{"author_link":"\/users\/cynderen","author_name":"cyndereN","author_uid":1406825,"comments":[{"id":1124744,"author_name":"d-demetori","author_uid":"d-demetori","epoch":1744045630,"text":"I know that movement is intentionaly slow, but it needs to be more responsive, almost impossible to escape if enemy found you","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1124767,"author_name":"Sayeg","author_uid":"sayeg","epoch":1744046036,"text":"I loved this! It has so much potential! Definitely needs a bit of an iteration on the game feel but you totally got this!!!","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1126835,"author_name":"Vakarsson","author_uid":"vakarsson","epoch":1744078576,"text":"I enjoyed the game. Definitely an interesting concept. However, the movement was a bit too sluggish at times. When I got found out, I felt almost powerless. Great sound design! ","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1131309,"author_name":"AlexRak2","author_uid":"alexrak2","epoch":1744125491,"text":"Agreed with the others, the movement itself is what set me off. Overall has potential","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1140802,"author_name":"Dmytro Zhukovetskyi","author_uid":"dmytro-zhukovetskyi","epoch":1744237413,"text":"I love the idea and feel.\nReminds me of duskers for some reason.","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1140850,"author_name":"GlebSviripa","author_uid":"glebsviripa","epoch":1744238344,"text":"Nice idea. Maybe I did something wrong but when I run away from pulsing fish and went deeper there is nothing, no walls or other fish","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1146851,"author_name":"JamesGames1000","author_uid":"jamesgames1000","epoch":1744422715,"text":"Is there only a exit and a fish. It's just that I thought there would be artifacts and other stuff. I really like the echo location mechanic. Great job :)","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1147545,"author_name":"Verbante","author_uid":"verbante","epoch":1744458440,"text":"Game looks and feels cool, but I couldn't find which direction to go","format":"md","likes":2,"spam":"N"},{"id":1151610,"author_name":"ShaCoZha","author_uid":"shacozha","epoch":1744667786,"text":"Cool game, very innovative scenario and echo mechanism. Loved the theme, but could have more contents gameplay wise.","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1152022,"author_name":"Eugenik","author_uid":"eugenik","epoch":1744716439,"text":"Great game, I enjoyed it :).\n","format":"md","likes":1,"spam":"N"},{"id":1154084,"author_name":"AToxigner","author_uid":"atoxigner","epoch":1744960689,"text":"Very interesting mechanic, I like it! Great work in a 3 days jam! I think this mechanic is potential and can be further improved by adding more levels.","format":"md","likes":0,"spam":"N"},{"id":1154368,"author_name":"Jonathan Vogt","author_uid":"jonathan-vogt","epoch":1745002709,"text":"It's a cool game! I think the slow movement definitely adds to the tension, as does the audio. I love the reverb on the echolocation blink. I did find myself wishing the player sprite had some visual indicator, maybe a blur or something, to let us know we were moving as it can feel a bit aimless in environments with no walls or enemies. You embody the jam's theme well, though. Good job!","format":"md","likes":0,"spam":"N"},{"id":1156366,"author_name":"Helen","author_uid":"helen","epoch":1745362878,"text":"The echo is a cool idea! Sadly I was moving a really long time without seeing any walls or enemies (using the echolot). I was wondering if I was moving any longer. Maybe a little animation would have been nice to see the point is moving.","format":"md","likes":0,"spam":"N"},{"id":1156859,"author_name":"7uc4s","author_uid":"7uc4s","epoch":1745439566,"text":"Well, I don't mind the simple graphics, might even be a style, but most often I just ended up wandering around without finding anything to do :| maybe I wasn't patient enough?","format":"md","likes":0,"spam":"N"},{"id":1157093,"author_name":"RubixNoob13","author_uid":"rubixnoob13","epoch":1745477719,"text":"I like the minimalist aesthetic, and the echolocation is really cool (it reminds me of my LD48 entry Don't splat the Bat, where I came up with a similar mechanic)\n\nI got killed a couple times, then like others just found an endless void where I sank for a few minutes straight before giving up. It has a lot of potential though, good job!","format":"md","likes":0,"spam":"N"}],"format":"md","images":["ld57\/wayback-placeholder.png"],"links":[],"metadata":{"g_key":"96852","g_author":"1406825","g_event":"LD57","g_eventkey":"111","g_subevent":"JAM","g_urlkey":"448313","g_title":"Echo Diver","g_status":"WAYBACK","g_place":"795","g_commentcount":"15","g_site2_node_id":"408218","g_hide":"Y","g_has_icon":"Y","g_rqueue":"0","g_random":"0"},"nds":{"n_key":"408218","n_urlkey":"448313","n_parent":"406845","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/echo-diver","n_slug":"echo-diver","n_type":"item","n_subtype":"game","n_subsubtype":"jam","n_author":"406825","n_created":"1743337351","n_modified":"1779667866","n_version":"1303982","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD57","removed_author":false},"_superparent":9,"_trust":1,"author":406825,"body":"# Echo Diver\n\n## **Game Overview**\nEcho Diver is a minimalist 2D side-scrolling exploration game set in the depths of underwater caverns. Players navigate complete darkness using echolocation pulses that briefly illuminate their surroundings, creating a tense balance between visibility and safety. The objective is to explore as deeply as possible, discover hidden artifacts, and avoid lurking dangers - all while managing limited echolocation resources.\n\n## **Core Experience**\nSense of exploration and tension discovering deeper sea cave\n\n## **Core Gameplay**\n### **Core Gameplay Loop**\nPulse: Use echolocation to map the darkness (strategically).\n\nExplore: Discover paths, artifacts, and hidden dangers.\n\nEvade: Avoid creatures attracted by your pulses.\n\nEscape: Find the exit\u2014or push deeper for greater rewards.\n\n### **Camera & Perspective**\n- **2D Side-scrolling view** with left-to-right up-to-down progression\n- **Darkness system**: 90% of screen is pure black at all times\n- **Echolocation reveals** temporary silhouettes of environment\n\n### **Movement & Controls**\n\nSimple directional controls (WASD\/Arrow keys or joystick).Space to release echo.\n\nMovement is intentionally slow, emphasizing caution and exploration.\n\nPlayers drift slightly due to water currents, requiring gentle corrections.\n\n## **Mechanics**\n### **Dynamic Cave System**\n- **Different depth zones** with distinct challenges:\n  1. Shallows (wide passages, few threats)\n  2. Mid-depths (narrow tunnels, basic predators (slower, follows player))\n  3. Abyss (maze-like, advanced AI behaviors (eels, Chase after multiple pulses, hide in caves))\n  4. Depths + 1 when level uped\n\n### **Echolocation Strategy**\n- **Pulse energy meter** (recharges slowly)\n- **Environmental feedback**:\n  - Hard surfaces return clean echoes (show edge and danger)\n  - Voids return no echo (potential paths or pits)\n\n## **Risk\/Reward Systems**\n\n### **Artifact Collection** \n- **Ancient relics** (Branching Path Rewards)\n\n### **BlackSheepWall** \n\n- Glow faintly in darkness, will react to echo - shoot a larger once that would light the map.\n\n### **Creature AI** (Always showing the hostile fish?)\n| **Type** | **Behavior** | **Feature** |  \n|----------|-------------|----------------|  \n| **Passive Fish** | Swim in predictable patterns | Can be used as \"landmarks\" |  \n| **Curious Jellyfish (Could be integrated with Passive FIsh?)** | Follow pulses but don\u2019t attack | Distract predators |  \n| **Slow Triggerfish** | Slowly Chase all the time (once met?) | Patrolling |  \n| **Aggressive Eels(TBD)** | Chase after pulse, fast but periodically | Hide in narrow caves |  \n\n### **Traps**\n- Slow the player\n- Can be a way to eleminate enemy\n\n- Hot water (boils fish but allows diver through) \n- Collapsing Tunnel (Collapse after pulses) \n- Tangleweed (kill both)\n\n\n## **Visual & Audio Design**\n### **Art Style**\n- **High-contrast silhouettes** during pulses\n- **Minimalist UI** with only essential information\n- **Bio-luminescent accents** on creatures\/artifacts\n\n### **Sound Design**\n- **Directional audio cues** for threats\/rewards\n- **Echo simulation** (pitch shifts based on distance)\n- **Creature vocalizations** warn of nearby danger\n\n## Note\n\nDue to time limit this is only a demo. Complete game would contain multiple levels, and more mechanics.","comments":15,"comments-timestamp":"2025-04-24T06:55:19Z","created":"2025-03-30T12:22:31Z","files":[{"author":406825,"id":38647,"name":"LD57.zip","node":408218,"size":57258185,"status":9,"tag":0,"timestamp":"2025-04-07T13:04:01Z"}],"files-timestamp":"2025-04-07T13:04:01Z","grade":{"grade-01":22,"grade-02":22,"grade-03":22,"grade-04":22,"grade-05":22,"grade-06":22,"grade-07":18,"grade-08":22},"id":408218,"love":0,"magic":{"cool":132.51783128982,"feedback":11,"given":36,"grade":21.5,"grade-01-average":2.9,"grade-01-result":795,"grade-02-average":2.65,"grade-02-result":795,"grade-03-average":3.225,"grade-03-result":448,"grade-04-average":3.45,"grade-04-result":571,"grade-05-average":2.35,"grade-05-result":777,"grade-06-average":3.15,"grade-06-result":443,"grade-07-average":1.625,"grade-07-result":706,"grade-08-average":3.1,"grade-08-result":697,"smart":-4.5478595781576},"meta":{"author":[406825,408214,408215,408216,409657],"cover":"\/\/\/content\/925\/36\/z\/69d54.png","link-01-tag":[42332]},"meta-timestamp":"2026-05-25T00:11:06Z","modified":"2026-05-25T00:11:06Z","name":"Echo Diver","node-timestamp":"2025-04-08T10:19:13Z","parent":406845,"parents":[1,5,9,406845],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/57\/echo-diver","published":"2025-04-07T13:11:22Z","scope":"public","slug":"echo-diver","subsubtype":"jam","subtype":"game","type":"item","version":1303982},"text":"# Echo Diver\n\n## **Game Overview**\nEcho Diver is a minimalist 2D side-scrolling exploration game set in the depths of underwater caverns. Players navigate complete darkness using echolocation pulses that briefly illuminate their surroundings, creating a tense balance between visibility and safety. The objective is to explore as deeply as possible, discover hidden artifacts, and avoid lurking dangers - all while managing limited echolocation resources.\n\n## **Core Experience**\nSense of exploration and tension discovering deeper sea cave\n\n## **Core Gameplay**\n### **Core Gameplay Loop**\nPulse: Use echolocation to map the darkness (strategically).\n\nExplore: Discover paths, artifacts, and hidden dangers.\n\nEvade: Avoid creatures attracted by your pulses.\n\nEscape: Find the exit\u2014or push deeper for greater rewards.\n\n### **Camera & Perspective**\n- **2D Side-scrolling view** with left-to-right up-to-down progression\n- **Darkness system**: 90% of screen is pure black at all times\n- **Echolocation reveals** temporary silhouettes of environment\n\n### **Movement & Controls**\n\nSimple directional controls (WASD\/Arrow keys or joystick).Space to release echo.\n\nMovement is intentionally slow, emphasizing caution and exploration.\n\nPlayers drift slightly due to water currents, requiring gentle corrections.\n\n## **Mechanics**\n### **Dynamic Cave System**\n- **Different depth zones** with distinct challenges:\n  1. Shallows (wide passages, few threats)\n  2. Mid-depths (narrow tunnels, basic predators (slower, follows player))\n  3. Abyss (maze-like, advanced AI behaviors (eels, Chase after multiple pulses, hide in caves))\n  4. Depths + 1 when level uped\n\n### **Echolocation Strategy**\n- **Pulse energy meter** (recharges slowly)\n- **Environmental feedback**:\n  - Hard surfaces return clean echoes (show edge and danger)\n  - Voids return no echo (potential paths or pits)\n\n## **Risk\/Reward Systems**\n\n### **Artifact Collection** \n- **Ancient relics** (Branching Path Rewards)\n\n### **BlackSheepWall** \n\n- Glow faintly in darkness, will react to echo - shoot a larger once that would light the map.\n\n### **Creature AI** (Always showing the hostile fish?)\n| **Type** | **Behavior** | **Feature** |  \n|----------|-------------|----------------|  \n| **Passive Fish** | Swim in predictable patterns | Can be used as \"landmarks\" |  \n| **Curious Jellyfish (Could be integrated with Passive FIsh?)** | Follow pulses but don\u2019t attack | Distract predators |  \n| **Slow Triggerfish** | Slowly Chase all the time (once met?) | Patrolling |  \n| **Aggressive Eels(TBD)** | Chase after pulse, fast but periodically | Hide in narrow caves |  \n\n### **Traps**\n- Slow the player\n- Can be a way to eleminate enemy\n\n- Hot water (boils fish but allows diver through) \n- Collapsing Tunnel (Collapse after pulses) \n- Tangleweed (kill both)\n\n\n## **Visual & Audio Design**\n### **Art Style**\n- **High-contrast silhouettes** during pulses\n- **Minimalist UI** with only essential information\n- **Bio-luminescent accents** on creatures\/artifacts\n\n### **Sound Design**\n- **Directional audio cues** for threats\/rewards\n- **Echo simulation** (pitch shifts based on distance)\n- **Creature vocalizations** warn of nearby danger\n\n## Note\n\nDue to time limit this is only a demo. Complete game would contain multiple levels, and more mechanics.","title":"Echo Diver","wayback_recovered":true,"wayback_source":{"capture":{"original":"https:\/\/api-jam.ludumdare.com\/vx\/node2\/get\/408001+408002+408003+408004+408005+408006+408007+408008+408009+408010+408011+408012+408013+408014+408015+408016+408017+408018+408019+408020+408021+408022+408023+408024+408025+408026+408027+408028+408029+408030+408031+408032+408033+408034+408035+408036+408037+408038+408039+408040+408041+408042+408043+408044+408045+408046+408047+408048+408049+408050+408051+408052+408053+408054+408055+408056+408057+408058+408059+408060+408061+408062+408063+408064+408065+408066+408067+408068+408069+408070+408071+408072+408073+408074+408075+408076+408077+408078+408079+408080+408081+408082+408083+408084+408085+408086+408087+408088+408089+408090+408091+408092+408093+408094+408095+408096+408097+408098+408099+408100+408101+408102+408103+408104+408105+408106+408107+408108+408109+408110+408111+408112+408113+408114+408115+408116+408117+408118+408119+408120+408121+408122+408123+408124+408125+408126+408127+408128+408129+408130+408131+408132+408133+408134+408135+408136+408137+408138+408139+408140+408141+408142+408143+408144+408145+408146+408147+408148+408149+408150+408151+408152+408153+408154+408155+408156+408157+408158+408159+408160+408161+408162+408163+408164+408165+408166+408167+408168+408169+408170+408171+408172+408173+408174+408175+408176+408177+408178+408179+408180+408181+408182+408183+408184+408185+408186+408187+408188+408189+408190+408191+408192+408193+408194+408195+408196+408197+408198+408199+408200+408201+408202+408203+408204+408205+408206+408207+408208+408209+408210+408211+408212+408213+408214+408215+408216+408217+408218+408219+408220+408221+408222+408223+408224+408225+408226+408227+408228+408229+408230+408231+408232+408233+408234+408235+408236+408237+408238+408239+408240+408241+408242+408243+408244+408245+408246+408247+408248+408249+408250+408251+408252+408253+408254+408255+408256+408257+408258+408259+408260+408261+408262+408263+408264+408265+408266+408267+408268+408269+408270+408271+408272+408273+408274+408275+408276+408277+408278+408279+408280+408281+408282+408283+408284+408285+408286+408287+408288+408289+408290+408291+408292+408293+408294+408295+408296+408297+408298+408299+408300+408301+408302+408303+408304+408305+408306+408307+408308+408309+408310+408311+408312+408313+408314+408315+408316+408317+408318+408319+408320+408321+408322+408323+408324+408325+408326+408327+408328+408329+408330+408331+408332+408333+408334+408335+408336+408337+408338+408339+408340+408341+408342+408343+408344+408345+408346+408347+408348+408349+408350+408351+408352+408353+408354+408355+408356+408357+408358+408359+408360+408361+408362+408363+408364+408365+408366+408367+408368+408369+408370+408371+408372+408373+408374+408375+408376+408377+408378+408379+408380+408381+408382+408383+408384+408385+408386+408387+408388+408389+408390+408391+408392+408393+408394+408395+408396+408397+408398+408399+408400+408401+408402+408403+408404+408405+408406+408407+408408+408409+408410+408411+408412+408413+408414+408415+408416+408417+408418+408419+408420+408421+408422+408423+408424+408425+408426+408427+408428+408429+408430+408431+408432+408433+408434+408435+408436+408437+408438+408439+408440+408441+408442+408443+408444+408445+408446+408447+408448+408449+408450+408451+408452+408453+408454+408455+408456+408457+408458+408459+408460+408461+408462+408463+408464+408465+408466+408467+408468+408469+408470+408471+408472+408473+408474+408475+408476+408477+408478+408479+408480+408481+408482+408483+408484+408485+408486+408487+408488+408489+408490+408491+408492+408493+408494+408495+408496+408497+408498+408499+408500?authors&parents&superparent"},"object":"objects\/sha256\/54\/5492414629c90c3c7e6e17ce489f60e1dfdaa81e7b35d18b9ef9840a3239cc2f","record":"shard-0\/json-live-urgent-v3\/records\/27b39c5f13ac84c4d48a5e6d51e09c61842503df3df652abec39ef64f5db8436.json","sha256":"5492414629c90c3c7e6e17ce489f60e1dfdaa81e7b35d18b9ef9840a3239cc2f","source":"https","stored_at":1784022522}}