{"author_link":"\/users\/timonpoika","author_name":"Timonpoika","author_uid":"timonpoika","comments":[],"epoch":1728392553,"event":"LD56","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":404938,"likes":3,"metadata":{"p_key":"208521","p_author":"Timonpoika","p_authorkey":"1401343","p_urlkey":"446885","p_title":"Post observations on Super Antbox","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD56","p_time":"1728392553","p_likes":"3","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1401343","us_name":"Timonpoika","us_username":"timonpoika","event_start":"1728000000","event_key":"115","event_name":"Ludum Dare 56"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD56","removed_author":false},"_superparent":395186,"_trust":1,"author":401343,"body":"![SuperAntbox2024-10-0815-06-38-Trim-ezgif.com-optimize.gif](\/\/\/raw\/fbf\/16\/z\/67dfa.gif)\n\n[Play Super Antbox!](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/56\/super-antbox)\n\n#### Im happy that I've finally put something out, since I've been stuck in prototype limbo for a good year. This game has some interesting aspects, but clearly shows some hasty flaws.###\n\n## Approach on design and visuals\n\nMy plan was to make a diorama-like game, that takes a lot of visual and design cues from __Gamecube era Sega__ games, as an example __Skies of Arcadia Legends__ and __Super Monkey Ball.__ I'm such a fool for level based games and this approach worked flawlessly, letting the skybox do the heavy lifting and subtract all maps as a floating cutouts. I'm really happy how visually coherent this became and how fun it was to work on it.\n\nThe opening screen is definitely one of my favorites, showing that era-specific lightness and optimism. I found out that it needed some movement, so I reused the asset placement randomizer and made it loop top to bottom. ***chefs kiss***\n\n### Design through theme\n\nTiny creatures clearly meant _point-of-view_ for me, so it was somewhat natural to make something that resembles diorama. Anything can look tiny based on the perspective. I thought about it overnight and my mind was set on multiple creatures - which means traffic - which led to __controlling the traffic__. I had some thoughts about __HUMANITY__, game revolving around leading crowds, but i wanted to steer away from grid base , so I came up with suggesting path changes to ants.\n\nIt was all fairly straight forward, until it became apparent that hivemind isnt a simple task to imitate. I went with __Navmesh__ solution, gave the ants some incentives to find new waypoints and tested for a solid day. There was always something bugging me, ants heading back to visit newly found locations, getting stuck in traffic and many other issues. At the end I settled with one path that ants update together, but keep their own until respawn.\n\nLast design changes like ants lifting the crumbles, came just few hours before deadline. Same time I started implementing the logic behind feromone tracks, but simplified it to single locations. Sadly the predictability of ants and paths didn't become clear or easy to understand, so I kept this sandboxy in many senses. __No tutorial, no explanations, just experimenting.__\n\nCleaning ants logic and making the interaction more readable would make it quite an interesting game with unique gameplay.\n\n\n#### This game really hits me personally with the aesthetics, overall feeling and gameplay. I'm having serious urges to develop it more, create more ant varieties, enemies and different obstacles. __How do you think?__ Would love to hear some thoughts and how you've felt about it!\n\n__Thank you for reading!__\n","comments":0,"created":"2024-10-08T11:21:29Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":404938,"love":3,"love-timestamp":"2024-10-09T00:52:45Z","meta":[],"modified":"2024-10-09T00:52:45Z","name":"Post observations on Super Antbox","node-timestamp":"2024-10-08T13:42:25Z","parent":401345,"parents":[1,5,9,395186,401345],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/56\/super-antbox\/post-observations-on-super-antbox","published":"2024-10-08T13:02:33Z","scope":"public","slug":"post-observations-on-super-antbox","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1270357},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"404938","n_urlkey":"446885","n_parent":"401345","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/56\/super-antbox\/post-observations-on-super-antbox","n_slug":"post-observations-on-super-antbo","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"401343","n_created":"1728386489","n_modified":"1728435165","n_version":"1270357","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/56\/super-antbox\/post-observations-on-super-antbox","text":"![SuperAntbox2024-10-0815-06-38-Trim-ezgif.com-optimize.gif](\/\/\/raw\/fbf\/16\/z\/67dfa.gif)\n\n[Play Super Antbox!](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/56\/super-antbox)\n\n#### Im happy that I've finally put something out, since I've been stuck in prototype limbo for a good year. This game has some interesting aspects, but clearly shows some hasty flaws.###\n\n## Approach on design and visuals\n\nMy plan was to make a diorama-like game, that takes a lot of visual and design cues from __Gamecube era Sega__ games, as an example __Skies of Arcadia Legends__ and __Super Monkey Ball.__ I'm such a fool for level based games and this approach worked flawlessly, letting the skybox do the heavy lifting and subtract all maps as a floating cutouts. I'm really happy how visually coherent this became and how fun it was to work on it.\n\nThe opening screen is definitely one of my favorites, showing that era-specific lightness and optimism. I found out that it needed some movement, so I reused the asset placement randomizer and made it loop top to bottom. ***chefs kiss***\n\n### Design through theme\n\nTiny creatures clearly meant _point-of-view_ for me, so it was somewhat natural to make something that resembles diorama. Anything can look tiny based on the perspective. I thought about it overnight and my mind was set on multiple creatures - which means traffic - which led to __controlling the traffic__. I had some thoughts about __HUMANITY__, game revolving around leading crowds, but i wanted to steer away from grid base , so I came up with suggesting path changes to ants.\n\nIt was all fairly straight forward, until it became apparent that hivemind isnt a simple task to imitate. I went with __Navmesh__ solution, gave the ants some incentives to find new waypoints and tested for a solid day. There was always something bugging me, ants heading back to visit newly found locations, getting stuck in traffic and many other issues. At the end I settled with one path that ants update together, but keep their own until respawn.\n\nLast design changes like ants lifting the crumbles, came just few hours before deadline. Same time I started implementing the logic behind feromone tracks, but simplified it to single locations. Sadly the predictability of ants and paths didn't become clear or easy to understand, so I kept this sandboxy in many senses. __No tutorial, no explanations, just experimenting.__\n\nCleaning ants logic and making the interaction more readable would make it quite an interesting game with unique gameplay.\n\n\n#### This game really hits me personally with the aesthetics, overall feeling and gameplay. I'm having serious urges to develop it more, create more ant varieties, enemies and different obstacles. __How do you think?__ Would love to hear some thoughts and how you've felt about it!\n\n__Thank you for reading!__\n","title":"Post observations on Super Antbox","wayback_source":[]}