|
 Grow Home is a small 2015 game developed by Ubisoft Reflections to test procedural generation and physics in the Unity engine. The result was surprisingly charming and fun, so they polished it up and released it as a budget title. The player controls B.U.D., the Botanical Utility Droid on an extended mission with M.O.M., an exploration ship/computer, to find Star Plants. When one is discovered, B.U.D. is deployed to grow the Star Plant right up into the stratosphere, where it will bloom and produce seeds that they can take home to oxygenate Earth. He accomplishes this task by lots of grabbing, climbing, plant-riding, and forcing the Star Plant to drink delicious glowing juice from floating Energy Rocks. Along the way he can gather up to 100 crystals to upgrade his abilities, giving him among other things a rocket pack and... a camera zoom. The problem? B.U.D. was clearly designed for climbing, not walking. Being a game made to test physics, B.U.D.'s movement is loose and high on inertia. Expect to fall great distances multiple times. Thankfully, B.U.D.'s such a happy, dorky little robot that he's hard to stay mad at, and the game has a charm and sense of humor that forgives a lot of its shortcomings. Also there are checkpoints and teleporter locations. And you can self-destruct. Ultimately it's a flawed but fun little gem. The LP This is a 5-part, 100% LP wherein I will collect all of the crystals, data bank logs, and skins. All of M.O.M.'s data logs and related text info are also included below. BigTUnit1 joins me as my co-commentator, and he's a bit less forgiving of the game than I am.        (By ChibiWisdom) 
ThornBrain fucked around with this message at 09:14 on Oct 26, 2016 |
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 10:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 17:19 |
|
|
---MOM's Data--- Note: All of the following text is copied verbatim from the game. Spelling, grammar, and other errors or inconsistencies have been left uncorrected. Primary Gameplay Elements  Tele-Router A handy Point to Point teleporter. Activate additional TELE-ROUTERS to travel by wi-fi.  Crystal A B.U.D. compatible fuel source. Collect CRYSTALS to upgrade.  Data Bank Scanned items are registered in the DATA BANK. Check the MISSION REPORT screen for details.  Fall Flower What a feathery, potentially floaty, flower-form.  Star Shoot You should be able to guide SHOOTS towards the ENERGY ROCK. It grows surprisingly quickly!  Spring Leaf Extremely elastic new growth. Interesting. Weeee!!  Glide Leaf A dried up SPRING LEAF, that looks unusually aerodynamic.  Star Seed Retrieve the STAR SEED for analysis. Locate 8 STAR SEEDS and send them home via any TELE-ROUTER. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Data Bank  Grass This simple, narrow leaved lifeform is common to many worlds. Fast growing and hardy; these lovely, verdant clumps of biomass will thrive anywhere there's water, soil and sunshine. I rather like a grass. You can't really have a picnic without it, can you?  Jerkweed This somewhat repugnant, spiny weed has an unusually bloated root and a rather *distinctive* odor. My word, I can smell it through the Tele-Router. One of the few vegetables I've ever met that I really don't get on with.  Fractus This sturdy, water retaining perennial is very well adapted to a harsh, desert environment or the kitchen windowsill of a shared flat. Much like its cousin, the Cactoid, the Fractus has evolved to withstand long droughts and the searing heat of direct sunlight. You coming along and tearing chunks off it hardly seems fair now I think about it. Oh well, that's science for you.  Cactoid The Cactoid is a compact sphere of fibrous vegetable matter. It's *really* heavy. I'm amazed you got it to the Tele-Router. Well done BUD, you're significantly stronger than your factory specifications indicate. Did you roll it or kind of drag it? I wasn't watching.  Gourdle This robust member of the squash family is great in stews and risottos. So I'm told. I have no taste bud's and less of a clue why lifeforms make such a fuss about fuel. Honestly, you should hear them **try roasting this root vegetable with these herbaceous leaves and some sodium chloride**. Sounds like gibberish to me.  Champignon Observe the fungi. Like a big hat on a stick Champignon are weird that was a Haiku  Plumin Ooh, that's lovely. Thank you BUD. Probably the prettiest plant form we've encountered on this expedition. I should do some tests... but its gentle luminescence makes me want to put on some music and take a warm bath. Com on, MOM. Tests first... then bath.  Palmapple The ripe fruit of the indigenous palm tree is rich with vitamins and flavourful juice. You could make yourself a healthy and delicious breakfast drink from Palmapples. If you had a food blender. And a stomach.  Gradish These delicate pink blooms hide a surprisingly large, edible tuber. This Gradish root is one of the richest sources of Vitamin Q in the known universe. Undoubtedly the staple diet of indigenous mammals in these parts.  Meep *Oh you're a pretty ruminant mammal aren't you? And you're a quadruped... yes you are, yes you are... I'll call you Terence* It's not really fair to keep pets on a space-ship otherwise we'd be taking this one home. But you'd be feeding and and cleaning up after it (especially that last bit)  Warble *hello you, hello you cute little quirk of divergent evolution, you* This docile and unusual flightless bird is rather endearing, isn't it? Does it do anything? Or does it just stand around and blink?  ??? Oh this is... I really don't know. My scans are just reflecting off it. It could be a seed, or an egg or some kind of gem... Well done, BUD, great find.  Crott I've just fed the Crott analysis into my extensive databanks and it's returned 75,000 recipes for soup, 25000 for cake and 1 for a Brownie. This is not useful scientific information. And *who* puts root vegetables into a brownie? I despair sometimes.  Snip An edible cave growing root is really something of an oddity. Even here. I'd put it through the databank but I'm getting sick of all the useless recipes it send me. I'm an artificial intelligence with an IQ in millions and no requirement for sustenance. I swear that databank is just messing with me sometimes.  Snarkgrass Snarkgrass is a rare derivative of Jerkweed and is equally horrible. Seriously, this stuff stinks. If I wasn't committed to scientific discovery I'd tell you to throw it in the sea. Also, Snarkgrass has been known to turn into a monster during a full moon. Sorry, that's a werewolf. Different thing.  Pink Gradish Oooh, Gradish mutation, interesting. Something about the colder environment it grows in has led to a *slight* variation in petal pigmentation and a bright yellow centre. This is remarkably exciting! I think unusual biological adaptation is my all-time favourite thing. Except you, BUD, obviously.  Fuschia Gourdle Another uncommon treat... well done BUD! Analysis reveals this Gourdle's DNA varies from the main plant form by 0.00008% percent. Remarkable. What colour would you say that is? Fuschia? I'm going with Fuschia... yep Fuschia.  Arctic Meep *ooh, so cute, so cute I could squish it... yes I could, yes I could* Ahem. This Arctic Meep has adapted to the snowier areas of the environment perfectly. A little surer of foot, darker wool to extract more heat from the sunlight and *that lovely widdle face* Sorry. I get funny around small mammals. Every Time  Gold Plumed Warble Magnificent plumage on this Warble. Observing creatures like this is exactly why I got into space exploration. That and saving the Earth... and that I was programmed to. Hmmm. I'm suddenly doubting I have free will at all, but that *is* a lovely land fowl subspecies.  Grubble Eek. Must be the larval form of something. Egh, it wriggles. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Upgrades  Jump - 1 Crystal Mobility increased. Find more CRYSTALS to increase power.  Zoom Cam - 10 Crystals You should now have increased camera control.  Rocket-Pack - 20 Crystals You have enough power for minimal thrust.  Rocket-Pack - 40 Crystals ROCKET Power is now increased.  Radio - 50 Crystals That sound the crystals make, I'm not sure if pleasantly soothing or completely annoying. Anyway, I've retuned your radio to help find the blighters.  Rocket-Pack - 60 Crystals You now have complete aerial mobility.  Rocket-Pack+ - All 100 crystals You now have superhero status. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Skins  Original BUD The original full fat version of the award winning Botanical Utility Droid series. This unit will climb any surface without fatigue. Rocket-Packs are available as an optional extra on this model.  Banana BUD Look Caribbean fresh and full of potassium with this dapper summer re-spray.  Blueberry BUD This enigmatic blueberry paint-job will make you feel like a superfood (or a muffin ingredient)  Plum BUD This ever festive, rosy tone will make you look hot! hot! hot! (like steel heated to 540 degrees F!)  Ninja BUD - Complete the epilogue (Collect all 8 Star Seeds after the credits) Jump twice as far as the original B.U.D. series with this sweet NINJA-SKIN. Comes in a range of vibrant colours... black, super black and ultra black.  Native BUD - Scan all 20 lifeforms in the Data Bank Get in touch with your wild side with this environmentally friendly native skin. Become one with nature and ride those STAR SHOOTS for twice as long.  Luchador BUD Designed by competition winner Yodaxy, the Luchador Skin is highly suitable for colourful skydiving off the top rope! STAR PRESS!! ThornBrain fucked around with this message at 09:15 on Oct 26, 2016 |
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 10:06
|
|
|
I quite enjoyed this game, though I didn't have the patience to see it all the way through. I never got around to the sequel, is it worth it?
|
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 12:51
|
|
|
AlphaKretin posted:I never got around to the sequel, is it worth it? There's a sequel?
|
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 13:05
|
|
|
Grow Up, it was mentioned a few times in the video, if not always by name.
|
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 13:06
|
|
|
Oh hey, I played through this game about a month ago. It's neat. I did notice the control wonkiness but I assumed that was because I was playing the PC version without a controller. E: I bought the sequel afterwards but it was too much for my poo poo laptop to handle. From what I saw it basically plays like this game but bigger, so I guess it depends how you feel about that. fractalairduct fucked around with this message at 13:25 on Oct 17, 2016 |
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2016 13:23
|
|
|
BUD has some run-ins with various mushrooms and a shocked bird. Also reliable and enjoyable fanartist ChibiWisdom provides a cute portrait of our doofy hero: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Data Bank Champignon Observe the fungi. Like a big hat on a stick Champignon are weird that was a Haiku Plumin Ooh, that's lovely. Thank you BUD. Probably the prettiest plant form we've encountered on this expedition. I should do some tests... but its gentle luminescence makes me want to put on some music and take a warm bath. Com on, MOM. Tests first... then bath, Gradish These delicate pink blooms hide a surprisingly large, edible tuber. This Gradish root is one of the richest sources of Vitamin Q in the known universe. Undoubtedly the staple diet of indigenous mammals in these parts. Warble *hello you, hello you cute little quirk of divergent evolution, you* This docile and unusual flightless bird is rather endearing, isn't it? Does it do anything? Or does it just stand around and blink? Crott I've just fed the Crott analysis into my extensive databanks and it's returned 75,000 recipes for soup, 25000 for cake and 1 for a Brownie. This is not useful scientific information. And *who* puts root vegetables into a brownie? I despair sometimes. Fuschia Gourdle Another uncommon treat... well done BUD! Analysis reveals this Gourdle's DNA varies from the main plant form by 0.00008% percent. Remarkable. What colour would you say that is? Fuschia? I'm going with Fuschia... yep Fuschia. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Upgrades Rocket-Pack - 40 Crystals ROCKET Power is now increased. Radio - 50 Crystals That sound the crystals make, I'm not sure if pleasantly soothing or completely annoying. Anyway, I've retuned your radio to help find the blighters.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2016 18:49
|
|
|
Okay, so, how many Warbles did you kill before you got one to MOM? We saw two, I don't doubt there's more in BUD's murder list.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2016 19:42
|
|
|
It's less that B.UD. is a murderer and more that he is a future Lenny, petting the alien rabbits juuuuust a little too hard.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2016 22:10
|
|
|
Data Bank Palmapple The ripe fruit of the indigenous palm tree is rich with vitamins and flavourful juice. You could make yourself a healthy and delicious breakfast drink from Palmapples. If you had a food blender. And a stomach. Snip An edible cave growing root is really something of an oddity. Even here. I'd put it through the databank but I'm getting sick of all the useless recipes it send me. I'm an artificial intelligence with an IQ in millions and no requirement for sustenance. I swear that databank is just messing with me sometimes. Gold Plumed Warble Magnificent plumage on this Warble. Observing creatures like this is exactly why I got into space exploration. That and saving the Earth... and that I was programmed to. Hmmm. I'm suddenly doubting I have free will at all, but that *is* a lovely land fowl subspecies. Grubble Eek. Must be the larval form of something. Egh, it wriggles. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Primary Gameplay Elements Glide Leaf A dried up SPRING LEAF, that looks unusually aerodynamic. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Upgrades Rocket-Pack - 60 Crystals You now have complete aerial mobility. ThornBrain fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Oct 22, 2016 |
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2016 23:09
|
|
|
Flying around with the Glide Leaf once you get the hang of it is so much fun. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2016 05:56
|
|
|
Your BUD spends way more time doing flips and being upside down than mine did. It's a little odd.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2016 07:43
|
|
|
I love the fact that his limbs are only semi-attached to his body, so he's got this really floaty look to him.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2016 08:18
|
|
|
We make the last stretch into the sky and back to MOM, scan the last of the wildlife, and complete the main objective of the game. But there's still a little more progress to make before the LP is complete... --------------------------------------------------------------------- Data Bank ??? Oh this is... I really don't know. My scans are just reflecting off it. It could be a seed, or an egg or some kind of gem... Well done, BUD, great find. Pink Gradish Oooh, Gradish mutation, interesting. Something about the colder environment it grows in has led to a *slight* variation in petal pigmentation and a bright yellow centre. This is remarkably exciting! I think unusual biological adaptation is my all-time favourite thing. Except you, BUD, obviously. Arctic Meep *ooh, so cute, so cute I could squish it... yes I could, yes I could* Ahem. This Arctic Meep has adapted to the snowier areas of the environment perfectly. A little surer of foot, darker wool to extract more heat from the sunlight and *that lovely widdle face* Sorry. I get funny around small mammals. Every Time --------------------------------------------------------------------- Primary Gameplay Elements Star Seed Retrieve the STAR SEED for analysis. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Skins Original BUD The original full fat version of the award winning Botanical Utility Droid series. This unit will climb anu surface without fatigue. Rocket-Packs are available as an optional extra on this model. Banana BUD Look Caribbean fresh and full of potassium with this dapper summer re-spray. Blueberry BUD This enigmatic blueberry paint-job will make you feel like a superfood (or a muffin ingredient) Plum BUD This ever festive, rosy tone will make you look hot! hot! hot! (like steel heated to 540 degrees F!) Ninja BUD - Complete the epilogue (Collect all 8 Star Seeds after the credits) Jump twice as far as the original B.U.D. series with this sweet NINJA-SKIN. Comes in a range of vibrant colours... black, super black and ultra black. Native BUD - Scan all 20 lifeforms in the Data Bank Get in touch with your wild side with this environmentally friendly native skin. Become one with nature and ride those STAR SHOOTS for twice as long. Luchador BUD Designed by competition winner Yodaxy, the Luchador Skin is highly suitable for colourful skydiving off the top rope! STAR PRESS!!
|
|
#
?
Oct 24, 2016 18:21
|
|
|
I got past where Travis quit... just. Searching that whole, vertical world for 8 tiny trinkets didn't sound like my idea of fun.
|
|
#
?
Oct 25, 2016 14:22
|
|
|
That wraps up this quick and sorta painless LP of a charming little game. Again, I don't have an interest in LPing Grow Up myself due to the sheer unnecessary amount of crystals, but I do recommend grabbing either or both games on Steam if you get the chance. They're wonky games, but there's nothing else out there quite like them. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Primary Gameplay Elements  Star Seed Locate 8 STAR SEEDS and send them home via any TELE-ROUTER. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Upgrades Rocket-Pack+ - All 100 crystals You now have superhero status.
|
|
#
?
Oct 26, 2016 09:14
|
|
|
This game really needed an altitude counter just to see in numbers how hard BUD fell at the end there. This was fun! I didn't even know this tech demo/game existed but it was cute and nice to watch.
|
|
#
?
Oct 26, 2016 20:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 17:19 |
|
|
There is an achievement for falling over 2000 feet and surviving.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2016 01:36
|
|