LudumData

Servassacre by doonay21

[raw]
made by doonay21 for LD28 (COMPO)
You have to install XNA 4.0 to play this game. Install process is very simple and fast :)

General info:
Use your mouse to control small servants (blue dots), lead them to the safe zone and kill all enemies (red dots). Play 10 carefully designed levels sorted by difficulty level - from easy ones to really hard ones.

Controls:
Press and hold left mouse button and move the mouse pointer around your minions - they run away from it - this way you can control them.

I will try to make Linux (and hopefully Mac) port as soon as possible.


IF GAME DOES NOT WORK PLEASE READ BELOW!

Game should run right away, but in case it wont, please make sure you have this two things installed:

- .NET Framework 4 Client Profile
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=E5AD0459-CBCC-4B4F-97B6-FB17111CF544

- XNA Framework Redistributable 4.0
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a88c6dec-aeae-42cd-a108-d35c013c3b97
Windows http://www.mediafire.com/download/bjxo0cs4k0a51rw/Servassacre.zip
Windows (all levels unlocked) http://www.mediafire.com/download/hdcwm5xgj1u9jkd/Servassacre_unlocked_levels.zip
Source http://www.mediafire.com/download/9cgefgw73w3jlu7/Servassacre%20source.zip
Original URL https://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=18952

Ratings

Coolness 82% 2
Overall 3.00 491
Audio 2.90 295
Fun 2.38 811
Graphics 2.95 489
Humor 2.22 508
Innovation 3.79 59
Mood 2.69 545
Theme 2.71 584

Feedback

X-0r
16. Dec 2013 · 11:48 UTC
Wow... that game is *hard* - I can't really move a larger group than 4 minions at the same time, and even then it's hard to avoid the walls. Managed to "wake up" the guys in level 2, but the channel to go back is nearly impossible to pass...
yokcos700
16. Dec 2013 · 14:18 UTC
What XOR said. Too hard. I imagine there's some kind of technique to getting many peoples through narrow corridors, but I'm not seeing it.
PEBKAC
16. Dec 2013 · 14:58 UTC
Way too hard... It's just no fun when you're fighting the controls more than you're playing the game...
Wukkopi
16. Dec 2013 · 21:05 UTC
I really like the idea of this game, but walls could just block instead of killing minions.
zconnelly13
16. Dec 2013 · 21:07 UTC
Wow, that game was so hardddd. Or is there a trick that I'm missing? The idea seemed so cool! But the controls just made it too hard (and not in the challenging / fun way). But I think it's a really great idea and I'd love to play a version with different controls.
vallde
16. Dec 2013 · 21:07 UTC
Looks really nice, but yep, reaally hard, if at least we could change the radius of the pointer or something >_<, but I couldn't find any way to control them properly, couldn't beat lvl2 :/
MMoffatt
16. Dec 2013 · 21:12 UTC
It's hard to move. Good concept though. Watching them fight is entertaining.
dalbinblue
16. Dec 2013 · 21:25 UTC
Really nice technical game, fun, but really, really, hard. It's too easy to fall of the edge of the map when pushing the minions, when you leave them alone as they meander off on their own, and when they attack the enemies as they will latch on and push everyone over the edge. I think making it so you can't fall off, or at least make the minions smart enough to not walk off the edge would make the game a lot more fun.
MyGrandmother
17. Dec 2013 · 13:33 UTC
Great idea man, really innovative, you should make the first tutorial level a piece of cake to be beated to be sure that every one can completed.
AtomicVikings
17. Dec 2013 · 20:58 UTC
Moving was hard, but the mini minis are cool. Like the idea but the graphics are really simple.
Ekilibr
17. Dec 2013 · 20:58 UTC
Way too hard. I think the idea was great, but you should make difficulty a bit easier.
ChrisMingay
17. Dec 2013 · 21:02 UTC
Really intrigued by this but as stated the control mechanic is very tough to work with. HOWEVER, once you manage to get a decent amount of guys across the level to the enemies I really, really like the way they battle each other.

I can imagine with slightly updated controls this would be great, especially with multi touch on a tablet or something.
ChrisMingay
17. Dec 2013 · 21:05 UTC
Actually I've given it a bit longer and it's actually really fun :) I still think multitouch for this game would rock, but it's fun still
Mirroar
17. Dec 2013 · 21:07 UTC
Interesting concept. Challenging, yes, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's too hard. A few more introductory levels to get you used to shoving your minions around wouldn't hurt, though.
I kept feiling level 3 because my mouse went outside of the window, though, which got a bit annoying. And it might have been a good idea to provide a way for testers to unlock later levels should they get frustrated with one. :)
torcado194
17. Dec 2013 · 21:19 UTC
yeah i thought this was too hard, as in unfair. if the walls blocked rather than killed, or if it wasnt a circular force, more like an pull or a crecent shape, this would be better. cool though!
StoneMonkeyStudios
17. Dec 2013 · 21:24 UTC
Well, you're probably sick of hearing this, but it's very difficult to properly control the minions.
That being said: It's very unique, the mood is great, the audio fits, and the graphics are very clean. Overall, pretty solid :)
🎤 doonay21
17. Dec 2013 · 21:31 UTC
Hi there awesome players! Thanks for sharing your observations with me. I made the game so hard on purpose - I wanted to create a game that can be real challenge and squeeze last sweats of y'all. I would create easier version within few hours but I am afraid it would be against the rules. I uploaded special version with all levels unlocked as Mirroar asked. And yeah, thanks again for your comments. I hope I will take some lessons and do it better next time!
Moosefly
17. Dec 2013 · 21:32 UTC
I just had to play it to see if it really is as hard as everyone else is making it out to be. I guess the best way to describe the difficulty level is to say that after I saw the level 4 "special rules" and the map layout I just closed the game without second thought.

Liked the use of the theme and the whole idea of the game, but in the end it was way too hard to be any fun.
Rothens
17. Dec 2013 · 21:32 UTC
wow! This is the best so far! I love the hardness of this game. The music is cool, makes the mood awesome. Nice job!
background_nose
18. Dec 2013 · 21:30 UTC
REally hard and a little bit too much of the hard stuff, moving thought the narrow coridoors was fun, but then they went on too long. The spiral level comes to mind.

Nice music.
Arkazon
18. Dec 2013 · 21:36 UTC
Really nice idea but as everyone else has said it's very, very difficult - it's hard enough getting minions through tight passages, that the things have suicidal tendencies is a bit too much! Music gets annoying quickly too since it repeats too quickly.

I would also suggest not placing walls so close to the edge of the window - makes it impossible to move minions away from them in a controlled fashion.

Having said all that though, I do really like the idea - probably just needs a more gradual difficulty curve!
Joror
19. Dec 2013 · 19:54 UTC
Way too finnicky controls, or I am just a softy player. :P A mechanic to make them follow for a bit? (pull in addition to push) That would lower the difficulty, and you can still limit it at certain levels.
Moist
19. Dec 2013 · 21:04 UTC
I'm gonna repeat previous comments - the concept is absolutely great but the game is insanely hard. Have you thought about changing the shape of the "pusher object" for, say, a ractangle?
louis.denizet
19. Dec 2013 · 21:10 UTC
hard too :/
Jupiter_Hadley
20. Dec 2013 · 00:19 UTC
This game is really hard. I included this game in my Ludum Dare Compilation series, if you'd like to check it out :) http://youtu.be/OVru4uI3W-s
DanielSnd
20. Dec 2013 · 00:25 UTC
Super hard game. :/
kirbytails7
20. Dec 2013 · 08:23 UTC
Tedious, but compelling. The visuals look quite good even for just basic geometries.
Zemmi
21. Dec 2013 · 18:15 UTC
Gotta agree with everyone, the controls are really hard. I had a previous LD entry that controlled similarly and everyone had problems with it too =P

I imagine a different shape like a star or rotatable horseshoe that had a place to cradle your minions would make it far more playable. If cradling defeats the purpose of your controls then maybe an octagon so there is at least a flat surface to work with.

Nevertheless cool idea and I adore how they fight each other. I could watching mobs of dots clashing all day.