Falling Bot by Phobos

[raw]
made by Phobos for Ludum Dare 48 (JAM)

FallingBotPreview1.png


:fuelpump: Summary

​You are a powered robot with low fuel, you need to avoid and destroy obstacles in order to land safely at the end of the cavern. Good luck !

:joystick: Controls

  • Activate left thruster -> Right arrow key
  • Activate right thruster -> Left arrow key
  • Activate both thruster -> Left + Right arrow key

:exclamation: Disclaimer

  • All 3D models, textures, UI elements and scripts were made by our team.

  • We recommend you to used the downloadable .exe game, as the art and audio quality are better on it.

FallingBotPreview2.gif


:star: Credits

:notepad_spiral: Patch Notes

1.0 | 26.04.21
  • Fixed credit scene responsivity.
  • Fixed freeze on instruction screen.
  • Fixed Patrick monster damage deal.
  • Fixed thruster power inconstancy.
  • Fixed block destruction delay inconstancy.
  • Fixed fuel consumption inconstancy.
  • Fixed "Metter" specification to "Score".
HTML5 port | 27.04.21
2.0 | 28.04.21
  • Fixed HTML5 screensize bug.

Ratings

Overall 656th 3.66⭐ 102🧑‍⚖️
Fun 537th 3.593⭐ 104🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 945th 3.182⭐ 101🧑‍⚖️
Theme 462th 3.97⭐ 103🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 373th 4.149⭐ 103🧑‍⚖️
Audio 707th 3.444⭐ 100🧑‍⚖️
Humor 1057th 2.483⭐ 90🧑‍⚖️
Mood 961th 3.468⭐ 97🧑‍⚖️
Given 128🗳️ 129🗨️

Feedback

MrSamafu
27. Apr 2021 · 11:56 UTC
This game are really cool :) this is my score 707.5.
A simple concept with nice graphics and incredible animation, good job ;)
SaranBaran
27. Apr 2021 · 12:04 UTC
looks like it was made like youtube ads but not a bad game
luvjungle
27. Apr 2021 · 12:10 UTC
The game is fun, really liked graphics, lights and animations. And you can fly upwards too =)
Yanergy
27. Apr 2021 · 12:10 UTC
I really liked the game. I really liked the idea of being able to destroy things with the laser underneath while not trying to crash at the same time. The graphics and models were really good too. My high score was 391.5 xD. Good job!
AdamJN
27. Apr 2021 · 12:11 UTC
Was a fun game with a cool concept. Would work great as a mobile game!
Camille_000
27. Apr 2021 · 12:13 UTC
Really cool! I like graphics and univers!
a333
27. Apr 2021 · 12:13 UTC
Excellent work with animations and graphics, and a cool environment too. I wish falling speed was a little slower, though. After all these jam hours I don't have enough brain cells to play hardcore games yet.
joselor
27. Apr 2021 · 12:31 UTC
Very fun and very beautiful game, really had a good time playing it ! The sound design is also great and the different environments make the game feel alive and interesting
pepnou
27. Apr 2021 · 12:32 UTC
Nice game. Great 3d graphics. It was fun going to the end. The fuel feels a bit useless as the level is not very long and the fuel capacity is big, also it's almost impossible to grab the fuel canisters when they fall faster than you.
JortvD
27. Apr 2021 · 13:01 UTC
Good graphics and a nice concept combine into a good game. Hard, but not too hard. I do have to add it is sometimes hard to see where you can and cannot go and this makes it a bit unclear when you're taking damage or not. But it is a neat little game overall!
BobRoss
27. Apr 2021 · 13:33 UTC
Found the game really really hard tho. But Game design is nice and however I didn't find the game really exciting, it is in the theme.
Klaus Peter
27. Apr 2021 · 16:49 UTC
I really liked the graphics and shaders. My first impression was, that the left key - right booster movement is a bit counter intuitive. But otherwise a really great game
Elektroney
27. Apr 2021 · 16:53 UTC
Nice Game!
superpokeunicorn
27. Apr 2021 · 17:13 UTC
Pretty solid game. The dark, atmospheric visuals really stand out, and it's always impressive to see 3D games in Ludum Dare. I like the mechanic of having to hover over something to break it, although it wasn't always clear what was and wasn't breakable. Trying to catch the fuel cans while not bumping into walls was tricky, but I found that I didn't need to get that many fuel cans to beat the game. Overall, I enjoyed my time with this entry. Nice work!
Nicso
27. Apr 2021 · 17:39 UTC
nice little game

Sometimes hard to see wich part of the level could be an obstacle or not

good job tho :thumbsup:
uboretsky
27. Apr 2021 · 22:41 UTC
Cool 3D, easy to lern hard to master mechanic with trying to get THIS DUCKING CANISTRE. And i like sounds
nyanpierre
28. Apr 2021 · 02:42 UTC
I really love the sfx and the art ! (especially the mushroom)
morrilet
28. Apr 2021 · 02:44 UTC
It can be a bit tough to tell what'll hit you, but adding a laser helps with the immediate collision concerns. Realizing that I could use both thrusters at once was a revelation. Very fun little game, and gorgeous to boot - good work!
Daveroony
28. Apr 2021 · 02:45 UTC
Controls feels really nice!
Iron Leonem
28. Apr 2021 · 02:55 UTC
Absolute blast to play! Beautiful art, and your sound design was mostly spot on- the first blaring sound when you start is a bit jarring though. The only other feedback is that sometimes you can mine crystals, sometimes you can't- It's a little confusing which is which. One of the most fun I've tried so far though!
Skleembof
28. Apr 2021 · 02:59 UTC
The robot feels weighty and fun to control, and the level design is good enough to take advantage of the mechanics. One of the most fun to play games I've come across in the jam so far
fraanns
28. Apr 2021 · 07:53 UTC
This game looks soooooooo good.
LDJam user 242787
28. Apr 2021 · 08:17 UTC
Great job on the visuals of this game. I thought that the lighting was really good. The sound effects could have used some polish though. I thought the game was quite fun, well done.
Remus Rain
28. Apr 2021 · 08:56 UTC
Hey there, great job on your game! I really enjoyed the mecanic that you slow down when you move to the left and right. There is a really nice tradeoff between slowing down and burning more fuel. Nice!

The sound and the graphics came together nicely and made for a great atmosphere. If I could improve one thing about this game: Sometimes I couldn't really see clearly the next obstacle. Maybe you could distinguish them a bit better from the background.

Lastly, I would like to point out how disappointed I am about @phobos for leaving such a toxic comment on our game, just saying "everything is bad". And also he blamed us for making such a bad game with 6 people. That comment gave no useful advice and just hurt to read. This is not constructive criticism at all and really bad for the game development community. We are all in this together.
OkayLobster
28. Apr 2021 · 09:06 UTC
Very good looking game. The models and textures look great. The only issue I hade was sometimes it seemed like I had to get hit to progress. Other than that its a fun game!
korfi
28. Apr 2021 · 13:55 UTC
Really nice looking game! I enjoyed the atmosphere and it was a good take on the theme. I had a bit of a hard time with the controls at first, but after a while I got used to it.

It would be nice for some indicator on the platforms that you're destroying with your beam, my first few runs I didn't understand that. It was also a bit hard knowing which platforms you could destroy. Maybe change the texture or have a particle effect or something when you're destroying an object.

Overall I really enjoyed the game!
ShotgunSamurai_
28. Apr 2021 · 14:03 UTC
The lighting in the game and the color is really good. Very good entry
NachoLR
28. Apr 2021 · 14:09 UTC
Incredible for a gamejam, nice job!
LDJam user 235694
28. Apr 2021 · 14:12 UTC
I like this graphic, really funny game.
Denzil Gomes
28. Apr 2021 · 17:38 UTC
Great looking game, from the models to the animation and colour choices great job. I like that you didn't try to cram too many things into the game and instead could focus on polishing the main mechanic of the game!
zimny11
28. Apr 2021 · 18:05 UTC
Good job. I enjoyed playing it.
GamesBySaul
28. Apr 2021 · 19:53 UTC
Cool graphics and great audio! Really nice job!
Vladadamm
28. Apr 2021 · 21:12 UTC
Really good job on the graphics, the amount of assets done is quite impressive and they all work together pretty well, with the changing color schemes as you go deeper being a bonus.
Concept is a bit basic but works, and could make for a good mobile game.
Audio though a bit simple does the work quite well overall.

For the downsides :
- The fuel mechanic didn't feel useful as you have way more than enough fuel to clear the whole game without catching any fuel cans. Also catching the cans was too hard due to the horizontal speed being slow.
- Laser mechanic wasn't obvious at first and it took me 2 runs to understand it (some indication of that in the 'controls' screen would be good) and it lacks feedback as to what can be destroyed and what can't be. It could be done through different colors depending on what the laser is hitting : Grey or transparent for air/nothing), red for indestrucible, yellow/orange for destructible (and with different sfx for each).

Also, on another point, i think Up Arrow to trigger both engines at the same time and hover could have been nice as an alternative to holding both left & right at once.
Globulous
28. Apr 2021 · 21:29 UTC
thanks all for your comments, especially @vladadamm with your improvements tips, we will be carefull about the problems you all pointed out
MarcoValeKaz
28. Apr 2021 · 22:50 UTC
This was really nice! the fact you have to use both engines to hover is a really nice twist! congrats! awesome work!
Matt Lowe
28. Apr 2021 · 22:53 UTC
Super cool graphics. Great work!
Globulous
28. Apr 2021 · 23:00 UTC
@matt-lowe thanks =)
@marcovalekaz thanks, someone tell us he prefer to choose another option than this but we will see and think about it. Thank you for the tips =)
byAdam
28. Apr 2021 · 23:09 UTC
This is great!! Love the character controls, very fun
ilPrinny
28. Apr 2021 · 23:28 UTC
Awesome game! it was fun and I am glad there was an ending, I think it might have been easy to make this sort of game infinite and I think the game would have been worse off for that, so good work! I wish there was more feedback so it was more clear what could and couldnt be destroyed with fuel. Again though great work!
Globulous
28. Apr 2021 · 23:36 UTC
@byadam thank you, proud you enjoyed it =)
@ilprinny We had the two idea, but we decided for the jam to do an end. We are working on some feedbacks to make the game more understandable. Thank you for your advices and hope you enjoyed playing our game.
Szymon OGD
29. Apr 2021 · 05:01 UTC
Great idea annd very atractive game. Love it!
Alina Baybulatova
29. Apr 2021 · 06:36 UTC
Woow so beautiful graphic! Good atmosphere! I really have fun to play this game! Thank you) Great job 👍
Fredripper2077
29. Apr 2021 · 06:47 UTC
Love the graphics, audio and gameplay! Feels really polished. Only tiny thing that could use some work is the main menu, but even that was really good!
JuanJ7
29. Apr 2021 · 07:16 UTC
Really good models and mood! I also loved the mechanic of using one or both propellers for controlling the velocity. As a suggestion, I would say there should be a different use of lighting, specially for separating the background from the obstacles. One difficulty I had was I didn't realize using both propellers was an option until later in the game, after having died many times xD. Overall, great game and very good looking, good job!
xpoho
29. Apr 2021 · 09:04 UTC
Глубинные приключения робота с двумя двигателями в царстве грибов. Дави эти грибы!
Хорошая игра в ядовитых оттенках ^_^
Globulous
29. Apr 2021 · 09:49 UTC
@alina-baybulatova @szymon-ogd @fredripper2077
thanks for your feedbacks we are aware of this things, we will probably change this things.
Globulous
29. Apr 2021 · 09:50 UTC
@xpoho
Большое спасибо за отзыв, рад, что игра вам понравилась ( google trad sorry if that dont mean anything )
Kaminos
29. Apr 2021 · 10:41 UTC
Cool idea and execution guys! It took me a couple of times to understand that both thrusters levitate me :P
I've managed to reach 709meters.. i'll definitely play it again to get deeper. By the way the graphics are awesome and i loved the colors.. especially on the rocks. The mechanics of the thrusters well designed.. maybe i would like them to be a bit more responsive. Great job guys, i've enjoyed playing your game!
Devastus
29. Apr 2021 · 10:43 UTC
Very nice, the graphics and sound are great and the control scheme is a nice little twist to the usual while still staying simple. Changing the color scheme when progressing was a nice little touch!

The laser mechanic wasn't entirely obvious though, also the indication of what could be destroyed seemed to change a little bit during the game. And maybe the lateral speed is just a tiny bit too slow for my preferences. Those are pretty minor things all things considered though.

I thoroughly enjoyed the game, stellar work!
Globulous
29. Apr 2021 · 11:08 UTC
@kaminos thanks for your comment, you should continue the end is really close :p
@devastus a huge thank you =)
nosfer
29. Apr 2021 · 16:25 UTC
Great graphics but quite irritating sound :) Love the vertical layout - reminds me of arcade shoot-em ups. Managed to finish it but it took me a while to get used to the controls. I would leave the left/right key for left/right thruster. Overall fun game.
Globulous
29. Apr 2021 · 17:09 UTC
@nosfer thank you for your comment =)
GoldenEvolution
29. Apr 2021 · 20:51 UTC
Pretty cool game, the controls are rather innovative and the graphics are really sweet. I actually didn't realise there was a laser until I read the comments though
Crazybot
30. Apr 2021 · 12:16 UTC
I won! I think the graphics are really good and I like the control scheme, the only negative thing I hae to say is that the laser should be explained, as it took me a while to figure out:D
Tom Robson
30. Apr 2021 · 12:38 UTC
Awesome little game! Controls took some getting used to, as with most physics games, but once I got going it was real fun! The art especially was a high point.

I'd perhaps make it so I can control the ship with WASD, just as a personal preference. I'd also make it so I can recover a bad run by picking up extra lives as I go. But honestly? This is nit-picking - this is a solid entry!
bereg
30. Apr 2021 · 12:52 UTC
Nice and polished game! The thrusters are the best -- the VFX, the lighting, the robot movement, everything's so dope! This game feels like a fully-featured commercial game rather than a game jam entry. Great job!
Michael Harris
30. Apr 2021 · 13:33 UTC
Pretty fun game and very unique. The controls were hard to get used to originally but after playing it for a bit I was able to make it all the way to the end. The artwork is great and I really like the dual thrusters mechanics. Very good job with this one!
Bastienre4
30. Apr 2021 · 16:40 UTC
Awesome game.
Polish is incredible! Good job to the team!
Curtis Pelissier
30. Apr 2021 · 18:27 UTC
KISS! Keep. It. Simple. Studip.

And you done that very well! Easy to learn, fun to play. The controls are very good and I only have two feedbacks to give:
- More visuals juicy feedbacks. Your game could be playable fastly with more juicy effect (SFX, VFX, more screen shake maybe?) to encourage the player to replay instantly a new run
- Make a better difference between elements that the player can touch or not. I was thinking I couldn't touch flowers (or mushrooms? I don't know...) even when I "finished" the game. I think I could move through some other elements like the metal frames.

Really great job for a jam :thumbsup:

![falling_bot.PNG](///raw/614/41/z/41cf3.png)
DoctorTM
30. Apr 2021 · 22:35 UTC
Cool jam! Interesting mechanics, great visuals, good sound.
Bamallama
30. Apr 2021 · 23:50 UTC
Beautiful game! Would love to see more power-ups and such added to the game
JLV
01. May 2021 · 02:12 UTC
Avoiding obstacles with that little robot was pretty satisfying ! I also really enjoyed all the care and effort that went into the sound design (that raycast of the laser !), the 3D modelling and the lighting.

Strengths :
- Fun control scheme that makes for a good challenge, especially given the theme
- General aesthetic seemed to have a lot of thought and effort put into it

Possible improvements :
- Invincibility frames/crossing obstacles you've hit would be less punishing than the current system, which removes your 4 lives very fast (get stuck once, lose everything).

All in all, great job !
bmacintosh
01. May 2021 · 05:35 UTC
Nice job, this was a creative twist on the "falling down dodging things genre". Amazing amount of custom art, also. I found it difficult at times (especially my first few tries) to tell which objects were background objects and which were collidable - I thought it might be the red glowy ones for a bit, but that wasn't it. A consistent visual language for those, such as making them brighter or more saturated or colored a certain way, would be great. I did not initially realize that there was a laser at all until I had crashed into the first impassable obstacle a few times, and that did help with this a bit.
Attala
01. May 2021 · 09:10 UTC
You guys had the same idea as myself :) so of course I really like the gameplay. The music, graphics and the use of colour work together to create a verye atmospheric experience. I liked the "cartoonish" monsters :) The game got a little dark in some places which made it hard to see some obstacles. (But this could have been me sitting in a bright room when playing). Anyway, solid submission.
fargred
01. May 2021 · 14:19 UTC
Very cool falling game. The graphics and sound design are top notch, and the boosters on the bot feel very satisfying to use. Only problem I found was that on crashing on a plattform, you still might be stuck there afterwards and lose multiple/all your lifes. A small reset/invulnerability phase might be handy here? But otherwise a very fun experience.
Maytch
01. May 2021 · 14:46 UTC
Hey really good job, I like the 3d graphics you've got there. My only critique is that I felt it was hard to identify what was going to hurt you. I got the hang of it once I figured out that things melted if I hovered above them. I think if you were to expand the game and make procedural chunks with a highscore board it'd work really well.
MrPouletBZH
01. May 2021 · 18:43 UTC
Really nice game, I was surprised how well the bot was responsive! The art direction is gorgeous, and the sound design is pretty good (but the music was too low couldn't really enjoy it :( ). I was a bit lost at first about how we manage to destroy obstacles, but I eventually understood it after the first run. I saw in the comments above proposition about a procedural generation, and I totally agree! With it, you have a great mobile game prototype in your hands :) Keep up the good works, and congrats for the great quality of your game :D
Stone Studio
02. May 2021 · 04:11 UTC
The art style is great! Very special, rich colors build amount a excellent world. I really like this art style!
Tanner Shelton
02. May 2021 · 05:43 UTC
This was a pretty fun game. The art style drew me in mostly. And the gameplay was fun. It didn't ever explain the laser mechanic but when I figured that out, it was more fun as I could get deeper.
Edur
02. May 2021 · 08:23 UTC
So simple, but so fun! The style was perfect for the gameplay.
saintchristopher777
02. May 2021 · 15:22 UTC
Nice game! Took me a couple tries to figure out how important it is to use both thrusters at once to "hover" consistently, but once I did, it was really fun.

Art and soundscape are great. Really enjoyed!
Yamzho
03. May 2021 · 09:25 UTC
Très bon jeu, bravo à toute l'équipe ! :)
chenyi jiang
03. May 2021 · 10:44 UTC
the graphic is so goodie simple game but enjoy it
koalatte
03. May 2021 · 16:30 UTC
i loved the graphics, the shaders were on point. the controls were also quite comfortable too, the control over the thrusters felt just right. also managed to win :smile: would love to see a devlog on how the models, lighting, and shaders were made (and the tools used to create them!) :smiley: would love to see this game extended to mobile app stores one day :blush:
gibberingtaylor
03. May 2021 · 16:35 UTC
I had fun with this short and simple game. I didn't realize you could fly up, or destroy platforms, until reading some of the comments, but once I understood the mechanics they were easy to use. I wasn't always sure which objects were in the background, and which objects I had to avoid. Catching the canisters was difficult, but fun-- although I beat the game with almost a full tank, so chasing them wasn't terribly important.
XariusExcl
03. May 2021 · 17:15 UTC
Very addicting to play! Well balanced and I enjoyed the world: kept me wondering what lied beneath!

I got confused on some mechanics, like the laser and the gas canisters (I thought those were grenades you had to dodge!), highlighting them green or something would make it more clear that they are bonuses.

Overall very good job from the team!
OldDog
04. May 2021 · 13:13 UTC
nice game ! I spent a lot time in this one , Cus I like the feeling of controler this robot ,the force adding to this robot is very really; and graphic is nice too;
few tips :
5 cecond count is a little long for me;
the laser line and hit effect can be mo big or lightner :smile:
Johnsensei
05. May 2021 · 12:32 UTC
I love Ludum Dare team games. You can really get a lot more done with a team, as you all have. Good job. I didn't get the laser on my first play through. was that in the instructions and am missing it?
LDJam user 238142
06. May 2021 · 10:49 UTC
Wow that was great! Really fun game, the tuning on the thrust vs gravity felt just right. Great 3D models too, very impressive visually. All in all, a very neat experience, congrats to the team! I agree with the comments saying the countdown at the beginning is too long and unnecessary (I just want to get back to playing asap after failing)
OadT
15. May 2021 · 14:58 UTC
Cool and fun game! The mechanic that you can activate both thrusters is pretty cool. I personally would have prefered if the left and right buttons would have been swapped, but I guess this is very subjective. Also great idea to destroy obstacles with a laser. The laser also helps identifying obstacles in the first place :smile: One small critique I have is that the thrusters are too loud compared to the music. But still great work!