Van Gato

What if Vincent Van Gogh.. was a cat?

Meet Vincent Van Gato! (van gogh, but a cat)

Self meowtrait, c. 1889

Van Gato is a cute, Van Gogh inspired 8 bit vertical platformer created using the PICO-8 console.  This was our second time using the PICO-8 console and Lua programming language.

Story

It is approximately 300 years after Vincent Van Gato’s death, his work has been lost to time and the colors of his works have faded. You, one of Van Gato’s distant relatives, must face the highest tree in the land to revive his legacy and return the world to its former glory.

On the way up, you will be able to collect all four pieces to his work Starry Night, and if you want you may also collect and restore three colors that have gone missing. If you venture too far, the trees are not so forgiving… plan your jumps carefully and you’ll climb high.

Gameplay

Van Gato is structured as a vertical platformer, where the player’s goal is to reach the top of the tree after gathering all collectables. There are four pieces to the Starry Night painting, and three paint brushes, spread throughout the level. As the player collects each object, the HUD will update. If they collect a paint brush, the player will find the color reflected in the background as well as the painting once fully gathered. Gathering all 4 painting pieces are required to complete the game, while the colors are optional.

The player will use their jump to navigate the platforms after strategically positioning themselves. Some types branches allow for clipping, while others will stop their jump. If the player falls off a branch they will slowly descend, allowing them to recover. However, if the player misses the branch completely they will find themselves plummeting to the ground at a much faster rate.

Movement

The player can use the left and right arrow keys to position themselves within the level. To climb the tree, the player must use the “x” key to jump.

NOTE: The jump has a fixed arc every time it is used- it never changes. The arc and sprites are designed to mimic a cat’s leap.

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Time frame: ~ 1 month

Our Team:

• Sydnee Rodriguez 
• Jonathan Hopkins
• Angela Diep