Ok, i couldn’t hold back.

Here’s the final version of Tower Collapse. I’ve added two more stages, fixed some small bugs, enabled window/fullmode switching and added the source to the zip file as well (forgot during the first preview-final).

Download from here: http://www.georg-rottensteiner.de/files/Tower%20Collapse.zip

If you take the time to test please tell me about any bugs! Thanks and have fun!

Edit: 20:27 local time, added a Compo Game Loader file for easier testing! It even works

I’m feeling pretty tired, so i’m not sure i’ll add much more. I’ll try though.

To be on the safe side here’s a pre final version. The gameplay is there, as are 8 stages of bombing goodnees and a editor.

The link for the pre-final version is http://www.georg-rottensteiner.de/files/Tower%20Collapse.zip. Anything else will be polish from now on.

Edit: Modified the zip file, this is now a newer version. Removed the final tag.

Now before everyone’s going into hibernation again here’s a small Post Mortem for Chain Reaction.

First i was not sure i was actually going to enter. I’ve partitiated in a few Ludum Dare’s before, but usually only when i could really use the full time. This year round that was not the case. I didn’t even reserve some extra timeout from the family.

Still, once the theme was up i couldn’t help it. I strived for a rather simple game (simple as in simple to make) since any greater planning would go down the drain anyway. I’m rather glad how it worked out. My entry is not particularely innovative but things fell into place pretty nicely.

What went right:

• Having the general gameplay up and running as the first step

This is actually the most important part for these kind of competitions. If you have a flaw in your gameplay design you still have time to refine it. It’s no use having nice technical gimmicks all around when the gameplay is crap.

• A working editor

If a game is level based it’s one of the rather convenient things to have. Sure, with the given time nothing stops you to hardcode level data or even store it in some text file. Once you have an editor you can churn out levels at an alarming rate. And it’s a nice polish plus for the final version.

•  Sound effect (thanks to DrPetters awesome tool)

Usually one of my bad points. It’s easy to use a microphone and grunt/hiss/snarl some stuff but it also sounds exactly that way. DrPetters tool is a most awesome help as you can experiment and modify in just a few clicks.

What went wrong:

• Innovation? We don’t need to stinkin’ innovation!

Not thinking too much about what to do i was glancing over the first shots of the other competitors. Lerc’s shot looked very nice and i thought about these circles being bombs. I’m glad that the gameplay came out very different though.

As usual after a bit of playtesting i happened upon one crash bug. Yelp.

Fixed the bug and added yet another level. So it’s 15 now.

The new version is uploaded; i’ll remove the final tag from the older entry.

Click here to get it.

 Tools used:

• DrPetters über-awesome sfxr tool
• my own crappy paint app
• Visual Studio 2003

So this looks like my final game. My wife’s got that look so i doubt i’ll work on it anymore

Link removed. The final can be found in my latest blog entry.

It’s not the most innovative but it has been fun. It sports 14 levels, sounds due to DrPetters awesome sound effect tool and ugly pixel art by myself truly.

Position bombs and use the chain reaction of exploding bombs to fulfill your goals:

Either bomb open all diamond devices or push all target balls (with an X) onto any goal area (or both).

Do not forget, that you can go back and reposition bombs for another attempt. And another. And another.

An editor is included, which lets you build your own nasty contraptions.

There source comes with a Visual Studio 2003 solution file. It’s not the cleanest code, esp. the resource loading is an ugly hack.

The game itself requires any Windows since Windows 95, DirectX 8.1 and shouldn’t need any other DLLs beside the one i included.

You want a screenshot? Ok:

Your name is not of importance. Your mission is simple:
Top secret data has been separated and hidden in several countries. Break into the buildings and retrieve the secret data. The data is usually kept in a green cabinet. You must not be detected. Go inside unseen and find the cabinet. Once a guard sees something suspicious like a light which doesn’t belong or hears a sound he will start the alarm. Once the alarm is on you cannot escape. We will have to deny any knowledge.
As usual for those competitions the complete source code comes with the game.