{"author_link":"\/author\/cakencode\/","author_name":"Cake&amp;Code","author_uid":"10976","comments":[{"author_name":"23","author_uid":"4678","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 12:46pm","epoch":1335184860,"text":"This is absolutely gorgeous. I almost have to give it full marks on the strength of the graphics alone. \r<br\/>\r<br\/>Unfortunately, it's a little too hard - I have a lot of trouble making jumps even once I figure out the timing.  It might be easier if there were fewer small gaps to fall down and if gravity were a bit softer. \r<br\/>\r<br\/>Also, a smaller issue, but I wish the punch had more of a visual indicator (or sound effect)."},{"author_name":"caranha","author_uid":"7847","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 12:53pm","epoch":1335185280,"text":"That was a very good looking game, thank you! The general idea is also really cute. I found myself immersed in the mood while playing this.\r<br\/>\r<br\/>That said, the controls are a bit unresponsive. Timing the jumps with the unminimization is really hard, specially because the item takes a bit of time to pop out even after the &quot;aura&quot; had disappeared. \r<br\/>\r<br\/>Thanks for the nice looking game!"},{"author_name":"robbiehunt","author_uid":"10796","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 2:12pm","epoch":1335190020,"text":"Definitely gorgeous game. But the cuteness sort of masks how difficult this.\r<br\/>\r<br\/>But I think that's okay. Hard games are good as long as their not torture for the user. I liked it."},{"author_name":"spooks","author_uid":"5110","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 2:59pm","epoch":1335192840,"text":"The art style is really well done and great audio! That said,  I found the controls to be a bit unpredictable"},{"author_name":"Hazard","author_uid":"7512","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 5:02pm","epoch":1335200220,"text":"Amazing Art-Style, but fiddly controls. It feels a bit odd that you have to hit objects multiple times before anything happens. A smooth shrinking animation with every hit could improve that."},{"author_name":"Cake&amp;Code","author_uid":"10976","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 6:17pm","epoch":1335204720,"text":"Thanks everyone! We really appreciate the comments and critiques. You can blame any level-based difficulty on Cake. :) \r<br\/>\r<br\/>For our post-mortem we'll probably add in easy levels at the beginning so people can ease into the gameplay, and we'll tweak the controls for better results as well. \r<br\/>\r<br\/>Keep 'em coming!"},{"author_name":"madpew","author_uid":"2196","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 6:54pm","epoch":1335206940,"text":"First, please add Y as an equivalent for Z for us non-english-layout users so we can properly play. Second, it's really hard to dodge the bullets while trying to shoot the &quot;bumpers&quot; and getting the timing right. maybe reduce the shooting-frequenzy. I dunno. I gave up after the 4th Bumper. :\/"},{"author_name":"madpew","author_uid":"2196","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 6:54pm","epoch":1335206940,"text":"But I like the artstyle and the music. Too bad there is so little SFX going on besides to that."},{"author_name":"bms","author_uid":"7087","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 7:02pm","epoch":1335207420,"text":"Love the art, but gameplay was a bit odd for me."},{"author_name":"Alex Gilday","author_uid":"7143","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 7:17pm","epoch":1335208320,"text":"I love it! The graphics are great, the story is nice, the controls are usable and it's fun! I wish you good luck, I think this will go far :D"},{"author_name":"totorotonio","author_uid":"12842","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 9:55pm","epoch":1335217800,"text":"good graphics but the gameplay is not really good."},{"author_name":"Jacic","author_uid":"5267","time":"Apr 23, 2012 @ 10:48pm","epoch":1335220980,"text":"Amazing art and sound, fun to play, you nailed it! :D"},{"author_name":"Peter Cooper","author_uid":"7243","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 1:53am","epoch":1335232080,"text":"Definitely a nice focus on the design, as other people have said :-) It's odd to see a game that has such nice &quot;design&quot; although the art is quite simple."},{"author_name":"BenW","author_uid":"128","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 2:01am","epoch":1335232560,"text":"It looks great and the music is really nice. Unfortunately the fact that there were no sound effects and that the jump timing was so difficult made this a chore to play. I feel like it would be really good with some gameplay tweaks."},{"author_name":"chambers","author_uid":"11981","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 7:59am","epoch":1335254040,"text":"I found it kind of boring to wait for the stuff to grow to the right size to use them as jump. I like the art style and the game name a lot XD"},{"author_name":"ccscanf","author_uid":"11316","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 3:18pm","epoch":1335280380,"text":"Nice Art."},{"author_name":"Keirua","author_uid":"12584","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 7:02pm","epoch":1335293820,"text":"That's really not an easy game, but the art is among the best I've seen in the indie game world"},{"author_name":"Darkfrost","author_uid":"7085","time":"Apr 24, 2012 @ 11:20pm","epoch":1335309300,"text":"Very nice! The art style was unique, beautiful, and yet strange! It was pretty difficult, but I managed to finish it (Atleast, I think I finished it? I got to to the end of the stage where it wouldn't scroll anymore ,but there was no kind of end? :p)\r<br\/>\r<br\/>Good fun, some sound effects might have made it a lot more immersive though!"},{"author_name":"gritfish","author_uid":"10705","time":"Apr 25, 2012 @ 12:51am","epoch":1335314760,"text":"I think the two-step growing could be chucked out, and have the &quot;springs&quot; just snap right back to full size.\r<br\/>Sound effects would have been nice, but the graphics really steal the show on this one, the translucent style you guys went for is really cool. I couldn't get past the bit where there was a mushroom, and then a floating platform with spikes, but it's a really solid, great looking platformer."},{"author_name":"CherryNukaCola","author_uid":"4966","time":"Apr 25, 2012 @ 7:55am","epoch":1335340200,"text":"Lovely graphics, nice mechanic with the shrinking and flinging. The platforming did feel a little off - I really like what Scott Rogers has to say about making great feeling platformers: http:\/\/mrbossdesign.blogspot.com.au\/2008\/10\/platformer-primer.html . Cheers!"},{"author_name":"GreyShock","author_uid":"11045","time":"Apr 25, 2012 @ 11:00am","epoch":1335351300,"text":"Nice design and graphics :3 About the gameplay, i got killed a lot and I don't get the difference between firing and punching :O Great job anyway :)"},{"author_name":"Daniel","author_uid":"11829","time":"Apr 25, 2012 @ 2:41pm","epoch":1335364560,"text":"Nice idea and the mood is very cute."},{"author_name":"davidllanos22","author_uid":"10692","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 3:37am","epoch":1335411120,"text":"Quite difficult! Nice graphics and story! ;)"},{"author_name":"KevinWorkman","author_uid":"5364","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 3:58am","epoch":1335412380,"text":"Very pretty game, interesting mechanic with shrinking things to solve puzzles. Could easily by made into a more full game. Well done."},{"author_name":"robcozzens","author_uid":"10944","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:33am","epoch":1335414480,"text":"Looks fantastic! The controls didn't feel as good as the game looked though."},{"author_name":"moonmagic","author_uid":"4706","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:46am","epoch":1335415260,"text":"The art in this game is gorgeous, and the sound felt mostly appropriate (the blip when shooting is slightly jarring; a more melodious shot would have felt better to me). I understand that movement was probably limited to emphasize the smallness of the protagonist, but I wanted to explore the weird shapes in this world, and I was frustrated at the rate of my progress. Moving felt slippery.\r<br\/>\r<br\/>I also realize the text is probably placeholder, but I definitely think less is more, here. The art and music are so compelling, the less exposition in the game, the less likely it is that the mood will be disrupted."},{"author_name":"edbadiux","author_uid":"12142","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:57am","epoch":1335415920,"text":"I REALLY liked the direction and art style of this game. Really good looking =)."},{"author_name":"neocrey","author_uid":"12085","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 5:50am","epoch":1335419100,"text":"Very nice graphics and mood of the game. Gameplay is addictive and simple. Nice ^_^"},{"author_name":"matthias_zarzecki","author_uid":"3880","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 5:57am","epoch":1335419520,"text":"Beautiful graphics. Gameplay could be a bit punchier, though."},{"author_name":"liger13","author_uid":"12133","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 9:10am","epoch":1335431100,"text":"Really good entry. It's amazing how you got all the sound and looks and gameplay working really well together in such a short amount of time. It's a bit hard, but the continues made it a lot more enjoyable."},{"author_name":"marudziik","author_uid":"5431","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 9:32am","epoch":1335432420,"text":"Looks really nice, feels very consistent, but is hard as hell - to the point where it's being almost unfair. Almost, because I can continue as many times as I want, which is good. I was able to finish it, but it was a little frustrating (not realising I could shoot the spikes was also the issue here). Kinda short."},{"author_name":"RandomOutput","author_uid":"11581","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 3:12pm","epoch":1335452820,"text":"As everyone else has said, the art is beautiful!  Agree that the timing bits, where I'm shooting and dodging are difficult.  I think its primarily the repetition within a single challenge.  If perhaps it took fewer shots to shrink an object it would alleviate some of the frustration.   Great work though, its beautiful and I much enjoyed playing."},{"author_name":"01101101","author_uid":"5105","time":"Apr 26, 2012 @ 7:37pm","epoch":1335468720,"text":"I really like the art, so fresh and neat! :) Nice job, congrats to you two!"},{"author_name":"Rabbits...","author_uid":"11321","time":"Apr 27, 2012 @ 5:29am","epoch":1335504240,"text":"definitely a strange game...I like it though"},{"author_name":"TenTonToon","author_uid":"11273","time":"Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:37am","epoch":1335508320,"text":"Beautiful and moody, with a great sense of style.\r<br\/>The game parts, though, are a bit lacking. The controls are a bit unresponsive, and the rhythm of the action is a little bit strange. It is also quite unforgiving - maybe you should ease the player's introduction to the core mechanics."},{"author_name":"BlackDogg","author_uid":"5275","time":"Apr 27, 2012 @ 8:38pm","epoch":1335558780,"text":"I'm not going to be really original with my comments, I like the art (but a bit more in the introduction, it seems different, I don't know if it's real or just me) but the controls made the game harder the it should be."},{"author_name":"Kendja","author_uid":"12019","time":"Apr 28, 2012 @ 7:21am","epoch":1335597360,"text":"The art style is amazing. But the game is quite hard. May be it's controls or something."},{"author_name":"jeffz","author_uid":"4842","time":"Apr 29, 2012 @ 4:36am","epoch":1335673860,"text":"The music sounded generative, like one of those cell based music making programs, I think it worked.  The artwork was lovely but the gameplay felt a little empty, would have benefited from some sound effects.  5\/5 for graphics."},{"author_name":"Andrew","author_uid":"5432","time":"Apr 30, 2012 @ 11:50pm","epoch":1335829500,"text":"Great visuals and interesting mechanic, but unfortunately the sound got annoying really fast."},{"author_name":"Niavlys","author_uid":"8666","time":"May 1, 2012 @ 8:45pm","epoch":1335904800,"text":"Really hard to play, it was difficult for me to get into the game. Beautiful graphics and music, but not enough fun."},{"author_name":"gregdevice","author_uid":"8124","time":"May 3, 2012 @ 5:28am","epoch":1336022580,"text":"The art was fantastic! It made the whole thing work for me."},{"author_name":"Birchmountain","author_uid":"10933","time":"May 3, 2012 @ 7:19am","epoch":1336029240,"text":"Cool gameplay, a little hard to use the &quot;growing stuff&quot; to jump higher sometimes. But what really made the experience great was the art. Well done!"},{"author_name":"deejorg","author_uid":"11382","time":"May 4, 2012 @ 3:36am","epoch":1336102260,"text":"Graphics are gorgeous and the story\/ introduction really gets me excited to play but the gameplay seems a little slow and hard. The checkpoints happening often was a good balance with the difficulty. Nevertheless i really liked it!"},{"author_name":"ragnister","author_uid":"12210","time":"May 4, 2012 @ 4:41pm","epoch":1336149360,"text":"Everything's fine, but the gameplay could be better!"},{"author_name":"MadGnomeGamer","author_uid":"10251","time":"May 7, 2012 @ 9:33pm","epoch":1336426080,"text":"What the...I forgot to rate this one, even after putting it on my favourite games list! Lol. I'll fix that now. Great art btw."},{"author_name":"ratking","author_uid":"3663","time":"May 7, 2012 @ 10:05pm","epoch":1336428000,"text":"The graphics are just awesome!!! Impressive overall look.\r<br\/>The controls worked a bit hard, because in german keyboards the Z is were your Y is :\/"}],"images":["ld23\/10976-558d6a6a8c26a75d022079416163d987.jpg","ld23\/10976-03e5f530bde6681326664f961478c1b5.jpg","ld23\/10976-8ee03365150500786ad980d8388c01b2.jpg"],"links":[{"url":"http:\/\/microcake.org\/powpowpow\/","text":"Web"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jvX55cp0QOo&amp;feature=youtu.be","text":"Timelapse"}],"metadata":{"g_key":"31183","g_author":"10976","g_event":"LD23","g_eventkey":"10","g_subevent":"JAM","g_urlkey":"31213","g_title":"Pow! Pow! Pow!","g_status":"UCHK1","g_place":"93","g_commentcount":"46","g_site2_node_id":"0","g_hide":"N","g_has_icon":"Y","g_rqueue":"0","g_random":"0"},"nds":[],"node":null,"orig_images":["http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/123793\/10976-shot0.png-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/123793\/10976-shot1.png-eq-900-500.jpg","http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/compo2\/\/123793\/10976-shot2.png-eq-900-500.jpg"],"text":"Pow! Pow! Pow!\r\naka; A Game About a 16mm Hero Who Fights Off Invading Aliens \r\nfrom Supersizing His Home Planet\r\n\r\nYou play as the leader of the faraway small-sized planet Pipbit \r\nwho sets out to kick out invading aliens from supersizing and \r\ncompletely taking over his home planet. \r\n\r\nWith your powers of Minification and your army of micro-fighters, \r\ngo out and get rid of these invaders and restore your home back to \r\nits rightful small state.\r\n\r\nThis was made by....\r\nMatias Giachino (Zeik) : Coder extraordinaire. \r\n-Flashpunk \r\n-AS3\r\nChristina Pham (Cake \/ microcake): Artist, UI Designer, and Level designer.\r\n-Photoshop (level design and raster work)\r\n-Illustrator (raw artwork)\r\n-InDesign (level layout)\r\n-Dreamweaver (level creation via XML)<\/p>","title":"Pow! Pow! Pow!"}