Cells by Jimjam

[raw]
made by Jimjam for LD21 (-)
Use your wits and some hardware to hack your way out of the compound!
Find hacking keys and use the terminal in each section to bypass obstacles.

Instructions:
---------------------------
Left or A - Move left
Right or D - Move right
Up or W - Interact with item
Space - Jump
P - Pause
Use the mouse to hack while at a terminal

Notes:
----------------------------
**NB - I've fixed the font issues on the title and ending screens. I know it's a minor cosmetic change, but as not to bugger with the rules, please rate based on the "Web" version.

This was not nearly as complete in terms of gameplay as I would've liked. At the moment, it's more of a simple prototype for what I think is a nifty concept. More puzzles would be welcome, but I'm still extremely proud of this.

Enjoy!

Ratings

Coolness 4% 144
Overall 3.07 183
Audio 1.27 341
Community 2.83 176
Fun 2.77 217
Graphics 3.97 38
Humor 1.25 417
Innovation 3.57 73
Theme 3.33 139

Feedback

Pierrec
22. Aug 2011 路 22:34 UTC
I didn't managed to use the red elevator of the first level...I think I havent understaood, I tried to interact with everything...Is it a bug or is it me ? Because I would like to go further, I love the graphics
thonk
23. Aug 2011 路 05:30 UTC
When you use the hacking terminal (the octopus computer thing) you can click different objects to try to hack them.
I really like the level design of the second level.
Pierrec
23. Aug 2011 路 06:35 UTC
Aaah! Now I understand! Thanks Thonk. And now, it's a pretty cool game! I would like to see more levels of course!
kavs
23. Aug 2011 路 07:20 UTC
I got confused and couldn't beat the second level. I actually wasn't able to progress past the first room because I was playing on a laptop and it wasn't immediately obvious as to how to hack using the mouse. Explanation of this would have gone a long way. :)

Nice game!
馃帳 Jimjam
23. Aug 2011 路 07:32 UTC
Thanks for your thoughts guys! I agree, a decent explanation of the hacking mechanic is missing, but I did want it to have a sort of escape the room feel, leaving the player to look carefully at each "cell" and work out what to hack.

In an updated version, I'd like to see a menu popup when you try to hack a room. This could have many options, like kill lights, blow power, open door, move conveyer belt, etc., so that the game would have much more a puzzly feel. Right now, you just sort of have to wing it to get through the levels.

Oh, another explanation on how the keys work: The number of keys you need to reach a room is based on jumping from the current room (with the terminal) either horizontally or vertically. Each "jump" takes a key. You can't jump diagonally. I wanted to show this visually but didn't get around to it.

In the second level, btw, you can *OMG SPOILER ALERT* hack the room above the terminal. :)
Arron Fowler
23. Aug 2011 路 15:42 UTC
I like it and I felt a pang of disappointment when It finished which can only be a good sign.
Warrozo
23. Aug 2011 路 16:50 UTC
Really good game! I think a few more levels and a little help with the hacking.
馃帳 Jimjam
23. Aug 2011 路 20:56 UTC
Thanks guys, that's really great to hear :)

I'm definitely keen to update this one!
Cosine
23. Aug 2011 路 21:12 UTC
Innovation: New idea, and it worked pretty well.

Theme: It fits the theme perfectly, although it isn't exactly the most imaginative interpretation.

Graphics: Beautiful. I wish I could make stuff like this for my long projects.

Fun: I felt like I had accomplished something at the end of every level, but the levels were all simple linear puzzles. Explore this concept more! I'm sure you can come up with greater things.

Overall: I would just improve the level design and you have a solid, fun game you would find a flash portal.
speciesUnknown
24. Aug 2011 路 01:19 UTC
Interesting concept. I managed to escape, but was left feeling as if I wasnt really challenged by it. Maybe this is because I'm a 1337 h4xx0r or maybe because it was too easy.

Nice graphics. I like the lights. I also laughed when I blew the fuse on level 2. With a bit of work this could become a puzzle game, as it is there is always one clear path through.
marudziik
24. Aug 2011 路 13:46 UTC
Nice little game. A little too short and too easy though. Graphics are pretty nice.
McTwist
24. Aug 2011 路 19:10 UTC
Nice idea, but too few levels.
Cirrial
24. Aug 2011 路 19:32 UTC
Really short game (a common affliction among LD games), some nice potential here for further development. I really liked it. Nice use of graphics, although it took me a while to figure out the mouse was needed to use the hacking terminal (that'll teach me to skim the entry text). Great work!
馃帳 Jimjam
25. Aug 2011 路 09:59 UTC
Thanks guys, your feedback is great! It turned out in the last few hours that making a level was very quick, and I could've done a few more levels with just one main puzzle in each (elevator ini lvl 1, lights in lvl 2, etc), but the problem was items/entities.

I sort of shot myself in the foot with the 3d graphics in that while pretty, making an item for a puzzle was quite time consuming. Plus, my code for player actions was and still is quite a mess. I'll be very happy once I find an elegant way to code puzzles, and design some puzzles that really challenge the player.
Andrew
28. Aug 2011 路 12:48 UTC
A bit too short, but I think it can be expanded tor more interesting uses of the hacking tool(robot guards, moving platforms etc)
recursor
28. Aug 2011 路 23:14 UTC
Good start to what could be a pretty cool game
mpc174
28. Aug 2011 路 23:23 UTC
Nice innovative puzzle gameplay. Liked it. Could see it expanded into a larger game.
tcstyle
29. Aug 2011 路 19:02 UTC
Too short! Also a hint how to use the terminal would have been great.
馃帳 Jimjam
29. Aug 2011 路 19:12 UTC
Hi guys, I had a crazy design session while I should've been working today :P and I've come up with a ton of new puzzles and nifty new mechanics! I'm working on them as we speak, and hopefully the next update will contain about 7 or 8 levels. Yay!
oatsbarley
30. Aug 2011 路 11:04 UTC
I love this, I only wish it wasn't so painfully short.
Rudy
31. Aug 2011 路 08:54 UTC
Very nice, love the idea, it definitely could be taken further. Art is nice. Too bad it's very short.