ARCADE OVERFLOW by Remco

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

~~Hey! I already have far more than twenty ratings, and tons of feedback.~~
~~Instead of rating this game, try rating some other game that doesn't yet have enough to be ranked.~~
~~Thanks in advance!~~

original post follows:


Play with multiple games at once, except they all 'listen' to the same keys.

Controls are: up, down, left, right, space. (W.A.S.D./enter will also work.)

Games are paused when no key is pressed.

screenie40.png

Have fun?

Ratings

Overall 35th 4.053⭐ 50🧑‍⚖️
Fun 36th 4.021⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 14th 4.25⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Theme 95th 4.021⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 104th 3.948⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Audio 68th 3.745⭐ 50🧑‍⚖️
Humor 233th 3.06⭐ 45🧑‍⚖️
Mood 73th 3.711⭐ 48🧑‍⚖️
Given 61🗳️ 57🗨️

Feedback

PhillSerrazina
04. Dec 2017 · 14:26 UTC
Loved the concept! With some tweaking and some different games to play, I could find myself playing this for hours honestly! Fits the theme very well too. Good job!
Siarhei Rakuts
04. Dec 2017 · 14:50 UTC
os hard to play triple-game simultaneously) but very fun_) good graphics, song and idea!
Priweejt
04. Dec 2017 · 14:58 UTC
Whoa, I didn't expect anything like that! Quite an amazing concept. It would be nice if there was a feature that would allow you to save replays and then watch them without any of games pausing. Still great though!
Kolbjorn
04. Dec 2017 · 17:02 UTC
Creative and fun! Got 4 game overs from my first attempt (3 paddle and 1 mazemac). I mostly focused on titris and macemac and ignored the "simple" pong-like game, but got therefore screwed over when that was the one that i lost to the most. Nice graphics :)
Good game!
OrciFried
04. Dec 2017 · 18:26 UTC
Really cool game. It's interesting how it works design-wise :D
jk5000
04. Dec 2017 · 19:35 UTC
And now I am commenting on your game.

A super interesting idea, and the game is fun to play. For med the tetris game is the hardest game to play, because it super hard to see when block are stop moving, and therefor I often move the blocks to a bad location. Both the music and graphics are really good, and they fits game idea perfectly. Overall a very well made game. Well done.
🎤 Remco
04. Dec 2017 · 20:11 UTC
Thank you all, seems I'm off to a good start! :smile:
Dj Depressive
04. Dec 2017 · 23:41 UTC
Fantastic game! This game made me concentrate so much and you really came up with an inovative idea! The ammount of times i lost in ping pong really suprised me, I'd think that I'd lose in tetris or pacman but no... Ping Pong. I guess I was just focusing more on the others. 10/10 game!
timon
05. Dec 2017 · 02:06 UTC
This was tons of fun to play! Found myself concentrating so hard that I completely forgot about my surroundings for a while. Gameplay was engaging, graphics were great and the audio was sweet too.
Kurupapuru
05. Dec 2017 · 07:34 UTC
awesome idea, almost for all categories 5 star :revolving_hearts:
SvartTand
05. Dec 2017 · 13:58 UTC
Very nice idea! It didn't say anything about turning the tetris blocks. Maybe is said so in the help section but who reads instructions anyways :P So i figured out it was E and when I assumed to turn it the other way was Q it quit... maybe have exit as ESC and not Q? That is just a minor thing and the rest was AWESOME! Everything from the music to graphics was a perfect match!
🎤 Remco
05. Dec 2017 · 18:09 UTC
Again, thank you all for the _very_ kind words!

I'm (supposed to be) slightly fresher today, so I actually have some replies besides that.

@priweejt A .gif-recording _would_ be a nice option to have if I ever decide to expand it. I'm a bit worried that the gradient and play-length will eat hard-drive like there's no tomorrow :upside_down:

@jk5000 Good point, but that's an issue with the original Tetris as well, I think? Not that this excuses me :slight_smile:

@svarttand The rotation can either use space (as is, indeed, in the help) and also enter, which is **bolded** in my description of the game above since I submitted it :yum: Considering your own entry is turn based strategy, I really didn't take you for the impatient type :wink:

(... also somebody seems to have skipped the 'Overall' rating ... this is going to follow me around all judging period :smile:)
Syrapt0r
05. Dec 2017 · 18:21 UTC
This is a very well executed game. Every game feels manageable, but the overall game stays challenging. Constantly switching back and forth between the games is extremely fun and planning ahead to stay alive everywhere is surprisingly difficult. The style and sound are fantastic as well. Very solid and fun game!
schizoid2k
05. Dec 2017 · 18:34 UTC
Three great classics are great... play them all at the same time and it is really requires some planning. Nice sound and classic style graphics. Interesting concept.
kkneville
05. Dec 2017 · 20:56 UTC
Need concept, and a fun challenge to play simultaneously.
Newton
05. Dec 2017 · 21:22 UTC
very cool idea, and very well implemented. had great fun plying it
RNGSilvercraft
06. Dec 2017 · 03:06 UTC
What a good idea! Combining several arcade games at once is very cool.This might be my "top 10 game ideas"so far in the Compo.Good work!
Shipshape Detour
06. Dec 2017 · 03:35 UTC
That's definitely one of the most unique ideas I've seen so far. Great job!
Chyme
06. Dec 2017 · 05:30 UTC
Playing 3 games at once!??! Madness!

I really liked the idea of this, and trying to manage all 3 to some degree of skill was really interesting and hard to do well. Great job with the theme! The visual style was pretty rad too!
larkinia
06. Dec 2017 · 15:10 UTC
/o\
The more games you have to play at the same time, the worse ist is. Yes, it is. But in a good way :)
Joror
06. Dec 2017 · 15:33 UTC
Cool combination! Loved how there was an overlap between some keys and functionality, but not others. Good job of keeping the games simple yet attractive.

Had one minor bug where a line would not clear in the tetris game, but that didn't stop the fun. :)

Potential tweaks: Add a score aside from game-overs, would love to know how well I did, comparatively. (and to reward screen-clears / lines / etc ;))
navot
06. Dec 2017 · 17:58 UTC
Such a great idea! I loved that the game paused when you didn't press any buttons, so you had time to think what you had to do in all of the games... I actually managed to get through it without any game overs, but I mostly just played it safe, after realizing that you don't get any extras from eating all pacman dots for example. I also experienced a slight bug in the tetris game, I think I cleared two lines at once or something, and ended up with an empty line between two almost done lines, but apart from that it was really well done and fun to play!
🎤 Remco
06. Dec 2017 · 18:11 UTC
Once again, thanks, all!

I'm taking a break from rating until (probably) this Monday, so my plan to rate everyone who commented (that I haven't already) will have to wait just a bit.

@joror Yeah, the line clear doesn't always work _properly_ when more than one line is cleared. I'm actually surprised that you're the first to mention it (... and _just as I'm typing this_ @navot jumps in with the same observation. Coincidence? ... Yes. Yes, actually I think it is :upside_down:). -- A 'secondary' score for each game could also work. I did think that I wanted to add something like that at one point, but of course had to scrap it because of time-constraints. I now think that, _if_ I add them (ever), they should show up on the score-screen only, not during play.

ETA: I think I recognize @larkinia as the one who started the 'what works on Linux?' thread. I wanted to ask; did you get it to run on Linux without problems?
aeveis
06. Dec 2017 · 18:27 UTC
very nice! I got 1 gameover with pong ha, but it was very cool to try and multitask between games. Since it can get a bit tedious, maybe some sort of metagame on top of everything to give a player a direct goal other than survival? Then failures and successes in the smaller games can have an impact on the metagame. That probably increases the scope by a lot though haha. Good job!
🎤 Remco
07. Dec 2017 · 09:18 UTC
@aeveis That would've been a grood idea, although I sort-of like the clean simplicity of it now. (I did think about making the pong game very big and having the other two be the paddle and the ball, but that's not really the same as a meta-goal...) Considering that I got the Linux build up a 1/2-hour before end-of-compo, and the Windows-build during submission hour as it is... You're absolutely right I didn't really have the time to add that kind of scope :yum:
pcmxms
07. Dec 2017 · 20:31 UTC
Couldn't run :/ I installed the "lib_sdl_Image" driver and still didn't work :(
🎤 Remco
07. Dec 2017 · 20:49 UTC
@pcmxms Sorry, I should just have included that library, like I did before :sweat: _However_ the image-library is just _part_ of the SDL2 lib. What distro are you on, are you sure there isn't something like 'libsdl2', for example 'libsdl2-2.0-0' or even 'libsdl2-dev'? Thanks for trying anyway, and if it stays a problem, I can see if I can fix it by adding a 'libs included' version this monday :slight_smile:
pcmxms
07. Dec 2017 · 20:54 UTC
@remco I'm using manjaro... I will try to install the libsdl2-dev, though I thought that this was supposed to be for devs only :P
pcmxms
07. Dec 2017 · 21:03 UTC
@remco I managed to run it. Jeez, it's quite crazy to play three games at once. I don't even know if it's good for your brain hahaha Very well though and great take on the theme. Congrats!

PS: My game is also an arcade take, though it's easier to play :)
banan
09. Dec 2017 · 07:22 UTC
Fantastic idea and really well executed as well. Like other, I found myself really concentrating and blocking out my surroundings for this one. The game felt really challenging, however I managed to beat the game with 0 game overs on my first try, so I wouldn't mind if it were a bit more challenging. Had there been a way to gain points that might incentivise more risky gameplay and make the game more satisfying; as it is right now you get punished for doing poorly and and nothing for doing well. Alternatively, show how fast you completed the game, so you feel incentivised to making moves instead of sitting and thinking for ages. Also, on the third (I think) level of Mazemac I found myself unable to progress as one of the ghosts had trapped me in the starting area with no way to go, which was fairly frustrating.

Really fun and creative game. The music is fantastic and makes me really feel like I'm listening to 3 games at once. Definitely one of my favourites so far.
larkinia
09. Dec 2017 · 20:59 UTC
@remco Sorry, I forgot to mention it - yes, it worked without problems :)
Noble Robot
10. Dec 2017 · 07:16 UTC
Great stuff! Love the simultaneous gameplay, and especially love the timing. They way they introduce themselves one at a time. Just as you get a handle on it, the next game pops in. Love it!
🎤 Remco
11. Dec 2017 · 09:06 UTC
Once again, thanks for all the good feedback, all!

It's Monday, so I'll start rating the people on this comment page today and finish by this week-ish (hopefully?). I might start with those that have Web/Linux versions available. _(Then I can maybe focus on the 'Danger' filter next week.)_

@pcmxms @larkina Thanks for trying out the Linux build! I've added a version for people without libSDL2 installed last night.
Ale
11. Dec 2017 · 17:14 UTC
Love this idea! Playing tetris and pong at the same time was manageable, but throwing pacman into the mix really screwed things up for me. I was only able to score one point in pacman lol
FuriousWitch
11. Dec 2017 · 23:42 UTC
The most innovative idea I've seen so far in this jam and it's a compo too. Wow!

It was so capturing that I forgot to check on my cat which I let out for a while. He is okay and still there thank Allah :D

I honestly can't find a thing to criticize here. The graphics though simple were perfect for the style you set. The music, the mood, and everything was very matching. Great work. You should be proud :)
wwwhizz
12. Dec 2017 · 18:29 UTC
I'll try some constructive feedback.

**Fun:**
Hah! It made me laugh. It does not have a high replay value though, more games (random) would be nice.

**Innovation:**
Great idea! One of the best I've seen so far.

**Theme:**
Fits the theme perfectly, great work there!

**Graphics:**
Well done, nice effects and nice arcade machines. I like the difference in screens and detail.

**Audio:**
Pretty good, could be better, it is a bit too repetitive and the sound effects could polish it up more.

**Humor:**
Quite funny, but there is not any more humor than the game itself.

**Mood:**
Very well done, it feels like the old arcade machines.
TheAioliGuy
13. Dec 2017 · 02:11 UTC
I absolutely loved this concept. I found myself getting way too into it but still ended up getting two game overs. Only thing I really found was that the pong paddle was very forgiving, allowing the player to save themselves very last minute. Overall great game, loved it!
Swagdorf
13. Dec 2017 · 02:35 UTC
Wow, this was really cool! Definitely matches the theme, and having to plan ahead with every move was definitely a brain twister, longest two minutes of my life :P Loved the arcade aesthetic and the games too! With a few more games and with some extra variety in sounds and music, this'd be even more amazing! Awesome work!
🎤 Remco
13. Dec 2017 · 07:14 UTC
One more time, thanks for the feedback, and I'm glad no pets went missing! :slight_smile:

I'm not sure _when_ I'll do review-backs for these last 5, but _probably_ before _next_ Tuesday or so.

To anyone that comments _after_ this comment of mine goes life: There's a point that I'll switch my focus over to the 'Danger' category (and/or things similar to that, like the '0 reviews' one) instead of doing these 'comment-backs', so I might skip reviewing your game, depending on my time, energy and goodwill. (Unless you comment within like 15 minutes or so after this comment shows up, because I dislike irony like that.)
NNNIKKI
15. Dec 2017 · 13:16 UTC
Great game and concept! Even better that time doesn't go on until you do something.
Vasco Rodrigues
17. Dec 2017 · 05:47 UTC
This is crazy! Great concept and approach to the theme! It's hard but I had a lot of fun, congratulations!
Cubeeo
17. Dec 2017 · 17:03 UTC
I still haven't played your game yet, but I was watching someone play your game... part way through, I found myself thinking, "your (the player's) tetris strategy sucks - you're the worst tetris player ever" and then I realized, "oh, yeah, there's other games going on - I guess you gotta keep pac-man alive" lol
blinry
17. Dec 2017 · 20:06 UTC
Wow, this is one of my favorite games of this Ludum Dare! Really, really great idea. I enjoyed playing this so much, and will definitely show this around. The combination of making it step-based and timing-critical at the same time works very well. The graphics with flat, single-colored areas were probably the part I liked least. In my first playthrough, I had two "game overs" overall, which felt pretty good.

Thank you for making this great game! \o/
🎤 Remco
18. Dec 2017 · 09:49 UTC
Thanks all! I know the written feedback is always a little bit more positive than the eventual rating (I try to keep my own replies pretty upbeat myself as well--) ... but when I read all replies, I've never got anything this overwhelmingly _positive_. Really makes me wonder where this is going?

I'm not sure if I end up playing everyone who's reviewed my game past +- a week ago (see my last comment), but I _do_ read everything here, and even if I don't necessarily respond to each individual I do appreciate it very much :smile:
Space_man
18. Dec 2017 · 23:11 UTC
Really cool game, it was fun to play and the whole thing felt nicely polished. I managed to make it through without any game overs, though I was worried near the end when the pacman game spawned me in a spot cornered by a ghost, though fortunately it turned around before reaching me. It would be nice if the score in each of the games was tracked - or maybe it could be used as an extra lives mechanic, where clearing the pacman field / clearing some number of tetris rows / etc. allows you to continue after a game over. It would also be cool to have a full speed replay of the games at the end.

Overall great game, really well done!
MosesG
19. Dec 2017 · 19:27 UTC
When I first read of your concept, I was intrigued as to how this would play and how you implemented it. Turns out it plays very well! I like how the games freeze if you aren't inputting anything which gives you some time to observe them, otherwise this could have easily become a bit chaotic. Well done!
DragonZlay
20. Dec 2017 · 20:37 UTC
Inspired by superhot? hmmm...

Nice game
Zambini
27. Dec 2017 · 22:28 UTC
Awesome execution of the theme, fantastic art as well!
Tex Killer
28. Dec 2017 · 16:57 UTC
Hey, @remco!

Very nice of you to give up ratings for the needed, kudos for that!

I'll do what you ask, and after the rating period is over I shall come and play your game, and hopefully leave some useful feedback for you! :)
🎤 Remco
28. Dec 2017 · 20:25 UTC
---

Hello everyone!

Regardless of what the numbers will say in just a few hours, to everyone that rated and/or commented:
**Thank you all!** :smile:

---

@tex-killer Sure, I look forward to it! :slight_smile: (Feel free to skip it if you're not up to it though, I won't mind.)
I read the reply you gave me on your game as well; It's nice to know I didn't miss much after I quit.
Tex Killer
29. Dec 2017 · 00:12 UTC
Ok, so here I am!

It is hard to believe this is a Compo entry! It is so well done, I'm amazed!

There isn't really much I can say. Like others have said, having more games would be nice, having scores would be nice, a timer would be nice, but none is required for the game to be great, as the ratings have shown.

I thought to suggest you add a button to just skip time without action. I think maybe that would make the game easier, though that might not be your intention.

Thank you for rating my game, and congratulations on yours! You should be proud! :D
🎤 Remco
29. Dec 2017 · 11:16 UTC
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_WoahahaHA!_ Almost all rankings under 100! No score below 3.0!

:heart: **DEPLOY MEGA-THANK-YOU-ALL** :heart:

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@tex-killer You're welcome, and I am proud! :smile:
Gratz on your scores as well, you would've ended up with a nice ranking with just a few more raters!