Ok! Screenshot time.

As promised, I’m making something procedurally generated. with blocks and enemies.

I’m not ENTIRELY sure where I’m going to go with this, but hell, perhaps I have a game at the end of the weekend. hah.

Anyway, here’s the goodies:

C++; Visual Studio; CinderLib.

Yes, that’s right, I’m gonna try to stay away from the likes of GIMP and other drawing or sound/music programs. Especially for sound/music this is gonna be a challenge, but I’mma try anyway!

Yeah, i know, it’s not in the Ludum Dare idea to reward prizes, but I’m just trying to do something nice.

My STEAM inventory

The game I personally find best of the games I will play for the next few weeks made for #LD48 will have a choice for a free game in my steam inventory, as linked above.

Impress me

I’m gonna do a few things differently this time, partly due to necessity, partly due to past experience. For one, I’m not going to look at the final round of voting. I don’t want my idea bin to be polluted by incompatible ideas.

Secondly, I’ve decided, theme permitting, to create a 3D game, most likely with some form(s) of procedural generation… Though perhaps I’ll keep it to basic shapes. The challenge being that I don’t want to use any kind of assets.

Anyway, I’m done typing. I wish y’all a good game this weekend. LET’S MAKE GAMES!

So yeah, I’ve rated roundabout 40 games, and the game I’m about to link I enjoyed the most up till now.

Not that I have the best tastes, mind you.

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-25/?action=preview&uid=14576

Yeah, I’m a little too late for a new game idea based on the theme, so I thought I’d share it anyway for your reading pleasure.

My idea is as follows:

The player creates a level based on certain elements. These could include simple platforms, ground, but also pitfalls and traps.

Then a hero goes and runs through the level with some basic AI. At first he is a weak simpleton, but he can upgrade.

The trick is for the player to balance the level, so the hero does die due to lack of skill, but isn’t actually unable to complete the level.

Because if the hero is unable to complete the level, the upgrade mechanic kicks in. If there is a jump which is simply too far to ever get across, the hero gets a jetpack. If the hero finds himself stuck in a cave, he gets a drill, stuff like that.

Blah, idea.

So I should make a post mortem over my game:
http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-25/?action=preview&uid=5952

What went right?

• I figured out how to work with the physics engine Box2D, and how to combine it with my game library, CinderLib.


• I sorta-finished everything I wanted to finish, and I technically had time to spare.
  
• I have a functional, albeit simple, level editor.


• The gameplay idea was pretty ok

What went wrong?

• Motivation. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy making the game, but I can’t seem to keep myself loaded up for the entire weekend.


• I couldn’t be bothered to polish much due to motivation. The game is too easy because of that, it’s more of a physics sandbox than an actual game.


• No sound, little variation, all because of motivational issues.


• The excecution of the game isn’t very good

Got some good progress on my level editor, so another screenshot time~!

From creation in the level editor:

To flying with mah rocket:

Right down to da ‘splosion:

And here’s some destruction:

Well, after doing Borderlands 2 for the.. err.. entire afternoon, cough, I’ve decided to create a level editor with QT and cinderlib. Make a house ish thing, then blow it up. You know the idea.

EDIT: On second thought, I’m not even going to bother with QT; i’ll just use cinderlib to put up a little editor.

So yeah um, I’ve got these splosions… Anyway screenshots.

I’ve broken my own rules in that I’ve decided to use a bit I’ve never used before: Box2D.

In combination with my good, old-fashioned, CinderLib.

So. First Screenshot Saturday Screenshot of the day. It’s still pretty basic as I’m still getting used to Box2D, but I’ve got this arrow missile thing, and I can give it a slingshot esque boost, so I’m actually pretty happy with my progress so far.

Here, listen to this:
Skrillex – Kill Everybody

So, the engine is running now, and I’m going to have a bit of a talk.

Firstly, the moment I saw “You are the villain” I’ve been stuck with Britney Spears’ song Criminal ~ Thank you for that…

I’ve also been mulling around ideas, and here’s at least one I’ve discarded.

I decided NOT to do a terrorist game. My first (original-ish) idea was that you are a suicide bomber/pilot/what-have-you, you do your evil… stuff, and see the firey, blazing, bloody result of your actions.
Don’t get me wrong, I find these things terrible, there are much better ways to get your point across, but as a game, I see potential.
I see 2 problems: I’d never dare to show it to my family or co-workers, and I’m afraid radicals may get angry at me. So I’m going to do the smart thing and not do that.

But then what.

Luckily, there are other villains, and my plan now includes the man of 2012, also declared Most Sexy man in the world, and it’s not even Psy of Gangnam Style.
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/files/142912688_0.jpg

Good morning ladies. I decided to post ma working situ-aysh, see above.

I’ll post about some plans and such later on.

I’m not going out.

I am, however, going to downsize my plans and expectations.

As it looks now, I’m not going to have all weekend. I’m probably gonna be happy if I can get 8 hours in total into it.

I’m still going to try and deliver something, but it will be crappy. Hah.

See you in a week.

What I really want to do for this Ludum Dare is to allow the player to create something. Anything. Could be a train, plane, bus, spacecraft… Guess it’ll depend on the theme. But if I can make something where the player can design and use something, i’d be satisfied.

I declare i shall join this competition for the second time.

I shall not waver or be afraid of the theme.

I shall make my own beautiful programmer art, and use CinderLib for my shenanigans.

Finally, i declare you shall give me a high rating. Thanks in advance.

See you in 3 weekends!

Rating myself:
Overall: 4 stars:
Innovation: 3.5 stars: Most of the gameplay elements ‘just work’, but it’s not the most original I’ve seen.
Fun: 4.5 stars: There’s something about the freedom the game gives I really like. Of course, I’m biased.
Theme: 4 stars: While not the most original take on the theme, they are definitely ‘tiny worlds’.
Graphics: 3.5 stars: The trees are nice, the sprites are OK. More life would’ve been nice
Audio: 2.5 stars: Not all bad, but nothing exceptional
Humor: N/A: I don’t think I have any humor
Mood: 3 stars: It’s not mood-less, but it’s nothing special either.

(I’ve made this post with 17 days to go for rating, and I’m going to compare it with the averages I’m actually going to get)

#121 Overall: 3.56: half a star lower than I anticipated, but beating the average.
#153 Innovation: 3.53: Right on the mark
#169 Theme: 3.53: Half a star lower than I anticipated. Come on guys, they WERE small planets
#262 Fun: 3.12: Massively lower than I anticipated. I guess it became boring more quickly than I anticipated.
#305 Mood: 2.91: Right on the mark.
#450 Audio: 2.44: Right on the mark
#531 Humor: 2.05: Well, to be expected rly.
#677 Graphics: 2.41: a star lower. Perhaps I should’ve focussed more on the trees or the more unique features.

Well, that’s it! I’d like to thank all the voters, and I know I shouldn’t be disappointed: 121st of over 1000 entries is very good for a first entry. And of course congratulations to all the winners!

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-23/?action=preview&uid=5952

(more…)

More importantly, Rate me! I’m first on my own list, that can’t be good

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-23/?action=default

or more specifically:

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-23/?action=preview&uid=5952