SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Make games! Discuss those games here.

Moderators: Bob the Hamster, marionline, SDHawk

User avatar
Gizmog
Metal King Slime
Posts: 2622
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:41 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Gizmog »

Mirrorworld

This game uses Z and X for use and cancel, unlike 99% of OHR games. Please remember that when you decide to play it for yourself. It's mentioned in the description, and again after the title screen (Which you have to use Z or X to advance past), but you can never remember enough

Like a reflection in a mirror, Mirrorworld is a game that's a little bit at-odds with itself. There's flavor text for most items you can find on the map, and the games sense of humor demands that you talk to the NPCs to see what they're gonna say, but the custom textboxes make it take just a long enough time to fade in and fade out that it's discouraging. The enemies are quirky, and the secondary options (because this battle system is *wild* and we'll talk about it later) scream out "try me, Gomie! try me!" , but then you do try them, and they don't do any damage, and then the enemy damages you, and now you're behind in the HP race and inevitably will be defeated. And on every game over, you're encouraged to "Play more seriously!" which eventually started to rustle my jimmies.

So, when you enter a random encounter (which could use a little more razzle-dazzle on the transition, the straight fade-to-black made me think I'd entered a town the first time I saw it.), you're presented with 5 options. Two of which, "run away" and "defend" are always there. Defend seems to reduce incoming damage to 1, and heal you for 2 HP. I didn't expect that second part, and so only tried it against the final boss and kind of kicked myself for making the game a lot harder than it should've been. The other three are unique to each enemy type, usually one obvious damage dealer and two jokey pacification type things. I was not able to get the jokey pacification type things to work, and as happy as I was when the enemy chose to try one of them instead of hurting me, maybe this is intentional. The enemies themselves are wonderful and weird, even animated which is pretty unusual and very welcome. I am very jealous of the Earthbound-styled animated backgrounds, and so I won't talk about how good those are.

There's a lot of effects to be jealous of, really. Lots of sine-wave-y and some parallax stuff that makes the game dreamy and fun to look at. The music's pretty dreamy too, with my only complaint being that the wacky random battle song got a little bit grating. Final boss theme ruled. The story's very straight-forward so I won't spoil it, but it gets you from place to place.

One thing to watch out for, because I'm dumb as hell and stumbled into it, is that there's going to be a big monologue that ends with you in the middle of the woods. Open the menu (using enter) and choose the green F looking thing on the right hand side. Make a quick save. Now if/when you die on the way to town, you don't have to see the monologue again. I died and had to see the monologue again. And then, to make things worse, when I got to town and saved, and died later, I chose "continue" instead of "load game" and thought I had lost progress. Continue = Quick Load, try to keep that in mind too.

Even with all my bungling, I still had a really good time and would definitely encourage you to give Mirrorworld a little bit of your day. Just now as I'm writing, I'm informed that the game is available on Ravancloak's itch.io, https://ravancloak.itch.io/mirror-world, and I'm sure any love you get it there would encourage more fun like this in the future.
Attachments
You know, Time Girl had a working mirror too, I wonder if these games are connected..
You know, Time Girl had a working mirror too, I wonder if these games are connected..
mirrorworld0002.png (6.39 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
Ho ho?
Ho ho?
mirrorworld0007.png (2.98 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
Ho ho!
Ho ho!
mirrorworld0009.png (3.11 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
At first I was angry at how smug this cat was, but it turned out to be right.
At first I was angry at how smug this cat was, but it turned out to be right.
mirrorworld0015.png (4.4 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
Say that to me IRL and not online and see what happens >:(
Say that to me IRL and not online and see what happens >:(
mirrorworld0018.png (663 Bytes) Viewed 3662 times
This menu? Animated!
This menu? Animated!
mirrorworld0020.png (4.87 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
...that is Time Girl! ...and I know what's in that water gun! ...gross!
...that is Time Girl! ...and I know what's in that water gun! ...gross!
mirrorworld0034.png (2.81 KiB) Viewed 3662 times
User avatar
Gizmog
Metal King Slime
Posts: 2622
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:41 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Gizmog »

STOAT.rpg

Full disclosure: The author, Fenrir-Lunaris, asked me to save this game for last, and I did. I'm not saying I "saved the best for last", but I am definitely glad that I played the other games first, because STOAT definitely leaves a weird taste in your mouth (Vore pun definitely intended.) that wouldn't be fair to any act that tried to follow it.

This is another game like "Mystery Dungeon Friends" that really isn't going to make sense unless you've got your finger on the pulse of the OHR Community and the internal drama geyser within. It's dedicated to the work of Nathan Karr, a controversial and conflicted developer of games like "No Eat", "Trytuges" and a bunch of other stuff, the dude is prolific, and he's gone by about as many different names over the years. On one hand, he's a furry vore fetishist, and on the other hand, he's got strong conservative Christian values, and it's an apparent contradiction that makes a lot of people think he's a troll rather than the multi-faceted character he really is. "STOAT.rpg" seems to be a... hmm... what's the reciprocal of a call for help? It's Fenrir reaching out to his friend through the metaphor of games (A metaphor that took me a long time to get, we're talking "holy slime" at the ending cutscene long time to get), and I hope Nathan sees it and takes it in the good-natured spirit of concern (with mild parody) that I'm sure it was intended for.

So, we're forced into the body of a stoat, given an axe that will brutally murder everyone we talk to, and invited to go on a whirlwind tour of OHR personalities. Hey, I'm even there! Not with the contest judges, because OHR contests are an unpredictable beast, but in there just the same. Fenrir's done these kind of parodies before, and he's got a good knack for making jokes about people that are laughing with them, not at them (though if Spoonweaver were Jewish, I'm pretty sure he could sue for defamation, that Gnome sprite reminds me of some pretty slimed up stuff). The enemies make me giggle, and in what seems to be a gentle critique of Nathan's battle design, the amount of damage your attacks do varies wildly, making the level of difficulty largely luck based. Save early, save often. It's interesting to gain levels from talking to (and killing!) NPCs, and to me, at least, this became one of the game's "love it or hate it" points. This feels like a kind of sacrifice, exchanging an NPC now to get through a map, in exchange for punishment later. Near the end of the game, NPCs will imply that you didn't have to kill them, and that there might've been a possible pacifist route (which isn't unheard of. "Megaman Sprite Game" did the same kind of twist, involving a path through the grass), though my experimentation with debug keys and fleeing from battles suggests this is not the case.

I don't intend to spoil too much, because it's a fun little romp, and even if you've got no idea who anyone is, there's still a few good laughs to be had, but there's one spot at the end where you're given a choice at the end of a very long cutscene. If you choose incorrectly the first time, it's an obvious "Ohhh, okay, right, I'm an idiot" and then you replay and choose correctly and get the good ending. But if you're a moron like me, you chose right the first time, and then went back to see the wrong ending, which, while a great reference, could've had maybe a little more flavor.

Maybe I'm too demanding. I love what's here, I wish there was more of it, I started over and double checked to see if there was more of it, a comment Fenrir made on Discord made me spend ten minutes checking for an easter egg that might not even exist. What's worse, the game doesn't only make me want to see more Fenrir games, it makes me want to see more Nathan games too, which obviously isn't a promise Fenrir can deliver on.

Oh! The music selections are *absolutely inspired*. You haven't truly lived till you've sat with Charbile, perving on wolf ladies, while a song about being... eaten? sat on? squashed? I forget what the fetish intuned was, but it was great. Another sequence had me pounding on a pride parade mascot's prostate until it exploded into a rainbow of stars, all the while a remix of He-Man's immortal cover of "What's Going On?" played. Impossible not to smile at that.

It's going to be really hard judging the laugh factor of this, versus games that were a little meatier in the RPG department, or games that stuck closer to the contest theme of "The Past", though let's face it, that's a very subjective theme that you can justify in a million ways. Sure would be nice if the judges ahead of me hadn't been eaten, so I could just sit back and enjoy, but them's the breaks. It's been a great contest, every entrant has plenty to be proud of, there really isn't a loser in this bunch. I am going to private message my scores, when ready, to Spoonweaver, and he can choose to make them public or not as he wishes, I just don't want to risk influencing the other judges.
Attachments
I went for a swim on my second playthrough... though I can't find myself in the screenshot.. weird.
I went for a swim on my second playthrough... though I can't find myself in the screenshot.. weird.
STOAT0164.png (1.6 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
It is *definitely* that kind of game. The music elevates this to
It is *definitely* that kind of game. The music elevates this to
STOAT0064.png (4.52 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
Awww :(
Awww :(
STOAT0003.png (2.55 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
If you see this, load your game and start over. How dare you
If you see this, load your game and start over. How dare you
STOAT0016.png (9.99 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
Dare you enter his magical realm?
Dare you enter his magical realm?
STOAT0049.png (3.85 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
I had 168 screenshots to choose from. This is one of them.
I had 168 screenshots to choose from. This is one of them.
STOAT0093.png (1.93 KiB) Viewed 3624 times
User avatar
Fenrir-Lunaris
Metal Slime
Posts: 768
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:45 pm
Location: OHR Depot

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Fenrir-Lunaris »

Gizmog wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 4:13 amSure would be nice if the judges ahead of me hadn't been eaten, so I could just sit back and enjoy, but them's the breaks.
That WOULD explain what happened, wouldn't it? Though as Baconlabs has said "I am delicious".
ArtimusBena
Slime Knight
Posts: 251
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2017 5:22 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by ArtimusBena »

Video Goose music!

Do you make love with the same urgency you make games?
User avatar
Spoonweaver
Liquid Metal King Slime
Posts: 6462
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:07 am
Contact:

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Spoonweaver »

Morpheus­Kitami, no rush, but whats your timeline for judging games looking like?
User avatar
MorpheusKitami
Slime Knight
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:23 pm
Location: Somewhere in America

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by MorpheusKitami »

I should be done in a week, I'm about halfway through right now. I'll be posting all my thoughts on the games at once.
TMC
Metal King Slime
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:19 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by TMC »

Appointing Giz as judge just makes anyone else look like a slacker (I'm not denying it though). If you had to appoint a single judge, Giz would be my pick, no doubt, though I think three is a bare minimum reasonable number.
User avatar
Spoonweaver
Liquid Metal King Slime
Posts: 6462
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:07 am
Contact:

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Spoonweaver »

Change of plans, again...
So TMC has let us know that he would like Holly to take over as Judge for the contest in his place.
She's working on her scoring now and will be sending me the scores soon.
TMC
Metal King Slime
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:19 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by TMC »

Sorry folks; I didn't want to cause this to drag out and should have bowed out much earlier.
What on earth were Spoonweaver & RMZ thinking, asking me to judge? They know I rarely keep my promises and can't ever meet a schedule!
User avatar
Spoonweaver
Liquid Metal King Slime
Posts: 6462
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:07 am
Contact:

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Spoonweaver »

I due apologize for the stress caused, honestly.
I know it can be a lot.

Not to worry though.
We have Giz's scores, we have holly's scores.
As soon as we get Morph's scores we will have our winner!
User avatar
Gizmog
Metal King Slime
Posts: 2622
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:41 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Gizmog »

TMC wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 9:49 am Sorry folks; I didn't want to cause this to drag out and should have bowed out much earlier.
What on earth were Spoonweaver & RMZ thinking, asking me to judge? They know I rarely keep my promises and can't ever meet a schedule!
You have a lot on your plate, TMC. Focus on what you do get done, which is a lot, if you take the time to keep score. Comments like that are... I can't think of the word. There's "affirmations" which are things that make you feel good and build you up a little, and that's the opposite, stuff that doesn't help you, but blow up like a parachute and hold you back. And nobody wants you held back <3
TMC
Metal King Slime
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:19 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by TMC »

Wise words, Giz <3
User avatar
Spoonweaver
Liquid Metal King Slime
Posts: 6462
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:07 am
Contact:

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by Spoonweaver »

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!!


1st place!!! Time Girl 1998by pjbebi

Second:: STOAT.rpgby Fenrir-Lunaris

Third:: Landscape Champ '58 by Spoonweaver

Fourth:: Dead Man's Tale by Idontknow


Fifth:: Mirror World by Ravancloak

Sixth:: Video Goose by RMZ and Artimus Bena

Seventh:: fishing 2 demo by kylekrack

Eighth:: Atmans' Hyperspace Chronicle by Eonhetwo

Ninth:: Dungeon by Arti

Tenth:: Ancient Gondola Tablet by dantedynamite


Elevnth:: Mystery Dungeon Friends by charbile
User avatar
charbile
Metal Slime
Posts: 601
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:18 am

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by charbile »

hey! can you speak up? i didn't quite catch that last part lol

Congratulations PJBEBI!! :D
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Attachments
big shout out to the esteemed judges!
big shout out to the esteemed judges!
finallyfree.png (15.02 KiB) Viewed 3306 times
User avatar
pjbebi
Slime Knight
Posts: 112
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:22 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: SUMMER SLAM - the next gen of ohr contest

Post by pjbebi »

Great work everyone. I really didn't expect to win. Let's make some more games. Also, I'm taking the body pillow. It'd be really cool if we could pass it along to all future contest winners, so everyone gets to take in its glory. <3
Post Reply