RO® at CrazyMikesApps & TouchMyApps

2009-05-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

"You better bring your A game to figure out Ro’s puzzles…."

"This is no sissy game!" ~ CrazyMikesApps

"RO is basically what a puzzler should be, and developers should follow this example in implementing new twists and concepts instead of solely producing tried and true games." ~ TouchMyApps

RO® review on Youtube by AppleItems247

2009-05-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

AppleItems247@Youtube

RO® - Introduction

2009-05-02T15:51:00.000-07:00

RO® review quotes

2009-04-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

"one of the most innovative apps i've come across in the Apps Store. It's the easy to learn, but a lifetime to master kind of puzzle game."

~ Appcraver.com

"Ro is basically what a puzzler should be, and developers should follow this example in implementing new twists and concepts instead of solely producing tried and true games."
~ TouchMyApps.com

"Not only are you looking for something that is unique, it’s nice to have it look good, be challenging, and work well. Time to say hello to Ro. Ro is pretty much everything I mentioned and than some."

~ appVersity.com

"Kinda like a rubik circle. The design of the game looks great, and the puzzle difficulty ramps up nicely, which will keep you coming back for a while."

~iPhoneGameNetwork.com

"It’s a fun game of logic. A game which requires logically analyzing what’s going on, and reacting accordingly. Simple in it’s approach, it’s almost minimalist."

~Razorianfly.com

"I couldn’t be any happier with any game that makes everything easily accessible for the end-user.
~theAppEra.com

"RO® is a unique rotating puzzle game ideal for quick play. The game starts simple, but quickly becomes frustratingly fun. Definitely try the lite version first; if it wets your appetite for some more difficult puzzle, upgrade to the full."
~AppShelf Blog

"You better bring your A game to figure out Ro’s puzzles…." ~CrazyMikesApps

“It’s a very challenging puzzler with a unique game mechanic that I hadn’t seen before.” ~MacWorld

RO® is #19 in Family "Top Paid Apps"

2009-04-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

RO® is #19 in Family "Top Paid Apps" at iTunes.

RO® is #45 in "Top Paid Apps"

2009-04-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

RO® is #45 in "Top Paid Apps" this morning, up from #59 last night.

RO® moves from "What's Hot" to "Staff Favorites".

2009-04-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

RO® moves from appStore/Games/"What's Hot" to appStore/"Staff Favorites" at iTunes.

Understanding RO's simple complexity

2009-04-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

RO® is characterized as a puzzle of simple complexity.
The "simple" is readily apparent, but the "complex" requires some effort to get to.

And it is because of this effort required, that some players may not get past the simple, and not understanding the puzzle, will therefore settle for solving it via trial and error.

By solving a RO® puzzle via trial and error, you could spend all day, or accidentally solve it in record time. I realize that this can be fun in and of itself, but this approach to the game will provide the limited experience of Luck, similar to Roulette.

Those looking for a more complex puzzle experience will want to discover the properties of the puzzle, and exploit them. So, it was intended that the only trial and error that you should intentionally employ would be for the initial discovery.

By that I mean, the discovery of the rotation rules.

Lets look at Novice 1.

(Download RO Lite from iTunes)

Select the Outermost ring, and rotate it Clockwise.
It will rotate 90 degrees, and the rings inside it will rotate an additional 90 degrees clockwise (total 180).

Now rotate the innermost ring 90 Clockwise. You will see that its rotation is not followed by any other rings.

Now rotate the middle (3rd) ring. Rotate it 90 degrees clockwise, and the rings inside it rotate an additional 90.(total 180)

This bit of trial and error has given the player all they need to know about this puzzles rules. They can then go forward and solve this puzzle with a game plan.
By realizing that only the rings on the inside of the selected ring will move in addition to the selected ring, you can then make the logical assumption that you can solve this puzzle best by starting with aligning the outside ring, and then working your way inward.

OK, that seems simple now that we figured it out. If we now look at puzzle Novice 2, and employ the same discovery, we will quickly deduce that the solution for Novice 2 is the reverse of Novice 1. You would solve Novice 2 from the inside out.

And again, its simple once we take the time to understand the rotational rules of each puzzle.

But Novice 3 starts to get more complex.

Using the method of discovery we employed for the first two puzzles, we see that rotating the selected ring in Novice 3 will cause rings on both sides to be affected.

If we rotate the center ring (3rd ring) 90 degrees clockwise, the rings inside will rotate an additional 90 degrees, while a single ring immediately outside will rotate 270 degrees Counter-Clockwise.

If we attempt to solve Novice 3 using either of the strategies we used for Novice 1 or 2, we will not solve this puzzle.

Welcome to the complex, or at least the beginning of it.

RO® Review @ appVersity

2009-04-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

We got a very complementary review of RO® last week from appVersity.com.

Quote

http://www.appversity.com/games/ro-review/

RO® Contest at appEra

2009-04-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the start of a Contest at theAppEra.com to win a free copy of RO® by playing the LITE version.

The contest runs through the weekend.

Four free codes will be given away to the winners.

Update:

Winners of the appEra RO giveaway contest are - Jeni, Rachel, Andy, & Salokin.

RO® releases a free LITE version

2009-04-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

RO® is now available in a free limited LITE version, RO® Lite.

The Lite version contains the first 5 puzzles, and can be found at this link.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309532260&mt=8

The full version can be found here.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304204839&mt=8

RO® makes it to "What's Hot"

2009-04-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, RO® made it to the first page of "What's Hot" at the iTunes appstore.

Legend has it that trumpets sound and sales increase dramatically when one's icon is in this celestial phase.

Duael Designs LLC and Roamular LLC brought RO® to the iPhone & iTouch in February '09.

RO® is a Registered Trademark of Duael Designs LLC. Patent Pending.