This was fun! I had a small nitpick though - the core game has this very nice pick-a-path mechanic that I really enjoyed, but three of the “challenges” just disable 1-2 of the base elements, reducing the number of paths to pick between; that just makes the game easier and is not a “challenge”. I understand it technically makes your energy lower, the gameplay itself is still easier.
Viewing post in Automating the Philosophers Stone jam comments
Yeah, I had a bit of a struggle coming up with unique challenges and what I went for is some restrictions that would force people to maybe learn the mechanics of certain elements individually or other parts like exact specifics of air scaling, but the biggest thing is that I regret not making at least some of the later challenges like really hard in some strategy way, I just didn't want there to be a bar of entry so that people who couldn't find the strategy wouldn't finish the game, but I guess that's the point a little of strategy games. Ideally the challenges make you learn how elements are optimized to be ready for another reset layer I wanted to put after you hit the stone where everything is elevated and now you should be using the upgrades in proper strategies