Bondage for Lumber Fetishists

May 1, 2006 8:32 AM

Zen Bondage (game, non-sexual, large download (~28 MB), Windows only) [more inside]
posted by Bugbread (18 comments total)

Zen Bondage is an indie game/tech demo/toy where you have a certain length of rope with which to wrap up a wooden block. The rope stains the block, and the goal is to get the block completely covered. There are no scores, victory screens, or the like, because...well, that wouldn't be very Zen, would it?

Note that if you don't already have the MSVCP70.DLL file (C++ libraries for .Net) on your computer, you will get an error when trying to run the game. I got my file from here, and just dropped it into the folder containing Zen Bondage, and it works fine.

Found via Kotaku, via this article on Something Awful, which has several other games for your enjoyment.
posted by Bugbread at 8:32 AM on May 1, 2006

GOD! windows only? link to a zip file? is this something I'd have to have MSVCP70.DLL to know about?

META.

I'm just kidding, of course. this is a very cool game, bugbread, thanks! and your presentation of it is exemplary.
posted by carsonb at 8:47 AM on May 1, 2006

There are no scores, victory screens, or the like, because...well, that wouldn't be very Zen, would it?

So you can't beat the game, because there is no game. The Second Noble Truth, decries the dependence upon physical constructs, however, even abstract representations of a physical model. One might gain insight through random observance, but to advance further toward true enlightenment, one must let go altogether, in proceeding, as one would with a sand painting.

Perhaps the creators of this work should've called their project "Kami-Nawa" (safe for work), though folks at work would've had trouble downloading it behind firewalls.
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:26 AM on May 1, 2006

Infuriatingly enough, it works fine under wine if you also get msvcr70.dll with the one major exception that there's a problem with the mouse grabbing, so you can't move the mouse away from the centre of the screen for more than 10 milliseconds, making the entire thing unplayable.
posted by fvw at 9:57 AM on May 1, 2006

This is brilliant.

Thank you! Perfect procrastination tool, I'm avoiding working at the minute and this is the best thing I've found for giving me something to do with no tangible result. Excellent!
posted by knapah at 10:20 AM on May 1, 2006

Can't get the damn thing to work even with msvcr70.dll in the directory... or system directory. Bah.... I really wanted a distraction right now.
posted by bigmusic at 10:46 AM on May 1, 2006

It's addictive, although I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it, if that's possible. (I tried renaming fmod.dll in an attempt to remove the godawful music but it refuses to run as a result. Could someone please enlighten my ignorance and tell me how to turn the music off?)
posted by Kiell at 12:47 PM on May 1, 2006

If you delete/rename/move the mp3 files in the data\soundtrack folder, the music stops (can't remove them while the game is playing, though).
posted by Bugbread at 1:42 PM on May 1, 2006

Ta. Should have realised to look in there. :) Much appreciated.
posted by Kiell at 1:48 PM on May 1, 2006

Wow, this actually may be the Best Thing Ever.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 3:05 PM on May 1, 2006

Note that bugbear's original link to the requisite DLL was incorrect. It should have been MSVCR70.DLL rather than MSVCP70.DLL.
posted by NailsTheCat at 7:42 PM on May 1, 2006

I needed both those .dlls in combination to run it.
Great game.
posted by scodger at 12:33 AM on May 2, 2006

You mean bugbread's original link. Your D&D roots are showing ;-).
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:38 AM on May 2, 2006

Ok, now the game just won't run period. I have both dll's installed and I get the option screen to choose my resolution and/or full screen. Then it just craps... poof...

Is this a game to test patience?
posted by bigmusic at 2:52 AM on May 2, 2006

bigmusic: I don't know why it isn't working for you, but don't worry about it. It's entertaining, but not so amazingly awesome that it's worth protracted and painful troubleshooting.
posted by Bugbread at 4:50 AM on May 2, 2006

Your D&D roots are showing

Darn it! Another check failed. ;-)
posted by NailsTheCat at 6:13 AM on May 2, 2006

NailsTheCat : "Darn it! Another check failed. ;-)"

Don't worry, I have a THACO of -1000 or so.
posted by Bugbread at 6:25 AM on May 2, 2006

Knowing nothing of Zen, I restarted my first block so I could achieve 100%. Very enjoyable timewaster whilst playing online poker.

How it will age is another matter. Or is that the point?
posted by 999 at 5:18 PM on May 2, 2006