Cells by kelp

[raw]
made by kelp for LD23 (JAM)
Here is my take on the tiny world theme. Use your god like powers to mutate you colony of cells and let them prevail against the evil red cells.

Click on one of your cells and then select mutation you want to add. Each game tick it will execute one of the mutations. After some time the cells will split. Dead enemies are eaten for extra health.

Mutations:
- Aggression. Move toward the enemy instead of randomly.
- Poison. When this is active the enemy takes more damage when the cells are touching.

Features:
- Awesome programmer art
- Somewhat finished

Ratings

Coolness 51% 3
Overall(Jam) 2.52 201
Fun(Jam) 2.28 201
Graphics(Jam) 2.16 232
Humor(Jam) 1.78 199
Innovation(Jam) 2.76 156
Mood(Jam) 2.35 186
Theme(Jam) 3.32 73

Feedback

Khayet
25. Apr 2012 路 16:37 UTC
The cells look really nice and the gameplay is simple but addictive. Could have profited from shortcuts and audio. Nevertheless, gg.
Hume
25. Apr 2012 路 22:42 UTC
Sorry, I can't rate Windows-only games. I'll try to have a Windows machine for rating by next LD!
馃帳 kelp
26. Apr 2012 路 17:45 UTC
It should work on Linux and mac, but you have to install python 3.2 and pygame yourself. Then you can just get the source.
demonpants
26. Apr 2012 路 17:45 UTC
Hey friend, how about a Mac version? This looks cool.
Canard Sauvage
26. Apr 2012 路 18:18 UTC
It's quite short, as you only have 2 mutations and far to easy. I can add as much mutations as I want, so I can win the game in an instant.
馃帳 kelp
26. Apr 2012 路 18:29 UTC
I just tested it on python 2.7 on Linux mint in a VM, it works and I cx_froze it so there is a linux archive as well. Maybe I'll secretly use my girlfriends mac to make a mac version or maybe I'll borrow one of my colleague's macs tomorrow.

I'm afraid I didn't have time to make it more challenging. It would be nice if the enemy cells would mutate as well and you would be able to counter it by choosing the right mutations, maybe I'll work on the game again in a few weeks when I have some more time and make it into an actual game.
AirRider3
26. Apr 2012 路 18:43 UTC
Oh, no web/Mac version... that makes me sad... :/
dansludumdare
26. Apr 2012 路 21:04 UTC
I feel like if you added one single rule to this (simple enough to be able to rush in when time is running out), like only so many mutations per kill or something, you'd have a "real" game. As it stands, you just select things and give them poison and then aggression.

Otherwise really cool. I've created similar things myself (not in 48 hours).
Jiddo
26. Apr 2012 路 21:05 UTC
Tried running the Linux version, but that depended on libssl.so.1.0.0 which wasn't in my distro's repositories and I was too lazy to go find it. It was easier to just clone the source code repository of the game and running it directly. That worked just fine.

Interesting idea. It sure had me hooked for a while. I had no chance of winning once both teams had a full 100 cells. They just kept re-splitting faster then I could do anything. Nicely done tho1
Cell
27. Apr 2012 路 05:04 UTC
Cool!

A game about me! ;D
j_peeba
27. Apr 2012 路 05:15 UTC
Quite promising but the game would need some extra variables thrown in it so it wouldn't be as straightforward
summaky
28. Apr 2012 路 10:18 UTC
As it is now, the game is far too easy to be really enjoyable. However, if you limit the mutations a little bit and allow the computer to mutate its cells toward "aggression", it would be fun casual game.
SLiV
28. Apr 2012 路 12:41 UTC
An interesting idea, but because there is no (obvious) way not to win, it wasn't all that enjoyable.
PabloAM
28. Apr 2012 路 12:41 UTC
Nice game, the mechanics are fun!
robcozzens
05. May 2012 路 05:41 UTC
I would try it if there was a Web or OSX version.
chrismcr
07. May 2012 路 09:12 UTC
Loved the intro and b-movie weeeeird sound effect throughout :)
chrismcr
07. May 2012 路 09:19 UTC
Yep, so that comment was meant for another game - that'll teach me to multitask!

I liked the idea of mutations; maybe you could have it so they have side-effects - aggression makes the cell 10% likely to attack his own side or something. There's a lot of scope for making the mutations interact with each other too, I think.
Daisuke909
07. May 2012 路 17:09 UTC
Not sure if I could quite figure it out... it seems like no matter how many you kill they always just get back to 100, and vice versa.
tcstyle
07. May 2012 路 18:44 UTC
Great idea. There is a lot potential for further improvement of this concept. At the moment it's far too easy.
The graphics are totally fine for this game.
davidwparker
10. May 2012 路 19:41 UTC
I don't have Windows|Linux, sorry.
ericdpitts
10. May 2012 路 23:36 UTC
What I've learned from this game:

Aggression = death
Poison = world peace
Poison with a LITTLE BIT of aggression once populations have risen = VICTORY, GLORIOUS VICTORY!

Nice job, I enjoyed watching the little cells reproduce and float around and kill each other.