Foon →
Ludum Dare Explorer →
LD39 →
Space Dog
Space Dog
By thygrrr, stuartmd and demi
View on ldjam.com
| Category | Rank | Score | Count |
|
|---|
| Overall | 18 | 4.30 | 92 | |
| Fun | 26 | 4.09 | 92 | |
| Innovation | 81 | 3.84 | 92 | |
| Theme | 23 | 4.31 | 92 | |
| Graphics | 167 | 4.15 | 93 | |
| Humor | 52 | 3.86 | 90 | |
| Mood | 69 | 4.02 | 91 | |
Comments
This is my favorite game so far and possible the entire Ludum Dare. It's very fun to play and challenging without frustrating, Graphics were maybe weakest part but still good 4/5. Everything else is a solid 5/5, good sound effects with voice over don't see that too often. Very funny situation with a dog tasked with running a space ship. Fits the theme perfectly haven't seen a better take on the theme yet. Innovative gameplay. Most importantly extremely fun. Fantastic job guys. 5/5.
I posted twice damn it.
thygrrr
2017-08-01 19:23
Hey, thank you so much for the nice feedback. We're really happy you loved the game, @digitaldude555 . It was super fun to make. :dog:
We did our best with the graphics, we're three coders and one musician... :grin:!
bombjack
2017-08-01 20:46
This is the most fun game I played today. I'm not a fan of voxel games but this one is brilliant! There is so much fun in trying to keep the crew alive and so much irony in getting threats in such a critic situation. To sum up: BRAVO !
thygrrr
2017-08-01 21:02
Yeah, after seeing how quickly we could work with SabreCSG, in hindsight, we could have done with less voxels and more low poly. And I really need to learn blender... :) But we were very time constrained already.
Thank you for the kind review, @bombjack, glad you enjoyed the game! :dog:
flurrih
2017-08-01 21:07
Very fun, my favourite game so far. Didn't complete it but it was hella fun. I liked the concept, graphics is fine and the sound is amazing. Keep up the good work!
ramkey
2017-08-01 21:09
It's a definite 5 star for me! Everything is perfectly fitting together: sounds, graphics and gameplay. Very well done!
thygrrr
2017-08-01 21:20
Thank you so much, @flurrih and @ramkey :) This means a lot to us, still winding down from the stress and lack of sleep. :weary: WORTH IT!!! :grin:
kungkras
2017-08-01 21:27
I loved everything about this. The developers were good boys
kungkras
2017-08-01 21:27
I loved everything about this. The developers were good boys
thygrrr
2017-08-01 22:16
Thanks @kungkras ... and actually, one of us is a Demi Good Boy ;) She actually made the voxel dog...
kungkras
2017-08-01 22:30
Is it possible to win or is it about getting as much treats as possible before you die? Either way it's awesome!
reax
2017-08-01 22:31
First and probably the only game to receive 5* in all cathegories from me.
thygrrr
2017-08-01 23:16
@reax Wow, this is high praise. Thanks so much! :dog:
@kungkras After you get to this crisis [*(spoiler, click to decrypt)*](http://www.decode.org/?q=xbonlnfuv+zneh), the game will give you random crises until reactor fuel runs out.
Speaking of running out, we ran out of time for a game over sequence, which is why we have a rather abrupt game end. We're polishing a post-jam version we'll put on itch.io where when you solve the last crisis AND have crew left, you actually win. :)
Consider yourself a winner when you even get to the last crisis. :)
kungkras
2017-08-01 23:40
I'm definitely checking out the post jam version :)
hav24
2017-08-01 23:47
Really a good game. Lovely artstyle (the dog is too cute), nice and fresh gameplay with a great mood too (thanks to the clever use of sound effects). My favorite so far! :)
Very good entry indeed. I ran the game for quite long time (20 treats or so). I can't really say anything against it - it looks very good, plays well. One of the best entries on jam.
I found it sooo funny and I have to admit that the dog is sooo cute. Congratulations for the game, good work!
thygrrr
2017-08-02 00:03
@hav24 I just played your game [Plug Me](https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/39/plug-me-1) and I'm super impressed by your discipline and polish. We were a mess making LD39 SPACE DOG, and didn't get a proper start or game over sequence.
@zgragselus Haha - at first I read 20 "threats", we had this discussion with misspellings of "treats" in our team, and at first I thought you meant "alerts"... playing 20 crises would take about 30 minutes of pure game play. And lots of micromanagement.
Thanks for giving the game a good spin, 20 space doggy treats is a nice achievement. My record is 29.
@jesus-fermin-villar Awww, thanks! :dog:
mateusmp
2017-08-02 02:06
Awesome game! Loved the voxel graphic style! There was a quest where it asked me to stop the cryo, wait and power it again. People died. Guess I misunderstood it? But it was a very good experience overall! After some time it gets a bit repetitive, but... gotta get those treats, right?
thygrrr
2017-08-02 02:17
@mateusmp Thanks for the nice review. Glad you had fun! Sorry about your crew...
Probably, to stop cryo was the right thing to do. At least that's what the A.I. gave you the doggy treats for, right? ... right? :thinking:
(In this crisis, you can only choose between slow death of the crew by thawing, or slow damage to the ship's systems. Choose one, or the other. Note that if your crew is healthy, they might not even die ... if you stand at the ready with a fresh battery as soon as this crisis ends.)
Secret pro tip for those reading the comments: *If you power the shields, the structural damage taken from any crisis is reduced, even if shields aren't the entire or even part of the "solution". That is, unless the shields are part of the problem...*
shabap
2017-08-02 03:28
Will we see the good boy in a FTL style adventure? It looks like an AAA studio entered the jam when you are only 4 people. There is just one little problem: I threw the radioactive rods out of the ship at the start thinking they were a hazard and then failed to use the reactor.
thygrrr
2017-08-02 03:40
Wow, how much time did you have to throw all these rods out of the ship before the first reactor failure? Haha! I did want to exchange the radioactive symbol with a small "fuel" text, but that was scrapped for last minute bug fixes.
And gee, thanks, this is high praise for my teammates, who still consider themselves beginners. It was Demi's first and Arakin's second Ludum Dare. Both of them relatively new to Unity, they have really outdone themselves for this game. :) Could not have done it without them, and it's also my first team submission. I don't think I want to go back to solo submissions, even though I had a blast in my first LD, the [LD37 Compo](http://legacy.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-37/?action=preview&uid=124451).
I gotta say a three day JAM with a team is even a lot more fun than a two day COMPO alone!
Ah! love love love! A little confusing though... I'd say maybe some more help would be good. Once the batteries went out, I didn't understand how to power the nuclear rods... but it was a great game! Good work!
furkanfs
2017-08-02 10:38
Wow nice game! I have made 16 yummies :D. It was hard to understand what to do the first time, but the second time it was pretty clear. Well done!
thygrrr
2017-08-02 10:46
@timothy-hoffman - What kind of dog doesn't know how to fetch a stick? I mean, sure, it's a radioactive glowing stick, but a stick all the same! :wink: (I agree, a flashing FETCH FUEL sign on the reactor would make sense - will be put into the PostEvent versions, the currrent version of the game can only turn things on when the reactor is on, not the other way around)
@furkanfs - Good Boy! :) Glad you enjoyed those treats! Too bad you couldn't chase off those pirates...
The game looks very dynamic, easy to manage, fun to play. I'm delighted with this dog and graphics in generall, well-chosen soundtrack. The guys did an excellent job!:D
bartol44
2017-08-02 16:54
Holy... The game is amazing. It's intense and very well balanced. Graphics are great, and I love the ship design. Gameplay is well-thought, everything is clear. The most coherent project I played so far. The only bad thing I experienced is sound of letters was a bit too loud and irritating, I also couldn't see first letters of instructions. But sweet Jesus, it's nothing compared to the rest. Very well done!
thygrrr
2017-08-02 17:56
Ok, my inner nerd :nerd: couldn't let go of the sound issue... AND I FOUND THE CAUSE. Some sounds got corrupted, which caused the click. You can now (kind of...) enjoy the game in HTML5 as well! :dog:
Changelog: ----------------- - Moved the alert text down a notch, as it was covering the game on some screens - I found some of the broken sounds and replaced them (this also causes less voice spam at times) - You were often only getting the basic doggy treat amount, no matter how well you mastered a crisis :frowning:
I promise no more changes to this version until after the rating is over. I might link an itch.io version in one or two weeks.
thygrrr
2017-08-02 18:12
Thank you for the kind words, @bartol44 and @taira-domini :) The team here is super happy to hear these reviews!
Jesus. One of the best I have played so far. Congratulations!
Really fun game, game play was interesting and a nice use of the theme. A dog should not have this much responsibility. Nice work!
dariusa
2017-08-02 19:27
Ok wow ! That's really a good idea you had. Perfectly fits the theme. I find it a bit hard, but not frustrating and the ambiance is great. Congrats ! :)
I enjoyed the game after a few games. At first I didn't know you were supposed to handle batteries!! And then I saw those alerts and start thinking "maybe I should consider what the voice said". Finally it wasn't that hard to understand the mechanics and it feels natural. And the ending is abrupt, I didn't understood the first try. My record is 15 treats. I'm not really into voxel art but it feels OK. Ship design and difficulty is good, nice job.
thygrrr
2017-08-02 22:59
@crazyrems - thank you for the honest feedback, that really helps plan the polishing for the PostEvent version. :)
The ending is indeed abrupt, I'll reserve extra time next Ludum Dare to get a proper end sequence. For whatever game we'll be making then. :dog:
thygrrr
2017-08-03 01:17
Heeey, someone DIDN'T leave a Humor Rating. NOT FUNNY! :wink:
I had some problems with the web version (some unity web player errors), but the game is very beautiful and interesting. Thumbs up to the sound design! For me, the sound was my favourite part of your game! Very well developed.
Good job!
thygrrr
2017-08-03 01:28
@unidaystudio - I get these occasionally as well. No idea, only happens on my living room PC; I do run on a 1080p screen but at 125% UI scale there. That causes the Unity Player to scale too large, even though it's only 720p.
I'll reduce the size of the player window, also for performance reasons.
*EDIT: that might have improved it*
Wow, what's an amazing game. A great and Innovative idea and vey well executed. Great game, I really enjoy this. And the dog is pretty cute :)
thygrrr
2017-08-03 01:31
Thanks @trulyspinach :dog: Glad you liked it!
This was really fun. I liked the mechanics but was a little confused by the nuclear rods and why I was able to put them in battery slots. Overall really nice work, the game ran very smooth for me with the web player!
thygrrr
2017-08-03 01:46
Thanks for playing, @don-fouts - yeah, probably we'll take that "feature" out in the PostEvent version (it's not a feature, rather the absence of one).
Nothing happens when you put a fuel rod in a battery stand.
I'm glad nobody tried to put a battery into the reactor yet. Not even myself... :thinking:
*Good news everyone, the battery is big enough so you can take it out of the reactor again! The Wishbone has a Class 42 Barrier Free Equal Opportunity Reactor.*
Sadly I noticed the web version doesn't play the alarm for the Cryo Failures... the web player really has issues with short WAV samples.
eggnog
2017-08-03 01:59
This is great! Super stressful, might I add, but a really cool concept! I'm sure that after multiple playthroughs I'd be able to get a handle on the tasks that need to be accomplished, but on my first run I killed the entire crew within a minute or so. Great job!
thygrrr
2017-08-03 02:02
@eggnog - thank you, this is super important feedback. (the cryo failure warning siren doesn't sound in all browsers I'm afraid, in case you thought people no longer floating and first turning red, then black, was harmless)
I always want to make the game HARDER and more frantic, but I realize I have about twenty plays at 15+ minutes in it (80% of the game solved). I know all the moves, when to expect disasters, etc. Seeing Demi play the final balance version the first time was shocking, she too lost most of her crew in the first two alerts.
I had a blast, but only after i figured out where everything goes. Very good job, will play again
relinke
2017-08-03 02:50
Cute dog! Nice game! Reminds me of FTL and Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers! But I don't know the role of weapon and shield.
dolash
2017-08-03 04:19
Wow, what a game! Reminds me of that Space Alert boardgame where you're running around desperately trying to keep the ship together through crisis after crisis. I'm very impressed with the graphics, game mechanics, polish, presentation, just about everything here! This could honestly be the kernel of a full product, good job.
Just one tiny little sticking point with the premise - you implicitly suggest the existence of dogs (space or otherwise) who are not Good, and that I cannot abide. It might seem heavy-handed to dock you a point of fun for this grievous slight on dogkind, but the topic of canine goodliness is no laughing matter, chum.
This game is great. Like, totally the best one I've played so far.
I could go into all the different praises, but I think others have already summarised my opinion. Suffice to say, really really really good job.
I had one minor frustration when picking up and placing batteries. If I pressed the key to put down batteries at the wrong time, the battery could be put down in front of me. Then it would block me from doing what I was trying to do. It wouldn't let me pick up the battery right away again either. This didn't happen too often though (I only noticed it when I was in a pirate attack :P ). It's not a big deal overall, I'm really just trying to find SOME way to provide constructive feedback, so... there ya go. :-P
You've achieved an incredible result. You should be really proud of this.
Also - you might be happy to know I played the game in WebGL, Chrome, Ubuntu 16.04. I did not notice any problems with sound. If there **is** problem, it's a very non-obvious one. :-P I thought the audio was great.
This game is wonderful! I can see now why dogs get soo excited about being a good boy! The game gets really hectic later on, which is exactly what you want from a game like this. The difficulty curve never felt brutal though, so well done! It's always easy to fall into that groove with your own game and make it too hard for everyone else.
A cute and fun game with great balanced mechanics. The voxel graphics were very well done and the game had a great level of polish. The audio and voice alerts for the crisis were great. I had a lot of fun playing. A really good entry!
thygrrr
2017-08-03 10:40
@dolash - But, but, but... all dogs go to heaven, and heaven is just another word for space! :dog: Yet I must insist, some dogs are **good girls!**
@pixel-game-wizard - I am really grateful for the time you took to play and review our entry. Wow! And I'm now happy I made the HTML5 verison and will make a point to build Linux builds (need to get a Linux machine running anyway). Very much appreciated. Cheers!
@bocodillo & @ursagames - Thank you for the praise, and it's great to hear you had fun!
mspawa
2017-08-03 20:25
Nice game! Maybe the only thing that I would add is some way that you can speed up the final text (when you lose), because I have to wait too long if I want to play it again.
At first I didn't know what to do, I was running in circles taking and throwing things xD but then I figured it out and it was really funny (and stressfull as well).
I like the dog and the art style :) Nice work!
thygrrr
2017-08-03 20:34
Haha, @mspawa, we just got that feedback here at the game creator's hangout in Berlin.
That seals it, we'll never build unskippable text anymore.
SUPER FUN, well paced, addictive. I think peoples' comments about the mechanics being balanced is spot on. It's not discouragingly difficult but it definitely makes you earn any success you get. It's also pretty well done artistically with a hint of humor.
I liked the sound effects and music, and as a musician myself I can feel that it's done by someone who understands what role it should play in this type of game. Well focused and successful effort. Kudos.
To offer criticism, hmm. I think it'd be a thing if the ship was designed more platonically and using a more intentional color palette. The voxel art was great, but I think focusing on the aesthetic dimension of this game has a lot of potential to make it even more charming. That just goes to say that the mechanics and game-feel are already where they need to be, at least for me.
SO adorable! Thank you so much for making it. I've sunk a good hour into it and it's still entertaining. The ship's voice is a great touch. Full marks from me!
gamezero
2017-08-04 11:59
Great concept really well executed. I love the graphics and characterisation - boosted by the great sounds.
lerpish
2017-08-04 12:41
This was kinda dark but great game
thygrrr
2017-08-04 17:25
@terribly-awesome-games wow, that's great feedback. We were wondering about making the palette more intentional, but weren't even thinking enough in terms of the ship itself. (I did a little bit when I made the shield and weapons windows...) I failed at doing the same for the helm etc. and the colours all around are a bit of a mess.
Last minute game jam mess. :) We're currently looking into making a 2 or 3 player co-op prototype to find out how that works.
Redoing some of the art is next. Thanks again, this is great input!
Really fun game to play. It seems to be very polished. Graphics and sounds are just epic, they create very amazing mood. Definitelly one of the best games I've played so far :)
I saw this game being played on a Twitch stream and I have to say it's really fun! I love the design of the dog and the power management handles really well. The physics can make switching batteries a bit awkward but nothing game-breaking. Really fun, great work!
thygrrr
2017-08-04 20:35
@gamepopper - wow, cool! Do you recall who the streamer was?
We're looking into smarter switching. I was probably too stubborn by refusing a simple "switch what you're holding with the other one" mechanic during the jam. (post event version is sinking into feature creep, haha)
eshudra
2017-08-04 21:36
Guys! You rock!
:metal: **Overall: 5**
thygrrr
2017-08-04 21:53
@eshudra Thank you! :dog: :metal:
Congrats. A perfect game.
Superb game design, well done! The different actions you needed to do an only so many resources reminded me of a single player Overcooked in a way in terms of resource/time management. You wrapped it up in a very cohesive (and humorous) world and it just felt so polished.
Just saw your comment about 2-3 player coop attempt as well, looks like we're on the same page.
surovyi
2017-08-05 08:36
Hey! I'm a good boy! :dog: Very good game! I like the graphics, sounds. And the greatest advantage here is the balance and interactions. Gameplay keeps you warm and gives you time to relax. Love this game! :thumbsup:
Great management game here, really well polished and I am a good little boy! Get extremely hectic and fun the longer you play although to counter balance you yourself get better and managing it. Sometimes switching the batteries can be a little tricky but it's nothing major. I really enjoy also that you play as A DOG! :D Overall it's extremely fun, really well made jam game! Fantastic work! ^-^
Very good entry indeed. Simple mechanic and interesting gameplay. You have done a great work in less than 72 hours. The aesthetic is unusual and good enough. I had fun playing. Well done ++
rikoclon
2017-08-05 23:21
Deceivingly good game, the art and the humor took a while for me to appreciate, but after i got the hang of it, it was actually a pleasant experience. The dog was like a floating ball so i had to keep telling myself i was a dog. the game helped in reminding me too which is good. I feel bad for all those humans i killed just figuring out oh hey you can charge batteries. I think if the different battery spots were labeled better I would have figured things out quicker, but great game.
tolmera
2017-08-06 18:05
Hey @thygrrr, I know you didn't actually [put a link in to your](https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/39/end-of-time/whos-not-had-any-love-link-your-game-for-me-to-play) game :) but since you were in the list :) I thought, 'why not', so If you're interested in watching my play-thorough [I did a stream, and here's where I played your game](https://youtu.be/-DEvWdMWCKk?t=2218) --- Oh I just read the comment above, Gamepopper was in my stream :) He witnessed my total failure to actually stream the gameplay the first time round :P (shhhh, noone knows I failed...)
thygrrr
2017-08-06 18:24
@tolmera I had actually commented on your YouTube recording earlier, having found it by chance.
Thanks so much for playing, you did really well, too! :)
tolmera
2017-08-06 20:19
Yea I had uploaded the video and went to bed lol :) thought I had better go tell people I played :) It's so much fun seeing someone play your game (I can't help but laugh when they think you did something really smart, but you didn't even think of it).
Love the Camera control, so smooth and just right for the game. Your algorithm is awesome!
A fun and charming game. The AI's voice reminds me of portal so I was surprised that they were actual doggy treats.
lereveur
2017-08-06 21:58
I confirm that download version is better, embbeded raises memory issues (until it's to laggy to play), so executable version is the best, but it would be better if resolution can be changed (I can play it, but I miss some information to the left and right, that are out of my screen). Appart of that, it was very fun to play and challenging (I take too long to understand what is needed, so I tried to keep all batteries on power, and to keep the crew alive, while juggling between the three other power slots almost randmoly), and I'm sure I could spend a lot of time trying to keep that ship and it's crew in one piece, so good job!
rixud
2017-08-07 03:12
I really like the game in general! The graphics and sound was spectacular !, at first it seems a little overwhelming but after a couple of try I get my 13 Space Doggy Treats !!!! jejejejejeje, my only |negative feedback is the dog movement and the little space in the cryo chamber, its too small to have 2 batteries at one there... GREAT JOB!
thygrrr
2017-08-07 10:05
@lereveur Thanks for the bug report... I forced the game's aspect ratio to 16:9, and it works well on my 21:9 screen, but we have been unable to test smaller aspect ratios.
I'll investigate and figure out what's wrong there.
budaniel
2017-08-07 17:39
I learned to be a good boy over time, and saved some people... but we never made it to the end. I loved the look and the audio. I'd suggest a quit button somewhere in the game when folks are done, though. :)
This is an example of perfect use of theme.
lajazuve
2017-08-07 20:52
It's hard ! nice work, i don't understand at start what i should did but, after it's really cool. I love voxels ++
Nice idea and implementation, nearly perfect matching the theme. The only 'complain' is about swapping batteries -- if you nave battery equipped, pressing E should swap your battery with the one installed.
thygrrr
2017-08-08 07:32
@blk-dragon yeah, I was stubborn when my teammates suggested it during the jam, and I refused to code that and said "let them fumble", forgetting that player intent and smooth game play trumps everything. Oops... :/
pcmaster
2017-08-08 11:47
I can't find words to describe this epic-ness. 6 out of 5, if I could! This is the best game I've ever played on LD! Woof!
Very nicely done. Graphics, mood, design everything works perfectly! Well done : thumbsup:
pablodap
2017-08-08 13:51
Tremendous entry! Nice use of voxel grapihcs and sound design!
thygrrr
2017-08-08 14:39
@pcmaster Oh wow, thank you. The entire team is blushing. :blush:
@pablodap and @michaeltwg - thank you so much for the kind words, as well! :dog:
@thygrrr do you folks have a twitter account to follow?
thygrrr
2017-08-09 21:01
@thygrrr and @moritzvoss for me, @arakineu for @stuartmd, @talatakara for @demi, and @covahr for CoVahr
That came out a lot more confusing than I wanted. :)
Fantastic job! So polished! The graphics, sound, and game play is great! I never knew being a space dog was soooo stressful!
One of my favorite games so far :D Really well polished overall. Congrats to the whole team :smile:
cttfow
2017-08-11 09:29
Takes a while to get the idea of the game but the sounds, graphics and the whole story work very well together, this is a really strong entry!
recursor
2017-08-11 14:36
Very fun and one of the best I've played yet. Loved the sounds and the idea! I played much longer than I intended.
5 stars! When I swapped batteries in the cryo-chamber, I felt heroic! When I bounced around the ship, I felt a bit giddy that the humans had left a dog in charge of their survival. The moment when I would continue to play is after the ship was destroyed, I wasn't sure how I could repair the sparkling reactor or activate shields in the helm.
thygrrr
2017-08-13 11:38
@ethan-kennerly thanks for the nice review :)
The broken reactor can't be fixed, but you can fetch fuel sticks (see what we did there?) to put them into the bottom reactor.
When you put a battery into the shield console, the shields go up. If you put one into the helm slot, the helm is powered. If you put one into the weapons slow, the guns fire.
We're adding an interactive element to this in our post-jam edition (especially useful in coop-multiplayer), but the jam version just needs all required stations to be powered at once to get through an alarm scenario.
Amazing game. Everything fits so well. And you even get some nice voice acting! One of the best without doubt.
I think the only thing to improve is the music, which it's not bad, but I think it couls be better.
I'm good boy! But I have a very slow compute and game works very slow. But It very good game. I like it. Good job!
coauctor
2017-08-21 17:14
Wow, this is one of my favs so far. I just love the concept. The fantasy of being a space rescue dog is awesome. The atmosphere, visuals, sound are great. Even the game over feels so mmm piercing because you're just a dog who wants a bone.
Five-for-all. Thanks for the game!
thygrrr
2017-08-21 18:32
@coauctor and thank you for the review! :dog:
2017-09-29 11:11
Super wonderful game! I included it in my Ludum Dare 39 compilation video series, if you’d like to take a look :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcB7mPgMq7c
thygrrr
2017-12-08 01:31
Thanks @jupiter-hadley :) I really enjoy your vids, thanks for making those!