Torch Boy by FloBar
This is my first game jam entry and my primary focus was to get a solid game mechanic that I could build on to post LD. The game is very short but I hope you can get a feel for what I was trying to achieve. Thanks for dropping by and enjoy ;).
About the game
You play Torch Boy, a boy with the power of light. Help him escape the dark dungeon by retrieving the key. The only problem is he needs to charge his powers first before he can use them. Be careful though, his power runs out.
Keep charging and fight the hordes, destroy the cage, get the key and escape the dungeon.
```
Controls:
A - move left D - move right W - jump L - charge power K - shoot ```
Windows: http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794
HTML5 (web): http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794
Source code: https://github.com/florianbar/ludum-dare-39

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKIQtigIQg0

Togis plays Torch Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24sdAiVpPBk
| Windows | http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794 |
| Source code | https://github.com/florianbar/ludum-dare-39 |
| HTML5 (web) | http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794 |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/39/torch-boy |
Ratings
| Overall | 223th | 3.478⭐ | 203🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 269th | 3.284⭐ | 203🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 240th | 3.313⭐ | 203🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 235th | 3.67⭐ | 202🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 166th | 3.697⭐ | 203🧑⚖️ |
| Audio | 297th | 2.903⭐ | 197🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 86🗳️ | 86🗨️ |
( Why do it need to be instal ? )
***Try my game [here](https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/39/battery-of-power)***
seems good man
hard and fun thumbs up!
P.d. Sorry for my english
The game says 'how long can you survive?', but that's weird, since you can just stay in the corner and constantly press L -> J -> L -> J -> ... and will never die. But then there's that key at the top, and when you reach the door the game ends. It's unclear what exactly I'm supposed to be doing.
Then there's a slight balancing issue. You have two options as far as I see it:
1. Charge up and try to go for they key afterwards. This is hard as hell and near impossible to do.
2. Immediately jump up when you spawn, shoot three times, jump to get the key and avoid enemies and go down. You'll win the game in like 2 seconds.
I don't really know what the intention was, but it was really unclear. I'm going to assume you wanted to put in more levels, but ran out of time, which is unfortunate.
Overall this game is really awesome and something that could be made into a full game for sure. Great work.
I really liked the charging action. The screen shake, the time slowing down, the glowing auro. It made me feel like I was some sort of hero shaking the earth beneath me. The graphics were good too. Reminded me a lot of the old super mario... Also nice font. The italic just goes with the power theme.
The AIs are fast and intense making the game really challenging (but fun!) and it fit the theme well. Great job!
@antti-haavikko
@oliverlevay
@peredom
I've uploaded an HTML5 version to http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794
** Sound **: The sound effects are really well done and greatly enchance the game :)
** Graphics **: Those are really nice, clean look and everything fits really well together :)
** Gameplay **: A really interesting concept, especially that few seconds of thinking ahead while loading up due to the decrease game speed :D One thing tho as others have mentioned the gameplay is too hard, i really tried a lot of times but i couldn't get past the initial level :O
** Overall **: You can be really proud of what you achieved :) and i would really like to play an adjusted version of the game so that i can get past the first level :D
The graphics are deceptively simple looking but very well done.
Effective sounds too. They fit the action.
I don't know how to get the key by the way. The game tells me to get the key, but when I get to the cage I can't grab it. Tried every button. So that was a bummer for me.
Gameplay is very brutal. Hard, but manageble once you practice. The charging gives you a little breather. I liked that, nice touch!
Quite short but whatever, you have great base to build upon :)
Definitely work with this one, would like to play it as a real game someday ;)
Would like to see it explored further :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24sdAiVpPBk
Thanks for being part of the stream :)
Good entry! I finished your game.
Here is my review and explanation of marks:
## Fun: 3
First of all screenshake makes everything better! :)
Remembers "Super Crate Box" very much)
Cool charge effect.
Don't know why you opt-out from Mood gragh. I wanted to mark your mood 4. It's pretty good.
### Why not marked higher:
1. Level design is pretty hard, repetetive and monotonous.
I think it could be better if you try to desynchronize your spawn points. Make spawns a little bit more frequent and place platforms assimetrically.
It will make your level less monotonous. If you want to keep the hardness, you can raise cage HP. As result you'll need to stay under the cage more time. This is hard even if spawns will be more frequent.
2. The charging effect is pretty. But from side of game design - why you display it like an aura? It's a bit confusing game design decision when aura itself cause no affect.
3. Controls are a bit uncomfortable for a classic platformer. I think better to place jump on "W" or "Space". And if you decide that second hand should be used for shots - you can place them on arrows
## Innovation: 2
Super Crate Box pretty similar to your entry. But you used a few other mechanics like charging and a key cage.
## Theme: 3
Theme fits well.
## Graphics: 3
A pretty pixel art. I really like it.
## Audio: 2
Good sound for charging and shooting, but no soundtrack and jump sound is loud. I playing all games in headphones, and jump sound hurts my ears even when I turn sound low.
## Overall: 3
First of all - a great entry, man!
Yes, your game have a few weak points, but you made everything together and working and this all by one person in tough deadlines.
I can not imagine what you can do if you would have more time :)
I liked the difficulty, it was very short after all. And the biggest difficulty was the controls for me. I kept trying to hit space to jump and got shoot/charge buttons mixed quite a lot in the beginning. I think those two could actually be combined to be the same button. Charging when holding and shooting when tapping.
The sounds were nice but got kinda repetitive fast. If there was some sweet action packed chiptune music on the background, it would help to mask to monotonous sounds. And a trick I personally like to use is adding some random pitch shifts so the sound effects are a bit different each time they are played. Dunno if this is easily doable with the engine you used (GM?).
Very well done! Especially considering that it was your first jam.
edit: Holy crap, you have a ton of ratings already! I guess thats what you get for having an awesome looking cover image. And sure, I think I've seen your name on pretty much every games comment section as well, I bet it also helps ;)
edit two: One more thing. Up and down on the main menu both go down. Not really any issue but though I'd mention it.
Great job overall!
Graphics are minimal, but coherent and very readable. My only complaint is that it's way too short!
Nice game, I like the in-game tutorial! No need to read through your submission page (which I never do) so that is a big plus!
The sound effects are good, they fit the atmosphere very well, did you use sfxr for those?
The graphics are nice, they are simple yet effective and the style is consistent, which is very important. It gives you that feeling of darkness. Also I like the animations, a little screen shake really goes a long way here.
Overall a very nive game, thank you and keep up the good work!
Good work!
This game would have been more fun if there were a few levels with a progression in difficulty. But everyone else already said that. :innocent:
Congrats, it is a pretty cool concept, and it's well executed. It feels polished, and that simple mechanic you've found it's a lot of fun on it's own!
My only complain (yes i always have to complain about something) is that it feels kinda weird how the "charge" stops you in mid air and drops you slowly, ignoring any speed you had before. After a while, i got used to it and began using it to my advantatge, but... well. I had to say it.
Overall, a good concept with good execution. What else can i say? Great work!

Go to http://gamejolt.com/games/torch-boy/272794
and click the blue play button.
Love the premise though. Very nicely executed.
Art and music of the game perfectly fit the mood and theme
Regarding the first and only level, making the enemies respawn endlessly and so close to one-another in such a cramped space, and having the need to recharge to attack is not a good mix, and eventually made me just rush next to the cage and mindlessly try to break it, ignoring the level itself. With enemies way more far from each other and a limited number of them, it would be satisfying either to defeat them all, or reaching the cage without getting killed. I imagine a lot of them getting stuck in the lower level, transforming it into a death pit that could combine in great ways with levels where you may fall there trying to reach the platform where the cage is, creating a "double level design": You take the risk of defeating as many as possible at the beginning and have a more safe second half, or make your way to the you-may-fall section right away, creating a more dangerous landing for yourself at the same time! That kinda thing.
Apart from that, I wouldn't limit how much you can charge, but making the character stunned for a moment if you overdo it, or making it move slower if you charged way to much, as if you treated yourself to a big meal! (going away once you used your attack a couple of times)
For a first entry, you did a great job, and created a base that can have many interesting forms and applications!
[here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEKsM8vugRs) .
One of my FAVORITES so far. I know you only have one level but that is ok, your graphics were amazing, game feel was solid, mechanics were innovative, the game was challenging, I felt like I had to play until I completed it, instant restarts were great... Fantastic I can't wait to see this game in the Steam store with more levels characters and a story.
if you haven't already please give my game a try [Zombie Power Station](https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/39/zombie-power-station) HTML5 Thanks
It felt like the shoot control was useless and that shooting could have been triggered when "k" was released.
Too bad there isn't more levels, would like to play longer!
The graphics are really well done, fit perfectly together. Sound is a bit weak, could have had some music. The game mechanic can be a bit frustrating, but with a less steep learning curve i presume you could get the hang of it. The controls feel great. If you plan to continue with the Project, you should definitly do it, just consider a less steep learning curve ;)
The sound effects are good, and the only negative that I have to say is the lack of content. More than one level would be nice, and would improve the quality of your game, making it look more completed, and not just a prototype.
Overall, I enjoyed it! Well done! :smile:
Done! The game is good, the graphics fits well with the empty atmosphere, the sound could be better or have music, but it is very fun! Good job!