I read about these game jams and they make me want to do simple games that can be finished in relatively short time. I wound up between Pong and Pacman with this, I think. I wonder if it is similar to something done before.

There are four gametypes -- capture, avoid, race, and mining.

This is an XNA game, and I'm not sure how to, or if I can, host it in a browser. The installer is untested, so unavailable though I figure people are leery of such, I know I am.

But the screenshots give a good idea of the game play -- the dots move around on the track. The tracks are enabled segments of an underlying pattern of circles and straight lines. The mining game type involves claiming sections of track, the others involve interaction with other dots (units). 1 or 2 players.

The main mechanic is reflex navigation, definitely for game pads.

Do you think a game like this could find any players? Too basic?

Hello there,

First, i cant give really accurate answer from four images and a little info on the game runs how good the actual game is and therefore mark the games probability of being successful.

Do you think a game like this could find any players? Too basic?

It will find players, its something new, innovative, so it seems.

The problem is how long will it hold the players? How long till it bores player, constant loses? how long is the player willing to sink intro the game that has no actual end. What are the rewards of gameplay is what you should be looking intro.

Judging by the info provided i wouldn't give it much, but it surely has some potential

i think it would be fun if the map would change over the course of a game.
(this would keep the game fresh and unpredictable over a longer period of time)

Yeah, I have this mining mode that transforms the passability somewhat, but I think you mean the next level down where the substrate changes. That would be cool. Static grids of similar cells have been easy to deal with but there can be other ways.

Probably shouldn't have posted without videos --

http://jmsbin.com/images/turnmining0.mp4

http://jmsbin.com/images/turncapture0.mp4

Visibility at full screen is an issue with the game, and the small videos make it worse, but I think you see the basic game play.

It looks crazy fun, so I'd very, very much like to play it.

I put together an installer for this prototype. If you are interested, I hope you will give it a try.

I gave sound the usual short shrift just to give the ears something while the game is playing, otherwise the experience is suffocating.

At this point in development, I start looking for an artist to improve the look. In the meantime, try to minimize the macular degeneration by hurrying through the menu screen.

This is an XNA program. The installer was made using the default Visual Studio publish tool. Seems fine.

This page

http://jmsbin.com/turn/default.html

has some directions and a link to the setup program.

I put together an installer for this prototype. If you are interested, I hope you will give it a try.

I gave sound the usual short shrift just to give the ears something while the game is playing, otherwise the experience is suffocating.

At this point in development, I start looking for an artist to improve the look. In the meantime, try to minimize the macular degeneration by hurrying through the menu screen.

This is an XNA program. The installer was made using the default Visual Studio publish tool. Seems fine.

This page

http://jmsbin.com/turn/default.html

has some directions and a link to the setup program.

Id very much like to try it.

Is there gonna be just a zip file(extract and run) without installation?

I guess I can compress and post contents of the bin/x86/release folder -- I will get to that after work and mention it here when done.

Is there gonna be just a zip file(extract and run) without installation?

I've posted this on the website. As it happened, I found a bug I had to get rid of before posting (the installer has been updated too).

Made a version for the XBox as well, but I don't really have a way to distribute it...kind of neat to do that again, given all the talk lately of inaccessibility of the xBone.

So, it's a barebones prototype and I'm still trying to decide what to do with it. I like the mining and capture game types, and I feel with some creative gimmickry and some sparkle/dazzle it could possibly be decent.

It's not really meant to be addictive or anything like that. I remember in the old days of local multiplayer, you'd typically go through a big stack of carts in a game session, lingering on those that on a given afternoon provided some close competition. I think of this game in that context.

Not sure though, no objectivity. Could be pure dookie. The racing game type is a mess, for sure. Anyway, I hope you'll try it. Any feedback, negative or negative, is welcome.

Chrome gave me a warning when I test downloaded the zip, said "this file is not commonly downloaded". Never saw that before but I assume it is 'security' pablum.