{"author_name":"GagaPete","cat":"LD #33","comments":[],"epoch":1440631320,"likes":1,"metadata":{"p_key":"13348","p_author":"GagaPete","p_authorkey":"16147","p_urlkey":"48603","p_title":"Underbed Monster \u2013 Postjam update","p_cat":"LD #33","p_event":"LD33","p_time":"1440631320","p_likes":"1","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"16147","us_name":"GagaPete","us_username":"\/author\/gagapete\/","event_start":"1440115200","event_key":"29","event_name":"LD33"},"text":"<p>Ludum Dare 33 was an awesome event and after cooling down for a few days and playing some awesome enties, I&#8217;d like to give a postjam update.<\/p>\n <p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-33\/?action=preview&amp;uid=16147\"><img src=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/postmorten_screenshot-300x225.png\" alt=\"Underbed Monster\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-495805\" srcset=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/postmorten_screenshot-300x225.png 300w, http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/postmorten_screenshot-550x413.png 550w, http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/postmorten_screenshot.png 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n <p style=\"text-align: center\">\n <a style=\"font-size: 1.4em;padding-top: 0.4em\" href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-33\/?action=preview&amp;uid=16147\">Underbed Monster &#8211; Play now<\/a><\/p>\n <h3>About the Game<\/h3>\n <p>Underbed Monster is a stealth game, where you have to get to under peoples beds without being seen. You can also eat kittens, so the game can&#8217;t be that bad!<br \/>\n I actually think this is my second or third best entry in Ludum Dare so far. As opposed to my previous two attempts, it is actually a completed game and not only some broken prototype.<\/p>\n <h3>What went right?<\/h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <strong>Working with the theme<\/strong><br \/>\n Before the jam, I hoped that the theme <em>You are the monster<\/em> wouldn&#8217;t make it because it felt too similar to LD25s <em>You are the villain<\/em> to me. But when it was announced I had to work with it and I think it turned out great. Next time I won&#8217;t have any prejudice against specific themes.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Using Pixi.js<\/strong><br \/>\n While I had some difficulties with Pixi.js (I haven&#8217;t figured out sorting yet), it allowed me to iterate faster and to focus on content, less on rendering optimizations. The scene graph allowed me to create scene transitions, a simple effect that makes the game feel way more polished.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Using Tiled<\/strong><br \/>\n When I had the initial concept written down I noticed that this game would require me to build quite some levels. Since I didn&#8217;t wanted to spend time on a level editor ingame, I started Tiled that I had installed but hadn&#8217;t used before just to check it out. As I&#8217;ve seen that it can export .csv-files I immediately started using it for constructing my levels. It is an awesome tool I&#8217;ll have in my toolbox for the next LDjam.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Doing the dirty things<\/strong><br \/>\n This time, I forced myself to write the most dirty code possible without any clear structure or &#8220;If you do it know you can later&#8230;&#8221;. You won&#8217;t. Due to this the source code of the game is a mess (you can take a look), but it worked and allowed me to get things done faster.<br \/>\n That also included that some of the &#8220;game logic&#8221; is actually included in the levels. Walls are not solid because they are walls but because they are on the wall layer. Same with balls\/boxes and alike. This allowed me to pixel some new stuff, place it on the wall layer and et voil\u00e0, a solid object. <img src=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/simple-smile.png\" alt=\":)\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <h3>What went wrong?<\/h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <strong>Not finishing my toolchain<\/strong><br \/>\n I&#8217;ve setted up a <a href=\"http:\/\/gruntjs.com\/\">grunt<\/a>-based toolchain with automatic CoffeScript to JavaScript compilation including minification but it hadn&#8217;t included other gamedev related tasks like spritesheet construction nor image optimization. That should be included in the toolchain for the next time.<br \/>\n I also plan to include a distribution process for the next LD so I didn&#8217;t have to extract all the necessary files manually but get them packed nicely by grunt.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Not finishing features<\/strong><br \/>\n The initial idea for kittens was, that they make noise when they notice you so the people run there. That would&#8217;ve allowed to use them as a distraction but that would&#8217;ve meant I need to implement pathfinding. Thus I dropped it and made kittens an eatable gimmick.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Not testing a last time completely before submission<\/strong><br \/>\n It seems like I introduced a bug during the final hour before submission. Whenever you get caught by a person, the level should simply restart but actually it resets the game and shows the end screen. That should&#8217;ve been corrected before submission.\n <\/li>\n <li>\n <strong>Not making music Music<\/strong><br \/>\n Yet another silent Ludum Dare entry made by me. I&#8217;ll probably never learn.\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <h3>The future<\/h3>\n <p>I haven&#8217;t yet started on expanding it due to long working hours but if I get into making a postjam version I&#8217;ll post on my Twitter account and may here in the blog. May I never start expending it, who knows.<\/p>\n <h3>Thanks<\/h3>\n <p>Thanks to all those who commented or lets played my game and to all those who will. It makes me smile if I see people are enjoying my game, preferably with some kind suggestions that would improve the experience.<br \/>\n And a huge thanks to my <strong>awesome wife<\/strong>, who has supported and fed me the whole weekend (kinda). \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n <p>PS: I&#8217;d like to suggest a few other games. <a href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-33\/?action=preview&amp;uid=55030\">Misunderstanding<\/a> for the depth hidden behind some nasty bugs, <a href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-33\/?action=preview&amp;uid=5068\">Poust<\/a> because it&#8217;s awesome and <a href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-33\/?action=preview&amp;uid=55052\">The Slimy Jumper<\/a> because I know the dev in RL. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>","time":"August 26th, 2015 6:22 pm","title":"Underbed Monster \u2013 Postjam update"}