FoonLudum Dare ExplorerLD49 → Unhitched Isles

Unhitched Isles

By mickm

View on ldjam.com

CategoryRankScoreCount
Overall1203.8155
Fun1563.6755
Innovation683.9855
Theme244.3455
Graphics3143.3355
Audio2323.2646
Humor1883.0052
Mood1583.5151

Comments

ratogodoy 2021-10-03 23:32

very well made, presentation is a little low but the gameplay is extremely enjoyable, this feels like a game i would play outside the context of this jam on my phone

devparty 2021-10-03 23:46

Nice game! I really like the concept. I think that if you kept working on it then you could really have a full release!

slimmerburger 2021-10-04 00:37

Cool idea! Although those pesky fishing huts are so tough to balance

fakefirefly 2021-10-04 01:44

Really interesting game with a surprising amount of depth to it. The idea of an island tipping over is fun to think about, especially considering that there's a real world example of someone actually thinking that.

The fact that you aren't constrained to what you can build per task allows for a surprising amount of strategies. The islands are also well designed and makes each island feel like a puzzle. Surprisingly enough, I found the first island to be the hardest one to play, since it's so open ended.

The ambience in general is well done and very calming. I wish that after the game is over, the waves kept flowing so you could bask in your creation.

The idea was very creative and fit the theme well.

Overall, an excellent game.

parafactual 2021-10-04 02:30

pretty fun game! i don't love the look though; i think this is mostly the font

bluemaus 2021-10-04 02:56

Very cool game with a unique idea behind it. The fishing huts are really tough since it's easy for losing one to end up losing them all. Great graphics and love the sound effects.

lb01 2021-10-04 03:39

This is such a good strategy game. A few simple rules to get you started, but still takes a lot of skill to master. I wish you hadn't opted out of the audio category, because the sound design was really well done.

mickm 2021-10-04 03:51

@lb01 arg I didnt mean to opt out!! I was very happy with the audio so that is a painful mistake!!! I wonder if I can get it reactivated...

Thanks for the comments :)

mickm 2021-10-04 04:23

@lb01 @bluemaus @fakefirefly @slimmerburger @devparty @ratogodoy @parafactual Thanks all for the comments. I accidentally opted out of audio but thats fixed now, would love if you could throw a mark there too :)

(Thanks again LB for picking that up!!!)

the-jahn 2021-10-04 07:41

Fun idea, fun game. Unique and interesting spin on the "balance the things" trend I've been seeing. Haha.

iluvatar 2021-10-04 08:06

I love the unique balancing physics of the whole island. It was fun trying to balance it perfectly. It's like holding a plate on one finger as a kid and trying to not drop it. I think the gameplay complexity is ideal for Ludum Dare

recessive 2021-10-04 09:13

Super relaxing, sound design is nice too

dobryn 2021-10-04 10:05

Fun Idea, love that there are game modes, and just been laughing with the description and everything. Had fun playing with it. The physics is just amazing. It's challenging enough that I will keep playing it. Great game.

swen 2021-10-04 11:13

Wow, you got so much done in 48 hours! I think that you can be super proud of this entry!

I think that the game itself is super interesting and fun to play. It really got me strategically planning ahead while placing my buildings. Really enjoyed it! Oh and the 'trailer' gave me a good laugh aswell :D

2021-10-04 12:40

Really clever idea! I included it in my Ludum Dare 49 compilation video series, if you’d like to take a look. :) https://youtu.be/d0CZearFG8U

dzejpi 2021-10-04 12:59

Definitely my favorite entry so far. Very fun, surprising amount of depth (a lot of settings and game modes) for such a small amount of time and great humor! This is one of the few balancing games that I actually enjoyed and definitely the most original one. Super impressive! The only think I would improve is the font - was kinda hard to read. But no biggie!

blackquiltro 2021-10-04 13:34

Well made game, very good. Sound and mood was nice. Gameplay was simple to understand but challenging and with many options on how to approach each island. A surprisingly nice amount of content between the different islands and modes.

theviraldragon 2021-10-04 13:58

Unique idea. With some work this idea can be made into a full game

fabernull 2021-10-04 14:13

I like how picturesque it is, you did a great job with that given the time constraints :D

Capture.PNG

barrier 2021-10-04 15:28

Nice idea with the tilting island! :D Was really expecting the volcano to blow up and destroy all my stuff.

r3l0ad1 2021-10-04 15:47

Very cool game! It is a very interesting concept and is executed very well. Good work!

dekajoo 2021-10-04 17:20

The trailer got me into playing this ahah.

The game is fun, and really enjoyed the dialogs. Great job 😀

fupi 2021-10-04 18:42

Such a creative interpretation of the theme! There's tons to think about where to place your next thing, and each subsequent task is a real challenge. The graphics are pretty ugly, but that's excusable. Good sound too! I got to 13 tasks in the Unhitched Isles level.

kalevrk 2021-10-04 20:21

What a great idea for the theme! I like the continual challenge of the new tasks and if it were further developed I think that it would be a really nice addictive game. The sound effects were nice, but I think that it would be even more enjoyable to play it for longer stretches with some background music. Nicely done!

trexxak 2021-10-04 21:52

Difficult... at least at first. I love how every building feels unique due to their placement conditions!

zachary-shah 2021-10-04 23:35

Got a chance to play your game. The sheer amount of content is very impressive. Good sound design and well balanced objectives. The timers on normal mode felt very impeding. The hardest part I found is placing the first few buildings, and starting off felt like a little too big of a difficulty curve. The gameplay is very enjoyable, however, and I was able to get nearly 23 tasks on zen before retiring. Visuals leave much to be desired, just going with unlit or simple lit materials would vastly improve the visuals. Post processing would do wonders as well. Well done.

aderpychickenstudios 2021-10-05 01:50

The game is awesome especially for being built in only 48 hours amazing job. I did find that after a bit I was wondering if there was anything that I was aiming for so maybe even like a basic scoring system would be cool but otherwise amazing!

thatmanrobin 2021-10-05 02:09

That was definitely unique and enjoyable. Love the balancing of the island concept, at first I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing but it quickly became obvious haha. I completed a number of tasks on the different campaign levels but might try Zen later as it was really cool.

mickm 2021-10-05 04:28

I have updated to 1.1 to include an online scoring system! (with local for individual backup)

@fakefirefly I know you are keen to get your high scores up for everyone to marvel at ;)

Sincere thanks to everyone else that played/rated. Would love if you came back to get your score on the high score list (dont want the newcomers to steal the top spots eh? ;)

@ratogodoy @devparty @slimmerburger @parafactual @bluemaus @lb01 @the-jahn @iluvatar @recessive @dobryn @swen @dzejpi @blackquiltro @theviraldragon @fabernull @barrier @r3l0ad1 @dekajoo @fupi @kalevrk @trexxak @zachary-shah @aderpychickenstudios @thatmanrobin

EDIT - Scoring bug where only starter atoll scores would be submitted is now fixed!

shaolin-dave 2021-10-05 05:41

Writing this as I play:

First note, the html file is huge (dimension-wise) and I had to scroll over to find the game window. It does fit on my laptop screen, but I suggest using an auto-resizing html template (I think I sent a couple to you already)

The instructions are kind of small, the font choice is hard to read, and it's especially hard to read on the background. It's important to not sacrifice functionality for style

The layout is also making things difficult, with some visual elements overlapping each other

After playing about ten times, I think I've got the hang of it? It's not very clear what the lose/win conditions are, but I got more of each type of building on the island than the task wanted. I was sort of expecting the game to progress further, but it only gives me the option to quit to the menu.

I like the concept, but it's a bit hard to figure out with trial and error. Mostly I think the game could benefit from some UI and feedback enhancements. When selecting pieices, the name could show up by the cursor with the number of how many have been built, and how many are needed. Maybe video/audio cues when the goal for each building type is reached, and when the goal overall has been reached. As time is running out, maybe a visual/audio cue that it's coming up, and a different (more urgent) cue for when it's coming out and you haven't complete the tasks?

Good interpretation of the theme though.

mickm 2021-10-05 05:48

@shaolin-dave Thanks for the feedback! Agree fully re: task timer countdown audio, last 5 seconds or so for sure. Will add that in after compo review is complete!

Interesting idea about the cursor text too. Not one I considered but definitely would allow for faster paced gameplay.

Sorry to hear you didnt get the hang of it. The conditions are continue placing the buildings as tasked for as long as possible (Tasks completed are high score). I didnt get a chance to play with the itch web template prior but will look into that in down time!

Thanks again for the review :)

chesschaser 2021-10-05 09:31

reminds me of Islanders!

andidebob 2021-10-05 09:31

A beautiful 3D version of our own game :D No in all honesty this is a super neat game and I love the amount of options of play you give the player. The graphics are nice and the soundscape is very calming. I would have wished you have some music though. All in all a really nice experience! Well done!

shade2810 2021-10-05 09:33

This is such a fun idea, I like how you implement the layout. Though for me, textwise for me was a little bit hard to read.

erikengineengineer 2021-10-05 10:54

See my Highscore TripleE ;D it was a fun game! really enjoyed the time!

sacredbacon 2021-10-05 11:10

I'd have never though about how difficult it is to keep an island from tipping over at sea. I like the UI and the models/water look great. Great game, very fun!

bauke-regnerus 2021-10-05 11:31

This game reminds me of Islands but the balancing mechanic makes it unique. The presentation is minimal but clear. The font is a bit hard to read though. Nice job!

reronin 2021-10-05 11:50

Saw your game streamed, and looked so fun that I wanted to beat the streamer's score! In which I succeeded, but I didn't enter my name haha :C

mickm 2021-10-05 11:54

@erikengineengineer I saw it! Nice work and thanks for the stream :)

@reronin ha cheers for playing it! Bugger about not entering your name... maybe its a sign to go back and beat it by even more ;)

owca 2021-10-05 13:21

Very original and fun game. Good job!

(and thanks for using my highscore service :wink:)

mickm 2021-10-05 13:57

Cheers for playing @owca ! :)

andreadbx 2021-10-05 15:16

Fun idea! it needs a little bit more clarity at the start (it's a bit confusing, the task and the total, this could be managed better i feel) and a little more audio/visual feedbacks, otherwise great entry!

lucy-lu 2021-10-05 16:41

Interesting fun game! Only enjoyed Zen Mode couldn't handle the tasks in such a short time. :laughing:

kromeboy 2021-10-05 16:43

Fun balancing game. For some reason the first house seam to move the island a lot more then the next one

jammygunns 2021-10-06 01:48

Today I learned: I should not be a civil planner in an unstable island in the ocean.

I've only tried the Zen mode so far, but I like the touch that each building lost has to be replaced in order to progress. The amount of fishing huts I replaced I'm glad they had no cost in placing them (I like to think the occupants were out fishing so they weren't home when their house washed away)

threaded-lama-digital 2021-10-06 18:49

It's pretty neat. The graphics and sound are bare, but they get the job done. I really don't have a lot to say, it's functional and you pick up on it rather quickly. Good job.

ic-rainbow 2021-10-10 20:09

Fisheries are the worst on the starter atoll. The "main" island is such a nice place.

elysiagriffin 2021-10-11 14:42

Hi there! Thanks for submitting your game for me to play live during my Twitch stream!

If you’d like to rewatch the playthrough, you can find it here:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1173717245?t=2h30m22s

Good luck on your ratings, see you next LD! :D

💜 Elysia Griffin AKA Button Feedback Lady

https://www.twitch.tv/elysiagriffin

gustavo-christino 2021-10-20 21:51

I finally managed to finish the gameplays and uploaded the game session for this game. I hope you like it and that my comments can be understood as those most interested in enabling improvements to the project.

Thank you for requesting this gameplay!

https://youtu.be/__YwCxZw4ug

mickm 2021-10-21 11:19

Thanks @gustavo-christino, much appreciated! Appreciate taking the time to give it a good play, you got to a pretty good place on the second island!!!

To answer your question, there isn't a specific end, just when it gets to a point you can't get anything else down in the time limit. Zen doesn't have a time limit so it just goes until you retire :)

mickm 2021-10-21 11:45

@elysiagriffin thanks for playing, was great to see in person. Glad you enjoyed it and appreciated the commentary.

Thanks very much for coming back to add in the twitch link with time stamp as well, incredibly helpful!

2021-10-21 23:27

That "unofficial trailer" had me cracking up LMAO