Spacecat Marines by matthias_zarzecki

[raw]
made by matthias_zarzecki for LD30 (COMPO)
It's a First-Person Shooter! No it's a Tower Defense Hybrid-thing. Could it be.... both?

Go from world to world and defeat the invasion of the evil robots in this cat-based spaceforce-simulator!

You assemble your team and launch missions from your ship, the Bigglesworth.

Your spacecat marines have unique names, appearances, and preferences of equipment, and accompany you on your missions. They also get more experience and level up in rank.

Features:
- Your unique team of Spacecat Marines
- Neat Soundtrack
- Spacecat Marines. With guns.
- Non-linear progression - chose which mission to do next
- 12 missions with different challenges
- A ship to connect you between worlds

Gameplay
- Protect the cores!
- You win when all invaders are destroyed
- Your team is placed automatically

Controls:
- Mouse - Looking
- Left Mouse Button - Fire
- WSAD - Movement
- M - Mute
- ESC - Unlock Mouse Cursor

Known issues:
This dwarfs my previous games in complexity, and I wasn't able to iron some kinks out.
- Sometimes a spacecat appears double during a mission
- Sometimes missions aren't immediately registered as "accomplished". They can be run again, and then usually register

Also availabale for your pleasure:
- Win, Mac & Linux builds, source-files, a timelapse of me working furiously, and the soundtrack.

Have fun!
- Matthias (@IcarusTyler)

Ratings

Coolness 100% 1
Overall 3.23 536
Audio 2.90 428
Fun 2.99 617
Graphics 3.25 441
Humor 2.98 215
Innovation 2.58 953
Mood 2.95 588
Theme 2.22 1090

Feedback

MCPGNZ
25. Aug 2014 · 02:34 UTC
Enemies are a little unintelligent but besides that, nice game !
Miziziziz
25. Aug 2014 · 02:36 UTC
Hey, I enjoyed this!
I liked the music and the art assets were cool (except the enemies).
The combat system is pretty monotonous, though.
There really needs to be some sort of upgrade system; some missions are impossible to complete with 100% core health.
cobracommander
25. Aug 2014 · 02:36 UTC
This is quite elaborate. I enjoyed shooting the little doods and I think someone else was there. Good show for 48 hours.
SketchyGalore
25. Aug 2014 · 02:52 UTC
Reminds me quite a bit of Sanctum! It's quite impressive that you were able to get all those missions in. Most games like this seem to stop at just one level. Kudos!
kadybat
25. Aug 2014 · 03:09 UTC
Kinda fun! Feels a little derivative and I'm having trouble understanding its relationship to the theme, but the graphics are nice and the sounds are cute, plus the game has a lot of content considering the time limit. I'll probably keep it on my computer until I finish it, and the fact that it's going to take me a while to finish speaks to the breadth of content it has (3 different worlds with 4 different missions each for a total of 12 levels).
DrMelon
25. Aug 2014 · 03:14 UTC
Cool little game!
Josh Riley
25. Aug 2014 · 03:17 UTC
Really impressive amount of content here. I love the music and story.
Clyde
25. Aug 2014 · 03:28 UTC
The naming conventions were great.
Fanttum
25. Aug 2014 · 03:28 UTC
Great game! I really liked the idea.
Still needs some improvements like a map or some indicator of your cores or where bad guys are, and there might be more weapons and stuff that I didn't get into enough but a great idea and good job
gillenew
25. Aug 2014 · 03:36 UTC
very well done, I liked the square appearance of cats
GreenyUk
25. Aug 2014 · 03:37 UTC
Awesome amount of work for 48 hours. Love the music. Did feel the game play was a little repetitive, but nice effort.
imdigitaljim
25. Aug 2014 · 04:07 UTC
Good game overall! Repetitive but great for 48hrs
Mr.Cassels
25. Aug 2014 · 04:11 UTC
This game is very Sanctum-ish. That means it's good. It could use a bit more variety, but what can ya do. 48 hours and all. (CKirk, on a teammate's account)
ENDESGA
25. Aug 2014 · 04:13 UTC
Great game!
atomic_swerve
25. Aug 2014 · 04:14 UTC
Pretty fun :) Some SFX for an enemy approaching would be really great though, it was tough to tell where things would be coming from.
shico
25. Aug 2014 · 04:51 UTC
The game is amusing but the enemies have AI that is far to simple to pose a threat. They walk single file to your core you can just stand in front of them and mow them all down easy. I still enjoyed it for a while, and if the AI gets improved I'd love to play a longer version of this game.
eatsleepindie
25. Aug 2014 · 04:53 UTC
This game feels like you spent the right amount of time on everything. The models are great, game play is fun and unhindered, but I especially like the detail you put into the main menu system. Top notch.
MrTedders
25. Aug 2014 · 05:02 UTC
A pretty solid tower defence game with a twist. Only suggestion would be to next time focus on "juicing" your game, screenshakes, recoil, gun flair. All this has no impact on the game but it goes a long way in making the game feel more exciting.
donan
25. Aug 2014 · 06:16 UTC
Hahaha, nice game in such a short time :)
ArthurMaker
25. Aug 2014 · 06:24 UTC
NICE GAME 3D Is Nice Check Out My Game
nicotuason
25. Aug 2014 · 07:12 UTC
Fun game! Mouse sensitivity was way too high though. I like the names of your crew.
enderargent
25. Aug 2014 · 07:26 UTC
Enjoyed the game, nice execution for 48 hours!!!
Alexandre Szybiak
25. Aug 2014 · 09:06 UTC
love it :D
MerlijnVH
25. Aug 2014 · 10:07 UTC
Very ambitious, I like it! I love the idea of taking your crew around. The enemies could do with more movement variation, though.
bogdanmaier49
25. Aug 2014 · 10:18 UTC
Shoot sound it's a bit annoying (for me) but beside that the game looks really fun to play.
DustyStylus
25. Aug 2014 · 11:47 UTC
Haha, at first I ended up shooting the cores. Derrrrp. Extra points for cats.
hexagore
25. Aug 2014 · 12:31 UTC
Not a huge fan of tower defence games, so was quite pleased this turned out to be 'you fill in the gap', far more immediate :) *sigh* I should have used Unity!
(Not) Ivano
25. Aug 2014 · 15:29 UTC
Well made engine & good sountrack, too easy maybe! :)
CivvyThePandaTM
25. Aug 2014 · 16:32 UTC
Enemies seem to follow a given path and their art doesn't seem that good, but the idea is really original. Sadly, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a relationship with the theme but it's a pretty good game!
graebor
25. Aug 2014 · 16:37 UTC
At first I thought this would be a management-style game where I was choosing which members of my crew to send on missions, but then when I actually started a mission and got dropped into it myself I was like... whoa, that's cool. Nice work dude! Main thing that bugged me was just that the music didn't really fit, especially when you're in a mission.
LeftRight92
25. Aug 2014 · 17:10 UTC
Enjoyable game, looks like you've built a strong starting point for something you could seriously take further. My major issue is how it connects back to the theme...
43iscoding
25. Aug 2014 · 18:35 UTC
I like this TB hybrid genre! Good job!
PixelMind
25. Aug 2014 · 18:36 UTC
Needs some variation to combat. Perhaps some kind of upgrade system could have worked. Or being able to place your cats on the level.
But good game nonetheless. Nice graphics and audio too.
GeeItSomeLaldy
25. Aug 2014 · 18:37 UTC
Cute. Lots of little details, from the mission descriptions to your companions. Combat was simple, but I liked it. The mouse was a little skittish. Could have done with a mouse sensitivity slider.

I'm also finding it hard to link it to the theme.
DragonXVI
25. Aug 2014 · 19:12 UTC
Interesting little game. Good presentation around the main game, and the cubic cats are hilarious :p Fairly simple gameplay though, AI of the enemies seemed fairly basic.
Arowx
25. Aug 2014 · 21:28 UTC
Great work. You could probably add the ability to switch FPS control between characters then players could reposition their units.
BigHairDan
25. Aug 2014 · 21:37 UTC
Fun game, love the smooth gun movement when you swing the camera around
Doubstract
25. Aug 2014 · 21:43 UTC
So incredible! My best tactics is block enemies with my own body!
CRAZEERUSKEE
25. Aug 2014 · 22:05 UTC
Nice game! I don't really see how it was related to the theme, but it was fun anyways. I did encounter a bug where I clicked on the team button on of the times and it only showed one person and all the other buttons were gone.
haveric
25. Aug 2014 · 22:12 UTC
Cats with guns, I love it! The music is great as well. The gameplay seems a bit easy, but also confusing as you have no idea where the enemies are spawning without a map of some kind. Great game overall though.
ponywolf
25. Aug 2014 · 22:34 UTC
Controls were a little touchy, and I died before I realized I was supposed to be protecting the cores :)

All in all though, solid 48 hours of work!
TD5
25. Aug 2014 · 22:41 UTC
I was surprised to be playing an FPS, but that's not a bad thing. I enjoyed your models of the cats and the guns. A solid game with multiple levels and no obvious bugs. Well done! :)
elliottd
25. Aug 2014 · 23:49 UTC
nice work, it seemed like there was not much to do in first person, and it might have been less disorienting in third person. cute cats and enemies. I like the ones giving support from on the walls.
hogtrick
26. Aug 2014 · 01:03 UTC
really good game! congrats
TomTheG
26. Aug 2014 · 02:02 UTC
Cool game, I like spacecats. Unsure about theme though.
creative630
26. Aug 2014 · 02:16 UTC
Good effort!
vulpineblazeyt
26. Aug 2014 · 06:14 UTC
Enjoyable, wish there were move option other than infinite pewpewpewpew.
GeorgeBroussard
26. Aug 2014 · 08:45 UTC
Good job for 48 hours. A lot here.
Franklins Ghost
26. Aug 2014 · 12:36 UTC
Impressed with how much you got in, in 48hrs, Also liked the way the team members had unique props to distinguish them.
Mali
26. Aug 2014 · 13:40 UTC
Felt like the music slowed down the pace too much for an FPS. Really good considering the time it took to make. Can't imagine putting together a 3D FPS in 48 hours. Nice one!
nonetheless
26. Aug 2014 · 15:16 UTC
The cubes are so evil... I like the details a lot, like headphones. Nice job!
anserran
26. Aug 2014 · 18:23 UTC
Great game. As others mention, the little details (like the headphones, or the spaceship moving around above the planet) make the game more interesting.
recursor
27. Aug 2014 · 10:53 UTC
There is a lot of content here for a 48h game. Very ambitious undertaking. I would love to see more weapon and enemy types. I think that would spice things up quite a bit. I always enjoy seeing what you come up with because I know it will be interesting and usually have a cat in it somewhere. Nicely done.
Nuclear Napalm
27. Aug 2014 · 17:26 UTC
Finally, tower defense!
LTyrosine
27. Aug 2014 · 23:20 UTC
Impressive for 48 hours of work! I would like to see more use of the ship or some way to move your team... It gets repetitive sometimes but again, considering 48 hours it's amazing. I really hope that you continue work on it and finish with the total idea.
paps
28. Aug 2014 · 06:38 UTC
Very nice game, love the graphics. There might be a reference to something, I don't know, but I love the design of your cat mates (earphones, bandanas). And too bad the weapon cannot be upgraded I would have be good
Linusson
28. Aug 2014 · 06:43 UTC
Really nice game, especially for 48 hours. :D

I would really have liked an invert mouse option though as it was pretty hard and confusing for me to play. :)

Well done! :)
The Evil Cult
28. Aug 2014 · 08:39 UTC
Yay I rock! Interesting gameplay having to find the weak spots in your team's defense and cover the gaps. Really enjoyed it! Difficulty was pretty spot on too. I also really liked how all the missions had a bit of a backstory. Well done, especially for the 48!
Jezzamon
28. Aug 2014 · 10:16 UTC
I quite liked the graphics. It's a little monotonous though - I closed the window and I can't really be bothered to do it all again :C

The music is interesting, but it doesn't seem that fitting.

I think also the movement seemed a little slow? Maybe if there was a faster acceleration speed but similar max speed it would be nicer.

It also would've been nice if there was a more meaningful connection to the theme.

Still good though! There's something satisfying about blasting those aliens :)
Dohan
29. Aug 2014 · 06:14 UTC
The last mission was so dark I had to follow the baddies to find the core I had to protect. And in some missions some of my cat pals were duplicate.

Also, I hold the top score, yay! :D
ruerob
29. Aug 2014 · 19:06 UTC
What a nice little game. I love the spacecats. I really have to thank you for your game.
Jod
29. Aug 2014 · 20:22 UTC
Encountered a bug when clicking 'Team'. Sadly could not return to the main mission to fight aliens for feline domination.

Liked it! Well done on the music and the graphics. Especially in the later levels, with different lighting. Loved the ramping of the difficulty, impressive!
Pierrec
30. Aug 2014 · 09:37 UTC
Because of my f***ing synaptic touch pad I can't shoot while moving, but I still had fun with the game (I just had to find a good spot near the core and shoot shoot shoot)
I noticed a bug : I checked my Team once, and weren't able to go back to the menu. I did checked my team before without any problem, I don't know what happened. If it's helpful for you : I had only 4 members left in my team.

The content you managed to put in this game is REALLY impressive! Ok, the missions are a bit simular, but the team management makes it awesome anyway! The difficulty increase correctly, and losing team members really made me feel bad.
PapyGaragos
30. Aug 2014 · 11:36 UTC
Too bad there isn't much more to it than just sitting in front of an enemy line, shoot until you 'pushed it back' and move to another enemy line...

You should add a way to tune the mouse sensitivity (but since you don't move it that much, it's ok i guess)
mechabit
30. Aug 2014 · 23:31 UTC
not bad, a little repetitive, impressive that you managed to do all this solo though.
jukimv1986
31. Aug 2014 · 04:05 UTC
Nice game! Missions with different goals and difficulty to top it. Great job for 48 hours!!
Andrew Shouldice
31. Aug 2014 · 14:35 UTC
I really like the look and feel of this one. With some more work to differentiate and vary the gameplay, you'll really have something. Nice music too!
moi93101
01. Sep 2014 · 13:29 UTC
I think is a good job for a compo, but I think spacecats are too strong.
MechanicMoon
02. Sep 2014 · 01:41 UTC
The cats are awesome..
CyberNinja
02. Sep 2014 · 09:25 UTC
Great, love the music
bluesky
02. Sep 2014 · 18:29 UTC
Good job!
kibertoad
02. Sep 2014 · 19:35 UTC
Incredibly impressive for 48 hour game. Wasn't exactly balanced or content-packed, which was understandable. If you keep polishing it, would be a game I'd like to play.
vividhelix
03. Sep 2014 · 08:25 UTC
i can haz mobile tower defense...protect teh corez!

Solid entry! Good job!
JavadocMD
04. Sep 2014 · 21:08 UTC
Oh no! I got about halfway through the missions and then got stuck in the Team screen. :( Still, great fun! I was thinking that the missions were too easy: stand in the line of approach and shoot. But then the missions started getting more difficult with the enemy cats breaking up and approaching from different angles. So well done steadily increasing the difficulty curve! Could use a bit more depth, but hey it's a 48 hour game, so well done. :)
ButtonMasherBros
11. Sep 2014 · 15:56 UTC
Psssst - you are in today's episode of Ludum Dare to Believe! Check it out at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiOCPZZx_Fc
Yword
13. Sep 2014 · 06:23 UTC
Just completed all missions! Well done!
TobiasW
14. Sep 2014 · 20:07 UTC
I was a bit disappointed when there wasn't any Tower Defense to be done like the description promised - and the gameplay is a bit monotonous. If you could actually place the other cats (and maybe they'd have different abilities), this would probably work out better - but yeah, 48 hours, I know.

Sounds und music work well though, and I liked the different levels, especially with the light changes. Also, cats! :3
wademcgillis
15. Sep 2014 · 20:37 UTC
AD ASTRA PER FELIX

I started the game by shooting the cores and then I lost.

In the future, to make sound effects less repetitive with minor work, try shifting the playback speed +/- 10%.

pew pew PEW pew pEw pew PEW pew peW PEw instead of pew pew pew pew pew pew pew pew pew pew