GMTK Game Jam 2020

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A jam submission

GlitchView game page

You live in a simulation, but the computer is on the fritz. Can you glitch your way out?

Submitted by michaeldejong — 1 hour, 38 minutes before the deadline

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Glitch's itch.io page

Results

Criteria	Rank	Score*	Raw Score
Originality	#408	3.886	3.886
Presentation	#520	3.886	3.886
Overall	#637	3.543	3.543
Fun	#865	3.314	3.314

Ranked from 35 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.

How does your game fit the theme?
Your controls of the character, and the rules of the game world change as you play.

Did your team create the art for this game during the 48 hour time slot?

Yes

We created all art during the game jam

Did your team create the audio for this game during the 48 hour time slot?

Yes

We created all audio during the game jam

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Comments

modern_mailSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

I can't say I agree with the decision to kick the player back a level to "prove their skill" when success in the game is in no small part based on luck. It doesn't feel frustrating but fair, it just feels frustrating (that said, I could behind it if there were a way to die on Level 0 -- just introduce Death Mode into the array of glitches that can be served on the first level -- and get to "glitch" levels like Level -1).

That said, your use of sound and visuals are impeccable. Excellent work there. With some mechanical polish I think you'll have a stupendous game.

Submitted

ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR MEANS ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago(+1)

Uhww... I like that "Level -1" idea! Very fitting of the game and theme! Thank you very much for the feedback!

Setting someone back 1 level seemed right to me, just because there is a substantial amount of "Luck" to it. Sure it's easy to die, but it's also really easy to get that one perfect glitch you need on the first attempt, where your controls are still fully functional. That's great if it happens for the player, but doesn't really prove they've mastered the game (at least for me, but I might be too harsh here, and can only look at it from my perspective). The set back is also another way to "hit pause" sort of, same as the "loading screen" does. They're both there to add a bit more time between attempts. The last thing I wanted was for someone to get stuck on the same level repeatedly without any cool down / pause, just randomly spawning glitches and dying until they got the one they wanted. That seemed like the most frustrating way to experience the game.

Secondly, I also didn't want someone spawning glitches, and deliberately killing themselves if they got the wrong one (or one that made the level more difficult), and them immediately retrying the same level without consequences until they got the glitch they wanted. Dying should be a bit of a punishment IMHO. But then again, I might be too harsh here in my thinking. You're definitely not the first one to mention the level set back.

Again thanks playing and the feedback! It's appreciated.

epiglottalaxolotlSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

This was fun! However, the really long load times killed it for me. (Also, I'm not sure how a balloon inflating counts as a "glitch".)

Submitted

Faulty Schematics for a Broken Machine

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

The load times are artificial, they serve more as a quick pause between levels. Maybe it could be tweaked a little to happen faster.

writer.emSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

I like the music and the game is very challenging. Nice work

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Thank you for the feedback! :D

ZaneZukovskySubmitted4 years ago(+1)

Love the aesthetic and the gameplay feels smooth! It is also very hard! I lost a lot of times. Still fun though.

Submitted

Rocket Powered Tin Cans

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Thanks for the feedback! :D Hope it wasn't too frustrating.

Retsa GamesSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

really like the fact that it creates a retro VHS atmosphere with so few elements. The random nature of the game makes it really fun to play with friends, and watch other people struggle with it :P . The checkpoint system is a nice touch

Submitted

Trolls vs Robots

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago(+1)

Thanks for the kind words! Really glad you enjoyed playing it.

Awesome SeriousSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

Game looks and feels amazing. Sadly the gameplay is a bit frustrating. Having to cycle through the glitches just to get the one you need is a bit tedious, but having to replay the previous level after you die is really frustrating. But it looks and feels great, and a few tweaks to the core gameplay loop would make this a lot of fun.

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Thanks! The idea of setting you back one level came a little later in development. The idea was to alternate between slightly harder and slightly easier levels so you wouldn't be set back too far (having to complete yet another hard level) , but also not continuously have to retry the same hard level if you kept dying there. The glitches probably need to be balanced way better to avoid getting a bunch in a row which are not useful. Thanks for playing!

StrangeDew4 years ago(+1)

2nd attempt^

I love the look of the game.

The game's controls are tight but I'm not a big fan of how the glitches are randomised. It can be frustrating when the glitch you need to complete the level doesn't activate. Felt like it came down to luck that I completed the level at all which leaves me feeling dissatisfied.

Instead of making the glitches randomised, I think it would have been better to have the loadout of glitches planned for each level. Then, I would have to be careful about when to cycle to another glitch because I might still need the current glitch to make progress. Hope what I wrote makes sense. Fortunately, this randomised glitch issue only came up on a couple of levels.

Good luck this gj!

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago(+1)

72 seconds. Wut? Well done! And thanks for the feedback!

The randomized glitches are indeed a little tricky. I've already added some rules to ensure certain glitches can only trigger in certain levels / circumstances, reduced the likelihood of some glitches, and that you can't get the same glitch twice in a row. Although I enjoy the randomness, I understand it doesn't work for everyone. The only improvements I could come up with to avoid this was:

Maybe show a queue of upcoming glitches so you could prepare, but although that might take some frustration away, I'm not sure if it would be fun to play.
Improve the level design so you don't have to wait for that one specific glitch to happen. Level 3, although probably the hardest, has multiple options wrt. glitches. Unfortunately this is pretty tricky with a 16x16 level size, and the current physics.
Somehow add more rules to better balance the glitches. Dying should be ok, but it shouldn't become frustrating. So perhaps avoid death mode, if it's killed the player in the past 10-20 glitches (I was aiming for it to be triggered 2-3 times per full play through).

I think doing 2 and 3 together would be best, but I'm not sure if I can pull that off in pico 8 easily. But again, thanks for playing, hope you enjoyed it overall, and thank you very much for the feedback!

Mount West4 years ago(+1)

Very good job! Especially the presentation, visually and audio, is so on point. This feels like it could be a whole game with rooms. It reminds me a little of VVVVVV. Also the Death Mode is ruthless, no chance when I get that I just give up.

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago(+1)

Thank you very much for the feedback! Do you think death mode is just a bit too much? I was aiming for a roughly 50/50 chance of survival, but it depends very much on where you are in the level, and which glitches are active, when you trigger it. Thanks for playing!

Mount West4 years ago(+1)

Yes a bit too much, I mostly had the feeling that I’ll just let myself get hit so I can restart without that madness. Perhaps you need to entice the player to push through it

therealpastaboy4 years ago(+1)

Originality, retro art and audio iswell as a fun idea made this game perfect only complaint are some of the controlls like jumping.

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Ah yes, my archnemesis... controls. Thanks for the feedback!

Darenn KellerSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

Very nice idea! I love the FX and visuals. Keep creating games!

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Wow, thank you very much! Just played and rated your game too. Very cool, and also visually very impressive! Good thing I'm pretty fast with a keyboard. :)

yonoduskSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

This game looks really sick! And the way that the glitches work make this game stay on your toes and remember what glitches happened or you will have unfortunate events (Its embarrassing how long I spent on level 4 because i got jump turned off all the time...) Super cool concept and really fun!!

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Thanks! I'm really happy you enjoyed it :D

SadSmileGamesSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

cool idea. i found it a bit frustrating to replay the same level over and over again after getting stuck in a level.

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Sorry about that. I assume it's level 3 that keeps getting you, and likely due to 1 or 2 specific glitches. In that case you might be a victim of RNG here, just unlucky. To keep things balanced/not aggravating the game has some rules as to when certain glitches may be triggered based on the level and previously triggered glitches. But it's hard to balance, and no guarantee for success. Thanks for playing, much appreciated!

1ukianSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

Very fun and original. Sound design and Art was really nice and fitting.

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

I am not a very musical / artsy person, so thank you very much for the compliment. Glad you enjoyed it!

Groovy Grooves GamesSubmitted4 years ago(+1)

It's a fun, creative game! even though it's simple, it's very accurate to the theme and you managed to make it fun and not infuriating. I actually like this game a lot. Good job!

Check and rate our game if you have some time!

Submitted

michaeldejongDeveloper4 years ago

Thanks for playing, and for the feedback! I will try to check out your game too, but I need to dig up a Windows machine first.