We are done, this is Defense of the corrupted Pixels, or .cp as I like to call it in a more minimalistic way. It is a turn based tower defense game, but has some real time components and you can move your units - er, pixels.
Story? Look! A corrupted pixel has appeared! Stop them before they destroy your whole screen! (that means get to the bottom of your screen)
Controls? Your [SPACE]-key (spawn units, end your turn) and your mouse (select, move, scroll, as you know it). Maybe someone will find the hidden GamePad-controls?
Gameplay? You spawn sane pixels and try to move them next to the corrupted while they are moving down. Your pixels shoot automatically at the corrupted ones. You can block corrupted pixels (can I call them 'cp' please?) off with your own pixels, but be aware you lose them then. Pixels have their own skills and can merge, too. When pixels get old (survive a turn), they become weaker. So merge new ones to them, else your best pixels will die some time. No pixel (neither the sane nor the corrupted) are able to cross broken pixels (kinda walls).
.cp has a campaign with some premade maps (better than the randomly generated ones) and an endless game with waves of enemies. If you get at the end of the campaign, you will find a secret.
It features five different songs and some sound effects as well as an unlimited amount of possible enemy types. Cause they can merge too. And for every game you get a score (and global highscores, of course!).
So, don't let the screen break!
A silverlight version (for the browser) will follow later, up to know you need to download the game and have XNA installed.
Known Bugs: Sometimes when you close the game it throws an AccessViolationException that can't be catched. Seems to be depend on the drivers installed, since managed C#-code is not able to create an AVE and it only happens on one of our computers. And _only_ when you want to stop playing it. So play forever and you have no problem ;)
UPDATE: Since this is a jam game we have 72 hours, so I have made some more changes (nerfed campaign, added tutorial level) and uploaded a new version. The Windows link is still the 48h version.
I liked it, but the pixel controls themselves are a bit confusing at first. Perhaps the first levels could also be smaller, to allow the player to get used to the system a bit better.
While it was a bit confusing at first, it was a good time to play once you got rolling. I didn't come to fully understand some of the different effects of the corrupted pixels (I call flames) or the stats during the course of the game, but I did have fun being a bit strategic and having both waves going towards each other. I would think with expansions this could be built upon to be more fun.
Make an instruction! Quickly! Tell us what does left mouse button do, what does right mouse button do, what does mouse wheel do, what does space do, what do arrow keys do! It's not intuitive! It took me a while to understand! Also, tell us what are pixel skills. Despite that, the idea is great, but a minimalistic approach is unwanted for such a complicated concept. Add more feedback. You should also cancel pixel movement at the end of the turn, I may change my mind, but pixels are still moving; and make pixels teleport to the bottom row (or something) when the level starts, they get stuck in walls and scenery.
This looks to be an interesting concept. I tried the first level, but found it too slow going to be fun, and too easy. Perhaps starting off with smaller levels will make it more fun to get through the first few levels?
After I exited this game the music continued playing for about 30 seconds, and then stopped. So it takes a while for this game to leave the computer's memory.
I liked watching the result of the tower placement. If you continue to develop this: I was not sure where I was spawning units. I forgot what the colors mean. Taking turns interrupted me.
It's a little confusing and enemies kill themselves more often than they actually reach my units, but after I got through the learning stages it got quite fun. Needs more work on that, but still, good job!
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Despite that, the idea is great, but a minimalistic approach is unwanted for such a complicated concept. Add more feedback.
You should also cancel pixel movement at the end of the turn, I may change my mind, but pixels are still moving; and make pixels teleport to the bottom row (or something) when the level starts, they get stuck in walls and scenery.
After I exited this game the music continued playing for about 30 seconds, and then stopped. So it takes a while for this game to leave the computer's memory.
Interesting concept! :-)