This page will teach you the rules of alchemy. First, you may try a simple demo, to see how it works. It is better if you have the board game, so you can scan the real ingredient cards, but you may also try it without them: just tap in the main menu, then under Ingredients selection: chose "Select by hand". From now on, you won't need to scan actual cards, you will just chose them manually.

Once you understand the basics, you are ready to play the board game. Or, if you do not have the board game yet, you may try a simple minigame - how many experiments will you need to reveal all the secrets of alchemy? Scroll down to "Try the game" for more details.

Basic Principles of Alchemy

Ah! A new student. How delightful! I’m always glad to meet a someone whose heart burns with the fire of science. Are you ready to uncover nature’s mysteries? Ready to make discoveries that will earn respect and admiration?

Well, my young friend, this is a long journey. It will require perseverance and a keen mind. Let us begin simply, by mixing a potion from ingredients we can find on a walk through the forest. See? Here is a mushroom. And here is a toad. Now all you need is a fully equipped alchemical laboratory. I’ll wait while you set one up.

The Card Reader

To setup the app for this tutorial tap the button. Please enter this four-letter code: DEMO.

Mixing Potions

Ready? Wonderful! Now toss these ingredients into your cauldron and stir until the substance changes color.

Alchemists mix potions by combining two different ingredients. Tap the button and scan these two cards with the camera:

You may have to adjust your angle to get both cards in the picture. When the app recognizes the cards, they show up in the bottom half of the screen. When the app displays the correct ingredients, tap .

Congratulations on mixing your first potion! If you followed my instructions correctly, you mixed , which is a healing potion.

How is it possible that two seemingly ordinary ingredients could combine to make something extraordinary? Well, it’s time for you to learn a little theory.

Alchemicals

Each ingredient corresponds to exactly 1 alchemical. An alchemical has a red aspect, a green aspect, and a blue aspect, and each aspect can be positive or negative.

When two alchemicals combine, matching aspects amplify, and they make one of these potions:

To figure out what potion is created, look for a match in sign and color between a big circle on one alchemical and a little circle on the other:

Examples:

Pop Quiz:

I shall reveal the true nature of scorpion and bird claw. Now, can you tell me what potion you will get when you combine the two?

To check your answer, scan this picture:

Deduction

Mixing potions is easy once you know which alchemical corresponds to which ingredient. But we don’t know! Isn’t that wonderful? So many mysteries waiting to be solved. And so much grant money available for our research. In your first experiment, you discovered that mushroom and toad combine to make . What does this tell you about their alchemicals?

There are only 4 ways to make .

We don’t know which pair of alchemicals we have, and we don’t know which ingredient corresponds to which half of the pair. But we do know that mushroom and toad cannot be any of these four alchemicals:

because they do not have the symbol. Their red aspect is negative.

The Neutral Potion

Each alchemical has exactly one alchemical that neutralizes it. When you combine a neutralizing pair, you get a potion that has no magical effects, although it does make a tasty soup.

If two alchemicals have no matching aspects, they neutralize each other to make a neutral potion .

Examples:

Do not become discouraged when you mix a neutral potion. Your experiment has actually given you a lot of information. Now you just need to figure out how to use it.

Things to know:

Each alchemical has exactly one alchemical that neutralizes it (It makes a red, blue, or green potion with any other alchemical.).
An alchemical’s neutralizer has the opposite sign for each aspect (each color).
On your deduction grid, alchemicals that neutralize each other are in adjacent rows. Note the horizontal bands of light and dark shading.

Pop Quiz:

I have already revealed the alchemical for bird claw. Find out what happens when you mix bird claw and toad. Then tell me: What alchemical must correspond to toad?

And now, my young alchemist, your fundamental training is complete. Well, complete enough. I have to get back to work.

I wish you much success in all your endeavors, and if you should ever happen to publish an important discovery, be sure to give proper credit to the alchemist who taught you everything you know.

Try the Game

If you don't have the board game yet and you want to try to solve the puzzle just like you will do in the board game you can do following:

Don't forget to choose "Select by hand" option in the settings, so you won't need to scan actual cards.
Tap , this will randomize correct solutions.
Tap to perform your first test. Choose any two inredients you wish and tap to combine them. Note the result.
Repeat step 3 as many times as needed, to find yout what ingredient contains what alchemical.

How many tests do you need to perform to find out all correct answers?

To check if all your answers are correct, tap and then .

Credits

Programming: Matúš Kotry
Graphics: Jakub Politzer
Sounds: Copyright © 2011 Varazuvi™ www.varazuvi.com

The app was created using Marmalade SDK.
www.madewithmarmalade.com

© 2014 Czech Games Edition