So, in the world of programming, you never finish a project, you just run out of time. That being said, this is my submission for Ludum Dare 53

Graphics: Were from https://game-endeavor.itch.io/mystic-woods

Music and Sound FX were from https://freesound.org/

The Sorceress was a single page sprite sheet from a Google Search

The Title, Win, Lose, Graphics screens were generated by Image Creator

The Engine was Godot 4.0

The 600 or so lines of code, were GDscript and me.

Enjoy

https://beebster.itch.io/ludum-dare-53

Hopefully this is how you submit...

So, are we allowed to go in and fix up some of the things that could aide in the flow of the game?

For example, I would like to add a button and a menu option on the main screen to explain game play better. I would also like to clean up the boss battle a bit, and the end game screens. I wouldn't change the game play, or the theme, I would just clean it up a bit. I have about 600 lines of code that could use a bit of refactoring.

Is that allowed?

1. That programmers, and players in this community are just great. Really wonderful
2. Next time I will not write a game that is too involved with too many mechanics.
3. Next time I will code up some thing simple, like a single screen game, that is fast paced, fun music, great sound.
4. Godot has the easiest work flow I have ever encountered, and never gave me a lick of trouble
5. I will make sure there is in game menus for everything, especially restarting the game.

All in all, this was great fun, I learned a lot, and I look forward to the next jam.

Yesterday I believe there was an announcement by Unity that they are restructuring their revenue system.

I watched these videos to help me understand the current evolution of Unity.

https://youtu.be/xCGuznDfTmQ

https://youtu.be/4gzO60GhmW8

https://youtu.be/LlPOn0nAOeo

A platformer is bread and butter for a game jam. I found this set of videos perfect for using Godot 4.0 in building a really great platformer

https://youtu.be/sVsn9NqpVhg

Not really too much to choose from...

Looks like we may be using certain 'Paths' in a 'Limited Space', to use our "Lock and Keys' in our dungeon.

This guy is just the best. He is an excellent developer and an avid user of Godot.

Here he shows the simplicity of making a cut-scene in Godot 4

https://youtu.be/m_K1reBP6r8?si=Tjy-pucQ0otvRoRT

You now enter a world filled with adventures and tasks that even the most seasoned explorer will find challenging.

It is your destiny to follow dangerous 'Paths' through an 'Underground' world that, from time to time, will bring you to a place of of wonder. A venue where you may 'Shelter' from your daily trek.

Within this world you have only' Limited Space' to achieve your goals and must choose your trail wisely.

Ultimately, throughout your adventure, you will find mysterious 'Locks and Keys' that may open to you a world filled with light and joy, or one filled with evil, destruction and death.

Your quest awaits you brothers. Welcome to 'Sanctuary'

I have been doing research on this editor and it is amazing. They have taken the Unreal Engine Editor and applied it to the FortNite Platform. There are assets, a scripting language called Verse and an incredible World Editor. Virtually any kind of game can be made from this current platform.

Is this something that can be used to build a game for in the next Jam?

https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/free-download/uefn-unreal-editor-for-fortnite?utmsource=BingSearch&utmmedium=Performance&utmcampaign=554380763&utmid=1297424827062610&utmterm=unreal%20editor&utmcontent=

Here are my LD 55 Suggestions...

Finished the 'Slaughter Round'!

My mouse button finger was injured during the selection process.

Drink lots of water so you don't cramp up.

Take your finger for a walk every 10 mins.

Do not pick your nose after you have finished as you could spasm and put your eye out.

Alternate fingers so you won't get finger envy.

Finally, and this is important, no finger wrestling for at least two weeks.

There are some excellent themes to choose from this year!!

Second round isn't looking too promising

I just finished a game jam called 'Fish Fest'. I used SDL2 and C++ to create an executable. There were 550 entries. In the Karma List I am currently ranked fourth. I download a lot of games and play them, offer comments and try to offer constructive criticism. I believe that is why I am ranked fourth.

All this being said my entry has only been downloaded 13 times. The reason for this, I believe, is that my game is in a zip file. You have to fight your browser to download it. You have to fight Windows to execute it. It has become a real hassle to enter a game jam if you use a compiler and a framework instead of an engine. Pygame has the same difficulty.

The game engines have converters that will take the game and convert it to a WebGL application. I wrote over 1100 lines of C/C++ code and my game does not get looked at because you just can't click on a button and play it in a browser.

It has become a bit discouraging. Over a thousand lines of code, number 4 in karma ranking and only 13 downloads. Hardly seems worth it anymore.

I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.

My choices:

My favorite out of all:

So many possibilities!!

There were just so many good choices this time. Each one could be a very good theme!

...and look who made it to the finals...

No matter which theme is chosen I am looking forward to Ludum Dare 55!!