modalmodule 2017-07-31 07:51
Source code doesn't seem to be showing up, so here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ak4hb3w_EWntgcpdToWdHZRv3UAB_A Well it showed up now but I can't see a way to delete this (on mobile), anyway, enjoy! :)
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → LD39 → VamBot
By modalmodule
| Category | Rank | Score | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 616 | 2.65 | 22 | |
| Fun | 606 | 2.45 | 22 | |
| Innovation | 586 | 2.40 | 22 | |
| Theme | 480 | 3.20 | 22 | |
| Graphics | 622 | 2.10 | 22 | |
| Audio | 299 | 2.90 | 22 | |
| Humor | 327 | 2.27 | 20 | |
| Mood | 566 | 2.26 | 21 |
Source code doesn't seem to be showing up, so here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ak4hb3w_EWntgcpdToWdHZRv3UAB_A Well it showed up now but I can't see a way to delete this (on mobile), anyway, enjoy! :)
They can attack me from behind, but I cannot face them? That is unfair! :)
Well done!
Remember to rate other games to give yourself more visibility and receive more ratings!
@supremefist there was a method to my madness. Since they get knocked back, and inevitably you'll need to suck their energy, if I was to make a left facing attack, and they thus get knocked to the left, they will be far away from the pile formed by those coming from the right, this way, regardless of which direction they come from, they pile up nicely together. My strategy: run around them to get to their left and unleash! haha Oh and thanks for the reminder, I am working on a song right now, but will immediately after! Really excited to play everyone's games!
A beat-em-up with a power suck mechanic, not a bad brainstorm idea but definitely needs some more iteration. Would have enjoyed seeing the concept explored further, maybe by having you progress through a level rather than staying stationary in a single room. Having to constantly move forward to find your next victim because you are losing power would be a good driving force.
I'd say you fit the theme pretty well, but you need to work in some extra innovation with the concept to really unlock the fun in this one.
But nice first submission and first published game! Keep it up!
I though the concept was very funny. Good job on the music. I saw your comments, but I still feel it would be best if you could attack in both directions. Nice game for your first LD: hope you enjoyed it!
Cool Game and it really reminds me of mine XD Also my first game and an Beat-em-up with an power mechanic ...
@wizard-exe yes well, what with the time constraint as well as the trial version of GMS2 (with limited sprites/objects), I had to make due! haha I tried to create some interest with the parallax bg (which was a first for me), and once I decided for it to be survival, it made sense for it to just be like an infinite factory. I will buy the full version of GMS2 soon, in which case I will definitely be attempting to make actual levels with lots of objects, but probably for a different game. This one serves its purpose. :) Thanks for the feedback!
@nalia1991 sorry! I made up my mind. ;) I can imagine the complaint had I allowed for left attacks: "it's too hard to reach the dead bots! D:" hahaha Thanks for the compliments! I did enjoy it, and I'm also enjoying playing everyone else's games! :)
@littlelegend I assumed mine wouldn't be all too unique, however I figured a vampire robot was at least more unique than just a robot! haha
Well, as already been mentioned, you can't turn left, which is annoying. Also at some point robots started to disappear after I kill them and I was unable to drain their energy. I believe this happens, whed dead robot fly out of the screen bounds. Overall, it is totally playable, slashing other robots is fun, sounds are simple, but slashing sound fits so well
@jima actually that is part of the challenge, what happens is after 10 kills, and RNG chooses whether each robot cracks leaving the body for you to suck energy from, or explode (as you would hear/see happen) in which case they disappear, preventing you from taking their energy, with a 50/50 chance. This was to balance the fact that more and more bots are coming, because otherwise you would have an endless supply of energy to suck. I wanted to increase the challenge of the game as it progressed. After 100 kills, it turns to a 33/66 chance for them to crack instead of explode. Hope this makes sense.
@modalmodule that actually sounds reasonable. I think I was really close to the right edge of the screen and all robots exploded off screen, so I didn't notice explosion animation. Anyway, even with this minimalistic graphics this game plays like a solid beat 'em up.
@jima wow thanks so much!! :):):) by the way, I'm a ld site noob as well, I've been tagging people, but I realize I don't know how to see if I've been tagged. As you responded, perhaps you know?
@modalmodule no, I believe there is no such feature, which is quite disappointing. I just keep list of games I rated and I check last of them time to time :)
my antivirus flagged this file, not sure what engine you made this from
Graphics were a little rough but the idea for the game is a good one! It was a little weird that I wasn't able to attack the robots that were behind me.
Nice job, liked your music. Gameplay could have used a bit more depth, maybe a different type of attacking robot. Also, I assumed your supposed to go right since you can't attack to the left, but the camera didn't seem to pan with me. Just something to think about. Anyways, grats on finishing your first LD!
I think to combat the issue with the left-facing attack... if you were worried about that, it would have been better to just have them all spawn on the right. Not having the ability to attack left, but having robots on your left, didn't feel like a very good mechanic, even if the alternative may have been worse.
I also felt like the randomness of the robots despawning led to an end state that was out of my control. I had 5 or 6 robots in a row that just blew up, and I just drained all the way out with no possible way of recovering. Maybe the randomness should have been curved a bit, where if you were below a certain amount of energy, the chance went back to 100%, or something? Either way, in a survival game like this, having the game end without feeling like it was your fault isn't a good feeling on that front.
Besides that, I liked the art style, and the attack / vampire mechanics were solid and entertaining. I would have liked the background music to maybe be a little quieter though.
Thanks everyone for the feedback! @jcmonkey it was made with gamemaker. I have had lots of games I've dl'd from this jam give me the "unknown publisher" warning, not sure if that's what you're referring to, but my antivirus says my comp is clean.
@doomshmuck I totally understand where you're coming from on both fronts. I decided to make them spawn from the left for the sake of a little more interesting movement, as otherwise I was just trudging ahead the whole time. I don't know why, but I began to enjoy the circling around them to attack from their left strategy. I did audio last, and after taking too long to make the song (I originally had a 3rd section of the song in mind but didn't have time), I just threw all the sfx/music on really quick and left them all full blast. If I was to have the time, I would totally add volume controls. In regards to the despawning, yes, I had some rounds that felt unfair as well, and yes if I set a rule for if you're low on power to always leave a cracked bot that would be good. I had enough good runs to feel like it was more fair than unfair, so I just went with it.
@sketchycode yes, I would've loved to elaborate and make more bots, I wanted bosses every so often as well (did that in another infinite game I made before, unreleased) and it was awesome, led to way more variety. Alas, I got a late start on the jam, and didn't have time... As per the camera, it technically never moves, so you're right! However, the enemies and bg move corresponding to your movement to make it feel like it's moving, at least that's what I was going for, not sure if there's any other way to make an infinite game in GMS2.
@don-fouts yes, I suppose I should mention definitely programmer art, I am in NO WAY a visual artist, but I like doing games on my own, and just trying my best to portray what's in my head.
Thanks again everyone!
Interesting concept! Definitely needs the ability to turn left since that felt a little artificial, but overall very nice. Well done!
Graphics. Very simple graphics. 3/5 cause you did animations. You should also flip the sprite when he is moving left.
Theme. Nothing special done with the theme but not bad. 3/5.
Innovation. Just a generic gameplay. 1/5.
Fun. Fun for 2 minutes but then gets boring killing same enemies over and over. 2/5.
Audio. Really liked that track. 4/5.
overall good job on your first published game, keep it up.
Very good game!
I loved: - The game mechanics - The audio - That sweet animated background
I would have loved:
- Being able to face backwards to attack
Excellent for a first time, I hope to see you on future LDs!
Thanks for packaging in an easy-to-run exe. I enjoyed the audio, both the music and the slash. That tied in with the animation, made for a very fun mechanic. Keep up the good work!
Thanks everyone! Ok so what are the rules, I assume I can't upload a patch with left turning, only bugfixes right? Cuz clearly the lot of ya want left turns and I'd wanna give it to ya!
Oh hey, a fellow vambot creator, was glad to see someone else come up with the idea. :) Good job there with your first LD and published game! The gameplay is a bit repetitive, I'd just add different kinds of enemies to both increase the difficulty and add variety, but I know that it's hard to do in just 30 hours, especially when it's your first "marathon". Audio was neat as well, and graphics, while simple, were all done in one style unlike some other games that go for discrete pieces quality over unified styling, so props for that as well. Keep on working, you have ideas that're worth it!
I really liked the music and sound effects. The graphics were decent as well. There really needed to be a way to turn around. It just felt awkward to have to walk around enemies coming from behind to attack. But for a first game this was a solid entry!
Interesting take on the theme. Nice job!