Ludum Dare #35 results are in!

#56 Innovation 3.97
#125 Theme 3.89
#142 Mood 3.48
#147 Overall 3.67
#205 Fun 3.50
#219 Graphics 3.59
#245 Audio 3.19

Now that it’s my second Ludum Dare, these numbers mean a lot more to me, as I can track my improvement since the last entry. I have improved in all categories! Not only that, I have done so with significantly less time as I had to scrap my idea half way through and start over.

Innovation seems to be my strong suite, going from #177 -> #56, and score from 3.69 -> 3.97.

Last time I wrote I was surprised by #467 on graphics with a score of 3.11, imagine my surprise with this vast improvement to #219 and score of 3.59. I attribute this mostly to allowing the players to choose a color scheme, I doubt the pixel art itself caught anyone’s eye. I did say I’ll improve in this category, and I did.

Fun feels like my weak suite. Even though it is an improvement from last time #371 -> #205 and 3.30 -> 3.50, I feel like this is the area I need to improve next time. I suspect it has to do with the games both feeling like prototypes (because they are), lack a proper introduction/tutorial, and severe lack of content. I doubt anyone played my game for more than 5 minutes.

Last time I had no sound effects at all, but dropping straight into #245 for my first attempt is pretty neat. I’m not really worried about improving in this category, as I have no real need to be known for my sound design. As long as it’s there, and it doesn’t make people want to pull their ears off, I’m happy.

And overall #147 is great. I’d like to be able to hit overall top 100 next time, but I’d be happy if I just hit top 100 in 2 categories over just 1.

Mood and Theme, I’m not actually sure how people rate it. I personally rate theme as matching the core theme of the challenge, in this case Shapeshift, and Mood is the combination of story and delivery. I have no idea why I got high rating in those, but I’m not really worried about it either.

I’m really happy I participated. I’m really happy I scrapped my idea and started over. Next Ludum Dare, I’ll try to keep the scope small enough so I can add actual game content.

Last time, Dungeon Surge‘s results:
#177 Innovation 3.69
#300 Overall 3.47
#371 Fun 3.30
#467 Graphics 3.11
#468 Theme 3.75