↪️FATELOOP↩️
My entry to GBJAM9 is a microcosm of a larger game idea - a game where the player can access the random number generation within the game for fun and profit.
Controls:
| Gameboy | Keyboard | |
| Interact | A | Z |
| Cancel, speed text | B | X |
| Movement | D-pad | Arrows/WASD |
Credits:
Game and art by Polyducks
Music by Robyn [Twitter|Website]
Download
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Comments
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This is a genius idea
Thanks, I'd really like to return to it one day
This looks like a prescient take on GMTK 2022. ;) (I will not repeat what other people said about the merits of the prototype; just that the Game-Boyness is awesome.)
The (meta-)idea feels great and attractive (although this may resonate less with non-nerdy people… Maybe not!), BUT I think there is still something to invent to make the mechanic more original gameplay-wise; as it stands, I think it is essentially akin to "Oracle of Seasons", with the current number replacing the season as the current state. Suggestion: every time some specific actions are performed, the cycle advances by one? So you have to figure out how (and in what order) to act, sometimes. And, some areas could fiddle with the cycle? Not sure about this one, but I am sure there is a way to surprise the player!
Some notes:
Thank you for your thorough feedback. I was sure I'd replied to your message back when it was fresh, so I apologise it didn't send. I'll need to take a look at Oracle of Seasons.
One of the main issues of the demo is that it isn't clear when a number is being used up, or what the generator is used for. This leads to people assuming random numbers.
When I revisit this concept I'll start with a much smaller area to ensure the idea gets thoroughly ingrained in the player's mind. Then I'll cement the rules of interacting with the RNG. The methods for interaction will change between towns.
The champion's number is based on the number sequence, but depending on where you are in that sequence means they'll ask for a different initial number - this is to ensure the player doesn't get the correct answer immediately by chance.
Felix is just wordplay on felis/felicity (luck).
The whole thing needs revisiting - it was an initial concept demo for a larger game made within a week of the GBJam. However, it wasn't immediately clear that the "RNG" isn't random at all, and people interacted with it in ways I wasn't expecting. Thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely get Robyn back for more music if this eventually goes anywhere.
I think this game is really cool. I don't know if there is a way to rig the probability to get the correct number but if there is I think it would be sick. It's pretty short but it was enjoyable. I would really wonder if there is a tournament for rolling dices... I do hope you game idea comes into fruition so I would be able to play it!! Good Luck!
Thanks so much for recording your playthrough, videos like this are so valuable to understanding the flaws in the game.
The random numbers aren't really random at all - they appear in a looping sequence. It's possible to 'use up' random numbers so that they get out of the way of the numbers you want. In the Randomlabs building there's a box which uses up a random number to pull an item from the pile - but I've noticed a few people miss it when looking around. This is because the box is never specifically mentioned, and the sprite makes it appear like it's a background decoration.
In version 2 I'll look into making the mechanics tighter and more refined, and make it easier on the player for understanding the sequence of events.
Thanks so much for your feedback!
Nice work, I enjoyed it! Very cute little GB world, would feel very at home on real hardware. The idea of manipulating the RNG is fun and I could see it being taken in all sorts of directions to make things more tricky and complicated.
Thanks so much. The game exists as a .gb rom and it looks great on my hardware. I think in version two I'll refine the mechanics and include a simple invisible tutorial at the beginning, but I'm looking forward to making more areas which use different types of RNG and mechanics to make more intricate puzzles.
Thanks for playing!
I love it!
You've kinda gotta get into a game developer mindset with this one. It's fun to feel so in control of the future. Nice work on the art and the character conversations. Overall feels very authentic to a game boy!
Fun game, it is a bit confusing at the start but I would love to see more of it.