ASCII in February
February 1st, 2011
In celebration of February being a cold and lonely month, your goal is to make a game around the theme: ASCII. No graphics allowed, other than the text you find in the ASCII Table. Any font is allowed. Make some beautiful art, lonely game developers, and good luck!
We're a group of indie game developers, running a friendly competition every month. The rules: Make a game based on the month's theme, and don't spend more than 7 days. New games posted at the end of every month.
60 Comments, Comment or Ping
Alright, I have an idea and I am going to participate for the first time to this project!
February 1st, 2011
Great theme! I will try to find time this month.
February 1st, 2011
This’ll be a hard one for my first time in this project. Should be a fun challenge :)
February 1st, 2011
I’ll just resubmit this one, yeah?
http://manateegames.co.uk/sanor
I will actually make something for this maybe…
February 1st, 2011
Hahahaha! I was just dreaming up something based on text a few days ago.
February 1st, 2011
So are we forced to make the game in a console or can we atleast have a plain color background ?
February 1st, 2011
So this is actually just a graphical restriction? Not necessarily a *theme* per se? I mean, the game(play) does not have to be *about* ASCII, as long as it uses ASCIi as its *medium*. That’s how I understand it at least.
Not sure whether I join this. Probably not unless I think of something brilliant.
February 1st, 2011
good theme :)
February 1st, 2011
Heh, I’ve had an idea I’ve been wanting to do that fits right into this.
February 1st, 2011
Are characters from the ‘extended ASCII table’ allowed?
Seems a tad easy if they are allowed ;)
February 1st, 2011
oh damn: I should have saved making a roguelike for this month, apparently :P
February 1st, 2011
I really like this theme and I have an idea already but I was hoping someone would be able to help me with detecting input in the console (without having to use cin and such, I’m using c++).
February 1st, 2011
Here’s my entry for the month: Galaxy Run. It’s an ascii space shooter. You survive for as long as you can and rack up as many points as possible while doing it. Controls are on the start screen.
http://www.calebleak.com/?p=63
I didn’t log the hours, but it took me less than a day.
February 2nd, 2011
I made a little mixed-up letter generator that may be good for some people. Please don’t use too much – it’s not that efficient and if it starts slowing down my site I’ll take it off
http://connorpeet.com/betawebs/2011/letters/
With the following PHP code:
<?php
header("Content-type: image/jpeg");
$im = imagecreate(512, 512);
$bg = imagecolorallocate($im, 255, 255, 255);
$col = imagecolorallocate($im, 0, 0, 0);
$abc= array("a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z");
for ($i=0;$i
February 2nd, 2011
I’m going to have my first go at this.
February 2nd, 2011
I really want to do something for this! I hope I get time. Best theme so far!
February 2nd, 2011
I’m also somewhat curious whether we can use the Extended ASCII table. Any thoughts?
February 2nd, 2011
How about a new version of a DND remake.
February 2nd, 2011
I posted a new version of Galaxy Run. The game was configured for a colemak layout rather than qwerty, sorry to everyone that could only move up and left.
February 2nd, 2011
“Any font is allowed.”
BLASPHEMY
February 3rd, 2011
http://gamejolt.com/profile/ykeeg-entertainment/blog/5385/
Blogging my progress again.
February 4th, 2011
If you use the full stop character as a pixel, you could technically make just any game. But that’s silly, right? :P
February 4th, 2011
@Keith Thomas:
Doesn’t say anything about console, does it? I don’t think anybody will shoot you for a plain-colored background.
@Orkahm52, Newton64 (you sure like numbers, do you?):
If you can do something experimental and/or original with the extended ASCII table, go for it I guess.
…and now for something completly different: I actually have an idea I want to try for this theme! So, finally I’ll participate again. I’m looking forward to it :)
February 5th, 2011
I’m giving this one a shot too! I’m going to try my super silly little idea first as a little warm up. It’s a take on the avoider games, I’m calling it ASCIIvader. I’ll blog it up too :)
http://cataclysmicgames.blogspot.com/2011/02/self-challenge-game-in-day-asciivader.html
February 6th, 2011
Hello all! This is my debut here at EP.com!
I am sorry, but my game is created in Game Maker, but its far faster and easier then in C++ (which Im not that good at :P)
Well since Ive put in the game very brief description to keep its simplicity, Id like to add few notes here.
You are hacker, who is trying to get as deep into target’s code as possible.
Code is represented by sets of 0s and 1s, where 1s are a bit transparent so their difference is more visual, and your hack is represented by… well, word “H4CK” :D
You are allowed to move up (“W”) and down (“S”) in the code between 1s. But since code is randomly generated (grid of 3×5 blocks of 1s/0s if anyone interested), you quickly run into situation, when you cant move without crashing into zeros.
So you got your “HACK” ability, which changes values of every bit of code (except block around your character), which allows you dynamicly change enviroment you are moving in.
You might find game easy at the start, but dont worry, there are hidden 3 different levels of speed, which high up difficultity quite a bit. You are alarmed on speed change by quick black-no code part in game (first bump is at 3600 points to keep out for it :P)
So, here it is!
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O7RHYPD9
February 6th, 2011
Count me in!
First time on ExperimentalGameplay.com!
I’ll update my website soon, blogging seems a good idea!
February 8th, 2011
Spawn of Helvittica
A top down shooter that generates the battle conditions based on a supplied text file and mp3s used like coins in an arcade.
http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/shooter/spawn-of-helvittica/4523/
http://gamejolt.com/profile/ykeeg-entertainment/blog/5385/
February 10th, 2011
For this one I’ve created the strategy/puzzle game Fortress of Arial, available at http://greg.czerniak.info/node/4 .
Description: Save the townspeople (@) from the arrows (_). There are regular arrows, fire arrows, and bomb arrows threatening the townspeople, and you must place letters to protect the townspeople from these threats.
All graphics on the screen are created by text in Arial font, including the explosions (they are a combination of # and *).
February 18th, 2011
I’m making a stripped down story creation game that’s different every time you play. It’s been fun testing it, hopefully people will dig it.
February 19th, 2011
WordCatch – It’s easy, catch falling letters to form words and score points! Making a word based game seemed like the obvious choice when dealing with Ascii. I wanted to try and do something a little dynamic with it though and I always had this idea of doing an inverse Tetris-like game where you move the field instead of the bricks. I spent 2 weekends on this = 6 days. Link is below, I’d love it if you left a comment good or bad. Enjoy!
Quick Instructions: Use arrow keys (or WASD) to move your block of letters. Letters stick to your block when they touch it by either falling or you running into them. Form words (left to right and top to bottom) to score points! You have 3 rounds to add up for your high score!
http://www.lucidgamer.com/?p=61
February 19th, 2011
Characterror – http://characterror.com/
(There are pre-built applications available for OSX and Windows, but the game should run fine on any desktop OS with Java)
Looks like we’ll have no shortage of games like this this month, but here it goes—Characterror is a shmup about spelling. There are a number of “target strings” on the left side of the screen, and a ship with a magazine of letters on the right side. Your goal is to shoot the letters from the ship into the targets to create the longest words possible.
The game keeps track of which combinations of letters can create valid English words from the strings in play, and makes only those letters available to the player. The goal is to make it possible to create longer, more interesting words than you might be able to otherwise.
I programmed the game in Python, using the excellent processing.py framework. I stretched the seven day rule to the limit here, but there are still a few hiccups that I’d like to iron out eventually. This is my first EGP entry, so go easy on me!
Quick note—I’ve only been able to test the game on XP. If someone wants to try it out on Windows 7 and let me know if/how it works, that would be great.
February 20th, 2011
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/164933-h4ck#
I have worked good portion of today to upgrade a little my game, H4CK.
Ive added effects, HUD, game keeps high score and, whats most important, I added bonuses you can uncover by hacking the code.
More info about them in the game after pressing “F1″
Also, I uploaded it on YoYo Games, so you dont have to deal with crappy megaupload anymore :)
February 21st, 2011
Hello everyone! This is my first entry for the Experimental Gameplay Project, and you can download from
http://www.gamescanbe.altervista.org/kid_asci_eng.html
My main goal while designing the gameplay was to represent in some way the essence of the ASCII code: communicating. The idea is then allowing the player to interact with “streams” of letters which flow along the streets of a stylized city, in order to deliver messages and complete the proposed missions. In a game where the only objects available are ASCII characters, I felt that the most natural way to use them was for delivering messages!
I developed it in 6 days!
February 21st, 2011
Dominik,
Wow, after playing your game for a while the room was undulating–does something weird to your eyes. The mechanic was interesting, I eventually just used the spacebar. This is regarding the one on megaupload, the yoyo games version didn’t work for me.
February 22nd, 2011
For Windows this time: http://pinothefrog.blogspot.com/2011/02/depression.html
February 22nd, 2011
@Aaron, huh I dont know now if its a good thing or bad thing :O
Btw, with YoYoGames version, where was problem? In downloading game or in actual game? Coz yoyogames has this “play now” green bar, which runs the game with some firefox addon. Link to normally download game should be somewhere near.
February 23rd, 2011
Dominik, I think it’s a good thing :) The problem at YoYoGames was in trying to run the downloaded game. I’ll try playing it with the Firefox addon.
February 23rd, 2011
Uh good then :D I was worried my game might even somehow damage the eyes :P
One problem might be that you extracted only exe, not whole zip file. New version saves high score to external file and shows it on the botton of menu screen, so when you try to run it without that text file, it crashes. Fix is very easy. In the directory where you extracted game, create txt file called “top.txt” and put some number on the first line.
February 23rd, 2011
“Trapped in some kid of Dictionary world”
There’s nothing much interesting about the gameplay to be honest, standard platform/puzzle fare. I guess it would be more suited for the Experimental Presentation Project :P
enjoy: http://yaygames.yiay.org/index.php/2011/02/february-egp-ascii/
February 23rd, 2011
rSPAR – an HTML5 sparring game.
2 player simultaneous (local play only)
or play vs AIs
http://glugglug.net/rspar/
February 23rd, 2011
“Death maze”
I probably missed the mark with the theme sort of. Your erm, stuck in a maze of ascii and must escape avoiding the death blades from hell spawned from the dralok. wow.
Does not work in Internet explorer due a bug in explorer I’ve not worked around.
http://jason.spashett.com/egp/feb/
run: death-maze.html
February 24th, 2011
Ok, this is last and final (I hope :P) build of my game, H4CK.
I improved slightly graphics, but this is mainly because of
couple bad bugs and misconcepts in the game I felt that
should be adressed ASAP (like did you noticed you get
same score regardless your speed? Yeah :/).
Well, as before… link:
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/164933-h4ck
Dont forget to extract executable with text file too :)
February 24th, 2011
I just wrapped up my game. It’s a recursive crossword word game. Download and video on my blog at…
http://frankforce.com/?p=1962
February 26th, 2011
Hello there. It took me most of the month to get the idea but here is my submission!
http://alexisandre.com/2011/02/27/piping-trebuchet
It’s a puzzle game based on the font Trebuchet (should be familiar to most people).
February 27th, 2011
A Poem Game
Download at…
http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/other/excuse-me/4650/
Use the arrow to play.
February 27th, 2011
word maze game:
Use arrow keys to move cursor to end(the green char),
path need to be a word.
when you lost, use ‘r’ key to restart.
Download here: http://rapidshare.com/files/450108332/word_maze.zip
Extract all file to any folder, and execute the file “word_maze.swf”
Have fun.
February 27th, 2011
My submission, “Wise Up!”, is a puzzle involving rotating letters around in 3D to make them line up.
This is my first (on-time and complete) submission to EGP, please leave your feedback on my site!
Play here: http://www.davidc.net/blog/201102/experimental-gameplay-wise-up
February 27th, 2011
And here’s mine:
http://blog.dragonlab.de/2011/02/wordmaze/
You might’ve guessed, it’s a word maze-ish game. You form word’s on which you can then navigate over the playfield.
Special feature: This game has the same name as John’s. Meh. I would change my name, but I don’t want to change the logo, the swf, the filenames and my blog post now, so I hope you can live with it, John?
February 27th, 2011
I got some nice feedback saying that the game was too hard and too difficult to figure out, so I made a new version with a better presentation.
http://alexisandre.com/2011/02/27/piping-trebuchet
Still the same “link the letters” puzzle game. Thanks everyone for the feedback.
February 28th, 2011
Wait, crap, February only has 28 days! My game isn’t finished!!
Gah. Stupid calendar.
March 1st, 2011
Whats up with round-up & new challenge? :D
I need something new to think about :P
March 5th, 2011
I guess GDC was up.
March 5th, 2011
A whole month dedicated to ASCII and nobody thought of “The Matrix” ?
So here a little something …..
http://gamejolt.com/freeware/games/platformer/cupid-in-the-matrix/4688/
Made mostly from stuff cannibalized from some of my previous projects, the matrix rain effect fits nicely into this month’s theme ;-)
March 5th, 2011
I finally setup a website so I can get the feedback via comment.
Same game: Word Maze.
URL: http://www.johnsgame.com/2011/03/06/word-maze.html
March 8th, 2011
My business partner wrote one too…
but forgot to submit since he’s off in New Zealand.
Trigger by Ryan D Williams
http://glugglug.net/trigger
… Airbash this answers your comment
March 8th, 2011
Came across this game by someone else; not a submission but still fitting I think. :D
new window for this one since it messes up your ‘back’ pages
http://probablyinteractive.com/url-hunter
March 8th, 2011
@ ardonite
Trigger looks good ;)
March 9th, 2011
My business partner wrote one too…Cuffie Beats
but forgot to submit since he’s off in New Zealand.
July 26th, 2011
Came across this game by someone else; not a submission but still fitting I think. :D
July 26th, 2011
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