2022-10-03 22:56
Not too horiblle art but next time try invest time more into art. It not reminde me much of the theme. I like atmosphere of this game. Original game mechanics, I like your inovations.
Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → LD51 → Buy the Dog
By pixlark
| Category | Rank | Score | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.50 | 3 | ||
| Fun | 2.50 | 3 | ||
| Innovation | 2.00 | 3 | ||
| Theme | 3.00 | 3 | ||
| Graphics | 3.50 | 3 | ||
| Audio | 2 | |||
| Humor | 3.00 | 3 | ||
| Mood | 2.50 | 3 |
Not too horiblle art but next time try invest time more into art. It not reminde me much of the theme. I like atmosphere of this game. Original game mechanics, I like your inovations.
(in a rush to test many, don’t mind the cursory style)
1. somehow, the quest for the dog and the simple cute style make me think of [*You´re not alone*](https://itch.io/jam/brackeys-8/rate/1681234) (which was somewhat simple, yet charming) 2. contrary to the other anonymous comment, I do not mind ‘programmer art’ (I am very concept-oriented); plus, I think yours is cute enough 3. hey, a fellow Love2D user! :) 4. console opens; I guess this is a remainder from the debugging process! 5. Controls are QWERTY-only instead of layout-independent (I have an AZERTY keyboard). By the way, I know **exactly** how to program position-wise in Love2D: use [`love.keyboard.isScancodeDown`](https://love2d.org/wiki/love.keyboard.isScancodeDown) rather than `love.keyboard.isDown` 6. interface is clear, including dynamic bar for coins 7. I think some visual indication towards the resources (and/or mouse) when you are near them to show you can collect them would help (I knew thanks to the page) 8. I like that small jolty movement when chopping up wood! XD 9. collecting resources feels like a clicker game!! Still oddly (shamefully?) satisfying, but I think sounds would help; by the way, sounds (!) like there are no sounds at all? 10. collecting from the mountain apparently requires you to be towards the forest-mountain frontier, which is not obvious. Oh no, it does not! You have to click really close to the character! (previous suggestion on indicators could help) 11. running always seems more useful than walking; if so, maybe make it the default speed? 12. objects’ utility seems clear! (for example, just got the pickaxe and behaves as expected for stone) Suggestion: add a visual for each tool? Even an unanimated one. And use the image as an icon (upper right). (but maybe not in the character’s hand, since there can be several at once; or, suggestion: give him a belt and display them hung there!) 13. the frantic resource collection and mining tool upgrading remind me of [*Far.*](https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/51/far), although without the travel (or rather, shorter ones!) X) I guess you could infer how each additional object impacts resource collection and gauge the optimal plan for fast resource collection… (which would be complicated) BUT you would need to know how much resources the bridge will take!! Wait, does it say? YES! Oh, not much, actually! 14. reaching the town: oh, the scenery instantly reminds me of one screen from Atari 2600’s *E.T.*! XD (never played it, but seen a bit) 15. wow, why is the dog so costly?! :o XD This is somehow super funny, as a spoof of absurd arbitrary objectives in some video games ;) 16. actually, the gold generating process feels a bit the same way! 17. decided on a strategy: favour wood in order to get bowls, because water is closer to selling point (you can gather some right into town). Blue gold it is! 18. I feel like this makes the 10-second generation moot; I know you can double it, but is it really worth it? Wait, since this would be exponential, maybe! At one point, I will be able to merely upgrade gold through… gold! (speculating as an annuitant) The power of mathematics (and geometric sequences) will earn me that longed-yearned dog 19. by the way, why is the income-doubling person some kind of baker or chef? Is this once again a spoof on arbitrariness? 20. that’s it, actually could suddently get several gold upgrades in a row just before the final one (even though only one or none could have been enough), and get filthy rich! Laughing all the way to the ~~bank~~ dog :D (I realize with the capture that I am actually a *millionaire* in coins); final statistics: 20 income upgrades, 17 axes, 13 pickaxes, 48 bowls Who wants to be a millionaire AND a dog owner? I do, I do!!
(1/2)
(continued: 2/2)
**Takeaway:** simple concept, yet somewhat addictive, and not taking too long in the end! The naive cute programmer art was fine by me, although I still wonder about the baker/chef. XD Nevertheless, some more life could add to it (animation or ‘movement’, sounds). The ‘mining’ mechanic also needs to get a bit clearer, because at first, you do not know when it is triggered/activated, and you have to click so close! The pithy mysterious and somewhat absurd context — right from the title, and even the stacking of objects, and arbitrary magical ‘goose that lays golden eggs’ coin mechanic — dragged a laugh from me, especially the throning dog that costs the earth. And how becoming a lazy annuitant is totally an (end game) option. XD The game could become more challenging through a well thought-out economy and intermediate quests, but the process was already fine, and after all, building the bridge and getting the resources already act as such quests. I just wish the theme-related mechanic had something more challenging to it, instead of being a granted passive bonus.
Thanks, simple game indeed, but I still had a good time. :)
[Do not forget to review and rate other games, if you have enough time; it will also help yours get noticed and have testers and feedback. :)]
PS: I see you did not opt out from the ‘Audio’ criterion, so, did I miss some sound? :o I do not think I heard any.
@mossieur-patate Thanks for the in-depth critique! Yes, the game is very simple and unfinished. I ended up not having a lot of time, so I just submitted what I had in the end - just to say I did it - and since then haven't reviewed anything because I know my game's not really worthy of a score.
It's nice to see somebody enjoyed the game though, despite its shortcomings. Thanks for playing! :)