Splume

[Matthew]

So I posted this to the front page, but I wanted to start a thread here too. It's easier to get lively discussion on a forum versus the comment thread, IMO.

This is a web game we cranked out in under four weeks. We're going to be putting out a web game about once a month for the time being. The goal is to get concepts out there and playable, even if they aren't super polished or perfect (and then, after awhile, pick our favorite concept for an XBLA/WiiWare/whatever title or what have you).

Splume:

http://splume.flashbangstudios.com/images/splume_teaser_1.jpg http://splume.flashbangstudios.com/images/splume_teaser_2.jpg

YouTube Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VuB2XFMHk8

Play Online:
http://splume.flashbangstudios.com/

We have a few online niceties like leaderboards, integrated level editor, and in-game events ticker.

Feedback:
What do guys like about the game? What's your favorite level? Dislike? I'm also interested in hearing about technical difficulties or install trouble, since we're starting up another project with the same engine on Monday.

Thanks!

(and, yes, new reviews are coming soon--a lot of the projects that have kept me busy are wrapping up, as you can see with Splume)

[You Fail Me]

Second link leads to the youtube video.

I'll just type it in I guess.

:P

[Maltor124]

Spectacular game, I really like the look and feel of it. I love that I can play it in a web browser, I love the amount of levels, and how well it runs. No real cons in my opinion. I also really like the trajectory path. Really removes a lot of the frustrating guesswork associated with this type of puzzle game.

[You Fail Me]

I noticed that if there is one piece left, you can only shoot balls of that color. If you shoot very rapidly at it, you get a crap ton of matches. I couldn't tell if it added to the score or not.

All in all, very fun game.

Edit: I have a friend that loves bubbleshooter and enjoys a good physics engine. He'll love this.

[Cyranix]

Very fun! Two suggestions that immediately struck me -- please provide a pause button (if there is one, it isn't P!) and please do something about the... pointer persistence? I don't know what to call it, but it's frustrating (especially without pause capability) to have the game remain active and track every click when I go to a different Firefox tab or when I click something on the same tab-page. If this "overactivity" can't be fixed, then perhaps a brief note for Firefox users would be nice (and I suppose it applies to IE7 tabs, though I haven't tried).

Oh, and what You Fail Me said is totally true -- rapid-fire single-color stuff could trash your leaderboards.

EDIT: I also lost the ability to tab-switch at one point, especially complicated by the fact that my mouse was trapped inside the game. I had to ALT-TAB out and back in to get the ability back. And you may need to add a stronger way to detect game-over situations... I reached this situation and the game didn't detect a defeat even though I couldn't fire in any direction.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q296/Cyranix/splume-break.jpg

EDIT 2: A traditional weakness of web-based games is the lack of sound control. If you get a moment to build it in -- whether a simple ON/OFF switch or a graded scale -- that'd be helpful.

Physics-wise, I sort of want the blobs to be a little heavier, so that connection by sagging happens more frequently... but then again, I haven't played the full campaign yet, and I probably don't have as good a grip on the balance of that aspect as others might.

EDIT 3: On the subject of "least favorite level"... the one pictured, It Means "Spray", is definitely frustrating. I can place the green ball in the slot, but I consistently end up with one tiny blue fella stuck to the other side of the white wall -- i.e. in an impossible place. You should also see what happens when you make a chain of alternating colors on the spinning disc, such that it attaches to the white wall. It's interesting behavior: sticky linkage yet with large, visible gaps.

[OkumTheLostNinja]

This is really fun! I can't stop playing! :D

[ShortStuf7]

I loved not only the gameplay, but also the excellent mix of splash/grunge art and web 2.0 style objects. It's a really clean style.

One thing that could be improved is how some objects have jagged edges and need better antialiasing/antialiased textures.

Pic:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/470/jaggedoy1.jpg

I really loved the splash particle effects, they made the game feel alot more fun and squishy.

I also really enjoyed how the balls seem to have emotions, angry when others are near, yet happy and loving when they meet one of the same color. The sounds are also absolutely fantastic. The splash and squeeze and thud noises fit perfectly with the airy fantasy music. I loved that, it made the game feel more clean and well done.

[ShortStuf7]

A traditional weakness of web-based games is the lack of sound control. If you get a moment to build it in -- whether a simple ON/OFF switch or a graded scale -- that'd be helpful.

Or you could use vista and turn down your internet sound volume lol.

[You Fail Me]

Some people can't run vista...

[ShortStuf7]

Some people can't run vista...

Well it is one option lol.:p

[Pugmartin]

love it. its absolutely brilliant. i think you already have an immensely strong candidate for xbox live arcade

[Matthew]

It needs a little love on Digg if anyone has an account: http://digg.com/playable_web_games/upcoming

[Dj Demetrius]

This is awesome, dude...I'm almost playing this as much as I played Ski-stunt when it came out. This would fit good in Xboxlivearcade or something like that. I mean, this game is much more fun than for example Peggle (IMO).

[Cyranix]

I also really enjoyed how the balls seem to have emotions, angry when others are near, yet happy and loving when they meet one of the same color.

Excellent point; I certainly found myself enjoying mistakes because I got to see the grumpy emotion.

[digitalmanifestation]

Looks amazing, i don't usually play this sort of game but it looks really fun to play, you are the coolness:cool:

*edit*
I played it and i gotta say it's awsome....simply put

I told my brother about it and he made a level that is shaped like a swastica : / he's not a nazi but just likes being a gimp. Will you be monitoring levels people make or what?

One thing i noticed and i'm guessing you know about this but i'll say it anyway, at the end of levels when one color is left only, you can spam them and get your score up a ton or am i mistaken? Does the time bonus impeed this?

How are you going to make money with this or was it intended to be free with/without ads on the page?

[ShortStuf7]

I also really enjoy the "whats happening right now" thing. It makes your "shortstuf7 match 24" and "ShortStuf7 scored 31298764632 on Fun with Arrows" stuff seem alot cooler lol.:cool:

By the way, it seems 624 match is the highest possible, it crashes with a GC error when I match that many lol. I was able to laggily match 428 though :D.

Maybe not, I survived 641 lol! look at that red spray haha. if you wanna try that one for yourself, play the BIG COMBO level I made. It lags kinda bad sometimes lol.

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3242/combomi0.jpg

[AquaGeneral]

I have tried to play this game but when I enter a level nothing happens, all I can see is the name of the level and text on the bottom left stating "Next". Nothing works when I click anything and I do have Unity Player installed.

Can someone please help?

By the way, the game looks like great fun, just looked at all the screenshots and the video on the front page and it is really looking like a fun game :)\

System Specs in my sig.

[ShortStuf7]

I have tried to play this game but when I enter a level nothing happens, all I can see is the name of the level and text on the bottom left stating "Next". Nothing works when I click anything and I do have Unity Player installed.

Can someone please help?

By the way, the game looks like great fun, just looked at all the screenshots and the video on the front page and it is really looking like a fun game :)

I believe Matthew requested that for people that this happens to, to post their specs.

[Matthew]

Does anyone have Game For Windows magazine (and a scanner)? Apparently there's a Splume mention on the bottom-right corner of page 51 in the February issue...

[Relys]

I just got an email from Matthew saying Splume is out for the iPhone.

That's totally freaking awesome, and I'll be sure to buy it if I ever get an iPhone.:D

You did a great job, congratulations.

[lafe]

cool:

my little sister likes this game,
and she HATES most computer games :)

keep up the good work