LudumData

Big Box Mania by jka

[raw]
made by jka for LD 42 (COMPO)

​Oh no, big boxes are dropping from the sky! Push them on the shrink pads to shrink them down to subatomic level before space runs out.

Controls: - Use the arrow or WASD keys to move the yellow box (that’s you). - Hold shift to pull instead of push. - You can push and pull multiple boxes in the same row.

Goal: - Get as many boxes as possible onto the blue tiles before you get hit by a dropping box. - The boxes drop at faster intervals as time progresses.

This is my first ever entry into a game jam. I have this thing where I start making games a lot, but never finishing them. I figured the strict deadline would be the motivation I needed. ;)

Source code https://files.boxscape.nl/s/pzKs6n8rXjEzyAP
HTML5 (web) https://johnnykickass.itch.io/big-box-mania
Original URL https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/42/big-box-mania

Ratings

Overall 410th 3.29⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Fun 268th 3.419⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 508th 2.903⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Theme 119th 4.048⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 465th 2.984⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Audio 450th 2.65⭐ 32🧑‍⚖️
Given 36🗳️ 22🗨️

Feedback

ReboundGames
12. Aug 2018 · 23:50 UTC
This has some really nice touches, like the way the box dropping sound varies in pitch a little bit from box to box, and the particles above the shrink pads. In general I think the visuals a pretty good (although the lighting is a little bit odd) and you maintain a consistent aesthetic. The movement of the yellow box feels a little bit hard to control, but that's a hard problem to solve since it has to stay locked to the grid. For a first jam this is really good!
Josh Riley
12. Aug 2018 · 23:54 UTC
Thought this felt really good. A mistake a lot of people make with jams like this is going nuts with a million mechanics, when you don't really have time to message how stuff works to the player. You definitely didn't make this mistake, as I was able to jump in and know exactly what to do and how to do it immediately. Great work!
Moczan
12. Aug 2018 · 23:57 UTC
A solid entry, simple gameplay but the presentation is nice and the overall flow of the game is rather entertaining.

Also thanks for making game playable in browser!
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 00:01 UTC
@reboundgames Thanks! I see what you're saying about the controls. It's one of those things that seem really simple at first. Personally, I'm quite happy with how it is now, because it was WAY worse only a couple of hours ago, but it could definitely use some more finetuning. :)
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 00:03 UTC
@josh-riley Thanks! :) I've made that mistake many times before with my unfinished projects. Glad I didn't fall for it again. ;)
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 00:04 UTC
@moczan Thanks! :)
Gaoyuan Chen
13. Aug 2018 · 05:01 UTC
Like the idea and the feel.

Thought it is a easy game until I pushed a block to left-bottom corner and then 'running out of space'!
roberth332
13. Aug 2018 · 06:19 UTC
Fantastic game. I really like the feeling of the player it moves around precisely and smoothly.
HTMichaeL
13. Aug 2018 · 11:02 UTC
Liked it. Fit the theme well. Could have done with a sound track. Felt almost like tetris 😂
machrom
13. Aug 2018 · 11:14 UTC
Great job for the first time!

When the boxes started dropping in corners the theme running out of space really came to light...
Moving around feels smooth, and the sound effects fit!
The graphics are fine, and fit the game as well.

Really good job! :)
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 11:23 UTC
@htmichael I tried making some music for an hour or so, but everything I came up with sounded either corny or annoying after a minute or so, so I decided it was better to leave it out. :grin:
HTMichaeL
13. Aug 2018 · 11:25 UTC
Fair enough @jka 😆
LoudEyes
13. Aug 2018 · 11:43 UTC
Even though the concept is simple I really enjoyed it because mechanics-wise it feels really good to play.
Swini
13. Aug 2018 · 13:56 UTC
Your game is fun! Also difficult becaus if you push a box in the corner you have no chance to move it! Love the idea we have to use your brain while playing. Also + point: you can push block arrays!
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 14:00 UTC
@swini Thanks! You can actually get the blocks out of the corner by pulling them (hold shift). I should probably update my description to make that a bit more clear. :grin:
Swini
13. Aug 2018 · 14:10 UTC
@jka i would let it as it is because it makes the game more difficult and you have to think more. We learn from mistaces so the player should avoid to push them into the edges.
Swini
13. Aug 2018 · 14:10 UTC
I would let it as it is. The player should learn out of his mistakes. So he should avoid to push them into edges. My opinionXD
blobo
13. Aug 2018 · 15:56 UTC
Nice game! it's a pretty unique concept i haven't played much of. Very good take on the theme!
Mathiouza
13. Aug 2018 · 16:04 UTC
Cool game :) It lacks a music but that okay ^^ Not so inovative but well executed ^^

Nice entry, keep coding :)
Remco
13. Aug 2018 · 16:39 UTC
Polished presentation. Could've used some music, but is fine without it, as it is conductive to a claustrophobic mood.

I like that you can push/pull multiple boxes, it really opens op a lot of the game once the drop speed starts increasing.

Fun, but the game-play doesn't vary (other than increased speed and franticness), and,
though the overall look is smooth and even stylish,
I'm still in essence looking a bunch of light-grey cubes.
(But, same as with the silence music-wise, that _does_ help a bit with that feel.)
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 19:01 UTC
Thanks for the feedback! :v:

@mathiouza I wanted to keep it simple for my first entry, maybe something more innovative next time :grin:

@remco Yep, music and art is still an issue for me, something to work on. :smile: So I tried to create some style with more programming-based techniques. I wanted to add some more gameplay elements, but I felt that it was more important to polish what I had. I might add some more stuff to it once LD is over.
wrexialmt
13. Aug 2018 · 19:02 UTC
This is a compo entry that feels polished to see. Its easy to pickup and play, i think the SHIFT (thanks for the bold on this page) is kind of redundant and it doesn't seem to affect much until WAY late on the game. But that's my only nitpick.

EDIT: "I have this thing where I start making games a lot, but never finishing them." this is exactly the reason why gamejams are awesome!
🎤 jka
13. Aug 2018 · 19:13 UTC
@wrexialmt Haha, I'm glad to see that making that part bold helped. :grin: Pulling becomes important mostly when things get stuck in the corners. I agree that it's not really the preferred method of moving the boxes in most cases.
wrexialmt
13. Aug 2018 · 19:24 UTC
Ohh I'm guessing I never really realized that I got to any of those points (aka spawn in corners) and automatically pulled it out
Danilo Chiarlone
17. Aug 2018 · 15:09 UTC
Simple but fun game!
Anthony Dunlap
17. Aug 2018 · 15:18 UTC
This game is simple but fun! there is a problem where boxes will fall on top of each other, but other than that it's good!
LastLeaf
18. Aug 2018 · 08:50 UTC
An addictive game! The concept is simple but interesting. Great idea! I think I found a strategy - try moving more boxes in one time.

I would suggest you keep developing but do not make the basic concept too complex.
rhewid
19. Aug 2018 · 12:40 UTC
I liked it a lot. Simple but good looking graphics. Could turn out to be a fun puzzle game if you'd work on it afterwards.
🎤 jka
19. Aug 2018 · 16:35 UTC
@anthony-dunlap Yeah, that's a bug I wasn't able to fix before the deadline. Although, I did manage to make it occur less often. :grin: I think it's some kind of timing issue where both a box dropping and a push/pulled box both think a square is empty at the moment the collision is checked.

If I continue to work on this game, I'll probably just refactor the grid system a bit, which should also fix that issue. :slight_smile:
🎤 jka
19. Aug 2018 · 16:40 UTC
@lastleaf Thanks for the advice! I think you're right about that, no need to make a simple concept overly complex. I might add some simple powerups, some different levels and difficulties, but will probably leave it at that. :slight_smile: