Amazing game! Really well done! Especially for a 5 day build! I think my only criticism is that when moving the key, sometimes you get instantly put back into a mini-game because the key is still touching the edges - Fist full of shrimp explains this better!
Overall the game was amazing to look at, scared me a few times and I loved the wall interactions for adjusting height, difficulty etc...
Well done! I'd love to see more built upon this game!
Play game
Dark Panic! VR's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Aesthetics - Does the game look great? | #2 | 4.333 | 4.333 |
| Enjoyment - How fun is the game overall? | #3 | 3.667 | 3.667 |
| Overall | #4 | 3.707 | 3.707 |
| Halloween Spirit - Some aspect fear, the supernatural or the macabre? | #4 | 4.000 | 4.000 |
| Sound Design - Was that bump in the night the perfect SFX? | #5 | 3.533 | 3.533 |
| Use of Theme - Was the theme incorporated well? | #10 | 3.000 | 3.000 |
Ranked from 15 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Judge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous.
- Amazing game! Really well done! Especially for a 5 day build! I think my only criticism is that when moving the key, sometimes you get instantly put back into a mini-game because the key is still touching the edges.
Comments
Fun project! I really liked the gunplay. It was a blast to just unload dual 1911s into the beasts. Sadly couldn't get the key off. Full gameplay here:
Submitted
Project SolarisYour textures and lighting and stuff look amazing. The key puzzle was kind of difficult but not too difficult and the mini games weren't too difficult either but I don't think they were too fun honestly. Having to shoot things so many times to kill them was a little annoying, feels like if you could land headshots that might be better, for a one hit kill instead of having to shoot them like 5 to 10 times to get a kill. The aimer was good and overall the game was really pretty. The sounds were way too loud sometimes. I get that for the jump scares they're supposed to be accompanied with a loud noise but the gunshots and music were too loud in the mini games and the jump scare sound was too loud, I feel like I was flinching mostly from sound tbh. Very well rounded experience. I feel like having a menu attached to the player is nicer than having them have to walk all the way back to change settings and stuff.
Submitted
Lost and FoundThanks for playing and the feedback - great idea on the 'headshot' for the enemies, it's a tried and tested classic so don't know why it didn't enter my head at the time! Seems obvious post Jam...
Admittedly, the jump scare sounds were purposely loud for the Jam - basically to try and make Fist Full of Shrimp crap himself, I think it worked :)
The difficulty options were at the start because I didn't want people to swapping them around mid-game, especially on the wire bit because they get applied immediately - I wanted it to be a choice at the start of what you were letting yourself in for (and it's also obvious if you're at the wrong height at the start, so that's there too).
Looks and plays great! Fun concepts and lots of jump scares! Great work!
Submitted
Lost and FoundThat was just a pure and fantastic experience. The entire thing felt so polished and complete. where to start?
- Accessibility was terrific even down to a difficulty and jump scare setting. This gives everyone a chance to play your game. I do think offering a standing option would have been nice, but not entirely necessary.
- The jump scares were terrific. You had me saying "Oh F#*k Off!!" a few times 🤣
- Multiple game mechanics that were polished. You really knew how to scope this game and I think it allowed you to really polish every bit.
- Tutorial was as smooth as butter. It's the right amount of tutorial and game progression that makes the player feel like they aren't just reading a rule book.
- Lighting and material work was top notch. Let me know when you start doing tutorials on it because I'm ready to watch!
Some Notes: The key puzzle was great, but there were a few times that it would get stuck, which caused it constantly go into the other mini-games.
Outside of that, this is just an amazing entry. Thank you so much for participating!
Firstly, I'm glad I made you say 'oh F#*k off!' a few times - forget the whole Jam thing, that was my overall goal really :)
Thanks very much for the feedback! Yeah, it was a pretty intense 5-day, I've taken time-lapse videos of the whole process in the devlog section if you want to see how it was made - Dark Panic! 5-Day Halloween Game Jam Dev Log - Dark Panic! by IanLindsey (itch.io)
It's my 2nd Jam, so I see how time is a massive factor - therefore it made sense to make one main bit, then have a selection of 'dark' mini-games to add to it, that way they can be added or removed given the time... Actually I had 5 in mind originally, but I'd rather have 2 polished playable balanced ones than 5 unplayable ones - they do change depending on the level of difficulty too, so they needed extra play testing time to balance all that...
Actually, I might add the other 3 one day :)
As for the lighting & materials, you're in luck! I've already made a kinda tutorial/dev log about my process - it's on something called YouTube:
As for the standing thing - you're absolutely right of course, and it was something that became apparent near the end of the Jam.
I originally planned to make a seated experience, so I started out doing that, put the code in, modelled the environment yadda, yadda - but then as it became more playable, it was clear that it also worked as a standing game too. However, by that point I'd modelled the environment too short and there wasn't enough time to go back and adjust everything, so in the end I opted for that height adjust option - which kinda still works, but ultimately given another day or so I would have just made the environment taller to fit and made it cater for both.
Thanks for playing & glad to be part of the Jam!
A gorgeous and elegant VR experience and game. The textured environments and lighting, the absolute precision of the floating key (allowing for change of hands or grips as necessary), the variety of shooting targets during the gun mini-game, even the inclusion of the shield/buckler mechanic to add some mobile cover? Brilliant. Lots of mechanics in a smooth and replayable package.
So pretty! Man, the texture work you have been able to pull off really is next level! I forgot to hit the jump scare button as i didn't realize it was on the wall at the back of the starting room, I just started walking down the hall. OOF! 5 days! So much polish! Great job!
Submitted
Moonlight MysteriesThe visuals, multiple gameplay mechanics, the level of polishing.. It's just insane how much you did just in few days! Bravo 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I really liked the jump scares during the key puzzle.
By the way, it said that it's a seated experience but I found it more comfortable to play while standing.
Submitted
Completely dark VRVery amazing. Incredibly clean environment, material and design. Fantastic. Really smooth game mechanics and I really enjoys the shooting mini games. Super well designed and executed. Congratulations.
Submitted
The Lost SoulFollowing the development process I had high expectations ... and you even exceeded them. It's actually 2-3 different game-mechanics, with different modes... and that in 5 days, totally crazy :-D
Some of the jumpscares really got me. Needed a few runs (especially the zombies are pretty OP^^), but finally escaped.
I like that you have this recognizable style (when you played Space Panic before). Same title, same graphics, even some recurring elements like the healthbar snack ... you should make a series ;-)
Also like that you even in this short time put some little details like the books or openable cupboards. Just makes everything even more belieavable.
And this "tutorial" section was on point... the texts were exactly were i expected them.
The only little feedback: I usually prefer VR games standing, so was a bit strange, that it started so far down. But cool, that you even considered that in the settings. But wouldn't it be easier to let the player decide himself (by changing the Tracking Origin Type)? Because i think the game definitely works in both ways...
But all in all absolutely fantastic, congrats to the (probably) win :-D
Submitted
Button in the DarknessThanks for that! Very honest and open, and also thanks for your input on the discord channel too. Yeah, that zombie jump scare got me every time too, even though I knew it was coming!
Thanks for following the progress, it was an intense week I must admit - the project was just boxes and temp grid textures for like three days, I thought it was going nowhere, but thankfully it blossomed in the end...
As for the seated/height thing, you're absolutely right, and it was something that I realised too late. I initially wanted to make it a seated experience, but then it became apparent that actually, it would be better stood up... By that point I'd modelled all the environment, but it was too short - noooooo! So if the player was standing up, it either made the floor too high, or alternately the doors & ceilings too low - by that point it was too late to change, so I opted for the adjustable height solution instead which was doable in the time. Ultimately, given more time I'd alter the environment to fit, then it can be played either seated or standing.
In any case, thanks for playing and the feedback!
Very well done! The puzzle was challenging but fair, and I appreciated the additional accessibility options
Submitted
Uncanny VROkay, you're ridiculous. This was fantastic in every way. The accessibility, the gameplay, the visuals. *chef's kiss* Well done.
Submitted
Premature IlluminationI love the design! The handling felt good and the puzzle was set up really well. However, I found it a bit tough to get through so I didn't manage it.I will be trying again :)
Submitted
Night In The Mansion VRHere's a trailer video of Dark Panic!
... and here's the dev log videos the ‘making of' Dark Panic for my fellow devs :)
Dark Panic! 5-Day Halloween Game Jam Dev Log - Dark Panic! by IanLindsey (itch.io)
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