Disco Loop by DotSquare

[raw]
made by DotSquare for Ludum Dare 47 (JAM)

DISCO LOOP : MOVE TO THE BEAT !!

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You're stuck in a loop, but not just any kind of loop : a musical loop ! Luckily, you are a born dancer. Only one thing to do : move to the beat and escape from this cursed place..!

What is this game ? It's a rhythmic game where you only can move to the beat. You have to push stuffs, avoid things, etc. It's fun (and a bit hard). There are 7 levels to complete in order to beat (haha) the game. Sorry for the music,I did not have any remaining time, so it's extremely annoying :( but it's part of the all experience, right ?

EDIT : I removed the music, it was too annoying.

Oh, and it's kinda diffcult too. Anyway. Hope you'll enjoy.

The game : https://dotsquare.itch.io/disco-loop

Made with PICO-8.

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Thanks for playing :)

Ratings

Overall 1060th 3.33⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Fun 1065th 3.106⭐ 54🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 850th 3.292⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Theme 1008th 3.415⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 703th 3.667⭐ 56🧑‍⚖️
Audio 1009th 2.642⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Humor 553th 3.021⭐ 49🧑‍⚖️
Mood 1188th 3.01⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Given 37🗳️ 78🗨️

Feedback

ZEN
05. Oct 2020 · 23:14 UTC
Nice Little Game! Really liked the idea of moving to a beat. It took me a while to get use to the controls and spot the timer at the top but after that I was good. The movement was a little hard and I felt like sometimes it would register and other times it wouldn't. Loved the art and the little story at the start. You should be super proud of your accomplishment great job :)
🎤 DotSquare
05. Oct 2020 · 23:48 UTC
Thanks for the feedback, that’s super nice ! I’ll try your game tomorrow as it’s very late right now in France.
I removed the « music » because it was sooo annoying. I feel like it’s better now even if there’s only the beat.
Anyway, glad you liked it :).
Ashour
06. Oct 2020 · 15:50 UTC
This is a fun take on the rhythm genre. Well done.
DragonZBW
06. Oct 2020 · 15:51 UTC
Definitely very difficult. Love the way this looks but I feel like the timing is a bit too strict. Also there were some times when I would push that little spear dude and his sprite would overlap with mine and not actually get pushed.
iorena
06. Oct 2020 · 15:54 UTC
I was surprised how well moving in rhythm works, it really feels like a rhythm game! Love the art style, you have managed to build a strong mood with simple graphics.
snowinn
06. Oct 2020 · 15:55 UTC
Nice game! I love the idea of moving to the beat, it reminds me of Crypt of the Necrodancer. The disco guys animation as he dances is hilarious, and the game is pretty difficult like one of those rage games where you get so close to the end and then hit by a trap or run out of time. Definitely died quite a few times. Great job man! Next time, I wouldn’t put off the music to the end if you are making a rhythmic game, but it works well with just the beat.
CodeHacher123
06. Oct 2020 · 15:56 UTC
Difficult, requires brain. Overall great game though!
zacharieg
06. Oct 2020 · 15:56 UTC
Very cool game ! It's a pity that there isn't "music", but the gameplay still work perfectly
lunareffect
06. Oct 2020 · 15:58 UTC
Love the concept and the graphics! Shame you didn't get round to making music, because then it would really be a well rounded product. It took me a few moments to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing and what the trick with the spikes is, but once I had that figured out I had a lot of fun.
Flying Dog Fish
06. Oct 2020 · 16:07 UTC
A very interesting take on the theme. It's hard though.
Jesús González
06. Oct 2020 · 16:11 UTC
Nice concept, just needed actual music and a move window a bit more forgiving in my opinion.
runrajrun
06. Oct 2020 · 16:44 UTC
Really neat take on this ludam dare theme! It's a little hard to time the input in accordance to the beat but I really like the idea of moving the character in this way.
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 19:58 UTC
Thank you for all your nice feedbacks guys ! 🙏
Overall I agree with pretty much everything : not having music is kinda stupid I’m sorry for that I ran out of time and did not have the time to learn how to make music with PICO-8 (it’s a shame cause I’m an amateur music composer for years haha)
The game is too difficult maybe, but mainly the timing is too frustrating. The reason is that you can hit the button just before the beat but définitely not after, and with more time I wound have do that differently.
Thanks for the nice comments about the graphics, I love them too !
The moving animation came out of a bug I loved it and kept it. It’s also a shame I did not have the time to put the other mechanics I programmed for the game like a hole where you push blocs to pass or the enemy does it for you etc. I just completely forgot to use the mechanic in a level or two 😭
That was my very first game jam and also the first time I ever used PICO-8 so it slowed me down a lot even if I loved it.
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:15 UTC
Thank you @ashour !
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:16 UTC
@dragonzbw Thankw for the feedback. I agree with you. Right now the game is programmed so that you can move slightly before the beat but not that much after, and I think it is frustrating. Will definitely change that in a future version ;)
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:18 UTC
@iorena Thanks so much ! I also was surprised, ‘cause at first I thought maybe it would not be enough to feel like a rhythm game but it kind of does.
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:21 UTC
@snowinn Thanks :) I heard a lot about The fact that it’s a bad idea to mix action/skill-based mechanics with puzzle stuff but weirdly I think it kind of work, but the game is too frustrating right now I think. That’s good if you liked the « right on time » feeling of the game, I designed the levels with that idea in mind haha. Almost all of them have been somehow timed this way ;)
I haven’t played Crypt of the Necrodancer already (neither the Zelda one) but I’ll definitely do !! It looks cool haha
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:22 UTC
@codehacher123 Thank you ! I was afraid the thinking and reflexe combo would not work pretty well. That’s nice if you liked it :)
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:25 UTC
@zacharieg I know, it’s too bad... Maybe removing the music was a mistake ? I am thinking of putting it back, or maybe a slightly modified version, but I don’t know if that’s « cheating » ? I don’t want to fool anyone obviously so I’m not sure what to do... it’s my first gamejam ever, and the rules are not clear (at least to my comprehension). it’s a bit frustrating to not improve the game, because of all your feedback haha

EDIT : ok you definitely can’t change anything in a game unless it’s a bug that make the game stop working, so I’ll wait until the jam is over to make any changes ;)
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:27 UTC
@flying-dog-fish Thanks. Yes a bit too hard maybe, because of the tied beat I think...
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:29 UTC
@jesus-gonzalez Thanks ! I agree completely. The beat is too short and the game lacks of feedback I think (it makes it frustrating to fail a move close to the end of the level haha)
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 21:30 UTC
@runrajrun Thank you, nice to hear :)
I agree it’s too hard to time the move, I think a slightly wider window would be better !
rhoff95
06. Oct 2020 · 22:24 UTC
cool game! dancing animation is great. Found the timing a little too unforgiving, especially on the first level with no practice/tutorial. Would like to see this mechanic applied somehow so it functions beyond a complicated level timer. Great work!
🎤 DotSquare
06. Oct 2020 · 22:30 UTC
@rhoff95 Thanks ! I agree it’s too hard. I had tons of ideas for levels but did not have the time to implement them unfortunatly :( I also programmed other mechanics that were fully working and literally forgot to use them on actual levels 🧐
That’s too bad I know lol
Thanks for the feedback
Tyler Miller
06. Oct 2020 · 23:21 UTC
Don't think I have ever played a rythm-movement game! Took a minute to get used to it but after that I sorta got the hang of it and moved along. Enjoyed the graphics and it fits the theme well, don't mind the difficulty. Good work :thumbsup:
jonah
07. Oct 2020 · 09:42 UTC
really awesome dancing animations!

would love to have an option for a visual indicator next to the audio one.

very nice idea for a game and lots of potential for more!

good job!
netmute
07. Oct 2020 · 16:29 UTC
Nice to see a PICO-8 game! :blush:
I loved the animation of disco guy. But the difficulty was brutal :laughing:
Good job! :thumbsup:
NeithR
07. Oct 2020 · 18:00 UTC
Finished all the levels with style ;).
Love the added rythm mechanism for moving even making it harder ;).
![disco-loop-win.jpg](///raw/a1c/1/z/39804.jpg)
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 18:20 UTC
@neithr Thanks ! Nice to have posted the congrats screen haha ! Well, congrats I guess :)
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 18:21 UTC
@tyler-miller thanks ! Super nice to hear :)
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 18:23 UTC
@jonah yep visual indication would have been great ! I planned to help the player after a certain number of death by showing what input to do at what moment, but I did not have the time to implement it unfortunately :(
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 18:24 UTC
@netmute thanks ! Haha yeah it’s very difficult. Did you beat the game or is there a particular level that was just too difficult in your opinion ?
etrealjunior
07. Oct 2020 · 19:29 UTC
want to win my admiration just make games with pico-08, I found it beautiful and very creative, it's simple and beautiful too!
Thomas Volpato
07. Oct 2020 · 20:40 UTC
The graphics are nice, and the theme is really different from what I have seen before, well done. Although I think the controls are too hard to play, I didn't enjoy the delay to move the character =/ But despite that, I think this could be a game to share on some store
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 20:43 UTC
@thomas-volpato Thanks for the feedback :) I agree with you about the timing. I will change it when the ratings will be over. I think a wider window for the input will do the trick.
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 20:44 UTC
@etrealjunior Thanks a lot ! That’s very nice of you :)
Walkingtall85
07. Oct 2020 · 20:52 UTC
Brutally dificult for someone with absolute lack of rhythm. The artstyle is nice and fits fairly well together, the warning doots at the end sadly mess up any luck I have at hitting the beats which was a bit of bummer. Awesome stuff nonetheless!
🎤 DotSquare
07. Oct 2020 · 21:00 UTC
@walkingtall85 thanks for the comment. I know it’s very hard, and the game does not help with its tied beat. I’ll polish it when I’ll be allowed ;)
FallingFlatStudios
07. Oct 2020 · 22:03 UTC
Nice game, I love the Tetris like graphics, and I think with some tweaks this game could be even better; keep up the great work.
Ericbolseiro
07. Oct 2020 · 23:58 UTC
ahah,I tried to play, I even moved, but I didn't understand how I managed to move! I wish I heard the song before you took it off.
Krapht
08. Oct 2020 · 00:13 UTC
I see that you removed the music but I think maybe replacing it with something less annoying would have been the answer. The disco art didnt match the metronome.
Joe Cowman
08. Oct 2020 · 00:17 UTC
Really fun and unique concept! I couldn't make it past the second level -- I kept running out of moves! Maybe a difficulty setting would be good. :)

But awesome job! Thanks for sharing!
PeachTreeOath
08. Oct 2020 · 06:54 UTC
Wow I'm actually shocked you hadn't played Necrodancer, I just assumed you drew inspiration from it lol

Either way, I loved the take on it - a guy who can help but stop, dance, and pose. Makes me think of voguing (the dance style) itself, which is doing that every beat as well.

I liked how sokoban was the other core element to the game. That gives it an identity and not just being appearing like a Necrodancer-like, which there are a few of them now. I could tell you were starting to come up with some neat level designs and puzzles. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to beat the first stage that featured the drill! I tried many times and many variations. I even saw some comments that said you could push it but that wouldn't work for me :(

I still appreciate what you've done though. Very clever idea and great theming!

PS. Where can I find some of your music work?
Marcadia
08. Oct 2020 · 08:10 UTC
8-bit rythm and puzzle game ? YES.
Marcusuke
08. Oct 2020 · 08:27 UTC
Got stuck in the 4th level I think with one switch and nothing to stand on it? Did I miss something? In any case, it looks and feels good, just probably needs tweaking in the progression (but I guess it's normal due to lack of time). For this version, maybe tips would've been nice... unless it's me who sucks at the game lol
Good job!
🎤 DotSquare
08. Oct 2020 · 11:39 UTC
@fallingflatstudios thanks ! Glad you liked it :)
@ericbolseiro I know it’s a shame I did not had the time to put music -_- But believe me the music I removed was CRAZY ANNOYING because that’s just a thing I did in literally 1 minute that was looping constantly it was HORRIBLE haha.
@krapht I know you’re right. That was a decision I took at the very end as I did not have the time to do anything else unfortunatly...
@joe-cowman I already have a neat idea to help players that need help, but did not have the time to implement it. I’ll probably add it in an update when the jam will be over ;)
@peachtreeoath Nop, did not played it because I wait for a physical release of some kind (if possible on Switch haha). But I have heard of it, obviously and it seems great ! I heard that it’s more a combat game, is that right ? Does it feature puzzles like line or does it feel different in the end of the day ? I’m thinking of making Disco Loop a real game one of those days but I’m not sure if it’s too ressemblant to Nevrodancer ? I hadn’t put any of my music on the internet yet. I used to do it for myself without thinking of sharing it (I know it’s kinda weird haha), but now that I make and share games I will probably put some music stuff on the internet too. You can follow me on Twitter if you want, I just created an account : @DotSquareGames
@marcadia haha I think we like the same kind of stuffs ;)
@marcusuke In the 4th level you have to push the creature so that it can change its direction and walk on the switch :) it’s kinda tricky though, as it will only stand on the switch for 1 beat, and you got to be careful that it does not kill itself on the spikes before. Basically when you push a creature its direction changes to match yours.
PeachTreeOath
08. Oct 2020 · 11:47 UTC
yea Necrodancer is basically a roguelike but you're forced to move, so it has all those combat/item mechanics in there. I think you have something different on your hands and it's worth pursuing. Get used to the comparisons though lol, you'll get it a lot.

No prob on the music, I just saw you mentioned it and I like to see what else the devs on here are up to.
🎤 DotSquare
08. Oct 2020 · 11:56 UTC
@peachtreeoath That’s cool if the games are not too close. I guess I’ll hear the comparison a lot haha, but that’s fine, I just don’t want to steal someone else’s idea or make a game that already « exists » ;) Anyway thanks for the answer !
Johnsensei
08. Oct 2020 · 22:01 UTC
Good looking graphics and really original idea. Really needs the music though. I play a lot of rhythm games and I swear I'm hitting move on the beat and it's telling me no. The beat feels like it has to be on the exact frame.
🎤 DotSquare
09. Oct 2020 · 00:15 UTC
@johnsensei Thanks for the feedback ! For the moment you can hit the beat a few frames before but not after, I don’t know why since I did not programmed it with this intention and it’s definitely frustrating ! So I agree with you 100%, I’ll make an update when the jam will be done
Erlioniel
09. Oct 2020 · 12:00 UTC
Hi, played it for a while. What I did like: The idea, art style and quite minimalistic sound design. What I didn't: The timeframe is REALLY tight and it's hard for me to hit in a correct time. But that's subjective. What's not - that the level is not actually restarted after pressing X. The timings are failing after the restart. For example on first attempt the rat (?) is passing spikes - after restart spikes are killing it. Which makes a game quite less predictable.
🎤 DotSquare
09. Oct 2020 · 19:21 UTC
@erlioniel Yep I think it’s a bug ‘cause it’s supposed to restart the level. I did not fix the bug just because I was not sure if it was considered cheating or not... I know it’s annoying, it makes the difficulty of the game unfair, which is a problem obviously. Thanks for the feedback :)
Arad HamidSamiee
17. Oct 2020 · 11:29 UTC
I'd like to hear some music during gameplay. Glad I'm seeing pico-8 games in this jam. very cool sprites. good job
🎤 DotSquare
18. Oct 2020 · 14:34 UTC
Thanks @arad-hamidsamiee ! It was my first Pico-8 project but definitely not my last, I loved it !
Zjones
19. Oct 2020 · 19:26 UTC
Love the concept . i like how u made the sprite animation match the beat to signal the player. I would say more defined music or visual like lighting that matches the beat would help with immersion. Overall great concept
🎤 DotSquare
20. Oct 2020 · 10:59 UTC
Thank you @zjones ! I’m glad you liked it ! I agree with you there are a lot of ways to improve the concept, I’ll make a v.2.0 one of those days ;)
BookerBlueJay
21. Oct 2020 · 21:22 UTC
Always nice to see PICO-8 stuff! I love the concept but I felt the timing was really strict, even when I thought I'd get it down (moved around 5 spaces no problem) it would just suddenly be off and i couldn't recover, I think adding a rhythm tracker similar to crypt would help out a lot
natpat
22. Oct 2020 · 16:50 UTC
A really fun idea! I loved the disco graphics and the dancing character. I found the timings of the movement super difficult and as the levels were so tight on moves it got a bit frustrating. Good job though!
🎤 DotSquare
26. Oct 2020 · 13:08 UTC
@bookerbluejay Thanks for playing :) I agree with you, I’ll correct the timing problem and make it more clear after the jam is over.
🎤 DotSquare
26. Oct 2020 · 13:09 UTC
@netmute Thanks a lot ! I agree it’s way too frustrating, and the timing is an issue I got to fix. I’ll do that in a future update after the jam is over. Thanks for the feedback :)