[Original Game] Microbes!

[Linux-SWAT]

I'll show you at the FOSDEM ^^.

 

[b_o_b]

I already mentioned that I thought the highscore was hidden too much in the menu, but I now realize what I am really missing. That is seeing the highscore before starting a game. I always like to see what the score is before starting a new game so you know what you are aiming for. 

Would it be possible to add a highscore subroutine by clicking on the right shoulderbutton when you are in the menu? The highscore showed should then be the high score of the 'play level'. Doesn't have to be fancy.

There are stars shown on top of the level previews for this purpose. Is that enough?

It's a good idea to have some indication of the currently selected difficulty. Maybe I could add silver or gold stars to the "Play level X" menu item.

I have noticed the stars in the preview and they are great to see if you have beaten a level, but it will not show you what your best attempt was. Maybe it is just me, but when I suck at a level even small improvements of a high score will keep me motivated and I like to see the score upfront. Also I have created one new level with wave selection that might be unbeatable at 'normal'. I don't want to make it easier, because I like it as it is now. It would be nice to see the score before I try the level for the 10th time though.. Now I just play it without having a clue what was the best attempt (and I haven't bothered to check the highscore list).  

I am just trying to explain how it works for me, no complaint

Stars to indicate what level status the game is in should do the trick. 

 

[_wb_]

OK, I see what you mean now. I could add more information to the level preview or do something like right shoulder for quick score info. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[sswam]

In pause, when i want to think about the level, it's annoying to have the "Pause menu" right on the level.

Thinking about the level while paused IS CHEATING!!!!


And shameless, you confess your crimes here in public???

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Thinking is a crime ?

 

[_wb_]

OK, I'm going to change it so you can think while paused. It makes the game slightly easier but that's ok.

I'm also going to make sure that you can check the briefings in-game (actually the full info menu, so even the backstory and credits).

Here's a little video ingoreis made, for those who haven't seen the game yet:

http://youtu.be/GP4NuVzr75o

(the video quality is ok, but he's not the best microbes player )

 

[_wb_]

The plasma cell crashed the game twice at the same position:

level pack microbes 2 , level surrounded, position at right of the right "10".

We sorted this out at FOSDEM. Turned out that for some weird reason, even though he had rc5 installed, the rc3 version was executed, although it was sitting in a location that should not be detected. Anyway the bug was solved in rc4 or rc5.

Also, it's difficult to distinguish the mast cell from the big mast cell.

In the next version they'll be easier to distinguish: I'm changing the color of the big mast cell a bit (more cyan) so you can easily see the difference.

8:

Is it possible to add a unit that increases Energy just by standing somewhere and doing nothing?

Like "factory" in other tower defense games?

This unit could also give more energy if an enemy gets killed near by.

Just an idea.

I could add such a unit. Probably not for the compo release though.

I added such a unit, called it ATP and put it in the "obstacle" subtree. It constantly increases your energy a bit, and if microbes get killed in its range, that also gives an extra energy bonus. Also the rate of the energy production can be boosted with boosting units like Macrophages.

 

[_wb_]

This is the ATP energy production unit:



Here's a new enemy I'm adding: cancer cells

 

[Askarus]

ATP. Awesome. still know it from biology lessons at school.

Great to see an energy "factory".

 

[Ziz]

In fact: The mitochondria would produce energy, APT IS the "energy", that is produced. ^^

 

[_wb_]

You're right, maybe I should change that to make it more accurate. No high priority though

 

[Monkfish]

In fact: The mitochondria would produce energy, APT IS the "energy", that is produced. ^^

True ATP is produced in mitochondria, however they are present within cells so you'd have a scale problem in adding them to the game. This game is set in the future, right? Perhaps the body's cells have been engeneered to process free floating ATP molecules in the body's system, though i suppose you could add a kind of "megachondria" the size of a cell.

 

[_wb_]

I changed the ATP into mitochondria, since that is more accurate. Yes, the scale is not right, but it was never right to start with: all the units are roughly the same size, while in reality that's not true. Also bacteria and especially viruses should be much smaller, but I'm not going to change that.

Maybe at some later point I'll add the ATP again (since I have graphics for it now anyway), but as a bonus item or something, that randomly spawns from time to time and you have to pick it up to get some free energy - but if a microbe catches it first, it gets a hp bonus from it. Or something like that.

If someone has some feedback on the difficulty of the levels, that would be great. I don't have time to playtest everything, and also I'm not sure how difficult things are for a new player, since I know the game quite well and it's hard to "un-know" things.

 

[b_o_b]

If someone has some feedback on the difficulty of the levels, that would be great. I don't have time to playtest everything, and also I'm not sure how difficult things are for a new player, since I know the game quite well and it's hard to "un-know" things.

I don't think you will see much (if any) new players actively participating in what is basically a beta thread. IMO the level tweaking can be done after the compo. Nice new additions btw! Cancer cells look interesting. Planning on releasing another snapshot before the compo? 

 

[_wb_]

Microbes 1.0 rc6 is on the repo!

This is basically the compo release, the only thing that's going to change now (at least for the compo) is: bugfixes if needed, and level packs if I get them in time.

Feedback on everything is of course still very much welcome. Thanks for all the comments so far, both in this thread and in private messages!

 

[Monkfish]

Maybe at some later point I'll add the ATP again (since I have graphics for it now anyway), but as a bonus item or something, that randomly spawns from time to time and you have to pick it up to get some free energy - but if a microbe catches it first, it gets a hp bonus from it. Or something like that.

interesting idea, i like the idea of some kind of random factor that can be used by either the player or the viruses. however, instead of giving the virus an hp boost, i think giving the virus a speed boost on contact with the ATP would make for a more challenging game element.

(Also mitochondria cant survive outside of a cells internal cytoplasm but i'll shut up now, i know you're not trying to be a biology lesson)

 

[_wb_]

Not much news, the final compo entry will be very similar to the rc6. I just added one small thing: as requested by b_o_b, you can now quickly check the highscores for the level you're about to play by holding the right shoulder button. While that button is held down, the highscores are shown, like this:

 

[comradekingu]

1 The intro says the entire human immunity system, whereas i think immune system is more correct.

2 Lvl 1 to 3 are great and then you get an abundance of energy and its a bit too easy, basically any tactic works, mass heal, mass slow, very little micro needed. Its like setting up a theme tycoon and just letting it run, once it works you are set.

3 I didn't really understand the highscore function, it only lists the two first levels that i had perfect score on. If you cant get a highscore on anyhting but perfect i dont see why its not called achievement. But maybe its because i didnt save replay or something, dont know.

4 Possible bug when upgrading range on b myelocyte it stops them attacking nearby promegakarocyte, so the autoimmune thing stops being a factor.

5 Cant wait till i get to the later stages, im hoping it will have multi-resistent things, and things that can develop into such so you need to nuke them quick and hard and make sure to get all.

6 Suggestion  Make the controls overview resemble the actual keyboard and do colour codes for the different segments

Unit Control, Meta, Build menu

L                                              R

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

↓←↓                                        Y

ESC              start         P     A     B / B

                                                X

                    Space

 

[pmprog]

I've managed to break the game. I'm stuck in the briefing screen. I pressed Esc, in order to go back to the menu; and now I can't go anywhere. I can still thumb through all 9 pages, but pressing {B} won't take me into the game. Hitting Start or Select didn't do anything either

It's a good TD game, nice work

 

[_wb_]

1 The intro says the entire human immunity system, whereas i think immune system is more correct.

2 Lvl 1 to 3 are great and then you get an abundance of energy and its a bit too easy, basically any tactic works, mass heal, mass slow, very little micro needed. Its like setting up a theme tycoon and just letting it run, once it works you are set.

3 I didn't really understand the highscore function, it only lists the two first levels that i had perfect score on. If you cant get a highscore on anyhting but perfect i dont see why its not called achievement. But maybe its because i didnt save replay or something, dont know.

Maybe you're playing in "Very Easy" or "Trivial" difficulty setting? You cannot get highscores in anything under "Easy". Starting from "Easy" you get highscores even if you didn't survive the level, as long as you survive more waves than the current highscore for the current difficulty setting.

So maybe try a harder difficulty setting...

4 Possible bug when upgrading range on b myelocyte it stops them attacking nearby promegakarocyte, so the autoimmune thing stops being a factor.

What exactly do you do? Can you send me a replay file?