{"author_link":"\/users\/schizoid2k","author_name":"schizoid2k","author_uid":"schizoid2k","comments":[],"epoch":1776977769,"event":"LD59","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":431883,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"96616","p_author":"schizoid2k","p_authorkey":"1000288","p_urlkey":"312259","p_title":"Trippin' Ballz - A Post Mortem","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD59","p_time":"1776977769","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1000288","us_name":"schizoid2k","us_username":"schizoid2k","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":8,"author":288,"body":"![LD Title Screen.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/021\/z\/7282f.jpg)\n\nMy 13th Ludum Dare submission is called [Trippin\u2019 Ballz](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/trippin-ballz) and I think it came out much better than expected\u2026 considering I didn\u2019t expect too much!\n\nI think \u201cSignals\u201d was a great theme\u2026 I always have zero ideas for each theme, but audio signals was something that came to me right away and I wanted to explore that.  I also like developing shooters and arcade-like games so I naturally moved in that direction.\n\nI actually started putting something together Friday evening (a rare occurrence).  I wanted something that can be \u201clistened to\u201d for audio clues and then shoot them.  I eventually decided to use colored cannons to shoot \u201csomething\u201d, and decided to use colored balls.  Since I previously created a game where balls were bouncing around (The Pongs) I didn\u2019t want to repeat that game mechanic, but reluctantly I decided to go for it.\n\nIt seemed like most of the features were added ad-hoc, and very late into development:\n\n* Originally, you selected which cannon you wanted to use, and I changed it to automatically select the cannon when you hovered over a Ballz to reveal its color, and kept that mechanic going for most of the development weekend.  About 2 hours before submittal, I determined that it was better the first way, and changed it back to allow you to select the cannon before listening for audio clues.  After all, auto-selection of the cannon defeats the purpose of listening for specific tones the Ballz broadcast.\n* If felt I needed something more, and decided on a Power-up.  But what to use?  How about a Magic Mushroom?  I coded it where the Magic Mushroom only worked when you hit a Ballz with the color of the active cannon, but it works so much better when you can just use it without hitting a Ballz.  I am glad I made that change, but unfortunately, it was about 1 hour before it was time to submit.  Luckily that change wasn\u2019t hard to implement.\n* Late Sunday, I had a working game, but I didn\u2019t know how to end the game.  Just blasting Ballz is fun, but how do you win or lose?  Let\u2019s add an asteroid to protect.  Why not?\n\nDuring the weekend, I was trying to come up with a name and decided on Trippin\u2019 Ballz (child-like humor, for sure).  Well, now that the name has been decided, I got to add some trippy features.\n\nWithout the time to develop shaders (my shader skill is passable at best) I simulated some screen shakes when you pick up the mushroom and use the mushroom power-up.  Some on screen text, trippy background effects, chiptune, and Ballz expressions fill out the effects.\n\n### What Went Well\n\n* The theme was very good.  Usually, it\u2019s tough for me to get an idea I am happy with, but this time it was a pretty easy process.\n* Godot made this so easy!  I\u2019ve been using Godot for about 2 years now (former Unity developer), and I just love working with this game engine.\n* Playing the game gave me additional ideas to add effects and sounds, albeit at the last minute.  Changing the game mechanics at the last minute was stressful, but successful.\n\n### What Didn\u2019t Go So Well\n\n* Man, changing game mechanics during the last few hours is stressful!  Luckily it worked out.  I was contemplating just leaving some things as-is.  Glad I went for it. \n* Some reviews indicate that you can shoot the Ballz without really listening for tones.  This is true (somewhat).  I know that many LD players check out a game for a few minutes at max, and then move on, so I decided to have the player jump right in without the length build-up.  You do have to listen for tones at some point (to maximize power-ups, for example), but this will be addressed in a future (perhaps full release) version.\n* I guess a Macintosh build isn\u2019t going to be as easy as it used to be.  Gatekeeper was choking on it so I had to remove it.  Luckily a Web build was much easier.\n\n### What\u2019s Next?\n\nAs with every LD game I submit, I\u2019m thinking that I want to expand this into a full release.  I guess it depends on my final rating to see if it is worth it.  I like it, I like shooters, and I have some additional ideas that I want to implement.\n\nI am curious if there is anything you would like to add\/remove\/change.\n\n![I1.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/021\/z\/7282e.jpg)","comments":0,"created":"2026-04-23T20:52:13Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":431883,"love":0,"meta":[],"modified":"2026-04-23T21:03:49Z","name":"Trippin' Ballz - A Post Mortem","node-timestamp":"2026-04-23T21:03:49Z","parent":425778,"parents":[1,5,9,424249,425778],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/trippin-ballz\/trippin-ballz-a-post-mortem","published":"2026-04-23T20:56:09Z","scope":"public","slug":"trippin-ballz-a-post-mortem","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":1371240},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"431883","n_urlkey":"312259","n_parent":"425778","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/trippin-ballz\/trippin-ballz-a-post-mortem","n_slug":"trippin-ballz-a-post-mortem","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"288","n_created":"1776977533","n_modified":"1776978229","n_version":"1371240","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/trippin-ballz\/trippin-ballz-a-post-mortem","text":"![LD Title Screen.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/021\/z\/7282f.jpg)\n\nMy 13th Ludum Dare submission is called [Trippin\u2019 Ballz](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/59\/trippin-ballz) and I think it came out much better than expected\u2026 considering I didn\u2019t expect too much!\n\nI think \u201cSignals\u201d was a great theme\u2026 I always have zero ideas for each theme, but audio signals was something that came to me right away and I wanted to explore that.  I also like developing shooters and arcade-like games so I naturally moved in that direction.\n\nI actually started putting something together Friday evening (a rare occurrence).  I wanted something that can be \u201clistened to\u201d for audio clues and then shoot them.  I eventually decided to use colored cannons to shoot \u201csomething\u201d, and decided to use colored balls.  Since I previously created a game where balls were bouncing around (The Pongs) I didn\u2019t want to repeat that game mechanic, but reluctantly I decided to go for it.\n\nIt seemed like most of the features were added ad-hoc, and very late into development:\n\n* Originally, you selected which cannon you wanted to use, and I changed it to automatically select the cannon when you hovered over a Ballz to reveal its color, and kept that mechanic going for most of the development weekend.  About 2 hours before submittal, I determined that it was better the first way, and changed it back to allow you to select the cannon before listening for audio clues.  After all, auto-selection of the cannon defeats the purpose of listening for specific tones the Ballz broadcast.\n* If felt I needed something more, and decided on a Power-up.  But what to use?  How about a Magic Mushroom?  I coded it where the Magic Mushroom only worked when you hit a Ballz with the color of the active cannon, but it works so much better when you can just use it without hitting a Ballz.  I am glad I made that change, but unfortunately, it was about 1 hour before it was time to submit.  Luckily that change wasn\u2019t hard to implement.\n* Late Sunday, I had a working game, but I didn\u2019t know how to end the game.  Just blasting Ballz is fun, but how do you win or lose?  Let\u2019s add an asteroid to protect.  Why not?\n\nDuring the weekend, I was trying to come up with a name and decided on Trippin\u2019 Ballz (child-like humor, for sure).  Well, now that the name has been decided, I got to add some trippy features.\n\nWithout the time to develop shaders (my shader skill is passable at best) I simulated some screen shakes when you pick up the mushroom and use the mushroom power-up.  Some on screen text, trippy background effects, chiptune, and Ballz expressions fill out the effects.\n\n### What Went Well\n\n* The theme was very good.  Usually, it\u2019s tough for me to get an idea I am happy with, but this time it was a pretty easy process.\n* Godot made this so easy!  I\u2019ve been using Godot for about 2 years now (former Unity developer), and I just love working with this game engine.\n* Playing the game gave me additional ideas to add effects and sounds, albeit at the last minute.  Changing the game mechanics at the last minute was stressful, but successful.\n\n### What Didn\u2019t Go So Well\n\n* Man, changing game mechanics during the last few hours is stressful!  Luckily it worked out.  I was contemplating just leaving some things as-is.  Glad I went for it. \n* Some reviews indicate that you can shoot the Ballz without really listening for tones.  This is true (somewhat).  I know that many LD players check out a game for a few minutes at max, and then move on, so I decided to have the player jump right in without the length build-up.  You do have to listen for tones at some point (to maximize power-ups, for example), but this will be addressed in a future (perhaps full release) version.\n* I guess a Macintosh build isn\u2019t going to be as easy as it used to be.  Gatekeeper was choking on it so I had to remove it.  Luckily a Web build was much easier.\n\n### What\u2019s Next?\n\nAs with every LD game I submit, I\u2019m thinking that I want to expand this into a full release.  I guess it depends on my final rating to see if it is worth it.  I like it, I like shooters, and I have some additional ideas that I want to implement.\n\nI am curious if there is anything you would like to add\/remove\/change.\n\n![I1.jpg](\/\/\/raw\/021\/z\/7282e.jpg)","title":"Trippin' Ballz - A Post Mortem","wayback_source":[]}