LudumData

On Ivy Boulevard by python-b5

[raw]
made by python-b5 for Ludum Dare 59 (JAM)

Strange things are afoot on Ivy Boulevard...

A dastardly murder plot is unfolding in a lone apartment building, and it's up to you to solve the mystery! The catch is, you'll have to observe everything remotely. Can you unravel the intrigue of this foggy street?

🪶

🎮 POST-JAM UPDATE IS OUT! 🎮

On Ivy Boulevard has been updated with the ability to inspect photos on the pinboard, along with some other general improvements. Thanks to everyone for their valuable feedback!

Play the newest version on itch.io. The game on this submission page is the original jam version.

🪶

CONTROLS:

  • Click on buttons to press them.
  • Click and drag on red pins to connect them to blue pins.
  • Click on blue pins to remove all their connections.
  • During transitions, the mouse cursor will become an hourglass. Mouse interactions will be disabled until the cursor returns to normal.
  • Press Alt+Enter to toggle fullscreen.

🪶

HOW TO PLAY:

Use your hidden cameras to spy on the residents and hunt for clues. If you overhear anything suspicious, make sure to take a picture for later. At the end of the night, you'll organise your evidence to build a case. For example, maybe a certain scene reveals a part of the murder plot, or a suspect's motive. (Hint: sometimes, photos might be evidence against someone even if that person wasn't in the scene themselves. Pay close attention!)

If you didn't get the right evidence, don't worry! Just rewind to the start of the night and take another look. This game isn't meant to be beaten in one try!

🪶

CREDITS:

python-b5 - programming

Sam Gorman - art, audio

Daisuke Aramaki - in-game font (https://github.com/DaisukeAramaki/Dotfiles/tree/master/Dweep)

Caffinate - logo cursive font (https://caffinate.itch.io/free-pixel-font-snide-asides-7x9px)

🪶

🎮 Play the game on itch.io!

🎵 Listen to the OST on Bandcamp!

screenshot-1.png

screenshot-2.png

Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/59/on-ivy-boulevard

Ratings

Overall 106th 4.031⭐ 67🧑‍⚖️
Fun 265th 3.625⭐ 66🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 159th 3.823⭐ 67🧑‍⚖️
Theme 578th 3.408⭐ 67🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 173th 4.231⭐ 67🧑‍⚖️
Audio 27th 4.297⭐ 66🧑‍⚖️
Humor 223th 3.379⭐ 60🧑‍⚖️
Mood 48th 4.338⭐ 67🧑‍⚖️
Given 68🗳️ 143🗨️

Feedback

Lizz
Apr 21st · 02:20 UTC
When I finished the game I started to understand it better. The art is nice and consistent and the sound makes me think of the old games in which you investigate. Managed to get one evidence right but 3 escaped :sweat_smile: I did like the ongoing story!
Arada
Apr 21st · 04:13 UTC
Iteresting thoughts！And the atmosphere is great.
Julia Nistel
Apr 21st · 04:15 UTC
Cool game! I liked the story a lot. Wasn't really sure what to do at first but it's starting to make more sense. Great music!
CrimsonTrouper
Apr 21st · 09:48 UTC
I like to think of this game as "FNAF but if it had a real storytelling". Artstyle is pretty good, though it can be hard to understand who is speaking to who due to siluets, but unique features of each one of them makes it easier when you memorize those traits. Overall a pretty good game!
busisen
Apr 21st · 16:35 UTC
you guys really nailed the vibe with the art, music, sfx
AO-85
Apr 21st · 17:29 UTC
The idea is cool I liked it! It looks interesting.
Alvminum
Apr 21st · 17:52 UTC
This reminds me of those games where you monitor everything through security cameras. The continuity of the story and the interaction between rooms are very clever. The first time I played, I had a vague feeling that something big was about to happen, and when "that thing" finally happened, it really startled me! It's a pity the suspect got away, but I think the replayability is high, and the music and art style are very harmonious. A game I truly enjoy! Well done.
HagamosVideojuegos
Apr 21st · 18:45 UTC
I love it! It’s just like playing a point-and-click adventure game from the 90s!

I like the way the theme is interpreted, the presentation, the atmosphere of the game...

It’s definitely one of the most interesting ones I’ve seen! :spy:
pragmascript
Apr 22nd · 18:34 UTC
Love the music. Very nice idea for a game!
braktheman
Apr 22nd · 18:35 UTC
Really love the UI and mood of this one from the music to the graphics everything fit together.

It's a very polished feeling game for a jam. Cleverly crafted story.

Excellent work, team!
Stormdrill
Apr 22nd · 18:52 UTC
Everything is really solid. I loved the old noir detective vibe—it really makes you feel like one of them. It’s definitely one of my favorites from the jam so far! For me, a bit more pixel detail would have helped to distinguish the silhouettes better and connect with the characters more. Honestly, it’s such a polished and complete product. It was a pleasure to play!
Jacky San
Apr 22nd · 20:08 UTC
What a mood & music !! Wow nice job on this amazing game :two_hearts:
LDJam user 387548
Apr 22nd · 21:35 UTC
A noir game, it's really cool and interesting to read!
gKthegkpchannel
Apr 22nd · 22:52 UTC
very good game, i just can't figure out how the end works
Sam Gorman
Apr 22nd · 23:13 UTC
@gkthegkpchannel Glad you liked the game! The pinboard can be tricky - the icons at the top represent the different characters. What you're supposed to do is take pictures during the game of suspicious scenes (maybe someone mentions a motive, or you catch them up to no good), then connect those pictures to the suspects they incriminate. You'd usually have to play through multiple times to solve the whole mystery!
clymm
Apr 22nd · 23:31 UTC
Really polished, love the graphics and music was nice too. Simple controls with the buttons which was good. I was a bit confused first time round what I was doing, so my only criticism would be pacing. Other than that really good!
Strogorofobaldo
Apr 23rd · 05:49 UTC
Really good idea
dvan1337
Apr 23rd · 06:37 UTC
such a vibe, the audio design is candy
Mamboman
Apr 23rd · 10:56 UTC
Well done! I really enjoyed the look and feel of this game! The mood and the overall vibe is set perfectly. It was very challenging though. I might have had an easier time if i could have observed the scenes a little longer. But overall i liked it a lot!
god1385
Apr 23rd · 11:20 UTC
Unique and magnificent idea. Man, u did a good job, keep it up
Mr_Sun_
Apr 24th · 00:52 UTC
Really solid entry! It is difficult to write a detective game narrative in such a short time and implement it but you guys did great! The graphics and the sound design all worked really well together. I wish there was a fast forward button for playthroughs after the first though.Being able to zoom in on the photos taken or maybe have some notes about their conversation at the time would make the evidence building part more accessible as well. Really cool game!
Sam Gorman
Apr 24th · 02:03 UTC
@mr-sun Thanks for the feedback! We're planning on adding a preview feature for the pictures after the jam, which should help with that segment. It's definitely tricky when you're just working with little generic photo icons and timestamps, haha
picross
Apr 24th · 03:42 UTC
This is awesome, high marks! I agree with @mr-sun some screenshots at the end would be stellar. The music in this game is so good and the graphics are really fun. Just spitballing, maybe it could be cool to flesh out the player character in a post jam game - why am I spying on people, etc? Kinda reminds of Harry Caul in the Conversation or something haha. Great work!
lduser125
Apr 24th · 03:54 UTC
The game is so crisp, feels like I was teleported back to the 90s! The text audio is such a throwback. I love that feature of printing out the photos and overall it was a very creative interpretation of the theme. Great job!
YesterDay
Apr 24th · 18:21 UTC
This is such an intriguing design. It instantly reminds me of Hitchcock’s Rear Window. You piece together the whole incident and uncover the truth through fragmented clues and subtle hints from beyond the windows. The art style and soundtrack are absolutely top-tier, and I love it a lot.
Eeva
Apr 24th · 21:21 UTC
very cool idea, aesthetics and theme! didnt understand anything at first but started to get it towards the end. didn't manage to solve the case tho :)
MrTurtle
Apr 24th · 21:32 UTC
Really polished, the atmosphere is great. Definitely agree it could use some sort of notes about the conversation when reviewing evidence but other than that it's really good!
Eden_Zorro
Apr 24th · 21:58 UTC
This game is amazing.

It looks like a film noir.
Good story, simple graphics, and audio that perfectly matches the plot.
They made good use of the theme as well.

Excellent!
IRKAR
Apr 25th · 11:22 UTC
I like art style in game also great funny dialogues) Great job!
Ermik
Apr 25th · 13:08 UTC
Very atmospheric visuals and great music. I really vibed with it!
feffers
Apr 25th · 18:56 UTC
I really liked this, great job!
anku
Apr 25th · 19:26 UTC
An excellent game. The music and visuals create a strong atmosphere, and the gameplay is simple in a good way. It did feel a little too long for a jam game, in my opinion, but it’s still excellent work overall.
Dogshroom
Apr 25th · 23:25 UTC
Very polished, beautiful art and music. Loved how the story is presented: minimal sprites and icons, just a couple of lines, but everyone is full of character, so it’s easy to remember who’s who after a run or two. Loved how time passes and you have a limited number of photos to take, creates a great sense of tension.

Wonderful entry. If there’s any justice in this world, you should score really high!

Honestly, I feel like I scammed someone because I got to play it for free (I’d love to see it on something like Playdate).
oller125
Apr 26th · 10:17 UTC
Love the atmosphere and how the characters are interesting even with a minimal amount of dialogue and minimalistic art.
Roroto Sic
Apr 26th · 16:11 UTC
Fantastic mood ! i trully fells like a noir detective ! The case was great to watch and photograph. Congrats to the team !
ionhaven
Apr 26th · 20:35 UTC
This really pulled me in with that old noir surveillance vibe, like piecing together a mystery through static and shadows. The art, music, and tension all click together beautifully, and I loved how replaying slowly makes the story reveal itself more. Feels like a jam game with the soul of a much bigger detective project.
poliado
Apr 27th · 01:54 UTC
The atmosphere is good. As a fan of pixel art, it's a good asset
ironcutter
Apr 27th · 07:37 UTC
This looks and sounds fantastic! It's difficult to keep in mind what people said when connecting the photos in the board, would be nice to have some kind of log. Loved it though!
borjaparraga
Apr 27th · 13:19 UTC
High quality music, pretty nice art and atmosphere, interesting gameplay... A good game fr
GodDoesPlayDice
Apr 27th · 15:34 UTC
It turned out great from every point of view! I think you could even release a full-fledged detective game based on this
zhangzhimu
Apr 28th · 08:00 UTC
The scene art and music are extremely well-suited and done exceptionally well! However, it is indeed quite challenging. I had to play it many times before getting a bit of a grasp of it.
Also, one needs to memorize certain things in order to connect the subsequent clues. But I think the game design has many ingenious ideas and is highly playable. One can sense the developers' special dedication, and it is a very good game!
Abiral
Apr 28th · 15:37 UTC
i loved the pixel art style.. also the music is really good and engaging.. overall great entry, good luck
LDJam user 424326
Apr 29th · 05:35 UTC
You managed to create a great detective atmosphere
digital bacon
Apr 29th · 06:49 UTC
Very interesting concept. Love the noir-esque art style: combined with the music, really sets the mood.

Excellent work -- well done!
Theg
May 01st · 23:58 UTC
oh amazing! i did feel a bit limited by the photos and having to remember the dialog. maybe i should have brought my own notepad...
F1Krazy
May 04th · 13:27 UTC
This is great! The overall atmosphere is amazing, and the storyline and gameplay are well-crafted. My only complaint is that it's difficult to remember what's happening in each photo you took, and therefore what's relevant and what isn't. It took me four playthroughs but I finally managed to piece together which photos I need to take to incriminate all three conspirators (and I like that you still have a photo to spare, so there's some leeway).

I also found a minor bug: when you successfully prove a conspirator's guilt, the sticky note with their icon on it falls off the pinboard. If you restart the game (e.g. because you didn't identify *all* the conspirators), the sticky note isn't placed back on the pinboard, so you have to remember who that red pin was for. It's nowhere near enough to affect the score (it might even be intentional, in the sense that you've already identified that person?), but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Sam Gorman
May 04th · 13:41 UTC
@F1Krazy Glad you enjoyed - nice job figuring out the mystery! And thanks for the feedback. We’re working on a post-jam update where you’ll be able to replay the scenes you took photos of during the pinboard segment, which should make it a lot easier to prove your knowledge, as you say.
Luka420
May 04th · 14:44 UTC
One of the best entries this LD! A mystery game with a such a unique mechanic was an absolute joy to play! I also loved that it quite hard (took me multiple playthroughs to get a proper grasp at the story and figure out what happened). Beautifully written and overall just insanely well-polished!
I sincerely hope you score high because this entry deserves all the praise!
LDJam user 259103
May 04th · 15:31 UTC
@f1krazy Oh, shoot, I thought I'd fixed that one! The game's code is admittedly a little messy, so it was tricky to find everything that needed to be reset at the end of a run. I _did_ explicitly add code to reset the papers' positions, but what I think is happening is that I forgot to reset their vertical speeds, so while they are resetting they're just immediately falling off again afterward. Sorry about that. (For what it's worth, though, it shouldn't actually affect functionality, as the papers' positions are purely visual. Most of the actual scoring code is on the pins.)
F1Krazy
May 04th · 15:33 UTC
@python-b5 Yeah, it's purely a visual bug. The pins still work, you just have to remember which is which.
Rewzu
May 07th · 19:30 UTC
Amazing graphics, mood and a fitting music! Very well put together and it is fun to play! Great job! :D
Hazel C
May 08th · 13:42 UTC
I’m not someone who often plays puzzle games, but this game really amazed me!

When you have a cup of coffee next to you, you suddenly realise you’ve been completely absorbed in the game for quite a while.
Hazel C
May 08th · 13:58 UTC
@sam-gorman Hi, I found you through the comment section of another game creator, and I got curious and played your game *On Ivy Boulevard* this year. I was honestly really impressed.

Everything felt very smooth, from the music and sound effects to the gameplay. My favourite part was the camera mechanic, especially the way it later connects with the evidence-linking part. I thought that design was really clever.

I really enjoyed your game, and I can tell a lot of care went into polishing the details. If you have time, I’d be very grateful if you could try our game as well. We’d really appreciate any feedback from you.