Stratus by RichMakeGame

[raw]
made by RichMakeGame for LD21 (-)
NOTE: I'm getting a few people saying mouse doesn't work, I think it might be its just not obvious what to do first: you're injured so need to click on the medical cabinet. Hope it's just that and not a bug :)

Ratings

Coolness 18% 18
Overall 4.01 9
Audio 3.14 85
Community 2.81 182
Fun 3.50 44
Graphics 4.81 1
Humor 2.08 194
Innovation 3.50 85
Theme 3.38 124

Feedback

cr
22. Aug 2011 · 07:13 UTC
Love the art style - however left-mouse isn't working for me, for some reason. I can't interact with anything :(
jonbro
22. Aug 2011 · 08:51 UTC
whoa! this is beautiful!
Bender
22. Aug 2011 · 11:48 UTC
That was awesome, I want more !

Remind me Laputa by Miyazaki, and Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast RPG)
ointment
22. Aug 2011 · 13:27 UTC
Beautiful, yeah. The interaction needs refinement, though. The instructions at the bottom right are unclear and you'll end up trying to click everything. Use text rather than images - you could even tell a story (describe the events) while you're at it.

It ends right when it's started, but that's only to be expected from 48h games. I'm hoping you'll develop this further on your own time.
ointment
22. Aug 2011 · 15:46 UTC
A promising and visually impressive entry that feels like a tech demo for a larger project rather than a game in itself.
Gornova
22. Aug 2011 · 19:30 UTC
Great idea for and escape game, need refirments.. Why didn't you add some text ? You could tell a nice story!
🎤 RichMakeGame
22. Aug 2011 · 21:05 UTC
thanks for commenting! yeah I guess a consequence of focusing on atmosphere and art, the game length and mechanics suffered somewhat.. I think this would have been better for a week long project, but I really wanted to try it anyway :). cr, I'm really sorry that's a terrible bug :(. the first thing you're supposed to do is click on the medicine cabinet- does nothing happen when you try that?
recursor
23. Aug 2011 · 00:47 UTC
I love the stylized graphics and the way you directed what needed to be done with the icons. This would make a really fun full game. Fantastic job!
wallacoloo
23. Aug 2011 · 00:48 UTC
This is wonderful! I love the environment/mood of the game. I was a bit surprised by the abrupt ending, but that is to be expected for a game in a competition like this. I see potential for a very deep storyline here too. If you were to further develop this, I think it could be a hit!
SuperSausageDog
23. Aug 2011 · 02:01 UTC
It looks really nice, and the atmosphere was solid. I actually think text would've worsened it somewhat.
Gaeel
23. Aug 2011 · 02:17 UTC
I disagree about adding text, I like this icon-based gameplay, I can really see this expanded into a nice absurd lo-fi steampunk story about flying fortresses.
voxel
23. Aug 2011 · 03:49 UTC
I've looked at quite a few entries and this is my favourite by far so far
droqen
23. Aug 2011 · 05:00 UTC
God no don't add text

That was amazing.
vintersphrost
23. Aug 2011 · 05:26 UTC
best game evar! these graphics! awesomsauce!!!
accidentalrebel
23. Aug 2011 · 06:56 UTC
The graphics is awesome. What minecraft would have been if it were scifi. :D Was I suppose to put the bomb in the engine because that killed me.
mes
23. Aug 2011 · 06:58 UTC
awesome graphics! i too disagree with those naying the text. but i didn't know what to do at first and it took me a while to figure out what to click. i think the problem was that i didn't notice the blood on the ground--you could start it with the player getting hit or coughing up blood or something and then the bandage objective image could appear and then it would be pretty clear.
Jigxor
23. Aug 2011 · 07:21 UTC
Absolutely loved the graphics and feeling. There's something magical about walking along on a ship.

The game itself was pretty neat, but I think some more helpful pointers would have been useful. I didn't really understand how to play at first. The first "task" wasn't obvious until I read the comments.

Overall, really nice work! :D
Jorjon
23. Aug 2011 · 07:45 UTC
Working on Quest3D for more than 2 years, I can't believe this is done in that engine! Really cool graphics and a short but interesting gameplay. Congrats!
Jhelle
23. Aug 2011 · 07:48 UTC
Lovely lovely 3d pixels made into a fun little puzzle game. I really want more of this!
disgustings
23. Aug 2011 · 08:22 UTC
Amazing work! I really like how the story is told through game-play instead of narrative. Well done!
Legogo
23. Aug 2011 · 09:17 UTC
Damned :(

Please don't forget about other keyboards !
I don't know for the others by I can't switch QWSD to ZQSD so it's really difficult to play this game :(
maxx
23. Aug 2011 · 11:26 UTC
Very good graphics, i loved it. I had fun.
VDOgamez
23. Aug 2011 · 11:54 UTC
The game itself wasn't the best thing, but the graphics and engine were phenomenal, so I can see why there wasn't a whole lot of time to flesh out the game. Still, quite a wonderful concept, and briliant visuals.
Danik
23. Aug 2011 · 18:05 UTC
This one will be in the top I'm sure, awesome graphics style!
skelethulu
23. Aug 2011 · 18:06 UTC
I love it so much!
lilserf
23. Aug 2011 · 18:29 UTC
Great graphics and I like the puzzle-y nature of it. Yup, I was wanting more but I love what you did.
paste120
23. Aug 2011 · 19:07 UTC
Awesome!
stigrv
23. Aug 2011 · 19:28 UTC
Best game I've played for this LD so far.
stinger88
23. Aug 2011 · 19:55 UTC
Love it, awesome, Want more ;D
quickfingers
23. Aug 2011 · 23:22 UTC
Holy shit, that was amazing. The feeling of a story evolving so quickly is something awe inspiring. Just left me wanting so much more! My favourite so far :)
wbobeirne
24. Aug 2011 · 03:02 UTC
Would've loved to see a little more work on the presentation and story, but great technical feat for the 48 hour challenge. Exceptionally well done.
Superdeath
24. Aug 2011 · 03:07 UTC
Hey, did the main character burn his wife before the start of the level!?
Shigor
24. Aug 2011 · 06:55 UTC
Excellent 8-bitish art, nice setting, there's only one thing I find annoying... it's too short. I'd love to see the whole game :)
oatsbarley
24. Aug 2011 · 09:47 UTC
The art is amazing and even though, as you said yourself, this is more of a tech-demo than a game, it was still a lot of fun to play just because of how stunning it looks. I agree with others that it could have been clearer as to what you were supposed to do, initially. I thought left-click was broken, but it turned out that I just hadn't been clicking the medicine cabinet, the only clickable object at the start.

If this was expanded into a fully-fledged game, perhaps with a storyline, you could sell loads of them.
labtech9999
24. Aug 2011 · 09:59 UTC
Yea after the ludimdare you should expand this game. This would be the a.k.a. demo. you could make money selling it off steam. omg I would totally buy this.
🎤 RichMakeGame
24. Aug 2011 · 11:14 UTC
blown away by the comments, thanks so much guys :) taking all the crits on board too, I totally agree the icons could be clearer. I'm not so keen on text (i quite like making my games multi-language, without need for translation) but things could be made more obvious through other means. As for expanding the game.. I'm in two minds! well, of course I'd love to, but I'm already working on a game called Pineapple Smash Crew . Hmmm!
Rudy
24. Aug 2011 · 14:03 UTC
I just wish it was longer. Great work! Love the "story", as short as it is.
jonnopon3000
24. Aug 2011 · 14:04 UTC
I can't use the left mouse button, so I can't technically play, but damn this is beautiful!
Surrealix
24. Aug 2011 · 18:49 UTC
This was very cool, although I'm not sure if I won or lost. I put the last item (the bomb) in the engine and it told me "thanks for playing". I'm going to assume the ship blew up and I died, it makes for a more complete story-arc :).

Legogo has a very good comment. I use dvorak, and so it's a right pain to play. I compromised by running sideways everywhere, but can't help feeling the arrow keys would have been a better choice.

I like the 8-bit style. Although it's terribly overused, it makes sense for LudumDare, and your colorscheme was wonderful. I didn't have any problems with the instructions or icons. It felt really polished (except for the ending).

Overall, incredible work!
Hangedman
24. Aug 2011 · 20:38 UTC
So much (as of yet unrealized) possibility. Very cool, good style, everything. PLEASE make more.
Sos
24. Aug 2011 · 20:46 UTC
Hey I thought that thing on the first picture was a weapon. Full of win it is! I request more shooting!
wally2069
24. Aug 2011 · 21:25 UTC
Another fine entry for the competition. I would like to see this extended or continued somehow. A sequel perhaps. Also the text ending felt a little weak. Otherwise, great work.
Andrew
25. Aug 2011 · 07:42 UTC
The graphics are excellent, but the gameplay itself felt a little lacking as there isn't much to do. Definitely worth further work.
makc
25. Aug 2011 · 08:07 UTC
I just couldn't kill them all, how many of those flying things are there?
🎤 RichMakeGame
25. Aug 2011 · 09:10 UTC
16 iirc! if you want a tip, their firing timer gets reset if they get hit (i know, there's no feedback for this at all) so if you feel there's others about to shoot you, spray a few bullets in their direction and then go back to your main target.
Echelon5
25. Aug 2011 · 17:14 UTC
This deserves to be fleshed out more. Good stuff!
d_m
25. Aug 2011 · 17:30 UTC
Looks amazing! No luck playing it on Linux (under WINE) yet, I will try some more later. Just wanted to compliment you on an awesome looking game.
Terra
25. Aug 2011 · 22:39 UTC
I am ridiculously impressed with the quality of graphics you managed to get done in 48 hours.
nuria
26. Aug 2011 · 00:30 UTC
Supreme graphics and style! :)
Felheart
27. Aug 2011 · 03:10 UTC
Amazing work, graphics are well done.
Needs clearer interaction, pictures don't say much.
if it was longer and had a good story, id even pay for this
matthias_zarzecki
27. Aug 2011 · 08:51 UTC
Noooo why did you make me burn the picture :-(

This is great. The artsytle is lovely, adventure-mechanics solid, and the story beautifully simple.

Nice work!
Neilo
27. Aug 2011 · 11:16 UTC
Great art style, and good tension at the last bit of the game! Felt like I was a bit on rails with being told (well, sorta told) what I needed to be doing next. Could imagine it being turned into a nice full game post-LD :)
johnfn
31. Aug 2011 · 06:40 UTC
Very beautiful entry.
Chaoslab
08. Sep 2011 · 08:59 UTC
Impressive! Good effort! I liked it! :-)
tcstyle
08. Sep 2011 · 18:15 UTC
Such impressive graphics but I really don't like the gameplay that much. You should make this a proper more complex game.
🎤 RichMakeGame
10. Sep 2011 · 21:13 UTC
thanks tcstyle! As soon as I'm able to I want to follow it up :). For now if you're looking for more complex gameplay I'm working on a game called Pineapple Smash Crew: http://www.richmakegame.com/?p=371