The Best Laid Plans by HexyVexy

[raw]
made by HexyVexy for Ludum Dare 56 (JAM)

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The Best Laid Plans is an intense platformer based on the legendary Robert Burns poem To A Mouse.

We highly reccommend the use of a gamepad. The game has keyboard controls, but was built and tuned with controllers in mind.

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Features - Test yourself against 5 compelling levels of increasingly challenging platforming. - Classic genre staples such as wall jumps, wall runs, falling platforms, bonus areas, and more. - A cute wee moosie! - A full reading of To a Mouse by a professional actor, with side by side Scots and English translations.

Keyboard Controls - Movement: WASD or Arrow Keys - Jump: Space or X - Sprint/Wall Run: Shift or Z

Ratings

Overall 141th 4⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Fun 272th 3.712⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 417th 3.455⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Theme 209th 4.061⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 279th 4.088⭐ 36🧑‍⚖️
Audio 138th 3.879⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Mood 130th 4.076⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Given 26🗳️ 47🗨️

Feedback

WhaleJam
08. Oct 2024 · 15:01 UTC
I had a lot of fun with this one! Love the Rabbie Burns and the mouse is super cute, controls feel really nice too which I feel is rare for jam games, but really nice ^^
rachjn
08. Oct 2024 · 17:18 UTC
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry! The whole vibe of this game is really cool - the visual art and lighting create a cohesive look. The feeling it gives is super sick.
Kirass
08. Oct 2024 · 17:19 UTC
Funny game! I liked it!
mira
08. Oct 2024 · 17:35 UTC
Great game, especially the graphics are really well done. The game is perfect for speedrunning. Good job!
Dean Goodson
10. Oct 2024 · 18:07 UTC
I loved the voice actor! I also really enjoyed climbing up the walls! Great game!
David Huculak
10. Oct 2024 · 18:27 UTC
very fun and very challenging game! you guys did an amazing job!
Frastarlaw
10. Oct 2024 · 18:39 UTC
It is super cute but hard at the same time! Superb :heart:
Calcopod
11. Oct 2024 · 20:38 UTC
I adore the art style and the feelings it conveys. I will certainly steal this aesthetic for future games :sweat_smile:

Voice acting is yet another concept I adore in games, and yours nailed it.

Additionally, for a jam game, the controls felt REALLY good. I played it with a keyboard initially, and later switched to a controller to see which was better, and honestly, both felt great.

Amazing work!
fabula_rasa
11. Oct 2024 · 22:21 UTC
Platformers are not my genre, so I'm definitely not the target audience here. But I can recognize quality when I see one :smile:. The graphics are great and the animations on the mouse are just superb. The audio design is truly amazing. From the voice acting to sfx - all work so well. Both graphics and sound combine well to create a consistent mood to the game. My wee mouse really felt it. The inclusion of the poem was a cherry on top of the cake.

I played on a gamepad and the controls worked great. Everything felt responsive and tight. Really polished experience and a superb entry!

The level with the red wave following you, all the red platforms and the water defeated me. I would keep trying if there would be a checkpoint somewhere after the water or even just a bit further, after you climb up the wall and jump those few red platforms. But there wasn't, so I eventually got tired of repeating the first section and failing further :laughing: So, if I would have one wish, it's a wish for more checkpoints. But it might only be me - I really do suck at platformers :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:.

Again, superb jam job!

And as a memento, me on the level that defeated me :grin:
![Screenshot_4.jpg](///raw/732/a2/z/68a43.jpg)
LDJam user 276121
12. Oct 2024 · 06:51 UTC
The decision to have the plough levels not have checkpoints was a difficult one. In hindsight while the final level being a long execution and endurance test feels exciting if you're succeeding, it wasn't worth the wall it represents if you fail it, especially in the later sections.

Thank you all for your feedback so far!
Exa
12. Oct 2024 · 11:10 UTC
Wow it is so beautiful!!!Fantastic job!!
Nazariglez
12. Oct 2024 · 17:01 UTC
Hey, loved your game! The art is fantastic, and the platforming feels smooth. The voice acting was a great touch too. Congrats to the team, gj!
thristhart
13. Oct 2024 · 00:25 UTC
I also ended up defeated by a plough level -- I think I got hit by a bug where the screen went black near the end of the second plough level and I ended up eventually dying to what I assume was the plough. Frustrated me enough that I didn't want to try again!

I very much love the way the poem is integrated, and the wee beastie is indeed adorable. Excellent scrabbling action.
LDJam user 276121
13. Oct 2024 · 10:47 UTC
We've seen that where on death in Plough 2 if you are near the end of the level for some reason it takes a long time to reset, but it's not easily reproducible.
Pimping
14. Oct 2024 · 13:33 UTC
So interesting concept, also the atmosphere is crazy, great job, game kinda have atmosphere same us our game!
Kristallllllik
14. Oct 2024 · 14:18 UTC
Interesting and a bit scary atmosphere. The mouse is cool and deserves a straight up individual like!
snesgaard
14. Oct 2024 · 18:47 UTC
Cool platformer, loved the whole poem thing. Really added to the atmosphere. The overall platform mechanics were also pretty well implemented. Did find the wall running a bit hard to control, and it would often activate when at inopportune times.
annoyed_galaxy
14. Oct 2024 · 19:18 UTC
We don't talk about the fact it took me 47 minutes to beat this. I suck at platformers and was losing my mind, but in a good way. I love the little moosie and the graphics were pretty awesome. It does seem like a basic platformer, though, but that doesn't take away from its charm. Good game. Now I must go and take a breather.
Tarisma
16. Oct 2024 · 15:18 UTC
I wanted to try the game but it kept crashing, sorry ;_;
Renier
16. Oct 2024 · 16:45 UTC
Wow amazing! well done! great art, game play and audio!
LDJam user 276593
16. Oct 2024 · 18:11 UTC
@tarisma That's very odd! Windows or Linux?
inesrp
17. Oct 2024 · 00:00 UTC
Loved the art and the animations! Super cute!
drinkycode
18. Oct 2024 · 05:10 UTC
I sadly was also defeated by the plough level, although I thought the journey up to that point was fascinating. The voiceover work was great and there was a good mix of different kinds of platforming challenges. The way the mouse scampers visually was really well done also. I just wish the last level wasn't so tough and the camera was just a tad more zoomed out and not as touchy when moving around.
Angioop
22. Oct 2024 · 15:47 UTC
The art and lighting really stood out in this game! Overall very fun
Jonathan Ray Pollard
24. Oct 2024 · 00:23 UTC
Very cool art piece plus decent platformer. Very polished, loved the voice over. Camera was a little jittery when running.
PSV Games Studio
24. Oct 2024 · 00:42 UTC
Very good game, very fun, I really liked the graphics. Good job!
Iaroslavik
24. Oct 2024 · 09:46 UTC
Good job, amazing art style
johnbrynte
24. Oct 2024 · 13:36 UTC
Such a polished entry! Really nice controls and animations, and overall game feel. Very atmospheric. A bit dark though, I couldn't really see anything. Maybe I missed something? Despite that I found it real fun! Again, atmospheric. :rat: :new_moon_with_face:
LDJam user 276121
24. Oct 2024 · 17:26 UTC
@johnbrynte The hope was that the underground levels are dim but visible, but we've ran into issues with hitting that balance before. We should probably implement a gamma slider!
Jupton
24. Oct 2024 · 19:13 UTC
Amazing work getting all that done during the time! The visuals are really a highlight too.
Big Cyckos
24. Oct 2024 · 19:51 UTC
really cool game :3
absolutely love the direction you went with it, easily one of the most fitting and fun games I'd played thus far, haha
NeroLee
25. Oct 2024 · 02:27 UTC
Wonderful , cool Art and sfx