The Binding of Isaac

I picked this game up based on what others have said and I absolutely LOVE IT! It's so simple yet horribly addicting

52 deaths.

0 Mom kills.

Today I made it passed Caves 2 for the first time.

I'm not very good at this game.

I think my stats are right around the same as yours.

This is one MESSED UP game. I can't bring myself to play it more than once a day.

I have been putting a lot of time into this game lately. I had a great run earlier that was marred by a few problems. I accidentally descended to another level after finishing a boss because the chute appeared right next to my character, so I lost out on a great item. I think there should be warning or a togglable option in the menu that gives a prompt.

The exit to the next level always appears in the same place so you can avoid it if you're about to kill the boss. Also you won't go down if you're directly over it when it spawns.

Latrine wrote:

The exit to the next level always appears in the same place so you can avoid it if you're about to kill the boss. Also you won't go down if you're directly over it when it spawns.

The problem is that I had a really, really fast character that could jet across the room in a flash, so when I moved over the exit and accidentally went back, it made me go down. Still no reason there shouldn't be a prompt.

ZaneRockfist wrote:
Latrine wrote:

The exit to the next level always appears in the same place so you can avoid it if you're about to kill the boss. Also you won't go down if you're directly over it when it spawns.

The problem is that I had a really, really fast character that could jet across the room in a flash, so when I moved over the exit and accidentally went back, it made me go down. Still no reason there shouldn't be a prompt.

I think that kind of UI cue would be really out of place in a game that does a great job of keeping you focused on game play and not on flashy graphics and text reminders.
This is a roguelike, so when that happened to me my first thought was "how can I avoid that next time". I think that's the kind of mindset one should be in when playing this game.

Ah goddamnit, I thought I was done with you, Isaac.

Spunior wrote:

Ah goddamnit, I thought I was done with you, Isaac.

He's already teasing stuff? I didn't think he would actually start working on it this soon.

A big expansion for $3? Day one purchase for me.
Also, a huge congrats to jollyeskimo. I'm super jealous. I haven't beaten Satan even once yet, let alone with all the characters.
I did just manage to unlock the D6 after beating mom's heart with ?, which made me pretty proud of myself. I got pretty deep in Sheol on that run too. Getting the Battery and Book of Revelations made the difference in that run for sure.

Maybe he'll add keybinding and/or joystick support.

MannishBoy wrote:

Maybe he'll add keybinding and/or joystick support.

Does Flash have a joystick/controller API?

I'm at the same spot as Phish. Just can't beat Sheol. Its a f*cking pain.

Maybe he's adding a way for me to beat the stupid game with the stupid blue baby so I can get the stupid dice.

Finally got around to tinkering with this. It's adorable, but I find that the controls are, uh, "floaty" (?). Maybe I've been spoiled by Jamestown or something.

They're supposed to be a bit floaty. Your tears aren't perfectly accurate (they're tears) and the faster you move the harder it is to stop on a dime.

Finally, after months of playing on and off I managed a run where I completed it with Isaac. Imagine my surprise when I then immediately managed to complete it with both Magdalene and Judas. Mr Mega and all of the flying pickups FTW! (sad onion also awesome)

LobsterMobster wrote:

They're supposed to be a bit floaty. Your tears aren't perfectly accurate (they're tears) and the faster you move the harder it is to stop on a dime.

Rationalizing the inaccuracies of control with the unreasonable fiction ("they're tears) doesn't really cut it with me.

That being said, enjoying getting into this game. What's this pill do? Gives me underwear? What does that do? I dunno, but it's fun.

Now that, DanB, is a good explanation.

Does anyone have any tips for playing as Eve? She's the only character I haven't beaten the game with yet (I don't have ? unlocked), and I'm having a hard time figuring how to make her work.

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

carrotpanic wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:

They're supposed to be a bit floaty. Your tears aren't perfectly accurate (they're tears) and the faster you move the harder it is to stop on a dime.

Rationalizing the inaccuracies of control with the unreasonable fiction ("they're tears) doesn't really cut it with me.

They are supposed to be floaty/inaccurate because later pick ups can markedly change the linear accuracy of your shots (laser, brimstone, wiggle worm etc). The thing I do think takes a while to get used to is that the hit box for non-boss mobs is towards the bottom for the enemy (or Isaac). It's obeying that notion that you're looking top down in to the rooms and you can only hit soemthing where the mob/element is actually standing, yet the sprites are all drawn as though you're looking at them from the side (so you can hit where their "feet" are but not where their head is). I'm not entirely sure that was the right design decision.

Anyhoo... I've completed it 10 times now. I'm pretty sure I can kill mom nearly every time starting with any of the "main" characters, and irrespective of the pick ups I get. The final ? ? ? character is still providing problems though. Very nearly did it last night, I figure you just have to get super lucky with the pick ups, which is a bit of a pain. Also having now completed it 10 odd times I've not seen the entrance of Sheol once, that is annoying. Yet I'm still amazed that I'm seeing new things everytime I play. I saw the Krampus for the first time in a ? ? ? play through.

DanB wrote:

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

But you could easily rationalize that his tears are so strong that they shoot 1000 miles per hour and in a straight line laser cutting through everything in their path (or trickle down his face doing no damage to anything).

shoptroll wrote:

Does anyone have any tips for playing as Eve? She's the only character I haven't beaten the game with yet (I don't have ? unlocked), and I'm having a hard time figuring how to make her work.

Ignore the fact that she starts with Whore of Babylon and the bird, don't play to maximise their use. Hope you get lucky with a dmg power up or 2 in the first 2 levels and meticulously grind out the blood bag from any blood donation machines. Try and maximise the the number of free items you get as quickly as possible. I usually find, irrespective of character, that opening the item room, the secret room, the store and the challenge room (roughly that order of importance depending on how much cash you have on you) is the best plan of action. As keys are more rare than bombs I'd usually always use a bomb to get to a key to be able to open the item room, secret room and store. In the first 6 levels if bombs and keys are in short supply I'll usually clear every room in a level out so I can see exactly how many keys, bombs and money I can get to before making decisions about which rooms to open, which blocks to detonate etc... Usually by the 5th and 6th level your supply of keys is usually not and issue so I tend to be a bit more ad hoc about it.

I don't know if that's any help or if I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

carrotpanic wrote:
DanB wrote:

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

But you could easily rationalize that his tears are so strong that they shoot 1000 miles per hour and in a straight line laser cutting through everything in their path (or trickle down his face doing no damage to anything).

yeah of course but that objection applies to all mechanisms in all games. "They are tears so they are weak and floaty" is a just-so story that just marries up the game design choice (initial shots are weak and floaty) to the choice of visual/setting design (you are a crying abandoned child).

carrotpanic wrote:
DanB wrote:

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

But you could easily rationalize that his tears are so strong that they shoot 1000 miles per hour and in a straight line laser cutting through everything in their path (or trickle down his face doing no damage to anything).

Does he like Good Charlotte too?

DanB wrote:
carrotpanic wrote:
DanB wrote:

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

But you could easily rationalize that his tears are so strong that they shoot 1000 miles per hour and in a straight line laser cutting through everything in their path (or trickle down his face doing no damage to anything).

yeah of course but that objection applies to all mechanisms in all games. "They are tears so they are weak and floaty" is a just-so story that just marries up the game design choice (initial shots are weak and floaty) to the choice of visual/setting design (you are a crying abandoned child).

Right, that's why I'm saying your explanation (regarding mechanics) holds weight with me while the narrative explanation does not.

wordsmythe wrote:
carrotpanic wrote:
DanB wrote:

I mean they are indeed supposed to be tears and that is the rationale for why they are a bit floaty and inaccurate but from a game mechanics POV it is also the basis for why there is an upgrade path and why the upgrade path is useful.

But you could easily rationalize that his tears are so strong that they shoot 1000 miles per hour and in a straight line laser cutting through everything in their path (or trickle down his face doing no damage to anything).

Does he like Good Charlotte too?

Wait, there are people who don't?

Got my first playthrough beaten. Mom is maybe the creepiest bossfight in any game I've played. I was doing a really solid playthrough with Eve, and then miscalculated a deal with the devil. It always leaves me with just one heart.

DanB wrote:

Ignore the fact that she starts with Whore of Babylon and the bird, don't play to maximise their use. Hope you get lucky with a dmg power up or 2 in the first 2 levels and meticulously grind out the blood bag from any blood donation machines. Try and maximise the the number of free items you get as quickly as possible. I usually find, irrespective of character, that opening the item room, the secret room, the store and the challenge room (roughly that order of importance depending on how much cash you have on you) is the best plan of action. As keys are more rare than bombs I'd usually always use a bomb to get to a key to be able to open the item room, secret room and store. In the first 6 levels if bombs and keys are in short supply I'll usually clear every room in a level out so I can see exactly how many keys, bombs and money I can get to before making decisions about which rooms to open, which blocks to detonate etc... Usually by the 5th and 6th level your supply of keys is usually not and issue so I tend to be a bit more ad hoc about it.

That's basically how I play anyways, although I skew more towards abusing the arcade for dollar -> blood bag -> skatole sometimes to a detriment. The farthest I've gotten with Eve is Womb 1 and that was the first real attempt. Last night was trying to abuse the bird and whore and didn't get much in terms of luck and it leaves you way too vulnerable. I'll take your advice/sanity check and fall back on my standard routine and instincts with the character.

The biggest problem is the lack of damage and it certainly feels like the game is going out of it's way to hand me speed/range items vs. HP/dmg with each boss kill. I noticed a similar trend with Judas, so I'm starting to wonder if the RNG weighs certain groups of items higher depending on character/# of mom kills. I'm pretty sure I got a lot more +HP items with Isaac/Maggy in my first mom kill. But that's all anecdotal so without a significant amount of data mining it's hard to say.