Initial release date 2012 Publisher Linden Lab | Developer Linden Lab | |
Platforms Microsoft Windows, Macintosh operating systems Similar Curious George, Alice in Wonderland, Pokémon Tetris, Fish Tank, Pokémon Battle Trozei | ||
Patterns is a sandbox-style building game and 3D space published by San Francisco-based Linden Lab, which had previously been known primarily as the creator of the online virtual world Second Life. The PC product, which is currently distributed via the BuildPatterns.com website, continues the company’s positioning as a maker of "shared creative spaces" that favor open-ended content creation and sharing over traditional goal-oriented gaming.
Contents
Gameplay
Since its debut in 2012, Patterns has drawn comparisons to Minecraft among the media and industry observers, with GameSpy’s Mike Sharkey calling the game “Minecraft, but with triangles...instead of blocks.”
As with Minecraft, creators are encouraged to explore and build in an expansive open-space environment. Creators can construct simple or elaborate structures using various shapes and patterns that are discovered as the game progresses. Critics have noted that a distinct difference from Minecraft is that creations in Patterns are subject to the laws of gravity, which can impact the strength and durability of each creation. Creator must also consider how to best strategically choose each building substance, since they contain different physical properties.
Cancellation
On 10 October 2014, Linden Lab announced that they were abandoning development of Patterns and shutting down the servers. The game was subsequently pulled from sale on Steam.