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[kvisle]

Hello everyone.  This is my first post on this forum, and I'm not much of a forum-guy - so please forgive me if I'm being an idiot (but point it out, I don't want to be an idiot).

Now, with that out of the way;

I made a game for Ludum Dare #26, which I'm quite happy with.  It's an action-puzzler.

I'm quite happy with how this has started out, so I intend to do much more with it - maybe create a version polished enough to sell.  The feedback I've gotten from my friends and coworkers - and a bunch of people I don't know - are pretty overwelming; One guy played through over 3000 levels to create a speed run video.  He beats the game in 97 seconds.

I've figured out a bunch of flaws so far, that will need to be fixed after Ludum Dare is over;

• On level five, about 12% of players quit because they don't figure out that they can shoot.
• Level nine is too hard, too early (About 1/3rd of the people who reach that level quit).
• Level 12 and 13 are quite mean, they should probably be put in their own gameplay mode for massochists.
• It's easy to lose orientation after a rotate - by adding some delay when rotating, I could give the player time to catch up with itself.
• The sound is too much.

Some screenshots:




You can try the game here: http://ld26.trygvevea.com


I got two plans for the game:

1) Short-term: Create a new and polished web-based version of the game.  This is mostly about fixing the flaws, adding more content, and showing off the new name of the game. (I'm going to ditch 'BLOB')

2) Long-term: Rewrite the game in C++, pimp up the graphics significantly and maintain one code-base for all the platforms I intend to support.  Add a bunch of features and content in the mix and sell this version as a proper title.


Let me know what you think!

[Kinaetron]

I quite like this game, the puzzles are fun and the pacing is pretty good as well. The only thing I would complain about is the switching of the controls when you flip the level, that is a tad confusing and annoying. Also when the player dies you have to reset the game manually

[kvisle]

I quite like this game, the puzzles are fun and the pacing is pretty good as well.

Thanks!

The only thing I would complain about is the switching of the controls when you flip the level, that is a tad confusing and annoying.

I've been researching that a bit, I don't think the problem is that the controls are switching - but that the game keeps stepping when the rotation happens; and that the rotation happens a bit too fast for the player to become aware of the new rotation.  The version I'm working on has tuned this a bit - and the feel is a lot better.

Also when the player dies you have to reset the game manually

Yeah, I'm not sure how to deal with this yet.  I want the player to be aware of how he/she died; So I would have to ease the player back into the action at least.  I see these options to fix this (I may be off, but these are my ideas);

• The player is told when the puzzle is in an unsolveable state, and suggests "press r to restart" or similar.  Having some kind of reaction from the game helps a bit, I believe - even though there's no practical change.
• The game reset the level automatically a couple of seconds after you're dead.  If I update the game to include timers, in the same way Super Meat Boy does - which I intend to do eventually - I think it's best to let the player decide when it's time to start a new turn.

[Udderdude]

What's up with the level with all the cannons on the ceiling?  I can't get the timing down right .. D:

[kvisle]

What's up with the level with all the cannons on the ceiling?  I can't get the timing down right .. D:

It is kind of mean at that point - I need to put the level a bit later in the game, or remove one of the guns.

[flipswitchx]

Wow, 12%? That's just sad, but helps clarify how little patience people have on the internet.

Great idea, it's fun! Your notes are just what it needs I think I don't have more to add.
I think yes the sounds are 'intense'. You can still use bfxr (assuming). Try the triangle wave setting (assuming).