Lyxil

More Room! by Skosnowich 2017-05-19T20:17:23Z

This is a super well-polished, compact-but-complex strategy game! I'm really impressed by this. I must've spent an hour playing to the end. Strategy games often add too much in my opinion, and I really enjoy how simple yet engaging this was. A Ctrl-A to select all would've been really helpful, as well as the ability to zoom in and out. For extending the game, I'd recommend keeping the levels you have as-is in terms of features, and adding new levels that could include new features as well.

Again, I love how smooth and polished this game is!

Too Big For This WorLD38 by joemid 2017-05-19T19:12:44Z

The opening sequence was impressive! Visionaire seems like a powerful engine, though it may need more optimization for file size. The controls were really too difficult to understand, especially playing from a laptop with a touchpad.

Deity in Training by pmcoltrane 2017-05-09T16:03:44Z

I loved it! Interesting idea of keeping the world close to the middle for the temperature stat, and collecting hearts for temperament (I thought those were bad initially, something about them looking menacing). And reading the little blurbs at the bottom left kept me interested until the win. Funny to go from Tesla and advanced philosophy to primates banging rocks together after one comet :D

You got a lot done in the time! I enjoyed playing and found it cute and creative.

Nice Latin touch with the u's btw :)

TARJECTORIES by csanyk 2017-05-19T20:30:14Z

Unfortunately I had a lot of trouble understanding the Up/Down elevation control, maybe I am just slow. I didn't see anything change when I press Up/Down, so I think maybe some sort of indication that you're at elevation level 1,2,3,4, etc. might help? I thought it worked by holding it down or something, but I think I deduced that every time you press, the elevation goes up/down a level?

Dig With Friends by elliotfiske 2017-05-09T15:52:23Z

Love the graphics. Cute sandbox type of game. Lacking in gameplay, like what is the goal? It is a good start though, to what can be a fun multiplayer farming simulation game :)

a-small-world by PaperclipBadger 2017-05-01T21:01:39Z

It's cute and very simple. I like the graphics, which suit the game nicely. Replay value would benefit tremendously with a Replay button. Wish there were more than just two levels. Does not seem to have any sound or music? Also, I am not sure where "A Small World" comes in, other than the name of the game and the supposed name of the sketch troupe.

I also like the idea. In comedy, timing is everything, and what better way to exemplify that than judging the timing of the "slap someone with a fish" trope?

'Tis a small world by Snobox Studio 2017-05-01T21:08:55Z

I agree that there were times I wasn't able to shoot, and turning was difficult to handle. The art looks good, and overall atmosphere was pretty spot on. The childlike music suddenly seems very creepy when the bulls charge at you. The sprites are very menacing. Well done :)

Blobs Planet by Natalia Morel 2017-05-09T15:31:13Z

Interesting concept to have your bullets become steps for the character to go on. However, I found that when walking on the edge of your bullet steps, the character will glitch out for a bit and move back and forth erratically until I jump off the edge.

Invasion by mmKALLL 2017-05-19T20:37:05Z

Not bad! I like that it's simple. I agree that a health indicator of sorts on the planet will be helpful. :)

MicroCHIP by Tony Godfrey 2017-05-19T20:53:22Z

Graphics are awesome! Well done :) I think the controls aren't very friendly, though, I would prefer if they were a simple up-down-left-right than oriented to the player character. It took a little bit to figure out what part is the face.

Potions recipes by dick-claus 2017-05-09T15:23:56Z

Hi! I have the following suggestions for an improved user experience: - Have a different screen instead of the Main Menu for the player to go to after collecting an item. I was confused, thinking "Wait, the game just restarted?" - After collecting all 5, the "You found everything!" screen should pop up immediately, not after going back to the Main Menu and walking a couple more steps

Overall, you've got a solid base to build on. Good luck :)

Spermicorn by Fanu 2017-05-19T18:54:12Z

Hey, I loved this! Short, sweet, and funny. Love the colors, really help the mood. Only complaints are that I'm not a fan of the controls, because it felt I couldn't move left/right and hit at the same time. I like having a dedicated finger on each control, I guess. Maybe a way for players to customize controls would be nice, though in a small game like this, definitely not necessary. Also maybe some way to tell progression, though the game is short and didn't feel long at all.

I liked that when I lost in phase two, it restarted me to the beginning of that part rather than having to play it all again :)

Still Waters by mihaylovartem74 2017-05-09T15:47:48Z

Thank you, Hanzo mains! ;)

I actually liked this a lot! It's simple, clean time/resource management game. Certainly fits the small world theme, 4 people in a cramped boat. It really is hard to keep them alive because their stats drain so quickly, and I feel there should be more warning before they die. But once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed playing! Definitely attempts to capture the feeling of urgency and hopelessness associated with survival. Well done :)

Flight of Claude by Lyxil 2017-05-01T21:25:33Z

@tommyflower: I agree with your feedback about more animation, flourish, and finishing details. As our first Ludum Game entry, we struggled with timing the most as we weren't used to having such a small time frame. Mini-games would be fun, too! I'm glad you enjoyed our small contribution to interactive storytelling games. Thank you for the enthusiastic response! :)

@blinry: Thank you for your feedback! The music certainly needs work, as it was the next thing on our plate but time ran out. My top concern as I typed the story almost nonstop was that it'd be too short, by visual novel standards... so that is surprising that you found it long. Going back to revise and edit the story, I'll keep in mind ways to build more interest so it wouldn't feel as long. If you went through the story from beginning to end at least once, I think you will see clearly where your choices impact the story. There are 5 different endings depending on your choices. While most of the story is linear, there are events that can or can't occur based on your choices (*for example, mini-spoiler*: 2 possible fight scenes). Visual Novels aren't the traditional "gamey" choice, but a genre I love to play, explore, and support! Games can be a strong medium for telling branching, interactive, and immersive stories.

Flight of Claude by Lyxil 2017-05-19T21:06:06Z

Thank you thank you everyone for all the feedback! Really, it's so super helpful, and we'll definitely keep it in mind as we continue to make story-driven games together. This experience has really helped us grow :)

@skosnowich: The audio is definitely not my favorite part as it was suuuper rushed and I didn't have time to do any finessing on it.

@local-minimum: Yes, your choices are making a big difference! There are 5 endings after all. Spoilers below: !> There are two possible fight scenes if you are really aggressive toward Gail, and even a death scene. If you return back to the nest, it can get very, very violent.

Mr Muffin by Travis Spuller 2017-05-09T15:37:57Z

Interesting idea! However, I must say the camera controls leave much to be desired, I was not able to get very far before feeling dizzy and frustrated. I really want to know more about Mr. Muffin though :)

What Is On The Walls Inside by fullmontis 2018-08-15T22:09:00Z

I love it! I always appreciate interesting new storytelling techniques that break the boundaries of traditional visual novels/IF.

The first ending I got (from :) on all) was very vague and not that engaging by itself. But when I got "Memories", I felt like I uncovered a huge part of the story that I originally did not see. I like the replay value!

The art style evoked the feeling of hazy reminiscence. I like that the image became more clear closer to the eye and less further away.

Backpack Simulator by legavroche 2018-08-15T20:22:09Z

Great game! Lots of features for the time limit. Funny story. The UI is pretty clunky at times. Gameplay-wise, the combat shifted heavily towards elemental damage and then the game became really easy, since being overencumbered didn't matter at all anymore. In this way, there could be better balance so being Encumbered/"Running out of Space" has more impact in late game.

I had fun playing! Well done :)

Accurate Exam Simulator by Yasaman 2018-08-15T18:26:05Z

Great idea! Execution seemed polished. It was difficult to get a high score. One issue I had was that since it was not full-screen, whenever I accidentally clicked outside the game window, my controls would (predictably) mess up.

Just Talk to People by Lyxil 2018-08-15T19:12:24Z

@oskarolausson and @ristoretto: Did you try talking to each partygoer more than once? I added a hint to the description in case it wasn't clear enough. Their stories do become slightly more complex if you continue to talk to them. Thanks for your feedback! The overall idea was to capture that dreadful vibe of awkward social interactions at a party.

Just Talk to People by Lyxil 2018-08-15T21:25:04Z

@ristoretto The game is not intended to be a fun adventure or realistic party experience with a diversity of social interactions. It is also not meant to be satisfying, since social anxiety never is and does not have a satisfying conclusion for most. I'm glad that you acknowledged this!

The intention is that dialog (especially in the beginning) may seem innocuous to most, but those who tend to overthink social interactions may read them as malicious or humiliating. These get more obvious later on, to the point where you don't know if these hostile comments are all in your head or veiled threats.

Take the "Were you the one who..." --> "Oh, it was definitely not you!" comment. To someone without anxiety, the person made a simple mistake thinking you were someone else. To someone with anxiety, they definitely were talking about you, probably referencing something humiliating you did, and are keeping it from you and laughing behind your back.

Comments on topics that some consider sensitive or personal (weight, physical appearance, relationship status, etc) can be dreadful to bear for someone with social anxiety.

I understand that these are not universal experiences or thoughts, so the overall feel may not resonate with everyone. Thank you for giving my game a try!

Just Talk to People by Lyxil 2018-08-15T21:30:05Z

@lisa Thank you! Haha, the person at the food table is the most blatant self-insert I've done in a game :P

Just Talk to People by Lyxil 2018-08-15T22:33:31Z

@ristoretto Thanks for taking the time to read my reply and understand the game. I really appreciate it! I think it's tough for me as a creator to know exactly how overt/subtle my meanings are in a game, so it's good to get feedback that perhaps I was being too subtle. If we worked on this further, I'd love to add internal monologue to further drive the point, but the Bitsy engine is really limited for sometime like that.

Keeper of Balance by Cosmic Adventure Squad 2018-08-15T18:22:31Z

This is awesome! It feels really polished. I like how fun it felt to beat up people and buildings. I did feel "balancing" was too easy, so I made it my mission to get population to 0. That seemed way more difficult (is it even possible??), so I played until I gave up at around 134 years. The UI graphics seem a little buggy. In full-screen mode, the labels under the gems are cut-off and the labels showing "Population" seems to move around occasionally and get cut-off sometimes.

Kaiju Cooking by Jeffalot 2018-08-15T19:00:08Z

Cute graphics! I was not entirely sure how to complete a recipe, as attacking things did not seem to contribute? I'm also not sure why the barn moves. The portraits for Player 3 and 4 also need to be updated to the green/pick versions. Overall, I think this can be fun and cute when fully implemented!

body without organs by tortov 2018-08-15T18:56:30Z

Great idea! I was not sure how to make money and kept dying quickly. Interesting resource management idea!

Feed Us by El-Metallico 2018-08-15T18:39:17Z

Nice colors, and captured a really creepy mood. Controls were super frustrating, so it was difficult to understand.

Postman by BadBonus 2018-08-15T18:43:47Z

Good idea! I felt the execution was really well done. I love taking a box and "scooping" the rest into the truck. I like the "fragile" boxes sound effect of breaking glass, too. Nice work!

You May Live (YML) by SachaY 2018-08-15T22:11:57Z

Strong Papers, Please vibe here! The graphics were really charming and really set the mood. A suggestion would be to make the ending have more impact. It's a really solid game you have in the time limit :)

Oniria Times by 0nironauta 2018-08-15T19:50:26Z

This is an amazing concept! One of my favorite games in this Ludum Dare so far.

- I love that there are subplots that you can uncover. It really feels like what you put out in the paper makes a difference. - The dialog with the dude could use some work, but for the time limit, it got the job done. - Oniria, the world of dreams, is a really interesting idea and feels almost surreal. - I like that the center image of the newspaper seems randomized, which makes each playthrough slightly different - One suggestion I have is that once you choose a story to go into a section of the paper, it should be removed from the "Choose News" list (and put back if it's replaced)

I felt compelled to play multiple times until I uncovered the Arena plot and became a slave to tuna. For a compo submission, this is great work! I had a lot of fun!

Pet Shelter Sim by Akuirako 2018-08-15T21:55:27Z

Nice idea, and a good way to use the theme. I like being able to see the effects of where my money was going. I do wish it was longer and showed more impact of your budgeting on the animals.

Cluttered Mind by HAUO 2018-08-15T18:48:33Z

Wow, this was creepy. Very well polished and clean! Your art is great. Not sure what it had to do with the theme, though.

Save the dudes by jjcp 2018-08-15T18:51:25Z

Great graphics!! I found it very difficult, but easier to play in full screen. One suggestion I have is more feedback when pressing Space to ensure that you picked up the dude (maybe a sound effect?).

Stuck! by chkkll 2018-08-15T18:33:21Z

Great job capturing the frustration!! Enhancement request would be different layouts, doors, etc. I think the only different between the levels currently is the time?

Well, that sounds fun! by Jani Nykanen 2021-04-29T23:32:25Z

Cute art! Deceptively challenging too. I like how simple and polished this is. Well done!

Deep-fry Deeper by Ithildin 2021-04-27T14:27:41Z

Super cute little game. Love the graphics! I would have liked to see a scoring metric at the end.

Far Side of the Mirror by DDRKirbyISQ 2021-04-29T23:51:13Z

A really lovely, introspective adventure. The perfect bite-sized piece for a game jam. Short and sweet.

In terms of gameplay, I actually enjoyed the dance game a lot. It really coordinated well with the music, and the stares whenever you mess up is such a good touch. And the staring when you run. I really felt judged.

Deepest Sword by Strega 2021-04-27T14:23:10Z

I still can't get past level 4 😭 But I really love this art style, and it feels like a lot of thought was put into the level design. It's such a super clean and polished game. Well done!!

Black Magic, White Cat by Lyxil 2021-04-27T14:41:33Z

@jeanne-rossat: Thanks for the feedback! I agree I could have been more original. It was challenging to think of fully-fledged original ideas while making the game in a weekend, so I had to make a few compromises in the story. I've got some more interesting ideas for post-jam. And I'm glad you like the universe! I'm thinking of setting this story up as one of a few I'll explore in this world :)

@isabelle-szeto: Haha glad you like the cat <3 @colm-eccles does a great job with animals! I like to think of the campus as having a big bartering center where Feronin takes his garbage and tries to see what artifacts he can get with them :P

Deepenguin McPool - Wants a deeper pool by Bruyère Alice 2021-04-27T14:58:25Z

I like the style a lot! The penguins are really cute, and having the credits show up at the beginning with everyone as penguins was a nice touch.

It was difficult for me to tell when the toggle autoclick is on or off. And I wasn't sure how to get to the 3rd phase of tourists in my pool? I did notice a house icon but it doesn't seem to do anything when I click.

The game is really fun and innovative. Good job!!

Deep Fried Pancake! by Inka McAtee 2021-04-27T14:33:21Z

I love this idea! Super innovative. The controls are difficult, but I liked that they were different. I also loved how the bad things you pick up stick to the pancake, it was really funny. It would be cool if we saw the pancake land in the deep fryer at the end.

Edit: Just a small typo in bottom of the Unity build next to the full-screen button, the game is referred to as "Deep Freid Pancake"

A Taste of the Past by Emily Pitcher 2021-04-27T15:24:23Z

Really fascinating game. The art style is beautiful. It hits pretty close to home being the child of first-generation Chinese parents. It definitely feels like a love letter to Chinese culture and part of the Asian-American experience.

I'd prefer if the speaking parts of the game had subtitles, and if that can be toggled in the moment. I often play games without sound, or in an environment where it's difficult to hear.

Great job! I'm still blown away by the art.

Wordelicious by ludipe 2018-04-23T23:36:42Z

I like the idea a lot! Although I was hoping for something tasty when I heard "cooking / restaurant"... :)

It's very innovative! I do wish each level (make this word, etc) could be more challenging. Worked with no problems on Mac, but I do suggest letting the user type Backspace to delete a character since it's such an instinctual response.

I love the art too! Simple and clear.

Solitairey in School: The Card Game Dating Sim/Visual Novel by Lyxil 2018-04-24T00:26:25Z

@ripter Thanks for playing! I just uploaded a fixed version (still within the deadline, whew!). It is true that I ran out of time and therefore was not able to complete the story. But I have tied up loose exceptions like the one you caught and have a pseudo-ending screen now. If you'd like to give it another try, the itch.io link has the new version up. I appreciate all feedback <3

Solitairey in School: The Card Game Dating Sim/Visual Novel by Lyxil 2018-04-24T01:11:12Z

Hi @mathiouza, thank you for your feedback! This was a bug that was definitely fixed in my latest upload, so if you are so inclined, please delete and download it again from the itch.io link(https://lyxil.itch.io/solitairey-in-school). I also made sure to check the Windows, Mac, and Linux icons, so thank you for that suggestion! :)

B.E.A.S.T.S - Break Everything And Stack Towering Structures by Cosmic Adventure Squad 2018-04-23T23:59:36Z

Great job! The art is amazing for the time limit! I love the blocky pixel look since it works perfect for the city-building theme.

The controls were a little difficult to understand at the beginning. It was unclear to us that we had to use the same key to destroy the buildings and can only pick up the darkened blocks with color indicators. I also thought you had to build on your beginning square, but it turns out you get points anywhere! But once we got the hang of it, we had no problems with the controls. I also liked that we can change the controls in Settings.

I think it may be a good idea to lengthen each round's time limit to force the players to really go at each other. We spent much of the game quietly building away in our respective corners. It's really way more fun to destroy and steal the opponent's blocks!

The idea is fun, and I loved Roofing :D I can see this being really competitive with 4 players!

Furry Debugging by DRDivider 2018-04-27T20:52:52Z

I love the art! Nice polished little game

Make up and drive by bldr 2018-04-27T20:50:42Z

That was pretty fun! Once I got my godawful looking makeup ready, I hit the road... and the driving is so impossible haha. I swear the car moved by itself sometimes. I really like that part of the windshield broke after presumably a crash. And I like that there was a GUN and empty WINE bottle in the car haha... talk about a great PSA of all the things you shouldn't do while driving :P

Cauliflower Power by Librorumque64 2018-04-23T23:41:27Z

Great graphics!! Perfect for a cute farming-based game.

Pretty creative with the tactic of pushing water buckets to the plants to water them. Wouldn't have thought of that, myself! I like that having the buckets also makes this into a puzzle game.

Food Truck Race by Weslley 2018-04-27T20:39:05Z

Nice work! I like the art assets. Driving the car was so hard... also, every time my cursor was out of the game, it wouldn't adjust the car. I like the cooking part, but I burnt my first patty and the game seemed to stop.

Fix the driving part and this could be really fun! I think the cooking part looks really promising too!

Baka-Pipes by overpoweredteam 2018-04-23T23:45:39Z

This was pretty fun! I do get more "tower defense" than "chess" vibes. I really like the creativity, and the look of the main title! It's definitely a unique combo, and I found it really difficult.

Shooter Maze by pohead12345 2018-04-27T20:28:43Z

Great idea! I like having to multitask both sides of the screen at once. More levels will make this super fun! I like the idea of having "easy" "medium" and "hard" levels, and having "impossible" because some people will definitely see that as a challenge!

POLITICS VS GAMES LOL by Lyje 2018-04-27T21:04:30Z

Woah, I wasn't expecting that, haha. An impactful way to convey an idea in a fast-changing video game landscape. I liked the in-your-face and not-so-subtle changing of "Murders" to "Kills" and changing title of the game.

I also like the little touches that you made to polish up the game, like sound effects, screen shakes, highlighted stat bars on change, and "Not a real button" :P