The Door Tester – TriJam #193
The Door Tester is the Drentsoft Games entry to TriJam #193. The theme is Patience!
My original idea was to create a boss fight game. The boss would unleash a flurry of blows upon the player who must dodge or block and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out before returning some hits. This would repeat until the boss was defeated. I really wanted to make this but I felt it beyond my capabilities for a 3 hour jam.
My other idea was a game where you work in a door testing facility run by an AI. Your job is to go through doors as they close, very simple. However, the AI has gone mad with power or from the monotony of its job and has developed a bloodlust, feeding off the adrenaline of humans in danger. It will only pay you if you risk your life to go through the door at the last possible moment!
Walk up to the door, wait for the timer to count down then dash across the threshold! The closer the doors are to closing when you cross, the more money you make. You can even slow down time with your slow motion ability.
Originally the game was intended to have a small puzzle maze, with a little story, where the player would discover a chip that gives them the ability to perceive time in slow motion. It would then lead into an endless corridor of doors, behind some of which would be additional charges for the slow motion ability. Unfortunately, the game took a little longer than expected to create and I only really managed to make some of the puzzle level. I was able to fit a little of the story into the game through dialogue triggers and I had to hastily add an ending to the story.
I actually think this game could work better in 3D because it would allow for more dynamic animations, over the shoulder or top down and I think the perspective would lend an easier sense of when the player can go through the door for the best score. If people like the game I would consider recreating it in 3D to see if my hunch is correct!
You can try the game for free in the browser at itch.io.
