In Solar system depths by gbegreg
I'm going on a journey to the depths of the solar system. You can explore this solar system in 3D. As you approach a planet, you can fly over it and explore it in depth!
I'm developing everything myself using Delphi and my opensource GBE3D components. https://youtu.be/sZ9Cu5O6NM4
| Source code | https://github.com/gbegreg/SSDE |
| Link | https://www.gbesoft.fr/LD57/SSDE_win64.zip |
| Link | https://www.gbesoft.fr/LD57/SSDE_linux.zip |
| Apple Mac OS (Intel) | https://www.gbesoft.fr/LD57/SSDE.macintel.zip |
| Apple Mac OS (ARM) | https://www.gbesoft.fr/LD57/SSDE.macarm.zip |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/57/in-solar-system-depths |
Ratings
| Overall | 254th | 3⭐ | 26🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 271th | 2.667⭐ | 26🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 199th | 3.06⭐ | 27🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 208th | 3.25⭐ | 26🧑⚖️ |
| Graphics | 218th | 3.12⭐ | 27🧑⚖️ |
| Humor | 218th | 2.217⭐ | 25🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 237th | 2.957⭐ | 25🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 23🗳️ | 22🗨️ |
During the jam, I only tested under Windows and quickly the Linux version.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to improve Mac support (but without a Mac to test...)
It's a simple concept but it work and it's not so easy to make in 2 days.
Graphic are really simple but it makes the game "cartoon" and it works, good job overall !
Initially, I thought I'd allow landing on planets and move on to a shooting phase a bit like "Space Harrier" or "The Light Corridor," but it was too ambitious to do alone in 48 hours. Likewise, I didn't have time to make sounds.
I wasted a little too much time managing collisions and enemy fire...
The game felt a little slow and clunky (e.g, aiming was not smooth, but moved on a grid), and I didn't understand why Q is left and not A (and also why you need left/right when you can just steer with them mouse)
All in all, cool space shooter
I don't know if your keyboard layout is different from qwerty, but found it really hard to figure out the controls.
Linux build was appreciated :thumbsup:
Normally, you can use the arrow keys or Z, A, S, D, and the space bar to shoot. You can use the mouse by clicking on the gray circle, holding down the keys, and moving the mouse slightly to orient yourself (and direct the shots).
At first I was frustrated with controls, but then my retro-airsim experience kicked in. I set comfortable 15 speed and aimed with careful mouse movement.
Then, I don't know, either I picked some power up, or game glitched after several restarts, but my shield was invincible, and I was able to beat game. Sorry if that's cheating, but it was still hard! But not impossible-hard as if I'd need to evade enemy fire.
(I know only about purple box giving ammo, and that's good there are plenty of them, I waste too many missing targets)

Congrats on writing all from scratch and in Lazarus!
Now if I may advice. There is always question what to reuse. Actually LD rules don't forbit reusing simple code like controllers.
Regarding AZERTY. It seems Lazarus has limitation and don't support detecting layout (Or something like MapVirtualKey into physical). May be you could add selection like in old games, where player chooses between QWERTY/AZERTY/QWERTZ.
Another thing is to add some smoothing to mouse. I forget about this myself everytime. But adding smoothing is usually couple lines of code, either lerp or ease-in ease-out or interpolation of some kind.
What would be great addition to game is some kind of radar or arrows pointing off screen.
Good luck! I've enjoyed your game!
I don't use a game engine. This is only code that I made myself in 48 hours (no third-party dependencies). I also made the graphics (and I'm not a graphic designer). I didn't have time to make sounds. I tried to respect the constraints of the composition as best as possible: alone and as much from scratch as possible.