Over the last couple of weeks I've been hard at work reviewing and redesigning my Ludum Dare entry, The Dark Cave. Based on all the positive feedback and attention the game has received, I have decided to continue development into a full game. Your feedback has been an invaluable part of this process and is deeply appreciated, thank you.

If you would like some context, you can check it out on Browser and Windows Desktop here: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/46/the-quiet-caves

One of the best features to have come out of the game was the 'sound mechanic'. As many of you have pointed out, this mechanic was underused within my Jam entry. As part of the post-jam development I have been heavily experimenting with the sound mechanic, creating a bunch of really fun game-play elements and systems that I am currently still exploring and developing. I believe there is a lot that can be done with this mechanic and I'm really enjoying playing around with it - the game is practically designing itself at this point.

New Content - Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak at one of the new enemy types you'll encounter. The currently unnamed 'Spiky Ball' creature telegraphs its attack direction to the player. Once it hears a sound it moves over to that location and sets a new target path, killing whatever creature is in its way. One or two of these can be quite easy to avoid, but things get a lot more complicated and fun when lots are on screen at once.

Artistic Direction

Although it wasn't my intention, I had accidentally created an atmospheric art style out of squares and some lighting. This became one of the most liked aspects of the game and a leading factor in further design decisions during the jam.

Post-Jam I have been experimenting with different ideas and tools to both improve and speed up the artistic development of the game. However, I still want to keep the same black and grey aesthetic as I feel it lends itself well to a game about blind creatures living in a dark cave.

One aspect I've been experimenting with is the use of parallax effects. I originally took a scripted approach to this, but eventually ended up using a perspective camera instead. It still needs work, but I currently like the results so far and believe it could add a lot to the atmosphere when properly used.

The gif compression made it difficult to properly distinguish the layers, but here is an example of how this looks at the moment:

Next Steps

I've already designed some of the areas and a bunch of fun creatures and challenges. The controls have been improved and I'm currently experimenting with climbing ropes and rock formations. I've been experimenting with different character designs and story elements, but I don't want to say much more at this stage.

I'm excited to share more in the future!

Thank You!

The feedback and support for my game entry has been so inspiring. This really is an amazing community and I can't thank you all enough!

If you would like to follow the post-jam development of The Dark Cave, I'll be posting updates on my Twitter from time to time.

I'm Tom, and you can find me on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/DeveloperTom1

The Dark Cave - A Small Atmospheric Platformer

Check it out on Browser and Windows Desktop here:

https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/46/the-quiet-caves