[Jabberwock]

The Wasteland

This is the first project I've finished that's taken me more than a week or two to make; I didn't do everything with it that I wanted, but I think it's a decent game anyway.

Screenshots:




Screen 3
Screen 4

GMG Archive Link: The Wasteland

Now on EO Radar: Link

Technical Information:
Format: .EXE
Download Size: 2.0 MB
Resolution: 320x240 (be warned; if this is an issue there is now a 640x480 version available)
Made In: GM 6.1 Registered

Have fun, and don't hesitate to tell me if you get stuck (which many people have already; I may write a walkthrough). Some of the puzzles are more difficult than I intended. Also, thanks to cactus for his help with the game engine.

Thanks for playing.
-Jabberwock


Note: The link on the EO page is no longer working, because DLStudios, unfortunately, no longer exists.

Link to 640x480 version: Link

Temp- Link to v. 1.2 (this link works): Link

This post has been edited by Jabberwock: 24 February 2007 - 04:24 PM

[edmunn]

wow, has a quite minimilistic look to it, but still quite nice,
i like the idea and the game play, a solid 7/10

[Jabberwock]

Thank you.

I have added a direct link to the download in the first post because GMG is apparently down.

[cactus]

How about that walkthrough you were talking about?

[ProtoStar]

i loved the graphics it was simple
i loved the game it was a magical exploration
i loved the music it was fit for the game
i can tell how you were inspired by seiklius
9/10!

[spikeesam]

NICE graphics mate!

[KasperK]

fun game... i quitted because i couldnt work anything out..! lol... i fell down in a hole... and there was this giant machine with many colered dots.... "wtf" i thougt.! it didnt really make any sens.. and the graphics.. well... they where not good actually, but it didnt matter because it wasnt what you where thinking of when playing the game....
wish i had come just a little further... oh well....

[Jabberwock]

What did you feel was wrong with the graphics? Personally I think they're at least decent, and I'm a very harsh critic of my own work.

Thanks for the comments, all.

[spikeesam]

Personally, I love the graphix, good job mate

[KasperK]

Jabberwock, on Oct 12 2006, 04:01 AM, said:

What did you feel was wrong with the graphics? Personally I think they're at least decent, and I'm a very harsh critic of my own work.

Thanks for the comments, all.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well... the every thing had only one color... for example a mountain is only a shape in one color... i know it fit the game, bur really.. i like games with a litlle better graphics... also the man you control is pure red... doesnt make any sense to me...

[Jabberwock]

Just because the graphics are simple, doesn't mean they're bad. They're stylistically consistent, and most people seem to think they create a good atmosphere as well.

So in other words, you don't mean 'better' graphics, just 'more detailed.'

Quote

also the man you control is pure red... doesnt make any sense to me...

But the living dead make perfect sense to you, no? A game doesn't have to be 100% realistic, mate.

[KasperK]

okay.. then i mean detail.. i dont know.. i just dont like graphics like this.. but other people seem to do, so no problem there..

and for the character:
i can imagine the living dead, but really.. i am NOT able to imagine a red man jumping on random platforms...

[dragon09]

I got bored quick and the puzzles were confusing.Graphics look nice IMO.Nice job.

[Evil Grit]

Here it is:

Con-
First of all, the character graphics are kind of ugly. The guy should turn and walk, not do a sideways shuffle. Second, the puzzles were unfair. I ended up writing down all possible permutations for the music and key puzzles and trying them out. The other puzzles were easy enough to solve, fortunately. Third- jumping challenges were laid on a little too thickly in some areas. The fading blocks got tiring after a while.

Pro-
The graphics are very atmospheric and inspiring. The story is reminiscent of Pikmin, but that may just be me. I didn't feel strongly one way or the other about the music, but that means it wasn't bad. The areas were cool too.

All in all, if you were to give a hint for the key/platform puzzle and made the tones in the music puzzle easier to tell apart, it would be a much more enjoyable experience.

[Jabberwock]

Thanks for the detailed criticism. It looks like you got farther than a lot of people. If anyone is stuck, Joewoof has written some hints for the game (highlight the text to see it):

Quote

The Wasteland - Mini Walkthrough

(SPOILER WARNING!)

VERSION 1 - "I need a little help. Just a little."

(1) "The inscriptions on the wall were written above a pool of water."
(2) "This engraving resembles mechanical gears."
(3) "This violet area does not seem like a dead end."
(4) "Memorize the markings on the wall."
(5) "Revisit."
(6) "There are four parts to the melody."
(7) (optional) "The secret lies beyond the final gate."

VERSION 2 - "I'm still confused. More hints?"

(1) "Notice the mushroom beside the pool."
(2) "Notice the shape of the terrain where the engraving lies."
(3) "The rain and the sparkles are not only there to be pretty."
(4) "Think binary."
(5) "Reactivate the switch."
(6) "Each of the four parts is actually made up of only a single note."
(7) (optional) "You sense a magical field at the exit beyond the final gate."

VERSION 3 - "I give up. I'm hopeless."

(1) Color Wheel. The positions shown in the inscription. Similar colors to that of the mushroom beside the pool.
(2) Elevator Machine. The pictures correspond to the shape of the terrain to the very East of the cavern.
(3) Pink/Violet Area to the East of the Crash Site. Think invisible blocks.
(4) Binary Locks. The markings represent three numbers. Count each beep at the puzzle. Hit the lever when the total number of beeps equals the corresponding number from the crystal cave.
(5) Entering the Blizzard Zone. To bring back the blocks, reactivate the switch in the Binary Locks puzzle.
(6) The Organ. First, ignore the sounds. Manipulate the levers and figure out how the dots move. Second, listen to the sounds. Each column represents a note. Adjust the matrix so that the pitch of the notes (number of symbols) match the pitch of the corresponding note in the melody.
(7) (optional) Secret Room. Instead of walking into the area exit to the right of The Organ, jump into it. You can waddle in the pool above, but there is nothing else to do here (confirmed by Jabberwock).
(8) Return to ship.
(END POSSIBLE SPOILERS)

This post has been edited by Jabberwock: 16 October 2006 - 05:17 AM

[spikeesam]

Woah... nice walkthrough...

[GMakerExtrodinare]

Stylistically (even a word?) the graphics are great. I'm thinking like World of Warcraft, while the poly count is low and such, the game still looks fantastic. Same idea with this game.

The puzzles were excellent.

And I love exploration games, so A++.

(Oh, but the platform jumper element let it down a bit - got frustrating.)

This post has been edited by GMakerExtrodinare: 16 October 2006 - 08:54 AM

[Jabberwock]

GMakerExtrodinare, on Oct 16 2006, 12:56 AM, said:

(Oh, but the platform jumper element let it down a bit - got frustrating.)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A lot of people have complained about that, but it's a little too late to change it. Glad you liked it anyway.

[Jabberwock]

I made some updates to this a while ago, but I forgot to post them. Here they are:
v. 1.1 (which is what some of you already have, I think)
-the disappearing blocks are fixed... sort of
-there's a secret room (I think Joewoof included it in his walkthrough)
-the notes in the final puzzle are slightly easier to distinguish
-fixed a room transition error.

[Jabberwock]

I just thought I'd announce that The Wasteland was put on EO Radar awhile ago. If that's not a powerful endorsement, I don't know what is.

*Mods, sorry for the bump, I thought this was important enough to warrant it. If you disagree you can go ahead and close the topic.*

This post has been edited by Jabberwock: 13 January 2007 - 04:36 PM