Parallax Prism: Quiet Machines

About Parallax Prism: Quiet Machines

Parallax Prism: Quiet Machines is a calm contraption puzzle set in a cave of resonant crystals, where nothing is timed and the whole game is to build, run and watch. A tuning stone at the heart of each chamber hums one steady pitch. Hanging stone bells wait elsewhere in the dark, some sand beds lie between, and you have a few blueprint stamps in the form of crystals tuned low, middle or high.

The rules are simple to hear. A hum passes from the stone, or from a humming crystal, to a crystal beside it when the two pitches are the same or one step apart, so low and middle talk and middle and high talk, but low and high never do. Every crystal the hum reaches sings its own pitch. A bell rings when a humming crystal beside it has exactly the bell's pitch; a bell does not pass the hum on. Some chambers also hold sleepers, echo-bats folded in the rock, which wake to a pitch in just the same way, so the hum must be kept away from them.

There is no second test and no clock. Set a few crystals, press Hum and watch the sound travel, one step at a time, from bed to bed; the bells that ring light up, and anything that stays silent shows you where the hum stopped. Stars count the crystals you used against the fewest the game's own solver found. Twelve hand-ordered chambers teach one idea at a time, then deeper chambers without end and a daily chamber that is the same for everyone. Your progress stays in this browser.

How to play

Carry the stone's hum to every bell without waking the sleepers.
Tap a sand bed to set a low crystal; tap again for middle, again for high, again to lift it.
A hum passes between crystals whose pitches are equal or one step apart (1-2, 2-3, not 1-3).
A bell rings for a humming crystal of exactly its pitch beside it; a sleeper wakes the same way.
Press Hum. Fewer crystals earn more stars. There is no clock.

Controls

Tap or click a sand bed — set a low crystal, then middle, then high, then lift it
Arrow keys, WASD, D-pad, N and B — walk the cursor over the beds; 1, 2, 3 — set a crystal; Enter — cycle; X — lift
Space or Hum — send the hum; H — a hint
Backspace, Z or Undo — undo; R or Reset — clear the beds
P, Escape or Start — pause

Frequently asked questions

How does the hum travel?

From the tuning stone to a crystal beside it, and on from crystal to crystal, whenever two neighbours are tuned the same or one step apart. Low and middle pass, middle and high pass, low and high do not. Only crystals the hum reaches sing.

When does a bell ring?

When a humming crystal right beside it has exactly the bell's pitch (the number on the bell). The stone itself also counts if it is beside the bell. A bell never passes the hum on.

What are the sleepers?

Echo-bats folded in the rock, each listening for one pitch. They wake exactly as a bell rings, by a humming crystal of their pitch beside them, and a woken sleeper spoils the test. Nothing is lost: take the crystal away and try again.

How are stars counted?

By the crystals on the beds when the test passes, against the fewest the solver found. A hint limits that chamber to two stars. Hums, undo and clearing the beds are free, and there is no time limit.

Can I play without telling the colours apart?

Yes. Low crystals are squat hexagons, middle ones tall diamonds and high ones needle clusters, each marked 1, 2 or 3, and every bell and sleeper shows its number too. Every test is also described in words for screen readers.

Does the game save?

Yes, in this browser: solved chambers, stars, and the beds you were working on. Nothing is uploaded.