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[sinoth]

Nebulous is a 3D platformer with heavy focus on physics and control of the player.  You play a spherical craft that has spikes which allow you to climb up walls, and a ... grapple hook.  Not just any grapple hook, but one with actual physics simulated rope!

The game also has a time trial feel, in that the goal is to complete each level as quickly as possible by abusing the physics.

Let us know what you think!  In particular we'd like to know if anyone has issues running the game, and if the controls or any parts of the tutorial are too difficult.

Video!




The system requirements are a video card capable of OpenGL 2.1 (with up-to-date drivers!)

Download (~14MB) for:
Windows (installer)
Windows (zip)
Linux (32bit)
Linux (64bit)

Note: If you use the Windows .zip version and it complains about OpenAL or DirectX/XInput, try running the installers included in the zip: "redist\OpenAL_installer.exe" and "redist\directx_redist\DXSETUP.exe"

Obligatory screenshots (click to enlarge):

[tametick]

Love the visual style and music!

However, I kept dying in the tutorial level shortly after i am told about the flash-light.

After 5 attempts I was frustrated enough to not continue playing 

[sinoth]

Love the visual style and music!

Thanks :D  I'll let the composer know someone is enjoying his music ^_^

However, I kept dying in the tutorial level shortly after i am told about the flash-light.

After 5 attempts I was frustrated enough to not continue playing 

The spikey ball things?  Are they too hard to avoid?  Have you been using boost to get past them? (default button is 'shift')  A good strategy to get past those guys is to take the far right side of the platform and use boost when necessary to dodge.

Some strategies that involve mechanics you learn later:

• Jump + boost straight through the middle of them (jump is 'spacebar' by default)
• Use 'spikes' (right click by default) to travel on the under-side of the platform
• Use the grapple hook (left click by default) to swing on the bottom of the platform, and once across wind the rope up (default 'e') and use spikes to get back on the top side

We designed that section to be intimidating the first time you play, but somewhat trivial to pass once you learn all the different mechanics.

[sinoth]

Got a new build up!  Tweaked a few difficult sections and updated the tutorial billboards to hopefully be more helpful.

Download (~14MB) for:
Windows (installer)
Windows (zip)
Linux (32bit)
Linux (64bit)

Also, recorded a video of the tutorial:




Let me know if you have problems installing / running the game!  Also, would be great to hear what you think of the tutorial level, and if it is too difficult or too long.

[onionman77]

I haven't tried the game out yet, though it looks really interesting, I definitely indent to. I can tell just from watching the youtube video though that the challenges are way too hard for a tutorial level. Even knowing the controls perfectly, it looks like some of those things would be challenging to complete.

[onionman77]

Hmm, I tried out the Windows zip file. It complained about missing OpenAL32.dll.

I copied a spare OpenAL32 dll I had lying around into the folder and then complained that it didn't have the functions it needed. Sorry

[sinoth]

Nah, that is my bad!  We just started giving out the .zip version and we weren't really sure how to convey to people that if it doesn't work, there are installers in the "\redist" directory that you can run.

The installer version does these things automatically if they're needed, but there isn't a super easy way to do that with .zip  You can try:

• If it complains about OpenAL, run "redist\OpenAL_install.exe"
• If it complains about DirectX or XInput, run "redist\directx_redist\DXSETUP.exe

Sorry it didn't run :[  Do you think we should remove the option to download .zip if it is going to be confusing?

[onionman77]

Ah cool, I'll try this out then.

Well, why not just provide the OpenAL dll in the folder with the game? That's what I see most games doing.

[sinoth]

Well, why not just provide the OpenAL dll in the folder with the game? That's what I see most games doing.

I think I tried that at one point, and even though I had both OpenAL32.dll and OpenAL64.dll in the folder it still complained when being run.  Also, I believe the license for Creative's OpenAL install forces you to distribute as an installer and not just bare files :/

Most libraries work that way but OpenAL is weird.  DirectX too -- which is why I also included it with the zip.  I could always include a batch file called "install_libraries.bat"... do you think that would help?  Or name the directory "install_me" or something?

[onionman77]

Oh okay, that worked. Your game is super fun. And I love the flashlight effect, that looks really cool. I didn't realize the player had infinite lives, and that there was a checkpoint at every station. In that regard, I think the difficulty feels about right, though that has to be level 1, not just a tutorial

I ... didn't know that about OpenAL, I swear I've seen games just include it in before. Oh well, I guess I'm switching to OpenAL-soft then. I guess then just include a README in the top level of the game.

Gameplay feedback, there was the same advice someone gave me. Have you thought about letting users control how high they jump based on how long they hold down the jump button, while jumping? Needing to hold down the jump button before I made the jump took a little getting used to.

Anyway, seriously, it was a lot of fun, just the one level?