Jimpy

Jimpy is the very beginning nibblies of an abstract, physics-based platformer where the player jumps from surface to surface and can stick to various surfaces from any side as they make their way to "portal" platforms that connect to other levels.
It was inspired by a fever-dream memory of an obscure old Commodore 64 era game called Bugaboo in which you played a cricket(?) hopping around a level of floating islands. I think there were somehow also dragons. It was extremely tense and frustrating as you climbed higher and higher with a missed jump likely resulting in a long fall of lost progress. Lots of fore-echoes of games like Getting Over It.
This prototype does not contain dragons.
Initially, I just wanted to experiment with simple physics-forward platforming mechanics. This was in contrast to a more standard and cleaner player controller design using cartoon physics (things like in-air control, Wile E. Coyote hang time, etc.). This was partially because I wanted to play with emergent player behavior but also because I wanted to explore creating something intentionally frustrating :). My hope was that I could make something that felt fair but which would also foster plenty of "fails" and gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair.
The fair bit was key, as many very streamable "frustration games" like Getting Over It or QWOP often obfuscate their controls intentionally to make things more difficult or to shift the skill/luck curve such that success is often unexpected and failure is often the result of chaotic systems. I often liken those sorts of designs to a marionette with strings going in seemingly random directions. It's still a marionette, but getting it to do anything intentional is nearly impossible.
In this case, the player controls are precise and easily understood, but the level layouts and lack of standard platforming conceits (e.g. in air control) can create some of the same tension and moments while still making the player feel that they own their mistakes.
Controls
There are only a handful of levels in this prototype, and it's hardly genius, but I may comeback and play with more novel mechanics at some point.
Enjoy! :)
- Matt
P.S.: I was experimenting with adding direct movement as well, so WASD does allow you to move explicitly to some degree, but that's not the intended experience and might break levels or make them too easy.
Give it a try over on Itch.io --> Jimpy
It was inspired by a fever-dream memory of an obscure old Commodore 64 era game called Bugaboo in which you played a cricket(?) hopping around a level of floating islands. I think there were somehow also dragons. It was extremely tense and frustrating as you climbed higher and higher with a missed jump likely resulting in a long fall of lost progress. Lots of fore-echoes of games like Getting Over It.
This prototype does not contain dragons.
Initially, I just wanted to experiment with simple physics-forward platforming mechanics. This was in contrast to a more standard and cleaner player controller design using cartoon physics (things like in-air control, Wile E. Coyote hang time, etc.). This was partially because I wanted to play with emergent player behavior but also because I wanted to explore creating something intentionally frustrating :). My hope was that I could make something that felt fair but which would also foster plenty of "fails" and gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair.
The fair bit was key, as many very streamable "frustration games" like Getting Over It or QWOP often obfuscate their controls intentionally to make things more difficult or to shift the skill/luck curve such that success is often unexpected and failure is often the result of chaotic systems. I often liken those sorts of designs to a marionette with strings going in seemingly random directions. It's still a marionette, but getting it to do anything intentional is nearly impossible.
In this case, the player controls are precise and easily understood, but the level layouts and lack of standard platforming conceits (e.g. in air control) can create some of the same tension and moments while still making the player feel that they own their mistakes.
Controls
- Left-click/touch and drag to aim and control jump strength
- Hold left mouse button/touch while flinged to attach to the next surface you contact
- Reach green platforms to move to different stages.
- ESC returns to main menu
- R resets current level
There are only a handful of levels in this prototype, and it's hardly genius, but I may comeback and play with more novel mechanics at some point.
Enjoy! :)
- Matt
P.S.: I was experimenting with adding direct movement as well, so WASD does allow you to move explicitly to some degree, but that's not the intended experience and might break levels or make them too easy.
Give it a try over on Itch.io --> Jimpy