{"assets":[{"original":"http:\/\/www.ludumdare.com\/compo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/fair-300x177.jpg","local":"\/data\/posts\/2014\/04\/594817089c9d42af88f089b3f609078b.jpg"}],"author_link":"author\/musket\/","author_name":"EpaceGames","cat":"LD #29","categories":["LD #29"],"comments":[],"epoch":1398681900,"event":"LD29","likes":5,"metadata":{"p_key":"81389","p_author":"EpaceGames","p_authorkey":"0","p_urlkey":"290506","p_title":"Grow a giant pumpkin","p_cat":"LD #29","p_event":"LD29","p_time":"1398681900","p_likes":"5","p_comments":"0","p_status":"WAYBACK","us_key":null,"us_name":null,"us_username":null,"event_start":"1398384000","event_key":"22","event_name":"LD29"},"source_url":"2014\/04\/28\/grow-a-giant-pumpkin\/","text":"

My entry for LD29 is called Giant Pumpkin<\/a>. While thinking of the theme, I was watering my plants, figuring beneath the \u201csurface\u201d could imply soil. Roots get really chaotic. Meanwhile I remembered a trip I took to the York, Pennsylvania fair, featuring enormous pumpkins. You get the idea, I latched onto the design idea and proceeded from there.<\/p>\n

\"fair\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Good:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using Flash, I got a lot of bang for the buck using Tween objects for small animations. For example, the plus symbols on roots and stems grow spontaneously in a fraction of a second. That bit of polish does make a difference as it makes the game feel more interactive. The sound effects came together well using a cheap microphone that came with Rock Band.<\/p>\n

The little popup that comes up when the cursor hovers over something became really useful. I hope it helps to explain features to the player.<\/p>\n

The Bad:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Balancing basically six resource types in a game is very difficult! I would have liked it to be more educational, but overall is so far from being biologically accurate.<\/p>\n

The Ugly:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Implementing the preloader in the final hour broke a lot of features. The bug was a simple oversight, but the adrenaline kicks in as the clock ticks down the final minutes.<\/p>\n

\"screen1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"screen2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"screen3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"screen4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"screen5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Tags: flash<\/a><\/p>","time":"April 28th, 2014 10:45 am","title":"Grow a giant pumpkin","title_was_empty":false}