Raptor Polo by Bensonance

[raw]
made by Bensonance for LD31 (JAM)
NEEDS 1-4 PLAYERS! (you can play with 1 player, but it's built for 2 or 4 players).
Best with Xbox controllers rather than the PC controls.

Let us take you back to the past, the 80s, to take you forward to the future that could have been... but wasn't really.

Raptors, 80s music, and neon color schemes: we give you "Raptor Polo"! The sport for the 80s sci-fi, upper class, ork that wants to make a statement!

NOTE: MANY SNIFFLING HUMANS ARE USED AS BALLS IN THIS GRAND SPORT!

PC CONTROLS:
P1 Movement: WASD
P1 Grab Ball: Hold Down 'C' until you catch the ball (by running into it).
P1 Swing Axe: 'V'

P2 Movement: Arrow Keys
P2 Grab Ball: Hold Down 'M' until you catch the ball (by running into it).
P2 Swing Axe: 'N'

Controller CONTROLS:
Left Analog Stick for Movement
Right analog stick for axe rotation

Hold down left trigger until you make contact with ball and pick it up, release left trigger to throw it up
Right trigger to do a 360 degree rotation of the axe
Left bumper/Left analog stick pushed down to sprint

Score 3 points in the goal that's opposite to your color to win!

Credits:
Code, Design: Ben Myres (@Ben_Myres)
Art, Design: Luc Wolthers (@LucWolthers)
Sound, Music: Adam Linder (@Playground_Snd)

Ratings

Coolness 91% 2
Overall(Jam) 3.72 136
Audio(Jam) 3.35 236
Fun(Jam) 3.80 67
Graphics(Jam) 4.35 67
Humor(Jam) 3.89 44
Innovation(Jam) 3.58 202
Mood(Jam) 3.57 169
Theme(Jam) 3.87 221

Feedback

Ozcr
09. Dec 2014 · 01:09 UTC
Really cool game!

Try mine, http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-31/?action=preview&uid=44154
TriSquare
09. Dec 2014 · 01:47 UTC
You Better hurry with the pc controls, no one will play it with out that support
jhice
09. Dec 2014 · 01:49 UTC
Can't play it because no gamepads. Upvoted theme and graphics because I think it deserves it! Well done.
floorman
09. Dec 2014 · 01:50 UTC
Can't play because it requires two players. =(

But the graphics look really good and I like the audio.
Pankoman
09. Dec 2014 · 01:53 UTC
Great One!
Gabbmonkey
09. Dec 2014 · 03:30 UTC
Graphics reminds me Hyper Light Drifter :B
Arovoid
09. Dec 2014 · 03:34 UTC
Great game, I loved the graphics and the sounds. Also, every little part of the game has its own details. A great entry for sure!
internetspaulicy
09. Dec 2014 · 03:39 UTC
This is truly awesome. I do feel bad for that little guy that we hit all of the time. The skulls are super cool.
herofresh
09. Dec 2014 · 03:40 UTC
nice multiplayergame
bitserum
09. Dec 2014 · 10:52 UTC
The graphics and attention to detail is really nice. I find the game incredibly hard though, that little guy is too evasive for my liking and is frustrating me. I was playing with an Xbox controller.
Lars Faust
09. Dec 2014 · 10:57 UTC
Hot damn this is good.

Best entry i have played so far. Perfect fit for the theme, really using the whole screen, wonderful smooth and responsive controls and visual feedback, fantastic art.

Great fun.
🎤 Bensonance
09. Dec 2014 · 11:01 UTC
Thanks for all the graphics and audio praising! The music and art people can't wipe the grins off their faces :).

@TriSquare Thanks for the advice! Crunched a few hours afterwards to get the PC controls working, and it seems to be better for people :).

@bitserum Yeah the difficulty is a tough one - when you play with two players it's a little easier, I think :).

@Lars Faust Thanks for the wonderful comment :). Coming from you and the gorgeous looking, "S", that's a big compliment! :)
Tuism
09. Dec 2014 · 11:51 UTC
Yep, the controls are a bit of a problem to get people playing, but hey it looks stunning and the mechanics seem sound!

Speaking of mechanics, why can't you move forward with the ball? (I know why mechanically but it just doesn't make sense in the theme) And is the only way to get a ball flying by mouthing it first? Couldn't you ever hit it with the axe without biting first? (seems so)

I think you could increase the interactivity by letting more things happen more of the time instead of it being a strict sequence of bite > hit. I do see you can hit them backwards though :) Fun :)

Rad work guys :)
RetroEpic
09. Dec 2014 · 19:31 UTC
So cool! Would love to try this out 2v2! :D
Alendro
09. Dec 2014 · 19:50 UTC
Love it. Intense
UlydevSecondGame
09. Dec 2014 · 19:54 UTC
Nice idea ! Keep up the good work ! :)
ben_pxlplz
09. Dec 2014 · 19:55 UTC
Played it with the keyboard, and it was a little awkward. The timing for attacks seems a little weird. I love the art and the colors and the idea though! A little more time, and this would be completely awesome!
radmars
10. Dec 2014 · 00:42 UTC
Controls are a bit tough on keyboard, bet it's a lot better on a controller!
Murchurl
10. Dec 2014 · 09:22 UTC
Played this with my gf it's really fun! Amazing artwork! Nice entry!
🎤 Bensonance
10. Dec 2014 · 09:35 UTC
@Tuism thanks for the rad and comprehensive feedback! The controls are definitely something we want to revamp a little bit: make them a lot simpler :).

You can hit the ball while its on the ground, but only when it's lower than your raptor. Currently it's a bit awkward, so we want to make it easier to hit it on the ground.

Agreed about the strict sequence, we want it to flow a lot more freely :).

@ben_pxlplz Thanks for the art praise! We're totally keen to work on it it a bit more and iron out that control weirdness.

@Murchurl So glad you were able to play it two player! :D
OttersDen
10. Dec 2014 · 10:51 UTC
That was really cool! Fast paced, and lots of detail. Scoring points felt so satisfying. Great work!
Drtizzle
10. Dec 2014 · 10:56 UTC
Very impressive art! Animations fit well with the art too.
Controls are a bit clunky, it isn't als fluid as I would like.
Very good job!
PixelCrust
10. Dec 2014 · 12:20 UTC
Nice and intense gameplay. The graphics are cool also.
RyanNielson
10. Dec 2014 · 14:27 UTC
The art and sound are absolutely fantastic, super polished and professional looking. It all goes together to make a cohesive package.

The only issue I have are with the controls and gameplay. The "ball" moves around way to fast and the controls are as smooth as they need to be. But those are minor things that can easily be fixed.

Well done!
Verz
10. Dec 2014 · 16:29 UTC
I like how this game fit's the theme, also the graphics are really nice :)! Congratulation on making this game ^^
Mechamew
10. Dec 2014 · 16:40 UTC
YYEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
Webravenz
10. Dec 2014 · 20:31 UTC
One of the more funnny game in LD31 Nice job :)
TheMeorch
10. Dec 2014 · 21:39 UTC
This is really impressive work. Fantastic art, with a color palette that really stands out, and great music as well.

It seems really difficult to actually catch up with the ball. I think its agility could be toned down a bit.
metalchouchen
12. Dec 2014 · 04:05 UTC
Really cool! The gameplay catch/hit work really good. I love the art too. Congrats!
Riocide
12. Dec 2014 · 15:10 UTC
Cool game, funny stuff guys! Controls say C for player 1 axe swing but its actually V...might want to change that :D
Backterria
13. Dec 2014 · 02:14 UTC
i love the logo and the colour palette!
ZNCatlaw
13. Dec 2014 · 06:18 UTC
Hyperlight Drifter, Titan Souls, Nuclear Throne, Raptor Polo. BOOM.

Seriously, I think your team has absorbed the Vlambeer game feel lessons, and the Fez/SB:S&S EP pixel art styles... so good, so right.
BroCade
13. Dec 2014 · 10:37 UTC
Once I figured out how to catch the human, this game is hella fun!
DrGeraud
14. Dec 2014 · 15:45 UTC
FUNNY !
Teesquared
14. Dec 2014 · 16:08 UTC
I had fun playing with my dad. It was hard to understand how to win but once we got it, it was easy.
6DownStudios
14. Dec 2014 · 17:45 UTC
Amazing work! Really fun game, great audio, and truly excellent pixelart! On of my fave 5 so far!
Instant Noodles
14. Dec 2014 · 17:49 UTC
Look nice, I try the mechanism alone and I keep it on my harddrive to play this with some friends.
Good work.
RHY3756547
15. Dec 2014 · 01:28 UTC
Very cool game, just played it with someone else. Graphics and audio are phenomenal, and the whole game is hilarious. Nice work!
Mach60KAS
15. Dec 2014 · 01:29 UTC
Inventive and funny multiplayer game, I loved the presentation! It was a little too easy to catch an opponent's thrown ball by holding the grab button though, which led to huge stalemates. Art was wonderful, music fit the style and the gameplay was beautiful.

Still, it's everything I dreamed of and more. Now I want REAL RAPTORS for REAL RAPTOR POLO.
ButtonMasherBros
16. Dec 2014 · 16:56 UTC
Psssst - You are featured in today's Ludum Dare to Believe! Check it out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdf4FdafRVw
SuperDisk
21. Dec 2014 · 02:35 UTC
We plugged in two controllers, and it worked just fine the first time around. When we booted the game again it didn't.

Anyway, the game's graphics and gameplay was actually really cool; The music, however, was most bogus.

Good game!
Jupiter_Hadley
21. Dec 2014 · 22:51 UTC
Love the graphics and concept. I Included it in part 14 of my Ludum Dare 31 compilation video series, if you would like to check it out :) http://youtu.be/3dnkCRJktbw
recursor
24. Dec 2014 · 15:01 UTC
I actually found someone to play this with and it was pretty fun. That poor little "ball" takes a lot of punishment.
Rodaja
27. Dec 2014 · 00:24 UTC
Sometimes the ball goes slowly downwards and then dissappears sometimes forever, if you've let it go high and not touched it on it's way down.

Also, if you grab the ball and someone right in front of you is pressing the left trigger he'd get the ball before you can hit it.

We've discovered those things after playing for a while, so the game is good enough that it kept us playing quite a while.

Sound and graphics are quite good, blood is oddly pretty.

good job!