The last time I attempted a Ludum Dare it ended in failure and I had to give up. This time though I’m back with a bang.

My idea upon seeing the theme was: How could I work this theme into an idea I had wanted to try for a while.
Then it hit me… FLAPPY BIRD! I hadn’t tried a Flappy clone before and I wanted to have the learning experience of coming up with such a game!

I started with a generic guy in a red coat, then a friend suggested I turn him into a Panda… and Ta-Da!

Then I thought to myself, how could I take this idea further and make it change over time, then I thought… HATS!

They’re simple enough to place permanently on the character’s head but it allows me to swap them out at will and give the player a bit of excitement when it happens. Hopefully this will be ready to play in a few hours. I’ll try and iron out the bugs as soon as I can

Working Titles: Panda-monium, Panda Survival, Bear Necessities

This contest didn’t go so well for me this time. I’ve been crazily busy at work all week and really didn’t do any kind of preparation whatsoever in terms of learning how to code certain functions. I know I should learn how to randomise lists properly but I always seemed to get by before. Still… I’m paying the price for it now and my current entry suffered for it. I’m making a promise right here and now to learn how to randomise things properly. Construct 2 (my tool of choice) has been worked on heavily by the developers and it’s my duty to try out as many features as I can. Roll on Ludum Dare 31!

Check out my latest entry and previous ones here! http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/author/alexfili/

This is my third Ludum Dare entry in a row. I decided to create a Tower Defense game which heavily emphasised 10 seconds, in this case it’s the amount of time when the enemy army spawns. I present to you, Elvenglade.

In the early stages of the game, you had the ability to hire units and that was it. Now you can upgrade units, sell units and pause the game. It took a while to brainstorm the right kind of units, cutlery vs food, pc vs geek… Eventually I settled on Elves versus Dwarves as I haven’t really utilised elves in a game recently.

As with all Tower Defense games, there are balancing issues. Some say it’s too hard, others say it’s too easy. Hopefully I managed to find the right kind of balance, but time will tell. Anyway, congratulations to everyone who managed to complete a game and I hope you all enjoy testing out all the different games! See you at the next Ludum Dare!

Game link: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-27/?action=preview&uid=12941
Twitter ID: @AlexFiliUK

Elvenglade Screenshot

Hope everyone has managed to make a start on their game, don’t worry though there’s still lots of time!
To wet your appetite, here’s a look at my anti-mime turret game:

I’ve decided to focus on a few things:
– Simple gameplay
– Repetition of colours
– Retro game sounds

So far I’m ironing out any bugs I find and adding a couple of extra features.
The basic game is mostly complete so I will spend the next day adding more levels and some extras.
Have a good night’s sleep! (Remember to spend at least 30 minutes without electronic equipment, it helps you to sleep better!)

My name’s AlexFili and this is my second Ludum Dare attempt in a row. I previously entered Ludum Dare 25: You Are The Villain. For me, Construct 2 is my tool of choice for several reasons. Web distribution is great for getting my game playable on multiple devices easily and without hassle. As time is of the essence, I need to reduce coding problems and produce a working prototype as quickly as possible.

For the artwork I’ll create most using MS Paint and then polish them up using GIMP. For sounds I’ll be aiming to record as much as possible when the competition starts. I’ll probably make some modifications using Audacity.

Every time I read one of the voting suggestions in the theme a brand new idea sparks off in my head, hopefully I can channel some of that creativity and innovation in my game. In the past I was guilty of making too many turn-based management games… but now I’m more familiar with real-time engines and I’m keen to use physics more.

If I can get a working prototype within the first few hours, then I can spend the rest of the time expanding the game and testing it. If I can publish the game a few hours before the official deadline ends then I will be very happy. Thanks for reading and I wish you all the best of luck with your entries!

Twitter: @AlexFiliUK
Website: http://www.onegameamonth.com/AlexFiliUK

Hi everyone. Didn’t have a gigantic amount of time to make this game because I’ve got university hand-in date on Wednesday! Nevertheless, thought this was a good opportunity to attempt a solo challenge for Ludum Dare. A few years ago I went down to Cambridge and camped out in a tent to compete in Ludum Dare with two other people, there was a thunderstorm overnight that was both cool and scary at the same time.

Anyway enough rambling, here is my game! http://www.scirra.com/arcade/addicting-example-games/1097/gigantic-galaxies (Please feel free to send me some tips/advice. Twitter ID: @AlexFiliUK)