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A jam submission

DriftView game page

An atmospheric 3D river runner where the player embodies a piece of driftwood swept downstream
Submitted by CarlLeducq โ€” 38 minutes, 3 seconds before the deadline
Rated by 18 people so far
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Drift's itch.io page

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Design Statement
After hearing the track, I felt this calm, mystical feeling, as if I had just completed an adventure, it felt atmospheric and whimsical which inspired me to want to create a simple journey to take the player on. I wanted to evoke a sense of togetherness and a sense of overcoming odds and feeling victorious. After a fun weekend outing with my family, I observed some driftwood and admired how every piece would have had a unique story, it inspired this little challenging runner experience that you can now play.

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
- Play on browser or by downloading the build (on Windows)
- When you're ready hover over 'start game' and press 'enter'
- Use arrow keys to play (left and right to move, up to spin faster, down to slow down)

Overview:
- Avoid obstacles, grab the speed boosts from the rapids behind the rocks, and survive this minimal, runner experience to try and get to the end. The length of the level is around 5 minutes.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DoCDCGhnVRnSZo8jH6-WlcHSVz7JeHbr/view?usp=sharing

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
The project was built using Google Antigravity & Gemini 3.8 Flash. No assets or sounds were generated (all relevant creators credited)

Cover image generated by Gemini.

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Comments

Submitted(+1)

Very chill game!

Developer

Thanks for checking it out!

Submitted

Very atmospheric, nice to just let your thoughts drift...

Developer

I see what you did there ๐Ÿ˜ thanks for playing!

Submitted

A simple and relaxing game, I liked it! Very good!

Developer

Thanks for playing!

Submitted

I got inspired by a stick, 4/5

Developer

<3

Submitted

wow, i actually really liked this. super chill but the pacing ramping up was very well done, and the mood was on point

Developer

Thanks! I definitely wish I added a checkpoint or a shorter session and a bit better of a tutorial, but glad you felt something in it, appreciate it ๐Ÿ™

Submitted

Really awesome game I like the aesthetic of it and I love the quotes when you die, so cool

Developer

Thanks for playing!

Submitted

Very peaceful, loved the night feeling.

Developer

Thanks for playing ๐Ÿ™

Submitted

I made it past the corner of an obstacle and got stuck on an invisible wall, but what made me try again was the feeling, and I think I understand what you were trying to achieve.

Developer

Ah yeah I think I know the one you're talking about as well, so glad you mentioned the feeling, that is really what this is all about 

Submitted

Really cool concept! I love the core idea behind this. My only minor critique is that the music doesn't quite fit the vibe, it feels like it's aiming for something relaxing, but the track choice pulls against that a bit. I also found out from the other comment that the wake of the rocks were a speed boost which surprised me because I had the same thought about turbulence slowing down the flow. Still, a neat project!

Developer(+1)

Thanks, I appreciate the time you spent playing and the feedback!

Submitted

Great solo entry! Since so much of the assets are borrowed, including the music and SFX (my area of expertise), I'm judging mostly on the game design and story. 

It took me a while to figure out that the wake of the rocks were a speed boost. In my head it would have the opposite effect because of the turbulence slowing down the flow. I found myself avoiding most of the rocks by going down the side which felt a little bit unsatisfying. Towards the end I thought it might be endless so I was a little bit more daring and had some close calls but I accidentally managed to finish the game before getting too risky! 

The quotes reminded me of "getting over it". At first I thought it might be a parody of inspirational messaging but then when I hit the end it felt more sincere and was quite cathartic, especially with the use of the jam theme soundtrack. For a sincere game with a message of perseverance(?) I thought the quotes and choice of music were a little much and a tad manipulative to the point of parody, which I thought would have been a really fun take on the theme if you went in that direction. I think maybe a little more subtext and a more understated soundtrack would have worked better for me overall.

Great game regardless and a fun one to start my rating queue!

Developer

I appreciate the feedback, thanks, all the best with the rest of your voting!

Submitted (1 edit)

love this,it reminds me of the scene of Odysseus clinging to a plank at sea on his way home.

Developer

Haha thanks, great reference!