Coming Into Focus by Gjarble
INSTRUCTIONS:
Left/Right arrows to walk
Up arrow to jump
This (very unfinished) game consists of a text-based platformer and a graphical platformer. The connection with the "Evolution" theme was supposed to be the graphics getting higher-resolution as you progress, representing the main character regaining his vision and sanity after a brain injury. However, since I didn't make enough levels in time to do that (or write a story, or make anything but the most barebones art and the most barebones platforming mechanics because I spent most of my time getting the text thing to work), I just have it so the graphics upgrade every time you die on the graphical level, you can at least get an idea of what it would look like.
Despite its degree of unfinished-ness, I submitted it anyway, because at least it's playable and somewhat challenging, and I'd hate to see all that work go to waste (after all, I did write a text-based platforming engine from scratch in 48 hours, and I think that's something to be proud of). Originally, the game was going to be played on this very ratings page (the text would've transformed into a game window from whatever link you clicked on to start the game), but unfortunately, the submission form didn't allow me to do the Javascript shenanigans I needed for that to happen. I might try a different method of that technique for a post-compo version, but it's unlikely I'll have the time.
During the text portion:
You are the letter O. #s are platforms, and Xs kill you.
During the Flash portion:
This consists of only one level. When you're done, you should see a blank screen. Just exit out of the window to return to the ratings page.
Left/Right arrows to walk
Up arrow to jump
This (very unfinished) game consists of a text-based platformer and a graphical platformer. The connection with the "Evolution" theme was supposed to be the graphics getting higher-resolution as you progress, representing the main character regaining his vision and sanity after a brain injury. However, since I didn't make enough levels in time to do that (or write a story, or make anything but the most barebones art and the most barebones platforming mechanics because I spent most of my time getting the text thing to work), I just have it so the graphics upgrade every time you die on the graphical level, you can at least get an idea of what it would look like.
Despite its degree of unfinished-ness, I submitted it anyway, because at least it's playable and somewhat challenging, and I'd hate to see all that work go to waste (after all, I did write a text-based platforming engine from scratch in 48 hours, and I think that's something to be proud of). Originally, the game was going to be played on this very ratings page (the text would've transformed into a game window from whatever link you clicked on to start the game), but unfortunately, the submission form didn't allow me to do the Javascript shenanigans I needed for that to happen. I might try a different method of that technique for a post-compo version, but it's unlikely I'll have the time.
During the text portion:
You are the letter O. #s are platforms, and Xs kill you.
During the Flash portion:
This consists of only one level. When you're done, you should see a blank screen. Just exit out of the window to return to the ratings page.
| Web (JavaScript + Flash) | https://dl.dropbox.com/u/28797396/Evolution/testing2.html |
| Original URL | https://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-24/?action=preview&uid=5467 |
Ratings
| Coolness | 0% | 1171 |
| Overall(Jam) | 2.56 | 220 |
| Fun(Jam) | 2.38 | 207 |
| Graphics(Jam) | 2.69 | 187 |
| Innovation(Jam) | 3.31 | 56 |
| Mood(Jam) | 1.54 | 244 |
| Theme(Jam) | 2.25 | 199 |
It would be nice to have a SS of this, to be more clear what your game is about.
The ideia that you tried to achieve is good and the plataform is nice.
It would be better if you did finish, of course, but at least you certanly had learned something doing it.
The main character is a spaceship captain involved in a war against an alien civilization. At the beginning of the game, he wakes up after some sort of brain trauma (he doesn't know what it is). He finds himself imprisoned and decides to break out in order to continue the fight. Each improvement in the graphics would be preceded by a journal (or "captain's log") entry detailing his current mental state. However, they would also be accompanied by the deterioration of the page surrounding the game (be it this ratings page or some external page). Words would start missing letters, text boxes would disappear, and so on, until the game was simply surrounded by a blank black background. As the graphics get clearer, it becomes more and more apparent that the opponents that he has been fighting are human. When the player reaches the last room, expecting to fight a final boss, they instead find themselves in their superior's office, who draws a gun and begins firing. Whether you defeat him or not (the writing of the ending slightly altered to reflect the outcome), it is revealed at the end that the brain trauma was the result of alien biological warfare, and that the captain has been having delusions that his own forces were the aliens. He was imprisoned for the safety of the surviving human forces.
Man, writing it out makes it sound more like a cheesy ZOMG TWIST than I'd necessarily like. Rest assured, I'd drop hints throughout and try to write it well. >_>
<b>END SPOILERS</b>
I'd probably take out the Xs/flames and replace them with something that works a bit differently. They don't really fit with the planned fiction, and tiles that kill you are a bit of a platforming clich茅 of mine; they were just the fastest/easiest thing to program. Other enemies/obstacles I planned on having were wall-mounted laser guns and characters (with guns, melee weapons, or both) that actually attacked you. I also wanted the character's abilities to improve with the graphics; wall jumping, shooting, that sort of thing. That stuff still really doesn't feel too inspired; I'd give more thought about it should I return to this project.
Overall though loved the originality!
@gnx (also relevant to Cake&Code and Topher Florence): One of the hardest things for me, balance-wise, was the player speed. As it stands, the player spends at most 1/15th of a second at each tile, which I agree is too fast (and makes it seem like the player moves 2 squares in a single keypress- you just have to press it REALLYFAST). The problem is that any slower a speed and the player wouldn't be able to jump very far due to how fast the gravitational acceleration is (plus it would feel weirder during the graphical part when you have finer control). I thought that rate of gravity felt the best (not too floaty, not too rushed), but it's different for everyone, and it DOES make the game more difficult. I guess in a post-compo version, I would reduce the player speed AND rate of gravity (so the player can jump just as far)... in fact, that gives me an idea of how to make the concept even more connected to the theme... >:)
However, I have to personally recommend against doing this. Switching technologies mid-game is just asking for things to break, mid-game.
For a more casual audience (I beat the game, but to be fair, I personally tortured myself in high school playing through cruel, unforgiving games), you might consider widening the single blocks to two or three spaces.
I really hope to see you build more text-terminal-style games.
Really good use of the theme, too bad you couldn't make something more complete.
It was too easy to make one game so you made two huh ? :D