* This is sort of experimental game, it's not focused on the gameplay as much as on the meaning.
* Please do not rate this game unless you finish it. This game is pointless without reaching the end. Also please read the instructions, if something seems to be unclear. Thanks for understanding. * This game requires latest Java. * Fullscreen/resolutions option is located in settings. * In every second round, you will be spawning the black minions. They will be spawned on the map border. I mention it here, because that's where most people are lost. * If the game doesn't work, please try the second version (can be found on the link provided).
* Instructions * Minions are sent automatically every 4 seconds. You can set their direction by pressing arrow keys. You can move camera by WSAD keys and zoom by Q and E. Mute music by M and sound by N. Press ESC to go back to menu. Pressing ESC while in menu exits the game. Press P to pause.
In round one, you are spawning minions at the cactus and you are DEFENDING it. You will be spawning white minions. In the second round, you are spawning minions AT THE BORDERS and you want to DESTROY the cactus. YOU WILL BE SPAWNING THE BLACK MINIONS (that's where most people are lost). If choosen spawn spot is blocked by another being, the minion will spawn at the oposite side.
* Story * One day, you were traveling to your cactus home, but something terrible has happened. Someone casted diarrhoeaccus spell on you. It means, that you've caught schizephrenia. Your WORLD has divided into two parts, but they remain CONNECTED. You just don't know it yet. Through the day, you are fighting off nasty goblins from POTATO SALAD kingdom, but during the night, you are a powerful warlord who wants to destroy the Cactus kingdom. Just another abstract day in Abstrakt Land..
* Technical info * This game is written in Java and uses LibGDX and Box2D. Setting the resolution should work for all targeted platforms. Release for Android was also planned, but the game got a different direction from that point.
* Sorry if the abstract (LSD/acid) graphics hurts your eyes, but it fits to the main point. * If I'd put the number of times I've played/tested this game into an integer, I'd get a stack overflow. I've removed every bug I've found, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any. This means, that I am not aware of any bugs, but I am able to respond to your comments and fix them as soon as possible. So, if you see a bug, let me know. * If you understand the point of this game, I'll be so happy that I'll tweet about you on Twitter. ;)
Cool idea, the game worked for me just fine. As a suggestion, a bit of polish would have been nice because the high contrast was a little hard on the eyes. But still, it's a fun entry. Great job!
the whole idea and the text were really nice, i enjoyed playing this one :) but i have to say that - eventhough it was the concept behind it - playing against yourself isn't that much fun ^^ at one point i just did nothing and waited until one dies…
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 03:10
@sharpcoder Thanks man :) @remmy Some people don't figure out that they are playing against themselves. If you've noticed that before the final text, you are a mindful gamer.
Very good! I figured out what was going on almost 3/4ths of the way in - that was a great idea that fit very well with the theme.
I'm not the biggest fan of the psychodelic mood, and the game could be a little bit faster, but I really liked what you tried to pull here overall.
Thanks for the game!
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 04:01
@C_Walden Thanks. I'll check out your game. @caranha I was in a strange mood when thinking about the idea. But thanks for informing me about what should be improved :)
Not bad. The twist was evident pretty early, but it was fun trying to get both the cactus and the potato to 0% at the same time. Also, the audio didn't work for me. Not sure why.
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 05:50
@MrTedders Thanks :) @kirbytails7 Are you sure you haven't accidentaly pressed M/N? Or that you just muted it somewhere? There hasn't been any audio issues reported so far, but thanks for informing me.
I really wasn't expecting such a good meaning behind the game at first, going in. But I started to suspect it once I noticed the minion patterns! Love it!
The game idea is quite unique, I really liked it, if I would improve something it would be the graphics, but anyways it's good its own style. I like that.
Great message. Also loved the artstyle. I started thinking that they're the same patterns, but then I though that I saw a deviation. Are they really exactly the same?
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 15:14
@S0rax@sftrabbit@Cruion Thank you guys. @sam1373 Yes, they are, only if the line is full, the minions will spawn in the opposite line.
Wow! Amazing end and the music fits very well with the game idea. Also, I liked the story. I used to write stories like this a few years ago. That makes me think that I should write once again. Good work! ;)
The end of the game makes it a good game, but the game mechanic didn't inspire me quite a lot. That's some particular art you've got there :3
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 19:32
@Anshzinc @Linux123xbb @Tomker@Goutye Thanks :) @Aomeas I've focused on the meaning more than I should. I should have devoted some of my time to the game mechanics. Thanks for the creative criticism, though :)
Unfortunately couldn't get it to run on OS X. Console says this: 8/25/14 12:45:48.570 PM gkbisd[142]: Unable to collect cdhash for /System/Library/CoreServices/Jar Launcher.app (error code 100024)
I'm guessing it's an issue on my end, but I hope that helps!
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ViliX25 Aug 2014, 19:57
@kadybat As discussed on Twitter, some Apple variations of Java might not work (don't ask me why). Sorry about that.
Cool concept, nice interpretation of the theme, but it moves so slow. With no real changes in gameplay over time, it just feels like the game is dragging on. That may have been intentional based on the story, but it wasn't enjoyable.
The main menu/tutorials blinded me a bit. Was really hard to read the light blue text on the white background. Interesting concept, the twist at the end was pretty cool.
VERY experimental and trippin'. I understood and appreciated your idea, the gameplay is a bit slow tho.
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Kyoutashan26 Aug 2014, 12:23
Nice concept. I realized that something was strange after a few rounds and the ending was as i suspected :). The game is a bit slow though, but overall, I liked your game. Good job
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ViliX26 Aug 2014, 13:11
@(Not) Ivano Thanks. I liked your game. @Kyoutashan Thanks much :)
@ViliX No worries! I wasn't surprised. Vector styled platformers aren't really most people's cups of tea and Box2D can make it easier. I just never really got into using it. :3
Pretty nice concept, a good metaphor of the mental disease.I'm not fan of the graphics, but maybe it would be possible to use real-life element in picture to return to this idea of shizophrena. The end is interesting but it could be also strong to bring the insight to the player during the game and even make him play serioulsy against himself, but it will required more thinking and also a great gamedesign.
I follow your instruction and i was not dissappointed.
More artistic than a game, but that's great.
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ViliX26 Aug 2014, 23:00
@commoderKid Thanks :) @OFF Thanks, I was in a weird state when I came up with this idea.
I really like that the message here can apply to a lot of different people. It's a game about mental illness, and it speaks to a lot of different illnesses in a way that relates to the theme and is interesting to play. I too would have toned down the colors but I like it a lot.
A simple well thought out mechanic, and nicely executed. Every round made me contemplate what I SHOULD be doing. Make it easy? Make it hard? I didn't know.
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ViliX27 Aug 2014, 06:35
@kadybat @AFlatMinerStudio Thanks, your comments are very uplifting :)
I was just about to ask in the comments "why sometimes my guys weren't created where I wanted?" and boom, after I destroyed Kingdom of Potatoes it's explained. "Sorry if the abstract (LSD/acid) graphics hurts your eyes, but it fits to the main point." Check out my game ^^.
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ViliX27 Aug 2014, 09:42
@fcpfoof Thanks. I've played your game already (you've got lots of stars, don't worry :))
Hey this game is really cool! The art and sound fit really well into the theme of the game. It was pretty fun to play too! I did encounter a problem that I feel kinda hurt my ability to really experience everything the game had to offer. The resolution options didn't work at all so the thing was too big for my screen. I couldn't see any of the text (just small pieces of the corners of it). Still a very cool concept. Also if you get this fixed, then I'll definitely play through the game again and see hat it says.
Ok I just saw the play-through on your channel to see the full text and WOW! That's not what I was expecting! Brilliant entry... time raise the ratings! :D
You know, I didn't think it would be fun. But it was. Graphics makes my eyes bleed, but I laughed at this colors like a mad man, which is plus to Humot on my scale. Idea is cool, theme connected and solid. Interesting work, one to remember
@CRAZEERUSKEE I hope, that our conversation bellow the the playthrough is enough :D @Xgor I was in a strange mood. @Shide Thanks :) I've tried your game. @mechabit@ninjascript Thanks :)
I really liked your game ! Obviously the end is awesome ! The graphics and the music are cool, the gameplay is maybe a little bit slow but it's ok. I didn't understand how the attack round works before reading.
Interesting game :P I included it in part 12 of my Ludum Dare 30 Compilation video series, if you’d like to check it out :) http://youtu.be/NXgeb3Jk3nI
The audio didn't work for me on Linux, the gameplay was a bit boring, and I found the graphics a bit painful to look at, but overall I thought that the theme and the message were excellent!
I don't like when games or movies, etc. end with an explanation that closes interpretation. You could write your intentios when you made the game but having everything explained like that just spoils the game and makes it a lot less mysterious. Everything else was a very nice experience.
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ViliX11 Sep 2014, 08:10
As I said, I was in a strange mood while making this game. Anyway, I'll check out your games :)
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but i have to say that - eventhough it was the concept behind it - playing against yourself isn't that much fun ^^
at one point i just did nothing and waited until one dies…
@remmy Some people don't figure out that they are playing against themselves. If you've noticed that before the final text, you are a mindful gamer.
I'm not the biggest fan of the psychodelic mood, and the game could be a little bit faster, but I really liked what you tried to pull here overall.
Thanks for the game!
@caranha I was in a strange mood when thinking about the idea. But thanks for informing me about what should be improved :)
@CryoGenesis @ENDESGA Thanks guys. I'll check your games soon.
Also, the audio didn't work for me. Not sure why.
@kirbytails7 Are you sure you haven't accidentaly pressed M/N? Or that you just muted it somewhere? There hasn't been any audio issues reported so far, but thanks for informing me.
Love it!
You mentioned Box2D with respect to mine? Nope. Hand written physics engine. I don't even think I included Box2D in the project.
@uprightpath I though it was Box2D. Sorry for my mistake :/
I started thinking that they're the same patterns, but then I though that I saw a deviation. Are they really exactly the same?
@sam1373 Yes, they are, only if the line is full, the minions will spawn in the opposite line.
@Aomeas I've focused on the meaning more than I should. I should have devoted some of my time to the game mechanics. Thanks for the creative criticism, though :)
I'm guessing it's an issue on my end, but I hope that helps!
(byl jsi to ty na tom polarkacově streamu, že jo? :-) )
@Empyrelhell @Rage Paint @Nuclear Napalm I know about these flaws, but now it's too late to change them :/
The game is a bit slow though, but overall, I liked your game. Good job
@Kyoutashan Thanks much :)
The end is interesting but it could be also strong to bring the insight to the player during the game and even make him play serioulsy against himself, but it will required more thinking and also a great gamedesign.
I follow your instruction and i was not dissappointed.
More artistic than a game, but that's great.
@OFF Thanks, I was in a weird state when I came up with this idea.
"Sorry if the abstract (LSD/acid) graphics hurts your eyes, but it fits to the main point." Check out my game ^^.
Nice work!
@thecolorhacker Thanks, pal! :)
@Xgor I was in a strange mood.
@Shide Thanks :) I've tried your game.
@mechabit @ninjascript Thanks :)
Obviously the end is awesome !
The graphics and the music are cool, the gameplay is maybe a little bit slow but it's ok. I didn't understand how the attack round works before reading.
Nice concept, nice game ;)
Joking apart, very interesting game, and the end destroyed me
But wait that's the name of the game!
Everything else was a very nice experience.