I made a game.

Last week as my summer break was winding down, I realized I had spent yet another summer mostly just playing games. While this is fine and all, I always tell myself I'll start doing more productive things, like making games, instead. I decided to buckle down and just make a game. I decided to make it in flash, since that would easily get me a large audience and lots of feedback, which is easy motivation to make another game in the future. Never having coded in flash, I loaded up some tutorials and tried a couple game engines. I settled on one called Flixel, and got started. Also, I decided that I was going to be done in 4 days. No more, no less. This was to limit the scope of my project and not end up with a half done large scale project.
 
I knew I wanted to make a platfomer from the start, because, that's just the kind of game I love. I wanted it to be challenging, but have very frequent checkpoints, too. Sort of like VVVVVV. All I needed now was a unique mechanic and a theme. For the mechanic, I decided to use rocket jumping. Who doesn't like rocket jumping? With rocket jumping being my mechanic, I decided to use a character that very closely resembles the soldier from TF2. My art skills are kind of lacking, so I decided to go for a retro aesthetic. Next time I make a game, I hope I can find an artist to work with me. That really isn't my strong suit. Making a great game requires a pretty diverse skill set, and art is one skill I definitely lack. 
 
Day 4 rolls around. I have a decent and very playable game, but my game is not long enough (or so I thought). By the end of the day, I was able to beat it in about 4 minutes. My goal for the game was more like 15 minutes. I do what I can, determined to stick with my 4 day plan. 
 
Day 5, I give the game out to some friends for testing. To my pleasant surprise, it takes them about 15 minute to beat, and they like it! I guess I had underestimated the length of the game, since I'm (predictably) pretty damn good at it. I polished the game and got it ready for distribution. 
 
Day 6, today. I posted the game to a few sites just an hour ago. So far it's doing pretty well! 
 
So I did end up slightly cheating on my 4 day limit, but I think it was worth the extra time. Overall, I had a great time making the game. Programming is one of my favorite things to do, and I love what I've made. 
  
Finally, here's the link so you can check it out yourself!:  http://bitwrit.com/RocketJump/ 
 
I'd love to hear any feedback or opinions about the game, I'll read everything. Thanks!

Last week as my summer break was winding down, I realized I had spent yet another summer mostly just playing games. While this is fine and all, I always tell myself I'll start doing more productive things, like making games, instead. I decided to buckle down and just make a game. I decided to make it in flash, since that would easily get me a large audience and lots of feedback, which is easy motivation to make another game in the future. Never having coded in flash, I loaded up some tutorials and tried a couple game engines. I settled on one called Flixel, and got started. Also, I decided that I was going to be done in 4 days. No more, no less. This was to limit the scope of my project and not end up with a half done large scale project.
 
I knew I wanted to make a platfomer from the start, because, that's just the kind of game I love. I wanted it to be challenging, but have very frequent checkpoints, too. Sort of like VVVVVV. All I needed now was a unique mechanic and a theme. For the mechanic, I decided to use rocket jumping. Who doesn't like rocket jumping? With rocket jumping being my mechanic, I decided to use a character that very closely resembles the soldier from TF2. My art skills are kind of lacking, so I decided to go for a retro aesthetic. Next time I make a game, I hope I can find an artist to work with me. That really isn't my strong suit. Making a great game requires a pretty diverse skill set, and art is one skill I definitely lack. 
 
Day 4 rolls around. I have a decent and very playable game, but my game is not long enough (or so I thought). By the end of the day, I was able to beat it in about 4 minutes. My goal for the game was more like 15 minutes. I do what I can, determined to stick with my 4 day plan. 
 
Day 5, I give the game out to some friends for testing. To my pleasant surprise, it takes them about 15 minute to beat, and they like it! I guess I had underestimated the length of the game, since I'm (predictably) pretty damn good at it. I polished the game and got it ready for distribution. 
 
Day 6, today. I posted the game to a few sites just an hour ago. So far it's doing pretty well! 
 
So I did end up slightly cheating on my 4 day limit, but I think it was worth the extra time. Overall, I had a great time making the game. Programming is one of my favorite things to do, and I love what I've made. 
  
Finally, here's the link so you can check it out yourself!:  http://bitwrit.com/RocketJump/ 
 
I'd love to hear any feedback or opinions about the game, I'll read everything. Thanks!

Fantastic job I love it, what did you use to make this?

...Man this is tough! lol Can't get past the part where it gives you hint of ''touching only the edge of explosion does less damage but still propels the same'' 
 
Oh and great work ;P 
 
EDIT: Ok, finally past that part now!

That's good! 
I've actually been using flash to make games and animations for a few years now, none of them are particularly good, but I am in the middle of making something now. 
Also, the Flixel engine is what was used to make Canabalt.

" ...Man this is tough! lol Can't get past the part where it gives you hint of ''touching only the edge of explosion does less damage but still propels the same'' "

Awesome.

I couldn't read the tooltips on my monitor. It's an old piece of shit though so maybe it's the monitor's fault. Fantastic work nonetheless.

Just beat it.  Crazy fun, duder!  

8 out of 10 hats in 10:56. Cool game duder. 

FFFUUUUU I can't get pass that little chokepoint. >_<

Not gonna lie, I've played better. But this was a fun distraction.

Ok...I beat it....though I won't lie; some segments had me cursing out loud ;P Though I have a feeling that's what you were going for you cruel son ofa bitch lol

Pressing play and nothing happens... using Snow Leopard/Safari. Maybe that has something to do with it?

I haven't beat it yet (stuck at the same part everyone else was; laptop), but it's amazing for a first game. I can see where you borrowed ideas from VVVVVV, but the rocket idea is original, and it's working well. I like it!

it was pretty fun man. it was a different type of game.

Pretty sweet dude, keep up the good work!

That is pretty cool. Nice work! I wish I could do something like that. 

Got fed up at "The s key is your friend".

It's a pretty decent game.  It took a while to get used to both shooting myself and not caring if I die.  The frequent placement of the waypoints relieves some of the annoyance of dying so much.

My biggest complaint is that in a game where we spend so much time moving up and down, there's very little ability to see in those directions.  There were several places where it was not possible to see where I was falling, and had to memorize the pattern of input necessary for getting through the area.  I was also annoyed at how often my mouse trailed below the edge of the screen, causing the game to pause unexpectedly.  Giving us more view (especially below ourselves) would be a major improvement.

Hard to play on mouse pad, and needs TF2 music in 8bit. 
 
Aside from that, amazing game.

Great game, man. I had fun. :) Tough, but fun.

Really fun game man I like it, simple concept but could be challenging.  I wish I could get that through my friends head, we're making a game but he wants to go all out with a huge plot and cutscenes and shit we shouldn't do now. But at least I get to do some modeling and practice which is all I really care about.  But I can't wait for part two.

I have to agree with DragonBloodthirsty on that one, but other than that, I had a lot of fun playing it. Great job.

" Pressing play and nothing happens... using Snow Leopard/Safari. Maybe that has something to do with it? "

I think this is one of the coolest flash based games I have ever played. Great Job!

Dude. That's way good. I'm really jealous now...

Great game! Congratulations on it!

All these comments make me feel extremely fuzzy inside, thanks so much guys :'D

" ...Man this is tough! lol Can't get past the part where it gives you hint of ''touching only the edge of explosion does less damage but still propels the same''  Oh and great work ;P  EDIT: Ok, finally past that part now! "

Please make a video showing how to get the dam fez its killing me!

Actually really awesome little game man; the first of these little flash games in a while that has really caught my attention. You took a simple little mechanic and expanded it out in a really fun way. Nice job.

" @Abyssfull said:

" ...Man this is tough! lol Can't get past the part where it gives you hint of ''touching only the edge of explosion does less damage but still propels the same''  Oh and great work ;P  EDIT: Ok, finally past that part now! "

Same but I like the game, I can see it being on XBL and PSN if the TC talks with Microsoft and Sony. "

Awesome game duder. This is the best flash I have ever played. Great work!

Super addicting. I'm way into this.

Fucking brilliant game duder, one of the best I've played in a long time. Would just say to put pause onto a button rather than clicking outside the screen in a later game/update since that lead to some annoying deaths.

That was pretty awesome.  Gave up just after the second to last help message, though, but it was fun.  Would you mind pointing me in the direction of some of the tutorials you used starting out?

i really dont like it. the mouse needs to move more with the screen. im trying to keep moving and rocket jumo fast but i can cuz i have to stop and line up the shot.

Now if only you had made a game with zombies in it...