I’m currently reworking my LD34 entry, a bonsai-growing game called Eda.
First of all : thanks a lot to the Ludum Dare community for all the useful feedbacks on the first version of the game!
Many of these insights are now implemented, and contributed dramatically to improve the game and motivate me to push it further.
The LD vesion of the game
The original version (playable here) allowed the player to choose the branches he wished to grow. The player had overall limited agency over the tree’s evolution, and the game presented little variety outside of diverse planting pots.

My LD 34 entry Eda
The current version of the game
In it’s current state, the game presents two different shaping tools : growing and pruning.
It also features now :
– different varieties of trees to choose from or to grow randomly
– different planters and little carpets to choose from or to randomize
– four seasons with different color schemes, depending on moon cycles
– an in-game screenshot mechanic
– a proper menu and decent UI
– improved graphics
– a more fluid and adaptative camera
– fully rewritten and optimized code
A lot of these ideas came firectly from the suggestions made here on the LD website, so once again: thanks everybody!

Eda, screenshot : June 2016

Eda, screenshot : June 2016

Eda, screenshot : June 2016
Where is it heading to?
The plan is to have a free demo by mid-june and to ship the finished project by September 2016, for desktop and Android.
The main remaining features yet to implement :
– make the tree evolve depending on season cycles (bloom, fall, growing fruits, etc…)
– add some weather elements (rain, snow, sunshine, etc…)
– add more tree shaping and tree care elements
– give more variety to the different kinds of trees, with more varied growing shapes
– have different kind of background scenery, eventually randomly generated
And finally : thanks to Mathis Bouron who did a great job with the soundtrack and sound effects, and continues to do so now for the new version of the game!