{"author_name":"EncryptedShadow","cat":"LD #20 - It's Dangerous to go Alone! Take This!","comments":[],"epoch":1304419620,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"65763","p_author":"EncryptedShadow","p_authorkey":"4144","p_urlkey":"101559","p_title":"Ludum Dare 20 is OVER! And B.Y.O.B is born","p_cat":"LD #20 - It's Dangerous to go Alone! Take This!","p_event":"LD20","p_time":"1304419620","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"4144","us_name":"EncryptedShadow","us_username":"encryptedshadow","event_start":"1304035200","event_key":"6","event_name":"LD20"},"text":"

Right, I know I said there would be posts about how it was going and what I was doing as Ludum Dare was going on. And I do apologize, for the obvious lack of them.<\/p>\n

So here they are all bundled into one big post.<\/p>\n

The theme for Ludum Dare 20 was – “It’s Dangerous To Go Alone. Take This.”
\n In which fof the first hour or so, I couldnt find a single good story idea.
\n So I opted for Plan B – even though Plan B never exixted in the first place.
\n And Plan B was – make the game in XNA!<\/p>\n

Brilliant plan – although my XNA skills werent the greatest, especially in the 2D department.
\n But now that I look upon how it did go, it went pretty darn good \":)\"<\/p>\n

So…with some start on what programme I was going to use, the coding began.
\n With photoshop open as well, I made small pictures to go in and within the first hour or two, had a small red and blue square moving around the screen.<\/p>\n

My idea to tie this into the theme – the most important part of Ludum Dare – was that as it is dangerous to go alone. Why not take someone on the journey with you. – Hence the 2 squares. One controlled with the W,A,S,D keys, and the other the arrow directional ones.<\/p>\n

The name of the game wasnt thought up until the Sunday, so almost the end of the competition.
\n The name I created was – B.Y.O.B
\n Now, this had two names depending on how you played, i.e. by yourself, or with a friend
\n If, by yourself, the game title is: Be Your Own Buddy
\n and if you are playing with a friend: Bring Your Own Buddy.
\n Still linking back to the not to go alone, take something with you aspect.<\/p>\n

Altogether 3 levels were created, and due to terrible coding writing, the only way to link them was seperately, but putting them in password protected folders, with the password for each at the end of the previous level.
\n There was also a “Secrets” folder with an achievement in it, once you got the password at the end of level 3 – effectively completing the game.<\/p>\n

If you want to play – entirely for free – click this link and download it.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.mediafire.com\/?ax2fze2fiue729l<\/p>\n

Once you extract the files – READ the instructions text file FIRST!
\n That is the most important step, as if you dont have a certain something you wont be able to play – but tells you how to get it!<\/p>\n

It isnt a very long game, and for my first ever Ludum Dare entry – I think it turned out amazingly.
\n Let me know what you all think \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n

And below is the gameplay video and playthrough I made!
\n Enjoy –<\/p>\n