GAME DESCRIPTION:
Alter is a game where you start in a lab where experiments have been performed and you are in a quantumly entangled state. You must solve puzzles, increasing in complexity until you beat the game.
RATINGS:
Visual Appeal: 10/20
Sound/Audio Design: 10/20
Completeness: 28/30
License: 30/30
Originality: 50/50
Gameplay: 50/50
Performance: 50/50
User Friendly/Intuitive: 80/100
Codebase: 140/150
FINAL SCORE: 398/450
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is a game that from my perspective, takes inspiration from Portal but does a fine job of making it its' own game. I hope to see updates for this in the future!
NOTE: Recommended/not recommended is based on if the score is an 84% or higher.
Through the positive reviews amassed through game jam reviewers, this game has surpassed LOTT, the infinite IKEA and a couple other genuinely well done game, being a mere "cookie clicker" type of game: You spend all your time doing the highly repetitive task of mining resources and spending them. The first five minutes you unlock new types of resources - which merely differ in color/tool - and a "shop", which will convert resources. But afterwards, it gets "meh".
In it's current state the game is basically an idle clicker with 3 unchanging buttons. I've seen the mobile game ads though, and am very interested in seeing where this goes. I will definitely update my review as progress is made
Nice job! You made great use of available time, this game doesn't feel shallow like some jam games do
For polish:
* It'd be nice if the nodes had place/walk sounds, and the water/lava had liquid properties (For more 'MTG-like' scenes) with ambient sounds.
* Make the music go as a background behind sounds added above, and add a track or two more
Things you might want to fix:
I had a hard time telling blocks apart visually, having to look at the HUD for what a node was broke the immersion.
I tested 10 games from JAM2021 until now (Build'N'Buy, littlelady, lucky dude, modular_portals, subway_miner, snake_3d, grand_theft_box, pacman, buildacity and balloonair) and for me this is the 2º best of then. (1º place to me was Build'N'Buy)
But only work in single player mode, i can't create a local server, the players must be aware.
I tested 10 games from JAM2021 until now (Build'N'Buy, littlelady, lucky dude, modular_portals, subway_miner, snake_3d, grand_theft_box, pacman, buildacity and balloonair) and for me this is the best of then. (2º place to me was Little Lady)
But can be better with: - a miniature exemple of how the copy must to be beside. - I take 'air' node. - An easy model in 1º play, my first was the moon.
Is it possible to change the Minecart mod, so the player can simply jump to exit it? It is sometimes impossible to exit from a minecart - I've found this problem many times when 2 players in minecarts "collide" and end up on top / "inside" of each other. In that case, you can not see the cart in order to right click it, so you can exit it, and therefore become stuck in it. By allowing detach with jump, it would simplify the experience and should solve this problem - especially for mobile players on Android.
It's the first gamejam-game which i test which not lag, or a Arcade game is. It's a nice evolution game but there are only colored blocks but there is more cretive possible. Also you should spawn on a sector and not in water.
My 6%-rating(if i would have 6% of rating):
* 0.75/1 for the idea --the idea is cool but not unique
* 1/2 for the media --That are only color textures. And the dealer was a bit modified Sam-Texture. But the sectors was modulated in hexagons.
* 2.5/3 for the play --It was nice time for play it but i spawned in water and must find the platform first. But the tuttorial was also good.
* 4.25/6 in total
This game has great potential IMO. The basic mechanisms (power supply, money, road connections) are there and the plain textures fit in perfectly well. Suggestions:
- Hint the player to the help. I struggled a bit how to start playing until I discovered that there was some help available when pressing I. Could also include some more information (like given in the CDB's package description) in the in-game help.
- Buildable power plants
- Enable roads to go up/down
- (Music?)
Really looking forward what will come next to this game (more infrastructure?).
Nice grapics, nice idea, but the itens placement stop to working for me. I made new worlds and the problem stay.
I miss too instructions on the itens cost and descriptions.
Hope this game go ahead.
I create the worlds but only enter in the landscape and shows 'Press JUMP to start'. I press jump and the player jump. Press 'i' shows controls but i can't play.
As simple as this gameplay is as beautiful I find the textures (admittedly a matter of taste). I like that there are new nodes introduced almost in every level which makes you want to know what comes next.
The short command aliases are very convenient too.
Of all the other puzzle games I've played so far I never came across this incredibly interesting concept. Definitely challenging and thanks to various non-repetitive levels it doesn't get boring.
It is a simple pakour game with simple textures but it's funny. Please add a reset item that you spawn again on beginning. And are really all textures by you?
If i would give 6% of the gamerating:
0.5/1 for the idea -- The idea can everybody have but don't have.
1.5/2 for the textures -- the texture are really simple and inspired by void
2.5/3 for the play --resetitem or similar i missed but eles was all cool. /restart take time to type in chat
4.5/6 in total.
I recommend the game
I like this game really. But today i have more game jam games to test too. The control like in inventory writen work other but i learned it after a while. It's hard and one tiime i died because a flying tree.
If i would have 6% of Rating:
* 0.5/1 for the Idea --This Idea can get everybody but have not.
* 1.5/2 for the textures --I think the coins, baloon and items was textured by you but at the rest idk
* 2/3 for the play.--It's Funny to play. I haven't get a bad spawn but if you get it's maybe not funny. You can the generate-high of mountains customize. Also you should describe in inventory what you can do with the items.
* 4/6 in total -- Funny short game, which i can recommend when you are bored.
This game was rated good for the Game Jam
The rating is not final!
The idea i found the best of all submissions and the similarst to a game jam game concept from me but I would give a bad rating because:
* As i spawned first i fell trough the nodes and i wasn't at space station. If i used /teleport 0 0 0
* As i spawned secound i lost without reasson hearts
* As i spawned third i was attacked by mobs
But then i created a secound world and:
* I had only 13 fps :(
* Only the power generator failed not if it was on
* I had under 50 oxygen, hunger and temperature and i begin to dying
The textures had high resolution but was the really from you? Normal i play minetest without sound so that i can't sayif the sounds are good.
Summary:
I would glady give it a good rating but it must first improved.
If i would have 6% of the rating i would give the poits like this:
* Idea 1/1 --The best i dea in Jam
* Media 1.5/2 --high resolution and for the models much effort but some things did not fit together
* Play 0.5/3 --catastrophic but a half point that you have it implemented
* Total 3/6 so it is hard to say if i would it recommend. But the play and idea are the most important and there you had not egnough points for a good rating. But for game Jame this rating is neutral
Edit:
This is the game that has had the most effort put into it (of all the ones I've seen so far), so it should really get a good rating. I will test the game again next week and re-evaluate it. By then I should have a better computer so the rating is not final!
Builda City at its present functions as a very simple citybuilder game, with only 5 things to place, houses, shops, offices, skyscapers and roads.
As usual, Kenny graphics are amazing, and that choice alone adds significant appeal to it.
The gameplay is very simple, it is more of a creative mode citybuilder than a survival one at its current state, and I have no issues with that, as a major fan of simulation construction games. Those that were expecting more gameplay may be disappointed in this aspect.
However, this is a solid start and there's so much more potential. Out of all gamejam submissions so far, I have spent the longest time in this, trying to perfect my cute little city.
I do look forward to its continual development, and maybe contributing to it.
I had no clue what to do at first, but I slowly figured it out with a little effort :P
I'd love for there to be sound, and maybe a tutorial/hints too.
I'm not sure what you could do with more levels, might need to add another game mechanic
Regarding the laggy nature, I think anyone who has worked with minetest long enough would realize this is the norm especially with dealing with entities of this scale.
Putting that aside, this game does introduces some pretty impressive mechanics. The fact that the AI cart players (for most parts) actually work is impressive enough for me to provide a thumbs up.
The gameplay is fun and has a lot of interesting powerups, karts while laggy, are still very responsive to controls.
Even in endless singleplayer its definitely fun enough for me to play continuously.
I definitely look forward to more stages & multiplayer being released.
For those going into this not expecting what the gameplay is, I would say its comparable to a game of minesweeper except on a 2x2 board.
It's an insanely simple concept, yet I still found myself playing few rounds continuously, I imagine it will be more fun in multiplayer as well.
Execution is flawless though as Emojiminetest said, larger boards would be nice.
A different interesting approach to minetest's cubic nature
I think this game takes the cake with having the most interesting visuals I have seen so far.
At its core, it is a simple parkour puzzle game, but the visuals definitely make it stand out, the music is nice as well.
My only issue is, perhaps due to limitations by minetest itself, the inconsistent collision boxes of the "platforms", while I suppose the idea is to let the player figure it out, attempting to traverse these inconsistent collision boxes reminds me more of "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" than a fun relaxing parkour platformer that the music has tricked me into believing.
That being said, I do appreciate the attempt to break the cubic nature, and the effort into it as well, i'm sure making those collision boxes weren't fun either.
However, figuring out those collision boxes as gameplay isn't really my cup of tea, but I'm sure it's someone else.
At the end of the day however, the homemade music and graphics are beautiful enough for me to provide a thumbs up.
It's nice to see another puzzle game, but one with a mini-story built into as well.
That being said, the story is as mentioned, mini, and there could be potential for more, especially with the way they are displayed.
The puzzle element is definitely something new and fun, nothing much to complain in that aspect, it does that well.
I understand there's a lot more planned, considering all the "Coming Soon" descriptors in the game.
At its current state, Stella presents interesting graphics and gameplay with potential for more, and for that its a thumbs up.
That being said, the gameplay idea is a bit simple at the moment, dig up things to upgrade things to dig up more things, which is to say, what is different from normal minetest gameplay?
I would like to see these resources used for more purposes, maybe building your own mini city and or even hiring miners to do the job for you.
More sounds cues would be helpful too, considering there's currently no sound when interacting with things.
The game at its present state is nothing more than a simple box-driving simulator. Or at least, I haven't found anything else to do with it.
Kudos to add a city backdrop, but that all it seems to be. The box physics are also not the best fitted to the crafted environment, its near impossible to make the tight-turn roads considering how slow the box actually turns.
There's potential for more, I see the mention of "thief", maybe ability to interact with the city nodes and actually steal something and then running away in a box?
But at its current state, there's simply no gameplay.
A unique concept that leaves so much more to be desired
The concept of the game is very unique and it's something that has definitely the potential for so much more.
The game already introduces some structures the player can construct, but there could be so much more than that.
There's potential to take this into a tower defense genre, rather than singular dragon bosses, there could be waves of enemies, that require structures like the ion cannon to destroy.
Additionally, making the information on how to construct these structures ingame would be more useful, rather than the need to refer to an external source.
Although the game currently doesn't have too much to offer, it is a promising start with a solid concept, and for that, it's a thumbs up.
The idea is simple, yet the implementation is but lazy.
You are required manually place down the maze and your own enemies. Why not generate it for the player at the start already?
The gameplay is dull as well, there's nothing stopping you from collecting the dots, the ghosts AI are just the simple ones, that can't even move around a corner, the challenge only comes when you do have the need to pass by them.
I was intridged when i first saw the mesh flora in the screenshot.
But frankly, that is all this game has to present.
The game shoves you down into a simple survival, where there are these spiky slug-like things chasing you down. And really there's all to the game, which is to say, what's stopping me from just running minetest_game with another mobs mod, which offers a lot more gameplay.
That being said, there's a lot of wasted potential with the mesh flora pieces which look great, but currently serve zero purpose other than a decorative backdrop right now.
A very simple and polished game that does well what it says on the tin.
The graphics are great and the gameplay works as intended.
My only complain is that given the laggy nature of minetest, certain maneuvers perhaps require a bit too much precision; for anyone having issues as I am, I find the best approach is to make the move before even reaching the tight junction.
398/450: Alter
GAME DESCRIPTION: Alter is a game where you start in a lab where experiments have been performed and you are in a quantumly entangled state. You must solve puzzles, increasing in complexity until you beat the game.
RATINGS:
Visual Appeal: 10/20
Sound/Audio Design: 10/20
Completeness: 28/30
License: 30/30
Originality: 50/50
Gameplay: 50/50
Performance: 50/50
User Friendly/Intuitive: 80/100
Codebase: 140/150
FINAL SCORE: 398/450
FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a game that from my perspective, takes inspiration from Portal but does a fine job of making it its' own game. I hope to see updates for this in the future!
NOTE: Recommended/not recommended is based on if the score is an 84% or higher.
Overrated cookie clicker
Through the positive reviews amassed through game jam reviewers, this game has surpassed LOTT, the infinite IKEA and a couple other genuinely well done game, being a mere "cookie clicker" type of game: You spend all your time doing the highly repetitive task of mining resources and spending them. The first five minutes you unlock new types of resources - which merely differ in color/tool - and a "shop", which will convert resources. But afterwards, it gets "meh".
Intresting concept and good graphics
Graphics are very nice, but the baloon sometimes seems bugging (going inside entire mountains without actually crashing).
Hope this will get fixed!
A good game
With a better environment (lamps, doors? better looking guards?), it would be a pretty good game.
Overall: Meh
In it's current state the game is basically an idle clicker with 3 unchanging buttons. I've seen the mobile game ads though, and am very interested in seeing where this goes. I will definitely update my review as progress is made
Overall: Good
Nice job! You made great use of available time, this game doesn't feel shallow like some jam games do
For polish: * It'd be nice if the nodes had place/walk sounds, and the water/lava had liquid properties (For more 'MTG-like' scenes) with ambient sounds. * Make the music go as a background behind sounds added above, and add a track or two more
Things you might want to fix:
Beautiful game
I tested 10 games from JAM2021 until now (Build'N'Buy, littlelady, lucky dude, modular_portals, subway_miner, snake_3d, grand_theft_box, pacman, buildacity and balloonair) and for me this is the 2º best of then. (1º place to me was Build'N'Buy)
But only work in single player mode, i can't create a local server, the players must be aware.
Best so far
I tested 10 games from JAM2021 until now (Build'N'Buy, littlelady, lucky dude, modular_portals, subway_miner, snake_3d, grand_theft_box, pacman, buildacity and balloonair) and for me this is the best of then. (2º place to me was Little Lady)
But can be better with: - a miniature exemple of how the copy must to be beside. - I take 'air' node. - An easy model in 1º play, my first was the moon.
suggestion to simplify detaching from minecart
Is it possible to change the Minecart mod, so the player can simply jump to exit it? It is sometimes impossible to exit from a minecart - I've found this problem many times when 2 players in minecarts "collide" and end up on top / "inside" of each other. In that case, you can not see the cart in order to right click it, so you can exit it, and therefore become stuck in it. By allowing detach with jump, it would simplify the experience and should solve this problem - especially for mobile players on Android.
Great fun
Played it yesterday with the maker and I could've easily played another hour if I didn't need sleep!
Good fun, polished and easy to get into. If you like any version or clone of bomberman, you will like this too.
Looking forward to play this with more people!
Nice game but more is possible
It's the first gamejam-game which i test which not lag, or a Arcade game is. It's a nice evolution game but there are only colored blocks but there is more cretive possible. Also you should spawn on a sector and not in water.
My 6%-rating(if i would have 6% of rating): * 0.75/1 for the idea --the idea is cool but not unique * 1/2 for the media --That are only color textures. And the dealer was a bit modified Sam-Texture. But the sectors was modulated in hexagons. * 2.5/3 for the play --It was nice time for play it but i spawned in water and must find the platform first. But the tuttorial was also good. * 4.25/6 in total
I recommend the game for the gamejam
Good start
This game has great potential IMO. The basic mechanisms (power supply, money, road connections) are there and the plain textures fit in perfectly well.
Suggestions:
- Hint the player to the help. I struggled a bit how to start playing until I discovered that there was some help available when pressing
I. Could also include some more information (like given in the CDB's package description) in the in-game help.- Buildable power plants
- Enable roads to go up/down
- (Music?)
Really looking forward what will come next to this game (more infrastructure?).
Stop working
Nice grapics, nice idea, but the itens placement stop to working for me. I made new worlds and the problem stay. I miss too instructions on the itens cost and descriptions. Hope this game go ahead.
Impressive implementation
I was surprised how well this type of game worked (in Minetest!).
Suggestion: Turn on the music by default, it makes the game feel so much nicer.
Don't work for me
I create the worlds but only enter in the landscape and shows 'Press JUMP to start'. I press jump and the player jump. Press 'i' shows controls but i can't play.
Good game for...
This is a good game for:
Simple and beautiful
As simple as this gameplay is as beautiful I find the textures (admittedly a matter of taste). I like that there are new nodes introduced almost in every level which makes you want to know what comes next. The short command aliases are very convenient too.
Disappointing gameplay
I like snake games, but I think 3d port don't work well here. Maybe with a third-person point of view.
New concept
Of all the other puzzle games I've played so far I never came across this incredibly interesting concept. Definitely challenging and thanks to various non-repetitive levels it doesn't get boring.
Simple short Pakour-Game
It is a simple pakour game with simple textures but it's funny. Please add a reset item that you spawn again on beginning. And are really all textures by you?
If i would give 6% of the gamerating: 0.5/1 for the idea -- The idea can everybody have but don't have. 1.5/2 for the textures -- the texture are really simple and inspired by void 2.5/3 for the play --resetitem or similar i missed but eles was all cool. /restart take time to type in chat 4.5/6 in total. I recommend the game
Nice but short game
I like this game really. But today i have more game jam games to test too. The control like in inventory writen work other but i learned it after a while. It's hard and one tiime i died because a flying tree.
If i would have 6% of Rating: * 0.5/1 for the Idea --This Idea can get everybody but have not. * 1.5/2 for the textures --I think the coins, baloon and items was textured by you but at the rest idk * 2/3 for the play.--It's Funny to play. I haven't get a bad spawn but if you get it's maybe not funny. You can the generate-high of mountains customize. Also you should describe in inventory what you can do with the items. * 4/6 in total -- Funny short game, which i can recommend when you are bored. This game was rated good for the Game Jam
Great
Hey can it be a string helper required by buildtest
Improvements needed and my rating for this game
The rating is not final! The idea i found the best of all submissions and the similarst to a game jam game concept from me but I would give a bad rating because: * As i spawned first i fell trough the nodes and i wasn't at space station. If i used /teleport 0 0 0 * As i spawned secound i lost without reasson hearts * As i spawned third i was attacked by mobs
But then i created a secound world and: * I had only 13 fps :( * Only the power generator failed not if it was on * I had under 50 oxygen, hunger and temperature and i begin to dying
The textures had high resolution but was the really from you? Normal i play minetest without sound so that i can't sayif the sounds are good.
Summary: I would glady give it a good rating but it must first improved. If i would have 6% of the rating i would give the poits like this: * Idea 1/1 --The best i dea in Jam * Media 1.5/2 --high resolution and for the models much effort but some things did not fit together * Play 0.5/3 --catastrophic but a half point that you have it implemented * Total 3/6 so it is hard to say if i would it recommend. But the play and idea are the most important and there you had not egnough points for a good rating. But for game Jame this rating is neutral
Edit: This is the game that has had the most effort put into it (of all the ones I've seen so far), so it should really get a good rating. I will test the game again next week and re-evaluate it. By then I should have a better computer so the rating is not final!
Yup so real
Hey I loved this mod due to its utility but just one request to increase the mod support
A solid start
Builda City at its present functions as a very simple citybuilder game, with only 5 things to place, houses, shops, offices, skyscapers and roads. As usual, Kenny graphics are amazing, and that choice alone adds significant appeal to it.
The gameplay is very simple, it is more of a creative mode citybuilder than a survival one at its current state, and I have no issues with that, as a major fan of simulation construction games. Those that were expecting more gameplay may be disappointed in this aspect.
However, this is a solid start and there's so much more potential. Out of all gamejam submissions so far, I have spent the longest time in this, trying to perfect my cute little city. I do look forward to its continual development, and maybe contributing to it.
Overall: Good
Nice work!
I had no clue what to do at first, but I slowly figured it out with a little effort :P
I'd love for there to be sound, and maybe a tutorial/hints too. I'm not sure what you could do with more levels, might need to add another game mechanic
An impressive tech demo
Regarding the laggy nature, I think anyone who has worked with minetest long enough would realize this is the norm especially with dealing with entities of this scale.
Putting that aside, this game does introduces some pretty impressive mechanics. The fact that the AI cart players (for most parts) actually work is impressive enough for me to provide a thumbs up. The gameplay is fun and has a lot of interesting powerups, karts while laggy, are still very responsive to controls. Even in endless singleplayer its definitely fun enough for me to play continuously.
I definitely look forward to more stages & multiplayer being released.
Overall: Amazing
This was great! I can't wait for more levels
Reviews from Emojiminetest and his brother: Addicted
Pros
Cons
Overall
This game is a good start of a fully functional city game!
Surprisingly fun for such a simple concept
For those going into this not expecting what the gameplay is, I would say its comparable to a game of minesweeper except on a 2x2 board.
It's an insanely simple concept, yet I still found myself playing few rounds continuously, I imagine it will be more fun in multiplayer as well. Execution is flawless though as Emojiminetest said, larger boards would be nice.
Simple but fun snake game
It does what it says on the tin and does it well. Control a snake moving in 3d space.
While the concept is simple, it is still fun and challenging, and the execution leaves no complains.
A different interesting approach to minetest's cubic nature
I think this game takes the cake with having the most interesting visuals I have seen so far. At its core, it is a simple parkour puzzle game, but the visuals definitely make it stand out, the music is nice as well.
My only issue is, perhaps due to limitations by minetest itself, the inconsistent collision boxes of the "platforms", while I suppose the idea is to let the player figure it out, attempting to traverse these inconsistent collision boxes reminds me more of "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" than a fun relaxing parkour platformer that the music has tricked me into believing.
That being said, I do appreciate the attempt to break the cubic nature, and the effort into it as well, i'm sure making those collision boxes weren't fun either. However, figuring out those collision boxes as gameplay isn't really my cup of tea, but I'm sure it's someone else.
At the end of the day however, the homemade music and graphics are beautiful enough for me to provide a thumbs up.
Simple but fun story puzzle game
It's nice to see another puzzle game, but one with a mini-story built into as well.
That being said, the story is as mentioned, mini, and there could be potential for more, especially with the way they are displayed. The puzzle element is definitely something new and fun, nothing much to complain in that aspect, it does that well.
Potential for more
I understand there's a lot more planned, considering all the "Coming Soon" descriptors in the game. At its current state, Stella presents interesting graphics and gameplay with potential for more, and for that its a thumbs up.
That being said, the gameplay idea is a bit simple at the moment, dig up things to upgrade things to dig up more things, which is to say, what is different from normal minetest gameplay?
I would like to see these resources used for more purposes, maybe building your own mini city and or even hiring miners to do the job for you. More sounds cues would be helpful too, considering there's currently no sound when interacting with things.
I will definitely be watching its development.
Lack of content
The game at its present state is nothing more than a simple box-driving simulator. Or at least, I haven't found anything else to do with it.
Kudos to add a city backdrop, but that all it seems to be. The box physics are also not the best fitted to the crafted environment, its near impossible to make the tight-turn roads considering how slow the box actually turns.
There's potential for more, I see the mention of "thief", maybe ability to interact with the city nodes and actually steal something and then running away in a box? But at its current state, there's simply no gameplay.
Lack of content
It's a simple concept, collect coconuts, preferably done in a multiplayer setting. But that is all to the game.
What's to stop me from simply running minetest_game and do this with another node?
A unique concept that leaves so much more to be desired
The concept of the game is very unique and it's something that has definitely the potential for so much more.
The game already introduces some structures the player can construct, but there could be so much more than that. There's potential to take this into a tower defense genre, rather than singular dragon bosses, there could be waves of enemies, that require structures like the ion cannon to destroy.
Additionally, making the information on how to construct these structures ingame would be more useful, rather than the need to refer to an external source.
Although the game currently doesn't have too much to offer, it is a promising start with a solid concept, and for that, it's a thumbs up.
A lazy implementation
The idea is simple, yet the implementation is but lazy.
You are required manually place down the maze and your own enemies. Why not generate it for the player at the start already?
The gameplay is dull as well, there's nothing stopping you from collecting the dots, the ghosts AI are just the simple ones, that can't even move around a corner, the challenge only comes when you do have the need to pass by them.
Lack of content
I was intridged when i first saw the mesh flora in the screenshot. But frankly, that is all this game has to present.
The game shoves you down into a simple survival, where there are these spiky slug-like things chasing you down. And really there's all to the game, which is to say, what's stopping me from just running minetest_game with another mobs mod, which offers a lot more gameplay.
That being said, there's a lot of wasted potential with the mesh flora pieces which look great, but currently serve zero purpose other than a decorative backdrop right now.
Polished and fun
A very simple and polished game that does well what it says on the tin. The graphics are great and the gameplay works as intended.
My only complain is that given the laggy nature of minetest, certain maneuvers perhaps require a bit too much precision; for anyone having issues as I am, I find the best approach is to make the move before even reaching the tight junction.