Charon by EthanKessler
A game about an old man and his boat. As you drift through the endless abyss, you use whatever you can find around you to steer your boat away from the rocks. Keep the furnace fuelled with the debris you find and see how far you can get!
In the game you do all you can to steer clear from the rocks using the barrels you find around you
You're tethered to the belt of floating debris near the centre rocks so that you can fuel the furnace powering the boat


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5gkygIh-3M
See how far you can get!
Ratings
| Overall | 397th | 3.212⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 514th | 2.538⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 150th | 3.692⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 203th | 3.769⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 219th | 3.596⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Audio | 327th | 2.94⭐ | 27🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 85th | 3.731⭐ | 28🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 32🗳️ | 31🗨️ |
The indirect control of the boat is a great idea
As said above, more barrels could be useful. I could see them flying above me c but couldn't understand how to reach them. Using them both as a steering device and as fuel is a good idea though!
Really good usage of the theme. I like the setting as well, it really makes me want a Far:Lone Sails style game set on a boat like this. Great work :D
I liked being able to run around on the boat and look around, definitely interesting to have this in first person view.
Good job!
@alex-chertilin & @freeworld thank you all so much for playing and the feedback is really valued.
I think it's because you linked two objectives to the same mechanic which rely to randomness (to be clear, it's not by nature bad but it's really much harder to balance). For instance, a barrel serve as fuel AND as a way to steer the boat, meaning that all of a sudden the furnace can use a barrel you were using to control the boat. In the same way, you have to steer the boat to avoid floating rocks AND to collect barrels. So sometimes, you need a barrel to keep the furnace burning but getting it will throw you to the rocks.
Here's the leads I'd follow :
- Get three zone to stock objects, where they couldn't escape (seing your barrels rolling overboard is kinda frustrating). Right and left zone would serve to steer, middle zone as the primary reserve for the furnace.
- A grapling to get more easily objects floating around.
- New types of objects. At least one which cannot be used by the furnace so you'll be sure it didn't disapear.
- An evolution of the steering according to the weight : the more it weight, the more you steer (maybe it's already the case, I just wasn't able to be sure).
- Maybe use the player as the weight himself.
At the end of the day, just my cents, hope it could help your reflection.
Unfortunately I had a hard time getting any barrels. They were in the air and I clicked them and nothing happened. Then some times another felt on my ship, I was able to move. Then one exploded when landing on the deck. I did not get it.
Even I really like the idea and the mood of your game!