The main gameplay is good, but still need to get in the second playable character, the menus, and a proper 'game over' screen. And maybe high score storage.... wish me luck!

(Oh, but first- coffee!!!)

These are the results for my entry "FROGS Training to be Heros (In a large 'wheel-thing')".

I had a really great time creating this game! I am glad it did 'pretty good' in the ratings. Someday I hope to tell the larger story of these frogs, and their world... But, it will probably be a long time, if it ever truly happens.

Anyway... thank you for playing!!

Howdy! I’m HacksawUnit, from the ‘USA’. I love creating and thinking about all sorts of games.

So, it's the 48th LudumDare. Wow! What a cool milestone... I first started in 2012 with the Jam for LudumDare #25 and #26, but eventually settled into doing the Compo with #27 in 2013. (Big thanks to those who let me join in with them on the Jams all those years ago.) Since then, I've completed sixteen Compo entries, and took one of them all the way to a full release. I've played tons of amazing entries, discovered so many amazing creators, and learned so much...

Ah, all this reminiscing is making me wistful... let's focus on the times ahead, now. Like this weekend! I'm super excited for this LudumDare, special numbering aside. It feels like forever since last time, so I'm ready to really 'go for it'! If you're participating too, I wish you the best of luck!

Favorite tools list:

☕ Construct2: HTML5 game creation software!

☕ Aseprite: Pixel art program!

☕ GIMP: Open source image editor!

☕ LSDJ and bgb: Authentic Gameboy synthesizer and emulator!

☕ Audacity: Open source sound editor!

☕ itch.io: Storefront/games host!

*EDIT: Oh! And I have a new tool to try, too... I got an analogue synth (VOLCA Keys) I might try using. Maybe!

I am creating a sequel to my spooky 2014 64x64-pixel-resolution game, Deepeon. This time, it will be a platformer... but how is that person, who was underground, still around ~7 years later? Hopefully I have time to tell the tale.

Got the main mechanic in and some core player animations. Tomorrow is going to be making a bunch of puzzle-y terrain, building out the map, maybe thinking of upgrades, the hub world, interaction with the other beings in the caves....

The movement and projectile firing mechanics are very important, so I've spent all this time just perfecting them. I think I'm happy with this for now, barring a few more little 'quality of life' things. If you run through a projectile on the ground, you are propelled forward. If you jump through it, you are boosted upwards. Shooting a wall makes the projectile into a standable surface. All these mechanics are so the player can go deeper and deeper in a large, mostly vertical map.

OK! I really like how things feel now, and there's lots of potential for cool interactions. The player will probably start by only being able to have one projectile out at a time, then discover more as they descend. Next, I will create all the levels. Hopefully I can call it 'complete' tonight and then spend tomorrow polishing and adding in nice music and visuals, and some other entities. :)

I've started building the world.

I am going to be pausing Deepeon 2 for now... I bit off more than I could chew! So, this late in the game, I'm instead going to make a little local versus game about mining and playing a ball game with a worm.

Going to barely make it I think

Howdy! I’m HacksawUnit, from the ‘USA’. I love creating and thinking about all sorts of games.

LudumDare 49! We made it past '48' and it seems the 'compo' is still here as usual... I will cherish these '48 hour' chunks as long as I can! Haha. I should really figure out how many LudumDare's I've participated in so far. I think it's at least 10... Anyway! October. I love Autumn, and have been especially looking forward to it for some time due to the heat of summer. Things are still quite strange across the planet- well, even stranger than things were pre-pandemic. I wish everyone a very safe and fun LudumDare, and a great end of the year!

Favorite tools list:

🍬 Construct2: HTML5 game creation software!

🍬 Aseprite: Pixel art program!

🍬 GIMP: Open source image editor!

🍬 LSDJ and bgb: Authentic Gameboy synthesizer and emulator!

🍬 Audacity: Open source sound editor!

🍬 itch.io: Storefront/games host!

I am making a strange cross between tennis and baseball, where the participants use strange cobbled-together bat-rackets that are barely held together with ducttape. Every time you return the can (old soda can is used instead of ball,) the bat-racket changes! This has major effects on gameplay... hehe. I also want the game to feel like an overcast, magical autumn day.

This special bat/raquet falls apart every time the 'ball' is retuned, so it's fixed on the fly. Some configurations are better at bat return, others racket, and there is also a variation in return-range

Test of ball physics

Finally got in the 'core' mechanic! Whenever your bat/racket makes contact with the soda can (being used as a ball here) it ends up being a totally different thing somewhere on the gradient between 'bat' and 'racket.'

Each variant has its own 'batting' and 'racketing' ranges (see the circles with 'B' and 'R'.) Some variants can do both, and some are specialized to do just one thing.

Batting the soda can makes it fly straight and predictably. Racketing the soda can causes it to bounce around, which can be good to trip up your opponent. But, if the can lands on one of the 'X'-marked penalty zones, you may lose some points.

Adjusted the colors to bring in more of the autumnal feel. Next will be trying to make sure multiplayer works, then it just be balancing thing, adding proper scoring, menus, and any extra polish I can add. Very happy with things so far!