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Red Spiders's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Audio | #52 | 1.688 | 1.688 |
| Innovation | #54 | 2.313 | 2.313 |
| xkcd-ness (how well it matches/interprets the comic) | #58 | 3.063 | 3.063 |
| Overall | #67 | 2.250 | 2.250 |
| Visuals | #71 | 2.000 | 2.000 |
| Fun | #72 | 1.688 | 1.688 |
Ranked from 16 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Link to xkcd comic / 'what if' article the game is based on
https://xkcd.com/126/
Please list any pre-made art/music/other assets that you used.
All my own work!
Team size
1
Team's social media links:
@pooperpig
Anything else you want players to know before they play?
it gets harder - and it doesn't end so just keep an eye on your health!
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Comments
I think you should update you description to explain how to play initially but still neat concept! Anyway one thing I do want to mention is I'm doing a review of design on the games in this jam so here's a shameless plug to my channel if you want to be notified of the vid when released: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Vj46GGL9VMUvd4YTMtjXg
There are instructions below the game on how to play - did you read them and think they aren't sufficient, or did you not find them (they're hidden offscreen unless you have a huge monitor)?
if I have time I'll put a loading screen with instructions on
Its not that it is that i'll press the space bar and move forward but the spiders wont climb up the pole. Must be a BUG. (But I am legitimately serious this wasn't just a build up to a giant pun)
I updated it with instructions, end of game, sound effects etc. So fel free to take another look & let me know what you think!
sorry wrong red spiders game I was talking about and replying to you about! trying your game now!
Great improvement! and the sfx help so much to tell what going on good update!
My XKCD game jam analysis is out!
This game is alright. I like the idea that you have to defeat the spiders from the original comic. But I feel like you didn't execute it very well, and it wasn't able to keep my interest for very long.
The perspective shift as you jump is absolutely unneeded--when I read about it in the comments, I thought maybe it would be an interesting mechanic/element to this game, but it adds nothing and helps nothing here. It only confuses and hinders me as a player.
You also say in the description that you have to time your jump on the spider just right--but there is nothing in the game, audial or visual, that indicates how you must properly time your jump. And in the end that doesn't even matter, because your health simply keeps going down after 0 into the negatives. Not to mention, there are so many buildings here that if a spider lands on the right when you're on the left, is there a chance to time your jump correctly? I have no idea since I don't know what the proper timing is, but I'm curious.
The only thing I like is the spiders climbing up the building and landing on them; the animation is kind of nice. But since there's no sense of purpose stomping them other than racking up points, it all feels rather aimless (and you never did say why I'm killing all these spiders to begin with).
So, yeah, this is ok. I think things could be better, but it was an ok experience.
Thanks.
the idea of the perspective change was that the spiders can only be seen climbing up one side of a building at a time -and you can only change perspective by jumping to another building - so it adds a puzzle element. I do appreciate how confusing it is, and if i had time would have made it a smoother transition as he jumps, which I think would have been better!
When the spider reacher the roof, he spins once - while spinning you can jump and kill him safely - any other time, you lose health.
I anticipated having time to put a sound effect (I'd even recorded one for the SPLAT of jumping on a spider) but there was a problem with the sound in cocosCreator so I couldn't get sound working - I think that would have helped a lot!
As for timing - at the start there is probably enough time as you can track the spiders and anticipate their destination (there i, in fact, some logic built into their movements - not much, but a little!) and they spawn ever faster - so it's a no-win game - just see how high a score you can get.\
if I have time I will try to put an end--game in and also try again with the sounds.
Thanks for your feedback - I genuinely appreciate you taking the time.
I've made some improvements - I updated it with instructions, end of game, sound effects etc. So feel free to take another look & let me know what you think!
Coolness! I'll definitely give it a look after I comment on the other games in the jam. :)
I really like the idea of shifting perspectives, allowing you to see oncoming spiders. But, the lack of a loss or win condition barely constitutes this as a game. Perhaps make a turn system where the player takes a turn to shift to another building or stay put, the let a spider get onto one of them or give an indicator one's on the way. Then, keep a counter going on how long the player can survive without touching a spider. Then, end the game when the player has no other options (i.e. surrounded by spiders). This has a lot of potential!
Wanna try my game? https://itch.io/jam/xkcdgamejam/rate/196038
The idea was that it is a no-win game - just see how high a score you can get. But as you say, without an end, it's not really a game. Just a few more hours & I'd have got there!!!!
I have downloaded your game & will post a review later.
thanks for taking the time
I've made some improvements - I updated it with instructions, end of game, sound effects etc. So feel free to take another look & let me know what you think!
The things that this lacks really bring it down- I feel that all those animations, sounds, and game over are *needed* for this game.
Other than that, the perspective changes on the buildings are a bit jarring.
The main premise can be fun, but it was difficult to understand what I was supposed to be doing. It should be more obvious when you can't jump on a spider.
Thanks - I totally agree with all your comments! It was my first jam, so really wanted to get something up and running, and I was learning CocosCreator (first time i'd used it) so struggled a bit with the tech! (and it seems there's a bug in the sound processing that stopped my lovely spider scratchy-sounds from working)
I have added animations now.