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  • Hop! 2D : a simple yet not-all-that-easy 2D platformer with 2 control keys !

Hi there!

Very excited by HOP!2D's development, having played the original game released some 15 years ago. The beta does not disappoint, rock solid gameplay, good learning curve, balanced difficulty. Once you master the physics it's a very satisfying platforming experience. I reached level 48 so far, and I would say there is enough content along the way to keep me wanting to push forward. Not even mentioning secret areas and time attack mode for a good replayability. All changes and bug fixes so far are very welcome.
As I mentioned elsewhere, there is currently a bug at stage 40 which should be fixed anytime soon.
Can't wait for the final version of the game, and will gladly give feed back on the next betas.
Many thanks for the great work Asthalis!

Hello and thanks a lot for the bug report, GNU, you were right !

I have just solved the problem, it was due to a wrong argument in a function used by the boss in level 40. Everything should work fine now, you can download (or play online) the corrected BETA20b version. All unlocked worlds will remain unlocked, so no problem to complete the 4th world of the game !

Here are the links of the corrected beta 20b version (1st post updated) :

Hop!2D beta 20b (french/english latest WIP version, 80% done)
- download Hop!2D beta 20b (Windows/Linux/macOS)
- play Hop!2D beta 20b online (itch.io, not from mobile phone)

Other links
- Screenshots
- Trailer of the game (beta 14 version)
- 1st world demo (beta 14 version)

changelog

  • a few sprites retouched

bug fixed

  • no more "back to desktop" bug in level 40 (fixed boss code)

coming up

  • more boss levels !

i really like this aesthetic.
Hop!2D feels like an old phone game in the best way possible

    Sosasees
    Thanks for your kind message ! Did you try the game ?

    I'm a big arcade game nostalgic so no mystery I chose a low-res game (its native resolution is only 360x360 pixels) with rather simple graphics as a first Godot project. My goal was to keep it nice and simple (2 control keys and not more) but not forgetting gameplay and level design. And if you look in crannies and nooks in Hop!2D, you will find lots of references to old (or very old) games.

    As it is now, 2 worlds are still to be built but, if you're hooked, you can already play about an hour from level 1 before reaching the "to be continued" screen.

      Sosasees
      Great ! Do you remember which level you reached or can you describe it ? What are your main feelings (best and worst elements of the game) ?

        Asthalis the last level i could complete so far was the vertical level after 'easy money' i believe it was called.
        this game is very challenging

        my main feelings so far are
        ➕ very fun game
        ➕ great aesthetic
        ➖ sometimes unfair collision (i can lose a life by barely touching a spike). you can make the spike collision a bit smaller so that the player won't lose a life prematurely. there is very good video about forgiveness mechanics

          I reached my previous pb at 48 but couldn't go any further yet. The levels are very long and non-linear, and a few extra lives wouldn't hurt.
          Also I have a request against this enemy in the picture below. It shouldn't be here imo, you have to take a blind jump from the floor below and there is no way to avoid it when it's there, depending on your pace.

          Also this obstacle (2 destructible tiles under a spike): I don't hate it, but I think it doesn't fit in the general design of the level, which is all about path finding and big jumps.

            Sosasees
            Thanks first for your inspiring feedback and very interesting video link (I heard and read a lot about Coyote time but there was much more explained and detailed in it).

            I have just had another look at collision boxes I set for this kind of hazards and I think you're right, they could be a little smaller to make the game more forgiving. I'll take your advice if you think it may be a motive of frustration (especially beginners or no platformer-addicts), that's clearly not the goal. One thing I won't change, though, is the way Hop moves because all levels were built right from his jumping and rushing capacities and it took me a while to get a right "compatibility" between Hop and worlds he evolves in.

            Consider your suggestion validated for upcoming beta 21 version. The box reduction won't be huge but that's a point I can not neglect. May I ask you if you want your name added to the "thanks" list (ABOUT menu of the game ?).

              Asthalis One thing I won't change, though, is the way Hop moves because all levels were built right from his jumping and rushing capacities

              yes, i also think that Hop!2D wouldn't be Hop!2D if Hop didn't move like this

              GNU
              Hello again,

              Thanks for your detailed feedback and helpful screenshots. To be fair, I am still not completely satisfied with the 5th world and wondered if the difficulty level was not too high compared to previous and next worlds. Among hazards that may be a bit "too much", I did think of the mine under which Hop must rush in level 48. I think I will keep this trick for later levels and replace it by something easier.

              About the enemy you show in level 46, I think I won't get rid of it but think about a way to avoid it more easily when using the air flow to reach its platform. I think a good solution would be to reduce the height of the air column, so that Hop can not directly collide with it when going up in the first place. Here again, I'll experiment different things. One more item in the "to do list" of beta 21 !

              • GNU replied to this.

                Asthalis
                There clearly is a difficulty spike in world 5. From 45 and on, levels are long and offer many tricky jumps, with a tight timer on top of that. Lots of trial and error. I finally reached 49 and figured out most of it, but it's another tough nut to crack. And I haven't even met the boss, so yeah, quite a punishing world early on, probably some adjustments needed.

                  GNU
                  OK, I will take care of it, I first needed at least one player to reach world 5 to confirm me this. Changes will be effective in upcoming beta 21 version, I have several areas in mind where difficulty could be brought down a little in this world. And as I answered Sosasees earlier, smaller enemy hitboxes will ease the player's task as well. The video link he gave me was really instructive.

                  I asked myself another question : would a training level (no enemies, no hazards, no time limit, just platforms) be useful for beginner players to get used to Hop's controls ? A description of Hop's basic actions is already available in HELP menu but would a dynamic training area be an interesting bonus ?
                  I'm interested in your point of vue.

                    Asthalis A description of Hop's basic actions is already available in HELP menu but would a dynamic training area be an interesting bonus ?

                    yes. if done really good, it could possibly be so good that it replaces the help menu.

                      Sosasees
                      Thanks for your tip ! I was a bit reluctant first because I thought help menu and training mode would be redundant. Switching to single dynamic training may be the right way for the player to learn while controlling Hop and not just reading static indications. Do you think it's redundant or it may be a way to gather more players keeping both possibilities ?

                      Whatever my final choice, I'll keep it for future versions because I'm bit busy right now with the very last part of the game (what you will see if you succeed in your quest !).

                      A training room to toy around with Hop could be a nice feature, even though that's more or less what world 1 is already.
                      I don't think there is an issue with the hitboxes either, on the contrary I think the game is very precise and responsive (nothing like the original game which had collision issues).
                      The overall difficulty of the game is good, up to world 5 where you went overboard imo. Some people may also have a hard time with boss 4.
                      In the end I think what will repel most new players, and where the real difficulty of the game lies, is the fact that you have a limited number of lives and that you lose your progress when you game-over. This old school aspect is very unusual nowadays, where hard games tend to give you infinite lives and raise the difficulty to the ceiling, on short segments and close together save points.
                      There is nothing wrong with the solution you went for, but it requires fine tuning (i.e. a lot of test play) to make it an enjoyable experience. Honestly, you did a great job balancing the game on your own so far.
                      Keep on the great work, can't wait to see what's next!

                      Thank you, GNU, you have already brought much to the game, and I know you know what an original arcade game is ! You're right when you say nowaday's video games are mainly about short games with lots of lives and restart from any level already unlocked. Seems likes people have absolutely no time for anything today ! Hop!2D would be really easy to adapt to cell phones (low resolution, very few controls) but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if people would be patient enough to play a whole world. One more reflexion to have, I guess...

                      Talking about training system, I'm not sure of anything right now. I'm quite happy with HELP menu (I tried to get the right balance between completeness and concision) but I understand some players need something more dynamic. I often said world 1 was already designed as a training world and I still believe it. I may add some indications to help the player but the main thing is about handling Hop's movements and jumps. Some complains I had were about depleting energy. It seems some players are not comfortable with it even in the first levels, they don't feel they're actually training with the threat of losing a life.

                      If I happen to design a "real" training level, I'd like to make it more interactive : for example, a door to next section of the level opens only if the player has completed the current goal (move left and right, accelerate, reach a platform, jump over an obstacle, etc.). And of course, nothing about energy, enemy or more advanced mechanisms, just the basics. I admit I had Portal in mind while building the game, I liked the idea of a tutorial included into the game itself.

                      One last thing about hitboxes : I have already modified most of them in the incoming BETA 21 version but the main goal was not to make the game much easier than it is. Just to make it less "touchy" in some tight situations where pixel-precision was not really needed. From what I have tested, changes are not huge but the feeling of a close call instead of a "game over" may be the one reason for some players to stick to the game. Nothing is changed for Hop, modifications are about everything else.

                      Sosasees the last level i could complete so far was the vertical level after 'easy money' i believe it was called.

                      this level is Central Well. i was stuck there before.
                      i played again (Beta 20) — now the Spike collision feels fair, so i got up to Starcross's Lair and i feel like i can go further just playing again.

                        Sosasees
                        Obviously, you got used to Hop!2D's gameplay because hitbox sizes are still the same and will be reduced only in BETA 21 ! Anyway, glad to know you made your way to the 2nd boss. I suppose you beat it if world 3 now appears among your unlocked worlds. Teleporters and unlockable laser gates await you there, good luck !
                        I will add your name to next beta's testers list.