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[Ataraxic]

EDIT: I apologize for the poor image quality

A Quick Demo:
http://www.box.net/shared/9datujeqf0 (game maker 8 file)
http://www.box.net/shared/nksqpdvykl (executable)


This is my first serious game, so I figured I'd come here and show everyone. It's called Gravitarium.

You play as an unnamed blue square, and you are to traverse many levels of some mysterious place and collect little green boxes. Why? No particular reason, but you do it anyway.



Your character is controlled with the arrow keys and spacebar. He can move side-to-side and jump, respectively. What makes the game a bit more interesting is the flow of gravity. Using ASDW, you can alter gravity's flow to the designated direction. This offers some uniqueness to the game.



The blue/gray blocks are walls, in which you may walk across and jump off of. The fire-looking blocks are, well, fire. Don't touch those. The green block with a poorly drawn star on it is the goal. Touch that to proceed to the next level.

I'm making this game via Game Maker 8. I've only got 6 levels made so far, but I'm working on more. Before I do that however, I'm trying to add more elements to the game.

I'm trying to get the code right for a moveable block, which you can jump on and whatnot, which obeys the flow of gravity same as you. I also want a similar block that will kill you if you touch it that obeys gravity. After that I might throw in a button/switch system, so there is still more to come!

Anyways, that's what I have so far.

Now then, I've a question for you guys:
If I wanted to allow the men and women of this board to download my game for play-testing and feedback, how would I go about doing such a thing?

[TobiasW]

Hi Ataraxic!

And: Welcome to TIGForums! It would be great if you could introduce yourself in this thread here - since we are a community we'd like to know a little about you.

If I wanted to allow the men and women of this board to download my game for play-testing and feedback, how would I go about doing such a thing?

Well... making a thread was a good first step, I guess. And now upload it somewhere and post a link in this thread? What's holding you back?

[Ataraxic]

Hi! I just payed the Intro thread a visit. Thanks.

As for uploading my game...

where?
which files?
how should they be bundled?

...

I've never done this before

[Nix]

Just the .exe that GameMaker creates should work. Use a file hosting service such as RapidShare, and post the link it gives you in your thread.

[tesselode]

Or you can use MediaFire.

[fraxcell]

You can go to file->create executable, to output a .exe file which will allow people to run your game if they don't have gamemaker themselves. Then upload it to somewhere like box.net, Game Jolt, or Yoyogames.

[TobiasW]

Or Dropbox' public folder. 'cause, you know, Dropbox rocks

If it is just the exe, uploading just the exe is fine. If you ever have more than one file, zip or rar them.

[Ataraxic]

Thanks for the help guys. I made a link at the top of the OP.

Hope that works for everyone.

[tesselode]

OK, first of all, the graphics need work. That should go without saying.

The gameplay is pretty good. This game has great potential to be very frustrating, as one of the levels demonstrates.

I would fix up the presentation a bit; then it'll be easier to visualize more possibilities for the game.

[fraxcell]

Very interesting. I think your game has a lot of potential. Right now my primarily complaint is the levels are primarily oriented around moving around and reflexes to avoid the lava or whatever that stuff is. Personally, I would like to see some levels which require more thought, as opposed to switching gravity at the exact moment. This would probably require more gameplay elements (moving blocks, portals, zones where you can't switch gravity...) but I think it would make for a more engaging experience

[TobiasW]

Right now my primarily complaint is the levels are primarily oriented around moving around and reflexes to avoid the lava or whatever that stuff is. Personally, I would like to see some levels which require more thought, as opposed to switching gravity at the exact moment.

Same here! But well, I'm more the puzzler than the twitch-action gamer.

You might also want to work on the difficulty level. The thing said above made me quit after the level in the third screenshot...

Pretty solid foundation for the "more to come", I say! I'm looking forward to it.

[Ataraxic]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Graphics do indeed need work. I just made sure everything was distinguishable from one another in order to be able to test the gameplay, which I'm more concerned about. The graphics shall undergo a massive overhaul before this project is through though.

Speaking of gameplay, I was going for a puzzle/platformer cross, but I agree as of now the puzzle element is gone. I've got ideas for new things to bring to the game, like: movable blocks, buttons/switches, portals, and the like. Getting those ready are my next course of action.

I'll keep this thread updated.

[dspencer]

Can't try playing cause i'm on a mac. but I had an idea for a game like this once upon a time but never made it. so i'm glad you are making this!  Looks good, from what I can see.

Also, welcome!