{"author_link":"\/users\/pedro-romero","author_name":"Pedro Romero","author_uid":"pedro-romero","comments":[],"epoch":1503341487,"event":"LD39","format":"md","ldjam_node_id":49152,"likes":1,"metadata":{"p_key":"100950","p_author":"Pedro Romero","p_authorkey":"1003660","p_urlkey":"316660","p_title":"Robot invaders postmortem","p_cat":"LDJam ","p_event":"LD39","p_time":"1503341487","p_likes":"1","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":"1003660","us_name":"Pedro Romero","us_username":"pedro-romero","event_start":"1501200000","event_key":"74","event_name":"LD 39"},"node":{"_collation":{"body_sanitizer":"TextUtils::SanitizeHTML via existing importer","event":"LD39","removed_author":false},"_superparent":32802,"_trust":2,"author":3660,"body":"With less than a day left, I decided to write a postmortem for my game:\n![gameplay.gif](\/\/\/raw\/c4e\/z\/6d11.gif)\n\n## What went wrong?\n### Bad explanations\nThe objective in \u201cRobot Invaders\u201d is to recharge the mother computer with the batteries that the enemies left when killed.\n\nBut, a lot of people didn\u2019t understand that. The relation between the batteries, the computer, and the time bar wasn\u2019t clear, and the additional effect of the batteries (increment Dave\u2019s power) make the things even more confusing.\n\nThis is bad because this mechanic was the more original element of the game. Without it, it is just another \u201crobot that needs energy to move\u201d.\nIf I ended improving this game, the clarification will be the top priority. I think that a simple arrow that points to the computer when the battery is low will do de job.\n \n## \u201cSubpart\u201d visuals\nWhen I start this project, I wanted to use all the \u201cjuice\u201d tricks of this video:\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Fy0aCDmgnxg \nAt the end, I was only able to implement camera shake and the rudimentary animations. Time constraint forces me to leave behind other effects like: \n- Particles effects like explosions, sparks from batteries\u2026\n- Shadows for the characters\n- Afterimages for bullets\n- Better animations for batteries and the HUD\nThat would have added a lot to the feel of the game.\n\n## What went right?\n### Interesting gameplay\nMy design philosophy is \u201cgameplay first\u201d and I think that this time I finally nailed it.\nI was in the right mindset when I the jam started. The previous week was the [GMTK Jam](https:\/\/itch.io\/jam\/gmtk-jam\/entries) that has the theme \u201cdual purpose design\u201d. Even if I couldn\u2019t compete at the end, I extend that weekend thinking about how to design elements with more than one uses.\n\nSo, when I come with the \u201coriginal\u201d idea of \u201ca robot that collects batteries to keep himself alive\u201d, instead of doing the obvious, I started thinking about different uses for the batteries.\nThis mechanic went through several iterations (like use the batteries to buy power-ups and turrets) but at the end, the batteries serve to charge the computer, power up yourself and power up the enemies. This combination of uses creates situations where the player has to make interesting decisions (like \u201cshould I went now to the base, or try to keep the power boost a little longer to prevent the enemies from picking the batteries) \n\nAt the end, even if I am still thinking how to add turrets, the battery system is the strongest point of the game and I am very proud of it.\n\n### Solid code\nI know that in the game jam scene, code quickly is more important than coding well. I\u2019m not very good at keeping the code clean. But this time, with some effort and the lessons learned in previous jams, I was able to write my cleanest code.\n\nThat helped a lot. The animations and the day one fixes wouldn\u2019t have been possible if I had decided to write the code like in my previous projects. It wasn\u2019t perfect either, but it was maintainable.\n\n### The music\nIn all my previous game jams, I ended tired of the music. Except for this time, this time I love the music. \n\nI don\u2019t know exactly why, I have even use a song that I have previously used in another project, but I think that the fact that all the music were made by the same author has helped.\n\nAnyway, thank you very much [Fox Synergy](https:\/\/opengameart.org\/users\/foxsynergy), this game wouldn\u2019t be the same without your music.\n\n## What have I learn from the experience?\n### How to make some visual effects\nEven if I ended not implemented them, I have studied particles, afterimages, \u201crealistic\u201d shadows and more before and after the jam.\n\n### The limits of my GM knowledge\nApart of how to implement the visual effects previously mentioned, I also realized how limited Is my knowledge in the sound aspect of the game development. More things to study, I think.\n\n### That you need 10 points in reddit to publish in the Webgame subreddit\nI learn that by the hard way\u2026\n \n\nSo, that's all. If you want, please try [Robots Invaders](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/39\/robot-invaders) and leave your ratings and comments.\n","comments":0,"created":"2017-08-21T18:27:32Z","files":[],"files-timestamp":0,"id":49152,"love":1,"love-timestamp":"2017-08-21T21:18:26Z","meta":[],"modified":"2017-08-21T21:18:26Z","name":"Robot invaders postmortem","node-timestamp":"2017-08-21T18:51:27Z","parent":36811,"parents":[1,5,9,32802,36811],"path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/39\/robot-invaders\/robot-invaders-postmortem","published":"2017-08-21T18:51:27Z","scope":"public","slug":"robot-invaders-postmortem","subsubtype":"","subtype":"","type":"post","version":141125},"node_metadata":{"n_key":"49152","n_urlkey":"316660","n_parent":"36811","n_path":"\/events\/ludum-dare\/39\/robot-invaders\/robot-invaders-postmortem","n_slug":"robot-invaders-postmortem","n_type":"post","n_subtype":"","n_subsubtype":"","n_author":"3660","n_created":"1503340052","n_modified":"1503350306","n_version":"141125","n_status":"WAYBACK"},"source_url":"https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/39\/robot-invaders\/robot-invaders-postmortem","text":"With less than a day left, I decided to write a postmortem for my game:\n![gameplay.gif](\/\/\/raw\/c4e\/z\/6d11.gif)\n\n## What went wrong?\n### Bad explanations\nThe objective in \u201cRobot Invaders\u201d is to recharge the mother computer with the batteries that the enemies left when killed.\n\nBut, a lot of people didn\u2019t understand that. The relation between the batteries, the computer, and the time bar wasn\u2019t clear, and the additional effect of the batteries (increment Dave\u2019s power) make the things even more confusing.\n\nThis is bad because this mechanic was the more original element of the game. Without it, it is just another \u201crobot that needs energy to move\u201d.\nIf I ended improving this game, the clarification will be the top priority. I think that a simple arrow that points to the computer when the battery is low will do de job.\n \n## \u201cSubpart\u201d visuals\nWhen I start this project, I wanted to use all the \u201cjuice\u201d tricks of this video:\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Fy0aCDmgnxg \nAt the end, I was only able to implement camera shake and the rudimentary animations. Time constraint forces me to leave behind other effects like: \n- Particles effects like explosions, sparks from batteries\u2026\n- Shadows for the characters\n- Afterimages for bullets\n- Better animations for batteries and the HUD\nThat would have added a lot to the feel of the game.\n\n## What went right?\n### Interesting gameplay\nMy design philosophy is \u201cgameplay first\u201d and I think that this time I finally nailed it.\nI was in the right mindset when I the jam started. The previous week was the [GMTK Jam](https:\/\/itch.io\/jam\/gmtk-jam\/entries) that has the theme \u201cdual purpose design\u201d. Even if I couldn\u2019t compete at the end, I extend that weekend thinking about how to design elements with more than one uses.\n\nSo, when I come with the \u201coriginal\u201d idea of \u201ca robot that collects batteries to keep himself alive\u201d, instead of doing the obvious, I started thinking about different uses for the batteries.\nThis mechanic went through several iterations (like use the batteries to buy power-ups and turrets) but at the end, the batteries serve to charge the computer, power up yourself and power up the enemies. This combination of uses creates situations where the player has to make interesting decisions (like \u201cshould I went now to the base, or try to keep the power boost a little longer to prevent the enemies from picking the batteries) \n\nAt the end, even if I am still thinking how to add turrets, the battery system is the strongest point of the game and I am very proud of it.\n\n### Solid code\nI know that in the game jam scene, code quickly is more important than coding well. I\u2019m not very good at keeping the code clean. But this time, with some effort and the lessons learned in previous jams, I was able to write my cleanest code.\n\nThat helped a lot. The animations and the day one fixes wouldn\u2019t have been possible if I had decided to write the code like in my previous projects. It wasn\u2019t perfect either, but it was maintainable.\n\n### The music\nIn all my previous game jams, I ended tired of the music. Except for this time, this time I love the music. \n\nI don\u2019t know exactly why, I have even use a song that I have previously used in another project, but I think that the fact that all the music were made by the same author has helped.\n\nAnyway, thank you very much [Fox Synergy](https:\/\/opengameart.org\/users\/foxsynergy), this game wouldn\u2019t be the same without your music.\n\n## What have I learn from the experience?\n### How to make some visual effects\nEven if I ended not implemented them, I have studied particles, afterimages, \u201crealistic\u201d shadows and more before and after the jam.\n\n### The limits of my GM knowledge\nApart of how to implement the visual effects previously mentioned, I also realized how limited Is my knowledge in the sound aspect of the game development. More things to study, I think.\n\n### That you need 10 points in reddit to publish in the Webgame subreddit\nI learn that by the hard way\u2026\n \n\nSo, that's all. If you want, please try [Robots Invaders](https:\/\/ldjam.com\/events\/ludum-dare\/39\/robot-invaders) and leave your ratings and comments.\n","title":"Robot invaders postmortem","wayback_source":[]}