Quantic Paouf IV by shubart | LudumData

Quantic Paouf IV by shubart

made by shubart for LD 43 (JAM)

Save particles with your gravity (you can't save them all).

Bring them to the exit (as much as possible).

Beware, Black Holes and Shadow zone.

The game contains a single level, but i hope i will have time for more later

=> I have just cheated and add a very simple first level

=> please do not sacrifice me for that

Considere playing Post Ludum Version

Done in the conditions of Compo except for assets that I have googled.

I apologize, but you won’t probably be able to compile the solution due to library dependancies. QuanticPaouf has been mad with my own 'chaos' engine

The source is split in three parts:

Ludum43: the game itself
chaos: a base libray, the core of the engine
death: another library more dedicated for games

GAMEPAD CONTROLS:

Gamepad to displace
Right Trigger for a faster displacement
Button A : eject the particles

Start / Select : pause the game

KEYBOARD CONTROLS:

Arrows to move
SpaceBar for a faster displacement
Right Control : eject the particles


P : Pause
ESC : Restart

Source code	https://github.com/hubartstephane/Ludum43/tree/master/codes
Windows	https://github.com/hubartstephane/Ludum43/raw/master/binary/windows/QuanticPaouf4.zip
Windows	https://github.com/hubartstephane/Ludum43/tree/master/postludum_binary/windows
Other (web)	https://youtu.be/P3aklfIsZ-k
Original URL	https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/43/quantic-paouf-iv

Ratings

Overall	761^th	3.117⭐	62🧑‍⚖️
Fun	678^th	3.058⭐	62🧑‍⚖️
Innovation	536^th	3.125⭐	62🧑‍⚖️
Theme	918^th	2.708⭐	62🧑‍⚖️
Humor	678^th	2.527⭐	57🧑‍⚖️
Mood	670^th	3.125⭐	62🧑‍⚖️
Given		70🗳️	81🗨️

Feedback

04. Dec 2018 · 12:32 UTC

Perhaps you should be a bit more specific about what the goal is in the description. I managed to go to the end, but it then just restarted the level. Later I saw on you screenshots that I maybe was supposed to save the particles - that information would be helpful.

That beside, I liked how movement an the soft boundaries of the darkness worked. If you expand the game with more levels, think about adding an easier one as the first level to learn the controls.

04. Dec 2018 · 12:38 UTC

I love the visual theme and sound design, controls are good. Great visual design for the parallax effect but I'm not so sure about it being used on the boundaries to the level, combined with the blur the total effect made me felt like i was looking "through" the level at my player character (the shadows seemed out of focus).

Also liked the use of gravity as a concept. Impressive you wrote your own engine to run it, props for the effort needed for that alone.

04. Dec 2018 · 13:22 UTC

I just added a very first simple level (considere this as a cheat) and a new shader effect (post ludum version)

04. Dec 2018 · 14:19 UTC

i dig it, cool visuals

04. Dec 2018 · 16:57 UTC

@shubart the executable in the zip download link will not start for me on windows 8.1. A cmd window opens and then closes.

04. Dec 2018 · 17:43 UTC

Very cool idea! Hadn’t thought about that! hehe :P :top:

04. Dec 2018 · 22:54 UTC

@d3vil0p3r, what kind of computer are you using. Maybe you do not have correct OpenGL support. I can have a try changind this soon

04. Dec 2018 · 22:55 UTC

@johnnyginard , thanks a lot

04. Dec 2018 · 23:05 UTC

@jdh, thank you for your ideas. I just added a very first level (I would add more later i suppose)

04. Dec 2018 · 23:06 UTC

@onionknight , thank you

04. Dec 2018 · 23:26 UTC

The graphics and audio worked together to create a nice mood for the game. Theme wise, I didn't really like it, as It didn't really feel like you ever needed to sacrifice the particles, and in fact you were specifically trying not to. I felt that the movement could have been tuned a little better, as it felt very fast and loose even before I discovered that you could go faster with a button press. It feels like a game that should be very deliberate, but I was having trouble expressing that with the controls given. Going back to the visuals, which are great for the most part, it doesn't always cohere. The background elements and the shadows all feel good, but particles being just simple circles and the static star being what you control was not the best. The resulting visual felt inverted, as the most interesting and detailed elements were the ones you were supposed to be paying the least attention to.

04. Dec 2018 · 23:28 UTC

@kleinzach , that's good remarks. Thank you

05. Dec 2018 · 00:33 UTC

I like the core gameplay. The ship movement feels fluid and controllable. Picking up the particles feels good. Not competing on graphics or sound seemed like a good choice.

It's cool that you can sacrifice some health to dive through the walls. Apart from that I don't see why I would sacrifice anything. It's not clear what the timer that counts up does. Space and Right Control are not two keys I want to have to press with the same hand.

05. Dec 2018 · 00:45 UTC

I like the game in general, the controls are fluid, but the sacrifice theme is not clear in a first glance.
Aside of that is a good game, good job on that! :)

05. Dec 2018 · 12:57 UTC

I loved the idea resembles space Locoroco!!!

05. Dec 2018 · 12:59 UTC

@rodrigo-grego , I will have a look at it. I was more inspired by "Sheep" and "Puddle" if you know them

05. Dec 2018 · 13:18 UTC

Simple but interesting concept, one thing I didn't really get, do the particles that get stolen from you actually slow down the black holes? Also it would be better to clearly see the area of effect of the black holes, because you just get drain even without touching them. Interesting entry !

05. Dec 2018 · 13:29 UTC

@corbak , you re right. We miss a feedback for danger zone. The particles' life is just drain (like the player).

05. Dec 2018 · 13:55 UTC

I liked the idea.

05. Dec 2018 · 17:43 UTC

The control feels good and reactive (except at some times when there seems to be inertia) but I didn't understand what was the purpose of ejecting the particles. The background particle system is really nice and the game over screen is quite funny ! Good job !

05. Dec 2018 · 18:40 UTC

@kerdelos, i have to admit, i miss time to make the particles ejection a usefull element. Maybe if i had time to make more levels (I just worked for 2 days instead of 3) i could have created some situation fot that button. I have some idea to replace by some other gameplay element. I will do that soon i hope (in post ludum version)

05. Dec 2018 · 22:08 UTC

Needs more clarification.

05. Dec 2018 · 22:30 UTC

@icehottet, i admit that if the purpose of the game was no so clear for other than for me.
You have to bring the particles to the end of the level (2 different levels). You will have difficulties to bring them all so, at some time, you need to let some die to pass throught the enemies.

06. Dec 2018 · 07:04 UTC

Not totally sure what was going on, but movement and gravity effects were cool. Black holes properly scary.

06. Dec 2018 · 07:24 UTC

I really liked the light vs dark theme you got going on. Moving around the levels was both hectic and calming, somehow. I'd be interested in playing a fuller version of this! Nice job

06. Dec 2018 · 08:33 UTC

@afroant , Thank's i will warn you when done (probably a month or two (i need some rest))

07. Dec 2018 · 08:16 UTC

An interesting game with a kind of mechanics. I put a rating) Please rating and me, thanks in advance)

08. Dec 2018 · 01:12 UTC

I liked the gameplay and how is it played, and both black holes and shadow zone work nicely. Although it is easy to "cheat" simply flying to the end through obstacles and gathering a bit of particles in the end. Removing hp recovery or adding timer/particle requirement could fix that probably :)

08. Dec 2018 · 04:49 UTC

Game got me in for some time. Gravity felt just right.

08. Dec 2018 · 05:06 UTC

Great idea and solid controls. Had a lot of fun playing it. Great job.

08. Dec 2018 · 05:15 UTC

GREAT!

08. Dec 2018 · 08:20 UTC

@xorboo , thank you for your ideas. I will probably integrate them in my post ludum version

08. Dec 2018 · 11:10 UTC

really good! I liked the black holes, my only problem were that the controls felt a little slow.

ps - rate our game plz

09. Dec 2018 · 01:07 UTC

controls were a bit rigid but the concept was amazing :D please rate mine toooo

09. Dec 2018 · 19:21 UTC

Impressive mood and beautiful aesthetic. The main gameplay is fun - maybe too rigid, but good enough. Physics work great as expected. However I guess that you could uncheck Humor category - just an advice. Thank you ++

09. Dec 2018 · 20:18 UTC

@geckoo1337, about humor, that is a good advice. I did not even thought about that. I will do that for the next ludum

11. Dec 2018 · 13:38 UTC

Nice work :3

11. Dec 2018 · 22:17 UTC

I found myself bouncing around the level more than I would have liked, the background graphics were quite nice.

11. Dec 2018 · 23:18 UTC

Love the song and the sound fx. Really gets you into the mood of saving particles, and I love anything in space.

I like the concept of changing your rotation/displacement of particles.

Kinda has a katamari demacy vibe, but a little more explicit on sacrifices.

12. Dec 2018 · 01:00 UTC

Good job, I enjoyed it. It tends to be quite hard to play on keyboard (I can imagine controller makes this easier), but I had fun playing this.

12. Dec 2018 · 01:48 UTC

Yikes, this runs into one of the most difficult parts of compo: explaining just what the gosh darn hickety heck is going on here. I was bamboozled from the start, especially toward the goal!

I think you might be able to salvage a decent score here by offering some manner of explanation on what the player should do here. I see that I'm meant to bring particles to the exit, but nothing really makes it clear what the exit is.

Good luck with your future development!

13. Dec 2018 · 09:52 UTC

I looooove the video, though I wasn't able to play it.

Jevgeni Orehhov

13. Dec 2018 · 10:01 UTC

It was fun to play. Contolling the particles felt just right.
I was a bit frustruated with the connection to the theme of the LD.
But still it is a nice entry.
Thank you!

13. Dec 2018 · 10:32 UTC

@xarona . The game requires an OpenGL 4.4 compatible PC. Is this your case ?

13. Dec 2018 · 10:32 UTC

@jevgeni-orehhov , @xarona , thank you very much

14. Dec 2018 · 02:04 UTC

@shubart I had some problems installing the first games so then I decided to only play the web based games.

14. Dec 2018 · 21:43 UTC

The game played fluid which is always a + :)
The core concept is interesting, yet I didn't really think about the sacrificial part while playing it. The graphics felt a bit static, uhh how would I say this. It felt so different from the UI graphics and the general feel of the game was bit all over the place.

Yet the gameplay (though unclear at the start) was pretty fun and easy to learn!

18. Dec 2018 · 20:53 UTC

wow i loved it

26. Dec 2018 · 15:33 UTC

Good game! Amazing graphics using shaders like blur, chromatic and glow! It is sometimes difficult to detect what is interactive and what not inside the gameplay (take references like the game Element4). Maybe the theme "sacrifice" is complex to understand here... but the gameplay is nice and enjoyable. Congrats!

26. Dec 2018 · 21:07 UTC

@peterfonts , thank you very much. I have to say, the final ludum version wasn't using the shaders you re talking about. They came after some refactors in my engine (ludum's are always a good opportunity to find out what functionnalities your engine is missing). I am happy you talk about Element4, it is one of my favorite game. Thank you

27. Dec 2018 · 12:14 UTC

This was visually very impressive! Much much better than your first iterations that I saw. I like the multiple shader effects you added, it works very well. One minor nitpick would be that the particles aren’t very visible, and in general things that happen (particles dying, health diminishing) could be made more obvious. Also when the black holes started to move I think I had trouble understanding where I was because of all the parallax scrolling happening… but maybe that’s part of the expected difficulty curve. Anyway, it’s a great entry with a great atmosphere.

27. Dec 2018 · 12:37 UTC

@samh , Thank very much. Once i had used render targets that was not so difficult to add extra effects. I followed some advices in this page concerning danger zone around black holes. It gave me opportunity to add some features in my frameworks.

28. Dec 2018 · 18:09 UTC

Smooth, dynamic, polished and with an interesting concept. I think I said it all (in any case all I had to say :smile: ).