I just had to make a version of this game with character sprites and music, so while the competition version is still sitting there on my site for the voters to play, here is a newer version for the jam that I put up on Kongregate:

Waterfall Rescue

Okay, the final game is complete, submitted, source code zipped and frozen, everything is done. Finished right on the buzzer.

The main difference between what I submitted and the final prototype I posted a few hours ago is this has a mute button (M on your keyboard or click the icon in the upper right), and a more full tutorial on stage 1.

You can play it here and see for yourself: Waterfall Rescue.

Now I’m gonna go get some sleep.

Final countdown! The clock is at 2 hours remaining! This is the last prototype I will post before the submission build:

Click the image to play

I did manage to work out a lot of the wonkyness in the physics with this build, while keeping my improved swing controls (and improving the feel of them just a little bit more.) I built a number of levels as well, and added some tricks to the later ones.

I have two more hours to take in feedback and fix problems, so let me know what you think!

5 hours to go and I’m up to prototype 4 of Waterfall Rescue:

UPDATE: Forgot to include the link, now it should work.

Click the image to play this prototype

I’ve added sound effects, and done some work on the swing. I widened the arc for it, and added easing into the tops of the swing, which will hopefully make it easier and more natural-feeling. This played a little bit of havoc with my already spotty physics on the survivors hanging off of you, but in a 48-hour game you need to focus on gameplay first and damn the consequences. Hopefully the benefit this has to the feel of the swinging will outweigh the physics weirdness introduced.

What do you think? Any and all feedback between now and 9 PM tonight would be highly appreciated!

Todo list:

1. Sound effects
2. Character art
3. MORE LEVELS

8 hours to go and I feel like the game is finally shaping up into something.

I’ve started to draw some sprites and add effects to the game. Not sure about my falling-cubes waterfall effect, but maybe it does the job. Let me know in the comments if it evokes “waterfall” or is completely baffling.

Things that remain to do:

1. Sound effects
2. Player and survivor sprites
3. MORE LEVELS

Here is a prototype with all of the core game mechanics included in one quick demo stage:

Click the image to play this prototype

To be honest I was hoping to be further along by the time that clock hit 19 hours. The physics on this game have been a pain to deal with, and have involved a lot of rewriting whole sections of code that were causing incredibly wonky behavior.

I think I’ve got it mechanically where I want it, though, and it’s now time to start building sprites and more stages for it before the deadline. Hopefully I can at least get in the titular waterfall, or I will need to change this to an avalanche rescue game.

16 hours in, 32 to go – I don’t know if I’ve made it to 1/3rd completion yet, but I do have my first test prototype mocked up. No graphics yet, and none of the collecting survivors mechanic, just a test of the swing/release controls. Play it here:

Click the image to play the control test prototype

And here is another page from my notebook expanding on the design I’m going for with the controls.

Controls concept sketch

And now it is time to start working on some graphics.

Game concept!

Waterfall Rescue: A number of mountain climbers have decided to climb Mt. Waterfall, a mountain that is like a volcano but just constantly erupts water which tumbles down the sides in the world’s biggest waterfall. Underestimating the force of the torrent, they get stranded and hang from rock outcroppings waiting to be rescued.

The player works his way up the waterfall by hanging from the outcroppings and swinging, jumping from rock to rock and gathering up stranded climbers as he goes. Each person he gathers hangs off of him in a human chain, making for larger and better swings which allow him to jump further from rock to rock.

Here is my attempt to sketch this out, it is perhaps something akin to the scrawlings of a sleep-deprived madman:

First plans are somewhat vague

I do feel like this is enough of a plan to sleep on, though! So, first night down with some theoretical progress and not a single line of code written yet. Must get an early start tomorrow and see if this concept works at all.

It's Dangerous To Go Alone! Take This.

We have our theme and off and running.

And… I’ve got nothing. Time to brainstorm for a few hours. Maybe some menial labor to keep my brain active. Time to clean house.

Here is what I do know. I’ll be working with FlashPunk as my chosen framework, and the game won’t be a Zelda clone.