Geomancy by Ted Carter

[raw]
made by Ted Carter for Ludum Dare 49 (JAM)

geomancy_000.png Defend the countryside from invaders using nature itself! Geomancy is unstable, though, so be careful not to destroy your sources of magic!

Speed up combat animations in the pause menu.

Controls Arrow keys, X and Z Enter/Return: pause

Pressing Z when trying to place terrain makes it appear, and X cancels the action.

It's a turn-based thing on a grid like Advance Wars or Into the Breach, but you control your character with cards like in Slay the Spire or Gloomhaven.

card key.png

A card's cost is in the bottom left corner of each card. Example: 2 red dots and 1 blue dot means that you need to be standing next to 2 fields and 1 pond to use the card. When used, you'll roll the slot machine on each of those pieces of terrain. Hovering over the card will show you exactly which pieces of terrain will be rolled for the attack.

geomancy_002.png

geomancy_001.png

I had wanted to introduce attack cards slowly as the game progresses, but I ran out of time for an upgrade system so you just start with all cards. Might be overwhelming, so sorry in advance! First thing on my post-jam to-dos is to put in a card unlock system.

Your magic resources come from the environment a la Last Airbender, and using terrain can degrade or destroy it via a slot machine mechanic. The symbols in the slot machine of each piece of terrain act as a health bar when attacked by enemies. If you destroy the terrain when using an ability it supercharges your attack/heal, so you might find yourself doing it intentionally. There's also a Pokemon-style elemental rock-paper-scissors going on.

For any curious folks, all attacks do the same amount of damage - the only difference is their attack pattern and element. Elements affect how much damage an attack does to the enemy, who also has an element (fire, water, grass just like Pokemon). Rolling a gold on the slot machine or destroying terrain supercharges your attack, so attacks that cost more have more opportunities for damage boosts.

geomancy_003.png

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Ratings

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Feedback

Tattomoosa
05. Oct 2021 · 04:54 UTC
Neat idea, I like how the abilities have different effects and target patterns.

It could really use more descriptions of what's going on and what each ability does, though, I wasn't getting very far trying to puzzle it out and there are a ton of them.

PS PIGSquad brought me here!
🎤 Ted Carter
06. Oct 2021 · 00:08 UTC
Thanks, @tattomoosa ! I agree. There are a lot of abilities. Ran out of time to make an upgrade system that would meter them out. For any curious folks, all attacks do the same amount of damage - the only difference is their attack pattern and element. Elements affect how much damage an attack does to the enemy, who also has an element (fire, water, grass just like Pokemon). Rolling a gold on the slot machine or destroying terrain supercharges your attack, though, so attacks that cost more have more opportunities for damage boosts.
Nate954
09. Oct 2021 · 06:27 UTC
Really great game! I think you're right in having the cards unlocked all at the start for the jam, it helped me plan out how I wanted to set the terrain up for the bigger attacks. I think that it could be awesome with the classic deckbuilding mechanic too! Awesome job :P
MFauzan
13. Oct 2021 · 23:43 UTC
Great game and a bit complex for game jam.