{"author_link":"\/users\/cat-in-hat-games","author_name":"Cat In Hat games","author_uid":"cat-in-hat-games","comments":[],"epoch":1776723593,"event":"LD59","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":430659,"likes":2,"metadata":{"p_key":"96128","p_author":"Cat In Hat games","p_authorkey":"1424700","p_urlkey":"311649","p_title":"Pinky Guard: A Love Letter to a Universe We Care About","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD59","p_time":"1776723593","p_likes":"2","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1424700","us_name":"Cat In Hat games","us_username":"cat-in-hat-games","event_start":"1776470400","event_key":"113","event_name":"Ludum Dare 59"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD59","removed_author":false},"_superparent":424249,"_trust":1,"author":424700,"body":"This project means a bit more to us than just a jam entry.\n![photo_2026-04-20_01-20-57.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/7109f.jpg)\n\n**Pinky Guard** is based on a cartoon series by Luke Humphris \u2014 something a few people on our team have genuinely loved for a long time.\n\nA few months ago, we decided to take it seriously and try to reach out to Luke. It took a while (and quite a few attempts), but we eventually got in touch \u2014 and received his permission to create a game in this universe for the jam.\n\nHe **knows about the project, and that matters a lot to us.**\n\nWe treat the original with a lot of respect. Even though the source material is quite compact, we're trying to explore its potential \u2014 carefully expanding the world while keeping its tone and spirit.\n\nRight now, this is a prototype \u2014 a short experience we're building during the jam. But we also see it as a way to introduce more people to this universe.\n\nAnd, honestly, we really hope Luke will like what we make.\n\n# But what about the jam itself?\n\nThis is where things get\u2026 complicated.\n\nMaybe we were just one day short.\nOr maybe\u2026 one programmer.\n\nHaving a bigger team sounded like an advantage \u2014 but in reality, it slowed us down more than we expected. And now we're at that familiar point where a lot is done\u2026 but not the most important part.\n\nThe core gameplay isn't fully there yet \u2014 which, as you can imagine, is critical.\n\n## What we *have* done:\nContent-wise, we've made strong progress:\n\n* Map is assembled\n* Audio is in place\n* Characters are ready\n![PinkyGuard_icon.png](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/71119.png)\n\nSome systems are already **working**:\n* Character movement\n* Role assignment\n* Tech tree\n* Task system\n![Screenshot_10\u0432\u0432\u0432.png](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/71101.png)\n## What's still missing or incomplete:\n* Animations (some actions still have none)\n* Progression and win\/lose states\n* The celestial activity system (not even started yet)\n* Parts of the UI\n* Lighting and color filtering (our current shader breaks the palette we carefully chose)\n* No random event system yet\nYes, it is a lot...\n\nRight now, we're pushing to finish character spawning and at least bring everything into a playable state.\n\nTesting\u2026 didn't really happen.\nBalancing \u2014 even less so.\n\n\n# So the big question is:\n**What do you do if you don't make it in time?**\n\nSubmit something unfinished?\nOr admit that you didn't make the deadline?\n\nWe're still trying to push through. There are a few hours left, and we're not giving up yet.\n![photo_2026-04-21_01-19-12.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/7111c.jpg)\n\nBut at the same time, we care about what we're making.\nAnd releasing something that doesn't reflect that \u2014 doesn't feel right.\n\nSo we'll finish it either way.\n\n**With or without the deadline.**\n\nBecause this isn't just about the jam anymore \u2014 it's about doing justice to something we love.","comments":4,"comments-timestamp":"2026-04-20T23:35:35Z","created":"2026-04-20T21:46:45Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":430659,"love":2,"love-timestamp":"2026-04-20T22:38:31Z","meta":[],"modified":"2026-04-20T23:35:35Z","name":"Pinky Guard: A Love Letter to a Universe We Care About","node-timestamp":"2026-04-20T22:19:53Z","parent":424714,"parents":[1,5,9,424249,424714],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/pinky-guard-the-celestial-facility\/pinky-guard-a-love-letter-to-a-universe-we-care-about","published":"2026-04-20T22:19:53Z","scope":"public","slug":"pinky-guard-a-love-letter-to-a-universe-we-care-about","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1360257},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"430659","n_urlkey":"311649","n_parent":"424714","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/pinky-guard-the-celestial-facility\/pinky-guard-a-love-letter-to-a-universe-we-care-about","n_slug":"pinky-guard-a-love-letter-to-a-u","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"424700","n_created":"1776721605","n_modified":"1776728135","n_version":"1360257","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/pinky-guard-the-celestial-facility\/pinky-guard-a-love-letter-to-a-universe-we-care-about","text":"This project means a bit more to us than just a jam entry.\n![photo_2026-04-20_01-20-57.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/7109f.jpg)\n\n**Pinky Guard** is based on a cartoon series by Luke Humphris \u2014 something a few people on our team have genuinely loved for a long time.\n\nA few months ago, we decided to take it seriously and try to reach out to Luke. It took a while (and quite a few attempts), but we eventually got in touch \u2014 and received his permission to create a game in this universe for the jam.\n\nHe **knows about the project, and that matters a lot to us.**\n\nWe treat the original with a lot of respect. Even though the source material is quite compact, we're trying to explore its potential \u2014 carefully expanding the world while keeping its tone and spirit.\n\nRight now, this is a prototype \u2014 a short experience we're building during the jam. But we also see it as a way to introduce more people to this universe.\n\nAnd, honestly, we really hope Luke will like what we make.\n\n# But what about the jam itself?\n\nThis is where things get\u2026 complicated.\n\nMaybe we were just one day short.\nOr maybe\u2026 one programmer.\n\nHaving a bigger team sounded like an advantage \u2014 but in reality, it slowed us down more than we expected. And now we're at that familiar point where a lot is done\u2026 but not the most important part.\n\nThe core gameplay isn't fully there yet \u2014 which, as you can imagine, is critical.\n\n## What we *have* done:\nContent-wise, we've made strong progress:\n\n* Map is assembled\n* Audio is in place\n* Characters are ready\n![PinkyGuard_icon.png](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/71119.png)\n\nSome systems are already **working**:\n* Character movement\n* Role assignment\n* Tech tree\n* Task system\n![Screenshot_10\u0432\u0432\u0432.png](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/71101.png)\n## What's still missing or incomplete:\n* Animations (some actions still have none)\n* Progression and win\/lose states\n* The celestial activity system (not even started yet)\n* Parts of the UI\n* Lighting and color filtering (our current shader breaks the palette we carefully chose)\n* No random event system yet\nYes, it is a lot...\n\nRight now, we're pushing to finish character spawning and at least bring everything into a playable state.\n\nTesting\u2026 didn't really happen.\nBalancing \u2014 even less so.\n\n\n# So the big question is:\n**What do you do if you don't make it in time?**\n\nSubmit something unfinished?\nOr admit that you didn't make the deadline?\n\nWe're still trying to push through. There are a few hours left, and we're not giving up yet.\n![photo_2026-04-21_01-19-12.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/cfa\/76\/z\/7111c.jpg)\n\nBut at the same time, we care about what we're making.\nAnd releasing something that doesn't reflect that \u2014 doesn't feel right.\n\nSo we'll finish it either way.\n\n**With or without the deadline.**\n\nBecause this isn't just about the jam anymore \u2014 it's about doing justice to something we love.","title":"Pinky Guard: A Love Letter to a Universe We Care About","wayback_source":[]}