View Full Version : 19 : Garden of Completion
dINGLE
01-07-2008, 08:27 PM
Here is my entry for comp 19
As a departure from the norm in how games usually deal with death,
in this game the player's death is inevitable.
Even though the player gets to live an infinite number of lives, they can never escape death.
It is more about what the player does during the time they have alive, and what they leave behind for the next lives.
Its pretty obvious this game is a metaphor for something, but I'm not sure anyone would get it if it wasn't explained.
Oh yes, and it has stick men and flowers!!!
As for the name, I was thinking of calling it "Garden of Death",
but that sounds like a low budget slasher movie,
and I'm sure ppl would play it expecting blood and guts everywhere.
Instead I looked at death not as an end to something, but as a completion of something,
hence the name.
Comp Entry (http://www.gamedev.za.net/filecloset/download.php?id=531)
Post-comp Release 1 (http://willhostforfood.com/dl.php?fileid=48985)
Great Games Experiment page (http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/gardenofcompletion)
FuzzYspo0N
01-07-2008, 08:42 PM
it looks cool dude, i plyed this quite a bit had some big grass :)
ill comment more later
DukeOFprunes
01-07-2008, 08:58 PM
What an absolutely unique idea, top score sir!
Thaumaturge
02-07-2008, 06:03 AM
Oooh, that's a really cool idea, and nicely philosophical! The name, by the way, seems very fitting to me. ^_^
I very much like the metaphor used for encroaching death, especially in the way that it reacts to player action, and the results of player "lives" are, I think, appropriately represented - they make a nice counterpoint, I think.
The only thing that I consider to be a flaw is that, while the effects of one stickman's life persist, they don't appear to affect that of another in terms of gameplay to a great degree, other than stacking themselves. That is, it appears that you can affect the way that the garden is formed, but not the experience that another has in going through it.
Overall, it's like one of Jason Rohrer's (http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/jason-rohrer/) games, but, I think, better than the two that I've played thus far (Passage and Immortality). ^_^
dINGLE
02-07-2008, 06:49 PM
Thanks all.
Oooh, that's a really cool idea, and nicely philosophical! The name, by the way, seems very fitting to me. ^_^
I very much like the metaphor used for encroaching death, especially in the way that it reacts to player action, and the results of player "lives" are, I think, appropriately represented - they make a nice counterpoint, I think.
The only thing that I consider to be a flaw is that, while the effects of one stickman's life persist, they don't appear to affect that of another in terms of gameplay to a great degree, other than stacking themselves. That is, it appears that you can affect the way that the garden is formed, but not the experience that another has in going through it.
Overall, it's like one of Jason Rohrer's (http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/jason-rohrer/) games, but, I think, better than the two that I've played thus far (Passage and Immortality). ^_^
You're right, one life effecting another's journey through the garden would be a great idea for the gameplay.. but what would be a good way for it to effect gameplay?
And I'm also thinking its a bit too flowery. While I was making it I only had red flowers, but now there is purple and blue too... they were kinda sparse and only popped up after a while... but now there are all over from the start.
Thaumaturge
03-07-2008, 05:06 AM
but what would be a good way for it to effect gameplay?
The things that first come to mind are affecting the speed of one or both "deaths" and affecting the speed of the player. Of those two, I think that I prefer the former, especially if they are not both affected by the same things.
For example, the left "death" might be slowed by blue flowers, and the right by long grass.
I don't think, however, that they should be made too slow; death should continue to follow in fairly short order, even if you can stave it off for a little longer late in the game than early.
And I'm also thinking its a bit too flowery.
Not at all, I don't think! I think that it's pretty good right now. In fact, I'm more inclined to suggest further developments. You might even have trees and bushes of various types, colours and florescence sprouting, all in the same, minimalist style. Perhaps most importantly, I would like it to depend on the player's actions in some way - perhaps based on number of times that the region is walked over, or the length of contiguous grass in which it stands, or the number of "lives" that have been lived on it, etc... The methods in question should probably be discoverable, but hidden complexity in the decisions involved might serve you well.
I think that it could be great to be able, over generations, to produce something even greater than currently appears to be available. Developments past the flowers, and figuring out the sets of actions that produce them, could also help to keep players playing, I suspect.
If you do include "advanced" developments, they might hav more powerful effects on the gameplay. Perhaps a large-enough tree can actually cause one or the other death to turn back a step, if only once per generation.
dINGLE
03-07-2008, 11:57 AM
Thanks for the suggestions
Having the efforts of previous lives affecting later lifespans also fits philosophically,
since advancements in medicine and efforts to promote peace do lengthen our lives.
Thanks, thats the next thing I will change/add I think.
dislekcia
03-07-2008, 12:17 PM
I'm really looking forward to trying this game out when I get back home tomorrow :) Sounds really in tune with the competition!
-D
dINGLE
13-07-2008, 05:24 PM
UPDATE: new version!!! (http://www.gamedev.za.net/filecloset/download.php?id=539)
I've made a new version which includes some suggested gameplay additions,
the player now affects the flowers, and the flowers affect the two "deaths".
Just walk over a fully grown flower and you should see what I mean.
The player can now slow down 'death', resulting in prolonged life, but never actually stop death. Also, its more colourful!
I've also gotten rid of some annoying little bugs.
It should be more involved and enjoyable now.
Let me know what you think. Criticism welcome.
Thaumaturge
18-07-2008, 02:46 AM
I like it. ^_^
The application of the flowers works well, and reinforces the concept, I think. ^_^
I do still think that a little more botanical variety - specifically in terms of types of plant - would be nice, however. I think that it could not only increase the visual appeal of the game, but also perhaps encourage players to keep playing and to return to the game to see the new plant types and produce more complex gardens.
Unfortunately, I encountered what seemed to be a bug:
If I recall correctly, once (and I'm afraid that I haven't managed to replicate this), I turned around to face the left-hand "death", which I believe had been held up by a flower (what an odd thing to say! ^_^), only to see it start sliding backwards, continuing until it disappeared off of the left-hand side of the screen. After that I seemed to be all but immortal, if I so chose... as long as I didn't mind being lost off of the left-hand side of the screen myself, in order to avoid the still-advancing right-hand death.
dINGLE
18-07-2008, 08:45 AM
I like it. ^_^
The application of the flowers works well, and reinforces the concept, I think. ^_^
I do still think that a little more botanical variety - specifically in terms of types of plant - would be nice, however. I think that it could not only increase the visual appeal of the game, but also perhaps encourage players to keep playing and to return to the game to see the new plant types and produce more complex gardens.
Unfortunately, I encountered what seemed to be a bug:
If I recall correctly, once (and I'm afraid that I haven't managed to replicate this), I turned around to face the left-hand "death", which I believe had been held up by a flower (what an odd thing to say! ^_^), only to see it start sliding backwards, continuing until it disappeared off of the left-hand side of the screen. After that I seemed to be all but immortal, if I so chose... as long as I didn't mind being lost off of the left-hand side of the screen myself, in order to avoid the still-advancing right-hand death.
Ah, yes, I have seen that bug, although it doesn't happen very often.
I will have to make it happen while debugging to find the cause :(
I would like to expand on the types of plants that can grow, and possibly have procedurally generated variations in the plants ... possibly bushes and trees growing with variations caused by how they were created or how many times the player has walked by it etc.
This game is a lot of work for very little gameplay though!
Thaumaturge
22-07-2008, 04:47 AM
Fair enough - you make a good point about the work-to-gameplay ratio, I daresay, although the additions that you suggest sound very cool.
dINGLE
26-07-2008, 10:06 PM
I think I'm going to have to rethink the concept on this one.
Although I do believe in hard work, adding more features and stuff wont make a game enjoyable.
The core concept has to be good before adding a bunch of content.
Back to the drawing board!
dislekcia
26-07-2008, 11:44 PM
I think I'm going to have to rethink the concept on this one.
Although I do believe in hard work, adding more features and stuff wont make a game enjoyable.
The core concept has to be good before adding a bunch of content.
Back to the drawing board!
Don't worry about it. This game was developed for a reason, don't keep trying to force yourself to keep adding to it when you don't feel the inspiration anymore... I'm at a similar crossroads at the moment with a game myself, I've got to make a decision next week as to what I'm going to be spending the next two months working on.
And I have no idea which game to pick :(
dINGLE
27-07-2008, 11:32 AM
Thanks dis
Its always quite difficult to choose ... you might have great ambitions for a certain prototype,
and not care much for some little one you made in 30 min.
Yet the 30 min one is so much more fun to play than the one you want to make.
its difficult to objectively analyse your creations!
dislekcia
27-07-2008, 01:36 PM
Thanks dis
Its always quite difficult to choose ... you might have great ambitions for a certain prototype,
and not care much for some little one you made in 30 min.
Yet the 30 min one is so much more fun to play than the one you want to make.
its difficult to objectively analyse your creations!
Now add in the extra pressure of having to have whatever you make earn you a living and you have my predicament ;)
dINGLE
27-07-2008, 02:21 PM
damn, I see, thats quite a bit of pressure!
I should be grateful for being a student, even though I can only dedicate a fraction of my time for making games.
dislekcia
27-07-2008, 10:30 PM
damn, I see, thats quite a bit of pressure!
I should be grateful for being a student, even though I can only dedicate a fraction of my time for making games.
Nah, just had a really cool day: Friends came over and some people that had never seen some of my prototypes played around with them. Lots of positive vibes and enjoyment, so I'm stoked to work on things again.
Never underestimate the power of playsessions :)
dINGLE
09-08-2008, 02:28 PM
I added this game to GGE
Check it out here (http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/game/gardenofcompletion)
Squid
10-08-2008, 11:34 AM
You need to add the GameDotDev tag so It can be added to our library.
dINGLE
12-08-2008, 08:39 AM
You need to add the GameDotDev tag so It can be added to our library.
Done, you should be able to add it now
Squid
12-08-2008, 10:59 AM
http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/%20GameDotDev
http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/games/GameDotDev
It seems a few people have fallen into the tag trap. The tags can't have a space at the front.
dINGLE
12-08-2008, 01:47 PM
Didn't realise that, hopefully you can do it now
dislekcia
12-08-2008, 02:57 PM
Didn't realise that, hopefully you can do it now
The nice part about the GGE is that it automatically groups tagged games together, so it's added :)
dINGLE
12-08-2008, 05:17 PM
yep, see that now.
Thanks Squid and D
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