LudumData

Defense 2160 BC by TheMonsterFromTheDeep

[raw]
made by TheMonsterFromTheDeep for LD 40 (COMPO)

Menu Screen Hey -- I already have twenty ratings. Instead of rating this game, try rating some other game that doesn't yet have enough to be ranked. Thanks!

Defense 2150 BC is a tower-defense game with the added twist that, if an enemy destroys one of your towers, they steal the abilities from it.

Instructions

Controls: Move Camera: WASD Place / Destroy towers: Left click Scroll through towers: Scroll wheel

Towers can only be placed next to already-existing towers. You are awarded money with which to purchase towers every time you kill and enemy and at the end of each wave. There are 34 waves to beat to win; I have no idea if this is doable.

There are 5 tower types: - Shield: High health, does no damage. - Bow: Shoots piercing, low-damage projectiles. - Cannon: Shoots high-splash-damage projectiles. - Smasher: Smashes enemies that walk inside it; some art smart enough to avoid it. - Spear Trap: Damages enemies above it; as such, it only is useful against flying enemies.

These instructions are also present in an in-game help menu.

Credits

As this is a compo game, I am obviously responsible for all the game logic / art / music.

This game is built using two libraries, as a result of shoehorning one in during the competition. The two libraries in question are GLFW and SDL2.

The font used on the Help, Win, and Lose screens is Laconick-NormalA by Nick Curtis.

Versions

I'm pretty sure that the Windows version works. (I tested it by clearing out my PATH and copying DLLs until it ran successfully). If it doesn't work, please say so.

~~I should be uploading a Linux build soon.~~ (Probably not going to happen).

I probably won't upload a Mac build unless I can find a way to build for Mac on Linux / Windows.

Other

Note that this game is built using a few custom tools and libraries, including both jot, which unceremoniously shoves images into a C file, so that they are "packed" into an executable, and zgcl, which is a C library that halfheartedly implements a generic std::vector-like interface.

Source code https://github.com/TheMonsterFromTheDeep/defense-2150-bc
Windows https://github.com/TheMonsterFromTheDeep/defense-2160-bc/releases/tag/compo-windows
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/40/defense-2150-bc

Ratings

Overall 325th 3.405⭐ 24🧑‍⚖️
Fun 277th 3.429⭐ 24🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 304th 3.25⭐ 23🧑‍⚖️
Theme 508th 3.024⭐ 24🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 245th 3.524⭐ 24🧑‍⚖️
Audio 242th 3.19⭐ 24🧑‍⚖️
Humor 406th 2.421⭐ 22🧑‍⚖️
Mood 230th 3.289⭐ 22🧑‍⚖️
Given 35🗳️ 26🗨️

Feedback

Jonathan50
07. Dec 2017 · 03:01 UTC
Doesn't work on Windows 7 32-bit, OpenGL 1.4 integrated graphics (it does nothing)

Edit: It works fine with software OpenGL (https://github.com/pal1000/mesa-dist-win/releases) although it crashed the first time I tried to start a new game. Also, it works fine under Wine.
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
07. Dec 2017 · 04:11 UTC
@jonathon50: Thanks for the information. I'm ...guessing? that maybe I only compiled it for 64 bit Windows? Sadly I'm not entirely sure how to test any future compiles I make. Although if it's an OpenGL compatibility problem, I have no idea how to even start figuring out what might be happening...

Perhaps I shouldn't be using OpenGL if I don't have the means to debug it. :P But it has worked for me on my computer, my brother's computer, and my animation teacher's computer, so at least it isn't entirely broken.
Jonathan50
08. Dec 2017 · 01:52 UTC
No, it is for 32-bit Windows, that's why I was able to run it with Mesa3D. It's probably an OpenGL problem, especially since OpenGL 1.4 came out in 2002 (although I'm using a 2009/2010 netbook and the Intel 945 Express is supposed to support OpenGL 1.4 plus extensions) It has just 64 MB of VRAM.
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
10. Dec 2017 · 04:30 UTC
@jonathan50: The thing that's strange is that I'm not really using very high OpenGL in my project. If I had to guess, I would say that it probably is lower than or equal to version 1.4 (I was originally going to use shaders, but I ultimately ended up not doing that, and I'm not using modern OpenGL at all--no vertex arrays) so it's strange that it wouldn't work.

But maybe I am using something that is too high level.
Jonathan50
10. Dec 2017 · 05:39 UTC
Okay, I've since learned that Microsoft's generic OpenGL drivers haven't progressed since OpenGL 1.1 from 1997, so I'll install Intel's drivers from Windows Update and try again.
Jonathan50
10. Dec 2017 · 06:14 UTC
Finally back, now with OpenGL 1.4. Now it runs fine and a lot smoother than software mode.
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
10. Dec 2017 · 07:40 UTC
@jonathan50: Thanks a lot for all the info. I hope it wasn't too much of a pain to go get the new drivers. :P
SirPumpy
27. Dec 2017 · 01:30 UTC
After getting the hang of it I really enjoyed it :D Wish I could just exit the game at any time though!

Creating an array of simple arrow shooters seems to be way too effective to bother with the other blocks though, am I missing something?
giusex27
27. Dec 2017 · 01:40 UTC
At first it's kinda tricky to get the hang of the flow and how the game exactly works, but after you get through that the game becomes much fun. Still I'm pretty bad at it but I won't blame you for that haha (I just suck really bad at strategy games). The art was actually really nice for a compo entry and the music also went along pretty well with the thematic of the game. Overall a pretty good job, congrats!
SaraMartins
27. Dec 2017 · 02:26 UTC
Interesting game. The learning curve is a little bit steep, it took long for me to understand what to do (even though I read the ? instructions). Once I understood the game by trial, it became more interesting. Still I'm not good at these kind of games...

The audio and art were really nice and helped in creating a nice mood. Good work :)
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
27. Dec 2017 · 04:23 UTC
@SirPumpy: I'm afraid that what you've discovered is also the main problem with the game: It is ridiculously unbalanced. The game is nearly impossible unless you decide to build a row of arrow towers, and as soon as you do that -- and then augment them with cannons -- it becomes impossible to lose.
FuriousWitch
27. Dec 2017 · 15:40 UTC
Great game! I loved playing it and as I played I could see the elaborate work done in it like the animation on the towers and the enemies animations as well. I'm sure the time didn't allow for enough balancing but I think with more time you will be able to turn this into a really bulletproof strategy tower defense game :)

Right now the main problem is that I don't need to use all tower types I can just use mainly bow towers and cannon towers and I will win the game. Also, although it has a bit of a learning curve, once you get it you can put two columns of cannons and nothing can get past the very first couple of steps. And the difficulty doesn't seem to increase I don't know why. I have actually been writing this now for a couple of minutes and the game is running in the background and I'm still winning :D

But regardless of all that, I would like to commend the great work you did in this game which I really enjoyed playing. Actually, one of the best five games I played in this LD. Congratulations :)
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
27. Dec 2017 · 17:26 UTC
@furiouswitch: Thanks for the kind words. I certainly would not place this anywhere near the top games of this Ludum Dare, simply because gameplay is so thoroughly broken, but I'm glad that you had fun.
Behenate
27. Dec 2017 · 18:34 UTC
I really liked the game overally. Music fits graphics very well, game is very engaging, but canons seem to be OP, you can place four in a column, and nothing can pass it. I'm really impressed by amount of blocks you managed to put into the game. Very good entry!
Acr515
27. Dec 2017 · 19:12 UTC
Really nice entry! Great art and sound effects for a compo game. My complaints are that the game is horribly unbalanced, and the turrets and such should only really fire when there isn't a wave going on; I could use a break from all the projectile sounds. I had fun though, good work!
BytingGames
27. Dec 2017 · 19:29 UTC
Really cool game, a bit easy though, if you don't get any towers destoryed, you don't have to worry about enemies copying your abilities :)
You even implemented a tutorial, nice! Just a bit shorter would be better I think.
differentname
27. Dec 2017 · 20:49 UTC
It's an interesting idea using one crowded lane for ground based enemies, then flying enemies are split up in different lanes so defenses to them can be spread thinner. I can imagine adding more variety to this, like large enemies that can be hit from the bottom two or three sets of defenses so it really makes it feel natural to build your defenses like a pyramid.

The gameplay ended up being too easy, but I know it can be tough to fit in the time to balance difficulty during the compo.
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
27. Dec 2017 · 20:59 UTC
@differentname: Good suggestion. I'll definitely act on it if I ever decide to work on this game further.
vfabien21
27. Dec 2017 · 22:15 UTC
I really love how you used the egyptian theme, and implemented it in the tower's graphics ! It is really great.

In terms of gameplay though, it is tough to equilibrate a tower defense in such a short time. I have built a wall of arrows, and simply nothing managed to touch me, so I haven't witnessed the creatures stealing my abilities. But the idea is very interresting though.
explorer
28. Dec 2017 · 01:11 UTC
Nice game, visual style is reminiscent of the old time games. But towers seem to be too powerful, I waited for a relatively long time after putting some towers and all the enemies were dying off screen.
aurel
28. Dec 2017 · 01:13 UTC
An interesting take on the Tower Defense Genre! Had a lot of fun. Played through about 4 times until I finally got a bit too big to lose. I really loved the help at the beginning of the game - that was very nice. However, it was hard to remember what each tower icon represented the very first two times I played through it.

A few other potential points of improvement:

- It is possible to place towers underneath the money HUD in the top right and then it's unclear what you have there.
- The game could use a bit of balancing, but from the comments above it's obvious that it's understood that balance is really hard to do during LD timeframe :)
- Some form of Wave Counter would be nice to know how far I've gotten in the game :)
abcdef65g
28. Dec 2017 · 02:16 UTC
Aside from the balance issues (I always tell myself I will try to balance the game in the final hours of LD, but that never happens... And I only do jam, so I can't imagine how rough the compo is!), the game is a lot of fun! I was actually thinking there was something I was missing since arrows weren't always able to kill the enemies on ground fast enough, and the flying enemies tore me apart (even my shied and spear towers), and the ninja snakes completely annihilated me... Only then that I realized the arrows towers were enough to get me going.

A couple of suggestions. First, the HUD probably doesn't need to be always showing, and it actually covers part of the usable game area, so there should be a way to hide it (or rather, keep it auto-hidden with a way to show it). Also, perhaps spawn enemies not too far offscreen, or keep them invincible until they reach the edge of the screen? That way you can't overpower them before they even show up to the player. Oh, and making the towers and enemies smaller would allow the screen to fit more stuff, and you could see enemies for longer, which I think would add to the game.

On a side note, congrats on using C. It's a great language but a handful for making games, especially on a limited timeframe! Though I didn't like the choice for a font, it was hard to read for me.

Oh, and the art for the towers was really cool! I like how they are all in-context with the Egyptian theme, but also nicely animated to perform their attack. Awesome work!
🎤 TheMonsterFromTheDeep
28. Dec 2017 · 04:16 UTC
@abcdef65g:
Thanks for all the great feedback. I agree with respect to the UI -- did not think about it at all during the jam.

As it turns out, C is not really all that hard to use for a game jam. I put together a component-based game library, and writing the components themselves in C really is not very difficult, because C supports most of the features you need (i.e. basic imperative programming). On top of that, I also have a generic list library that I use, and that is enough to basically accomplish everything I need to do.

And yes, the animations are probably my favorite part of the game. I'm still far from a great pixel artist, but I am trying to improve, and doing all these animations was super fun and super rewarding.
Siepiau
28. Dec 2017 · 10:22 UTC
Fun little game with a very unique concept of enemies gaining your abilities whenever they destroy a tower, which is very difficult to balance for gameplay indeed.

At first I kept losing but once I figured out the dominant strategy of using arrows and cannons, I soon had a screen full of cannons and lots of money which seems pretty much invincible so I didn't bother to wait for all the 34 waves to pass.

It would be interesting to see how such mechanics of power escalation can be tweaked and maintained for longer term play, instead of spiraling toward either certain defeat or certain victory like the current state of the game.

Nice work! ^^