Hey all,
So last Sunday I'be submitted my entry and thought it might be interesting to talk a bit about it:
https://itch.io/jam/slow-game-jam/rate/131926
Few years ago I was thinking about the idea of scale and how to make an environment feel big and massive. I did some small experimentation and I had this demo where you control a tiny dot in a single screen. But it was not the size that convey how big the environment was, it was its speed. By making the dot really slow, you felt suddenly walking through a vast level.
The idea stuck with me but it was dead on arrival because it was really slow to move just one screen. Who would want to play that?
And few weeks ago I saw the slow game jam and I thought it would be perfect to get it out of my system. I could just build the game for this jam. Not just because it is slow but because of each new screen is a meaningful discovery even if the discovery is small. I really like the idea that a screen is an achievement in some way and that any small element in it is rewarding even if it's just a tiny dune.
I've tried to add enough variation, small moments and surprises to keep the player engaged but this is so difficult because the game is so bare bone and slow. But I also added some secrets that will reward players who try to explore.
Another important aspect was the movement of the dot. While I tried to make the movement minimal I still wanted to make it move in a natural way with effect and sound effect that would ground it in this world.
Speaking about sound effect, the biggest flaw for me in the build is the lack of environmental sound in most of the level. I tried to add wind, birds and other background sound but none of the result was satisfying so I didn't put any ambient. I feel its really missing in the game just to make it feel nicer to be in these places. The only ambient I have is the sound I've recorded in my fridge (!) which is used only for special occasions (the sound, not the fridge).
Another missing piece is the lack of explanations or tutorial which is crucial to explain the climbing mechanic. I tried to add one but it felt out of place and since I didn't had time last week end to finish a proper one I just dropped the ball.
What is funny is that the idea at first was to be a rogue like with a stamina bar. If you start to climb and run out of stamina you would simply drop, die and restart from the beginning. If you play the game you probably realized that is really harsh :) So yeah now I respawn the player is the last safe location and there is no more stamina which is way better.
Anyway, I you have 30 minutes to kill and want to do something while your mind in drifting in random thoughts, check out the game. And please share how far you went, I'll be very interested to know.
Nic