Shifting Paths

Overall★★★★★★★★★★3.05
Fun★★★★★★★★★★2.47
Innovation★★★★★★★★★★3.26
Theme★★★★★★★★★★3.44
Graphics★★★★★★★★★★2.84
Mood★★★★★★★★★★2.56
Coolness★★★★★★★★★★35%
Instructions:
Move using WSAD keys.
Reach the bottom-right corner of the 20x20 map.
Don't leave patterned tiles.

This was not to be a game… The theme „Shapeshift” brought back my old (very old...) idea to make a simulation based on (also very old) cellular automaton “Life”. My modification is simple: three types of cells, and a little bit different rules of cell multiplication and cell transformation. When I made the first working prototype of a “3Life” simulation – with simple shapes (triangle, circle and square) – I had noticed that for me it was not enough. So, I added a simple gameplay – the goal is to traverse whole 20x20 “live” board, from top left to bottom right corner. The board is in continuous evolution (one change per second), but the player neighbourhood (in a radius of 3 fields) becomes stable. Use WSAD keys to move a traveler – but watch out his step. Do not fall in deep water (empty blue field) because it's a permadeath game. You may also (accidentally) stay blocked on an “island”. But there is a button “new game” above the board...

This simple game-simulation was written in javascript, using knockout.js MVVM framework (my first time “boxing” with KO).

screenshot

Comments10

bluszcz
bluszcz18 Apr 2016, 22:42
Simply, but nice. I like minimalist style, and thanks for web version for play :)
Kudanaman19 Apr 2016, 21:42
Good game, simple and clean, but a little to easy.
Web version of the game is GREATLY APPRECIATED, THANK YOU :D
Freank21 Apr 2016, 17:01
Hi, nice game ! We're realizing a video with several games of the Ludum Dare #35.
Can you add your game on indiexpo.net ? (it's free)
So we can include also your game in the video ;)
p.s. write #LDJAM in the game's description
ChronoCrab24 Apr 2016, 04:36
I really like this one. The graphics were very neat. The gameplay was fun too! My 2C: The circle of static tiles seemed a tad out of place and might be better represented as a square or something (maybe even with shifting the color slightly for the tiles around your character), but this was good fun. Some item drops and other mechanics would have made this something to play long term. Nice!
monetai
monetai24 Apr 2016, 20:36
interesting concept. i had some problems with the controls.
tppr204625 Apr 2016, 07:48
Simple, interesting. I like the shifting maze.
Is there a goal?
csanyk
csanyk3 May 2016, 02:47
Well, OK. Not really much of a game. Just stand around and wait for a passage to open up, then take it. So it's missing a few things that would make it challenging. Once I realized I could step on grey or light blue tiles, it was much easier to advance.
Gamepopper
Gamepopper3 May 2016, 12:23
Nice idea. I like the unpredictable nature of the levels changing, yet the game is still beatable.
Alphish
Alphish3 May 2016, 13:05
It's not particularly innovative gameplay, though I like the idea of using cellular automata to alter the maze (not sure if it would work for a more advanced game, though). However, at some playthrough I've found that the end game point was stuck between walls and it seemed to be fixed that way (as if it reached a stable structure or something), so it seems the game is not always possible to complete. Good call with making area around the player stabilised, though.

Overall, pretty nice idea, though it's hard to tell if it'd lead to something greater.
Dining Philosopher3 May 2016, 22:11
Cool idea to use a cellular automaton to create the paths! The stable region makes the game too easy though, and perhaps a longer generation interval would be better.

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