Hey all. I've just released my first full-length game. It's a humorous, nonviolent adventure game that imagines a goofy children's-book fantasy RPG world where Boots are the only equipment that matters. It focuses on story, exploration, and environmental puzzle-solving; it's a bit like a point-and-click adventure but it feels nicer to control. And you can jump.

It's influenced by anti-RPGs like Space Funeral, slow-paced indie exploration games of yesteryear like Knytt, as well as more obvious touchstones like Dragon Quest, Earthbound, the Legend of Zelda and various LucasArts adventure titles of yore. I hope you'll like it.







Trailer:


Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2093950/Boots_Quest_DX/
Itch: https://discountrealms.itch.io/boots-quest-dx
OST (Bandcamp): https://dragonwarrior.bandcamp.com/album/boots-quest-dx-ost

Thanks so much, jbarrios! That was a great video. It's so helpful to see real-time reactions to something like this, so it's really kind of you to take the time to record your experience! Thanks for your kind words about the art and writing, and I'll try to address some of the confusion and annoyances you ran into.

I like the idea, the visual effects, sound effects and music. The way it teaches controls is good. I was a bit disappointed when I got the music book for the banjo guy that he didn't play me a song.

After switching tabs in the browser and going back, the game froze (although I can still hear the background ambience). After refreshing the tab it starts right from the beginning - it should save your state in local storage so you can choose to continue


Is there a way to increase the game size? it would really be cool to allow fullscreen, and widescreen too if possible.

Thanks so much for your feedback! It would be cute to have a little song in there, I'll see if I can add that.

I haven't encountered this issue with switching tabs; which browser was this? Re: saving, the game will auto-load your save if you manually save via the ESC menu, but it doesn't currently autosave. I've added an autosave feature for the next build.

The downloadable builds do support some scaling/fullscreen features, which I'm working on improving as well. I still need to do some research to get them working in the browser. I don't know if I can support widescreen since the game has been built from the start around a square aspect ratio, but I may be able to find a way.

Checked this out for a few minutes, got a game over in the last level of the first world just due to getting used to the physics. It's a nice Mario clone. Here are a few thoughts I had:

- I like the way the graphics use the idea of putting faces on background elements, etc. It's clearly referential of Mario but the way it's done feels very playful.

- I think there could be a clearer differentiation between foreground and background items, as it didn't feel clear what elements were platforms; maybe a lighter colored outline or lower-contrast colors for the background elements would help.

- The levels feel like they could use more verticality. Maybe they get more complex as the game goes on but they seem a bit empty right now.

- It seems strange to me that the invincibility power doesn't allow picking up collectibles anymore. It's something the player has to go out of their way for so it would be nice if it didn't seem to punish the player in this way.

- The level editor feels very easy to use, nice job on it!

[BOOTS QUEST DX]

hello everyone. i don't know if anyone here remembers me; i've been away from game development for some years for creative and mental health reasons. but at the beginning of last year i tried out a new tool, made a few quick prototypes, and suddenly i was making games again. over the last ~15 months, off and on, i put this thing together in GameMaker, and it's become the first quasi-full length game i've ever made.

BOOTS QUEST DX

the adventure a creature who dreams of finding the best boots in the universe, and will pursue them to the ends of the earth, and perhaps even beyond...







ok, what is it?

it's a light adventure game, sort of a zelda-like but just dialog, quests, exploration, and little environment puzzles, no dungeons or combat. it's also an rpg parody, sort of. some games that inspired it are Space Funeral, The Real Texas, A Short Hike, and various Zeldas, Ultima games, SCUMM point-and-clicks, and other detritus of my youth.

ok, how do i play it?

link: itch.io

there's some info about controls on that page, but basically keyboard and gamepad are supported.

the windows build works, the html5 build works but is kinda laggy, the mac build works but definitely needs some testing on M1/M2 computers if anyone is able. the full game is maybe 2-4 hours to complete depending on how many side quests you wanna do, but playing any amount of it at all would be welcome.

it's already playable from beginning to end, but i'm in the phase of adding little things, polishing, and gathering feedback and suggestions that might make it better. i would be very grateful for the input of anyone here who would like to play it! i am proud of it, but i know it is rough and weird in some ways and i would like to make it better.

thank you so much!

Are there sprites for game modes above Mario Bros. for the weird mushroom? Just curious.

no, unfortunately

K
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B
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i've been messing around with making "ambient" levels that focus on exploration & nonviolence & generally being interesting without being very hard

i figure if anybody out there would like these levels, it's people here

my best one so far is
"Temple Ruin No. 2"
57E5-0000-008E-9E31

then there's this very minimalist one
"A Study in Caverns"
C7A9-0000-0074-45F9

looking forward to trying some other people's when next i am at home

Thank you all! Guitar is the only instrument i really play, everything else in here is pure mess

new Yo La Tengo album is pretty

Hey all! I haven't been around here in a while. I know some of y'all have enjoyed my music in the past, so I thought I'd post about my new project.

Dragon Warrior - World of Darkness, World of Light



1. cosmic death no. 1 0:52
2. gold moon 1:58
3. sunstruck wasteland theme 0:57
4. cave of amplifiers 1:04
5. Arizona, dreaming 2:21
6. sea of rain 0:56
7. in August, the dry pines 1:18
8. desert valley swing 2:17
9. sea of clouds 1:45
10. Texarkosmos 1:14
11. ghost story no. 2 0:34

12. neon electric circus! 1:04
13. moon temple theme 1:46
14. Newport boardwalk 2:08
15. ...as seen on Swedish television 1:06
16. world of light 1:39
17. love you 1:51
18. wind, sand, stars 2:10
19. Sunland 1:34
20. a string of paper lanterns, dusk 3:37

it's an album! I made it using 80s consumer-grade keyboards and guitars and tape recorders and stuff. It's got kind of a spooky grainy vibe, and it was inspired by N64 Zelda music and j-pop and early indie rock and old rock 'n' roll.

(This kind of music is really fun to make, and I would love to do a soundtrack in a similar style if the opportunity arose. Just sayin'!)

Most publicity I've ever gotten has been because of my activity in various online communities. If you can find communities that focus on the kind of music you like to make, you might consider joining them. Also, if you're friends with other musicians who are established, you might ask them to put in a word for you. You can also try sending off your release to get reviewed somewhere; there are many many online publications, big and small, that accept submissions. Usually the ratio of responses to submissions is small, so don't get too discouraged by a lack of response.

That's all I know. As for revenue from digital albums - I don't think there's a clear answer to that, it depends completely on the size of your audience.

The new Vampire Weekend album touches my soul. From the Talking Heads and Paul Simon comparisons, I can't help but feel like you guys dismissed them after hearing a couple of songs several years ago.

(It's Not Me) Talking by Flock of Seagulls

They had a fantastic guitarist, but that's heard more in Space Age Love Song.

Yeah, I dig Space Age Love Song. I haven't really heard any of their others though.

the soundtrack to the Charlie Brown Christmas Special was on repeat for a while at my parents' yesterday. <3

Yeah. Solitude in winter is the purest solitude of all, and even though I live in a warm place now, my memories & impressions of Christmas are overwhelmingly colored by the cold winters of my early years. Timely that you mention the religious aspect, as the newest couple of songs both address that in some way:

https://soundcloud.com/hlemke/regression-sickness-part-iii
https://soundcloud.com/hlemke/christmas-eve-service

Or maybe just being disappointed and/or tired, I'm not sure.

pretty cool, "regression sickness" is my fave out of those 3. hope you keep this up. 

Thanks! Regression Sickness is actually a different version of a couple of tracks from a Christmas album I made last year. Yesterday's song was sort of a sequel to that one, though it could use a little bit more work. I've been keeping it up fairly well, though i missed a couple days last week and probably won't manage one today either. But yeah, there are eight free tunes up so far if you're interested: https://soundcloud.com/hlemke

Anyway, enough self-promotion. I recently bought a couple of very old Mountain Goats albums (The Hound Chronicles and Hot Garden Stomp) and have actually been pretty impressed with them, though they're very sloppy and kind of inconsistent. Here's a good one:

I recently finished Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor and it was excellent, one of the best books I've read for sure.

Hey guys! I'm in the midst of making an Advent Calendar of free music, mostly of the "sloppy folk songs recorded on any of several tape machines in varying states of disrepair" variety, kind of inspired by the cassette albums I used to make with my brothers when I was a kid. Some of the songs are happy, some of them are sad, all of them are a bit of a mess. These are the ones I've done so far:

Summoning Ritual
Regression Sickness, Parts I & II
The Landing
[Instrumental]
Pink Plastic Tree Song
Idyll No. 1 (Parking Lot Scene)
Snowfall

If you want to follow along, that'd be great. I'll be posting them to my SoundCloud each day: https://soundcloud.com/hlemke

While we're on the subject, I'd really like to know some things about you. Christmas is a time thick with memories for most people I know, and that's by turns beautiful and kind of oppressive. So: what about you?

Do you actually like Christmas? What are some of your strongest memories from this time of year? Does it mean anything in particular to you? What makes it hard/nice for you? etc.

Not sure if this is an "audio" topic or an "off-topic" topic, but posting it here felt less shameless.

I've been known to tweet now and again: https://twitter.com/hplemke

Hey guys, I'm doing a kind of musical Advent calendar right now where I try to write & record a new song each day. Mostly sloppy acoustic songs about materialism & God & broken families buried in tape hiss. I'm posting them on my SoundCloud, and I'm three songs in now:

https://soundcloud.com/hlemke/summoning-ritual
https://soundcloud.com/hlemke/regression-sickness-parts-i-ii
https://soundcloud.com/hlemke/the-landing

Please check it out/download it for free/share it/whatever! 'Tis the season.

Strictly on-topic, I've really enjoyed Deerhunter lately, especially their new album, especially

.