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TIGSource ForumsDeveloperPlaytestingPAINcube
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nihilocrat
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« on: March 28, 2010, 07:26:47 PM »

I made this for the Experimental Gameplay Project March compo. It's a game about punishment, anger, and physics.


I'm hoping it brings out your infantile urges to smash things. Tell me what you think!
« Last Edit: December 21, 2010, 07:54:54 PM by nihilocrat » Logged

TobiasW
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« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2010, 07:56:56 PM »

I don't feel the pain and anger, but I sure feel the beat! (And I've suspected you being on TIGsourcer when I read about "compo entries" on the EGP website :D)

Nice game! I especially like how you can save the PAINcube even if it fell off the side by pulling it up, although then you've lost most of your time. I cannot incorporate the camera motion controls into my playing flow yet...
And the music kicks ass!

By the way, the link without "www" doesn't work. The one at EGP is fine:
http://www.crescendohost.com/nil.cjb.net/unity/paincube_kongregate.html
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nihilocrat
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« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2010, 08:53:33 PM »

Glad you like it! I probably should point out on the title screen that your cube respawns if it strays too far off the platform, so feel free to fling cubes around or drop ones that are too difficult to pull back up.

The camera controls help more when you understand how the cube pulling works. If you aim at the ground it will try to pull the cube to that point, but if you point up in the air it tries to move the cube around on a plane perpendicular to your viewing angle. I find it's best to pan the camera downward if you want to perform a slam, and pan it upward (so you're looking directly downward) if you want to slide the cube around.

Thanks for catching that error with my link!
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hyperduck
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« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2010, 02:10:14 AM »

This is brilliant, I really enjoyed the concept and the game play! Quite excite-able trying to get that little green buddy of mine spare me some more time!

Sorry, nothing constructive to say, I did just really enjoy it, lovely game!
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deathtotheweird
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« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2010, 10:15:41 AM »

I got 91 last night. I do best when looking straight down, and just sling it around. I was able to rack up enough time where I could slam the paincube down, but I thought slinging it around is more effective, except for the occasional moments when a bunch of cubes are in one small spot.

I liked the music too, got a nice catchy tune to it.
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Towerfiend
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« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2010, 11:18:29 PM »

I got 143. C:

I wonder if anyone can beat that...

But strangely addicting... and painful.

*swing, game over*
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« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2010, 02:41:22 AM »

I really like the graphics and sound in this one.  It kind of reminds me of Robotron 2084, for some reason.  I agree it is also quite addicting, though I am terrible at it.  Smiley  I think score-based games are often more fun if the playtime is fairly short.  It's kind of like eating potato chips!

Manipulating the camera angle to get different effects is a very interesting mechanic, I think you should explore the idea some more.  I have to agree with the poster that found slamming difficult to do effectively, but I think it has a lot of potential.  It might be interesting to include another type of... whatever those things are... that can only be knocked off with a slam, to mix things up a bit.

It's a very fun game given the severe 10 second time constraint.
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« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2010, 03:59:44 PM »

I really didn't like it. Ok, I kind of did like knocking guys around.

I don't think you should be able to control it on a 3D plane at all. Cos there's no reason for you to be up in the air, and it's only ever annoying to fling your guy at someone and find out that it doesn't hit cos he's like an inch above the ground. I do like how the blue guys react though, so I'd really prefer if the game was still 3D, but only you could swing him around on a 2D axis.

Also 10 seconds is way too short. It allways ends before I get into it, and it really sucks for everything to reset and wait around. Actually- Why does it do a 3 2 1? I don't think this game needs a 3 2 1.

Playing it again; controlling the guy on a 3D axis when a mouse only works in 2D is really annoying. Actually I think making a time-based skill game around loose physics is a bad idea in general, cos time allways runs out as you're waiting for the guy to swing back around, or the green block to fall off the edge; basically allways waitin for the physics to catch up with what you're trying to do.

It's a shame I only ever hear the first 20 seconds of the music. It might as well just play continuously instead of restarting every round.

So yea, it's a shame, cos I really like boppin guys around.
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deathtotheweird
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« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2010, 04:10:00 PM »

Also 10 seconds is way too short.

it was made for the 10 seconds in march theme for experimental gameplay project, thats why its 10 seconds long.

But if you pan the camera looking downwards, it essentially is throwing the cube around on a 2d plane. You did try the camera controls didnt you?
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I_smell
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« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2010, 04:24:05 PM »

Oh, ok.

Yeah, I tried the camera looking straight perpendicular downwards first, but then I couldn't save him from falling off the edge and it was takin like 2 or 3 seconds for him to fall right down. I tried it like front, side, back and stuff aswell, but he kept zooming right infront of the camera when I wanted him in the middle, so I couldn't never get it right.

Here's an idea btw: If you could grab the big green guys and swing them around aswell when they popped in. Now- I know- everyone would just throw em off the edge; but that'd be crazy, cos you'd have to let go of the red guy for a sec to do that. I think that'd add to the game in that it would be totally nuts.
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increpare
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« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2010, 04:32:36 PM »

I guess I think it's okay - but I found controlling it quite difficult...though I'm using a touchpad...

It is hectic, though, for sure...
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nihilocrat
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« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2010, 04:40:31 PM »

^^^ Oh yeah, touchpads are definitely NOT recommended.

I don't think you should be able to control it on a 3D plane at all. Cos there's no reason for you to be up in the air, and it's only ever annoying to fling your guy at someone and find out that it doesn't hit cos he's like an inch above the ground. I do like how the blue guys react though, so I'd really prefer if the game was still 3D, but only you could swing him around on a 2D axis.

First of all, thanks for your constructive criticism.

I also find myself usually aiming the camera downwards and basically playing a 2D game because it usually netted me more kills. I'm only hesitant to lock the cube to the ground because I think the slamming ability is fun, and it kind of requires 3D. I do need to make it easier and more effective to slam so that it's sometimes more effective than merely pushing. I'm hoping I can think up an enemy type that utilizes the 3D (tall enemies? buildings?) to make the dimension more interesting and less frustrating.

Actually- Why does it do a 3 2 1? I don't think this game needs a 3 2 1.
Considering you only have 10 seconds to start, I respectfully disagree. I felt it would help the player figure out the best starting move. I admit there aren't many.

Actually I think making a time-based skill game around loose physics is a bad idea in general, cos time allways runs out as you're waiting for the guy to swing back around, or the green block to fall off the edge; basically allways waitin for the physics to catch up with what you're trying to do.

This is something I really got annoyed with as well. At first you merely "squished" the little blue dudes and it didn't feel as fun as smacking them around, but it did make you less of a slave to the physics. Maybe I'll make the green ones (irrationally) get squished, have them explode (ooh, third enemy type!), or maybe make it so if a dude experiences a certain amount of torque or force they will die immediately, or at least provide score/time immediately. Perhaps I could just make green dudes only spawn towards the edges. Lots of things to try out.

It's a shame I only ever hear the first 20 seconds of the music. It might as well just play continuously instead of restarting every round.

There are only about 15-20 seconds in the entire track, actually. It was made with the 10 second theme in mind. Smiley

So yea, it's a shame, cos I really like boppin guys around.

Good, I was aiming for the fun of the game to revolve around boppin' guys around. If it shines any light on my design decisions, I was originally inspired to make this game after playing Boom Blox. I would always want to kill the little dudes on the sidelines if I had extra time/throws, and I thought the puzzles where you could move blox around had really awesome this-is-what-the-wiimote-was-made-for controls. Thus, I combined the two.  Tiger
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nihilocrat
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« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2010, 07:54:42 PM »

Thanks to Kongregate enabling Unity games, you can now play it there!

http://www.kongregate.com/games/nihilocrat/paincube

There should be high score integration but it doesn't seem to be working.
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Cesque
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« Reply #13 on: December 22, 2010, 12:13:36 AM »

I didn't really like it either.

The graphics are really nice (especially seeing the green dudes spin while being kicked around) and the idea is fun, but playing it feels more like a chore than something enjoyable. The cube keeps getting stuck outside of the level, costing you at least 3 seconds before it restarts, or it resets because it went outside, even though logically it should be able to just bounce back without trouble.

This led me to just focus on the green guys while praying that I get those 3 extra seconds before my current time runs away. Plus, the sound the blue dudes make when being thrown off the edge is annoying rather than rewarding.

Also, tweet the score? Come on, even pretentiousness should have its bounds.

All in all, cool idea, and probably a good game for the competition, but it definitely didn't make feel any infantile urges.
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nihilocrat
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« Reply #14 on: December 22, 2010, 07:00:39 AM »

Yeah, that is a good idea, since bouncing back could add more physics hilarity. You can generally avoid falling off by not pulling the cube too far in any one direction.

I got the tweeting idea from Gravity Hook, so sue me. I thought Twitter was pretentious until I realized there are a lot of cool people that post cool links on it, it's not just vapid people telling everyone what they ate for breakfast.
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