Bidles
Bidles: a non-exponential incremental game based around robot exploration an automation.
Compatibility warning:
- Web version does not work on MacOS. Other platforms may have issues.
- Downloadable MacOS binaries require High Sierra or higher and intel chips (newer Apple Silicon models not supported)
- Not designed for mobile browsers
Start with a single bot navigating to manually-designated targets. Pickup equipment to repair/scrap/equip and upgrade/create bots. Unlock new features through milestones and implement using chips obtained from scrapping. End with fully automated exploration with dozens of bots.
Status: prototype: exploring game mechanics and possible direction. Quick release cycle for content and playability. See Release History for changelog.
Download
Install instructions
Extract the archive and run the executable (bidles.exe for windows, bidles.x86_64 for linux).
For OSX, you may need to allow running applications not downloaded from the store.
Development log
- Enemies! Enemies everywhere!Sep 17, 2023
- Just a group of Bots, wandering aroundAug 21, 2023
- Content update: bots also die!Aug 15, 2023
- QOL, or how to make a new game playableAug 03, 2023
Comments
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my game crashed and when i reloaded my save none of my bots are moving
Does the game ever end? I'm at floor 51...
I don't think the game ever ends and if it does its probably at floor 100, and this game hasn't been updated in forever.
Nice game, it's unfortunate it hasn't been updated in a while, otherwise I would definitely keep playing!
nice Duskers-like incremental! some type of priority list for actions for each bot type would be nice.
Attack>disarm>explore for scouts
deliver>pickup>interface for utility bots etc.
At it's current state, bots get hyperfixation on whatever they are doing and end up killing themselves against traps and enemies.
alongside that, some conditions would be nice. "collect only in secure levels" for example
maybe some way to send tasks through the bot menu? having to click on each individual bot and sending them to repairs/deliver can get tedious
Double down on this...
So much this! *Critical*
Interesting pre-question...
How does the AI handle a spot it can see, but can't access?
Ok, the hazards are downright deadly right now... The Autodisarm is borderline useless as its currently coded.
It needs to be coded as an "emergency replace" (where the task replaces any other task for the closest bot) or have an "avoid hazards" option. (Adding either or both as early and relatively cheap upgrades would be VERY valuable)
Watching a bot quickly walk right through a hazard FOUR TIMES was just horrible!
Thanks for the feedback. I got carried away by watching bots get damaged. The next version will have some rebalancing as well as new features to deal with damaged bots. Both should make hazards much more reasonable.
Another thought for safer exploring/recovery...
Have an upgrade to only collect cleared levels!
woo godot
did you use v3.x or v4.x?
also, you can remove the gray outline around buttons that appears after you click them by going under Theme Overrides -> Styles, then setting Focus to StyleBoxEmpty
oh wait nvm you seem to have already done that for some it seems, just not all
It's made with v4.1.1, all gdscript, no C# or gdnative. You can find me in the Godot discord under @pignales if you want more details.
And yes, the UI definitely needs to be more consistent including setting focus to NONE on all buttons.
For auto scrap, could we have a lower end to durability (like only scrap radar with 2 or less durability)
Would love to see this turn into something like a robot version of COTW (super old game that sadly almost cant be played now due to its age)
I'm not familiar with it and Google only returns results about "the hunter: call of the wild" which does not seem right. What's the full name?
Castle of the Winds (its a VERY old game from the Windows 3.1 days)
good game :)
What's the purpose of random explore? The bots just go around in a circle in a room already explored.
It was mostly for fun to implement and watch. It eventually gets there, just very slowly. I might make it a free upgrade available almost from the beginning.
Ahh ok, was just a bit weird on stage level 40 and 15 in explore and everything else.
Would it be possible for in the future make a way to designate which bots automatically do what? because some of my bots will be exploring and then stop to deliver, and i could fix it temporarily by just making another bot but the issue could just be stopped at the source by giving each bot a priority toggle(i undertand if thats a big ask tho) love the game so far... so much so that i made it to floor 9 without realizing how to make a new bot and i wasnt even bored of it lol
Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you like it.
Some type of bot group or role is something that will be added soon, it will help restrict tasks to certain bots.
Glad to hear! also i was thinking about this but maybe a system to fuse parts together to increase their effectiveness and a way to have durability to decrease to make a need to repair bots which would also let you add in upgrades to increase durability and more functionality to the auto repair upgrade instead of me having 57 advanced frames on floor 45
Well, either I'm too dumb to play or my french laptop don't work for the control (Page Up and Page Down don't seem to work since I'm block in L0...)
If in one update the control settings was implemented I would retry to play... but I don't know why that doesn't work...
Make sure the "transport up" is enabled (blue instead of grey). This happens once the entire level is explored. It should also show that it's connected to "L1". If you still can't switch levels after that, please provide more details and I'll investigate.
My pc is a lenovo ideapad y700-17isk, I'm on a Windows 10 Familly...
I don't know if you need other information... I hope this could help you...
Oops, I think the Godot input map defaults to physical keycodes on US QUERTY keyboards. I'll see how I can fix that for the next build and probably add another method of switching levels (eg: CTRL + scroll wheel) and maybe some buttons on the UI.
Thank you for the feedback, I'll ping here when the next build is out with a fix.
I've pushed a new build with changes to the key mapping which might fix page-up/down handling. I've also added Q and E (should be A and E on AZERTY) to move down/up a level.
If that still doesn't work, there are now buttons in the transport info panels to jump to the connected levels.
Please let me know if this works better, and which keys end up working for you (the label of the key on your keyboard). A screenshot of your help screen in the game would also be helpful.
Sorry I just saw your answer.
Page Up and Page Down work, A(Q) and E work as well.
Thank you and sorry for the delay...
I really like the concept. Am looking forward to any future updates!
Feedback/bugs v2023-07-29:
Again, really fun concept for a management game. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad you like it.
I'm really enjoying this. It's a great digital ant-farm once it gets going.
I'd like to see some way to set up passive generation of resources and/or parts if you're planning on adding combat - some way to offset entropy that doesn't rely on even more fighting.
Great work!
I want to be able to choose which robots are doing what "robot 0: explore, robot 1, 2 &3: gather and deliver/scrap at base.
I would also like to see a status window of what each is doing, what floor (and a follow button to go to them)
Loving it though :)
Thanks for the feedback.
The bot list screen is now available in the just-released build: v2023-07-29.
Bot roles/groups is already on the todo list.
Took me three levels to realise you could click on the bot. Love the concept <3
The game is good and all but I am unable to move up through "Transport Up" and there is no tutorial to it. Can you tell me how I can proceed
Make your bot navigate to the level above. Click the ? Button at the top to see keyboard shortcuts, including how to switch levels.
I really like this game.
The following are features I would like if they were added to the game.
Mining: Turn walls into paths. Takes time but maybe gives scrap.
Auto Upgrade: Robots automatically return to base for upgrades.
Auto Construct: Robots are automatically built using templates.
Wrecked bot removal: when wrecked bots are empty it would be nice if they disappeared.
Auto Repair: automatically repair items that you pick up. (auto scrap given priority)
Robot Roles: assign roles to different robots to focus on different tasks.
Enemy Bots: weapons, armor
More upgrades.
Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you like it.
All of those are already on the todo list, along with many more.