Re-Lease the Kraken vBeta 1.0

By Maverick Date 2012-06-12 16:54 Edited 2012-07-18 06:21

As of July 18, 2012
Game is still unfinished, but reaching a closing point.

Mac Demo here.
Windows Demo n/a yet.
Linux Demo n/a yet.

<OLD>
There was a "Kraken" game development competition on Gamedev.net a while back. I used a gag on the phrase "release the kraken" to make the game. The player is the car that the Kraken desperately wants. However, with a poor credit score, the Kraken cannot get a lease to own said car. Avoid the clutches of the Kraken and collect enough cash so the Kraken may have it once and for all.

Video link.
</OLD>

By jlnr (dev) Date 2012-06-13 12:22

I may love Mario Kart too much, but when I see the obstacles I think that they should make the car jump, and, if anything, faster rather than slower.

I love Skyroads too, in case you need more ideas on how to expand the gameplay concept. :D

By Maverick Date 2012-06-13 15:44

The "ramp" rocks are being changed. At first I was going to make them ramps (but be silver) but in the comp I was running out of time so I quickly changed them to be "rocks" hoping to get away with them.

I -am- changing the graphics on those and maybe still making ramps. As far as gameplay features, I still have some ideas up my sleeve and "sky roads" is not too far off either. :)

By Maverick Date 2012-07-18 06:24

Update at top.

By jlnr (dev) Date 2012-07-18 12:06

The code is really nice - the menu transitions, bonus level, zooming transition after the bonus level, tentacles etc. But there are at least two visual styles shown at once, one pixelated and one detailed. And the gameplay needs more (perceived) fairness IMHO. It's not quite clear how far I am from the Kraken because he jumps forward all the time, and how much exactly I gain or lose from the floor tiles. It should be easier to avoid running into obstacles, but they should have a stricter effect on you.

By Maverick Date 2012-07-18 15:17

There's a little distance bar at the top showing the player and the monster in relation to how far they are towards the end of the level.

What do you mean stricter effect? They slow you down and the monsters get closer and closer. If you don't speed up and hit nothing but rocks, you'll most definitely be eaten. If you speed up, you won't.

As far as visual styles go, I'm not sure what I can do about that. I'm not exactly the best with graphics. I just make what I can. :P But I can definitely look into tweaking it somehow!

By jlnr (dev) Date 2012-07-18 17:25

A bizarrely similar HTML5 game made it to HN today: http://www.puma.com/runpumarun

In Run Puma Run (and other games), the player has easily countable "health hearts". Super Mario can be big, or small, or dead. In Re-Lease the Kraken, I find it hard to estimate how dead or alive I am because the Kraken jumps around a lot. (Of course I'll try to avoid dying! :)) That makes it seem a bit more unfair to me even though it is probably totally deterministic.

By Maverick Date 2012-07-18 17:55

Once you're grabbed it's game over and you're prompted to try again. There's no health or "hits" you can have. It's either you're alive or you've lost.

By jlnr (dev) Date 2012-07-19 07:25

Right, but the distance between the player and the Kraken corresponds to health in other games. It grows if you "collect" arrows and it shrinks when you run into stuff. Just my perception anyway! Reasoning about gameplay is complicated. :/

By Maverick Date 2012-07-20 04:38

Well the distance, as you described, would then be the hint for the player. The closer you are, the more chance you have of being eaten! :P Perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you're trying to say?