LudumData

Come Home by cwkx

[raw]
made by cwkx for LD29 (JAM)
Come Home
"People don't show what's beneath the surface."

>> Requires audio to appreciate the song.

I was experimenting with something a little different, but sadly ran out of time to implement some of the intended gameplay mechanics (there was going to be some "adventure" elements and conversation choices). Still, this was the first time i've attempted pixel-art, and I learnt a lot in the process, and also the first time using HaxeFlixel. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the crude story.

Art, Code, Design & Story
- Chris @cwkx
Piano & Singing
- Jo
Web/Flash (9mb) http://www.cwkx.com/Game.swf
Original URL https://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-29/?action=preview&uid=26001

Ratings

Coolness 22% 1989
Overall(Jam) 3.03 482
Audio(Jam) 3.81 80
Fun(Jam) 2.00 731
Graphics(Jam) 4.29 72
Humor(Jam) 1.84 612
Innovation(Jam) 2.65 537
Mood(Jam) 3.84 81
Theme(Jam) 3.14 382

Feedback

neosam
27. Apr 2014 路 08:33 UTC
lol
Keehan12
27. Apr 2014 路 10:12 UTC
I'll admit, that art is very impressive and I love it. but I don't believe this is a game. It's a work of art but it lacks a lot of gameplay. I can't even seem to get past the old man, he kinda just pushes me to the side.
馃帳 cwkx
27. Apr 2014 路 11:56 UTC
Keehan12 - yeah I spent the first day just doing art, will do some coding now in the final 13 hours.
tuben999
27. Apr 2014 路 13:19 UTC
i love the art its simply amazing :D
dkkarate
27. Apr 2014 路 17:42 UTC
Nice art. Not sure what is suppose to happen though.
wilpel1234
27. Apr 2014 路 22:02 UTC
I Love The art!
GmacktheGummy
28. Apr 2014 路 00:04 UTC
Very impressive art pixel art, as everyone says. The darker color tones definitely compliment the musical style. As everyone already said, as well, it lacks much gameplay beyond pressing the arrow keys occasionally.
Tardowyn
28. Apr 2014 路 01:11 UTC
I agree, very impressive artwork, but I'm not sure the point of the game.
The man at the first house will pass by each time you go back and forth, and I hit an edge after a long strip of flat ground.
馃帳 cwkx
28. Apr 2014 路 03:49 UTC
- Just uploaded a finished version which is more complete than the last work-in-progress builds. A couple of hours late of the 48hour mark, but its the Jam afterall :)
Ratchetmon
28. Apr 2014 路 04:30 UTC
Impressive pixel art.
Taugeshtu
28. Apr 2014 路 04:35 UTC
All 5. I'm shocked.
superzac
28. Apr 2014 路 04:39 UTC
More of a story than a game, not that I'm complaining. Lovely graphics, and a feelgood interpretation of the prodigal son. Also, the song almost synced perfectly for me!
Joe Williamson
28. Apr 2014 路 04:42 UTC
Great job, man! Really beautiful!
BruceDoh
28. Apr 2014 路 05:40 UTC
Great mood, fantastic graphics, nice song.

Story was a bit confusing, and would have liked to see some game mechanics and maybe some more audio other than the song.
Alucard J
28. Apr 2014 路 06:49 UTC
A heartfelt story and interesting example of human nature.
jsmars
28. Apr 2014 路 10:16 UTC
Beautiful graphics and well made story! Some music would really help alot tho, and if the character wasnt centered on screen we could see more of the pretty world than a lot of ground. Great work!
xerohuang
28. Apr 2014 路 13:10 UTC
I love it. Great graphics and storytelling.
friken
28. Apr 2014 路 22:22 UTC
Music fit the dialogue nicely, great graphics.
Gamepopper
28. Apr 2014 路 23:18 UTC
Brilliant use of the theme, was not expecting such a good story out of it. Brilliant Graphics too.
ninjacharlie
29. Apr 2014 路 14:33 UTC
Interesting game. I would have preferred a little more gameplay and the story was a little predictable, but I do like story based ludum dare entries. The graphics were nice, and the song was good. Nice job :)
DarkEngineer
29. Apr 2014 路 16:12 UTC
The art is great!
stvr
29. Apr 2014 路 16:18 UTC
Great environment art and tunes, and a clever interpretation of the theme, but I wish you had been a bit less explicit about what the daughter had done (leaving it to the players' imagination). Also, many times what people in the game express actually reflects what's 'beneath the surface', so it doesn't use the concept to its fullest. Still, clever and unique, good job!
rnlf
29. Apr 2014 路 20:19 UTC
I looks amazing, it sounds amazing, the message is amazing, even the take on the theme is amazing. It's just not a game. Gave you good ratings anyway, this is the jam, right?
01010111
29. Apr 2014 路 20:44 UTC
Really awesome way to show interesting narrative! Great work :)
danidre14
30. Apr 2014 路 00:34 UTC
Dunno what to say, I loved it?! \(^___^)/
PIXEL^3
30. Apr 2014 路 06:42 UTC
Well don't get me wrong I liked this game but it was really lacking. There is no agency here, you just go right. At least in other art games, like Loneliness, there is agency. It could have potential though, of being something along the lines of To the Moon, if expanded upon and giving the player choices, or at least the illusion of choices.

~AlucardX60
Xaychru04
30. Apr 2014 路 15:55 UTC
Beautiful pixel art! Unfortunately there was not much gameplay, but I reallly enjoyed the story, great mood! ;)
vilya
30. Apr 2014 路 23:36 UTC
It's a lovely story, but it's not a game.
gnerkus
01. May 2014 路 04:02 UTC
I kept waiting for a monster to pop out of the ground and eat her.

Great art and beautiful music but little interraction. I wish there was a little more.
Thorig
01. May 2014 路 08:46 UTC
It is more a cartoon then game. Still enjoyed it.
DustyStylus
01. May 2014 路 10:30 UTC
Hooray! This has been fixed since I last checked on it. No longer being pushed left in an unintentionally hilarious way. Fantastic graphics & music. Really beautiful. Perhaps some extra interaction (dialog choices) would have been nice. Well done though, great entry.
TeamFlare
01. May 2014 路 14:59 UTC
This has a really nice vibe going. And if it's a game or not is something left to interpretation :) I like to see some more narative experimental stuff here. Cool :)
Split82
01. May 2014 路 15:18 UTC
Awesome voice and story telling. I love it!
tomvert
01. May 2014 路 16:06 UTC
Touching. Good job.
bombjack
01. May 2014 路 19:39 UTC
nice graphics.
moonmagic
02. May 2014 路 05:30 UTC
Beautiful dithers all over the place, quite a gentle, somber tone with the art. Bravo taking a risk on a walking-around-game.
commanderstitch
03. May 2014 路 01:11 UTC
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? just happened. I think i just watched a movie.
dector
03. May 2014 路 14:09 UTC
Very cute art-style. But story line need to be improved, as for me. :) Nice work.
trueyomic
03. May 2014 路 19:16 UTC
Great art, good music. I feel the dialogue would have had a deeper effect on my emotions with names rather than "father", "daughter", and "brother". As is, it was a little cheesy. I also don't understand the supposedly cheating guy's purpose in the beginning, or rather why it mattered if he was a cheater to her or not. It was a good story-game otherwise.
NoNoBattle
05. May 2014 路 20:08 UTC
It just doesn't feel like a game...
blay09
07. May 2014 路 19:07 UTC
Yes, it's not a game, but I still enjoyed this more than many of the "games" I've had to rate so far. Beautiful graphics, nice music; you don't see such high-quality music often in Ludum Dare. The song was also perfectly timed on the average gameplay speed, vastly improving the mood. Very well done!
dmcfarline
07. May 2014 路 22:45 UTC
Style and graphics are nice, the depth effect is a little jittery, but looks pretty cool

Feels like the daughter's past actions could've been a little more ambiguous, a bit jarring, both when revealed and reaction from other characters
sP0CkEr2
08. May 2014 路 03:19 UTC
okay - not a game but still cool - good effort
fermenter
08. May 2014 路 19:58 UTC
Great art, prodigal daughter story so that's pretty cool. Good job getting the gospel out there. Next time when you get enough time you gotta add some gameplay to make it actually a game though. Nice job!
gre
11. May 2014 路 16:57 UTC
Nice pixel art, but motion is laggy and I don't really know what to do in this game.
This is still robust graphics and story to start for a real game.
twelveplusplus
12. May 2014 路 22:50 UTC
no idea about the theme. this was a pretty cool experiment, though...

ALTHOUGH... is it just me or did father grab his daughter's boobs at the end!!! o_O
pinkmonkeyhead
16. May 2014 路 16:38 UTC
Not really a game, but the plot was outstanding and props to the original song, that was awesome as well.
Andrei M眉ller
17. May 2014 路 06:49 UTC
Very touching story! I didn't think it was crude. =)

Also, awesome pixel art and song!