{"author_name":"brandoncash","cat":"LD #17 - Islands - 2010","comments":[{"author_name":"","time":"April 27, 2010 7:25 pm","epoch":1272414300,"text":"It is mentioned in the rules, unless you are blind. Don’t pretend like past rules are invalid.","spam":"N"},{"author_name":"","time":"April 27, 2010 7:25 pm","epoch":1272414300,"text":"Yeah, LD is a purely solo competition. It’s a really big deal that it is, one of the major things differentiating it from other, much stupider, competitions. I can’t argue the fact that it’s missing from the rules though! Those rules need massive work, and we’ve said that many times over the past couple years, but it’s just not getting done. I want that to be the #1 priority before the next LD. Big bold print, simple and clear, right in your face, not hidden in a wiki. I probably should help in some way, perhaps. I think having those clear and upfront is a lot more important than enhanced voting schemes and fancy functionality stuff.","spam":"N"},{"author_name":"","time":"April 27, 2010 7:51 pm","epoch":1272415860,"text":"Well that is a shame, changed my votes to n\/a, but don’t be discouraged – it really is a great game and I’m looking forward to seeing your next entry.","spam":"N"},{"author_name":"","time":"April 27, 2010 10:18 pm","epoch":1272424680,"text":"I agree that the rules (and wiki\/site in general) could use some work, especially in organization. It also doesn’t help that there are lines which support the idea that teams are okay, like “250+ entrants and 120+ Entries<\/em>.” Well, if there are 250 entrants and only 120 entries, and you assume more than 48% of those people will enter a submission, then the logical assumption would be that there are some teams.","spam":"N"}],"epoch":1272413700,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"70605","p_author":"brandoncash","p_authorkey":"2012","p_urlkey":"106426","p_title":"What didn\u2019t make it in + answers","p_cat":"LD #17 - Islands - 2010","p_event":"LD17","p_time":"1272413700","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"4","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"2012","us_name":"brandoncash","us_username":"brandoncash","event_start":"1271980800","event_key":"3","event_name":"LD17"},"text":"

So, it’s been a couple days since the end of the competition, and I don’t have any posts here, so it certainly seems a good a time as any to change that. \u00a0I’ll take this time to describe the grand dreams we had working on Eden Island<\/a>, as well as answer a few things people have written in their comments. \u00a0I’d also like to thank everyone for taking the time to review the game and give some good feedback.<\/p>\n

First off, what didn’t make it in. \u00a0You got to see the pirates, but what you didn’t get to see was the extremely awesome sea monster <\/strong>which destroys the ship. \u00a0The art was done, the ship getting destroyed looked perfect–I just didn’t have time to add the sea monster. \u00a0Eventually the sea monster will eat your pirates (and probably monkeys, if the pirates haven’t killed them) if there are too many of them.<\/p>\n

The concept of the game was not to be plot based at all–it’s not an evolution from sand to trees to monkeys to pirates to sea monkeys–it’s a combination of everything to create a balanced island. \u00a0If you have too many monkeys, you are going to attract pirates (clearly for their luxurious fur); if you have too many pirates, you’re going to attract a sea monster; if you have a sea monster, you’re going to have a destroyed island–back to square 1. \u00a0While it is a “god game,” you do not have direct control over anything, really; all you can do is influence what is happening.<\/p>\n

There is also going to be a lot more interaction between elements in the coming versions. \u00a0For instance, you might notice now that if you have multiple waves of pirates, your monkeys will probably stop throwing coconuts at them. \u00a0That means they have run out of them, and they can’t get more. \u00a0So the monkey will either have to leave the tree, or a pirate will likely chop it down, since the monkey is no longer trying to kill him.<\/p>\n

Rain currently grows your trees, and it will continue to do so. \u00a0However, the effect you see now is more for storms; in the later releases, you will start off with light rain, and it will work its way into a storm. \u00a0Storms will damage your trees, pirates, and other stuff.<\/p>\n

Okay, now for some answers to the comments you have all graciously left us.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, several people have stated that the competition must be done solo. \u00a0Well, if that were the case, why do the rules make no mention of it? \u00a0I started off under the full assumption that it was a solo competition, but when Germille offered his fantastic artistic skills, I closely checked the rules to see if I had to do everything myself. \u00a0And guess what? \u00a0There is no mention of it being a solo competition in the rules.<\/strong> So, I gladly accepted his services–and clearly the game was better off for that.<\/p>\n

Another big point is that it’s not really a game. \u00a0Well, it’s not a game yet.<\/em> Unfortunately I am quite the perfectionist, so I spent far too long getting cool effects in the game than I did developing actual gameplay. \u00a0At least I have a lot more planned to go in than what you see now. \u00a0Fortunately, I did in 36 hours what I haven’t done on some games in several years. \u00a0It was truly an experience. \u00a0It was my first Ludum Dare, but it will definitely not be my last.<\/p>\n

Okay, now for some specific replies:<\/p>\n

smn said it was like a zen garden. \u00a0I really like this comparison–it is truly meant to be a world you sculpt and of which you must take careful care.<\/p>\n

It inspires jplur to learn flixel<\/a>: quite a big honor, I believe. \u00a0I’m glad my game can inspire anyone to do anything–and learning to make a game in flixel is a noble cause and really quite easy.<\/p>\n

increpare: at the moment, you can only have 4 or so plants on screen at a time. \u00a0This should mean that you always have monkeys on the ground, otherwise when the pirates come it’d be too easy to just kill them all. \u00a0Certainly this will change when there is more interaction between pirates and trees, pirates and monkeys, and monkeys and trees.<\/p>\n

zez: about the trees’ bounding boxes: yes, they are quite terrible, and I have redone them significantly in my local copy. \u00a0I have also fixed the “drop a monkey on a tree and he starts climbing” bug, as well as the “climb up an invisible trunk” bug. \u00a0There are probably also a myriad of others I have fixed, and many more I haven’t noticed. \u00a0I definitely welcome all bug reports!<\/p>\n

refrag: glad you like it! \u00a0I’m honored that it’s your favorite so far. \u00a0I think you’ll be really knocked out when the sea monster comes after your pirates, too! \u00a0Sorry to hear that you dinged me for not doing it solo, but I was very careful to follow the rules.<\/p>\n

xeon06: you’re probably dropping them from too high, so they’re dying on impact. \u00a0There’ll be a ‘splat’ sound and graphic for that later… \":)\"<\/p>\n

So, I’m glad if you’ve enjoyed playing, and if you didn’t, I’ll be glad to remedy that! \u00a0Let me know what I can do to make it better.<\/p>","time":"April 27th, 2010 7:15 pm","title":"What didn\u2019t make it in + answers"}