Simplification Quest by Adbook

[raw]
made by Adbook for LD26 (COMPO)
My entry for this compo is a platformer.
I used C++/Allegro 5 for the development, and the Gimp for the graphisms.

You need to install Allegro 5 (http://allegro.cc) in order to get the game to work on Linux (I did not manage to buid a static version).
Here's the synopsys of the game:
"Year 3015 (300 years after the singularity).
Thanks to technical progress, humanity evolved, day after day, until mankind turned to pure intelligence lifeforms, communicating with each other thanks to a worldwide network, simply called The Network.
They gave up every form of physical life, and every human simply lived in the Network.
Peace was universal, the Man was immortal, and mankind was thriving.

But one day, coming from another galaxy, the evil Potator arrived to Earth.
Potator didn't like peace, so he hated the humans.
One night, Potator hacked into the 10 SuperServers, base of The Network, disconnected it, and then left the Earth, to let the Earthlings die.
With The Network shut down, men were just brains in a glass sphere: they were vulnerable, and totally defenceless.
Every hope was lost when The Vertebrate appeared. He was just a child, but unlike his kinds, he had a skeleton.
The Vertebrate was condemned. Having a Body meant that he was doomed. He was going to die.
One day, consulting the knowledge of the elders, on the 1000 years old Wikipedia, whose database was implanted into every newborn's brain, he made a discovery that was about to change his life.
The SuperServers renfermed the power to modify his DNA, reducing his physical influence on Earth, until only his mind was left, living forever in The Network.
He then decided to go to the Knowledge Bunker, where the SuperServers were stored, and to face the perillous traps that were placed there by Potator, in order to restore The Network, and save his life.
He was warned by an Elder that, as he reactivated more SuperServers, his perception of the world would change, and his physical ablilities would be reduced, minimalized."

Ratings

Coolness 100% 1
Overall 3.00 721
Audio 1.70 1011
Fun 2.94 595
Graphics 3.42 300
Humor 2.23 549
Innovation 2.04 1238
Mood 2.51 922
Theme 2.88 1105

Feedback

biscuitdough
29. Apr 2013 路 07:56 UTC
Your download link seems to be down :(
caasi
29. Apr 2013 路 08:14 UTC
Noooo! File not found!
zerebruin
29. Apr 2013 路 08:18 UTC
Neither Windows nor Linux version links are online. Source works, but I can't do much with it...
馃帳 Adbook
29. Apr 2013 路 08:54 UTC
Windows link is up now :)
馃帳 Adbook
29. Apr 2013 路 08:55 UTC
I was having a few problems with the libraries I'm using.
KristianGibson
29. Apr 2013 路 09:32 UTC
A few sprite and collision errors but other than that, very fun game! (:
Magnus
29. Apr 2013 路 09:50 UTC
The graphics are really slick and clean. I like the trees especially, but the gameplay is really basic. I got bored of running and jumping and dying over and over. Also, the player moon walks. It's kinda hilarious.
Colisan
29. Apr 2013 路 15:28 UTC
I must admit that... I rage-quited on the "first?) "soul" level... .. . XD congratulation for the rest btw :D
Angerus
30. Apr 2013 路 10:31 UTC
Running and jumping is fun for a moment..but after that I was waiting something, anything! to happen...
Anyway, I find the ambiance interesting,I played it in Runner mod(never stop running) which was fun and I'm jealous of the fact that you got a level editor! Good work!
HelkeGames
30. Apr 2013 路 11:05 UTC
Nice game ;)
orange08
30. Apr 2013 路 16:57 UTC
I was confused at the start since it said the controls were Q and D(in actuality they are A and D). Also the controls are a bit all over the place and that made it quite difficult for me to sprint, move, and jump at the same time.
馃帳 Adbook
30. Apr 2013 路 17:22 UTC
Yes, it was a typo I made because on my keyboard (french AZERTY), the A is a Q. I'm correcting it :)

But for the rest of the controls, it seems to me that A and D to move,shift for running and space for jumping are pretty standart.
mkpictures
01. May 2013 路 17:26 UTC
Pretty nice game :D I liked the graphics. Simple gameplay, but I spend a good time :)
Thijsku
02. May 2013 路 22:47 UTC
The gameplay itself wasn't really that interesting anymore after a few levels, but it was still a fun game. Such a shame there isn't any sound! (Although I saw sound files in ZIP file?)

Good job.
EatenAlive3
02. May 2013 路 22:51 UTC
The levels were too long, I died too often and had to restart everything D: Difficult but fun.
blearn
02. May 2013 路 22:54 UTC
The linux binary wouldn't run for me on Ubuntu. I downloaded the source but am not sure how to compile it. If you are willing to provide it, I'd be interested in a makefile or a readme explaining how to compile.
dray
04. May 2013 路 00:54 UTC
great game! nice to see the game moving :) it's very enjoyable but too hard for me, the character have not enough friction. i like the art btw very colorful.
Lythom
04. May 2013 路 11:08 UTC
Hi there, here's some feedback.
What I loved :
- dynamic gameplay (fun to play)
- background effort
- character animations
What imo could be improved :
- more of the background in the actual drawings/gameplay
- levels are too long / lack checkpoints (I gave up on a particulary long one, I died just before the exit)
- collisions are really unpermissive >.<
- clouds blue outline have a strange color
- more variety in levels (since I did not finish, sry if there was something I missed !)

good overall, thanks for the game !
馃帳 Adbook
05. May 2013 路 09:27 UTC
Hey, thank you all for the nice comments :D

@Blearn: You need to have Allegro 5 installed in order to compile or run the game. I lacked the time to make a static build (but I am currently trying to do it), so if you want to run the game, you need to follow these instructions: http://wiki.allegro.cc/index.php?title=Ubuntu_and_Allegro_5
allinlabs
05. May 2013 路 12:17 UTC
I loved the visual part (tiles and the character), it's nice you took the time to write a story too. But I have encountered some bugs : the player walks backward, sometimes the run mode is activated without me pushing shift key, some tiles doesn't show up (exit door) and sounds aren't playing (on windows 7 at least).
It's pretty hard too, made to level 4 but I then gave up. I think you should consider making an easier game for your next LD (or maybe it's just me sucking with platformers...). Or maybe putting some checkpoints in the level would solve it ?
GranaDa
05. May 2013 路 12:25 UTC
Nice graphics. Maybe a bit more polished and could be a full game. Good entry!
dalbinblue
12. May 2013 路 15:02 UTC
The game starts out good, but got tedious very quickly; with a default slow movement and a weak jump, coupled with the long levels with an instant restart all the way to the beginning, the game got quite frustrating. Consider checkpoints, more stronger jump/run abilities so that the player is not impeded so much in avoiding obstacles.
berkano
12. May 2013 路 20:02 UTC
Some nice level design! (Fiendish, too). Would have been great with some music/sfx. Controls felt polished, very playable. Nice job!
foyosoft
12. May 2013 路 20:36 UTC
Fun, although those 'thwomps' become annoying after the nth kill :) Controls seemed a little cramped. Arrow keys might have been a better choice.
twelveplusplus
13. May 2013 路 18:34 UTC
i liked the vibe, and the graphics, while not amazing had a nice analogous color scheme, which I found appealing.

the controls were pretty solid and definitely minimal.
paulopn
13. May 2013 路 19:42 UTC
Definitely the best platformer I played on this LD. Jumping is implemented very well, collision works perfectly, camera is smooth, really good and challenging level design. Amazing. =D
This could really use some sound, though... And later levels could have some checkpoints.
avidgamerNino
13. May 2013 路 21:03 UTC
I love this game!!! You made your very own Mario and its awesome, congrats. Sweet touch on the idle. I would have loved to have lives and start all over at the beginning for a challenge. Excellent Job!
numpad
16. May 2013 路 20:31 UTC
Good game. Really missed the sounds. (You included 2, never heard any). The graphics looked great and the gameplay was smooth. When you get near to the level's border, the camera jumps really strange. Also, the death was really lame. Maybe some particles instead of just removing the player.
Drowning in the water, blood when hitting spike blocks.
KilledByAPixel
16. May 2013 路 21:10 UTC
It's a nice little platformer but I think you overdid it on the jumping over moving blocks thing. You need to change things up so the player isn't repeatedly doing the same action, otherwise it gets really repetitive.
f7f5
16. May 2013 路 21:47 UTC
I liked the graphics and the movement very much.

I think the gameplay is a bit repetitive (I must confess I only made it to level 4 or 5, so it could vary later). I also hit several bugs?: player running facing backwards, I got stuck in some holes and couldn't jump out, core dumps.
Zim the Fox
17. May 2013 路 01:03 UTC
I had some issues with the game. It crashed once on me after level 2, you can jump in the air if you walk off a ledge and things skip too quickly in the intro. Also, was there music? I swear I heard something but even at max volume it was but a faint sound.

The game however was okay, it was polished and had good graphics for the short time you had.

here 121212!
frogmaster
17. May 2013 路 16:45 UTC
Wow! With that small content levels are incredible different! And fun! But tbh, I didn't manage to complete that 1-D stage. It was too hard. Anyway, one of my favourites!
ecool377
17. May 2013 路 17:08 UTC
Great game, very fun. Would like to see more of your work in the future.