ShadowScape by nohac

Goal: Delay the emerging shadow as long as you can by placing torches! But beware, dangers emerge from the dark!
How to play: - W, A, S, D to move the camera - Left click and drag mouse to select units - Right click to move selected units - Left click resources to mine and build - Hold shift to queue tasks and constructions
| Link | https://nohac.itch.io/shadowscape |
| Link | https://nohac.itch.io/shadowscape |
| Link | https://nohac.itch.io/shadowscape |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/50/shadowscape |
Ratings
| Overall | 777th | 3.472⭐ | 20🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 941th | 3.158⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 865th | 3.132⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 778th | 3.579⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 854th | 3.447⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Audio | 620th | 3.289⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 476th | 3.684⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 7🗳️ | 18🗨️ |
This was fun. I liked having to strategize how to explore, and that you could not really go back. As resources dwindled it was so sad making my last big torch and finding no new resources. I basically knew I was going to die, and just made one lone small torch in hope of a savior, but it was not meant to be. Great mood, and I would like to play a version of this in the future with more kinds of torches/workmen that have different strategies. Like a scouting only light, or a directional light, faster miners, etc.
Nice work!
Little nitpicks:
- the font for the construction prices seems to be a bit too small vs your render resolution? I can barely make out 100 or 600 regardless of if I zoom in or not.
- mining sounds get overwhelming when you have lots of people mining
- grass backdrop is a little bland
- translucent black is a cheap and easy way to give a nighttime effect, but it's not very realistic. there is also a shift from "warmer" to "colder" colours. tip: you can usually emulate the color change with some color rebalancing. making everything just a little less saturated and more blue works wonders, with no need to become an expert in color theory!
I could totally see myself playing this longer, just wish there was more to build, or if there was some kind of goal in sight. Overall, very well done!
Yes, having a goal I guess would make it better. After deciding on the game type we wanted to make, I felt the theme limited a win condition or a long term goal. But indeed! We also wanted to add more content when the mechanics were in place, but alas time kicked our asses like every time
Thanks for the great comment !
I hope you develop this further this could be a really good game in the future.
The only little thing is some of the characters got stuck on the rock sometimes and was hard to select them afterwards.
Very atmospheric. I wished a couple of the mechanics were exposed better (more clarity that the red torches damage enemies, and maybe health bars for the torches would help, also maybe a more clear digging animation for crystals would make it more clear that rocks *don't* have resources by contrast).