The Stars are Watching by Xanderzoo

[raw]
made by Xanderzoo for LD33 (JAM)
***A lot of people are complaining about the lack of friction. If you would rather play this game with friction, download the post-jam version here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rxxv01n487ue9aj/XanderzooLudumDarePostJam.lnk?dl=0

ALL it changes is the friction. The rest of the game is the same.***

Something mysterious has happened. One minute you are spiraling closer and closer to a black hole, the next you are teleported to a different region of space. Your ship's star maps do not store those star system. Does that mean no human has been here before?

Instructions are given in-game, but they are summarized here:

WASD or arrow keys to move. 'A' and 'D' strafe. Your ship points at your mouse. Click to fire. You can toggle 'slow mode' by hitting shift. The game then goes into slow motion. You can only be in slow motion mode for a certain length of time. You can see how much time you have left in the bottom left hand corner. (There is a bar.) Your "slow-mode" time regenerates every wave.

Keys are rebind able. To rebind keys, enter the 'data' folder, and edit keymap.txt

Written in Python 2.7 and Pygame 1.92

To run the EXE, extract the zip, enter it, and go into XanderzooLudumDare. Then run game.exe.

To run the source, extract the zip, enter it and run game.py

The source should run on any computer that has the correct versions of Python and Pygame. The EXE should run on any windows machine.

You won't realize how the game fits the theme unless you finish it. If you don't finish the game, please don't rate it for theme. (Please rate it for everything else, though! :)

Ratings/comments/criticisms appreciated!

Post jam version: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rxxv01n487ue9aj/XanderzooLudumDarePostJam.lnk?dl=0

The ONLY thing I changed in this version is I added a little friction. (I literally changed one variable. :) )I also created it before submission hour ended. Anyway, I think a lot of people will like this version more. If you're annoyed by the lack of friction, you might want to try it.

NOTE: I opted out of sound because I got music off the internet. Music credit to DST: http://www.nosoapradio.us/

Ratings

Coolness 91% 2
Overall(Jam) 3.28 466
Fun(Jam) 3.28 359
Graphics(Jam) 3.13 640
Humor(Jam) 2.15 841
Innovation(Jam) 2.52 875
Mood(Jam) 3.05 569
Theme(Jam) 2.89 888

Feedback

RiverAndRun
25. Aug 2015 · 00:43 UTC
It was quite hard to control but was fun shooting the droid things.
Nikteddy92
25. Aug 2015 · 00:45 UTC
I really like the gameplay idea, the grapich style is clear, well realised and enjoyable.
I found a little hard to control the ship, it drifts a little too much but that's not a real problem!
Nice Game, Well done! :D
razavidn
25. Aug 2015 · 00:45 UTC
Th actual shooting component is great, but the max speed vs. playable space area is a little off the charts. It's easy to speed way beyond the enemies in a level, and I spent most of the game trying to find them rather than actually fighting.
Slashee the Cow
25. Aug 2015 · 00:46 UTC
One of the best ones I've played so far! I love the parallax scrolling effect on the starfield, I've never been able to get that right.
Halleflux
25. Aug 2015 · 00:50 UTC
Fun to play, though the controls are annoying. Sure it's realistic that ships don't slow down in space without another force applied to them, but it's also realistic that they can't accelerate given that there isn't anything there =P
Basically, having a max velocity would be nice.
Overall, it's a cool game. Well done!
TheRuseman
25. Aug 2015 · 00:57 UTC
Controls were a bit too floaty, and the twist at the end was obvious a mile away, but I still enjoyed playing this game quite a lot.
kfarwell
25. Aug 2015 · 01:06 UTC
I wasn't able to get past the boss fight, but I peeked in the source python file to spoil the end for myself. :)

Overall, a very fun game. It's a nice and pure 2D space shooter, not much innovative about it, but nothing wrong with it either. The sprites are good (though the player ship looks like a turd ;) ), and the music fits the game well.
🎤 Xanderzoo
25. Aug 2015 · 01:42 UTC
I'm glad people like it. Because it seems a lot of people don't like the lack of friction, I'll try to release a post jam version that includes an option. I wonder, do you know that you can slow slow your ship to a stop using the 'c' button? I find it useful when maneuvering.
🎤 Xanderzoo
25. Aug 2015 · 01:49 UTC
I released a post-jam version. The *only* thing it changes is it adds a friction effect. If you were annoyed by the controls before, this might help.
Jimbly
25. Aug 2015 · 02:42 UTC
Fun! Took a moment to get used to strafing controls while facing the other direction, but it was great when I got used to it! Using 'C' to reset motion was definitely useful a lot (didn't see the post-game version). Died on final boss and didn't see the end of the story though :(
pnkthrepwood
25. Aug 2015 · 03:38 UTC
Gameplay is a bit hard, didn't feel much in control, which is sad because history is very engaging!
🎤 Xanderzoo
25. Aug 2015 · 03:40 UTC
@pnkthrepwood

You complained about the control, so I am just wondering--have you tried the post jam version? All it does is add a little friction. Another thing that you may not be doing is slowing down by pressing 'C'.
nihilaleph
25. Aug 2015 · 03:49 UTC
I really liked the art and music of the game! (Although I did find the player ship a bit wierd). Couldn't reach the end though... the controls are way to difficult for me since it controls force and it's relative to where the ship is pointing too... So I will try to beat it again later and then I rate the Theme! (although i can see where this is going)
nihilaleph
25. Aug 2015 · 03:59 UTC
Oh when I downloaded the game there wasn't a post jam version.... but well, following @kfarwell I did peak into the source file xp

/******* SPOILER ALERT ********/
Even if the ending was different I'd still considered the main character a genocide monster xp
A_K_
25. Aug 2015 · 05:12 UTC
I wish it had osx/web version.
boardtobits
25. Aug 2015 · 05:35 UTC
Fun little space shooter. I worked on one of these as a side project. Amazed at how much you did in 72 hours.
Monkokio
25. Aug 2015 · 05:46 UTC
Feedback of shooting enemies was great.
Flying controls are tough to use.
Not really sure how this fits the theme.
🎤 Xanderzoo
25. Aug 2015 · 06:36 UTC
@A_K
Well, this is written in Python, so web is out. If I had a mac I could make a mac build. Sadly I don't.


@Monkokio

If you don't finish the game you won't see how it fits the theme.
Mathieu Muller
25. Aug 2015 · 15:55 UTC
OK, this game is Solar Winds cross The Outer Limits episode "The Light Brigade" ? Love it!
Flaid
25. Aug 2015 · 18:07 UTC
Who doesn't like a spaceship shooter game?? It was fun, the explosions felt right, and the controls seemed about right to me.

I played the original (not post-jam) version because I wanted to play the actual entry. I can see why people complained about the lack of friction, but knowing that it was a problem allowed me to compensate for it while playing.

All in all, very impressive!
oskardevelopment
25. Aug 2015 · 18:19 UTC
Awesome game, nice story - when the captain started to discuss the shape of the aliens I felt something was bad! Nice controls, though took a minute to learn them - perhaps add some easier step at the start to learn the controls? Was real fun and was surprisingly different strategies needed for different opponent ships!
blurryroots
25. Aug 2015 · 18:28 UTC
Very cool slowmo effect. Nice use of the theme. Although the twist is certainly not necessary considering the xenophobe outright genocidal behavior of the player character ;)
kaype
26. Aug 2015 · 03:54 UTC
Really hard to control. Still fun though!
good audio too
bowlercaptain
26. Aug 2015 · 04:07 UTC
"Strafe" is the most fun direction. When I remembered the theme I had an appropriate "Oh god no" moment. When I succumbed to the defense force I did not persist, for the good of ea2th. Did enjoy flying around, love the starfield. Full points for a convenient-to-run Pygame project.
Chaosmore
30. Aug 2015 · 11:13 UTC
Finished the game, the control is fine, in fact I would state that it's actually well-thought. About the story can be predicted right at the beginning, after I predicted lots of other jam games before playing this one. But the way how the theme is used surprised me a little. Recommend finish it to find out.
Biruts
01. Sep 2015 · 16:49 UTC
Very nice project guys, i really love it, please check our game too and if you liked it give us a vote. Look for Road to hell and enjoy.
🎤 Xanderzoo
01. Sep 2015 · 16:58 UTC
@Biruts
Actually it's a one man team. :) I'll check out your game when I have a little time.
Keon
05. Sep 2015 · 04:13 UTC
Very nice game. I like the floatyness, but strafing + lack of friction didn't work well. The theme was well done.
Lukbebalduke
06. Sep 2015 · 14:05 UTC
Cool gameplay, but the graphics could be a little better, giving more information to the player about what is going on. The controls are a little bit weird, but it is a very solid entry, congrats =)
Cosmologicon
07. Sep 2015 · 18:29 UTC
I tried the source version on Linux and it works great. Just chiming in to agree with everyone else. Overall quite good, fun shooting, I like the time slowing ability, too easy to lose control and go flying off, cool story but really obvious twist.
WubAlliance
14. Sep 2015 · 04:21 UTC
Fun entry! The graphic quality is impressive, the background stars really caught me off guard. Like the other comments say, the viewable space vs the speed is a little out of scope and takes some time to get used to. Overall solid entry, one of my favorite so far! Keep it up!
Jupiter_Hadley
20. Oct 2015 · 14:20 UTC
Well made game. I included it in my Ludum Dare 33 Compilation video series, if you would like to take a look :) https://youtu.be/wEgI5I5KLKY