OCTOPTICOM

Released: Oct 3, 2018
Platforms
Last updated: 14 Sep 2026, 08:22 GMT

Updates & announcements

14 posts

15 Nov 2024Developer post
OCTOPTICOM (returns in) 3D
6 years after the release of OCTOPTICOM, comes OCTOPTICOM 3D. OCTOPTICOM 3D is a major upgrade to your favorite open-ended puzzle programming game about designing and optimizing optical computing devices. Featuring 3D graphics and gameplay, a refined user interface, completely re
19 Feb 2023Developer post
Stack Machines
Our next game will be a zachlike called 'Stack Machines'. It's a mix of TIS-100 and SpaceChem. If you enjoyed OCTOPTICOM there is a high probability that you will also like 'Stack Machines'. Check it out here and wishlist if interested:
08 Oct 2022Developer post
New game - Sokosignal
We have released a new puzzle game called Sokosignal . It's a minimalistic sokoban variant with a signal sending mechanic.
27 Apr 2021Developer post
Update v1.1.4
Version 1.1.4 is a small update: Added borderless fullscreen for the Windows version Fixed - selected components are now deselected after clicking on a component in the menu or the simulation step button. This used to cause strange behavior and crashes.
Version 1.1.4 is a small update:

Added borderless fullscreen for the Windows version
Fixed - selected components are now deselected after clicking on a component in the menu or the simulation step button. This used to cause strange behavior and crashes.
Original post
06 Apr 2020Developer post
Update v1.1.3
Version 1.1.3 is mostly bugfixes: switching solutions with the keyboard shortcuts while holding components with the mouse used to crash the game in solutions with a save file crashing on input from media keys the code behind the behaviour of the complementary component was rewrit
Version 1.1.3 is mostly bugfixes:

switching solutions with the keyboard shortcuts while holding components with the mouse used to crash the game in solutions with a save file
crashing on input from media keys
the code behind the behaviour of the complementary component was rewritten to fix a bug(and other potential bugs) reported by max on the unofficial Zachtronics discord server
on WIndows the print screen key can be used for screenshots
version label added in the main menu
Original post
06 Nov 2019Developer post
Update v1.1.2
Version 1.1.2 is a small patch: updated some of the libraries used by the game to fix a bug on Linux caused by the last update of the steam runtime resulting in no text being rendered fixed an issue where unrecognized keys were interpreted as space
Version 1.1.2 is a small patch:

updated some of the libraries used by the game to fix a bug on Linux caused by the last update of the steam runtime resulting in no text being rendered
fixed an issue where unrecognized keys were interpreted as space
Original post
21 Sep 2019Developer post
Update v1.1.1
Here is what's new in version 1.1.1 Bugfixes Hotkeys remove io objects Escape while holding a selection containing an io object not below the cursor drops the selected components and makes them inactive Selection is not cleared when switching to different solution Crash after swi
Here is what's new in version 1.1.1
Bugfixes

Hotkeys remove io objects
Escape while holding a selection containing an io object not below the cursor drops the selected components and makes them inactive
Selection is not cleared when switching to different solution
Crash after switching solution with a selection that was not cleared
io components not active when loading a corrupted save file
Components can be placed outside the board
Crash when scrolling outside of a loaded level
Sum of components costs not updating when switching solutions
New features

Move the board with the middle mouse button
Every 5th grid line is slightly thicker
Original post
18 Jun 2019Developer post
Version 1.1 - Step function and Color blindness mode
Below is a list of new features, changes and bugfixes for version 1.1 of OCTOPTICOM. Some highlights are - added step and pause functions and color blindness mode. New features Step and pause functions Color blindness mode Hotkeys for all components Sum of component costs shown i
Below is a list of new features, changes and bugfixes for version 1.1 of OCTOPTICOM. Some highlights are - added step and pause functions and color blindness mode.
New features

Step and pause functions
Color blindness mode
Hotkeys for all components
Sum of component costs shown in the right bottom corner(can be toggled on and off by pressing 'K')
Change simulation time(speed) by scrolling
Delete selection when an input/output component is also selected
The Options menu is accessible inside a loaded level
Changes

Level select menu is restructured showing the names of the levels and grouping them in 3 groups - easy, medium and hard
Goals are visible in all levels
Clarifications in the instructions for some levels
Instructions for all unsolved levels show automatically
Bugfixes

Holding the output component and pressing R results in a solved level
Escape while running disables buttons when returning to level
Right mouse click over menu buttons crashes the game
Accumulator bug on step 31 due to overflow(reported by shuffleskye on reddit)
Various issues with the switches(reported by algorithmshark, shuffleskye and others)
Partially solved an issue reported by Baltazár Radics related to the switches and the behavior of splitters.
Original post
04 Dec 2018Developer post
Update v1.0.4
Version 1.0.4 fixes a few bugs in the complementary component and one in the switch type 2.
12 Nov 2018Developer post
Optimization challenge for level 37 updated
The optimization challenge for level 37 was updated to require a more elaborate strategy.
26 Oct 2018Developer post
DEMO available
We added a demo with the first 18 levels of the game. The solutions are shared with the full game so when you switch you can continue with the new puzzles. To unlock some of the achievements you will have to rerun your solutions from the demo.
21 Oct 2018Developer post
Update v1.0.3
In version 1.0.3 we've added 3 save slots for each level. Now you can have and quickly switch between different solutions for the same puzzle.
17 Oct 2018Developer post
Update v1.0.2
We've been busy updating the game over the past few days. Here is a list of the changes that we'll call version 1.0.2: fixed a bug in the behaviour of Type 1 switches in some cases(thanks to reesylou for reporting it) added a key for clearing residual beams("C") changed the optim
We've been busy updating the game over the past few days. Here is a list of the changes that we'll call version 1.0.2:

fixed a bug in the behaviour of Type 1 switches in some cases(thanks to reesylou for reporting it)
added a key for clearing residual beams("C")
changed the optimization challenge for level 37(First 5 last 5) to avoid an easy brute force solution
added optimization challenges to levels that didn't have any(thanks to Innocentive)
changed the input in level 19(RGB) to avoid using the same solution as in level 4(Beam splitting)
other minor improvements here and there
If you are stuck somewhere and need some tips, want to see a highly optimized solution or maybe a different approach to solving a particular level check out Innocentive's great guide.
Original post
10 Oct 2018Developer post
Linux version available
The Linux version of OCTOPTICOM is now available. You can finally enjoy light puzzle programming on Linux.

Updates & announcements

Below is a list of new features, changes and bugfixes for version 1.1 of OCTOPTICOM. Some highlights are - added step and pause functions and color blindness mode.

To unlock some of the achievements you will have to rerun your solutions from the demo.