Foon → Ludum Dare Explorer → Users → starhacker
| Year | LD | Theme | Game | Division | Rank | Ov | Fu | In | Th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 42 | Running out of space | Break | jam | 735 | 3.25 | 3.13 | 3.72 | 4.11 |
The audio and graphical queues that trigger on piston activation were a good detail that improved the game experience. It was also very entertaining see the level unfold as pistons activated throughout. I think this game has big potential, and a fast pace for the game could work really well!
Well done game. Controls are simple. The main menu is really nice. There are few quirks with collision detection. I was able to kill an enemy from below by moving upwards and I got killed at the same time I stomped on an enemy. I would like to see the game be further developed.
The idea is well implemented. The controls could use a bit more tweaking to help make combat a bit more fluid. For example maybe changing the shield to a different key so it is easier to move around, shoot, and shield simultaneously. Having to let go of the thruster key in order to shield makes it a bit clunky. Other than that, it was fun exploring and the hyperspace was a neat feature.
There is something very satisfying in leading your shots and hitting your targets. The controls are smooth which makes combat very nice. One improvement could be better visual or audio feedback when the red lines start to close in since it is such a big part in the core game. Also, the crystals that spawn after destroying an enemy could use a bit tweaking so they are a bit easier to grab. Perhaps slight homing behavior. It also would have been nice if the powerups had a longer duration. Alot of the time, the powerup ended not being used as much due to waiting for the next wave to spawn. Other than that, I would like to see more work on this, I really like these types of top down shooters.
I really liked the soundtrack. Catchy tune. Props to the audio master! The game captures the theme well. Varied gameplay arises from the different tile types. Graphically, it could use some improvement to make a better distinction between tiles, enemies and gold pieces. Overall I really liked the game!
Polished game. It has nice incremental difficulty, by introducing basic elements and then building up more complex scenarios gradually. Solid game development principles. The graphics and audio are very fitting and come together with the game play as one cohesive experience. It is essentially a complete game! Would buy!
@thecommonthug The filename for html5 is break_web.zip. Ill fix the itch.io page to show the web version
Made a few improvements based on the feedback. Hopefully this will help reduce the difficulty! Bullets travel farther and faster. The player movement has been increased, and added alternative controls for rotating.
Ended up removing the HTML port. It was not as performant as the desktop versions.
@markd Thanks for checking out the game! I think there might be a bug affecting the end game condition (unsure if its the same one you encoutered), but haven't had the chance to patch a fix.
@larnin I do agree that the controls have been a common difficulty among players. I am still thinking of ways to make it simpler or more intuitive. Maybe make shooting automatic? That way the player only focuses on movement and rotating.
I liked the mood of the game. It reminded me a-lot of a card-game play style. You had to strategize a bit so you dont run out of fuel or end up with a destroyed ship. It was fun clicking through to know more about the game and the universe behind it.
Neat short game. Graphics and core gameplay are solid and polished. The only thing that made it odd was the need to repress keys to move to the next tile, it would have been nice if held down keys simply continued movement. A small detail would be some notification to the player that the tile is about to be destroyed. Overall I think the game has great potential and would like see further development.
@connell I didnt even notice it was a turn based game! Thanks for the clarification. On my first run I was rushing because I thought the ground would break if I didnt patch things quickly. Thats what I get for not reading!
The game does fit the theme perfectly. Quite challenging and fun. The graphical and sound feedback is well done but could use a bit more polished to make it even more clear what you cannot touch. For example, at first I wasn't sure if the lines were dangerous or if the dash made you temporarily immune to the blue objects. The controls could use a bit more smoothing to give the player more precise control to avoid objects. Overall I think its a great little solid game.
I like the saying that "less is more". This game is representation of that. Because of its minimalist approach, its core mechanics are spot on and its greatly complimented by the graphics and audio. The game has good feedback and responsiveness, a "juicy" game. I was able to put my mechanical keyboard to the test with this fun game. 10/10 execution!
A good test for the mechanical keyboard. It was a little difficult at first trying to keep track of two different pathways for typing. An interesting twist that could have been added is reducing the actual length between the packages and the red box if you let a crate pass by, which could further support the theme of the jam. Overall the game was well executed. Props
The visuals and sound were done well. It is a bit tricky to play with a keyboard/mouse setup. Aiming with the mouse is little clunky but you can get used to it. For these types of games, I would prefer a faster pace, maybe a little increase in firing rate and projectile speed to really get the satisfaction of hitting your targets. Hopefully there will be further development, I can see this game fit in the addicting-arcade category like geometry wars
This game is a little gem. Im a fan of Earthbound so I loved the quirkiness in Backpack Quest. The minimal art style is nice and fitting. The story narrative is fun to explore. My highest score: 435