DEADline by SecretPocketCat
You are a lone cursor in a cruel world full of words. Avoid the terrible deadline by typing the platforms that are gonna carry you to your victory or at least prolong your short existence. Create platforms by typing them and platforming around to score as many words as possible.
Words are your path, your score, your lifeblood and your currency as you can spend them in shops to make the typing and platforming a bit easier.
Controls:
- Movement - A/D
- Jumping - Space
- Pause - ESC
- Words and all - everything else is controlled by, well, typing
- Purchasing upgrades from shops is done by typing buy
- Double/Super Jump - both of these can be charged by typing their respective words
Changelog
1.0.1 - fix: trigger-based walljump - fix: grace jumps take precedence over trigger-based walljumps - fix: superjump powerup description - fix: the first shop is always preceeded by a horizontally moving platform (to reduce the number wonky level gen) - added: main menu and an online leaderboard - please take that into consideration when rating
Credits
The lovely music tracks are from incompetech.
- Villainous Treachery Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) *
- *Comic Plodding Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
The monospace font nk57 monospace by Typodermic Fonts
| Windows | https://secretpocketcat.itch.io/deadline |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/44/deadline-2 |
Ratings
| Given | 2🗳️ | 5🗨️ |
@yngvarr I know about one particular case at the start in which it's either very tricky or just nearly impossible I'm probably gonna fix that by adding mobing platform below the problematic shop. The first shop is actually guaranteed to offer the double jump ability, which should get the player out of most sticky situations, though some saws might be just awefully placed. As usual, not enough time to properly test it all.
I actually wanted to mix it with some premade chunks to make it more varied, but I unfortunately ran out of time. :cry:
I also like the shop system, but I never found the powerups entirely useful.
I don't like that buying upgrades costs score. If the goal is to have the highest score, it is correct to not buy upgrades. I think that you should have it so you earn score for all the money you earn, but pay only money, not score, for upgrades.
I played a lot of runs (15?), and got a 56 in a decent one.
a. Deciding between typing full words or typing short ones for best speed (debating typing vs platforming skills)
b. Deciding which letters/words to type out to create the best platforming sequence for you
c. The juggling between typing and platforming, at one point I was doing stuff like jumping up a vertical line while typing it rather than using wall jump, and also trying to play 1 hand while typing minimally with the other hand.
soooooooo much emergent gameplay from this, though I eventually asked a 2nd player to just play coop with me and we had a blast trying to coordinate and guess each other's intentions. The only ding I have to give is the connection to the theme seems like a stretch. Make no mistake though, this is one of my highest rated games for me and one I'll be sharing a lot!
Thanks for hanging out on the stream, as well. Here's the [link to the stream](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/420903849). Your game should start around [01:59:55].
It's quite difficult (and I think the jump physics could use a little bit of tweaking to feel better), but it is incredibly well thought out. I often found my self typing while in mid air so I could create the platform under me. Making partial words fade away too is a nasty punishment for people trying to rush on by. Really clever.
Are you doing any manual control of the words that are being generated, and the order/layout they come in? Or is it completely random?
There is kind of a learning curve, because you have your jump keys, but then you also have to type. Makes you remember how to spell words for sure.
A note, though. I didn't realize I needed to fully spell the word. I thought typing part of it and then hopping on it was sufficient as I thought I was climbing as opposed to spelling. Maybe just an info page or something to refer to, because there's also the bit where if you don't spell the full word, then it disappears as soon as you hop on it.
It's cleverly designed and fun and simple. I'd definitely continue work on this.
Also there's the theme but... bleh x)
Thanks for posting this, was fun playing something fun ^^
I would turn it into a level-based RPG, with weapons, bossfights and all if I were to release it.
A really cool game with a lot of potential, would love to see a multiplayer!