Shiny Depths by José Bonilla
I have since released a post-compo version, v1.2 alpha, with most of the feedback received so far. Thanks a lot for all your constructive comments! I hope you have time to play this post-compo version and let me know how it feels!
Links
- Windows: https://biyectivo.itch.io/shiny-depths
- Source code (Bitbucket repository): https://bitbucket.org/biyectivo/ld48/src/master/
COMPO version: Shortly after the submission period, I fixed a number of small bugs and a reasonable improvement in performance and released version 1.1 (the first file listed, named "v1.1 bug fixes"). I strongly recommend you play that version. No new gameplay features were introduced. You can check the full commit message on the Bitbucket code repository listed below. Thanks for the patience!
Premise
You are an expert miner who has decided to explore the Dareum mine nearby, a procedurally generated mine. You will try to dig deeper and deeper, while mining precious materials on the way!
Mining is dangerous, so you need to be agile to survive. Your health will decrease in the depths, your headlight will eventually run out of battery and your pickaxe will grow dull. Also, if you don't dig carefully, you can end up trapped forever, having no way to ascend!
Fortunately, a small table/shop is available just outside the mine entrance. Use it to sell your precious jewels and ores to repair your gear, restore your health and upgrade your stuff.
See if you can make it all the way to depth 150, the center of the very Earth! Who knows what cool stuff will you find there?!?
Controls
- By default, WASD to move (A and D to move, W to jump/ascend, S to descend). You can remap these in Options.
- Left mouse button to dig/mine or enter the shop/interact.
- Right mouse button to toggle your headlight on/off (while underground) or exit the shop.
- ESC pauses the game.
- You can use middle mouse button to pan the camera.
Tips and Tricks
- Be careful how you mine! If you don't think forward, you might get stuck, unable to ascend, and you'll eventually die.
- If you accidentally get stuck into a shaft three blocks deep, try jumping and digging at the same time, it might just be what you need :D
- Always keep an eye on your health, battery level and pickaxe sharpness. Try to upgrade your light and pickaxe as soon as possible.
- The deeper you go, the more health you lose, but the more precious gems and materials you might be able to mine!
Credits
- This game was made all by myself, for Ludum Dare 48 Compo, in 48 hours. I created all art (Aseprite), programming (Gamemaker Studio 2.3), sounds (bfxr + my Roland piano + Audacity) and music (I composed and played both songs in my Roland piano).
- I used my existing template for new projects (also created by me), as well as the string formatting library I created (TypeFormatted).
- I used the free JujuAdams's Bulb library for the lighting effects, available here: https://github.com/JujuAdams/Bulb
- Fonts used downloaded from: "No Virus": https://www.dafont.com/no-virus.font "Poetsen One": https://www.dafont.com/poetsen-one.font
- Source code (Bitbucket repository): https://bitbucket.org/biyectivo/ld48/src/master/
Extra
I will reward the first player to post a screenshot in the comments who has found the cool stuff lying in the final depth of the Earth. No cheating by modding the code!!!
| Link | https://bitbucket.org/biyectivo/ld48/src/master/ |
| Strongly recommend using version 1.1 (bug fixes only) | https://biyectivo.itch.io/shiny-depths |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/48/shiny-depths |
Ratings
| Overall | 401th | 3.52⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 461th | 3.316⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 761th | 2.622⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 214th | 3.929⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 556th | 3.245⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Audio | 399th | 3.235⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Humor | 542th | 2.19⭐ | 44🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 475th | 3.204⭐ | 51🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 48🗳️ | 78🗨️ |
@ennacirruh Thanks a lot for your comments and great you liked it. I added a better explanation in the fixed. The HUD health effect is a nice idea, I will implement it if I keep working on the game. Thanks!
@haztro Thanks for your comments :) You should give it another shot, now that you've read the tips & tricks AND you've experienced what it is to die alone in the depths :D
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1002310964
I did enjoy the resource management, especially having to make sure you don't dig yourself into a pit and then have your pick break leaving you stranded. The music changing for the surface/underground was nice too.
The only things I would change would be to make the controls a bit more responsive (sometimes it's hard to tell in what direction you're mining) and balance it to make it a bit less punishing. Your health drops really fast once you get pretty deep, and there aren't enough resources (or are weirdly spread out) to make it feel like you're making progress.
I think this would be a great game with just a bit more polish and balancing!
- Not being able to dig up was frustrating at times.
- Getting stuck is also a problem. Maybe add a teleport to surface in the store so that the player has the option to prevent itself from getting stuck.
- Keep clicking to dig was also hard. A press and hold would be much better option in my opinion.
Overall great job!
I have released an alpha version of **Shiny Depths v1.2**! It includes almost everything you mentioned in the comments above. I would be delighted if you played it and gave me your opinion! Go download the zip file in my itch.io page: https://biyectivo.itch.io/shiny-depths
Changelog:
* Auto-mine is enabled by popular demand! Click and hold to mine.
* You can now mine upwards, by popular demand!
* You can call for rescue if you get stuck down the mine! You'll lose all your gems, though. Click the "Call for rescue" link at the bottom right.
* You can now hover over your backpack icon to show what you're carrying and the total value.
* Your health, pickaxe and battery life will change colors to indicate low values.
* Jewel tooltips now show value as well as weight.
* Introduced particle effects to make mining cooler!
* Improved death message, you can now check out many more stats about your run!
* Tweaked health decrease (now much easier), jewel generation (now more generous) and other parameters.
! SPOILERS!
See what I found in the depths ;) Not only did I find it, I was able to bring it to the surface!
Did you find the tweaks (health decrease rate, jewel generation probs, etc.) better?
Regarding future development, if I find enough interest I'm willing to develop it further. If you help me share the love, it might be possible.
Good job! And thanks for playing the update!!!
I would add a way to augment the depth the lift can reach (either by digging under it or by buying it), and make it a place which either reduce or negate health drop (as it is a bit slow, and i would be worried about dying on it). And as a way to promote the use of the lift, and not the current method of just making a straight-down drop tunnel and a staircaise next to it, i would recommend on adding fall damage.
Again a very good game!
The depth of the lift idea is one I had since I was working in the compo, but sadly did not have time to do it then. The fall damage would be great as well. If I continue developing this I will surely explore those two, as well as some other ideas I have in my (mental) backlog (boulders than can fall on you, other dangers such as spiders/critters that sometimes pop up when you dig, etc.)
Again thanks for playing it!
Yes, the tweaks were what were needed. The health loss is just perfect to be able to go down (by preparing the shaft straight down) and jump back to the surface (by previously prepared staricase). Resource generation fills better too. Last time I felt that I sent the almost the same amount in the shop (battery, repair, helper) as I got from digging, so progress seemed slowed. Now I was able to get the updates faster but too fast. Of course, automaining is so much better than clicking constantly! The same goes for the ability to dig up and rescue button, it's much more "fair" to the player now.
If you were ever interested in further development on this game, you could check out the old flash game called "Glean". They had some interesting idea, but that game felt remarkably repetitive after a while.
Anyway, good job on the update!
I do wish that I could have dug upwards, it was not immediately obvious I couldn't do that and I got stuck my first time. But restarting over I just kept making sure I wouldn't get stuck - this felt antithetical to the actual design of the game (but maybe that's just me).
I agree with most everyone's feedback and the 1.2 changes you've made definitely make the game feel better. Keep at it!!!
If you are interested, you can download an play the 1.2 alpha version from my itch.io page (https://biyectivo.itch.io/shiny-depths).
Regards,
@lazyalarm I like them as well! Thanks for your comments :)
I've been playing it way longer than any LD game so far!
Kinda like my game, it's pretty fast to get all upgrades, then all that's left is to reach the bottom.
But what's nice with your game is that even when fully equipped, the player must still return to the surface often.
@shp thanks for your kind comments. I have not seen Motherload but will definitely check it out!
@phantom49 thanks for playing it and glad you liked it :)
@epb9000 you did find it, did you? :) Congrats! Thanks for playing it and hope you've enjoyed it!