LudumData

Li-Buried by Jordanfb

[raw]
made by Jordanfb for Ludum Dare 57 (JAM)

JUST RELEASED A MAJOR POST-JAM VERSION! MAKE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE VERSION YOU WANT!

Dig catacombs under your library to store books for ghosts. A low stress game about organizing.

You've been placed in charge of a library in the middle of a graveyard. Your only patrons seem to be ghosts. But that won't stop you! What could stop you is that you seem to have no space for shelves. I guess it's a good thing you have your shovel?

Help the ghosts find the books that they want to take out of the library, and keep sorting the new books that keep on getting donated!

DrRbjyo3ON.png screenshots1.png screenshots2.png screenshots3.png

Controller support Saving+Loading

Controls: Keyboard+Mouse: wasd movement mouse camera Space to jump, double jump and hold to jetpack q/e to change what you're doing left click to interact/dig right click to place dirt down escape pause

Controller: Left stick movement Right stick camera Bottom button - jump, double jump and hold to jetpack Right trigger/Right button - interact/dig Left trigger - place dirt down start button - pause

Link https://jordanfb.itch.io/liburied
Link https://jordanfb.itch.io/liburied
Link https://jordanfb.itch.io/liburied
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/57/li-buried

Ratings

Overall 501th 3.465⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Fun 467th 3.337⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 211th 3.651⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Theme 705th 3.067⭐ 47🧑‍⚖️
Humor 94th 3.845⭐ 44🧑‍⚖️
Mood 404th 3.614⭐ 46🧑‍⚖️
Given 31🗳️ 74🗨️

Feedback

Ferit
08. Apr 2025 · 03:05 UTC
I coudnt really figure out the goal of the game.
But the mechanics are implemented really well!
bearcage
08. Apr 2025 · 03:24 UTC
Really creative concept, and super ambitious to go 3d in a weekend! I had some trouble with falling through the floor that made it a bit tricky, but still managed.

For anybody else playing on macOS, I used these apple docs to launch the game build: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-a-mac-app-from-an-unknown-developer-mh40616/mac
Bombelix
08. Apr 2025 · 03:36 UTC
Really cute. I genuinely smiled when I first saw a ghost smile!
The sheer impracticality of the concept is joyful, but makes me wonder why I would need to store anything underground in the first place. The mechanics work, and work well, and the mood is good.
I agree with you about billionaires <3
hollowheartedcabbage
08. Apr 2025 · 05:33 UTC
game looks so fun, really cute art
T C
08. Apr 2025 · 23:35 UTC
Interesting game! Figured out kind of what to do at the start, then accidentally dug when I tried to pick up a book, and discovered the digging mechanic. Had no idea what to do with it, and dug a really deep hole. Didn't really know what the goal or purpose was, but really dug the mood. Good work!
Wolfier
08. Apr 2025 · 23:37 UTC
The biggest problem I have is that you gave me tables but won't let me place them in a satisfying way, it would be better if the game had the physics enabled by default for carried things instead of until i drop them.

I like the concept though, where your efficiency is based on your own ability to organize nonsense
🎤 Jordanfb
08. Apr 2025 · 23:50 UTC
whoops this is a comment I made on the wrong game. Ignore!
🎤 Jordanfb
08. Apr 2025 · 23:59 UTC
@wolfier Thanks! Yeah originally the construction mode was intended to let you organize tables and place walls and floors and stairs and real shelves not just tables, but uhhhh turns out the game jam time limit got me. I'll definitely be releasing an updated version a little later that lets you set the position of things "correctly" with the editor mode and a few more things I wish I had had time for.

@ everyone else, thanks for playing and thanks for the feedback!
Akinat0
09. Apr 2025 · 00:40 UTC
Linux and MacOS builds o_O Rare animals on game jams. Good job!
Keith Wang
09. Apr 2025 · 00:53 UTC
Smiling ghosts are so adorable. Really cool concepts as well.
BTW, I also end up digging a giant hole.
gquibao
09. Apr 2025 · 01:45 UTC
Cool concept, it's very original and funny. It took me a while to realize I could dig stuff and as soon as I found out I started digging a giant hole. I loved the book titles and the graves. Great work!
apt_prose7
09. Apr 2025 · 03:40 UTC
Creepy ghosts...
ScoobySnacks
09. Apr 2025 · 09:15 UTC
Digging was more fun than library stuff tbh
Velis69
09. Apr 2025 · 14:39 UTC
Minecraft for book lovers, funny) Check our game too comrade!
Papaye Dodue
09. Apr 2025 · 14:48 UTC
Really cute game but I don't understand the point of the digging mechanic? Maybe I missed something? I really liked giving books to ghost! They're little smile was adorable!
artemco
09. Apr 2025 · 18:28 UTC
This game, at its core, doesn’t offer much in terms of mechanics or innovation, but wow — it’s surprisingly addictive. I ended up playing it for half an hour with some chill YouTube music in the background. The vibe is awesome, and it really feels like the kind of game you often see pop off on streams — simple, catchy, and super fun.

I’m giving it 5 stars in every category except Theme and Audio (since there’s no music in the game).

Even though the game is great, the theme about "depths" wasn’t fully explored in my opinion — but I still had a lot of fun!
infecsean
10. Apr 2025 · 20:17 UTC
It has a good gameplay loop, but would probably get stale quickly, and I don't really get the place of the hole digging thing, and it is oftentimes unclear where the interact dialogue would pop up, but I can imagine playing this if it's polished enough!
Mamboman
10. Apr 2025 · 20:59 UTC
Nice concept! It took me a while to figure out, that I can dig. The overall idea is great. Finally some time to read :)
nrankin13
11. Apr 2025 · 12:15 UTC
I couldn't really figure out how to dig, but I had fun helping the ghosts. :) Cute concept, and I also loved the book titles (Spiritual Practices of St. Ignatius, Early Years of the Angelic Doctor). :D
muriel
13. Apr 2025 · 12:59 UTC
![Screenshot 2025-04-13 145817.png](///raw/98c/1/z/6c205.png)

On windows I managed to fall off the map, I used the direct download.
🎤 Jordanfb
15. Apr 2025 · 04:46 UTC
Sorry to hear that @muriel it should be fixed in the post jam version on itch, but you can also use the pause menu "I'm stuck" button to have it teleport you back to the surface.
HexStart
20. Apr 2025 · 21:49 UTC
I gotta say, this is a great concept, even though it wasn't fully realized during the jam. I just really dig the idea of a library for ghosts, that you can fly around in and manage as an owl.

I'd say, drop the voxel digging part, possibly even the construction mechanics, just have a library-level with unlockable shelves, rooms etc - and focus on book organizing and interacting with ghosts.

The fact that all books are real books that you can read - while I think that it'd probably be easier design-wise to go with custom books (well, titles+abstracts rather than full books probably), it is impressive and sort of inspiring that the game supports loading in real-world works.

Good stuff right there, definitely made an impression on me :purple_heart:
Jorgen
22. Apr 2025 · 01:49 UTC
Really fun game, I got hooked into it and helped all the ghosts! Digging seemed kinda unnecessary though, I managed without it, not sure if I missed something.
Zettelkasten
23. Apr 2025 · 19:58 UTC
I tried playing the post-jam MacOS version and it says `"LiBuried" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash.` :cry:
geometer
23. Apr 2025 · 20:02 UTC
The mechanic where it pulls real books from Project Gutenberg is really cool