Your mother was a test subject here too.

I thought I would throw out an update on the game I am currently working on.

The game is titled "Qoosh", and the game is a puzzle platformer in a pixel art style. I really wanted to make another puzzle platformer (my favorite genre to develop) after my super casual game Zombies, Inc. so here I am almost halfway done!

In case you missed my post looking for an artist, here is some info about the game:

The game's mechanic is somewhat similar to Portal's, so the game is HEAVILY influenced by portal, both in aesthetics and in setting. You play as a slime, Subject Q00-sh, manufactured for the sole purpose of being a test subject at Q-Science labs. Your evaluator, who is definitely not a robot, will say mean things and also sometimes say vaguely useful things. And the goal is to try and complete the testing. Adding plot and story is expensive, so I am trying to make as much story as I can while still staying in budget.

That being said, the game doesn't have a ton of plot. The main focus of the game is on the gameplay, and I think this is my favorite game mechanic that I've done to date. It's fairly original. While I have seen similar mechanics before in flash games, my mechanic differs in a very significant way that totally changes what you can do with it. A lot of the gameplay elements have been taken directly from portal, since those components work so perfectly with the mechanic, though there are elements that portal doesnt have that are more specific to the game and mechanic.

And I am being vague on purpose, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Though, I will definitely be needing playtesters and stuff when the game is a little more complete.

If you are interested in playtesting this game, leave a comment below or send me a PM, and I will get back to you when the game is ready for playtesting.

I'll leave you with a screenshot:

Your mother was a test subject here too.

Comments

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I-smel 2012-07-02 16:19:24

Here's me being REALLY fucking sick of flash games aping Portal about 2 years ago:
forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=6033.msg4 19492

So this is really great that people are STILL FUCKING DOING THIS!! Was the exit sign man icon really necessary? Making every room out of white tiles, are you being serious? There's one panel that cracks behind the scenes in this screenshot, do you try to escape the facility at any point during this?

AethosGames 2012-07-02 16:19:24

You do not try to escape the facility. You dont even know that there is an outside of the facility.

I think the reason portal is so taken from is that it's setting is fantastic at allowing unique puzzle platformers to exist. If you think about it, it's hard for puzzle platformers with a unique or unusual mechanic to exist outside a lab setting while still making sense. And the reason for the snarky commentary by whoever is doing the testing is because it's funny, and humor in games sells. The formula is proven to work. And every game you listed in the thread (even though some of them aren't really that similar to portal to begin with) were successful flash games, so that only proves my point further.

deathink 2012-07-03 03:34:16

Looks good Psyduck!

Robo-Clock 2012-07-03 09:44:25

"were successful flash games, so that only proves my point further."

and I guess that point is, that originality has no place in your business model ;)

I've played a lot of your games, and while they are all serviceable, they are all quite stale. Its pretty obvious you intend to push yourself as far as the other trailblazers do in order to vulture up some of cash from their successful risktakings.

There really should be a new moniker for what you types do.. Labeling you a ' programmer' just isn't a fair title to those that try to make interesting content, stuff thats fun as well as unique.

Since your games are so close to shovelware.. how about 'shovammer'?

AethosGames 2012-07-03 09:44:25

A programmer is someone who programs games, which has nothing to do with the design process. Granted you don't even produce content so you wouldn't know that. I can't blame you for a misconception that was outside your range of knowledge.

In regards to not having originality as a part of my business plan, that is certainly not true. I take calculated risks so that I don't lose money. Im not pushing out reskinned physics or tower defense games here. The Visible series, the Revert to growth series, and Qoosh all have unique mechanics. Zombies Inc. was a different take on zombies. Revert to growth, being my most unique game in mechanic/ setting combination lost me money, so I decided that if I wanted to take the risk of having a unique mechanic, it would need to have a comfortable setting to reduce the risk. I make games to make a profit, yes. It becomes more difficult to pay for school otherwise.

If you think my games are boring, that is valid. Some people like them, some people don't. But you not liking them doesn't make them unoriginal. This is the first time I've borrowed so heavily from a large title, and only because I don't feel like losing money for my work. I'm sure you are old enough to understand that.