Click here to play/view my ENTRY

What do “Reich 18″ means? Well, it’s from a minimalist music masterpiece:  “Music for 18 musicians” (1974) by Steve Reich cf. http://youtu.be/zLckHHc25ww  There are only 4 musicians on the game screen because the screen is small; … I’m wondering if controlling 18 buttons/musicians  could be possible! So you have to press the right key (X,C,V or B) when the range of notes is full; 5 bonus points if the maestro is vertically above.

It’s not the greatest gameplay (it’s pretty boring after 1minute…) but I think the feeling is similar to the old 1980s game & watch.

I just beginning this morning but all the graphics are done for this Game&Watch-like. 8 hours to code this game in Construct 2 should be enough?

… but I don’t know yet if I’ll be able to finish before the Compo deadline so, like always, I will probably submit my game for the Jam deadline…

No more bonus time! The Ludum Dare #25 is closed, so here is my entry =

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-25/?action=preview&uid=12512

This LD was a great experience:  this kind of gameplay is not my cup of tea, so some elements were annoying to code. In few words, I was not in my comfort zone.  The graphics were not easy to do : this “ZX spectrum”  look is great but also a bit time-consuming; the sprites had to be quickly recognizable in a small size. Big mistake: the GUI and the sprites are so big that’s they were embarassing me. I spent a way too much time to do the font (+4hours) : that’s ridiculous…

Another mistake: I began with Construct2 the first hours then I switched to GameMaker8 later. The level-design is meh: some rooms are challenging, others are blank/easy. Once again, I was not be able to participate to the 48h version of the Ludum Dare: my project was so “ambitious” I had to do a Jam game.

The positive side? The game looks great, some rooms are OK, there is a little story (well, it’s not MY story as the game is based on this old Murnau movie) that fits the theme.

“Nosferatu” is half-finished for sure: I wanted to add 10 more rooms: 2 in the forest theme + 3 in the boat + 5 in London… but I needed few more days^^ So, no end screen, no nice final artwork, no “Congratulations! You drunk the blood of many people and your dark forces are bigger than ever!”. No. Just “To be continued”. Sorry.

My goals for the next Ludum Dare?

• Make a game in  48h (not 72h) maximum
• Choose wiser my platform
• Compose a tune: I encodded a classic tune in a short MIDI that really fits the mood of the game, but well, it’s copyrighted so … :/  you can listen it at this address: https://www.box.com/s/0wwx5z8bfjih0leuckkf

Well, another Compo fail… but another Jam entry… tomorrow!
Right now, a demo with 5 levels, some collision bugs, no sounds.
With 24 more hours, I think I will add 5-10 more levels (in a carpathian forest and a foggy London), some sounds and a decent final screen.
Download link== https://www.box.com/s/9n9bbd56c4i7apqa28vt

2.30 AM in France, so time to sleep!

PS. some infos about how to play:
- arrows to move
- X to start the game
You have to open gates pushing levees.
You can change your character (you’are Nosferatu, a vampire but also a bat, a rat or a wolf), walking on the red skulls.

Nosferatu theme + ZX Spectrum look + platform gameplay…

Now, it’s time to sleep!

Well, after 2 Ludum Dare, and a Warmup, I’m still Ok to create a new little game!

Tools:

• GameMaker8Pro or Construct2 free (I don’t know yet)
• GFX= GraphicsGaleFree (+PhotoFiltre7, PNGOptimizer)
• SFX= SXR, BFXR (+ Audacity, Foobar2000)
• Music= ??? Famitracker maybe…

Well, it’s done! No enough time to finish levels in the 48h limits but I’ll finish them anyway tomorrow. This is just a clone of a little japanese indie game (http://www.indiegames.com/2010/06/freeware_game_pick_hero_defeat.html), with a twist: 4 characters.

Each character has to fight one type of enemy:

• The knight fights only the orcs – if the knight’s level is equal or superior to the orc’s level.
• The rogue fights only the zombies – if the rogue’s level is equal or superior to the zombie’s level.
• The necromancer fights only the graves – if the necromancer’s level is equal or superior to the graves’s level.
• The wizard fights only the ghost – if the wizard’s level is equal or superior to the ghost’s level.

DL link >> https://www.box.com/s/ssovn84up6qm1chmnogk  (no HTML, flash, etc. just a good old .EXE file in a ZIP archive).

You have to use a keyboard to play:

•  ARROWS = move
• X = action
• C = switch heroes
• ENTER = restart game/level

Well I think my entry (sort of puzzle/labyrinth game)  is half-finished; so what I have to do for this sunday:

• finish some sprites, create a fancy title
• create some levels (5 minimum)
• add sound FX (NES samples? bfxr?) and music. This part is my nightmare each Ludum Dare XD
• find a better title than “Blood, Loot & Soul”

Bonus: screenshot

GameMaker8.0Pro + GraphicsGaleFree

Well, the job is done just few minutes before the deadline
My entry is here : http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-24/?action=preview&uid=12512

Some bugs/errors/missing elements I have to update later:

• the scoring system is broken
• the music don’t loop, and the SFX are non-existent.
• the collision system.

Some screenshots:

Well my entry “AB OVO” (latin words that means “from the beginning”) is half-finished, that’s why Ididn’t post any beta version for the Compo. Anyway, this last day (it’s 3.45 AM  in France)  is ~12h of actual work for

- the SFX/music (I’ll use cgMusic  http://codeminion.com/blogs/maciek/2008/05/cgmusic-computers-create-music/ a really awesome software)

-  the features are 80% OK

- and finally the level-design (one unique room with waves of ennemies).

2 screenshots (actual game):

 (click on the image to see the bigger version/animated GIF)

It’s Gregor Mendel the famous scientist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregor_Mendel one of the enemies; he’ll shoot peas.

No more infos today: it’s 4:49 AM and I’m exhausted!

So I’m gonna start a little arena shooter, with standard features (some enemies, power-ups, etc.) & an “evolution” theme of course!

Well I’m in for the second time (I made Evolve for the LD23)!

Tools:

• Graphics = Photoshop CS4 + Wacom Intuos4M (pixel-art? vectorial style? … I don’t know yet…)
• Engine/Language = GameMaker 8 Pro
• SFX = BFXR probably +Audacity + an old little “toy piano” (I don’t know how to play but I think it could be fun to add this kind of “constraint”…. but it will probably sounds shitty).

I’m not sur if I’ll be able to post a Compo entry: i have to work Saturday aftenoon, so maybe I’ll post a Jam entry…

Anyway, right now, I’m just doodling on photoshop

Evolve can be downloaded here :  http://www.box.com/s/83fd53b632319d2496f7

” Click on the items to level up the asteroids.”  It’s not hard to “beat” at all:  it’s a very simple game with few interaction (12 endings).

Graphics made with Photoshop CS4 / Music was generated by (c) http://tones.wolfram.com/ / SFX with http://www.bfxr.net/

How to play:

• Click to play.
• F4 = fullscreen/windowscreen
• Echap = quit

The interesting point is the 20 different illustrations And there is  a special illustration with the 100% evolution. Let’s be honest:  it lacks 20 other endings, but well I had only 48h damn it! I will probably re-upload a second version with all the missing stuff.

And now? 1h26 A.M. so it’s time to sleep!

… and everything else is done.  I will work on the SFX/music 2 more hours, and I’ll publishing my game “Evolve”,  a (very) simple Grow-like (“what?! you don’t know Grow of Eyemaze?!!…”)

Righ now, I play with some (awesome) online music generators:

• http://www.beatlab.com/
• http://tones.wolfram.com/generate/
• http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata
• …

I have no musical skills,  so this kind of tools are pretty welcome!

- titlescreen -

Juste a quick update:

24h passed.. 95% of  the graphics are done , but 10% of the code/programming only TT__TT But I’ think It’ll be OK! Not sure about the SFX/music

(( A screenshot ))

 ”god-hand”… refused graphic

I have to draw 18-20 illustrations (no animations alas) to  each evolution of this planet. Right now, 9 are done.

This one, is called “Jurassicpunk”…

Saturdy= drawings / Sunday= code

Not my favorite voting theme, but nevermind, it’s a new challenge!

So, first mockups: ”Tiny planets under cloches / absurd evolution / …”

4:37 A.M. (France) time to sleeeeeeep!!

First LD participation!

Tools :  GameMaker 8.0 pro /  Wacom Intuos4 Medium / SFXr / Audacity / Photoshop CS4

…. I have the tools, and I can make decent doodles, but I’m just a noob at GM8……. so my chances to create a great game are low XD Anyway, this event seems fun and a great opportunity to challenge myself! Oh, and my english writing skills are very bad (’cause I’m “un petit monsieur français”), so please don’t be harsh if I’m write some nonsense stuff ^^