Archatrep by GlowingSnail

[raw]
made by GlowingSnail for LD32 (COMPO)
I kept on working a couple hours after the deadline, hence why there are two versions. Use the (compo) one if you want to be strict, or the (post-compo) if you want to try the new mechanic.

The difference is how the unconventional weapon work. One has http://cpc.cx/bVX while the other has http://cpc.cx/bVW . But for both, the aim is to create an attraction field in such a way that the bullets arc back toward the enemies.

Oh, and don't try too hard to complete the game. I did code a winning condition, but I doubt anyone can reach it. Earlier version had just the spinners, and would have been very hard but beatable. But then I added many new enemies, and didn't get the time to properly balance everything.


For Windows: Download one of the two window .zip, unzip, run the .exe

For Linux: Download the Linux version, unzip, untar, run "run.sh". It uses https://bitbucket.org/funkeh/love-linux-distribution so as to avoid issues with distribution don't have up to date Love2D version.

For OS/X: You have to manually get the Löve engine (version 0.9.2, not higher, not lower) at https://love2d.org and feed it the .love file I put in the download links.



Please note that the window executable (that is, the file "Archatrep V0X.exe") is both an exe and a zip. By opening it through winzip/7zip, you get all the source code and art asset.

Similarly, the .love file is actually a renamed .zip file, containing all the source code, images and sounds.

The source code (without sounds & images) can also be viewed directly at http://pastebin.ca/2977125

Ratings

Coolness 46% 1436
Overall 3.04 680
Audio 2.88 452
Fun 2.77 800
Graphics 3.19 457
Humor 1.95 899
Innovation 3.19 486
Mood 2.92 562
Theme 3.54 382

Feedback

Indiestry
20. Apr 2015 · 13:23 UTC
At the begining I couldnt figure how to properly swim, but then I somehow got it and swimming aroung became a lot of fun, also its surprisingly immersive because of the sound
joppiesaus
20. Apr 2015 · 13:24 UTC
Interesting mechanics. You use their attack as your attack. Nice graphics. It was for me hard to figure out what I needed to do. You die really fast, which is itself not a problem, but the gameover screen is. Every time you need to see the screen going black all over again, which is to me annoying(polisshh) It's not really fun to me, but it's nice to do for some time.
Neat.
jontturi
20. Apr 2015 · 13:26 UTC
Errors on Mac OSX: main.lua:164: attempt to call method 'setLinearDamping' (a nil value)

Traceback:
main.lua:164: in function 'InitInking'
main.lua:523: in function 'load'
[C]: in function 'xpcall'

I'm using LÖVE 0.9.1.
DKoding
20. Apr 2015 · 14:02 UTC
Sometimes I start the game and it ends immediately as i am spawned atop the enemy. Firing seems to work some times but the firing direction seems to be kind of random. Maybe I just don't understand how to try to aim the bullets correctly. Maybe some more instructions? Otherwise the controls are smooth enough.
Windmill Games
20. Apr 2015 · 14:50 UTC
Another great game, the swimming is really well done. Movement is something that takes a lot of tweaking and finetuning to get right, and therefor is rare in gamejams. I am very impressed!

I also found it extremely fun that you can bait the enemies to kill each other, I spent most of my time trying to do that :D

Well done!
🎤 GlowingSnail
21. Apr 2015 · 06:37 UTC
jontturi: Please use Löve 9.2, not 9.1.

http://www.love2d.org/wiki/ParticleSystem:setLinearDamping is indeed only available in 9.2



joppiesaus: I planned to have a health bar, because indeed death happens too quickly. Didn't make it though. I put a two seconds forced delay between the game over and the moment you can restart, because otherwise, if you happened to press a key at the same time, you wouldn't even see the game over screen. But maybe two seconds is too long.



DKoding: Yeah, in V08 you spawn way too close to an enemy, so if its randomly chosen direction make it head toward you, you indeed die unfairly. I fixed that for the V09.



Windmill Games: It's just a matter of adding a little inertia. Key press increase your speed in that direction, and speed is constantly slowly decreased.

Something like:

if key=="up" dy=dy+1
if key=="down" dy=dy-1
if key=="left" dx=dx-1
if key=="right" dx=dx+1
x=x+dx
y=y+dy
dx=dx*0.95
dy=dy*0.95
efux
21. Apr 2015 · 12:39 UTC
The sound effects are great. Which tool did you use? Overall nice entry and great atmosphere.
🎤 GlowingSnail
21. Apr 2015 · 13:06 UTC
The bullet sounds are me dropping and pushing over a little metal stud. The spiny thing death sound is me clapping hand, played at a much slowed down speed. The wavy thing is me flapping a bag, at a lowered pitch.

I used Audacity to record, clean, cut, denoise, amplify and tweak the pitch and speed of the sound clips.
bentglasstube
21. Apr 2015 · 13:23 UTC
I could not figure out how to use the weapon. I pressed space a and e as the on screen text indicated but nothing seemed to happen. It was fun to swim around anyway.
SpringCabal
22. Apr 2015 · 07:50 UTC
(gajop here):
The controls were smooth, but a bit confusing (I seem to both fire and move using A?). I immediately get spawned on top of enemies which prevents me from learning the controls. I really had no idea how to fire initially (I think this was broken).

I tried the post-compo version which fixes the spawning and firing issue. I still think it's confusing to bind attack and movement on the same key.
I didn't really understand how to play until I've looked at your gifs, and still it was more confusing than I would've liked.
The game is also a bit too hard (I died a lot), and the long Game overs (as well as the occasional enter-into-chat) makes me not want to play for long (I went as far as the crabs).
🎤 GlowingSnail
22. Apr 2015 · 14:39 UTC
Thanks for trying!

Because I play with arrows, I didn't notice I bound A to both fire and movement until the day after. Sorry for this silly error of me.
Windmill Games
23. Apr 2015 · 01:36 UTC
Hey! Just wanted to let you know that I added your game to my list of awesome LD games!

https://love2d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80063&p=183192#p183192
josefnpat
24. Apr 2015 · 02:52 UTC
Solid little doge-em game! Great job!
VividReality
24. Apr 2015 · 11:58 UTC
Nice game :) Well thought of. Like an aquatic version of Kirby.
thaaks
25. Apr 2015 · 17:56 UTC
I liked the graphics and the underwater scenario. Also the sound fitted very well.
Controls were confusing. I think the method left/right/accelerate/decelerate would be better for a swimming game.
I completely failed to kill an enemy - I think you have to reflect their bullets?
Anyway, the mood was good and the game does fit the theme. Some tweaks and it'll be way more fun!
Nice one!
SySaNiN
25. Apr 2015 · 19:13 UTC
Very nice game. but I didn't get how to shoot.
KaiseanGames
06. May 2015 · 18:36 UTC
Too hard for my taste, but otherwise very good idea.