Salmoning Time by Anvilesque

[raw]
made by Anvilesque for Ludum Dare 55 (JAM)

Salmoner: SALMONING SALMONING SALMONING SAL- wait... SUMMONING?! hmmm... ... SUMMONING SALMON!!!! SALMONNNNN!!!!

A short call-and-response rhythm game.

Controls: S for orange notes, K for grey notes

(Note: The "calibrate" screen functionally does nothing. There is indeed an entire calibration system in the game, and it did work... at one point. It decided to break in the last hour, and my playtests have only been successful without calibration. If your input is delayed and you were hoping for calibration to save it... SALMONNNN!!!!!)

POST-GAME JAM BUG FIXES - 'Play Again' and 'Main Menu' buttons didn't reset notes properly - 'Calibrate' button softlocked the game

Ratings

Overall 628th 3.524⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Fun 266th 3.8⭐ 22🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 785th 3.143⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Theme 779th 3.429⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 815th 3.357⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Audio 19th 4.357⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Humor 25th 4.381⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Mood 398th 3.775⭐ 22🧑‍⚖️
Given 10🗳️ 21🗨️

Feedback

Charl V
16. Apr 2024 · 08:29 UTC
:'D''. Very nice!
FabiGhindaru
16. Apr 2024 · 08:36 UTC
I think I've experienced peak but it just flew past me.
Ok, where do I begin...

1. The voice acting and singing is on point. It makes me wanna scream SALMONING with them.
2. The 'story' and the fun misinterpretation of the theme is absolutely hilarious. By far the funniest game I've played so far! :smile:
4. I'm going to be honest I don't know how to play the game. I keep pressing s or k, trying to find a rhythm but I just can't nailed it down.

Overall, an amazing experience despite my lack of skill!
Great work!

3. I need the salmoning song on Spotify right now!
OddballDave
16. Apr 2024 · 08:38 UTC
BEST. GAME. EVER. That was great fun, and hilarious to boot. I'm confused about the scoring as no matter how many salmon I summon I always ended with 0/140. The audio is obviously great, and the visuals fitted very well with what you're going for. I played this way more times than I probably should. Good stuff :8ball:
Astride
16. Apr 2024 · 09:05 UTC
It might be my stupidity but I don't know how to play. Should I be pressing the keys exactly when the notes show up (which seems impossible without guessing)? Should I be pressing them half a second after they show up? Should I wait for the entire line to appear and then try to press the keys? I always seemed to fail and when I managed to hit a few salmons, it seemed to be random.
ecenizo
16. Apr 2024 · 09:07 UTC
The voice actiong is so fun. But like the rest said, i couldnt even manage to do anything (S and K diddnt do anything or maybe i was just too slow? Its like lacking some feedback there).
Otherwise fun.
Evgenii Victorovich
16. Apr 2024 · 12:55 UTC
I want some sushi after this game. Absolutely love the song!
🎤 Anvilesque
17. Apr 2024 · 12:35 UTC
@fabighindaru @oddballdave @astride @ecenizo Thanks for playing! Yeah, I definitely understand the difficulty of the game. The controls are indeed 'S' and 'K,' and it's a call-and-response kind of mechanic: Salmoner sings for 4 beats, then the player inputs the notes that appear on top afterwards. The notes to input are almost always in line with the way the Salmoner just sang. It's like what happens when a singer says "repeat after me" (which, in retrospect, Salmoner should've said as well).

The structure is kind of like sheet music (each circle represents a sixteenth note), but I totally get that that can be difficult to get used to, even with experience with sheet music. Given the lack of feedback (something like "late" or "early" visual indicators) as well, which I now realize is a crucial missing feature, and the darn calibration system that broke last-minute, and the fact that I did make the timings quite tight (probably a window of <100 ms for each note), rest assured that this is not an easy game, to say the least.

Regardless, I appreciate your time spent playing my game, I hope you had an enjoyable experience regardless, and... SALMONNNNN!!!!!!
Heretic
18. Apr 2024 · 09:14 UTC
SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!
SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!SALMON!!!!
🎤 Anvilesque
18. Apr 2024 · 10:11 UTC
@heretic OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
mariorod
18. Apr 2024 · 12:21 UTC
1. Didn't manage to generate a single salmon.
2. Still had tons of fun
10/10
Gwethelynn
18. Apr 2024 · 14:00 UTC
This game was so difficult! How do I respect the rhythm when I'm laughing so hard???!
All jocks aside, this is such a cute and fun game, cheers! Bonus point for the pun!
Gabriel Bissonnette
18. Apr 2024 · 16:48 UTC
ohhh yeahhhhh SALMONNNN hahah funniest game of the jam, awesome experience. Gameplay wise I wasn't good and didn't manage to get far, it was a bit hard for me. But everything else made up for it as it was fun from the first second. The tone of the game is perfect and exactly what I'm looking for. Nice job on this game and thank you for this!
🎤 Anvilesque
19. Apr 2024 · 00:12 UTC
@mariorod @gwethelynn @gabriel-bissonnette Thanks for playing! Yeah, this was a valuable learning experience for me in terms of game difficulty, and I'll be sure to focus more attention on that in the future. Glad you all had fun though!
Fenix131113
20. Apr 2024 · 08:38 UTC
This is very funny game! Nice work
dasilvacontin
20. Apr 2024 · 09:47 UTC
I feel like this game would be amongst the top if it had a good learning/difficult curve and there was feedback on when to hit the notes so that you understand why even if you are hitting them they don't seem to be registering.

It looks hilarious, and I've seen that there's some dialogue that looks fun. But it's hard to enjoy when you feel a bit frustrated / like you are wasting time trying to play when it doesn't seem to work.

It's a shame. Please ping us if you do a post-compo version that works!!! dasilvacontin@gmail.com
dxk2294
20. Apr 2024 · 18:04 UTC
Very funny game, all I want in my life now is more salmon!

I found the game *extremely* hard though. I could only generate one or two salmon at a time. Some feedback to indicate what I was doing wrong would go a long way!
EmilAlix
21. Apr 2024 · 00:49 UTC
Hard and fun! Seriously, the timing is close TwT But nice song! I managed 18 in 5 games.
Rowlof
24. Apr 2024 · 22:47 UTC
I managed to get 2 and I'm proud.
abcdef65g
25. Apr 2024 · 09:27 UTC
The game is hilarious and the voice acting is very well done! Very fun presentation and take on the theme too!

As others have said though, I felt the timings were too tight. I tried to SALMON, I really did. But every time I actually got my blessed fish friends to appear, they didn't stick around for long. The road to becoming a SALMONER is certainly longer and more painful than I anticipated!

If you get to make an extended post jam version, I'd like to hear more SALMONING songs!