ComPressure

ComPressure is a puzzle game about building steam-powered circuits, from simple switches to adders, tabulators and entire computers. You learn how to use valves and pressure to control the flow of steam, with companions guiding you through the discovery of steam-based computation. The challenges are difficult, and each one you solve unlocks another element for future designs.

Build with pipes and valves

You begin by laying pipes and connecting them to steam inlets. Pipes can cross or join existing pipes, and you can place and rotate inlets. Pipe connections show their current pressure, from 100 at a steam inlet to 0 at an uncapped end.

A valve opens when the pressure on its + side is higher than on its - side, allowing steam to pass through. It stays closed when the pressures are equal or the - side has higher pressure.

Test your designs

The game continually tests your design against a series of targets. Outputs within 5% of a target earn a score based on accuracy: 100 for an exact match and 0 when the output is 5% off. Passing every test with a score above 0 unlocks the next level. You can select a test to enter “play one” mode, which repeats that test.

Each completed design can become a component in later designs. Weak solutions can make poor components, so you can return to earlier designs and tune and optimize them using what you have learned.