infraviolet 2014-04-28 02:33
very interesting mechanics
could use clearer explanation
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → LD29 → Underworld Evolution
By studiowolfox
| Category | Rank | Score | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 11 | 4.28 | ||
| Innovation | 7 | 4.48 | ||
| Fun | 48 | 3.90 | ||
| Mood | 53 | 3.94 | ||
| Theme | 83 | 3.90 | ||
| Audio | 157 | 3.48 | ||
| Graphics | 250 | 3.68 | ||
| Humor | 326 | 2.81 | ||
| Coolness | 1409 | 47 |
very interesting mechanics
could use clearer explanation
This is really sleek! love the feel and the atmossphere. The sound-effects are great, and the idea too :)
really fun, I picked it up right away, not sure about the win condition but I love digging!
I love this game! It is so cool!
Very interesting.
It's a shame that i don't know what some of the attributes do.
I had a good time overall though :)
Great mechanics! Love this game.
Very interesting mechanic though as others have said could have done with clearer context and explanation. Audio use is really nice as well.
Being presented with all the attributes was a little overwhelming, but overall I quite like the idea.
I loved it!
I really dig the fact that you want to let some kind of experimentation, observation and learning. Your game seem really great, i like the concept. BUT YOU HAVE TO TELL A LITTLE MORE! I don't know how my choices are affecting next generation of Evo's. Please explain more i want to play it for hours but i need to know at least what i'm doing.
Hey thanks everyone for the great feedback!!! I totally agree with the fact that it is a bit too overwhelming and that the feedback is a bit lacking. Gave it a little tweak.
Also, a huge reason why the pathfinding values don't feel that intuitive is because of a tiny bug in the goal finding algorithm: instead of choosing the one the Evo LIKED most, he choose the one he HATED most.... oops!! Uploading the fix right now :)
I'm super glad you all like it! I will soon start rating yours!
OK, FIXED! Along with some other tiny bugs :) Now the properties should work nice and intuitively!
That's way better! I understand now better. And the game IS what i hoped it was. Really great i love the idea. I don't really now what you mean by "long paths" and "paths" and "walls" but it's now intuitive enough to try thing and see how it reacts. Favorite entry so far.
If I'd make a suggestion for an improvement, it would be a speed-up button that increases the game speed with factors 2 and 4, because ive had a few runs where i had to wait 3 minutes for all my evos to die while they were doing nothing (Bad evo settings on my par)
Also, make sure that the game runs when its not the active screen.
These types of games are ideal to have running in the background, just to see how far you can get while doing your other stuff.
That so much fun! Great entry :)
Nice stuff!! Digging is so much fun :) 15 evolutions, is that good? Wish there was an online high score system or something :P Seriously sweet A.I. tho. I really start wondering what them little fellers are thinking... they do get smarter after a while, or am I imagining things? lol 4 Meatballs!!
great mood, very nice game, it's a bit like watching a fire burn, I could do this for hours.
Everything about this game is awesome apart from lack of a clear tutorial - so many attributes it is definitely overwhelming as others have said!
Awesome game!
I originally played it before the bug-fix. It took me about an hour to finish it. I had several iterations where my evo's cleared the entire map of resources.
This feels "complete" for a minimalist evolution game. The graphics and sound work well, the evolution menu is interesting, it's exciting to see the little guys grow up :)
definitely no a game for everyone, but I did enjoyed.
11
Amazing game! The music really sets a relaxing mood and the audio never gets repetitive. Visual design is also very clean. I've been playing with the idea of evolution-based gameplay for a while, and this gets a lot of it very right.
Did it in 7! My strats: At first, optimize for low dig interval (!) and high preference for digging, collecting coins, and traveling. Around generation 3-6 or so you get a windfall- evos are collecting many more coins than before, but you've spent so little that modifying the gene pool is still cheap. During this period, keep dig interval at 0 and digging/collecting preferences high, and optimize for lifetime, followed by speed and dig strength. Evos should now be clearing the majority of the map now, so spend all your points on preference for entering heaven. At this point, it usually only takes a couple more generations.
Like all stages, the first stage is a bit random. If no one's digging anything, your first couple generations are going to be painfully slow, and you might just want to refresh the page and get a better first batch.
So - I just played this almost for an hour. This is officially the longest time I ever played ANY Ludum Dare entry EVER. The first time I won, it was with 10 mutations, the second time with 6.
The game explained itself rather well, which is surprising, considering its inherit complexity. Apart from a few roadbumps (mainly "Welp, they like each other, but they don't like digging too much." and "Oh right, I don't want the interval to be HIGHER, guess it's time for a restart..."), this was a really smooth experience.
And what an experience it was! It was fun watching the little critters dig, the music is perfectly fitting and relaxing, the sound effects sound pleasent as are the minimalistic graphics. The symbols are a nice (and useful) touch. And haha, I like the mail in the beginning - it totally breaks with the style of the game, but since I wasn't immersed yet anyway, it was fun to read.
Things on my wish list:
- I want to whitelist/blacklist Evos while they are digging so I have an easier time sorting them later.
- I want to be able to few the evos in a table, remove some, switch them around, sort them etc.
This is really, really well done, *especially* for the short compo timeframe!
PS: I found a bug. When I tried the game a second time after winning, anybody who enters heaven will vanish, but not get counted.
PPS: I just checked the source and found out that you used music by Kevin MacLeod. That's only allowed in the jam, not in the compo, so I can't give you a high audio score. The music was really well chosen though!
PPPS: Heat Resistant? Ice Resistant? Poison? Seems like you planned a lot more fun stuff that never made it inside!
Simply one of the best I've played this LD. Polished, unique concept, fantastic music, "balance" is perfect etc. etc. Completely agree on your design decisions when it comes to player discovery (which I didn't read before I played) - this game is about figuring out what those attributes mean not simply the "min-maxing" process.
I've been saying things like "this should be expanded into a full game" on particularly good LD games but this is *finished*, it's the complete package!
Don't really have much else to say. Release it on something where you get the ad revenue and exposure, at the very least :D
Would be good on mobile also due to the asynchronous play
As another person commented has said I've had to withdraw the audio portion of my vote due to the use of other people's music. That doesn't in any way detract from my enthusiasm for the game (or the other ratings!)
7! sight helps in the end :D
at first I was not looking forward to playing this and indeed it took a few tries to figure it out - but wow what a great game - very impressed - awesome job
Great game! I love genetic algorithms in general and artificial selection in games especially. I believe you've managed to find a decent way to apply it in to a game. Loved the music too!
Would be great if we could select more than one for breeding to combine several good traits.
BEST LD GAME SO FAR!
I fell in love with this game. I admit I am an AI geek but man this game is cool. I totally agree with your fast forward button, though I urge for a suicide button.
I really hope you do more with this idea post compo! It's so great. I would have loved to see score page with a family tree and random names for the little guys. Just so many things that could be built on this amazing base of game. Hazards, different scenarios, hostile mobs, multiplayer or competitive NPCs.
Really really hope you do something with this post compo if not please say because this is a game I would gladly build a full version of (only if its abandoned of course)
Bravo!
Thank you all for the great feedback and comments :D
I am very passionate about the mechanics and I am very very happy with this game. I would LOVE to continue this idea. I have already made some plans for the "full" version of the game which I would probably release on mobile devices as its main platform.
@Kimau So, ye! I will be doing something with it! Thanks for your great comment and the idea of the suicide button and the family tree. Will most probably implement the suicide button in the final product.
Wonderful! I'll probably be playing this again. Too bad about the music not following the rules.
WOW, so good. Totally missed it during voting but I'll give it 10/10 post jam. Would buy full version.