Trial 21 by mooncalf

[raw]
made by mooncalf for LD35 (JAM)
In Trial 21 you switch forms to activate different jumping behavior.

WASD or Arrow Keys to move. Spacebar to jump.

Use J/K/L to switch forms as you acquire them.

Alt f4 to kill if you choose to run in fullscreen.

Windows version is the original upload.

Web changelog:
4/23
Narrator audio should now play for everyone.
4/20
No longer renders entirely black for mysterious reason.
Fixed double jump sometimes not working on press.
Fixed map so player isn't enticed to jump off the edge of the world and fall into infinity.

Nathan Walker - @alias_elias - character / animation / level design
Andy Gainey - @AndyGainey - programming / level design
Kevin Smith - @FazJaxton - programming
Peter Jones - music
Luke Schroder - props

Ratings

Coolness 93% 2
Overall(Jam) 3.57 249
Audio(Jam) 3.13 403
Fun(Jam) 3.37 329
Graphics(Jam) 3.35 533
Humor(Jam) 2.90 320
Innovation(Jam) 3.08 519
Mood(Jam) 2.98 638
Theme(Jam) 3.67 285

Feedback

keksx
19. Apr 2016 · 13:36 UTC
Really cleverly done, made me smile!

Well done!
glitchu
19. Apr 2016 · 19:43 UTC
I was sad when the robot got deactivated :(. I laughed at the chicken animation though so you got some humor points from me :D. Overall the game feels pretty solid and the soundtrack was really good. Environment and setting took me back to 2d metroid games, I did feel a sense of isolation. Level design was also really well thought out.
Mathieu Muller
19. Apr 2016 · 19:47 UTC
Loved the chicken module :D (even if it's the hardest shape to handle). Mixing shapes to attain different area is a great idea!
jcmonkey
19. Apr 2016 · 23:12 UTC
the only problem i found with this game was the controlls, but that could be just me.
Shatter Point Studios
19. Apr 2016 · 23:29 UTC
Very nice! The animal influenced animations were really good, and also very funny. Having to switch forms mid jump was a clever use of the mechanic.
Weeping Rupee
20. Apr 2016 · 04:46 UTC
Haha, you really nailed the way a frog jumps.

The aesthetic was a little mismatched and strange-- a robot on what looks like a world made of plush carpet. Also, you don't really ever shape shift so much as you posture shift but thats... kinda nit picky, I know.

However, this game FEELS great to play and that counts for alot.
TheMeorch
20. Apr 2016 · 05:15 UTC
Just fantastic. Great animation, a cool and unique aesthetic. Great music (and even some great voice acting). And a really nicely designed metroidvania. I really enjoyed playing all the way through this -- nice work!!
wg_phancock
20. Apr 2016 · 05:16 UTC
Wow, very smooth platformer with interesting level design and gameplay.

Until I climbed out of the world and fell forever.
schizoid2k
21. Apr 2016 · 01:07 UTC
Nice job! Chicken robot rules!
Xinelu
21. Apr 2016 · 05:04 UTC
Remembers me a little of Grim Fandango :)

Nice entry!
djfariel
21. Apr 2016 · 05:14 UTC
1:16am
4/21/2016
I completed a Ludum Dare entry.

I liked this. Conceptually, finding forms to use to complete levels in a platformer is amazing. Pretty neat idea. Nice entry.
dvdagames
21. Apr 2016 · 05:23 UTC
Great job on the level design. There wasn't any backtracking once I got a form, you managed to loop the player right back around to that earlier spot where they saw that path they couldn't access.

The sound was nice and pleasant and the animations were good. The chicken one was especially fun.
PeachTreeOath
21. Apr 2016 · 05:26 UTC
Nicely done, was expecting a combo that needed all 3!
LandoSystems
21. Apr 2016 · 05:35 UTC
Nice game! Controls were a little slow on the web build, but I was able to complete the game. I liked the detail in the animations of each shape.
Ryusui
21. Apr 2016 · 05:49 UTC
Loved it from start to finish. Great work on the animations. Only one issue - you most definitely did NOT keep the player from falling off the world like you said you would XD
chaosBrick
21. Apr 2016 · 06:20 UTC
The idea of it is really nice. I don't really like the controls, but except of that you did a great job.
magicagrilsdoinggamesforsenpai
21. Apr 2016 · 06:22 UTC
Nice mechanics and graphics,the animal forms were a great idea.
psychomonster
21. Apr 2016 · 08:40 UTC
Hi thanks for rating my game!
Good job. Like the mood of the game a lot, but the controls could be more responsive... The artwork is a little squishy too, robot is to steril and the floor looks like foam or something like that. But I enjoyed to play it for a while!
AnaGF
21. Apr 2016 · 20:03 UTC
Neat game. All those animations must have been a hard work!
andyman404
21. Apr 2016 · 20:22 UTC
Nice animations and robot artwork! Note: Maybe clarify the instructions - I almost did not figure out that you had to HOLD DOWN the space bar to do wall climb leap. I almost gave up because I couldn't not get past that second step up. After I figured it out, the game made much more sense. Fun game. Great job! I liked where you had to shift forms in midair. Clever!
luquio
21. Apr 2016 · 23:41 UTC
my robot ending seeing a bright light and died!
Alphish
22. Apr 2016 · 15:15 UTC
I can't decide if it's rather crude or pretty smooth. ^^' The movement feels a bit clunky, but I really like how the puppet switches forms while still being the very same puppets (also, chicken form is a pleasure to watch). The music was barely audible, though, especially compared to some speech (?) at the beginning.

Personally I'd prefer if jumping was available on UP/W button, aside from Space (since it's not used anywhere else, anyway). Also, perhaps add some sort of shapes indicator, and allow switching by e.g. Q/E (previous/next) instead of somewhat inconvenient J/K/L (climber/frog/chicken). That is, if you plan to expand upon that idea later.

Also, was that white thing at the end with puppet becoming idle intended? It looked like it was supposed to be an ending, but I'm not 100% sure.

Still, pretty good job, especially the animation. ^^
FanieG
22. Apr 2016 · 17:40 UTC
Really liked the animation. Felt that some of the dexterity puzzles were unnecessarily difficult. Especially those that required you to change shape mid jump. Other than that it was really cool. Loved the ending!!
omidprosper
23. Apr 2016 · 12:22 UTC
i like Your Animations & Art. However Jump Animation is a little Slow. The GamePlay Too...
I would Like to Be Nicer At Grabbing The Wall.
geekguy100
25. Apr 2016 · 01:34 UTC
I like how the character actually didn't shapeshift, they just obtained a new power. Something different. Nice!
DevelopTech
25. Apr 2016 · 20:03 UTC
Very smoth and fanny game, good work. Of course, my favourite shpae was the chicken.
APantaloni
25. Apr 2016 · 21:11 UTC
Very short but nice platformer! The transformations are funny and a cool concept. The animation is fluid, if sometimes a little weird. I would love to se this developed further!
SUNFURY
25. Apr 2016 · 21:25 UTC
Nice :) Very interesting movement.
There is not enough reward in the game,
it could be better with a story, or if there was some more challenge/danger
Genpaku
25. Apr 2016 · 21:39 UTC
"From a core idea standpoint I think it is very similar to mine." Yea you right our games are similar but your frog looks better than my sheep :D
PowerSpark
25. Apr 2016 · 23:47 UTC
Clever platforming! I will suggest that the design be a bit less predictable. After seeing the wall with the checkpoint on top of it, I knew I was going to get an upgrade to jump up there eventually. Either way, good work!
disease
26. Apr 2016 · 04:46 UTC
I really like the seamless switching of animation during shapeshifting.
kabel
26. Apr 2016 · 12:29 UTC
Nice animations, but climbing is a bit too difficult. The graphics look consistent and original, I like it!
drazil100
28. Apr 2016 · 02:28 UTC
nice walk animations.. I like the fuzzy ground as well.
Pietro Ferrantelli
29. Apr 2016 · 11:26 UTC
Great entry, enjoyed it a lot. It has a pretty unique gamefeel and mood thanks to the lovely animations and memorable weird music. The concept is well executed and the level design is really nice too and it kept me engaged until I finished it.
Omiya Games
30. Apr 2016 · 02:25 UTC
Very solid concept, enjoyed the intuitive level design that taught me through the basics. I personally thought the combination of different to achieve more complex platforming was great. Personally, I feel the wall-jumping controls could use a little polishing, as I'm compelled to move in the direction I'm trying jump to *before* I push the jump while clinging to a wall. Additionally, I'm not a fan of J/K/L as method to change forms. Music and background graphics stuck me as pretty boring, too.

Would love to see a longer game. I believe it's in the right hands, and you all show care in your product.
General
02. May 2016 · 19:24 UTC
Video: https://youtu.be/cfSQhiXUWqg
The idea of changing the main hero's shape is pretty obvious, although it's good that the hero is actually shifting the shape.