LudumData

Exodus Terminus by somuch

[raw]
made by somuch for LD 42 (COMPO)

Short Description:

A multiple choice game where you play the role of a border patrol officer. You can choose who enters and who's sent away. Your country Perfectia, is the country everyone wants to be in. Your neighbor: Kelica, Aberia and Strentevia are going through civil war, a genocidal dictatorship and a war on drugs. Help people survive or choose to be corrupt and heartless in this short adventure game. And remember even if you run out of space, there's always something you can do to help.

Why I made this game.

I wanted to bring to light the recent immigrant crisis, but without sounding overly political. So I chose to blend sadness and humor within a minimalistic experience. Exodus Terminus is somewhat of a mockery on how the news portrays immigrants and refugees as just another person with a sad face. How even a few of your choices and actions can completely change the future of a nation and it's people. I hope I've contributed something worthwhile. Cheers!

HTML5 (web) https://somuch.itch.io/exodus-terminus
Source code https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bTZlhtJhE3a7Mugfjxr-C3B1HOcUPy2k
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/42/exodus-terminus

Ratings

Overall 265th 3.526⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Fun 473th 3.034⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 477th 2.974⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Theme 252th 3.784⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 333th 3.31⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Audio 297th 3.044⭐ 59🧑‍⚖️
Humor 157th 3.03⭐ 52🧑‍⚖️
Mood 120th 3.518⭐ 58🧑‍⚖️
Given 69🗳️ 57🗨️

Feedback

YuKey0
12. Aug 2018 · 21:21 UTC
Looks like I got fired pretty fast, while feeling satisfied, lol. I liked how you implemented real life politics into this idea, an unique take on the theme. Nice one, looking forward to see what you make in the future, keep up the good work! :)
🎤 somuch
13. Aug 2018 · 08:52 UTC
@yukey0 eeeh thanks for playing :) I usually just design and program so it was fun making art this time :O
Call_me_Nutty
13. Aug 2018 · 09:02 UTC
Initially I was a bit wary since I'm personally not a fan of games that relate to real world politics, but I couldn't stop myself from playing! Seeing what the next person could bring was crazy addictive! If you added some more interesting mechanics this could actually be really, really enjoyable. That may also be my major issue, there isn't really a challenge I found, I never struggled through the game or had to think much about my money.

I say, keep working on it. It has a lot of potential!
CorgiRam
13. Aug 2018 · 09:11 UTC
Really fun game! I love the music, it is so calming. This is also a great take on the theme. It has a great balance between serious topics and being more light hearted. I saved up for a vacations so I guess I'm a terrible person :(
kpded
13. Aug 2018 · 09:16 UTC
Nice game on important modern topic. I wish I knew I could save those neighbor countries.

The results of you actions are not that clear. I understand that they comes with daily news, but it seems so difficult to remember those countries and people names so you can barely read what are the consequences of your decisions (e.g. I got it only near the end of the game).

Yeah, btw, since when one dog or one corpse or two kids counts as one citizen?:)
🎤 somuch
13. Aug 2018 · 09:21 UTC
@call-me-nutty I had planned for so many more butterfly effects, but was only able to implement a few because I spent all my time on making the cards (which was fun XD). I have some free time before uni starts and since at least someone's interested I shall try and complete it :) Also there was originally another country which had a more sinister agenda, you'd only uncover on your second playthrough and two additional mechanics other than just accepting and rejecting. But I was only able to hint at them for the submission.

also thanks for the feedback :D
Call_me_Nutty
13. Aug 2018 · 09:26 UTC
@somuch Only game so far that got a resounding and deserved 5* for humour so I would say it was worth working on those cards!
🎤 somuch
13. Aug 2018 · 09:27 UTC
@kpded "Yeah, btw, since when one dog or one corpse or two kids counts as one citizen?:) " Oh no you caught me xD I shall work on a more user friendly version and make it longer before the month ends(I try). Arigato for feedback :O
RavenFlame
13. Aug 2018 · 09:56 UTC
The game was good, made me laugh at times. And I had to let the dog in ha ha
🎤 somuch
13. Aug 2018 · 09:59 UTC
@ravenflame always let the dog in <3 no matter the cost
Haustgeirr
13. Aug 2018 · 10:23 UTC
I was getting plenty of bribes until I let the dog in and got fired. Worth it. Nice concept. I liked the meta story in the background. With more time that could be quite interesting. Good job.
jackyjjc
13. Aug 2018 · 12:48 UTC
The game got some great 'papers please' vibe there. Good job at making the choices tough and telling a meta story through discrete individual stories. There must have been a lot of efforts put into those writings. I also love the touch of time passing animation at the background.

Nice job! :slight_smile:
DangoGameDev
13. Aug 2018 · 13:13 UTC
Pretty amusing and had dogs, great game.
mike_inPrinciple
13. Aug 2018 · 18:24 UTC
I really enjoyed the variety of dialogue. I was not able to enjoy the gamified mechanics much. I just wasn't paying attention at the numbers going up or down. With that said, this is one of the games that kept me engaged for longer than a mere few minutes, and I could have continued even longer. Well done.
Cary Stanley
14. Aug 2018 · 03:24 UTC
Really good game. But really leaves me with a heavy heart. Making decisions with constraints you have no control over.
TomekS
14. Aug 2018 · 07:58 UTC
This game really moves ones feelings. Great idea. You have probably spent lots of time coming up with stories.
dunin
14. Aug 2018 · 10:39 UTC
interesting mix between Papers please and reign, but the fixed citizen count and the reject to win money thing make things less subtle (I know it's for the gameplay, but maybe there was another way...)
muriel
14. Aug 2018 · 17:21 UTC
Oh man! This game is emotional, the music, the stories... You did a great job :)
AwiX
15. Aug 2018 · 06:06 UTC
A good game idea, the music should be improved. The graphics are good.
Try our game too, maybe you'll like it)
🎤 somuch
15. Aug 2018 · 08:55 UTC
@awix Oh I did play your game. It's so polished, the kinda game you keep playing and not realize how much time has past <3
rumor
15. Aug 2018 · 09:35 UTC
I was originally a little put off that it seemed so blatantly inspired by Papers Please, but actually did a really good job of making it your own. Nice political commentary, plenty of humor but also some feels. I'm not sure what it says that my bleeding-heart strategy of open borders got me fired almost immediately, but just rejecting everyone out of hand wins 1 out of 3 objectives. When in doubt, be heartless?
🎤 somuch
15. Aug 2018 · 10:13 UTC
@rumor Unfortunately the government of Perfectia pays you to be heartless, why it's also so easy to just reject everyone. But making those harder choices where you try to be as compassionate as you can while still holding your position of power...that's so much harder to do, but you still go on. But I guess there comes a point where enough is enough and you want to fight back and that's why I hope to complete this game with that extra plot line I wasn't able to include, make it a bit more hopeful :)

@jackyjjc @dunin @rumor aye I realized it was similar to Papers Please after I'd started working. But it was too late to change ideas and I wanted to commit to this. Omg reigns gameplay is eerily similar too :c...I need to spend more time making sure my concept is unique next time. Thanks for pointing that out :)
jackyjjc
15. Aug 2018 · 12:19 UTC
@somuch I don't think having similar idea is a bad thing, it just means you are standing on the shoulder of the predecessors so you can perfect the idea.
pedroaz
15. Aug 2018 · 13:23 UTC
Great game!
Fork0
15. Aug 2018 · 16:28 UTC
Made $50. I win.
TontonPizza
15. Aug 2018 · 16:47 UTC
"Perfectia did not become the greatest country that ever was or will be by letting Kelican savages throught its gates."

i let the dog in
Jimbly
15. Aug 2018 · 20:26 UTC
I ended up with $10 for a vacation, and I didn't let that pesky programmer in, I'll call that a win. Two of my neighbors did fail, but, hey, no one's Perfectia.

I liked the game, and the fact that it made me compromise (once) on my values... apparently every man has a cost, and that cost for me is $50. Which I then immediately spent on medication when I got shot and bombed... but oh well!

Heh, and though *entirely different in all ways*, my game is also about saving refugees ^_^.
GilgusMaximus
16. Aug 2018 · 12:07 UTC
Yey i ended the war, and someone too ka bullet for me, so where is my nobel peace prize? :D
Very fun game, especially at the second and third playround.
And some of the jokes and news are super funny =)
Stefan Jovanovic
16. Aug 2018 · 13:58 UTC
Really interesting story, I ended up with 20$ and saved for vacation! :smile:
Keep up the good work!
C0nst4ntin
16. Aug 2018 · 20:40 UTC
Realy nice Game. Everything ran smooth and felt right!
designernap
16. Aug 2018 · 21:05 UTC
I was dubious at first and see above that people have made comparisons to papers please and reigns... but you know what?.. this has heart. The writing is cool, the outcomes and headlines are great and it has turned into it's own thing. I think its a great entry and well done for putting in the effort to make it your own. Great stuff.
🎤 somuch
17. Aug 2018 · 09:00 UTC
@designernap Wow Alien Isolation is one of my favorite games this generation. It's crazy that you played and liked my little game. It really means a lot. Thank you so much :)
DevWithMartinus
17. Aug 2018 · 09:05 UTC
I really like the concept !
T8kk
17. Aug 2018 · 11:15 UTC
Cool Idea somuch, definitely sometimes uncomfortable decisions even in a fictional game how to put yourself in to the situation of evaluating each candidate and if it were real scenario how you would choose in reality. Definitely thought provoking game and a good pick for the theme. Excellent and job somuch!
TheFunAttic
17. Aug 2018 · 19:41 UTC
I'd like to note the soothing atmosphere - which produces an interesting contrast with the topic of the game - as if your work, sometimes consisting in letting children die - was a calm and relaxing experience.

The idea behind this is interesting, it reminds of Papers, Please (which I believe must be your inspiration) and gives off the same impression of being an unvolontary monster. The morning news, notably, achieve this really well, as well as creating a narration efficiently.

This is a well thought of and well executed game, I salute your effort and your cause ! It's still kind of rare to find clear political statements in videogames, and yours seems to be particularily aware of what makes someone act in an "evil" way - being presented with a choice between two bad outcomes.

Congratulations on this thought-provoking entry !
Antonin
18. Aug 2018 · 07:32 UTC
Really cool concept and great work on the theme. But I always ended up accepting everyone, one or two more musics would have been really great and maybe sound effects for different characters, like voices or things like this.
Great work !
ChicoDeLosMates
18. Aug 2018 · 19:57 UTC
I don't want to say that the game was not good, but it's not my type of game so I personally didn't enjoy it.
Great work anyways!
Luca1152
20. Aug 2018 · 20:26 UTC
Quite innovative game, did not see any like yours so far, good job! :) I actually really liked the music, and the graphics were pretty good too, but the gameplay was not really for me since I like more action games. However, you got me in the mood of the game :).
Void Productions
22. Aug 2018 · 20:11 UTC
@somuch The humor in ur game is on the point. Great effort man. Can u rate our game too.