Lander
Games
browser arcade game
SHOW HN2023
564points
170comments
#43of 3,109 in 2023
Top 2%of 2023 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
55 positive, 46 neutral or asking, 10 mixed, 16 critical, out of 127 comments about the project. Thread score +0.33.
Execution: 7 for, 7 againstDesign: 7 for, 3 againstIdea: 4 for, 2 againstPerformance: 0 for, 3 againstDocs: 0 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Smooth controls and nice visuals
From 3 comments
This game is gorgeous! It would be nice if the left and right thrust controls could be swapped.
gkfasdfasdf on HNEnjoyed playing! Controls are smooth. Would you mind sharing tech used to design the game and exported to html?
jzer0cool on HNLoved the soundtrack, too! Very fitting.
maxverse on HN
Good tutorial and UX details
From 2 comments
Couple of great UX things I’ve found - the game doesn’t let you play without knowing how to use the controls, and it shows them in real time - whenever you tap, the tap area…
tillcarlos on HNLove it! It's like a cross between Flappy Bird and Asteroids. Nice tutorial at the beginning, too. Just managed to get a 98.5, which I think was mostly luck.
nfriend on HN
Objections
Left and right controls feel reversed
From 4 comments
Left and right are backwards on a phone. I'm sure I'd adapt after a few more games, but it's annoying.
_tom_ on HNFun. Weird that controls are reversed (left/right).
geuis on HNNeat! Couple thoughts: * I first played this on my phone and the controls are basically backwards, touching right side of screen activates left booster. May be a subjective…
DonsDiscountGas on HNThis game is gorgeous! It would be nice if the left and right thrust controls could be swapped.
gkfasdfasdf on HN
Touch targets hard to hit on iPad and phone
From 2 comments
On an iPad, it’s very hard to hit the left/center/right targets accurately. I got some successful landings, but there was a lot of, “No I said center, not left… no, center, not…
thewebcount on HNNeat! Couple thoughts: * I first played this on my phone and the controls are basically backwards, touching right side of screen activates left booster. May be a subjective…
DonsDiscountGas on HN
Game crashes or disappears on touch in some browsers
From 2 comments
Wanted to play, but after the tutorial a first touch makes the ship disappear. When I reload the page, I can see the ship again, and the landing curve, then again if I touch the…
exebook on HNThe lander disappears as soon as I touch the controls and never crashes. Iceraven 1.14.0/Android 11
Evidlo on HN
Speed and angle text too small
From 1 comment
I found the font saying the speed and angle were much too small to read, and hard to read against the background anyway, so it was unplayable. No one else seems to have had that…
yesenadam on HN
Requests
Add limited fuel mode
From 3 comments
Very addictive. One thing that would be interesting would be a mode where you have limited fuel. Also, the ability to set different buttons would be good. Towards the end of the…
helpfulmandrill on HNFun game! It would add more to the game imo if there was a fuel efficiency target as well as angle and speed.
CyborgCabbage on HNNeat! Couple thoughts: * I first played this on my phone and the controls are basically backwards, touching right side of screen activates left booster. May be a subjective…
DonsDiscountGas on HN
Add metric units
From 2 comments
Neat! Couple thoughts: * I first played this on my phone and the controls are basically backwards, touching right side of screen activates left booster. May be a subjective…
DonsDiscountGas on HNNice work! I think speed should be in ft/s to match height in ft. IIRC on Apollo they used ft/s for descent speeds. (an option for metric would be nice also)
perilunar on HN
Allow swapping left and right controls
From 2 comments
This game is gorgeous! It would be nice if the left and right thrust controls could be swapped.
gkfasdfasdf on HNGreat game! For me, controlling the rocket was not that handy, somehow I always wanted to press the opposite button. Will be a option to swap the left and right buttons? That…
MiskaMaki on HN
Add keyboard control instructions
From 2 comments
It would be nice if the "how to play" screen gave keyboard equivalents. I was about to give up trying to play until I saw someone's comment about arrow keys.
pugworthy on HNOn an iPad, it’s very hard to hit the left/center/right targets accurately. I got some successful landings, but there was a lot of, “No I said center, not left… no, center, not…
thewebcount on HN
Questions
How the game was built and whether the code is available
From 1 comment
Enjoyed playing! Controls are smooth. Would you mind sharing tech used to design the game and exported to html?
jzer0cool on HN
How the maker stayed on track over development
From 1 comment
Apparently, it's all about feathering the throttle. Very nice! Near-perfect landing, super smooth Score: 96.5 point landing Speed: 1.1mph Angle: 0.7° Time: 45 seconds Flips: 0…
gavmor on HN
Alternatives named
Reentry: An Orbital Simulator
From 1 comment
For folks for whom this is scratching an itch, highly recommend you check out Reentry: An Orbital Simulator. It is a beautiful indie passion project trying to faithfully recreate…
ChicagoBoy11 on HN
Astro Chicken
From 1 comment
You'll never improve on Astro Chicken :). Seriously, I loved that game when Space Quest III came out, although it seems others had quite a different experience.…
joveian on HN
Kerbal Space Program
From 2 comments
Landed on first try, years of playing Kerbal Space Program have come in handy :D
TeddyDD on HNThis is like KSP but without the fun.
antiquark on HN
Qewasd lunar landing challenge
From 1 comment
I created a discrete (and less realistic) version of this concept here: https://qewasd.com/ ("Lunar Landing" challenge) - try to get a score as close to 0 as possible! Some…
7373737373 on HN