Pipe Dreams by JAH2488

[raw]
made by JAH2488 for LD26 (COMPO)
Pipe Dream is a horrible name for a minimalistic (and extremely unforgiving) retro platformer with a constrained color palate.

Controls are simple and arrow based. Jumping is controlled by the spacebar and up arrow key.

Avoid the spikes and search for color powers to help you beat each level.

Sometimes you won't be able to cross a jump and may need to latch on to the platform above you to get across.

There are five levels in total, there would be more, but that 48 hour deadline catches up on you.

*** YOU CAN STICK TO THE CEILING, THAT WAS INTENTIONAL ^__^ *****

Ratings

Coolness 59% 3
Overall 3.39 344
Audio 3.30 204
Fun 3.11 438
Graphics 2.91 652
Humor 2.40 444
Innovation 2.97 679
Mood 2.93 518
Theme 3.44 657

Feedback

Dark Acre Jack
29. Apr 2013 · 22:03 UTC
Couldn't get over the first wall.
Crazi456
29. Apr 2013 · 22:03 UTC
Was fun, loved the music!
ChuiGum
29. Apr 2013 · 22:04 UTC
Nice, Cool character
Baknik
29. Apr 2013 · 22:05 UTC
Some of the platforming is a bit buggy as far as collision detection goes. Interesting how you can stick to the ceiling while jumping though. Not sure if this was intended.
theomnis
29. Apr 2013 · 22:09 UTC
Took me a while to figure out how exactly the red one worked. Nice game!
🎤 JAH2488
29. Apr 2013 · 22:20 UTC
@Dark Ace Jack : Sorry to hear about that :(
Trying to show the inertia needed in jumping over obstacles, possibly too hard.
🎤 JAH2488
29. Apr 2013 · 22:20 UTC
Thanks everyone for the feedback
Daisuke909
29. Apr 2013 · 22:21 UTC
Very interesting game. My only problem was that it was kind of awkward having a new mechanic introduced every level. And I went for a pretty long time assuming that the red thing killed me.
rainblade studios
29. Apr 2013 · 22:37 UTC
That was fun. Did you mean to make it so you can stick to the ceilings? I enjoyed it. Maybe make the yellow cube more apparent.
thatwhichis
29. Apr 2013 · 22:54 UTC
Unforgiving indeed! SAVE ME YELLOW CUBE

Also, the spikes look like Hershey Kisses, which makes me happy. B-)
Celticraft49
29. Apr 2013 · 23:46 UTC
I didn't know if sticking to the ceiling was meant to be, but it added an interesting twist to the game
ella guro
30. Apr 2013 · 00:13 UTC
the stick to ceilings mechanic made this a lot less frustrating in places, though i think you should make it more apparent that is an intentional thing you can do. i stopped right at the end of the 4th stage (i think?) when navigating the spikes got super hairy, but it was pretty enjoyable overall
Tanius
30. Apr 2013 · 01:17 UTC
Nice character, a good game, i like it.
🎤 JAH2488
30. Apr 2013 · 01:19 UTC
@ella - Thats a good point. I added the sound effect when you "click" onto the ceiling, but wasn't able to devote more time to making it more pronounced.

I'm thinking that some sort of visual cue would probably due the trick.

I made the second level kind of as a tutorial for that mechanic, but less subtly would have been good.
Tanius
30. Apr 2013 · 01:34 UTC
ok, i played it deeper: there are a lot of nice ideas in this game. I really like it
🎤 JAH2488
30. Apr 2013 · 02:02 UTC
@Tanius - Thanks!
FaBrito
30. Apr 2013 · 02:29 UTC
Hey, clearly sticking to the ceiling was intentional and the fact that you have to build velocity in order to jump higher also contributes to calling this one of the best platform games I've played in this compo! Congrats on the level design!
Idovoodoo
30. Apr 2013 · 11:30 UTC
Tricky but good fun. Nice simple artwork too, well done! :)
runonthespot
30. Apr 2013 · 12:36 UTC
Tidy. Agree with comment re first wall- sicne inertia also means easier death immediately after. Tricky doing a platform as so many platform games have set the expectation of controls uber-high but nice- like it!
Folis
30. Apr 2013 · 12:39 UTC
Great game! It kinda reminded me of "I wanna be the guy", except that I didn't swear at your game. Music was also enjoyable!
Pierrec
30. Apr 2013 · 12:43 UTC
Very clever gameplay! I loved it (but it gets real hard after the red power up)
matthias_zarzecki
30. Apr 2013 · 12:53 UTC
Nice puzzler! Like the "level-select"-idea.

Jumping-physics are somewhat off. you can reach max height only when already in motion, so you often don't seem to get over simply obstacles.
EggDestroyer
30. Apr 2013 · 15:19 UTC
I like the satisfying jump feeling and the power up cubes are rather interesting, but the lack of checkpoints makes the game kinda frustrating IMO.
For exemple, the first red block : I discovered it after a long, not so easy sequence, and as I didn't learn how to use it, I died almost right after, respawned at the beginning and then rage-quit the game :-p
It would be better to put it at the beginning of a sequence so you can learn how to use it, even if you die a few times right after it's no big deal, and won't prevent your game to be devilishly hard... just less frustrating :-)

But anyway I enjoyed my play, t'was fun :)
pereubu
30. Apr 2013 · 18:40 UTC
hard hard hard hard hard ... but funny :D
PsenFilip
01. May 2013 · 02:44 UTC
The color powers are a nice addition to the standard mechanic. I really liked the yellow one. It is cool to rush the level falling and jumping.
Talking about the jump, the controls are spot on. Well done.
fullmontis
01. May 2013 · 07:19 UTC
Slick controls and perfect collissions make this a winner for me. Pure platforming goodness :)
Gama11
01. May 2013 · 15:48 UTC
Reall liked it. However, I wasn't able to figure out how to do the second level that cointained a yellow powerup. In fact, wouldn't even have been able to figure out what the yellow powerup even does without reading through the comments. You need better tutorialization. :)
pentaphobe
01. May 2013 · 16:34 UTC
That was just awesome. First game I've wanted to obsessively replay for speedruns.

In fact I may do just that in a minute. So rad.

=== Anyone Who's Talking About "glitchy" Handling ===
This platformer is way smarter that it initially seems. I was about to dismiss it and then was rewarded (repeatedly) for perseverance. One of my favourite platformers in ages.

I would gladly play more of this, and wouldn't bat an eyelash at paying for the privilege if it had a highscore/replay system.

Also: I loved how many different approaches you allowed for, reminds me of the advanced pathways in Mario games

Seriously good work!
Sebastian
02. May 2013 · 02:58 UTC
Pretty cool. I liked the different mechanics, especially the red one - that one was fun. I kinda wish there was a little more strategy to which ones to use though. Overall a nice game :)
Foxtacy
03. May 2013 · 18:31 UTC
Hahaha yes it was all intentional ^_^

About yours now, it's an interesting platformer.

I think you should make like, 2 or 3 stages forcing the player to understand one aspect of the game mechanics one at a time. Tutorial levels yeah? But minnimal, no textwalls. Mainly cuz, "ain't nobody got time for that" :3
RealyUniqueName
05. May 2013 · 13:48 UTC
Patience testing gameplay )