stairs by cardboard

[raw]
made by cardboard for LD26 (COMPO)
GET TO THE TOP! (yes, there is an end)

help/hint:
to get over a step, both feet cannot be on the ground
at the moment a block leaves the screen. you can only
lift one foot at a time.
WALKthrough: http://youtu.be/gVnc9yIaT54

OSX USERS:
"Here's *one* recipe (probably not the simplest):
- brew install sdl sdl_mixer sdl_ttf sdl_image
- hg clone https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame
- cd pygame
- sudo python setup.py install
- cd../stairs
- # comment lines 19 and 20 of main.py (music doesn't load)
- python main.py \o/"

===========================================
python version requires python 2.7 and pygame
run "python main.py" to play
run "python main.py -serious" if you hate potatoes

for windows version, run "main.exe -serious" if you hate potatoes
===========================================

Ratings

Coolness 71% 3
Overall 3.05 690
Audio 3.00 374
Fun 2.94 595
Graphics 2.74 775
Humor 2.65 303
Innovation 3.46 292
Mood 2.54 898
Theme 4.14 77

Feedback

Logun
29. Apr 2013 路 08:59 UTC
I didn't find the proper file to launch your game !
SuperlevelSebastian
29. Apr 2013 路 11:57 UTC
Could you please add a compiled version?
馃帳 cardboard
29. Apr 2013 路 19:48 UTC
I'm adding an executable version when I get home today! (if all goes well)
stqn
30. Apr 2013 路 05:33 UTC
Ahah, this game is funny, very original!
It was a bit annoying not being able to lift one foot as long as the other was in the air, even if it makes sense. Maybe an audible signal (footstep) when it's ok to do so would help.
Crowbeak
30. Apr 2013 路 07:01 UTC
Running it in source has extra entertainment value if you watch the IDLE window.

GAME!
INTRO!

However... I couldn't figure out how to tell when to step and when not to, so I am going to refrain from rating.
Arkazon
30. Apr 2013 路 17:06 UTC
Dropbox link for the compiled version doesn't work.
drkrunk
30. Apr 2013 路 17:20 UTC
404 Can't play =[
orange08
30. Apr 2013 路 17:26 UTC
Indeed, a dropbox 404 error.
Hamumu
30. Apr 2013 路 17:33 UTC
404 on Windows for me too. I guess that's because 404s aren't a personal event. It's a bit like saying "Yes, the sun came up for me this morning too!" But unlike the sun, you can fix this for us, cardboard! LET US CLIMB THE STAIRS
HELLO23
30. Apr 2013 路 17:35 UTC
Original idea, minimalism !! Controls are pretty hard though. I liked it. and also I liked the music.
Dark Acre Jack
30. Apr 2013 路 17:35 UTC
+1 on the 404.
Jhelle
30. Apr 2013 路 17:36 UTC
404 error on your download page. :(
馃帳 cardboard
30. Apr 2013 路 21:54 UTC
@404: Ah crap. Dropbox hadn't finished syncing the windows version when I shut off my computer I think. :/

@Crowbeak: I'll make a gameplay video! I'll also try to explain it better in the description.
plash
30. Apr 2013 路 22:40 UTC
Notes:

- Music is good. Reminds me of the music for The Fair King somehow (#7847).
- Aaaaaahh. This is hard!
- Waiting for stairs. "Stairs on line 1. Stairs on line 1. Report to the main desk."

Things I would change:

- Hm. Nothing? This is about as minimalistic as it gets.
TheMaster99
30. Apr 2013 路 23:02 UTC
Took me a solid 3 minutes to figure out what to do (admittedly I didn't read any instructions haha) and even after I understood what to do, I kind of failed at doing it. Not sure if it was just my own failing, or what. Interesting game, though!
Scott McBee
01. May 2013 路 01:39 UTC
Better instructions would go a long way. When I finally got the hang of it I enjoyed it, but some kind of "you climbed X stairs" would be nice so I could get a handle on how I was performing. Also, the start to first step time seemed too long. I enjoyed the music.
Tozy
01. May 2013 路 04:11 UTC
I couldn't play... I couldn't even understand how to play. I see what I am supposed to do but it's to hard! Even If I could jump with both squares at the same time it would be difficult, and the first 3 seconds every restart feel like a waste of time. But the idea looks so good, you should try and fix this, you have to try and see if it's fun after you tune it a little more.
Tozy
01. May 2013 路 04:19 UTC
nice music BTW! ^^
... wow! i just had an insight!
Nice! now I'm enjoin it :3
Is still hard... and it doesn't have score implemented?
Please keep working on this, now I know is worth it :)
Monxcleyr Productions
01. May 2013 路 05:43 UTC
Took a few goes to understand what to do. QWOP-esque. I managed to get up to 5 steps one time! The movement speed of the feet seemed a bit sluggish, perhaps, as I tried to step before my feet were grounded again.
AstroEngiSci
02. May 2013 路 03:18 UTC
This game was really great. As infurating and addictive as Super Hexagon, if not more. I have yet to get to the end. I will finish it. I MUST. You have done well, cardboard.
nintendoeats
02. May 2013 路 03:20 UTC
An addicting game for its level of complexity, with excellent music. Did serious damage to my wrist. Looks like Night Driver!
oldtopman
02. May 2013 路 03:28 UTC
The game is difficult. I had a hard time "marching" up the stairs, and it seemed to go on forever, with no incentive.

...then I opened the sauce, changed a few Trues to Falses and vice versa. Cool game, I loved the ending animation. Only real complaint is that the difficulty is a bit much.

Also, if you're going to use autotracker, at least try a few and use the least obnoxious one :P
ohsqueezy
02. May 2013 路 19:03 UTC
I am having trouble walking up the stairs :(
Cryovat
02. May 2013 路 23:07 UTC
The idea is very original and I enjoyed the music. Hard though! D:
khahem
03. May 2013 路 03:09 UTC
Had to work a bit to make it work on OSX but liked it :)

Here's *one* recipe (probably not the simplest):
- brew install sdl sdl_mixer sdl_ttf sdl_image
- hg clone https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame
- cd pygame
- sudo python setup.py install
- cd../stairs
- # comment lines 19 and 20 of main.py (music doesn't load)
- python main.py \o/
馃帳 cardboard
03. May 2013 路 20:37 UTC
@khahem: Thanks for playing! And thanks for posting instructions on getting it to work on OSX. I'll add it to the description so others can see it :)
Norgg
03. May 2013 路 21:06 UTC
Fun and surprisingly challenging for such a simple mechanic until you've had time for the muscle memory to sink in.

Some kind of hint at there being an ending would be good, having got to the end I think a totally explicit progress percentage would defeat the point of it though.

The music was okay, though I think some kind of sound effect of footsteps echoing in the void would have given it a better atmosphere and I was kind of put off by wanting to step in time to the rhythm.

Overall: cool!
Felix20
04. May 2013 路 01:17 UTC
I now understand... why they warned me about stairs... it keeps happening.

On a more serious note, I loved this game so far this is probably the most addictive game I've played this time. As far as the theme, the shear amount of minimalism you achieved is staggering (which is what I felt like I was doing the whole time I played). The moving side to side mechanic made it non repetitive enough to be quite fun.

The only thing I have a serious complaint about is the long wait time in between games. It's torture, torture I tell you.
Cosmologicon
04. May 2013 路 17:44 UTC
Really creative idea, I just echo the complaint about how hard it is. I've been trying for 10 minutes and I never get more than about 20 steps up.
GingerMess
05. May 2013 路 00:11 UTC
This game is really difficult, which is fine, as it's very much based on your timing. I managed to get quite far up but then the feet narrowed and I eventually fell off.
The only thing I'd recommend is some sort of stronger clue as to when a step falls of the screen, as it takes a while to get used to judging when you need a foot to land to prepare for the next step.

Quite fun, if a little frustrating!
JustinMullin
07. May 2013 路 20:50 UTC
Fun little mechanic - it's like jump rope, but with stairs! xD
SuperDisk
11. May 2013 路 03:55 UTC
I'm not really sure what was going on. Were the white things stairs, or holes?
shawn42
14. May 2013 路 00:55 UTC
I like the idea here, I just really suck at your game. :/

I definitely had the QWOP _OMG HOW DO I PLAY THIS_ feeling. Hard, but fun. Nice work.
r3d5
16. May 2013 路 07:46 UTC
Nice and simple! Does the frequency of stairs every change for anyone?
馃帳 cardboard
20. May 2013 路 02:15 UTC
@r3d5: No, the only thing that changes is the steps become thinner (and the feet become closer together) as the game reaches its end.
Jesse111
20. May 2013 路 23:50 UTC
Very tricky! Becomes a lot easier with practice.
One big challenge to it is that it's a bit "laggy" feeling waiting for your other foot to land before you can raise your other food - Maybe in a future version you might want to consider making the raised foot lower faster if you hit the opposite foot?
5/5 for innovation, this is a very unusual game!
Great work!
gizmo
20. May 2013 路 23:54 UTC
i really like it! it reminds me of master of the lamps \o/
Haette
21. May 2013 路 00:43 UTC
I... i've never been so proud of managing to stagger up the stairs before ;_;

Whoever said QWOP was right, this manages to give the same kind of "oh god how did I get here I am not good with feet" feeling.
EatenAlive3
21. May 2013 路 01:38 UTC
Amazing! I loved the potato's advice, haha. Took me a LONG time to figure out what I was doing, but eventually I got it all in one go.