The Ludum Dare score chasers tournament has started and is currently live at https://www.twitch.tv/ategondev ! Feel free to stop by if you want to watch some competitors compete in 7 different games from the jam

Finally getting the time to play through some games (shoutout to my team for playing and getting us over the rating threshold!). The ratings at the end are nice but the feedback from the community is, in my opinion, the best thing about doing Ludum Dare. I understand that not everyone has the time but I personally love leaving detailed feedback and try to always find something, even it's something tiny, that might improve the game or add some polish.

We usually get a decent amount of things to improve but have had less this time so I'm looking for any super nitpicky people to play and would really appreciate any specific criticisms of things we can improve to take into the next jam!

Happy to also give some nitpicky (but constructive of course) feedback in return!

Much love xxx

https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/sowscraper

Boy did this take some work...

You can now interact with other players in real-time with the post-jam version of our game, Rover Under!

Currently the Yellow team has been absolutely DOMINATING the territory (as they should be). If you'd like to contribute and paint the map for your team, choose your allegiance (preferably the Yellow team) and stake your claim before a winning faction is announced on results day!

(Note: Currently the jam version and post-jam versions are using separate scoreboards. Turns out cross-play is haaarrrrrd...)

We'll see y'all on the map! :pointright: :cowboy: :pointright:

Hello, everyone! We're thrilled to introduce some exciting game updates:

🎮 Tutorial at the Start: We've added a brief tutorial panel for smoother gameplay.

📱 Mobile-Friendly Gaming: Now, you can enjoy our game on your mobile device, making it perfect for gaming on the go.

We appreciate your support – happy gaming! 🌟🎮📱

Play our game HERE

We are wrapping up this season of LD stream with a last one.

Come join us and submit your games!

Join now https://www.twitch.tv/tobugis

Hi I'm new and I'm confused about how to use the site x) How can I tell if a game is in Draft or has been made public? I tried to publish mine but it doesn't appear under My Profile -> Games.

I'm not sure if there's a Publish button, I think I just pressed Done? But I can't find a status indicator so I can't tell if it worked or not.

Thanks.

This concludes my time playing your games! Thank you very much to all who played my game and participated in this community, I hope my silly drawings made your days a little bit sweeter lol

Featured games: - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/2-dudes-against-the-liquidator - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/candy-catcher - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/the-giants-globe - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/whiskers-in-the-dark - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/cyber-serpent - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/the-little-house-that-had-been-very-good-this-year - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/hexak - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/the-box-1 - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/f-r-e-d - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/single-circle - https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/space-ltd-3

Hi! I am enjoying my first Ludum Dare Game Jam: in addition to combining my efforts with my teammates to produce a nicely finished entry, I got to play quite a few games that had interesting concepts. I've already rated 50 games, and I thought it would be a good time to share some of my favorites, as well as share some of my insights into the theme!

Limitted Space...Bars?

When I saw "limitted space," I thought of space as the resources a player has in order to achieve some goals. This can be literal space, such as the area in an action game where the player can move, or it can be more functional space, such as the space in a backpack, which actually represents a limited amount of props, or it can be a tricky way (which is what we did lol) to think of space as the space bar, which is tied to a specific function that helps the player achieve a goal and limits the use of the space bar.We've also found platformers that use similar mechanics when rating other people's games, with my favorites being Gyronimo made by pepnou (@pepnou) *, and enderswype (@enderswype), which sets the spacebar to function as a reverse gravity and cleverly adds 90° flip gravity to left-to-right without increasing the number of action number of buttons to include a 90° flip gravity to the left and right, and gives separate counts for reverse gravity and 90°flip gravity. If you're a fan of platform jumping games that like a challenge, I think you'll enjoy the challenging yet very shuffling puzzles in this game.
Gyronimo | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam

To Make Limit Fun

This concept of "limiting player's resources" sometimes go with problems: some games seem to have very tiresome limitations to some very basic and important mechanics: maps that are too large, movement that is too cumbersome, and backpacks that are too small. Some restrictions only add to the repetitive gameplay, increasing the length of play and boring the player. But there are limitations that force the player to be more strategic: I saw a lot of interesting Sokoban-like puzzles, and I saw a lot of interesting gameplay design by limiting the game screen. One of the restrictions that I found most interesting to me was Please Sign Here by Lunea (@lunea), Markadia (@markadia), and Ampo (@ampo).It asks the player to sign a document and places diverse restrictions on the signature - at first it's the number of strokes, the number of intersections, the total length, etc., and later in the level the restrictions really made me laugh out loud.
Please Sign Here | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam

Concise and Engaging Confrontation

Another solution would be to keep down the idea of "adding limit to the core gameplay" and stress "confronting the limits" as the core gameplay，and make it concise and engaging. I highly recommend:
Packed to the Gills! by npckc (@npckc)*, nomnomnami (@nomnomnami), DonutShoes (@donutshoes), Hunter Van Brocklin (@hunter-van-brocklin), and chunderfins (@chunderfins).It In the game you play as a fish trying to squeeze into a crowded train, concentrate on using your various poses to try to fit right in the limitted space. The game has a very cute art style, progressive but streamlined control. Very easy to start and fun!

Too Maneon Loots by Pierre-Marie (@pierre-marie), Ladylpcr (@ladylpcr), and lastuck (@lastuck). In this game you'll have to deal with a stream of gear coming into your backpack using only your mouse while your character are automatically fighting the monsters. If you don't get rid of it in time, too many props or junk will burst your backpack and end the game for you. I like how some of the details of the game make me feel like I have my hands full (e.g. the backpack space gradually cracks if you don't make room for it in time, and the trash cans start to move in the later stages of the game).
Packed to the Gills | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam
Too Maneon Loots | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam

Manipulate Space

Some developers have removed the "limit" and given players the ability to manipulate space instead of being passive, which may sound a bit off-topic, but there are some interesting game designs that come out of this concept! In which I highly recommend Compress(space) by Fahim Faysal (@fahim-faysal) And Stretchmancer by TobiasD (@tobiasd), Ludumer1986 (@ludumer1986), and Choo (@choo) Both have cool mechanics and well-polished stages!
Compress(space) | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam
Stretchmancer | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam

What's more...

I've only mentioned a few games that I found to have really interesting concepts related to my insights, and there are actually a lot more games that I'd like to recommend which are cool in many aspect. I'd like to post some of my other recommendations in the future. Feel free to leave comments. I have little experience in game development yet so I'd like to hear you guys' ideas. And also feel free share some your recommends or your games! (I may rate them if I have time)
Check our game too! We made a puzzle platformer with fun plots and cute art！
Space Bar ☆ Porter q(≧▽≦q) | ldjam.com | Ludum Dare game jam

I was thinking, it was really cool to work as a team to create a game. It's even cooler to meet a community that likes games as much as you do. So I put the ideas together and asked myself: Why not work together on something with this community? And the first thing I thought about creating was a collage.

* I would like to ask everyone who sees this post to send an art/sprite/frame/etc of your game. When you comment I will take this art and paste it into the image at the beginning of the post and update it for everyone. * I think we will create a beautiful image that can serve as a reminder to everyone of what this ludum dare was like! Join the collage!

Is your playstyle :panda_face: quick and chaotic, or :fox: careful and calculated?

:moneybag: Steal as much loot as you can fit in your truck from the British Museum without getting caught

:video_game: Grab your partner in crime for 2 Player co-op fun, or play solo, and try to wrangle both critters

:medal: Play our Post-Jam edition: now with sound, controller support, balance tweaks, and online leaderboards!

Play Crime Critters!

Thank you for all the feedback on my game, both the good and the bad. :heart:

Update 0.2 is all about making the game easier to play and understand, its still got a bit to go but hopefully its a step in the right direction it has a host of Jam code Refactors, Quality of Life changes and bug fixes.

Play the updated version here

Play the Jam Version here

Bigger Changes

• Added quick restart - press R and or use the button in the top right
• Refactored tile neighbour interaction code and model - Removes a ton of buggy jam code and made things more reliable
• Refactored bonus power and workers to work on already built buildings - Means that building solar farms is much more beneficial
• Bug with already scored buildings not giving bonus points
• Multiple tile type bonus support - means future tiles can be more complex
• Simple high score - each map will now use your score as the target score if you beat it, useful for the daily challenge
• Removed placed points - these were a relic from the first idea mid way through the jam, now you need to complete tiles to score points
• Made miners use more power but gain a used power bonus
• Added Used power bonus - tiles can now cost less power if placed adjacent

Smaller changes, UI and bug fixes

• More balance changes
• New Icon set
• Converted points and target points to progress bar
• Other various bug fixes and UI enhancements
• Fixed variety of typos

Next Update will continue on the same theme of making things easier and adding systems for more content to be added later.

If I have not already left a comment on your game, link it below and I will go check it out.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you favorite falling blocks puzzle game was more realistic? I'm trying to figure that out in my extra game Realistic Falling Blocks. You can help me out by giving me some quality feedback. You can skip the ratings :wink:

Hey world, I'm playing more LD games on stream, come show me your game! It's gonna be quiet today, simply throw your link in chat and I'll play!

Done now, thanks for sending your games! https://www.twitch.tv/justcamh

Hi! First we'd like to thank you for all the feedback so far, we appreciate it a lot!

Now, our goal with this patch was to address some of the complaints, as well as fulfilling our initial vision for the project. We think it turned out well! The patch notes can be found in the description.

Try The Game Here

also here's a gif

We made a turn-based strategy game. We did our best and welcome you to play and rate. It was hard work and we are happy with the result this time :-) Play here!. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI5oHps4Fok

Check this super banger post made by @natano

https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/trash-exe/lets-make-a-collage-with-all-the-games

They are making a collage of some games from this jam and want submissions for it

On previous jams I tried to hit this many but as just one human its loads of work to play, rate and leave feedback on so many games. There were so many amazing games this LD, great job to everyone who successfully submitted! This is the first time I've hit 100 ratings. Sadly not 100 comments but writing useful feedback can be exhausting and sometimes I just have nothing useful to say about a game. Maybe next LD the goal will be 100 comments :)

Time for awards! (that I made up just now in no particular order)

Most Likely To Become A Full Game Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/the-king-is-watching @maximbegunov

TKIW is a great little microcosm of a strategy game (roguelite maybe?) it feels like loop hero in many ways. I'm interested to see if it survives past LD. It was very cool and balanced super well, felt incredibly finished and is just a great concept.

Most Impressive Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/f-r-e-d @juicybrucey

FRED doesn't just feature great art, sound and gameplay, nor a type of enemy design I've never seen designed incredibly well, but it's also a functional immersive sim that's incredibly fun to play. There's so much going on in this game and I love it. Amazing submission.

Most Polished Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/crime-critters-rob-the-british-museum @pen-island-games

CCRTBM is incredible, there's so much going on in this game and it's designed so well, the art is gorgeous and I loved playing it. I wish I could have played coop but even singleplayer it's very silly and very fun, awesome game.

Most Bizarre Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/introvertigo @midblue

Very strange game and a great concept, super weird but lots of fun and some amazing unhinged art. Cool game.

Best Idea Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/bit-golf @badcop

Some ideas are just really good ideas, bit golf stands on it's own, it's just a great novel idea for a game executed well.

Most Addictive Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/tiny-island @ghpxi

Admittedly I'm talking about the post-jam version so maybe this award will be our controversial drama bait, but the postjam version of tiny island kept me coming back multiple days in a row trying to get a higher score, and kept me thinking about it during my day while not even playing jam games. Great concept that I'll probably play again sometime.

Most Juicy Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/critical-core @benjamin-halko

This game is popping off in all the right ways, it's fun, tight, great song and has great juice. Awesome.

Cutest Game Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/quantumine-capture @zee-yuen

Quantum space cats are critical for the survival of the human race. The art on this one is really cute and elevates the interesting game concept even further. Love this one.

Most Unhinged Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/crazy @danial-jumagaliyev

I was crazy once

Most Stylin' Award: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/calves-of-the-braves @aune

This game is SO SICK, the art is great, game feel is great, it's so weird and out there and looks gorgeous. Unbelievably stylish. So damn cool.

I was crazy once...

They locked me in a room...

A rubber room...

A rubber room with rats...

And the rats made me crazy...

Yeah, that's basically the premise of my Ludum Dare 54 game

Of course, this feedback encourages me a lot and makes me really happy to have participated with you, because really, I was almost not here. Wow, how I would have missed it. Thanks to some personal effort (a lot of effort actually) playing and evaluating a fairly large number of games, as best I could, some more time consuming than others, but I really understood that ludum dare isn't just about making a game. Of course, there's all the learning involved in being able to send a game or demo of something (in my case), but it's also a lot of playing and evaluating a lot of games (that's if you really want your game to appear to other people, with the exception of if you're a known streamer). It was really incredible how such a small demo of just two phases with practically no sound (just a sound of electricity in the second phase), so short, that people ask about a bug at the end of the second phase and they can't go to the third phase . It's because there is no third phase. Like, that's all it is. Serious. But I know, despite it being short, from the immense amount of positive feedback I received on the page in general, saying that the concept and art are really cool and how good it would be to have more levels. This, although the art that is there is the draft of what I would actually create. Yes, it's true, I got my hands dirty with 12 hours left to finish the jam, so you can imagine it was an achievement, even with so little. And since the jam isn't over yet, I can't help but be here playing more games and talking to more people, and wanting even more people to move this insect even for such a short time, and tell me, if the positive feedback is really right to be, because I was excited to continue the project. Thank you for reading this, anyone who tests my game feel free to post on the page so I know and play your games too, or post the link here and I will do my best to test them all. I believe we will meet again at the next jam, because that was very exciting, wasn't it?

https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/54/the-box-1