FoonLudum Dare ExplorerLD27 → Love Your Pets

Love Your Pets

By daanvanyperen

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CategoryRankScoreCount
Coolness1100
Graphics923.91
Mood1863.30
Humor2482.86
Innovation2893.35
Overall2963.33
Theme4793.26
Fun5922.88
Audio9111.57

Comments

empyrealhell 2013-08-26 02:50

The graphics were good for their style and had a uniform theme. I was not a fan of the control scheme, the twisting screen was a bit difficult to manage, and I got caught on edges frequently. It was well put together given the time constraint, though it was very short and little content. I couldn't get past the plasma doors in the end level so I was unable to explore that extra content. Having it open a link to your site at the end is bad form in my opinion as well.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-26 02:53

You're right on the bad form, I'll remove the link. Was intented to lead to a victory screen and a post competition download but haven't had time to create the page yet.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-26 03:05

Link has been removed.

Hindsight makes the concept too broad for 48 hours. I ended up having only about an hour for the levels, and missed some of the core mechanics and polish needed to make the concept shine. But that's Ludum, you roll with the punches! I'll have to save it for the post competition version.

I love how the graphics turned out though. I'm happy with the end result overall.

Anyone struggling with the plasma doors, you can use the ball to send your crew to their deaths on them and trigger a blackout, giving you a second to run through while the panels recharge.

lurkingshadow 2013-08-26 05:19

Graphics where a bit nauseating with all that spinning but other then that it was a neat little game with cool graphics. Keep it up :3

red-mike 2013-08-26 11:33

Great idea. I like the story/concept, I just wish it were a bit easier interface-wise. Things seem to hilight only when in a small angle from in front of you. Alternatively, make turning around start slowly and accelerate the longer you keep it pressed, so you can actually do precise movement. I like the game despite struggling with the controls.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-26 11:58

I appreciate the tips! planning to get it all in a post competition version. Please keep them coming!

tifu 2013-08-26 12:21

Love the level graphics, as others have said, controls are an issue, would love to see a post-comp version with improved controls :)

justicegames 2013-08-26 12:26

Nice

fireblend 2013-08-26 13:40

Best looking game I've played so far. Great job! There are definitely some rough edges such as the controls and the way the camera handles, but I don't really think that takes much away from the overall experience. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the post-compo version. Great job!

timtipgames 2013-08-26 15:55

Your graphics are awesome as usual, but this game confuses me. How's determined who dies? Why does the escape pod do nothing if I send a crew member to it (it looks as if the crew member is stuck next to it most of the time). How am I supposed to finish the first room?

daanvanyperen 2013-08-26 16:15

Thanks! I hope I can resolve the gameplay issues in the post compo version.

Each grate has one Xenomorph in it. Xenomorphs will start hunting upon crewmembers passing their grate (you can see the grate getting damaged just a tiny bit). During the next blackout they will attempt to devour a nearby crewmember. They always prefer a crewmember over the captain, since the captain never showers, so when passing areas with grates, either time your move or have sufficient crewmembers to protect yourself from death.

Also, aliens will stay close to their grate, and when they've been fed they will not hunt again until one blackout has passed.

The escape pod not working is a bug, not sure what triggers it. Best way to deal with it until the post compo version is restarting the game.

To finish the first room: follow the tutorial, then wait in the back near the couches for the next blackout to avoid being eaten, run up to the two crew members, highlight them and 'e' to get them to follow you, wait in a safe spot for a new blackout, then run to the escape pods. Highlight one of the pods and press 'e' to order your crew on the pod. After that you can use the second pod for yourself.

Also, there /is/ a way to rescue your pet, and level three has Steve hidden somewhere.

pierrec 2013-08-26 18:48

I agree with the previous commentators about the spinning screen...nice but not very intuitive. The lights flickering are very disturbing too...but in the end, it gaves a good disturbing atmosphere.

psychomonster 2013-08-26 22:01

Nice One :D

5outh 2013-08-27 01:16

The game bugged out on me a little bit, it kept flickering after my dog died?

timtipgames 2013-08-27 08:17

No I got it and now I rated. Thanks for explaining :)
I think the feedback loop needs some love :)

daanvanyperen 2013-08-27 13:29

@5outh: Unless you mean it stays permanently flickering, The tutorial explains there is a permanent generator failure, making it shut down every 10 seconds. One scared Ensign is watching over it, restarting it every time while he still can.

@timtipgames: thanks for rating :) if you have any ideas about the post compo version drop me a line ;)

nthird 2013-08-27 19:41

Really liked to concept and great use of the compo theme. Really clever mechanic and I like the psuedo escort mission but you only have to save some of them aspect. It was nice being able to sacrifice some crew to survive, good twist.

I found the controls challenging which cut into my enjoyment of it. Seems like there is a small bug where it won't let you walk forward right away in a level, you seem to have to turn first.

The xenomorphs only coming from grates was not clear to me, seemed like sometimes someone would die and sometimes not, might make it more explicit in the instructions. Or maybe I just missed it :D

The graphics were really good but I struggled a little to tell what some stuff was. I tried to get a plant to follow me more than once.

Really good start overall, I'm looking forward to seeing what it can turn into if you do some post compo work.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-27 20:34

@nthird: Thanks for the compliments! Not alerting player to the grate threat in any WAY shape or form was a big oopsy om my behalf. I knew the actors are not clearly identifiable but that the plants look like crew-members, that's just makes my day XD.

nerlin 2013-08-28 18:55

Great graphics! But it's hard to play game rotating world. The eyes get easily tired. Great job though.

almightyzentaco 2013-08-28 18:59

I rather enjoyed it. The concept was pretty funny and the style was good. Would have liked some sound though.

tammilion 2013-08-28 19:02

Great game! Nice graphics, controls are a bit rough but I'll take it ^^ Didn't really get the grates concept, how far do you have to stand away from them?

just-tom 2013-08-28 19:24

Beautiful game, loved the style and the mood. Audio, even just sound effects would have made the ambience pure gold, definitely something for post Dare.

Gameplay was tight, but the spinning camera can be disorientating and wall vents are difficult to see. That being said, the theme incorporation was absolutely brilliant, I really loved what you did with this game. Very unique. The tutorial was inspired, the power rebooting was both cool to look and and thrilling to experience, waiting to see if you (or your crew) had survived. Would love to see more of this.

taiters 2013-08-28 21:05

Cool game. I found the turning a bit tricky at times but well done overall!

deepnight 2013-08-28 21:05

The collisions a bit frustrating and you spend much time stuck in walls and corners. Anyway, the game is good and I especially like the things like electric walls that turn off during shutdowns. Good job :)

ilookedatyourtitsandiminlove 2013-08-28 21:37

Amazing graphics, and fun game play. but sometimes the crew got stuck on walls :( and maybe the camera could use to spin a little slower

jaspreetdhanjan 2013-08-29 11:34

Hey, DaanVanYperen. Awesome game! Also a massive thank you for fixing my game. I really appreciate it.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-29 12:51

No game left behind!

paulmcgg 2013-08-29 14:07

Yea, this has a great atmosphere & nice art style. I like the idea of the screen but you need to not make it linear. Give it acceleration and make it catch up to where it should be, of course this is going to mess with the controls as they are. At the moment I actually felt nauseated from it after playing for a bit.

Sound will absolutely make this game killer too.

hd408 2013-08-29 18:59

Level 3 takes too long to load, but the game is not bad overall. Would instantly become better if it had sounds or music (if you're not a composer, generated music is also a good choice, if it suits the game; same goes for sounds).

zammy 2013-08-29 20:26

Nice one! More feedback and tutorial explanations could be useful. I died several times without knowing the cause, which I understood eventually, but it was a bit frustrating.
Great idea though! The blackouts and the flashing creates an atmosphere one can dive in. Only the sound was missing to make the flow :) Keep up the good work and of course make a post-compo version!

rezoner 2013-08-30 08:40

WSAD + Mouse. I really enjoyed the atmosphere - felt like Sanitarium... and of course lovely graphics. Disturbing - didn't zen this time (:

klianc09 2013-08-30 11:05

The screen rotates a bit too fast, making it hard to navigate. The atmosphere is great, and I loved how you can throw a ball for your crew-members.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-30 13:19

@klianc09 First one to mention the ball. The ball mechanic was a great way to control the doggy, so I kept it for the crew as well as a joke. XD

naufr4g0 2013-08-30 13:47

Despite the rotation of the screen give me a headache (I think speed rotation have to be progressive), I think the game is really cool and I love graphics. :)
The game is very polished but it needs sound!! :)

deammer 2013-08-30 14:07

This might be one of my favorite LD games! Great atmosphere and humor, and an original idea. I think the rotating camera is a bit too much, i'd go with something like Teleglitch for instance, but apart from that, it's pretty great :)

daanvanyperen 2013-08-30 14:18

I'll try a very tiny camera tilting effect instead, it should give the same look without driving the players crazy in the process.

daanvanyperen 2013-08-30 14:44

Oh that's actually really nice!

ddionisio 2013-08-31 08:28

Really good effects in this game, the ambiance is nicely captured. I had trouble initially figuring out how the mechanics in this game work. Despite the fun little intro :P

I love the dark humor in this game, I had a good laugh! Good twist (not the camera)!

loxo 2013-08-31 10:02

I like the style, but the font is a bit too blurry. I tried it successfully on Mac OS X. Sound effects would have been great! I think that's the only missing thing. Overall a good game.

gatechgrad 2013-09-01 05:30

I liked the pet saving concept. The stroyline was good as well. The controls seemed a little bit too sensitive when turning. It was also sort of hard to tell what exactly was a vent, since my pets kept dying.

graytest 2013-09-01 10:30

I liked the concept and graphics, but the controls were really annoying. Got stuck on corners constantly. Something like Hotline Miami would have been better in my opinion. It was also hard to know exactly where I could be without getting killed.

ebene-eole 2013-09-01 16:35

Nice idea and good style. :)

Actually nthird said all the thoughts i had in mind ! :p

sylvain-p 2013-09-01 17:14

good game, but they maybe are too much text, it's disturtbing.

vaelzan 2013-09-03 02:48

Not a bad one, shame you didn't get more time on it. Would have really benefited from some sound in particular given the setting. Liked the setting, graphics were nice, story was good/funny, gameplay seemed like it could have shone with a few more mechanics. Like others have said controls could use a bit of work, was hard to control basic movement around corners. Grates could also stand out as a hazard a bit more somehow. Might be worth going for Jam next time because it looks like you have some great ideas here that might be a little beyond the scope of 48 hours. Still, what you do have is pretty nice.

superfoonly 2013-09-03 14:45

That was really cool. I like the graphics, and I can see the gameplay and levels becoming quite deep if you had more time to make more levels. I agree on the others about the sensitivity of the rotation, improving it would help make the character more easily controllable, but I like the way that the world rotates around the character visually. Its different from most other games. I also suggest making it clear which side of the character is the front, since sometimes I thought I was facing a crew member but it turned out I was 180 degrees opposite

cardboard 2013-09-04 01:06

I love the graphics. Audio would have helped the atmosphere of the game immensely. The world spinning around the player and the game mechanics are neat. Pretty short, but fun nevertheless!

otus 2013-09-04 16:21

Great graphics and nice mood!
The controls are pretty inventive, too.

Nice entry!

theholychicken 2013-09-05 00:08

fluffee... D:
Awesome concept!
Myself or the crew gets stuck on the wall sometimes and couldn't move.
But this game is just too awesome!
I really want to try the post compo but the link is 403 forbidden right now.
I'll check back again later!

daanvanyperen 2013-09-05 11:38

Oopsy! Post compo version should be available for download now.

almax27 2013-09-07 09:08

Nice game, I like the pet idea. Controls were a bit difficult with all the world rotating around though :)

emveyh 2013-09-07 20:39

Great game and art style. I like the rotating camera and the explanation of the gameplay mechanics by playing fetch with your dog :)

jedi 2013-09-15 06:25

I hated having the screen flash out every ten seconds and I didn't even realize until I came back here that it had anything to do with the game - I just figured aliens kill you after a certain amount of time.

Where this game shines the most is in its innovation, humor and mood. I love the idea of leading animals by throwing a ball! I didn't get far enough to need to use it though; I might come back and check out the postcompo later.