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Devtober was a chance to work towards a project I could be more proud of. I wanted to try something different, to get out of a rut of doing only game jams and small side projects. My intention was to create an easy-use-to tool where the user can make silhouette landscapes using premade sprites and colourise them by layer.  Link to my twitter for more details here - My Twitter

I've worked everyday and though I haven't finished it, I have finished spending the whole of October working towards it. I have tweeted daily (never had a twitter before this), and have learned a lot of things along the way.

What went right?

• Got over my public fear,  got a twitter account and uploaded daily. Though some days were not as productive as others 
• Learned a new software - Inkscape, vector graphics were a perfect fit for my tool
• Improved my UI skills, It's been a challenge but its actually quite fun and has opened a door to a new possible area of focus
• Became more driven and focused, I don't need motivation, never have for coding / making games as its fun but a longer project like this has tested me but I feel I've only improved my ability to just crack on. Pomodoro Technique is a useful tool I've started using for getting through these types of days
• Reduced indecisiveness, it's a problem I suffer with but this time, I managed to almost eliminate it by denying myself the opportunity to question a big decision after I've made it. As a chronic over-thinker it's a nice change of pace

What went wrong?

• Time wastage, early month digression wanting to make a game instead, lack of skill and knowledge in certain areas causing me to spend hours figuring things out, bug fixing and falling victim to late project lethargy
• No proper project management, I spend barely any time planning or detailing this project. I incorporated Trello two weeks in but never used it effectively to truly benefit from it. 
• Not finishing the tool for the 31st. This isn't a truly awful thing as it wasn't the goal, better habits were and I've made some

How and what to improve?

• Thoroughly map out all intended features and estimate how much work and time would be required. I wasted a lot of time just figuring out exactly what features I needed and what they require. This sounds obvious in hindsight but my initial excitement got the better of me and I just go started
• More rest away from the computer, I have the problem of spending too many straight hours in front of the computer screen, I swear it causes me to produce less productive work in the same time it would take if I had a break. With this pandemic it might be even more important to catch a break once in a while

Well done for completing your first game jam!

These kind of puzzle mechanics with tend to offer a lot of content when investigated more, so i suggest sticking with this a see where it goes :D. I would also suggest keeping the levels within camera view so the Player can focus their time on thinking approaches to solve each puzzle.

The Music was Great, ive said this like 50 times now everybody appears to have made fantastic music in this jam so seriously well done!

Good game, my main issue not knowing whats goings to kill me lol, perhaps that is my lack of platforming experience? Due to your monochromatic art style, indicating hazards may have already been challenge? A suggestion might be Motion? the monsters move and are clearly hazardous so maybe the ground were to move or be in some animation.

The music was Great loads of Devs have done good music for this jam so well done seriously! Im kinda liking the simple jump mechanic too, it felt responsive. I Love this kind of art style as well, brings lots of atmosphere and i liked the silver touch, Great job!

Love the overall polish, the colour change was great idea and adds enough change to each run.

i felt there wasn't much choice out of the starting items; im almost forced to use the grapple as it offers mobilty which, in a time-based game around moving to things and killing them is kinda important and it, afaik, doesnt remove time unlike the gun. Perhaps making it consume time if you missed may improve things?

im presuming you did procedural gen for the map? if so props to you for that! The transitions between runs you added were great too and i loved the music! Overall great game well done!

Wow thank you so much for such awesome feedback!

Your nitpicks are 100% right, the slingshot would be better yes, i honestly never play these kind of games so i never knew. An option to switch aim or sling sounds like a good idea. The propel meter issue is so on the dot! It definitely needed more indication! something like a particle fx or turn blue to contrast. Good feedback thank you so much and im glad you liked it :D

I interpreted it: 

• DEATH = you die.
• NEW BEGINNING = the seeds you plants blossom into New life (flowers) when you die at the end of the timer. Bit of stretch but good enough for me.

What did you think of the gameplay?

Redo? if you're talking about undo then technically you're not wrong - it doesnt always work but thats on purpose ;) however, i dont doubt that there are UNintentional bugs in the game affecting it and other things. Sorry about that, thanks for the feedback! 

its intentional yes, anything thats an intentional bug has the weird screen beam glitch vfx

yeah i definitely should have made more time for clarity, thanks!

Agreed on both things, I knew it needed tutorial but ran out of time, also other feedback I have received have suggested the same idea with a Win / Loss counter, its was the first thing on my list to add when I return to the project, stay tuned for that. Thank you for the feedback!

It occasionally gives me that bug, refreshing sorts it out for me. When I get back to this project I will add a downloadable to it, sorry for the inconvenience.

Hello, I've made a small Puzzle prototype about popping all invading bubbles within a certain number of Moves and HP. Each invader is a threat in some way and most of them offer something interesting that you may have to employ or overcome in order to beat the level. For example, popping a certain bubble will release its core, popping anything it hits for free but leaving behind a wall that you must navigate around. If you're interested, the links below:

https://jjmt.itch.io/bubble-trouble

Currently, its a small prototype so things will be subject to change, somethings may be missing and there may also be bugs (so far so good).

I would love for any feedback you can offer:

• Is it fun to Strategise how best to move in order to beat the level? If not why?
• Are the Stats simple and effective enough to manage? Or should they be simplified / improved on?
• Do you like the Artstyle and do you find it Relaxes you for puzzle gameplay loop? Or do you feel it doesnt work?

The name WILL be changed, its just a placeholder, im aware of other games using it - any ideas for the name is welcomed.

Super fun! Meaty feedback, the Axe recall was a good decision, great work.

Yes im sorry about them bugs,Thank you! 

Great presentation and sound, it could use with more strategy perhaps? definitely feels like zigzagging as mentioned below - what if different enemies had different sides to receive dmg? Perhaps red enemies require hits from their sides so you have to move the bullet into them horizontally, or vertically for other enemy types? This in turn would move you differently adding to the challenge of negating dmg while you inflict it. Either way very well made in such a short time, great work!

Thats really confidence building thank you so much! Yes the last one was to teach you more about the Orange blocks behavior in the 2nd Dimension, they sort of override the 2nd Dimension by applying Depth (hence why you cant move past them even in the 2nd Dimension). 

if you  spatially position yourself via the 2nd Dimension, in "Front" of a Orange block, you are actually in front of it - due to depth they add which, the 2nd Dimension doesn't have. So you hit it when returning to the 3rd Dimension (Isometric Overview) and because there isn't anything below you now (in the 3rd), you fall down. 

God thats difficult to explain (could even be illogical), wish i had more time to develop and teach the player these consequences and rules slowly but I had to squeeze everything down to the most interesting things I could find and fast. I will do better next time!

The perspective shifts to view you, you are always centralized so there no offset, not sure what you mean? Could be another bug, either way im sorry, thank you for the feedback!

Yep, first jam, kinda first game as well really, ive made little things here and there. I am working on two projects atm, one of which is almost done but none of them have been seen by this many people or so public :O

https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-2019/rate/462240

I quite enjoyed it, really quick and fun , a trajectory path of the bullet while holding down could be great to help plan them multi-hits, good work!

Yeah, in hindsight it’s very similar to Fez, I was running out of time as I hadn’t decided on anything until mid day on Saturday, so I just went for it, yeah, controls will be something I’ll be aiming to improve on in isometric games, thanks you.

Yes, that was an annoying outcome on my part, in future games I’ll make sure to fix it, thank you :)

Ensio the Eye | Puzzle game  | changing your Perspective to allow for movement in the 2nd Dimension or activate again to return to the 3rd

Its my first Game Jam. Its got its fair share of bugs that I ran out of time to fix but its something and ive enjoyed the whole experience.

https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-2019/rate/46224

Apart from the various bugs and such, I think, with improved controls (especially for keyboard / Mouse unless you intend to go full Controller route), that its interesting take on the theme, good work! 

I unfortunately wont have the time to as i have another game in the works thats far more interesting (in my opinion that it) to this one.

Only one perspective for most games make sense but in this one its the central mechanic really, Only one perspective is allowed at a time, just like there are games in the jam with multiple items but Only One can be used at time. Its an open theme to begin with so its a fair fit in my opinion. Though I see what you mean, I needed there to be an overview perspective in order for you to spatially situate things (even if,  in hindsight, it doesn't work as well as it could). Thank you for your honest feedback.

Very well done! Very smooth and relaxing gameplay, I like the mechanics, great job.

Only One Perspective at a time. Only One Eye to see it. Yes very similar to Fez expect that Fez uses the 3D to influence the player in the 2D this little game is like an inverse of that, in that you are moving in the 2nd Dimension to dictate where you are situated in the 3rd when you toggle the perspective. Fez is far superior though. This game also has loads more bugs than Fez haha.

Agreed, could have used with smoothing and visual effect, thank you!

Yeah they definitely could have used more work, thank you! 

Fun and challenging puzzle game, nice work.

Ensio the Eye | Puzzle game  | changing your Perspective to allow for movement in the 2nd Dimension or activate again to return to the 3rd

Its my first Game Jam. Its got its fair share of bugs that I ran out of time to fix but its something and ive enjoyed the whole experience.

https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-2019/rate/462240

Well designed, now that you have it submitted take the chance to see where it could develop further, id love to see, good work!

Ensio the Eye | Puzzle game  | changing your Perspective to allow for movement in the 2nd Dimension or activate again to return to the 3rd

Its my first Game Jam. Its got its fair share of bugs that I ran out of time to fix but its something and ive enjoyed the whole experience.

https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-2019/rate/462240

Ensio the Eye | Puzzle game  | changing your Perspective to allow for movement in the 2nd Dimension or activate again to return to the 3rd

Its my first Game Jam. Its got its fair share of bugs that I ran out of time to fix but its something and ive enjoyed the whole experience.

https://itch.io/jam/gmtk-2019/rate/462240

I've played some of your Puzzle Script games before and im a big fan in general of your games (still think A Good Snowman is Hard to Build is one of the most elegantly designed puzzle games I know), this game is isn't any different, an interesting mechanics with loads of consequences to learn, this is the kind of stuff I aspire to create, great work!

Great work, addicting game, smooth animations and fitting music. Feel the game would be better off without the sword as then you could strengthen the slide and jump mechanics to offer even more strategic ways of dealing with the enemies.

Interesting little game well done, sound design was great, great presentation and models too.

This is my kind of game! I dont have a single negative thing to say about it, played all the way through, well done!

The feedback the game gives you is insane, the sound work, the screen shake, well done for achieving this in such a small period of time! id definitely play this on my phone if i was bored.

Really interesting, I struggled on the first level, my brain cant handle it after the jam it would seem :), good work!