Ludum Dare #7compo
Cell
Post-compo notes
Here is post-compo version made in extra 3h, which consisted mainly of beta testing and gameplay fixes. Use version above for judging and the patch below for playing. Also there is source if you'd like to take a look at it (sorry, I forgot to save compo version source code, so I don't have it now). Compiling it requires Allegro, AllegroGL and FMOD to compile). It's Windows-only because of high frequency timers (QueryPerformance* stuff), but changing it to gettimeofday() (sp?) for Linux shouldn't be too hard (unfortunately, I'm using shell account for my Linux work, so I don't have Allegro installed).
What this game is about
Shooting viruses, mainly and protecting growing colony of green cells. Viruses are small and quite hard to spot, so you have to let them come a bit closer before you can reliably shoot them with your pulse gun. Green cells reproduce quite fast, so, unless there is really small number of them, don't worry about shooting at them - big green cell colony can regenerate faster than you can destroy its cells. Eliminating viruses is the way to go. Another strategy is allowing green cell colony to be reduced after initial attack - viruses follow green cells, so where there is small number of green cells, viruses tend to group and such groups are ideal targets for your gun.
Used libraries
- Allegro - game library
- OpenGL - graphics library
- AllegroGL - library making two above things work together
- FMOD - sound/music library
Tools used in making this game
- DevC++ - IDE
- MinGW (gcc/g++) - compiler
- .werkkzeug1 by .theprodukkt - for generating textures (cells)
- Irfan View - some more texture work
- FL Studio 5 - music, percussion samples
- V2 synth by kb - instruments
- Windows - development platform
Game features
- particle engine with ability to scale and rotate particles independently and alpha-blending them in proper order
- physics engine using space partitioning algorithm to speed up collision tests
- background music
Some facts about development of this game
Since some time I had idea to use patricle cells in one of 48h/72h programming contests, which idea I've got from watching We Cell demo by Kewlers. My game isn't even remotely as good as their work, but the idea somehow seems work. I wanted to make something quite simple not to have to spend entire weekend coding, but, as usual, the game took more time to make than I thought it will, especially when it came to balancing gameplay (final version is still far from ideal). Anyway, I've managed to create something and I hope you'll enjoy playing it at least for several minutes. :)
Have fun! :)
Krzysztof Kluczek *(krzych82 _at_ poczta _dot_ onet _dot_ pl)*
Comments19
Fun:3 Innovation:3 Production:3 Graphics:3 Sound:4
The fun in this game mostly consisted of floating around and being mesmerized by cell blobs and soothing music. It's very relaxing although the actual gameplay aspects are lacking. The viruses are very hard to spot at a distance and, more seriously, your weapon is very vague and has no real feedback telling you what happened when you fire. There should have been a visible shot going off or something. Difficulty was also very weird - all the time it looked like I was getting swamped with viruses and losing hard, but then all of a sudden when I started to run out of cells the viruses also started to disappear so I ended up winning in the end.
The fun in this game mostly consisted of floating around and being mesmerized by cell blobs and soothing music. It's very relaxing although the actual gameplay aspects are lacking. The viruses are very hard to spot at a distance and, more seriously, your weapon is very vague and has no real feedback telling you what happened when you fire. There should have been a visible shot going off or something. Difficulty was also very weird - all the time it looked like I was getting swamped with viruses and losing hard, but then all of a sudden when I started to run out of cells the viruses also started to disappear so I ended up winning in the end.
Fun:2 Innovation:3 Production:3 Graphics:3 Sound:4
Whoha! First glance makes an impressive impact. Neat music, great world feeling. But when the viruses come the lacking in the game become apparent. Hard to spot the viruses, no sound/visual effect on the gun. An immense amount of viruses make one feel like there is no chance in winning at all.
Whoha! First glance makes an impressive impact. Neat music, great world feeling. But when the viruses come the lacking in the game become apparent. Hard to spot the viruses, no sound/visual effect on the gun. An immense amount of viruses make one feel like there is no chance in winning at all.
Cell - Fun:3 Innovation:3 Production:3 Graphics:4 Sound:3
It looks very cool to fly through the cells and the music fits very well. Nice job.
It looks very cool to fly through the cells and the music fits very well. Nice job.
Fun:2 Innovation:2 Production:3 Graphics:2 Sound:4
Hey, it's got music! Quickly looping music, but still, there's some quality work there. In any case, I didn't think the game itself was very fun. You're basically just flying around shooting the black things, trying not to hit the green things. Since they're coming from all sides you have to turn around a lot, and it ends up feeling more like a chore than something you want to do. Then the black things start kidnapping the little green things, using them to make more black things, and soon enough your little colony of hope has been overwhelmed and eliminated, leaving you there all alone in the void with nothing to entertain you but your memories of how you failed to keep the green things safe, maybe even having killed a few yourself. And the music loop, of course.
Hey, it's got music! Quickly looping music, but still, there's some quality work there. In any case, I didn't think the game itself was very fun. You're basically just flying around shooting the black things, trying not to hit the green things. Since they're coming from all sides you have to turn around a lot, and it ends up feeling more like a chore than something you want to do. Then the black things start kidnapping the little green things, using them to make more black things, and soon enough your little colony of hope has been overwhelmed and eliminated, leaving you there all alone in the void with nothing to entertain you but your memories of how you failed to keep the green things safe, maybe even having killed a few yourself. And the music loop, of course.
Fun: Innovation: Production:
Fun:4 Innovation:3 Production:5 Graphics:5 Sound:3
This is probably the most visually interesting game in LD this time out. As a game it was pretty good, until I had managed to kill all the viruses But the whole celluar-warfare/Defender-protection concept has been done so many times it's hard to call it innovative, exactly...
This is probably the most visually interesting game in LD this time out. As a game it was pretty good, until I had managed to kill all the viruses But the whole celluar-warfare/Defender-protection concept has been done so many times it's hard to call it innovative, exactly...
Fun:3 Innovation:3 Production:3 Graphics:4 Sound:4
No real endgame. Music kicked ass. Kind of fun for a while, but I get DIM playing games like this. Was very nifty.
No real endgame. Music kicked ass. Kind of fun for a while, but I get DIM playing games like this. Was very nifty.
Cell (Windows)
Fun:3 Innovation:2 Production:3 Graphics:4 Sound:3
Pretty cool. Nice graphics, music (for a few loops, anyway). Maybe not very innovative, but fun for a while. I never seemed to complete a mission, though. It was full with green ones, and meter for black ones showed that there was some black left, but I really couldn't find any.
Pretty cool. Nice graphics, music (for a few loops, anyway). Maybe not very innovative, but fun for a while. I never seemed to complete a mission, though. It was full with green ones, and meter for black ones showed that there was some black left, but I really couldn't find any.
Fun: Innovation: Production: Graphics: Sound:5
Too slow to be playable for me. Great music though.
Too slow to be playable for me. Great music though.
Fun:2 Innovation:2 Production:2 Graphics:3 Sound:2
Some kind of horizon line would've been a BIG help here. At some angle there's some kind of gimbal lock problem, but since all angles look alike, it's a bit tough to tell where. Gameplay isn't so exciting. It's kind of cool just to fly through the mass, but otherwise not so great. I think just adding a sound for shooting and hitting enemies would've made it way better right away. Of course, some shooting visuals wouldn't have been too bad either.
Some kind of horizon line would've been a BIG help here. At some angle there's some kind of gimbal lock problem, but since all angles look alike, it's a bit tough to tell where. Gameplay isn't so exciting. It's kind of cool just to fly through the mass, but otherwise not so great. I think just adding a sound for shooting and hitting enemies would've made it way better right away. Of course, some shooting visuals wouldn't have been too bad either.
Fun: Innovation: Production: Graphics: Sound:4
Nice music. I don't have a graphics card, so to speak, so I couldn't really grade anything else. What did you create the music with?
Nice music. I don't have a graphics card, so to speak, so I couldn't really grade anything else. What did you create the music with?
Fun:2 Innovation:3 Production:3 Graphics:2 Sound:4
Nice framework for future game. I was able to get some 'speed' from the cells that was a nice feature. Too bad there isn't currently any more 'maps' or scenarios to waste time with.
Nice framework for future game. I was able to get some 'speed' from the cells that was a nice feature. Too bad there isn't currently any more 'maps' or scenarios to waste time with.
Fun:4 Innovation:4 Production:3 Graphics:3 Sound:3
I stared at the screen watching a nice intro sequence until I realized that there was something going on and I should grab the mouse destroying the black invaders which came for no good obviously. Intuitive design anybody? Complaints: There were some gimbal lock like problems with the mouse inverting its direction. Subtile sound effects when shooting may add to the overall atmosphere. Oh, and I didn't have to touch key controls at all.
I stared at the screen watching a nice intro sequence until I realized that there was something going on and I should grab the mouse destroying the black invaders which came for no good obviously. Intuitive design anybody? Complaints: There were some gimbal lock like problems with the mouse inverting its direction. Subtile sound effects when shooting may add to the overall atmosphere. Oh, and I didn't have to touch key controls at all.
Fun:3 Innovation:2 Production:3 Graphics:3 Sound:4
Nice music! About low score in innovation: it reminds too much the games from infection theme, because it is more about infection you know The world feels a bit empty, some vein or maybe just petri dish? would not hurt, it's just hard to orientate in the empty space.
Nice music! About low score in innovation: it reminds too much the games from infection theme, because it is more about infection you know The world feels a bit empty, some vein or maybe just petri dish? would not hurt, it's just hard to orientate in the empty space.
Cell
Crashed on my comp
Crashed on my comp
Fun:3 Innovation:2 Production:4 Graphics:3 Sound:4
Shoot the black viruses while protecting the green cells. Nothing truly innovative here, but great music. Could have used an effect for the gun though. The viruses can be hard to see and many times I couldn't see them til they were attacking the cells.
Shoot the black viruses while protecting the green cells. Nothing truly innovative here, but great music. Could have used an effect for the gun though. The viruses can be hard to see and many times I couldn't see them til they were attacking the cells.
Fun:3 Innovation:3 Production:2 Graphic:2 Sound:2
Nice song, game was fun but the win condition did not appear to work. It would have been nice to see the pulses fly around or something.
Nice song, game was fun but the win condition did not appear to work. It would have been nice to see the pulses fly around or something.
Well, I can definitely see that a lot of effort went into this. I think that it's way too confusing as you play however. I can't figure out how the mouse is supposed to move me around, and also it just seems a bit hard to understand what the cells/virii are doing. So technically this one seems great (it does look cool how they bounce around) but I think it was too ambitious for a 48h compo (wait... that's the point of these things isn't it