pulsar by dvdagames
My first LD and my first game ever.
It's a mediocre top down shooter that's like if Asteroids and a bullet-hell game both had weird cousins that liked to hang out and they got drunk one weekend and decided to make their own game.
=== HOW TO PLAY ===
(this information is also found in the How to Play section of the game)
Keyboard:
- Arrow keys move the ship
- 2 key transforms into the second form (an energy cloud)
- 1 key transforms back into the first form (the ship)
- Spacebar fires bullets in ship form; uses energy to generate bullets in cloud form
Gamepad:
- D-pad moves the ship
- B/Circle transforms into the second form (an energy cloud)
- X/Square transforms back in the first form (the ship)
- A/X fires bullets in ship form; uses energy to regenerate bullets in cloud form
General
- Cloud form drains energy (green bar); ship form regenerates energy
- Cloud form absorbs bullets and takes no damage
- When you run out of energy you will transform back into the ship
- PROTIP: The game is best played by switching between forms frequently
Essentially, you pilot a shape-shifting ship with limited bullets. You can regenerate bullets via switching to an energy cloud form and absorbing bullets from enemies. While in cloud form, energy drains; while in ship form energy regenerates.
Things that definitely need more work:
- Enemy AI
- Enemy animation
- Edge of map collision
I was originally trying to finish it in time for the Compo, but ran into some bugs with the enemy AI that pushed me past the 48 hour deadline. All sprites, animations, and sound were created within the 72 hours for the Jam.
NOTE: Project files and documentation can be found here: https://github.com/DVDAGames/pulsar/
NOTE: 32-bit versions for Windows and Linux can be found here: https://github.com/DVDAGames/pulsar/releases/tag/0.2.1
It's a mediocre top down shooter that's like if Asteroids and a bullet-hell game both had weird cousins that liked to hang out and they got drunk one weekend and decided to make their own game.
=== HOW TO PLAY ===
(this information is also found in the How to Play section of the game)
Keyboard:
- Arrow keys move the ship
- 2 key transforms into the second form (an energy cloud)
- 1 key transforms back into the first form (the ship)
- Spacebar fires bullets in ship form; uses energy to generate bullets in cloud form
Gamepad:
- D-pad moves the ship
- B/Circle transforms into the second form (an energy cloud)
- X/Square transforms back in the first form (the ship)
- A/X fires bullets in ship form; uses energy to regenerate bullets in cloud form
General
- Cloud form drains energy (green bar); ship form regenerates energy
- Cloud form absorbs bullets and takes no damage
- When you run out of energy you will transform back into the ship
- PROTIP: The game is best played by switching between forms frequently
Essentially, you pilot a shape-shifting ship with limited bullets. You can regenerate bullets via switching to an energy cloud form and absorbing bullets from enemies. While in cloud form, energy drains; while in ship form energy regenerates.
Things that definitely need more work:
- Enemy AI
- Enemy animation
- Edge of map collision
I was originally trying to finish it in time for the Compo, but ran into some bugs with the enemy AI that pushed me past the 48 hour deadline. All sprites, animations, and sound were created within the 72 hours for the Jam.
NOTE: Project files and documentation can be found here: https://github.com/DVDAGames/pulsar/
NOTE: 32-bit versions for Windows and Linux can be found here: https://github.com/DVDAGames/pulsar/releases/tag/0.2.1
Ratings
| Coolness | 51% | 3 |
| Overall(Jam) | 2.73 | 993 |
| Audio(Jam) | 2.42 | 647 |
| Fun(Jam) | 2.62 | 921 |
| Graphics(Jam) | 2.76 | 858 |
| Innovation(Jam) | 2.60 | 889 |
| Mood(Jam) | 2.61 | 875 |
| Theme(Jam) | 2.80 | 887 |
I'll add that to the game notes, as well. It's in the "How to Play" section, but maybe I should outline it here, too. If you have some time give it another shot with the transformations, the game it meant to be played switching between forms frequently.
Anyway, other than that it seemed solidly built. Graphics are clear despite the chaos. It always took me a few seconds to realize I was out of bullets, so maybe some more feedback (sound or graphics) would help that. Nice job.
I definitely agree on the bullet count feedback. That part of the interface needs a lot of love.
Thanks for the feedback.
Thanks for the feedback.
Can you add your game on indiexpo.net ? (it's free)
So we can include also your game in the video ;)
p.s. write #LDJAM in the game's description
It's pretty satisfying being able to use the enemy's attacks against you.
Controls are a little weird on the keyboard, it might've been good to use the mouse for shooting.
I flew off screen and got lost after a bit, couldn't find my way back and had to quit. If you keep working on this you might want to set up some sort of barrier around the play space.
@ElliotFiske: The controls ended up being weird on the controller and the gamepad, I think I need to go back to the drawing board on them, but yeah I'm thinking a KB+M combo like in an FPS, you move forward, backward, strafe left, and strafe right with WASD/Arrow Keys and then control rotation, firing, and shifting forms with the mouse. The gamepad will probably use the analogue sticks and the trigger buttons instead of the D-Pad and face buttons. Thanks for the feedback.
@mf1214: Thanks! I definitely need to do something with the edges. I initially liked the idea of being able to swing out and turn around and come back through, but you can't see anything that's going on and it's really easy to get lost out there and never find your way back.
Can you add your game on indiexpo.net ? (it's free)
So we can include also your game in the video ;)
p.s. write #LDJAM in the game's description
Go vote mine ! :)
http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-35/?action=preview&uid=90478