It’s becoming pretty apparent that I’m not going to make the game I was imagining two evenings ago. However, I think it’s okay. I certainly learned a lot as this was the first game I’ve ever made where I integrated a physics engine on my own. I’m hoping I’ll be able to polish what I have and add some levels. I think it will be better at this point to make a reasonably interesting game with crappy art than a crappy game with mediocre art which seem, unfortunately, to be my options. Maybe I can add enough to the background or some brief intro to at least express that this is occurring on an abandoned space station. Which was the reason I decided to do this game as I think that expresses the theme of being utterly alone in the black of space. My original plan was to have the player investigate why the space station was abandoned in the first place, and eventually find out that a portal had been found to some sort of alien world, tying into the larger theme of “are we alone?” in the universe.

But it looks like I’ll wind up with more of an abstract platformer, or a prototype of the other game.

I’m thinking for the next LD I’ll try to get a team together and do the jam. I asked an artist friend of mine if he wanted to work together on a game for this jam but he was too busy this weekend. Like I said I am not an artist and making art is a real chore for me, but I think the game would be improved by it.

My remaining to-do list:

High priority:
 * Implement some of the levels I designed on paper
 * Add in-game play instructions on level 1 - maybe an image
 * Title game, don't forget to change program title also
 
 Medium priority:
 * Allow player to mantle around corners in climb mode
 * Make a little more effort on the level art... static BG image might work
 
 Low priority:
 * Restrict jump aim to 90 degrees from contact normal in either direction
 * Replace jump line with line & cool looking cursor
 * Restrict cursor to set distance from player
 * Implement jump charge by holding mouse
 * Story? Maybe not at this point...
 * See if there's some way to keep the player from phasing through walls (the jump restriction will probably help with this)
 * For final distribution, package each OS version seperately