It's fun and quite challenging: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/57/descent-protocol-1

https://youtu.be/ZzjeVWvainQ

Hey everyone! Here's a quick breakdown of our experience making Descent Protocol for Ludum Dare 57.

🕳️ What's the game about?

You descend into a dangerous, vertical dungeon using your trusty grappling hook and rope -- your only lifeline as you swing, jump, and navigate deeper and deeper into the unknown. It’s all about momentum, timing, and not falling to your doom. 😅

🧰 The development ride

We built the game in Unreal Engine 5, and while it gave us some great tools, it also threw a few curveballs our way. Specifically, the rope physics were a huge challenge. UE5’s physics system has its quirks, and making a grappling hook that feels good and behaves somewhat realistically was... let’s just say “an adventure”.

That said, we’re super happy we managed to get it all working within the jam window -- rope mechanics, movement, level flow, the whole vibe -- without any major issues. (Okay, maybe a few “grappling into the void” moments during testing...)

✅ What went well

• The core mechanic swinging around with the grappling hook came together in a way that feels more orless satisfying.
• Atmosphere and level design helped give it a real sense of danger and depth.
• We hit all the features we planned without crunching too hard.

🤔 What could be better

• The rope physics still feel a bit unpredictable at times (Unreal, we love you, but... why tho?)
• More tutorial or feedback to help new players get into the swing (literally) would be nice.
• We'd love to expand on this with more hazards, enemies, and maybe upgrades down the line.

Thanks to everyone who’s played and left feedback -- it really means a lot!
And if you haven’t tried it yet, swing by and check it out here: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/57/descent-protocol-1