loic-blumgi 2022-04-04 19:30
I am sad it has not a HTML5 build I am on Mac and the games looks really cool.
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → LD50 → Secret Mission: Datastorm
By sentmoraap
| Category | Rank | Score | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 577 | 2.79 | 26 | |
| Fun | 557 | 2.62 | 26 | |
| Innovation | 478 | 2.89 | 26 | |
| Theme | 577 | 2.67 | 25 | |
| Graphics | 325 | 3.39 | 26 | |
| Audio | 488 | 2.15 | 24 |
I am sad it has not a HTML5 build I am on Mac and the games looks really cool.
I'm not able to advance more than the edge of the screen, am I missing something?
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The graphics are amazing (and after looking at your code I appreciate it more as you did something from scratch in C++)
I know that Ludum Dare doesn't rate tech complexity or any other technical aspects but I personally appreciate that you took the time to write your own thing :)
Great job :)
@loic-blumgi Thank you. Excuse-me for that, but I use a custom base code. I don't have a Mac to test it. When WebGPU will be officially launched I may use that + Emscripten.
@muriel Thank you for the code and graphics part. I use this base code to experiment tools, like fast iterations without the drawbacks of a scripting language by compiling & loading a dynamic library.
The move left/right/up/down keys moves the car without scrolling the screen. Use gas/brake/steering inputs to move both the car and the screen. Try playing one game with only the latter inputs. You can use both types of moves together to take weirder but faster lines, but be careful about how you manage the scrolling.
There's a sound in the game that might be the motor sound, but it sounds like a crashing computer haha. I think having some doodads on the side of the track like trees would've made it a lot easier to gauge my speed because it wasn't clear if I was moving some times. Overall I like the aesthetic. Also I wasn't sure if it was intentional, but I think it's hilarious that the acronym for the game is smd
Surface mount device? The synth sound for the car engine is pretty cool and fits with the game. I also really like the bullet hell aspect. Dodging while driving is fun. But I got confused when I'd crash. I couldn't move. But there was no sign telling me game over or whatever. Still cool game.
@oxnh @ollie-d It uses the SMD initials as a tribute to Shippu Mahou Daisakusen.
Being hit temporarily stops you but is not a game over. Being caught up is a game over but yes, there is nothing to tell it.
I'm a bit confused as to what I'm supposed to do, I move back and forth across the screen until a circle moves past me vertically then everything stops.
@Jibberwocky You are supposed to drive, which are different controls than moving across the screen. Use the **steering**, **gas** and **brake** inputs (default: arrow keys or right joystick + triggers) to make the screen scroll. I have updated the game description to make it more clear.
Thanks for bringing your game by my stream for feedback! If you’d like to revisit the play and commentary you can view the highlight at https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1448039292
I found simultaneously having free 2D movement and steering/accelerate/brake disorienting - I was able to eventually internalize how to control it but I still don't have a mental model for what it represents.
Fantastic graphics and smooth gameplay, was interesting to play around with.
Had some real difficulty with the controls. Acceleration didn't seem to be doing anything. I wonder if the gamepad might have been problematic (PS4 dual shock, it was recognized in the settings for what that's worth).
After giving up on the gamepad I tried the keyboard a couple times and at first it seemed like the same thing was happening where up arrow didn't accelerate, but eventually I realized that I was moving forward it just didn't seem like it because the beginning of the track is straight with nothing else on screen for a little bit. Maybe add a turret or some decoration next to the starting point to more clearly indicate when the player is moving at the beginning?
Eventually I got going and it was entertaining but it was really easy to get the camera kind of out of sync with the car. All things considered I really like the style and wanted to play more of it but the controls were too tricky. Maybe adding a simpler control scheme would be worth doing. Regardless, very impressive to make an SDL game from scratch for a jam, nice work!
Very unique entry! I love the aesthetics of it, if you would add a little bit of bloom I think this would significantly improve the visuals. Unfortunately the game was a little bit too difficult for me, so I didn't manage to go pass first few turns :D. Still enjoybable experience!
I really love the vector aesthetic of this! Though I haven't been able to get too far sadly, the yellow blob always catches up with me and kills me. Seems like I gotta quit to restart too, really would've appreciated a game over message and the ability to continue.
I still quite like the concept though, and I'm sure this could become a really good game without the obvious deadline of the compo :D
For the Linux version I get this error
./smd: error while loading shared libraries: libGLEW.so.2.2: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
I tried
sudo apt install libglfw2.1
but it did not help.
I understand the controls, but I don't think it makes for good gameplay. It's very weird controlling the car in two ways at once. That said, I like the graphics and idea of the game, and the fact you made it in your own engine is commendable! Nice.
@gonutz It requires libglew2.2 and libsdl2-2.0-0 but not GLFW.
Sorry, I was going to say libglew2.1, I am so used to typing glfw :-) But anyway, this was the error. I have SDL2 installed and working.
@gonutz Try `LD_PRELOAD=libGLEW.so ./smd` it may work with the 2.1 version. If it does not work I have uploaded an Appimage version.
The game always paused about 15 seconds in so never got to really play.
Having to use numpad for turbo is a problem on smaller form factor keyboards, it's also keeps kind weird how you have to both steers the vehicle and also make it slide across the screen. After you get used to it though, it's a nice little game, the sound effect of engine is also kinda ear piercing.
@j4cko16 Probably because n°144 (the yellow circle) catches you. It's designed for short games so it can happen in such a short amount of time. A skilled player may last 90 seconds/an entire lap. It's a game over but there isn't a "Game over" text or anything. You have to pause the game and restart.
@Lomma Yeah I thought about that, there also may be ghosting issues on some keyboards. Because you can remap it I think it's not a big deal.
However I am aware that such complicated and weird controls is risky.
As other said, the controls are really... welll... weird! Love the weird synth sound for the car, and the graphics reminds me of the old Vectrex console (in a good way, I quite like this console).
Some elements of decor could help the player to understand that the "car" is moving in the beginning of the game, since the track is a perfect vertical line and that there's no enemy, there seems to be no movement.
I really enjoyed the graphics, though, and I almost managed to make a full lap! Some kind of score/time board screen would give the player some incentive to try again!
overall, I enjoyed the entry. Visually it is quite different from a lot of other games and I liked the minimal/future/tron like aesthetics and the sound. For a while, I didn't think the blue dots were actually working, as nothing seemed to happen when they intersected with the outside of the car - but they do indeed work and are brutal.
I think the only thing really missing are some kind of skid or slide mechanic to add a little more 'oomph' to the driving.
Well done for using SDL in a comp entry (I'm not sure how much boilerplate is involved, but I'm assuming its not a out-of-the-box as Unity).
MY EARS ! That engine sound is just too aggressive and loud for me x)
I liked the vector neon style of your entry. Really remind me of some Tron-like game. The idea of the racing/shmup game is new but I don't know if it mix very well : as in a racing game you have to stay on track, but as in a shmup there is a lot of bullets to avoid, but because you have to stay on track you cannot move enough you car for it to be really useful. And also turrets shoot bullets too slow to catch you, so if you just go full throttle you are barely annoyed by them. It was risky but you made a game with a good retro vibe :) Nice try !
Interesting controls, I actually kind of like it. And nice neon-like graphics. The car sound effect is a bit too much, but besides that nicely done game!
Hmm, I think I got the hang of it, but taking sharp turns can be pretty difficult. Makes me wish there were some kind of movement option that made it possible to better maintain speed around corners. The core idea is fun though, and it's a pretty novel concept. Nice work!
*(tested on [Stream](https://www.twitch.tv/Vladadamm) 3 days ago )* It's always interesting to see entries with games done without an engine. I like the neon vectorial graphics, it's simple but it works well.
The overall idea of mixing a racing game with shmup and bullet hell is good and has potential, though I feel like in the current state there are too many game mechanics mixed at once as you've got 2 different movement mechanics mixed together (classic car controls & move in the square controls) + the chasing that forces you to focus on movement and go fast. Add to that bullet hell mechanics where you need to dodge stuff in addition to staying on the track and shmup mechanics where you destroy the turrets (which also cancels the bullet hell stuff if there's nothing to shoot bullets anymore) with different weapons and a 'Turbo' gauge to fill to have a bit of bonus. This not only makes it that there's too many things to manage at the same time for the player, but also that some of the mechanics feel a bit lackluster. There's still quite a lot of work put in that entry, just to implement all of these, etc... all this with no engine to help. So, gg for that.