Three Simple Rules


First ever game jam : DONE.

Three simple rules was an interesting constraint and I originally though about how that could play into a horror game, but not wanting my reach to extend my grasp. So instead I started thinking about a simple game with only 1 rule - Whack a mole, in which the rule is...whack a mole.

I also remembered Mavis Beacon teaches typing, a edu-game from my childhood and the type to drive game within it.

This is a combination of thoses.

0.01 - Built basic (UGLY) assets with a view to making the expansion as easy as possible. So scripted out as much code as possible rather than running it in an object I'd be replicating 25 times over. 

0.02 - Arrays and iRandoms as far as the eye can see. Objects creating iRandom to assign the letter, then the obj for the letter uses the scripting I wrote to pick an animal. Also, for testing purposes the letter assignation is commented out and replced with a simple assignment to 'A' to test with.

0.03 - Sprites to my actions, I am by no means a great animator, so the animation sprites are rough but are only on screen for 1/2 a second so I'm going to forgive myself on this and plough forward.

0.04 - More ugly sprites, this time for getting the action wrong. Again 1/2 second on screen, but I wanted some fun. 

0.05 - Start again on the holes' script, something about the way I was doing it was causing cascading reactions and making it easy to cheat the game. The letter watching object is now watching for the modifier keys as well, which in retrospect makes MUCH more sense. 

0.06 - The hole is acting as I think it should. I've passed correct functions to a script to assign points to make it easy for any problems down the road. I'm going to make more holes. 

0.07 - QWEASDZXC has been made. This actually plays nicely as a warm up version. I'm going to keep this in as a simplified version. The process isn't too hard, copy the object controller and just limit it to these 9.

00.8 - Copy/Paste/Edit x 16 on a bunch of codes to make the letters work properly.

0.09 - Right, 26 key mode works. Primary loop seems to be working. Onwards to a secondary loop

0.10 - Scoring and lives system. Use the wrong effect on an animal or let it despawn with no effect and it triggers a wrong choice script, lose a life. Life = 0, end of game. This will be better handled down the road. 

0.11 - Scores seem to be totting up, lives work. Lovely. Also added a speed up function every time the score hits a multiple of 5. Clamped so it can't get insane but should keep the challenge rising.

0.12 - Going to try and implement a top score system. I've been putting off score systems with my other project due to this being new ground, but it's a good chance to test myself. 

0.13 - Save works on 9 key game. Been using this to test most of the workings, I need to redraw these sprites they're a touch too ugly. And thinking I might add some sounds in down the line

0.14 - Score saving on the 26-key game doesn't work. The code was copy pasted and edited from the  9 player game.

0.14a - I'm coming back to this, I've tried nesting a bunch of things and reordering it and save file doesn't get written to...

0.15 - Redrawn the sprites and added a bit of symetry ,  looks a bit better. Also added a 50% alpha cut of the hole over the animals to add some depth

0.16 - Retimed the animations as they were only showing for 1/4 second not a 1/2 and losing half the animation

0.17 - Save file GET. I forgot to parent the 26key game control object. Stupid mistake to make. 

0.18 - Menu system built up and top scores displayed along side each mode. Description of the game on the splash screen and a quick logo. 

0.19 - Quick play test and I thiiiiiiink I'm good to go. 

0.20 - SOUNDS. I've found some sound assets with CC-0 from Kenney Asset Pack 1. 

0.21 - One sound cuts out another, fixed it. 

0.22 - Now the sounds never end.

0.22a - FIXED IT

0.23 - Reworded a few bits, the correct result feels a bit flat with no sound, but as the same time I feel like any chime is going to be annoying..

0.23a - I've done a little tick box animation to go over correct triggers. Satisfying and not annoying. I'm calling that a win. 

0.23b - REMEMBER TO ALIGN ORIGINS!

0.24 - More testing, and I think we're there. Further development I'd like to add is something to alert you when you get the top score. Beyond that I'm at a loss for further development beyond graphical improvement and more nuanced challenge ramping. 

0.25 - It's published. If you're reading this, thanks, I hope you have fun playing the game, this was my first game jam. Considering I'm not a big coder and I've had a lot of fun building this up and I'm really keen to give it another go next time.

Files

whackthemole.zip 6 MB
Aug 30, 2020

Get Whack (only) the mole

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