Dr. Helix
This game is from the old Ludum Dare platform. You can try viewing the original page on Web Archive
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Sorry for this essay I wrote here, just skip straight to the Controls bit if you're not a text person
This is Dr. Helix, my first ever LD entry, it started out as an action/research game, but time constraints & technical issues I moved it back towards a slightly more traditional top-down shooter mechanic. I have tried to keep it a little different though, you have some gadgets...
The main gadget is a DNA-changing gun, and almost all of the things in the game can be turned into something else (platforms, barriers, powerups, creatures etc). You can also teleport a short distance, which works well with changing enemies into platforms. You have a normal gun too, so I tried to put stuff in that used both mechanics, like when you hit a miniature death-mouse with the DNA-gun, then it evolves into a giant spider. Bad right? BUT, if you shoot the crap out of a giant spider you get an ammo top-up, and there's loads of death-mice running about that you need to shoot the crap out of. So that's what I was aiming for.
Overall I'm really pleased with everything, except maybe that it didn't relate to the theme as much as I'd have liked. Oh and I also didn't get time to do music, which is a shame as I always enjoy making music. Got some sound effects in there at least. Also there may be a few clipping issues, but luckily you can teleport!
Submitted as a .zip file with a standalone .exe inside, no installers or anything. Thanks for playing, this is the first game I have ever finished and it has been a great experience
* CONTROLS *
W,A,S,D to Move & Mouse to Aim
Space to Switch Guns
Left Mouse to Fire
Right Mouse to Teleport
* HINTS & TIPS *
~ Use the Right Mouse button to teleport, it's handy in a tight spot
~ Shoot Flowers with the Genome Gun to get more DNA
~ Don't kill the iSharks on the first level!
~ Evolve the Cycloctopus into a Barrier for protection
~ Evolve the Orbs of Certain Doom into a Turret to clear the enemies
~ Evolve the Yellow Suppository Birds into Flowers
~ Evolve the Death Mouse into Drunken Spider
~ Kill the Death Mouse for Health
~ Kill the Drunken Spider for Ammo
~ Butterflies Evolve into iSharks when Near a Bridge
So when it's hectic, evolve some barriers to hide behind, then evolve a Orb into a turret and lead enemies into the bullets. There's a bit of tactical depth here, enough to get you tactical-ankles wet (well a bit wet)
This is Dr. Helix, my first ever LD entry, it started out as an action/research game, but time constraints & technical issues I moved it back towards a slightly more traditional top-down shooter mechanic. I have tried to keep it a little different though, you have some gadgets...
The main gadget is a DNA-changing gun, and almost all of the things in the game can be turned into something else (platforms, barriers, powerups, creatures etc). You can also teleport a short distance, which works well with changing enemies into platforms. You have a normal gun too, so I tried to put stuff in that used both mechanics, like when you hit a miniature death-mouse with the DNA-gun, then it evolves into a giant spider. Bad right? BUT, if you shoot the crap out of a giant spider you get an ammo top-up, and there's loads of death-mice running about that you need to shoot the crap out of. So that's what I was aiming for.
Overall I'm really pleased with everything, except maybe that it didn't relate to the theme as much as I'd have liked. Oh and I also didn't get time to do music, which is a shame as I always enjoy making music. Got some sound effects in there at least. Also there may be a few clipping issues, but luckily you can teleport!
Submitted as a .zip file with a standalone .exe inside, no installers or anything. Thanks for playing, this is the first game I have ever finished and it has been a great experience
* CONTROLS *
W,A,S,D to Move & Mouse to Aim
Space to Switch Guns
Left Mouse to Fire
Right Mouse to Teleport
* HINTS & TIPS *
~ Use the Right Mouse button to teleport, it's handy in a tight spot
~ Shoot Flowers with the Genome Gun to get more DNA
~ Don't kill the iSharks on the first level!
~ Evolve the Cycloctopus into a Barrier for protection
~ Evolve the Orbs of Certain Doom into a Turret to clear the enemies
~ Evolve the Yellow Suppository Birds into Flowers
~ Evolve the Death Mouse into Drunken Spider
~ Kill the Death Mouse for Health
~ Kill the Drunken Spider for Ammo
~ Butterflies Evolve into iSharks when Near a Bridge
So when it's hectic, evolve some barriers to hide behind, then evolve a Orb into a turret and lead enemies into the bullets. There's a bit of tactical depth here, enough to get you tactical-ankles wet (well a bit wet)