Moldering is a 2D side-scroller inspired by the classic gameplay of Super Nintendo games like Zelda and Super Metroid. It was first inspired by the Knytt Series. It started as a personal project by James Daniello, a Computer Scientist, to help him learn Java and computer programming in general, and has evolved into something much bigger.

The game is set on an alien planet. One day it’s suddenly assaulted by a string of falling meteors. The meteors strand the player and bring with them a dangerous toxic mold that begins to overrun the planet. In this altered world, the player discovers many strange lands, along with the new dangers that the meteors bring. As the player learns to harmonize with the planet and becomes increasingly powerful, discovering creative ways to rid the planet of the foreign invaders is key to saving the planet, and it’s inhabitants, from almost certain destruction. With great power comes great responsibility.

Tech: The game is planned to have approximately eight large worlds, or so, and focuses mainly on immersion, exploration, and perfect gameplay. The engine is continually play-tested and improved to give the most solid experience possible. JBox2D has been incorporated to handle the physics based mechanics of the game.

A neat feature of the game is the ability to load in different ‘worlds’, which can be user-made. With a public release of the World Builder anyone will be able to create and share new adventures. Or, if we decide to make new worlds ourselves we can share them online and continue the adventure of Moldering without needing to patch the game.

MISC: The game started as James’ learning project, but along the way has gathered a small team of developers; people he met in real life, as well as online, who have contributed immensely to its progress. As the game grows (and it still continues to) it takes on new ideas, concepts, team members, and gameplay dynamics. It is a continual evolution that continues every day. We’re documenting the progress of the game online to help get the word out and possibly help others who are interested in developing their own games. That is the point of this blog.

Is there anything you would like to see in Moldering?