Presentation really goes a long way, doesn't it? I'm playing a very obscure game on my phone (more on that later...dun dun dunnnnnn), and I swear it has the potential to be big... like, Temple Run big... if only it were presented a bit more cleanly. Temple of the Water God understands this. It went with a very simple mechanic and very simple level design, but presented that simple game as best as it possibly could.
My first and greatest "wow" moment when playing this game came to me close to the beginning, when the sun in the background gleamed gloriously at my character and its surroundings, illuminating them with an almost supra-professional polish.
And speaking of supra-professoinal, props to the guys who worked on the music and sound editing for this game. It's nice to see that there are still people who take such seemingly insignificant parts of the game so seriously, and the effect is great in every sense of the word.
Now, let's talk gameplay. The mechanics are sort of similar to Snowfall's, except not designed to piss you off. You use one button to suck and another button to push...water, that is. You use this water to transport yourself from one area to the next, with the help of sea turles, jellyfish, and sharks, all of whom must be manipulated in slightly different ways.
The mechanics bring their share of frustrations and triumphs, but honestly that's not the most interesting part. Where the game really excels (other than the polish, of course), is in structure. The game is the perfect length for a relaxed yet dedicated play session and features a fair difficulty curve. In the game's climax, you're super powerful and you feel it. Yet, the game doesn't get easier as a result. The game was simply designed around your newfound superpowers, allowing you to reap the rewards of your labor while remaining challenged.
Temple of the Water God is a game that you can learn from, which makes it worth a play in my book. If you're starting out in game design and already have your mechanics and narrative planned out, but just need to know how to translate them into a well-rounded and well-polished experience, then this game has the answers for you. That's all I got for now. Until next time, stay wet.
Links
In the Name of the Water: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=26713
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Telurica
Boy oh boy...I can't tell if I'm just in a rut lately or if this particular section of the game gallery is just completely insubstantial, but I am really running out of things to say. One of the easiest ways to get me to clam up and say nothing is to have me talk about something very simplistic. That's not to say simplicity is a bad thing. TEK was very simple in its design, but it still left a bigger impression on me than most of the games on the list. Telurica, however, is the most simple game I've ever played in every sense of the word. And yes, that includes non-DigiPen games, so yes, that includes Sumotori...
There are only 2 things you can do in Telurica, both of which are displayed for you at the beginning of each game: "Absorb! Destroy!" The game says, without cluing you in as to what exactly it means. Granted, I appreciate how the game used text to convey its mechanics, yet still let you figure them out for your own. The menu screen says "click to play," so you've already associated clicking with the action that makes things happen, so your first instinct is to click in order to absorb and destroy. Lo and behold, that's how you do it.
I'm tempted to say that there's no strategy with Telurica, but since I've come in dead last for every round I've played, it's probably more likely that I just haven't figured out the strategy yet. I'm not sure what else I can try, though. I know the principle mechanics, you bulldoze trees to increase your score multiplier and you vacuum their leaves to get points. Easy. The problem is that you can only see half of the map at any given time, and your character moves so slow that by the time you've cleared out one hemisphere, your opponents have already gotten busy racking up points in the next.
The most notable thing about Telurica really is its simplicity. Again, that's not a bad thing. It'll certainly keep you entertained for 5 minutes or so, so download it if you're bored. It's only 7MB, after all...That's all I got for now. Until next time, stay simple.
Links
Do the Thing: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=423
PS- I could've sworn I posted this yesterday...
There are only 2 things you can do in Telurica, both of which are displayed for you at the beginning of each game: "Absorb! Destroy!" The game says, without cluing you in as to what exactly it means. Granted, I appreciate how the game used text to convey its mechanics, yet still let you figure them out for your own. The menu screen says "click to play," so you've already associated clicking with the action that makes things happen, so your first instinct is to click in order to absorb and destroy. Lo and behold, that's how you do it.
I'm tempted to say that there's no strategy with Telurica, but since I've come in dead last for every round I've played, it's probably more likely that I just haven't figured out the strategy yet. I'm not sure what else I can try, though. I know the principle mechanics, you bulldoze trees to increase your score multiplier and you vacuum their leaves to get points. Easy. The problem is that you can only see half of the map at any given time, and your character moves so slow that by the time you've cleared out one hemisphere, your opponents have already gotten busy racking up points in the next.
The most notable thing about Telurica really is its simplicity. Again, that's not a bad thing. It'll certainly keep you entertained for 5 minutes or so, so download it if you're bored. It's only 7MB, after all...That's all I got for now. Until next time, stay simple.
Links
Do the Thing: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=423
PS- I could've sworn I posted this yesterday...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)