IC Forum Archive

junkboy · Posts: 13

Whoa! I didn't know there was a indie game development-forum hidden here. I should've registered sooner.

I hope it's allright if I share "my" (I only drew the graphics) latest game. It's called "Bollen" (swedish for ball) and it's a platform-game with an interesting twist: you can't jump.

Check out the website of our development team for more screenshots, download links and all that jazz.

http://www.daikenkai.com/monokey/

Comments and feedback are of course higly appreciated :D

Sawtooth · Posts: 2350

I can't play it, unfortunately. But I can tell you that the graphics are really pretty!

aderack · Posts: 5018

That's really nice-looking!

Update: and nice-sounding!

It reminds me a lot of early first-party NES games -- the R&D#1 stuff, like Balloon Fight and Gumshoe and Ice Climber and Clu-Clu land. Same kind of small-scale experimental approach.

I think maybe it gets a little too hard, too quickly. After the first few levels it seems to rely to a great extent on trial and error. There also seem to be a lot of unwinnable situations, where you basically have to kill yourself and start again.

Going into more qualitative criticism! Since the protagonist is a ball it seems a little weird, conceptually, that it can't simply bounce on its own. It would make a little more sense if the player's avatar weren't something that the player would assume could bounce or jump. Like... a guy in a wheelchair? Or a baby? Or a slug?

If you were to keep the ball, it would be neat if it could bounce after falling from a height, and these strange bounce-creatures would be helpful mostly to get you moving again by tossing you into the air, or to give you an initial bit of momentum.

Anyway, it feels solidly programmed and the aesthetics are all in place.

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

i like it, but the game definitely gives out too few lives when it's so easy for the player to end up in a position that can't be recovered from.

this game would work pretty well with unlimited retries.

the sprites are wonderful.

Mr. Business · Posts: 1530

aderack wrote:

Going into more qualitative criticism! Since the protagonist is a ball it seems a little weird, conceptually, that it can't simply bounce on its own. It would make a little more sense if the player's avatar weren't something that the player would assume could bounce or jump. Like... a guy in a wheelchair? Or a baby? Or a slug?

Perhaps the ball should just be made into an iron ball.

dark steve · Posts: 3002

a bowling ball

maybe a hamster wheel?

aderack · Posts: 5018

Hamster wheel is genius.

Hamster wheel and (at least a default option for) unlimited retries, and you'd be much more set.

dark steve · Posts: 3002

You could call it Wheelen.

aderack · Posts: 5018

Wheelson? Bounder?

dessgeega · Posts: 3317

aderack wrote:

Going into more qualitative criticism! Since the protagonist is a ball it seems a little weird, conceptually, that it can't simply bounce on its own. It would make a little more sense if the player's avatar weren't something that the player would assume could bounce or jump. Like... a guy in a wheelchair? Or a baby? Or a slug?

princess no-knees.

professor_scissors · Posts: 1033

junkboy: how would you be interested in helping to do spritework for a zombie-based game?

junkboy · Posts: 13

Sawtooth: Thank you!

aderack: Early R&D#1, huh? That's probably the greatest compliment we've ever gotten, haha. Thanks! And yes, the fact that you're controlling a ball gives you sort of a false impression on how it's going to behave. If we make another one like this we'll most likely implement actual physics and stuff like that.

About the trial and error, there are indeed elements of that. The game does have a camera-function though, so you can look around the stage and plan your way, thus avoiding one or two unexpected death.

dessgeega: Unlimited retries? Nah man, there'd be no challenge in that! We have a practise mode where you can brush up on your skills on specific stages, and also a continue function, so you don't have to replay stages you've already beaten. I think that's about as easy we're willing to make this game. :D

dark steve: I actually though of that at one point, but I felt it'd be too similar to Super Monkey Ball. Also I'd have to redesign the logo, and I'm just way to lazy for that..

professor_scissors: Oh, Zombie City Tactics? I'd love to, but I think I'll have to pass. I have my hands full with our next game (a pocky & Rocky-ish shooter) and a ton of other stuff.

fsFreak · Posts: 2

Hi (the programmer here). It's nice that you like our game :)

I've also had tons of ideas for Bollen, like bounce-back when you hit the ground from a higher level, moving platforms, buttons to press to open things etc. etc. but this was really a mini-game... Actually it all started with the making if a platform engine and then it sort of evolved into this game. We're still doing a platformer (a run'n'gun shooter actually) but that'll be openGL and the engine will be written by a another guy. However, watch out for our next game which junkboy already told you, will be a pocky&rocky-wannabe shooter..

dark steve · Posts: 3002

With GHOSTS?

professor_scissors · Posts: 1033

junkboy wrote:

dessgeega: Unlimited retries? Nah man, there'd be no challenge in that!

Uh huh.

Mr. Business · Posts: 1530

So out of curiosity, what was Bollen made with, codewise? Any libraries? The code seems quite solid.

My god though, the tracks man, they sucked me in from the moment that I started it. My compliments to your musician! Not just him though, the whole thing looks absolutely gorgeous, so my praises go to you as well junkboy!

edit: Hey, a map editor. Jeez, there goes my afternoon.

fsFreak · Posts: 2

The game is written in C++, using the allegro- and fmod-libraries.

http://www.allegro.cc
- great game library for graphics, input etc.

http://www.fmod.org
- another superb lib for handling music and sound. supports mp3, wav, various module-formats etc.

The mapeditor, loader and datafileCreator was written in Visual Basic 6

Sawtooth · Posts: 2350

so, as it turns out, it runs at an almost passable speed with virtualpc! It's pretty fun.

exodus · Posts: 385

really is nice, with great music.

however, you should allow more lives at the onset, or even not make lives an issue, after all the fun is in completing each screen, not in beating the clock or doing it in a certain amount of tries, wouldn't you say? The game seems to be designed for exploration, so time makes sense, but the life limit is too harsh I think.

junkboy · Posts: 13

professor_scissors: Hah! I sure set myself up for that one.

Mr. Business: Why, thank you! If you happen to make any cool maps, then feel free to send them our way and we'll put them up on the website or something.

Sawtooth: Interesting, I'll pass that on to other mac-users. Thanks!

exodus: Thank you. Well, since we've gotten some complaints about that, maybe we'll look into it if we release a 1.2 version, but right now we're focused on our next game. I can relate to what you're saying though.

TU · Posts: 12

Very interesting game! I do agree that being a ball, I assumed at firsdt that it could bounce on its own. However, after I got the hang of it, it's a very fun twist on platformers. The graphics and the music are both great (the music's really fun and quite fitting). I think the "Hurry up" message should come earlier though. There doesn't seem to be much time left by the time it displays. Nice work!