I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.
In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.
To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.
Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.
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by Brad Linder Jan 12th 2009 at 4:00PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jenn said 6:06PM on 1-12-2009
have to admit - i am not a fan of divx - it installs too much crap on your computer. It also does not allow you to choose many options.
I think I will stick with flash player for web video and vlc (and similar products) or desktop.
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Mike said 6:06PM on 1-12-2009
VLC is merely a video player with integrated codecs.
Divx is a set of programs and codecs for encoding and decoding from the divx codec.
There may be a media player with divx, but they are two completely different things. One is a crappy player that uses crappy codecs for noob-ease-of-use (VLC), and the other is a specialized set of programs to operate with a codec and encode/decode it without issues of reliability or quality.
VLC is NOT helping audio/video quality get better. Its the equivalent of saying "IE8 is amazing! Microsoft is doing so well!". Go reformat and try using "MPC - Home Theatre Edition", and find your own codecs to use for everything. Or start with this (http://www.box.net/shared/rljvutz9nq) codec downloader/auto-configurer and add/modify that up. Only BIG things not included with that downloader are Quicktime Lite and the new Divx 7 codec....
Jenn said 6:13PM on 1-12-2009
@Mike: I am aware what divx is. All I was replying was that I stay away from anything with the word divx. I prefer alternatives. I have no use for 20 different media programs, which is why i go for the open source programs that tend to include the most used codecs. People can have different preferences. VC suites my needs and it is not propitiatory. Open sources moves everything further.
Joey said 6:49PM on 1-12-2009
@Jenn: So in other words; because you don't fully understand how it works, you rather stay with what has been working for you but at the cost of not experiencing what the product in question was created to do? You also claim that divx installs 'crap', when infact all it installs is their codec and player (and a toolbar if you so choose). You also claim that you rather install "open source programs that tend to include the most used codecs" which is, to say the least, another load of garbage. Seriously, are you really THAT ignorant?
Jenn said 8:19PM on 1-12-2009
@joey Sorry if I am coming across as ignorant, I am very bad at trying to explaining things. I have tried many preograms and platforms for watching streaming video, but divx just doesn't seem to work for me. They only encoding I do is using handbrake, media coder, basically dvd's. I actually download divx quite often, but find that their are few things that I use it for (for example the web player - most streaming video (Hulu, etc) use flash). Yes, I apologize for using the term crap ware...pwerhaps I should have said not as customizable. Divx is a format that I rarely use at all, perhaps once every 2 years. I heard its great for comrpression and putting more files on dvds, perhaps in the future I will giv it aother try, but Ilok elsewhere for now. One thing I do not understand is you saying that I should not be using a product that works for me? I am always on the look out for new downloads, but find myself leaning towards the players which contain the features I use the most and is highly customizable.MPC (http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/) and vlc can actually play quite a few file formats out of teh box..not divxx mind you but they still play quite a few.
James said 6:06PM on 1-12-2009
That's pretty great news about the DivX Plus program -- now when can I expect my Xbox 360 / PS3 to step up and get a (virtual, firmware-upgrade-based) sticker?
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Joey said 6:49PM on 1-12-2009
As soon as Sony and Microsoft license it. DivX isn't open source, so I expect you/we have a long wait ahead of us, unfortunately. :(
Joey said 6:50PM on 1-12-2009
As soon as Sony and Microsoft license it. DivX isn't open source, so I expect you/we have a long wait ahead of us, unfortunately. :(
Taylor. Yes, Taylor. said 6:53PM on 1-12-2009
Get DLS, you guys tagged it "h.263" instead of "h.264".
-Taylor
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Matt said 6:58PM on 1-12-2009
DivX does not (yet) provide any method to configure its new H.264 encoder - which, if I understand correctly, is just a re-branded MainConcept encoder - preferring instead to force H.264 at certain converter presets and DivX ASP at others. Even disregarding this limitation, the MainConcept encoder can't compete with the open-source x264 encoder for quality, as evidenced by the results of testing its original incarnation against (now outdated, by the way) x264 builds.
In short, nothing I'm too excited about. DivX continues to sell a subset of features that free software does better. Yawn.
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hazard said 9:37PM on 1-12-2009
Oh you mean something like the MSU MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Video Codec Comparison
The overall ranking of the codecs tested in this comparison is as follows: 1. MainConcept 2. x264 3. Intel IPP 4. XviD 5. Artemis x264 6. AMD .. The difference between the MainConcept and x264 encoders is not overly significant, so these two encoders are both the clear leaders in this comparison.
Golther said 8:19PM on 1-12-2009
Divx works perectly with my PS3 I just reencode a avi on the rare occaion my ps3 doesnt understand it from some reason, and presto works perfectly reading off my SD card.
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jenn said 8:19PM on 1-12-2009
Mike - Your righjt that vlc has integrated codecs. Perhaps that is why i use to post. I have tried the web player before, but find its rarely used and for me flash is easier to install as a browser add on. I am not trying to be rude, but please try to explain your point about vlc not making the world better. Because it has integrated codes? I am aware that Microsoft and ie8 are terrible because I am a web developer. Its to bad that the open vodeo formats are not more wide spread. I feel development moves faster. Just look at the Firefox, chrome and IE competition.
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