{"author_name":"alexlarioza","cat":"LD #20 - It's Dangerous to go Alone! Take This!","comments":[],"epoch":1304440200,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"65751","p_author":"alexlarioza","p_authorkey":"3079","p_urlkey":"101547","p_title":"Torch \u2013 Post Mortem","p_cat":"LD #20 - It's Dangerous to go Alone! Take This!","p_event":"LD20","p_time":"1304440200","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"3079","us_name":"alexlarioza","us_username":"alexlarioza","event_start":"1304035200","event_key":"6","event_name":"LD20"},"text":"

Instead of copying and pasting my post from my own blog, I will write one just for LD!<\/p>\n

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The most important fact, as with any Ludum Dare, is that I was able to finish! I originally thought I wouldn’t have enough time to get it done, so I threw in the towel roughly 8 hours before. I had second thoughts a few hours later and quickly rushed back into coding. Thankfully I had just enough time to finish it!<\/p>\n

Even though this was my first time making a platformer, I’m feel that it isn’t just another run of the mill platform game. I wanted the torch to be part<\/em> of the player so those moments are more\u00a0intense\u00a0when you aren’t holding the torch. I think this worked quite well, but sound effects and a sound track really would have helped the\u00a0atmosphere.<\/p>\n

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I usually use 8bit graphics, but I wanted to\u00a0simplify\u00a0them further so I wouldn’t be hung on graphics during the competition. I wanted to be spending more time with the\u00a0actual\u00a0level design. So I opted for 8×8 sprites scaled to 4x times their size. While it gave the game a\u00a0cutesy\u00a0feel, it made text feel awkward as it looks huge on screen. The furthest I’m going to go next time is 2x or I will scale the graphics in my image editor instead of doing it through code.<\/p>\n

As I said before, this was my first time making a platformer and I was worried about it being too easy. From the feedback I’ve been given so far, I’ve found that it’s far from easy. There was also an issue near the end of the level where players thought they need to make a blind jump, when in reality they had missed the hidden passage. I’ll make it more obvious in the post-compo version. ;]<\/p>\n

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Speaking of post-compo, I’ve already added\/fixed a bunch of things. Notably I’ve fixed the physics for both the torch and the player so things should be much smoother. I also added much needed particle effects to the torch. I should be releasing it sometime in the next few weeks!<\/p>\n

Until then…don’t drop your torch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

>>Torch Play and Rate!<\/a><<<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Tags: action<\/a>, creatures<\/a>, dark<\/a>, light<\/a>, platformer<\/a>, postmortem<\/a>, torch<\/a><\/p>","time":"May 3rd, 2011 11:30 am","title":"Torch \u2013 Post Mortem"}