BYOND Action Game In A Week Contest Results!

Honorable Mention: Vashtbh's Sub - 18.5/40 points

Theme - 8/12 points Originality - 4/5 points A submarine platformer, well I've never seen a platformer done with submarines before. Potential - 2/3 points I don't really see a direction that this game could take down the development path that really goes anywhere. Of course, if the submarine wasn't jumping and was actually diving and whatnot, I can see a future for the game. I do see the ambition though, with a pixel-based movement system (with somewhat buggy camera movement) Correlation - 2/4 points A platformer with a water theme. This honestly could have been themed with something else and it wouldn't make the game any different. Gameplay - 4/18 points Fun Level - 3/6 points It's a short game and the controls are a little clunky. On top of that, there's almost no direction in the game, other than to collect treasure and reach the surface. Almost no obstacles in the way as well. Replay value - 1/6 points There is practically no challenge in this game. Just collect your treasures and go. Length of Interest - 1/6 points No challenge and a 2 minute course sans obstacles makes for extraordinarily short interest. In addition, the game also seems to be unfinished. Presentation - 5/10 points Interface - 2/4 points The interface was simple. It served its purpose. Graphics - 3/4 points The graphics don't exactly fit; there's no consistent style. The background looks nice though. Sounds - 0/2 points No sounds were present in the game. Total - 17/40

A side-scrolling platformer with some interesting physics and even more interesting art. Unfortunately, this game appears to be incomplete, with the level abruptly ending at the edge of the map. Overall, it could use a great deal more refinement. The controls, because of BYOND's keyboard input limitations, can seem a bit sticky. The physics were pretty smooth, if nonsensical underwater, but also were a bit buggy when moving between stacked platforms. The level design could also use some variation. Definitely has some great potential if the author decides to continue working on it, but as it stands, it still needs a lot of work. Theme - 10/12 points Originality - 4/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 3/4 points Gameplay - 5/18 points Fun Level - 2/6 points Replay value - 0/6 points Length of Interest - 3/6 points Presentation - 5/10 points Interface - 3/4 points Graphics - 2/4 points Sounds - 0/2 points Total: 20/40

Honorable Mention: Gerdan's ShipFights - 25.5/40 points

Theme - 10/12 points Originality - 3/5 points Customizable naval combat. I like it Potential - 3/3 points The gameplay is somewhat slow and the bugs ruin it the way it is right now. With a bit of patching up, this could become a popular game. Correlation - 4/4 points This is a naval combat game, and it wouldn't work at all if it were themed any other way. I love the customization on the ships, because you can have specialized ships and each ship with a counter. Gameplay - 11/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points The game is somewhat fun. Naval combat is always tense when it depends so much upon maneuvering, like this game. However, there are a few things that ruin it. The game expects you to maintain your ship while fighting and navigating, quite the feat. Most of the deaths experienced during testing were from navigation mishaps while I was reloading or repairing my ship (You can only do one thing at a time, so you can't pilot while repairing). The second thing that ruins it is the shooting. Firing off a weapon involved clicking a button and then navigating through several input menus. This slows down the game a LOT. Replay value - 4/6 points Trying out different ship loadouts and playing against other players in the process. Length of Interest - 3/6 points Since the game is so slow, I can see players logging out in the middle of the game. Presentation - 5/10 points Interface - 1/4 points The interface hinders the gameplay experience. Graphics - 2/4 points The graphics are consistent. Sounds - 2/2 points Sounds are present and are relatively good Total - 26/40

This game sounded pretty cool, but unfortunately was a bit unwieldy. You command and maintain a ship all by yourself and try to destroy enemy ships. The game lets you choose four pieces equipment to stock your ship with: cannons, mines, torpedoes, and/or countermeasures. The possibilities of these combination sparked my interest, but only mines are really useful for taking out enemy ships. Cannons prompt you (via input; bad!) each time you try to fire them, so it is near impossible to hit anything if either ship is moving. Torpedoes have a nasty habit of crashing into your own ship if you're moving. One part I did really enjoy was sneaking aboard others' ships and sabotaging all their equipment (even though they destroyed my ship while I was away, I took 'em down with me!). The game feels a bit unfinished, with a few bugs here or there. It would have been great if the author had rigged up a visual map-wrapping system, since half of my deaths were from sailing off the edge of the world while on deck reloading my guns. Pixel movement could have also smoothed the controls out greatly. Random spawn locations would also be preferred to starting on top of one another. I liked the general interface, but the HUD could have been better designed, specifically the weapon firing and tool handling. Theme - 10/12 points Originality - 3/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 4/4 points Gameplay - 10/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points Replay value - 3/6 points Length of Interest - 3/6 points Presentation - 5/10 points Interface - 2/4 points Graphics - 2/4 points Sounds - 1/2 points Total: 25/40

Forth Place: Killer 22's Fishing for Fun - 26/40 points

Theme - 10/12 points Originality - 5/5 points I wasn't expecting a fishing game when I made the theme. Big props here Potential - 3/3 points This game is really basic and simple right now. With refined systems (Like better player control and better fish AI), it can really go somewhere. Correlation - 2/4 points It's a fishing game. It fits the theme of water but doesn't really provide an interesting way of incorporating water into gameplay. Gameplay - 10/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points It's an entertaining game. Especially when you're competing against another person. More depth to the gameplay would have boosted this score. Replay value - 3/6 points The lack of content really hinders this aspect of the game. There's only one pool and one set of fish. If there were more varieties of fishes and environments and maybe even light RPG aspects (Like making money to buy slightly better baits or hooks), the game would have scored higher in this category. Length of Interest - 3/6 points This kind of ties into the replay value, except it's a little worse. The fishes in the pools don't seem to regenerate (or they take too long to). While this is good and forces players to go find a new area to fish, the fishes weren't coming back if you fished out the whole game world. Presentation - 5/10 points Interface - 3/4 points The interface worked well with the gameplay. I really liked the way players reeled in fish, though I wish there was more control, like some form of input that allowed me to modify how far I threw the line. Graphics - 2/4 points The graphics, despite being really basic, fit together well. Sounds - 0/2 points No sounds were present in the game. Total - 25/40

The game was surprisingly fun, especially when competing with another player for bigger fish.  However, it's low variety gives it a small replay value, becoming repetitive after extended play.  The game has no progression; it's always the same fish, the same location, and the same equipment. As such, it doesn't take long to say "seen it!" and move on--short interest length.       A fishing game doesn't make huge demands on an interface, but and I would have liked to have seen more than Dream Seeker's default one. However, there is an interesting on-screen casting and reeling system.       A large part of fishing is enjoying the view, unfortunately there wasn't much to enjoy. Although functional, the graphics were far from pleasing to the eyes. Sounds, such as crickets, splashes in the water, and other such ambience would have done wonders to establish a relaxing environment. Theme - 12/12 points Originality - 5/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 4/4 points Gameplay - 10/18 points Fun Level - 5/6 points Replay value - 3/6 points Length of Interest - 2/6 points Presentation - 4/10 points Interface - 3/4 points Graphics - 2/4 points Sounds - 0/2 points Total - 27/40

Third Place: Nickr5's Navy - 26.5/40 points

Theme - 11/12 points Originality - 5/5 points A Naval combat sim! It's pretty interesting and works somewhat well Potential - 3/3 points Another basic game with good systems. Every unit can be controlled by the player and serves a number of functions for each unit type. Aircraft carriers refuel (I don't know about their antisubmarine or antiaircraft capabilities). Submarines can submerge and sneak attack enemies. Battleships and Helicopters are made for assaulting. You could get a rock paper scissors thing set up here. Correlation - 3/4 points Navy action, with submersion. Come on man. Gameplay - 9/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points The game starts out really slowly because the map is slightly too big and there's very little direction. I was pretty lost when I started playing the game. Otherwise, the naval battles can get a little intense depending on what units are in play. There should also be more depth in naval battles. Replay value - 3/6 points With more maps (And more of an environmental effect upon players and the outcome of battles), I can see this game getting played regularly. Gameplay definitely needs to be sped up though Length of Interest - 2/6 points The slow gameplay makes it fun for short moments and boring for the rest. I can definitely see people leaving mid-game because of this. Presentation - 4/10 points Interface - 2/4 points The interface gets the job done. Can't really complain here. Doesn't do a spectacular job though. Graphics - 2/4 points The unit graphics are nice, but the environment is still really lacking. The water is just a flat blue, and the land is just some generic dirt. There were definitely moments where I would be in the middle of the ocean and not be able to tell if I was moving or not. Sounds - 0/2 points No sounds were present in the game. Total - 24/30

A Real-time strategy and Action mix, Navy puts you in control of a small armada of several ship classes. Another seemingly incomplete game with great potential. Each ship has its own strengths and weaknesses (Battleship for power and armor, Helicopter for speed, Sub for stealth, and Carrier for mobility). Unfortunately, fuel is heavily limited and I found my ships grounded shortly after finishing my first battle. The interface was simple but functional, both 4.0's new interface and the screen-based HUD. Another game I hope to play further once a little more is added! Theme - 12/12 points Originality - 5/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 4/4 points Gameplay - 11/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points Replay value - 4/6 points Length of Interest - 3/6 points Presentation - 6/10 points Interface - 3/4 points Graphics - 3/4 points Sounds - 0/2 points Total: 29/40

Second Place: Airjoe's Speedo Torpedo - 28.5/40 points

Theme - 8/12 points Originality - 4/5 points A sidescrolling submarine shooter! It feels like an oldschool (and cheap) arcade game almost. Potential - 2/3 points I'm not sure if I like the life timer mechanic so much; it makes gameplay a little too stressful because of the slow movement. Correlation - 2/4 points Again, a sidescrolling shooter game with an underwater theme. Though the “air” timer kind of plays to the theme, it kind of does a bad thing for gameplay. Gameplay - 7/18 points Fun Level - 3/6 points Interesting little game. The gameplay feels bit too monotonous though. You're striving to kill as many subs as possible and at the same time, hoping that each one drops bubbles that will replenish your air timer. The only challenge in the game is racing against your air timer to get as many kills as possible. In addition, the game doesn't seem to try to make your job harder the longer into the game you've been playing Replay value - 2/6 points Again, competition to get a higher score is pretty much it. Length of Interest - 2/6 points There's very little depth in this game (No pun intended). Presentation - 8/10 points Interface - 3/4 points The interface did its job and didn't get in the way. I liked how this game actually had documentation and stuck it in the interface. Graphics - 3/4 points I LOVE THE CORALS. :D Sounds - 2/2 points The music was bad-ass, and the sounds were good. Total - 23/40

In case the name didn't tip you off, this game is amazing. Very fun, in the old arcade style of hopelessly inevitable doom, which nonetheless draws one back to see just how long they can survive. A bit tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, very fun. You play a character in--you guessed it--a Speedo who is launching torpedoes at oncoming subs (where he keeps them, I don't want to know). Instead of the general lives, you have air, which slowly depletes on its own. You replenish the air by stealing the rare air bubbles that appear when you blast a sub. Air bubbles are rare, but seem to appear when needed. The game is very well put together for a one-week contest--it even has a help file! The icons, music, sound, and interface all work seamlessly to create a great action-arcade game. Only downsides is that the gameplay can get repetitive, as there is no enemy variety and there does not appear to be a difficulty curve. Theme - 12/12 points Originality - 5/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 4/4 points Gameplay - 15/18 points Fun Level - 5/6 points Replay value - 3/6 points Length of Interest - 4/6 points Presentation - 10/10 points Interface - 4/4 points Graphics - 4/4 points Sounds - 2/2 points Total: 34/40

First Place: Jeff8500's Xtreme sub racing - 29/40 points

Theme - 8/12 points Originality - 3/5 points Seems kind of like a generic racing game. Should have incorporated more complex game mechanics. Potential - 3/3 points The gameplay needs to be more refined. This mostly has to do with the sluggish controls, which will be touched upon later. Correlation - 2/4 points It could have had any theme, and didn't do a good job of incorporating the theme into gameplay. Viscosity (water resistance) was implemented, though. The track should have been more aquatic, and water flow could have added some interesting gameplay mechanics with the maps. Gameplay - 11/18 points Fun Level - 4/6 points Simple and easy to learn gameplay, which is a good thing, though the controls got in the way of this. Replay value - 4/6 points Since there's a good deal of skill involved with the controls (the sluggishness doesn't really help it though), developing the ability to pilot these things takes time. Definitely something that would draw some players back to playing the game. The biggest part of it, though, is the lack of content. There need to be more maps. Length of Interest - 3/6 points There is only one racetrack. The gameplay is kind of bland because of the controls. The controls completely ruin the pacing. Sharp Turns sometimes require complete stops. Definitely a turn off. Presentation - 7/10 points Interface - 3/4 points The interface is nice, though it could use a bit more eye-candy. It does get the job done though. Graphics - 2/4 points The graphics are custom made, and they fit together well. However, the tracks are really bland, aesthetically. The explosion animation is nice though. Sounds - 2/2 points The sounds are really nice. Retro and they mostly fit the role they are given. Total - 26/40 points

A Generic racer, but with some underwater-like physics.  Surprisingly fun and frustrating at the same, as it takes an unexpected amount of skill to maneuver the submarines. Because of this challenge, players will have to play the game multiple times before mastering it. Personally, I still can't use mines effectively, and I can't even imagine using a speed boost!       Going head-to-head with another player, I could see myself playing a number of rounds in one sitting. Although there is only a single map, it does offer several different paths at certain points that mix gameplay up enough to keep it interesting.       The author created their own custom interface using 4.0's new features, for which I commend them. The interface was functional, and centered around the gameplay. The colors could have been chosen better, but I liked the general layout.       Although simple, the graphics fit together nicely and complemented the gameplay.  Those sounds that were used were used well, but I would have liked a few more. Theme - 11/12 points Originality - 4/5 points Potential - 3/3 points Correlation - 4/4 points Gameplay - 14/18 points Fun Level - 5/6 points Replay value - 4/6 points Length of Interest - 5/6 points Presentation - 7/10 points Interface - 3/4 points Graphics - 3/4 points Sounds - 1/2 points Total: 32/40