this game is pretty interesting in limiting itself to a singleplayer UI, and initial setup phase that requires a restart, etc. however despite all of that i think it was well architected that the end user should not need to care/feel any pain from the slightly longer setup process. this game does have some downsides such as not being able to run on top of the train cars, etc. however overall it is a pretty small but fun game.
I honestly had a lot of fun playing this. for a game jam having AI carts to race against that actually are pretty decent is pretty impressive. this is not to say that the game is without issues, it has some bugs here and there, and the user experience could be improved in places. overall tho a fun game to play and keep myself entertained
It has potential, but it's not the best game experience as for now
I appreciate the custom menu where to choose your character and the fact that those are actually animated. Yet, in that menu there are way too many things (leaderboard, instructions) and, speaking about instructions, I didn't even notice them in the first run.
Gameplay in general feels kind of too much slow paced if you don't take some specific power up, which makes the game not that fun - especially because it's easier to blow yourself up by accident than killing someone else. Maybe with some work it can become a nice mode to play
very fun game but how other players so good? the camra not being controled by the player is a bit anoying but other than that, i cant think of any other bad thing. PS i love the kart modle
i would do the thumb up but it is glitchie and sometimes the liquid doent work and same for button even thouhg i m next to it. other than that, it is creative and kinda fun and confusing in good way. i will enjoy waiting for new levles. by the way, ples make it so you doent have to restart every time....
wowiee super duper clone of subway surfers, movement is abit delayed but it is ok as rest is nice. mayeb you should add some animation for ducking. well done on this, considering it was made very quiekly
GAME DESCRIPTION:
Invector is a karting game that heavily bases itself upon some of the more popular entries in this field, such as Mario Kart.
RATINGS:
Visual Appeal: 20/20
Sound/Audio Design: 20/20
Completeness: 25/30
License: 30/30
Originality: 30/50
Gameplay: 50/50
Performance: 50/50
User Friendly/Intuitive: 95/100
Codebase: 150/150
FINAL SCORE: 420/450
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Some modders and game developers stay within the constraints of the engine. Jordach has been known to make demonstrations displaying how far the engine can really be pushed, contrary to public belief. From a technical standpoint, Invector really is an amazing demonstration of this. From the very good AI to the even better nature of this being able to support custom maps, Invector really is a game that has potential to be played, as, well, a game.
There are several aspects that let players understand how this game is either unfinished or at least not polished. First of all, the very first GUI is editable. Then, players are supposed to build the level themselves by placing entities in the maze; and, speaking about the maze, there are grass blocks inside which are also breakable by default (ruining the experience). Last but not least, my character wasn't picking up yellow dots when touching them, forcing me to hit each one of them. Too bad
First of all, there is an AI regulating how the other participants work. That alone deserves a thumb up.
Then, the author took care of the aesthetic, both with a custom main menu, a nice soundtrack and a clear UI/UX (power-ups as symbols, visible effects, a menu where to pick your driver): all these things require a lot of effort, so chapeau for the work done, especially considering that there was a window of time of 20 days.
My critiques derive from the laggy camera and the overall speed. About the former, I don't know if it's because of a MT limitation (with the author trying to find a workaround), but it makes me also think about whether MT can actually feature fast paced games like racing games or not. I should investigate the code to have an answer but... I'll leave the pleasure to others. About the overall speed, I think it was too slow, and that the turbo boost was too short.
The game is definitely not finished (for instance, there are no laps) and I don't know if it's well suited for an engine like MT, but I expect to see at least a special mention to this: congratulations to the author.
(as I've said below another 2021 Jam game, consider converting it into a minigame with arena_lib)
If you happen to enjoy making numbers grow bigger, Stella is the game for you.
Paramount requirement for this type of gameplay is the infinite inventory size; I also liked the hexagonal playing field, nice touch.
Having to swap tool to mine different resources isn't enough to keep me interested, though; it's a bit boring in the long run...
unless you are really all about clicker games! B)
It's a fresh direction for the engine, so let's see what the future holds!
Post- Jam development should focus on:
adding new systems for the collection of some resources (e.g. placeable explosives, feeding a creature for its byproduct, etc...);
polishing player experience (e.g. adding a soundtrack, fixing formspecs cutting out, maybe defining a better artstyle for some assets, maybe adding an ending).
I know I might sound annoying, but if the aesthetic of the game engine revolves around voxels, why not using squared objects whenever it's possible? On the contrary, everything implemented is a custom round model (hot-air balloons, coins), making the game uselessly heavier whilst breaking the aesthetic at the same time.
Graphics aside, the first world didn't work, commands felt clumsy, and I found no way to go back up with the air-balloon. I basically couldn't play properly
The game consists in running around a huge maze, hoping to find a couple items to make your life easier (especially dynamite) and potentially fighting a few guards who caught you. I was expecting something more stealth (like, with guards closing on you when caught, GTA-like), prisoners to interact with, and with a different soundtrack - which in my opinion doesn't fit that well.
Also, to finish the game, you just have to jump into the void. When I first saw that, I thought I just broke the game, but apparently that's what it was supposed to happen. It looks to me that this was more a challenge for the author themselves to create a procedural map than a well thought game experience
I had to check on CDB (which brought me to check a forum post) in order to understand what to do. The game should explain itself, players are not expected to browse through an offline manual.
The three colours mechanic can open up to some interesting aspects, but as for now you only have to copy 1:1 a picture on a forum. Personally, that's not entertaining nor challenging at all
Well suited for a minigame, but not sure about a whole game
Game is simple to grasp, but there is no way to go back up in case you fall down. That's a huge problem, which is mainly why my vote is negative.
In general, it was ok and the icons on the blocks were pretty clean and straightforward. My suggestion is to convert it into a minigame to feature inside a bigger project (whether it's singleplayer or online) rather than have it as a stand-alone one.
Last but not least, the inventory could have been removed, and instructions could have been made more visible (MT chat quality is... debatable)
This is one of the two games from the 2021 Jam (along with Subway Miner) that I've kept installed on my PC, because I really want to see what the author can come up with. Yes, as for now there is not a lot to do, but it looks like a solid foundation to potentially build something entertaining. Kenney assets help conveying a brightful atmosphere (using exisisting libre assets was smart), and you can see the author cared about the artistic aspect since the very beginning, as they customised the main menu and added a soundtrack.
I would have increased the flying speed, as it's very slow if someone doesn't press AUX1, but... yeah, let's see what it'll become
It's broken. I wish it weren't broken because it looks super cool.
Needing to manually copy the map was a major minus. The map should be loaded via minetest schematics at worldgen. (for future readers, it's cp .minetest/games/lexa/map/ .minetest/worlds/lexa_map/ ).
Once you've copied the map over, it looks good.
The custom ui looks super neat and I love the AI pathfinding.
The graphics I was able to see all look stunning.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the game. The building and mining part of the game don't seem to work. I was able to place a few converyor belts right at spawn, but nothing else works.
It's clear that you put a lot of effort into this game and I'm super disappointed that it's unplayable. I'd love to see all the bugs ironed out and actually play a few levels of this.
This minigame, while suffering a bit from the creator's inexperience with game creation, proved challenging enough to keep me from quitting out of frustration.
The presentation is a bit simple, and the aisles could have used some variety; but having to complete the objective combined with keeping enemies at bay with your "butter knife" in the maze of shelving is fun, and only rarely was I swamped by zombies.
Post- Jam development should focus on:
disallowing cheating by climbing shelves with presents;
addressing issues with the mobs (i.e. pathfinding bugs and cheapshots between shelves);
polishing player experience (i.e. a better look for the mall, maybe adding a spooky/ holiday themed music, maybe small story elements);
Minetest's screwdriver is super unintuitive and I'm surprised you went for a game with it as one of the core mechanics.
Enhance the contrast between detector on and detector off. You should be able to tell the difference at a glance.
You shouldn't need to click the emitters to turn them on. They should always be on.
The level change is JARRING and leaves the player no time to understand the solution they just made. I completed a few levels without knowing how.
No level select
Level 9 has 7 emitters, 7 detectors, and 7 mirrors, but since one of the emitters isn't at a right angle to any detectors, it should require 8 mirrors (6 right-angles and 1 u-turn). Thus I got stuck on level 9.
Bug: I had to remove mods/mtr_currency/init.lua:15 to get the game to work.
I like that this game has custom graphics.
It doesn't seem like the game has a clear goal.
You use the stick to hit the dirt boys and they sometimes drop stuff, but it's not clear what happens next.
There's a room on the left that's blocked off but no clear way to get into it.
Looks like this game needed more time.
There's 4 rooms and some dudes that attack you. I wonder why you make the player teleport between rooms instead of building a large structure. There doesn't seem to be anything to do after you've killed all the dudes and walked through all the rooms.
It's buggy and clunky. I teleported outside the ugly copper room several times and had to build a sand pile to get back to the game.
I found the present thing. I guess that means I won?
Pushing the boundaries of more than just the engine
Thematically speaking it is quite refreshing to see a game made using the engine that avoids the all too common survival-sandbox game genre.
Despite being unfinished, I found it to be enjoyable and at times engaging. For the most part, the simulated opponents behave pretty convincingly like actual racing contestants (though I have seen a few glaringly obvious exceptions).
The camera jitter is off-putting and feels like typical engine stuttering, but it is inherent to Minetest’s camera manipulation and cannot be avoided.
The soundtracks are good, and seem appropriate for the environments where they are used.
The menus are nice, I quite like the Invector font and rotating character selection images; though I felt they lacked a more personalized background image that could have tied the other elements together well.
The item and weapon indicator textures are relatively easy to distinguish from one another (perhaps improving the accessibility of the game) in shape and colour. Most don’t seem to conflict too much with other visual elements.
The speed boost indicator and weapon selection crystal felt somewhat intuitive and were easy to learn. Some of the weapon indicators were easier to learn than others (rocket, shield, sand, boost variants). This will probably vary for users with differential exposure to similarly designed games, but I think the developer worked well within the creative limitations they had.
It is impressive that there even is a track editor on top of the main game and I would love to see what others make with it. The track editor could use some more builtin tools and documentation, though.
I surmise that (like the other contest submissions) most of the deficiencies would have not existed had the developer been given more time. I am fairly confident that this game will be improved upon further, and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here.
A very promising project produced by a quality MT dev.
After a few seconds of gameplay, I now know how to play it. Which causes a problem which is quite apparent (now what do I do next, after placing dozens of homes shops offices etc.)
The best the engine can do is "Solar Plains: Invector"
Jordach is one of a select few modders who like to work against the engine. This game is a piece of art (including textures with meme references and sounds created by Jordach during the jam, which is probably unique) which gets the most out of the engine. Initially it appeared "laggy" to me too, while in reality it isn't - the issue stems from Jordach using the only way the engine provides to set the camera direction, which isn't smooth by default. In order to keep this camera stutter to a minimum, I suggest you enable cinematic camera smoothing and - most importantly - keep your hands off the mouse!
Apart from this, the AIs are a rather amazing demo considering the short timeframe, and a couple effects have been implemented as well. All that is lacking are a couple more maps, which is why in it's current state this is more of an - impressive - tech demo than a fully enjoyable game.
And granted, there are some minor bugs, including a crash. Quality assurance is a time-consuming process finding little place in a game jam; only the most glaring issues can be fixed before release.
After playing it a few times I can see where it can become quite overwhelming.
While there isn't any tutorial one could after some time figure out that while the reactor isn't overloaded increase your drills speed so you keep making profit while the game keeps increasing expenses.
A note on the increasing expenses, it seems to grow at a very rapid pace, so one needs to almost immediately increase coolant production then increase the drill in order to keep up.
I have found a few issues which might cause critical issues in-game:
When a player enters "sleeping" the player can not exit sleep (Which means things can fail but there is no way to jump out of bed and go fix them)
Mobs seem to almost become never ending, making it quite dangerous to go out just to adjust your drill. (This might be taken as extra challenge)
While "research" might be a good concept for further development in-game, I haven't noticed it doing anything except extra profit. (One in debt could simply stand outside and fight mobs then go "cash" in their goo for extra cash to try and fix their debt)
Now for the positives or things that could be added in the future:
Provide some unique building concept, allowing a player to build more drills, more coolant systems, more reactors, etc. (I'd be more interested in a space sim where you can get a basic base to start with but then have some kind of method for expanding, I.E. a crafting system perhaps)
Along the current lines, perhaps include some "upgrades" which cost money but provide less occurance of failtures etc. (I.E. I could upgrade the gravity generator so it would be less likely to go down, but I can never upgrade it so it never goes down / Or I could upgrade the reactor so it produces say 200 more power)
Allow multiple players to play on one base, perhaps as a co-op thing. (This way I could be taking care of the major stuff inside while a buddy could be fighting and getting "research" goo)
Even tho I'm generally more a player who enjoys playing bigger RPG-like games, this game is really fun to play.
I especially like the concept of gradually porting Minecraft experience to Minetest.
This is a very unique game in which you navigate the world as an insect.
It is sort of a 3D platformer, except you can't jump.
You crawl on objects and "glide" to other objects
This experience somehow actually makes it feel like you are controlling an insect.
The geometry appears much different than Minetest Game, especially with node outlining turned off.
The formspecs are well done and do a great job of guiding you throughout the experience.
This game is a perfect game jam entry. Just the right amount of content and presents itself very well.
This game is very well done and presented in a professional manner.
From the menus to the mechanics and controls, it is very much it's own entity.
The mechanics are simple and fun .
The gameplay loop inspires you to try again and again and improve your skills.
There is little content but I think what is there is sufficient for the game jam.
The game is aesthetically pleasing, easy to pick up and the mechanics are unique to me.
I see the potential for this to become something like a 3D OpenTTD
I was reminded of OpenTTD while playing Builda City.
If Builda City is further developed in this direction it will probably become one of my favorite games.
The author paid attention to graphical details, but as I've already said with Stella (another Jam entry), why exactly feature a game with basically no voxels in a voxel engine? Why not on Godot, to name one?
Graphics aside, punching things makes the game crash, time doesn't work and I think that it was used too much text to explain some basic concepts that could have been indirectly narrated
I think that, to me, this is the most polished and fun game to play of the whole 2021 jam. I'm not that into puzzle games, but this was very fun and challenging to play. The humour adds personality and little breaks from the challenge, alongside levels that don't tend to be repetitive, always adding something new.
My only critique is how much the game punishes players, making them start from the very beginning when they fail a level (that's what happened to me in the one requiring spatial memory, and I refused to start again). Infinite potions or making people restart that specific level might be a better solution that avoids excessive frustration
A well polished, well rounded jam project that plays nicely and is quite compelling and addictive.
I enjoyed my time memorizing and counting blocks, getting lost on the shop, and having to use the quite unreadable signs to find my way.
Even if the shop aspect of this game gets complaints, it's clear the intent is to make navigating the shop a challenge, a disguised maze of sorts, and it works wonderfully while also achieving an unique look.
Movement felt sluggish and the building area was too dimly lit in my opinion. Some textures like the "glass" ones weren't representative of what they actually were.
Some character upgrades would be nice, movement speed, sprint, buying the telescope or the minimap, all could add some more depth to the game.
Well done, I find this to be one of the top submissions.
It's snake, but in 3D. Exactly what it says on the tin.
Beep Boop
So handy having this mod automate many things :) Food has never been in such abundance.
great entertainment
this game is pretty interesting in limiting itself to a singleplayer UI, and initial setup phase that requires a restart, etc. however despite all of that i think it was well architected that the end user should not need to care/feel any pain from the slightly longer setup process. this game does have some downsides such as not being able to run on top of the train cars, etc. however overall it is a pretty small but fun game.
great game
I honestly had a lot of fun playing this. for a game jam having AI carts to race against that actually are pretty decent is pretty impressive. this is not to say that the game is without issues, it has some bugs here and there, and the user experience could be improved in places. overall tho a fun game to play and keep myself entertained
It has potential, but it's not the best game experience as for now
I appreciate the custom menu where to choose your character and the fact that those are actually animated. Yet, in that menu there are way too many things (leaderboard, instructions) and, speaking about instructions, I didn't even notice them in the first run.
Gameplay in general feels kind of too much slow paced if you don't take some specific power up, which makes the game not that fun - especially because it's easier to blow yourself up by accident than killing someone else. Maybe with some work it can become a nice mode to play
kart goes brrr
very fun game but how other players so good? the camra not being controled by the player is a bit anoying but other than that, i cant think of any other bad thing. PS i love the kart modle
meh
i would do the thumb up but it is glitchie and sometimes the liquid doent work and same for button even thouhg i m next to it. other than that, it is creative and kinda fun and confusing in good way. i will enjoy waiting for new levles. by the way, ples make it so you doent have to restart every time....
nice game
wowiee super duper clone of subway surfers, movement is abit delayed but it is ok as rest is nice. mayeb you should add some animation for ducking. well done on this, considering it was made very quiekly
420/450: Invector
GAME DESCRIPTION: Invector is a karting game that heavily bases itself upon some of the more popular entries in this field, such as Mario Kart.
RATINGS:
Visual Appeal: 20/20
Sound/Audio Design: 20/20
Completeness: 25/30
License: 30/30
Originality: 30/50
Gameplay: 50/50
Performance: 50/50
User Friendly/Intuitive: 95/100
Codebase: 150/150
FINAL SCORE: 420/450
FINAL THOUGHTS: Some modders and game developers stay within the constraints of the engine. Jordach has been known to make demonstrations displaying how far the engine can really be pushed, contrary to public belief. From a technical standpoint, Invector really is an amazing demonstration of this. From the very good AI to the even better nature of this being able to support custom maps, Invector really is a game that has potential to be played, as, well, a game.
Way too unfinished
There are several aspects that let players understand how this game is either unfinished or at least not polished. First of all, the very first GUI is editable. Then, players are supposed to build the level themselves by placing entities in the maze; and, speaking about the maze, there are grass blocks inside which are also breakable by default (ruining the experience). Last but not least, my character wasn't picking up yellow dots when touching them, forcing me to hit each one of them. Too bad
Author is crazy, in a good way
First of all, there is an AI regulating how the other participants work. That alone deserves a thumb up.
Then, the author took care of the aesthetic, both with a custom main menu, a nice soundtrack and a clear UI/UX (power-ups as symbols, visible effects, a menu where to pick your driver): all these things require a lot of effort, so chapeau for the work done, especially considering that there was a window of time of 20 days.
My critiques derive from the laggy camera and the overall speed. About the former, I don't know if it's because of a MT limitation (with the author trying to find a workaround), but it makes me also think about whether MT can actually feature fast paced games like racing games or not. I should investigate the code to have an answer but... I'll leave the pleasure to others. About the overall speed, I think it was too slow, and that the turbo boost was too short.
The game is definitely not finished (for instance, there are no laps) and I don't know if it's well suited for an engine like MT, but I expect to see at least a special mention to this: congratulations to the author.
(as I've said below another 2021 Jam game, consider converting it into a minigame with arena_lib)
Hexceptionally infinite (I'm sorry)
If you happen to enjoy making numbers grow bigger, Stella is the game for you. Paramount requirement for this type of gameplay is the infinite inventory size; I also liked the hexagonal playing field, nice touch.
Having to swap tool to mine different resources isn't enough to keep me interested, though; it's a bit boring in the long run... unless you are really all about clicker games! B) It's a fresh direction for the engine, so let's see what the future holds!
Post- Jam development should focus on:
adding new systems for the collection of some resources (e.g. placeable explosives, feeding a creature for its byproduct, etc...);
polishing player experience (e.g. adding a soundtrack, fixing formspecs cutting out, maybe defining a better artstyle for some assets, maybe adding an ending).
A neat zen minigame
Round objects everywhere and too broken
I know I might sound annoying, but if the aesthetic of the game engine revolves around voxels, why not using squared objects whenever it's possible? On the contrary, everything implemented is a custom round model (hot-air balloons, coins), making the game uselessly heavier whilst breaking the aesthetic at the same time.
Graphics aside, the first world didn't work, commands felt clumsy, and I found no way to go back up with the air-balloon. I basically couldn't play properly
Mixture of random elements
The game consists in running around a huge maze, hoping to find a couple items to make your life easier (especially dynamite) and potentially fighting a few guards who caught you. I was expecting something more stealth (like, with guards closing on you when caught, GTA-like), prisoners to interact with, and with a different soundtrack - which in my opinion doesn't fit that well.
Also, to finish the game, you just have to jump into the void. When I first saw that, I thought I just broke the game, but apparently that's what it was supposed to happen. It looks to me that this was more a challenge for the author themselves to create a procedural map than a well thought game experience
Zero instructions
I had to check on CDB (which brought me to check a forum post) in order to understand what to do. The game should explain itself, players are not expected to browse through an offline manual.
The three colours mechanic can open up to some interesting aspects, but as for now you only have to copy 1:1 a picture on a forum. Personally, that's not entertaining nor challenging at all
Well suited for a minigame, but not sure about a whole game
Game is simple to grasp, but there is no way to go back up in case you fall down. That's a huge problem, which is mainly why my vote is negative.
In general, it was ok and the icons on the blocks were pretty clean and straightforward. My suggestion is to convert it into a minigame to feature inside a bigger project (whether it's singleplayer or online) rather than have it as a stand-alone one.
Last but not least, the inventory could have been removed, and instructions could have been made more visible (MT chat quality is... debatable)
Great potential
This is one of the two games from the 2021 Jam (along with Subway Miner) that I've kept installed on my PC, because I really want to see what the author can come up with. Yes, as for now there is not a lot to do, but it looks like a solid foundation to potentially build something entertaining. Kenney assets help conveying a brightful atmosphere (using exisisting libre assets was smart), and you can see the author cared about the artistic aspect since the very beginning, as they customised the main menu and added a soundtrack.
I would have increased the flying speed, as it's very slow if someone doesn't press AUX1, but... yeah, let's see what it'll become
It's the second best pacman clone I've played in minetest.
There's no originality in making a clone, but this clone is made rather poorly. Not sure what else to say.
It's broken. I wish it weren't broken because it looks super cool.
cp .minetest/games/lexa/map/ .minetest/worlds/lexa_map/).Heart thumping, warioware type minigame
This minigame, while suffering a bit from the creator's inexperience with game creation, proved challenging enough to keep me from quitting out of frustration.
The presentation is a bit simple, and the aisles could have used some variety; but having to complete the objective combined with keeping enemies at bay with your "butter knife" in the maze of shelving is fun, and only rarely was I swamped by zombies.
Post- Jam development should focus on:
disallowing cheating by climbing shelves with presents;
addressing issues with the mobs (i.e. pathfinding bugs and cheapshots between shelves);
polishing player experience (i.e. a better look for the mall, maybe adding a spooky/ holiday themed music, maybe small story elements);
Overall, a fair attempt for the Jam.
Cool puzzle game!
Needs more polish or more content.
Bug: I had to remove mods/mtr_currency/init.lua:15 to get the game to work.
I like that this game has custom graphics. It doesn't seem like the game has a clear goal. You use the stick to hit the dirt boys and they sometimes drop stuff, but it's not clear what happens next. There's a room on the left that's blocked off but no clear way to get into it. Looks like this game needed more time.
Smiple game with not much content.
There's 4 rooms and some dudes that attack you. I wonder why you make the player teleport between rooms instead of building a large structure. There doesn't seem to be anything to do after you've killed all the dudes and walked through all the rooms.
A worse clone of infinite IKEA
It's buggy and clunky. I teleported outside the ugly copper room several times and had to build a sand pile to get back to the game. I found the present thing. I guess that means I won?
Pushing the boundaries of more than just the engine
Thematically speaking it is quite refreshing to see a game made using the engine that avoids the all too common survival-sandbox game genre. Despite being unfinished, I found it to be enjoyable and at times engaging. For the most part, the simulated opponents behave pretty convincingly like actual racing contestants (though I have seen a few glaringly obvious exceptions). The camera jitter is off-putting and feels like typical engine stuttering, but it is inherent to Minetest’s camera manipulation and cannot be avoided.
The soundtracks are good, and seem appropriate for the environments where they are used. The menus are nice, I quite like the Invector font and rotating character selection images; though I felt they lacked a more personalized background image that could have tied the other elements together well.
The item and weapon indicator textures are relatively easy to distinguish from one another (perhaps improving the accessibility of the game) in shape and colour. Most don’t seem to conflict too much with other visual elements.
The speed boost indicator and weapon selection crystal felt somewhat intuitive and were easy to learn. Some of the weapon indicators were easier to learn than others (rocket, shield, sand, boost variants). This will probably vary for users with differential exposure to similarly designed games, but I think the developer worked well within the creative limitations they had.
It is impressive that there even is a track editor on top of the main game and I would love to see what others make with it. The track editor could use some more builtin tools and documentation, though.
I surmise that (like the other contest submissions) most of the deficiencies would have not existed had the developer been given more time. I am fairly confident that this game will be improved upon further, and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here.
A very promising project produced by a quality MT dev.
Simple and plain
After a few seconds of gameplay, I now know how to play it. Which causes a problem which is quite apparent (now what do I do next, after placing dozens of homes shops offices etc.)
Fun, but has room for improvement
Pros
Cons
Great Game
The gameplay is great, looks better than subway surfers. Recommanded to anyone who likes games with running.
The best the engine can do is "Solar Plains: Invector"
Jordach is one of a select few modders who like to work against the engine. This game is a piece of art (including textures with meme references and sounds created by Jordach during the jam, which is probably unique) which gets the most out of the engine. Initially it appeared "laggy" to me too, while in reality it isn't - the issue stems from Jordach using the only way the engine provides to set the camera direction, which isn't smooth by default. In order to keep this camera stutter to a minimum, I suggest you enable cinematic camera smoothing and - most importantly - keep your hands off the mouse!
Apart from this, the AIs are a rather amazing demo considering the short timeframe, and a couple effects have been implemented as well. All that is lacking are a couple more maps, which is why in it's current state this is more of an - impressive - tech demo than a fully enjoyable game.
And granted, there are some minor bugs, including a crash. Quality assurance is a time-consuming process finding little place in a game jam; only the most glaring issues can be fixed before release.
Has potential
After playing it a few times I can see where it can become quite overwhelming.
While there isn't any tutorial one could after some time figure out that while the reactor isn't overloaded increase your drills speed so you keep making profit while the game keeps increasing expenses.
I have found a few issues which might cause critical issues in-game:
Now for the positives or things that could be added in the future:
This is non Free/Libre Software
With this License, this software is non-free as in Freedom.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html
Nice game
Even tho I'm generally more a player who enjoys playing bigger RPG-like games, this game is really fun to play. I especially like the concept of gradually porting Minecraft experience to Minetest.
Peaceful
This game is a moment of Zen.
Hang out on a tropical island and collect coconuts.
If you need a break from things, try Coconut Collection.
Very Unique
This is a very unique game in which you navigate the world as an insect.
It is sort of a 3D platformer, except you can't jump.
You crawl on objects and "glide" to other objects
This experience somehow actually makes it feel like you are controlling an insect.
The geometry appears much different than Minetest Game, especially with node outlining turned off.
The formspecs are well done and do a great job of guiding you throughout the experience.
This game is a perfect game jam entry. Just the right amount of content and presents itself very well.
Impressive
This game is very well done and presented in a professional manner.
From the menus to the mechanics and controls, it is very much it's own entity.
The mechanics are simple and fun .
The gameplay loop inspires you to try again and again and improve your skills.
The makings of a quality game.
There is little content but I think what is there is sufficient for the game jam.
The game is aesthetically pleasing, easy to pick up and the mechanics are unique to me.
I see the potential for this to become something like a 3D OpenTTD
I was reminded of OpenTTD while playing Builda City.
If Builda City is further developed in this direction it will probably become one of my favorite games.
Several bugs and basically no cubes
The author paid attention to graphical details, but as I've already said with Stella (another Jam entry), why exactly feature a game with basically no voxels in a voxel engine? Why not on Godot, to name one?
Graphics aside, punching things makes the game crash, time doesn't work and I think that it was used too much text to explain some basic concepts that could have been indirectly narrated
Solid puzzle with Portal humour
I think that, to me, this is the most polished and fun game to play of the whole 2021 jam. I'm not that into puzzle games, but this was very fun and challenging to play. The humour adds personality and little breaks from the challenge, alongside levels that don't tend to be repetitive, always adding something new.
My only critique is how much the game punishes players, making them start from the very beginning when they fail a level (that's what happened to me in the one requiring spatial memory, and I refused to start again). Infinite potions or making people restart that specific level might be a better solution that avoids excessive frustration
A breath of fresh air
A well polished, well rounded jam project that plays nicely and is quite compelling and addictive.
I enjoyed my time memorizing and counting blocks, getting lost on the shop, and having to use the quite unreadable signs to find my way. Even if the shop aspect of this game gets complaints, it's clear the intent is to make navigating the shop a challenge, a disguised maze of sorts, and it works wonderfully while also achieving an unique look.
Movement felt sluggish and the building area was too dimly lit in my opinion. Some textures like the "glass" ones weren't representative of what they actually were.
Some character upgrades would be nice, movement speed, sprint, buying the telescope or the minimap, all could add some more depth to the game.
Well done, I find this to be one of the top submissions.
buggy and underdeveloped game
Zombies can hit you from too far away and you respawn outside the building.