If you think the game looks crappy, you should try upgrading the game graphics!
July 2, 2009 10:19 AM Subscribe
Upgrade Complete is an engrossing Flash game that marries classic shoot-em-up gameplay to unprecedented flexibility in ship design and an innovative UI re-skinning system. Drawing from the same well as previously discussed game Achievement Unlocked, this arcade shooter maximizes familiar game design tropes to keep the player occupied for literally minutes. Do you have what it takes to get through 100% progress and unlock the (spoiler alert!) secret best ending?
Via Play This Thing, the blog of the late lamented indie game publisher Man!festo games.
Via Play This Thing, the blog of the late lamented indie game publisher Man!festo games.
I tried loading this last night and got stuck on "this may or may not be a preloader".
My net connection has been spotty for a while now, so it's really bending my mind that I can't tell whether the fact that the progress bar hasn't moved for hours is deliberate or just a failed connection.
posted by ook at 10:24 AM on July 2, 2009
My net connection has been spotty for a while now, so it's really bending my mind that I can't tell whether the fact that the progress bar hasn't moved for hours is deliberate or just a failed connection.
posted by ook at 10:24 AM on July 2, 2009
You probably need to upgrade your Internet, ook. (But it loaded fine and quickly for me.)
posted by Nelson at 10:25 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 10:25 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
I would like to comment, but I'd have to upgrade my MeFi account first.
posted by DreamerFi at 10:45 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by DreamerFi at 10:45 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
ook...you might also need to install the latest and greatest version of Flash. Won't play on my ancient box because of that requirement.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:49 AM on July 2, 2009
posted by Thorzdad at 10:49 AM on July 2, 2009
Ah! It's working on armorgames.com, but not at kongregate (for me.) In case that helps anyone else.
but how will I earn my baaaadges? oh the irony!
posted by ook at 10:58 AM on July 2, 2009
but how will I earn my baaaadges? oh the irony!
posted by ook at 10:58 AM on July 2, 2009
Also--I like the fact that you can get to 110% progress, and that you can trick out your ship so much that you can clear stages just by holding down the spacebar.
posted by Prospero at 10:58 AM on July 2, 2009
posted by Prospero at 10:58 AM on July 2, 2009
110% and best ending! Wooo.
It's so meta it hurts, though. But I have to admit it was strangely fun for something so simple.
posted by Askiba at 11:03 AM on July 2, 2009
It's so meta it hurts, though. But I have to admit it was strangely fun for something so simple.
posted by Askiba at 11:03 AM on July 2, 2009
That was more fun than it has any right to be. Although I was hoping to be able to buy some pew-pew noises.
posted by uncleozzy at 11:14 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by uncleozzy at 11:14 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is compelling. Can't wait to try it.
But (and this is not a snark), what resolution do you need to have before the whole Flash object is visible without scrolling? I'm at 1024x768, which I thought was still respectable for people who make stuff and play games (we still make sites to fit 800x600). I'm seeing a lot of things like this that are just too tall for that resolution and I really wasn't aware I'd gotten old and stodgy yet if that is the case.
posted by rahnefan at 11:18 AM on July 2, 2009
But (and this is not a snark), what resolution do you need to have before the whole Flash object is visible without scrolling? I'm at 1024x768, which I thought was still respectable for people who make stuff and play games (we still make sites to fit 800x600). I'm seeing a lot of things like this that are just too tall for that resolution and I really wasn't aware I'd gotten old and stodgy yet if that is the case.
posted by rahnefan at 11:18 AM on July 2, 2009
I enjoyed it, but I haven't been playing enough shooters for a while now and so am kind of annoyed at them for taking a fun model and then not really following through on it enough. Are there any grade-A Highly Configurable Ship shmups around? Like this, but with more gameplay and less gedankenexperiment going on?
posted by cortex at 11:22 AM on July 2, 2009
posted by cortex at 11:22 AM on July 2, 2009
I think your question would be more appropriate in AskMe. Flagged.
posted by sciurus at 11:26 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by sciurus at 11:26 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
cortex,
I would try starcom if I were you. It reminded me alot of EV Nova. Though, admittedly, without as much playability as EV Nova.
I really enjoyed this game. It's like flashgame social commentary!
posted by Severian at 11:27 AM on July 2, 2009
I would try starcom if I were you. It reminded me alot of EV Nova. Though, admittedly, without as much playability as EV Nova.
I really enjoyed this game. It's like flashgame social commentary!
posted by Severian at 11:27 AM on July 2, 2009
I was annoyed that there was no snap-to-place on the ship upgrades. No matter how I fiddled with the placement of upgrade parts, it always seemed lopsided. I guess I'm mildy ocd about that.
I enjoyed it, but I haven't been playing enough shooters for a while now and so am kind of annoyed at them for taking a fun model and then not really following through on it enough. Are there any grade-A Highly Configurable Ship shmups around? Like this, but with more gameplay and less gedankenexperiment going on?
Not browser based, but have you checked out Tyrain 2000?
You might also be able to find something else at the shootthecore shmup db.
posted by juv3nal at 11:47 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed it, but I haven't been playing enough shooters for a while now and so am kind of annoyed at them for taking a fun model and then not really following through on it enough. Are there any grade-A Highly Configurable Ship shmups around? Like this, but with more gameplay and less gedankenexperiment going on?
Not browser based, but have you checked out Tyrain 2000?
You might also be able to find something else at the shootthecore shmup db.
posted by juv3nal at 11:47 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
cortex, Jets'n'Guns. Try free demo, even it had me captured for few days kitting the best weapon configuration for demo levels.
posted by Free word order! at 11:48 AM on July 2, 2009
posted by Free word order! at 11:48 AM on July 2, 2009
Upgrade 110% complete
posted by multivalent at 12:09 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by multivalent at 12:09 PM on July 2, 2009
I enjoyed it, but I haven't been playing enough shooters for a while now and so am kind of annoyed at them for taking a fun model and then not really following through on it enough.
The end screen is pretty bitchy, like "ha, you wanted upgrades, here are your upgrades".
posted by smackfu at 12:24 PM on July 2, 2009
The end screen is pretty bitchy, like "ha, you wanted upgrades, here are your upgrades".
posted by smackfu at 12:24 PM on July 2, 2009
Tumiki Fighter is pretty awesome, although it's not exactly "configurable" in the same way.
posted by boo_radley at 12:26 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 12:26 PM on July 2, 2009
Irritatingly, I accidentally pulled a part onto the play button and couldn't ever do anything with it (upgrade, sell, move). Didn't stop me from finishing the game, but I couldn't get all achievements.
posted by jeather at 12:47 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by jeather at 12:47 PM on July 2, 2009
I managed something similar, jeather, to the point where my weapons were all over the screen instead of the red box.
posted by boo_radley at 12:49 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 12:49 PM on July 2, 2009
I admit, I was a little surprised when I unlocked the music and heard Science Genius Girl.
posted by The Pusher Robot at 12:52 PM on July 2, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by The Pusher Robot at 12:52 PM on July 2, 2009 [2 favorites]
How the hell do you get the super ship achievement? I've got 110% and every other achievement, and I cannot for the life of me figure it out. I have 12 parts to my ship, at least one of everything, maxed out at least one of each part, and still nothing. I refuse to finish the game until I have the super ship achievement.
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 12:55 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 12:55 PM on July 2, 2009
Nevermind, y'all. Found out through, of all places, a youtube comment.
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 1:00 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 1:00 PM on July 2, 2009
Glad everyone likes the game. I linked it in part because it's meta-funny, but also because it's actually kind of a fun game. The crazy ship editor is a real virtue since the location of the parts matters. Put the pew pew guns on the extreme edges so you can hit stuff on the sides, the lightning gun up front so it's closer to the enemies, etc. You could make a really fun game focusing on this modular ship thing, particularly if shields were a placeable module.
posted by Nelson at 1:29 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Nelson at 1:29 PM on July 2, 2009
Oh, you know, it's because I have one of the ship parts on the start button like other people have mentioned, and I can't move it off. Sadface.
posted by wells at 1:30 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by wells at 1:30 PM on July 2, 2009
It's very easy to make a system where you win just by pressing space bar the entire time.
I actually replayed the stupid thing to get every achievement and every upgrade (not that it isn't fun in its own weird way). You don't get anything different -- as long as you have 100%, you get the same game over screens.
posted by jeather at 1:33 PM on July 2, 2009
I actually replayed the stupid thing to get every achievement and every upgrade (not that it isn't fun in its own weird way). You don't get anything different -- as long as you have 100%, you get the same game over screens.
posted by jeather at 1:33 PM on July 2, 2009
> It's very easy to make a system where you win just by pressing space bar the entire time.
And if that's too interactive for your tastes, why not give winning by doing nothing a go.
posted by bjrn at 1:57 PM on July 2, 2009
And if that's too interactive for your tastes, why not give winning by doing nothing a go.
posted by bjrn at 1:57 PM on July 2, 2009
Captain: Max them all out? Configuration that did it: 3x guns 2x missiles 2x lightning 1x agility 4x magnets
posted by a robot made out of meat at 2:13 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by a robot made out of meat at 2:13 PM on July 2, 2009
I just got 110%, but I don't want to go to the end yet. Don't I still owe someone $1000?
posted by ODiV at 4:03 PM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ODiV at 4:03 PM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
I do not want those minutes back. Fun stuff. Seconding the pew-pew noises lament.
posted by hypersloth at 5:39 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by hypersloth at 5:39 PM on July 2, 2009
Argh. HOW do I clear my progress so I can start over? I clear cookies, even switched browsers. It remembers me. What do I need to do?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:01 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:01 PM on July 2, 2009
Ah, nevermind. I got it.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:04 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:04 PM on July 2, 2009
That's tremendously meta and quite good. Thanks for the link!
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:06 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:06 PM on July 2, 2009
That was excellent.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:58 PM on July 2, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:58 PM on July 2, 2009
HA! it got me.
Also I played through the entire thing with the shitty graphics and upgraded them fully right at the end and went WHOOAH. Protip: upgrade graphics earlier for a considerably more epic experience.
posted by tehloki at 10:41 PM on July 2, 2009
Also I played through the entire thing with the shitty graphics and upgraded them fully right at the end and went WHOOAH. Protip: upgrade graphics earlier for a considerably more epic experience.
posted by tehloki at 10:41 PM on July 2, 2009
Oooh, and I just thought of another actual game with a very complicated shop: the Dreamcast version of Mars Matrix. There's no upgrade path for your ship, but there's a metagame of upgrades for the game, just like this thing does. And it's actually good; I spent several happy weeks replaying it intermittently just to see what would open up in the shop!
(It's also kind of hardcore; it's a "bulletstorm" game where the little pink/blue bullets come out of the enemies in these wild, beautiful patterns that you have to dance the 1-pixel hitbox at the center of the ship through.)
posted by egypturnash at 5:37 AM on July 3, 2009
(It's also kind of hardcore; it's a "bulletstorm" game where the little pink/blue bullets come out of the enemies in these wild, beautiful patterns that you have to dance the 1-pixel hitbox at the center of the ship through.)
posted by egypturnash at 5:37 AM on July 3, 2009
It occured to me at some point, as I intentionally failed another wave to upgrade my stuff, that I was grinding.
I was grinding in Upgrade Complete for godssakes.
I should have a t-shirt printed to publicly express my shame.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:29 PM on July 3, 2009 [2 favorites]
I was grinding in Upgrade Complete for godssakes.
I should have a t-shirt printed to publicly express my shame.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:29 PM on July 3, 2009 [2 favorites]
If it makes you feel any better: after finishing the game at armorgames I finally got it to load on Kongregate and had to play through the whole thing a second time. So I could get the damn badges.
Pathetic.
posted by ook at 9:09 PM on July 5, 2009
Pathetic.
posted by ook at 9:09 PM on July 5, 2009
« Older End Disposable Marriage | A review site for various freeware apps and games Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by @troy at 10:22 AM on July 2, 2009