Aazelchi's Messaging Service by Franklin's Ghost

[raw]
made by Franklin's Ghost for LD34 (COMPO)
(twitter: @FranklinsGhost)

Aazelchi's Messaging Service

Didn't go very well this Ludum Dare. Spent the first day working on a game that I ended up scrapping and starting all over again half way through day two. This is the end result which is a really unfinished concept that probably isn't very clear to the player what is actually occurring.

You are starting a new job delivering messages between users. You have to navigate the circuits and make sure it gets to the right point. This is all very unclear in the game so good luck to anyone who tries this.

I wanted the concept to be just a basic running maze were the interesting thing was seeing the actual messages being delivered. You begin learning more about the users and things occur (although not in this version)

Controls:
First two levels have no actual user controls and it's only the next two that you can actually do anything. Click left arrow or left side of screen to turn left, click right arrow or right side of screen to turn right.

My worst attempt at a LD so far so guess it was coming. Should have probably stuck with the game I first started.

Just updated with a Post Ludum Dare version that is pretty much the same with just a few fixes. Still a mess and doesn't make much sense.

Used:
Flash
Photoshop
Audacity

Ratings

Coolness 48% 1427
Overall 2.60 898
Audio 2.79 410
Fun 2.40 882
Graphics 2.96 558
Humor 2.75 309
Innovation 3.46 287
Mood 2.90 524
Theme 3.20 825

Feedback

pluberski
14. Dec 2015 · 16:07 UTC
Hahahaha, good attention to detail with the screen shake and whatnot! :)
SirJavaGaming
14. Dec 2015 · 18:47 UTC
Android link is dead
shcromlet
14. Dec 2015 · 19:09 UTC
lol. well. I played the whole thing. How was I supposed to know which hole-thing to go to? I confused.
Todnut
14. Dec 2015 · 20:04 UTC
I'm not sure which hole to head towards.
Drtizzle
15. Dec 2015 · 15:12 UTC
The idea is very good! Too bad you didnt have the time to flesh it out.
Graphics are not great but work for this type of game.
Love the mouth organ!
🎤 Franklin's Ghost
16. Dec 2015 · 02:35 UTC
Thanks everyone for playing and sorry for making you sit through that. Bit of a mess.

I am working on a post ludum dare version that'll be more like what I was intending.

Android link is also now fixed.

Will get around to playing everyone's games this weekend.
alpha_rat
16. Dec 2015 · 21:54 UTC
Nice gameplay idea, but I had some trouble to play it. I played the browser version, and it ended up pretty frustrating because I just couldn't get the change of direction right. Maybe I only have a bad timing though! Are you supposed to just click the left side of the screen, or to click on the left side of the moving ball?
theholychicken
17. Dec 2015 · 04:01 UTC
Haha that "ending" :)
Very cute and funny! I really wanted to see the rest of that conversation.
What's done so far is not bad by any means! The writing is funny the graphic style works very well and is that you playing the harmonica?
local minimum
27. Dec 2015 · 00:06 UTC
Built upon, I think this could become cool. I think the basic concept needs expanding a bit to be come more fun. If, for example, the problem of the game is to keep several conversations going in parallel and not send the wrong message to the right recipient. Maybe identify the target of a message by shape. Or maybe even better to use several types of information (color, shape, fill-pattern) on each message and each target and have to send to receiver that matches one. Upon reception mutate that feature of the receiver. Or something. Anyhow. The simple layout and focused style was really neat vehicle for illustrating a conversation.
EvanEGibbs
28. Dec 2015 · 08:23 UTC
I really liked the idea that you had! I thought that it is very charming and can't wait to see the version that you work on in the future. :)
freaknarf
29. Dec 2015 · 13:47 UTC
Nice idea with the storytelling and i know this demon that makes you fix the car, clean the house, deal with love and friends, cook and making a game same time :) Cool you did not give up and submited the game anyway !
I liked the Peeping Tom side of the game and the simple mechanic could give something interesting if pushed a bit further. From where does the name come from ? :)
Cheers !
Clabbage
29. Dec 2015 · 14:26 UTC
I can imagine this game would have been quite good if you'd had time to properly finish it.
GeeItSomeLaldy
30. Dec 2015 · 10:14 UTC
Making the controls a little bit clearer would help
🎤 Franklin's Ghost
02. Jan 2016 · 11:11 UTC
Thanks for playing everyone.

@alpha_rat you just need to click the left hand side of the screen to turn left and the right hand side. Or you can just use the arrows. But it's pretty buggy and the leeway is pretty tight so hard to miss the points.

@local minimum was actually thinking that the different paths would lead to different recipients and that would have an impact on the messages and conversations playing out. Some would end because they would be wrong receiver but others might lead into new conversations opening up. But definitely agree that it needs more obvious distinction.

@EvanEGibbs if I get some time on the side from Humqn Fishbowl, I definitely intend on actually improving this to how I envisioned it.

@freaknarf yeah always hard to do ludum dare with real life getting in the way. This time was especially bad with my scrapping all my first days work and starting again. Name just popped in my head and I liked the sound of it so it stuck. Think it was the lack of sleep.

@GeeItSomeLaldy yep controls are a mess and needed to be made clearer :)
Simonaiso
02. Jan 2016 · 11:43 UTC
Love the ending ;-) Nice animations and idea, but a tad dull if you ask me. Could've become interesting if there was more content
juaxix
02. Jan 2016 · 15:04 UTC
I like the music, and would like to have more levels
Xanjos
02. Jan 2016 · 15:14 UTC
Shame you didn't have time to completely finish this but I like the concept a lot.
Somnium
02. Jan 2016 · 15:41 UTC
It was an interesting concept, a pity you did not have time to finish the game.

The graphics were effective.