Danbiao by Matt D. Parker

[raw]
made by Matt D. Parker for Ludum Dare 46 (JAM)

The newest toy craze sweeping the nation!

The Danbiao is the toy here to capture the hearts of the young and old alike.


This was Matt's first Ludum Dare and Stephen's second (previously having done a Compo).

We knew we were biting off more than we could chew with real life responsibilities but that doesn't change how much fun we had.

There's lots of plans for expansion of the game and we hope that your interest will fuel our continued development of the project.


There are two versions below.

The one in the "submitted" directory is where we were at the close of the dare.

The other is one we are "continuing" to update.

Ratings

Given 5🗳️ 10🗨️

Feedback

Zeta4mStudios
21. Apr 2020 · 02:19 UTC
I'm sorry, I don't understand the game... It just seems to be a weird egg that I can click and it changes background colours?
Zeta4mStudios
21. Apr 2020 · 02:25 UTC
I got to the main game and half the things I tried to click on did seemingly nothing. I think pressing the middle button selects? I'd make it more clear as to what's going on...
Chorizo
21. Apr 2020 · 02:26 UTC
figured out how to make it hatch!
scalliondelight
21. Apr 2020 · 02:30 UTC
This game infuriated me, and it made me laugh a lot. Someone had to explain how to hatch the egg to me.
🎤 Matt D. Parker
21. Apr 2020 · 02:32 UTC
Those crazy Tamagotchi knock-offs don't have good manuals...

Here's a hint: Until you can unlock the touchscreen, use the left button to select what you want the center button to do.
PonyPen
22. Apr 2020 · 06:55 UTC
Haha this game made me laugh!
I killed my first egg, but soon learnt how to get it to hatch.
I think to improve the game it would be great if the little creature had an idle animation and just bobbed around the screen. Maybe the game could be a little more forgiving too? But I guess that's down to how difficult you want the game to be :)
Nice concept and take on the theme, I must admit I also thought of tamagotchis when I heard the theme at first so I'm glad to see some version to play about with!!mx
Shay Cichocki
23. Apr 2020 · 16:28 UTC
Definitely took me back to when.I use to have a tamagachi and how much it frustrated me back then. Fun game once you get through the learning curve. Good job for taking me back :thumbsup:
SAVVU
24. Apr 2020 · 08:13 UTC
Took me a lot until I figured out how to play but finally I had a great time! Well done and I will continue checking out the updated version. Wish you good luck.
🎤 Matt D. Parker
24. Apr 2020 · 20:55 UTC
I love that some of you appreciate the frustration :)

I don't love that some of those frustrations we created aren't intentional. Our next update should be in about a week (life post-dare has been busy)

Thank you everyone!
tobiasw
01. May 2020 · 13:39 UTC
I just played the submitted version, which I assume from the description is rather unfinished. Nevertheless, here's feedback on what I can see:
- I like the idea of upgrading a tamagotchi. I mean, a tamagotchi is a simulation already, and there were a few games like this in this LD, so why not make this.
- The egg minigame in the beginning seems to have nothing to do with the tamagochi though? I'm not completely sure why it is there (and not, e.g., inside the tamagotchi window)
- My first danbiao died of hunger. The second one... I have no idea. I got some foreign language voice output and a message regretting that I don't have a translator. I didn't bother to get one because I didn't see anything that could be translated. The third run I got one, but nothing seems to happen.
- Sometimes it won't eat. I guess I have to keep the second value low and third value high to keep it happy?
- Apart from food, I don't have any idea what the icons mean, and many of them don't seem to do anything.
- ...and more feedback and animations in general would be nice. But you probably know that already and just didn't have enough time to do it.
- I think the battery thing is cute, but also a bit annoying? I don't have enough disposable incoming though to buy larger batteries.
- Why would I get the Cursor Stabilizer if I could just go right for the touchscreen?
- Ah, and now that I got the touchscreen, it makes sound for the first time! Still nothing that could be translated though.
- Aw. Now I *did* get the ending while having the translator, and I'm glad I did, haha. That was a surprise!

Well, confusing and unfinished as it was, I like the concept! Good job, you two!