{"author_name":"PowerSpark","cat":"LD #30","comments":[],"epoch":1409617200,"likes":4,"metadata":{"p_key":"26303","p_author":"PowerSpark","p_authorkey":"38755","p_urlkey":"61730","p_title":"First Ludum Dare Impressions; Post Mortem","p_cat":"LD #30","p_event":"LD30","p_time":"1409617200","p_likes":"4","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"38755","us_name":"PowerSpark","us_username":"\/author\/powerspark\/","event_start":"1408665600","event_key":"24","event_name":"LD30"},"text":"<p>Ludum Dare 30 has been a very unique experience for me. It&#8217;s shown me my abilities and limits in game development. It&#8217;s been a whole lot of fun rating everyone else&#8217;s game, too. Great ideas out there.<\/p>\n <p>I believe I did very well for my first Ludum Dare, check out my entry, \u00a0Alternation:<\/p>\n <div id=\"attachment_390848\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-30\/?action=preview&amp;uid=38755\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-390848\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Alternation-Gif01.gif\" alt=\"Core gameplay of Alternation\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click me<\/p><\/div>\n <p><em>Thanks for all the feedback by the way! Please rate if you can on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kongregate.com\/games\/PowerSparkGames\/alternation\" target=\"_blank\">Kongregate<\/a> because I am getting few ratings.<\/em><\/p>\n <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n <p>Now, I made numerous mistakes and wrong turns with my entry, but I also did some great things with it. Here&#8217;s how Ludum Dare weekend basically went along:<\/p>\n <p>Before the theme was announced, I was focused on making a 3d game with Unity, preferably a platformer. I also wanted to enter in the Jam.<\/p>\n <p>When the theme was announced, I immediately started to brainstorm for ideas, among these ideas:<\/p>\n <ul>\n <li>A top-down\u00a0where you have to get to other planets by shooting other spaceships.<\/li>\n <li>A platformer where you travel through dimensions to a goal.<\/li>\n <li>An FPS where you shoot things that attack you (so unique).<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p>I went with the second one and I begun to make a prototype. I decided to make the entry a puzzle fps without combat, much like Portal (couldn&#8217;t help it, love that game so much). The prototype took a couple hours to get to a point where it functioned. I then began to build the first level.<\/p>\n <p>Upon finishing this level I determined the core gameplay, the ability to switch between dimensions by clicking. I started to work on level two when I realized I should introduce a new gameplay feature. I did just that with the addition of levers. I later added &#8220;death blocks&#8221; to level four. I made six levels in total, and play tested them multiple times.<\/p>\n <p>I finally got to a point where I liked the feel and mood of the game and I submitted it around 8:00 pm Sunday. I thought the game was decent enough for Kongregate, so that&#8217;s where I hosted it.<\/p>\n <p>After release, I slowly received feedback and I saw the good and bad of my game. Feel free to read the list:<\/p>\n <p><strong>The Good:<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li>The audio I used was completely awesome. Thanks to audionautix.com.<\/li>\n <li>The dimension switching was (almost) free of bugs.<\/li>\n <li>The puzzles proved to be challenging.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p><strong>The Bad:<\/strong><\/p>\n <ul>\n <li>The puzzles turned out to be a bit too difficult and awkward for some people.<\/li>\n <li>Only six levels are present, sorry guys.<\/li>\n <li>Most of the levels rely on parkour\/reflex skills, which was a really bad move.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n <p>Overall, this was a great first Ludum Dare for me, hope you all like my entry and do well with yours!<\/p>\n <p><em>Thanks for reading and extra thanks to everyone who posted feedback! See ya!<\/em><\/p>\n \n <p>Tags: <a href=\"http:\/\/ludumdare.com\/compo\/tag\/ld48-ld30\/\" rel=\"tag\">#LD48 #LD30<\/a><\/p>","time":"September 1st, 2014 7:20 pm","title":"First Ludum Dare Impressions; Post Mortem"}