Coin Chase - A CLI Game for Linux Power Users

Coin Chase is not your typical game. It runs in the terminal, and you control it entirely with keyboard inputs (WASD or Vim keys).
No graphics, no bloat, just pure, minimalist strategy.

Navigate an expanding ASCII grid to collect coins (C) while outsmarting enemies (E). Every move counts, and enemies get smarter as you progress, sometimes even beating you to the coins.

With continuous levels and increasing challenge, Coin Chase is gameplay at its core. If you're the kind of person who values simplicity and efficiency, this game is for you.

It's a game by power users, for power users. Plus, it's a great way to master Vim movements.
An old-style, command-based roguelike with a twist—no walls, no attack.

"If You're on Linux and Know What the Terminal Is, You Can Play This Game—You Should Try It."

Coin Chase is a niche game, and not everyone will get the chance to play it. If you think you're up for the challenge, give it a shot, and send a screenshot of your best score!

Play Coin Chase

Making a game is a challenging endeavor, and as a developer, my goal is to create an enjoyable experience for players. Unfortunately, I've come to realize that the game I was working on didn't quite meet that criteria. 😓 While the mechanics of the 2D platformer, where the player character was a skater 🛹 and their speed gradually increased until reaching maximal velocity, were functional, I struggled when it came to level design. I found myself feeling uninspired 😔, and ultimately, the game lacked the fun factor that I believe is essential. 🙁

Throughout the development process, I was dedicated to ensuring that the game was not only complete but also enjoyable. However, as I progressed, I realized that it had veered off course. At this point, making significant changes to the project was not feasible due to limitations in the CPP engine I had developed. Adapting and revamping the game would have taken more time ⏳than I had available, and I didn't want to compromise the quality of the final product.

Therefore, after careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision not to release the game for this particular Monthly Jam #2. I believe that releasing a game that is not up to my standards of fun and enjoyment would not do justice to the effort and passion I've put into game development.

While it is disappointing not to have a finished game to present, I believe it's essential to prioritize quality over meeting deadlines. 🤷‍♂️ I would rather take the time to refine and improve the game until it reaches a level of satisfaction that I can confidently share with players.

I want to express my gratitude to the organizers of this jam for providing a platform to showcase our creations. I am hopeful that in the future, I will have the opportunity to participate again and present a game that truly reflects the joy and excitement that gaming can bring.

Thank you for your understanding, and I look forward to continuing my journey in game development.

I decided to go with a static camera, I got the basic concept of the game working, now I need to redo the assets, polish the game, add some more levels, make the control more clear, rework the UI, and a bunch of play testing to make sure it's not too hard. I decided to go against my instinct and NOT make a racing game, as for the second optional theme I am not using it, but I will try to follow the optional limitation of no digits. well see about that, any way that's all for today, now let's go back to the real world for the day, the weather is amazing outside it's a  shame to stay inside coding in C.

I've successfully added a moving camera that tracks the player, but I'm encountering some issues. When the camera gets too close to the edge of the level, it goes out of bounds, and it feels rigid and inflexible. Additionally, the viewport currently spans the entire level, which is not ideal. I'd like to make the viewport smaller, but I'm not sure how to do it.

i would think it's 11 days. at least that what I understood from the timer and all. but I am not the admin of the jam so Idk for sure. I am not even sure of what I will make yet so 4 days feel like it would be short.

Hey everyone,

I've been working on a game engine in C for a platformer game, and while it's not complete, it's functional enough for me to use in the upcoming game jam. If you're interested in checking it out, an early version of the engine is available on GitHub under the name "PlatE." Here's the link: https://github.com/AmosNimos/PlatE.

I want to make it clear that there's no guarantee that I'll document the process of using this engine during the game jam. However, I'll do my best to share updates and what I learn along the way if time permits.

Overall, I'm excited to see what I can create with this engine and how it will perform during the game jam. It's a work-in-progress, but I'm hoping that the challenge of the game jam will push me to make it more modular and complete.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for updates!

Ah yes, thanks for the reminder as a french speaker I often confuse the two.

**There is no such thing as a "chromebook user" get a real computer. (To the credit of Chromebooks they actually make better electronic device now, but I still won't call them "computer" since they are not made to run software other than "web app".) if you think they are actual computer despite that, fine by me.