[RELEASE] Button Frenzy

[zerofiftyone]

 

Hey folks. I've been meaning to write one of these threads for a little while so here goes.

 

I'm making a game inspired by the gameplay loop of old-school Simon toys, and the universal ritual of inputting video game cheat codes using a controller. It's a fast-paced score-attack game whereby the player has to watch a randomly generated button sequence and then repeat it under a strict time limit. Enter in sequences quickly and you'll score more points and rack up a score multiplier. As the game continues it gets faster and more difficult. Think WarioWare in terms of basic structure and pace, and you're not too far off. 

 

Diversifiers used:

• "It's a Baby Game"
• Super Briefly

 

UPDATE

Play it here:

http://itch.io/jam/winter-wizard-jam/rate/45593

 

 

Another update:

 

This game is now on Steam Greenlight! I decided to keep working on it and make it into a full thing. I just launched the Greenlight page a few minutes ago and I'm pretty terrified! 

The page is here, if you're interested: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=576631024

[Travis]

I love a good microgame, so this sounds really cool!

[TopFish]

That title art is brilliant!

[zerofiftyone]

First draft of the main menu. The controller model on the left animates 1:1 with your keypresses!

 

[Spenny]

Style for days!

[zerofiftyone]

Today I stopped wasting time on menus and got a basic gameplay loop running . Still super-rough looking but the groundwork is there.

[dibs]

So stylish once again!

[zerofiftyone]

Haven't been working on this for the past few days, but this evening I got back into it and made some button prompt icons. I debated whether or not having them was a good idea, but they seem to make the game (if you can call it that atm) easier to read. Anyway, here's a gif:

 

[zerofiftyone]

I was working on an infinite tunnel backdrop a few days ago and just picked it back up. This is what it looks like so far, but I'm planning on adding some extra things to it before finishing. Maybe a starry skybox and some particles that whizz past the camera.

 

[Xfer83]

It should go without saying that everything you're doing here looks kickass!

I like the button prompt Icons, but I think the 'LS' text on left stick might look better as just an 'L'  I think the button shape/detail itself reads easily as a stick as opposed to a button, but for some reason the text on that guy sticks out to me. 

Looking forward to playing!

[zerofiftyone]

It should go without saying that everything you're doing here looks kickass!

I like the button prompt Icons, but I think the 'LS' text on left stick might look better as just an 'L'  I think the button shape/detail itself reads easily as a stick as opposed to a button, but for some reason the text on that guy sticks out to me. 

Looking forward to playing!

 

Yeah that sticks out to me too actually! I've been meaning to go back and edit that and a few other icons but I keep putting it off . I'll get around to it soon (maybe). 

 

Thanks for the kind words 

[gerbilsinspace]

How long have you been making 3d models and generally making games? Your stuff oozes style, and gets me all inspirational to follow in your footsteps.

[zerofiftyone]

How long have you been making 3d models and generally making games? Your stuff oozes style, and gets me all inspirational to follow in your footsteps.

 

Hey, thanks so much!! I'm not really much of a modeller (or artist) at all; when I need a model that I can't make myself with my somewhat my basic abilities I'll source it from elsewhere. I've been making games for about 2 years, albeit mostly hobby stuff. 

[Super_Jogurt]

Wow, those controllers look like delicious clay... I love how far you're taking this comically simple concept. It looks so goood! I love your summer peach-cream color palette.

 

Cannot wait to play it.

[zerofiftyone]

Some WIP Menu screenshots:

 

 

[zerofiftyone]

I made this track to play on loop in the menu screen:

https://soundcloud.com/zero51/button-frenzy-main-menu-rough-cut

 

I'm not really a music person, so I'm pretty inexperienced, but this was fun to make. 

[Ahr Ech]

Man, this is looking so polished! I like your menu music a lot, too!

[zerofiftyone]

I just submitted a build, and you can play it here:

http://itch.io/jam/winter-wizard-jam/rate/45593

 

Still have some work to do on it; pretty sure there's a showstopping bug in there somewhere but I've not had time to fix everything in time. Anyway, there it is.

[Dinosaursssssss]

This game is hot. Really, really nice work.

 

(that said it is crashing to desktop when I play on normal mode I think)

 

Also I found it pretty hard and I wonder if it be a bit easier if music played while it showed you the buttons to press? I feel like being able to tap the buttons along to the same rhythm might make it easier.

[zerofiftyone]

It seems to crash in the main menu when you're in the "start game" screen for some reason . I plan to go back and investigate what causes it, cause it's super annoying.

That's an interesting idea, having the sequence play out a rhythm. If end up developing this any further I might figure out how to do that.

Thanks for playin!

[Xfer83]

Very stylish, great level of polish!

I am totally incapable of enjoying any difficulty but easy, but enjoy I did!

Felt like i was competing against the platonic ideal of a gamepad user, and boy did I not measure up!

Great entry!

(Note: How to play showed only black boxes   )

[Broxxar]

Over Designed usually has a bit of a negative connotation... but this is brilliant! Damn hard though. Hard mode is certainly not a baby game!

[Ben X]

Very nice presentation! I found it crazy hard, but that's probably mainly because I don't play with controller enough to have the arbitrary letters mapped in my head. Maybe a Super Easy Baby mode could have printed the letters on the controller model? Also I kept getting distracted by the L in the left stick icon and couldn't absorb the directions - but I can see how it's really tough to come up with icons for every button or stick on this controller that don't clash or misdirect!

 

(I also got the menu crashes and the instruction black boxes.)

[elvaq]

Very slick presentation, nice and confident art style all around. I had a problem with the options menu though, every time I pressed down it would also move that option to the right, I think there needs to be some kind of input freeze to prevent accidental inputs.

 

Also that options menu was way too much for a jam game! I guess it makes sense if you want to practice your UI stuff or that part of UE4 but it just made me think of all the time you could've spent on other parts of the game haha

[zerofiftyone]

Very slick presentation, nice and confident art style all around. I had a problem with the options menu though, every time I pressed down it would also move that option to the right, I think there needs to be some kind of input freeze to prevent accidental inputs.

 

Also that options menu was way too much for a jam game! I guess it makes sense if you want to practice your UI stuff or that part of UE4 but it just made me think of all the time you could've spent on other parts of the game haha

 

Maybe a deadzone would fix that... Thanks for the heads up. 

And yeah, an options menu was totally over the top for a jam game . I did want the practice though; plus I built it in such a way that I can re-use it in other projects easily, so not a total waste of time!

 

Thanks Elvaq!