Really liking this. The Gunpoint inspiration is certainly obvious, but I'm partial to anything with sci-fi ninjas so I'll let it slide

The controls work well, and it's very satisfying to swing through a window, evade several laser sights, and then drop in for the kill. The turn based twist on the gameplay is really cool.  I could see this concept easily being expanding into a full game, with a style all its own. Add in some cool future ninja tech, different environments and enemy types, and this could be cool mix of Gunpoint, Mark of the Ninja, with a cyperpunk aesthetic and turn based.

This looks great. Really vibrant and fun.

Dude, thanks a ton.

You're not the first to struggle with the first level. I think I'll change it so you go out the other door near the phone instead.

As for the Kickstarter, I'm always worried about adding so much info that people won't read it. I think you're right though, it's pretty light on details. Some of them I was planning on putting in the FAQ section, but it's probably better to put it straight in the page. I'll get to work on that.

I think you're right that something needs to change with the controls, because having the parkour and the crouch both on the left pinky is pretty bad. I really like Shift for parkour though, it kind of makes sense coming from existing FPS control schemes. I might move crouch/roll to the mouse.

Thanks again. I've got a lot of work to do now.

With the first level, it wasn't that I didn't know what to do, it was that I didn't even realize there was something to pick up. Maybe you could add some kind of highlight or glimmer to objects you can interact with, so they'd be noticeable

On the KS page, I think it's best to put the info right on the page. Personally if it's not a game I'm already anticipating or it doesn't hook me with the trailer or early info, I'm not going to be scrolling all the way to the FAQ to find out more

And your game has so much cool stuff, like the snake enemy or the enemy that uses the environment against you. The abstract threats, the weird mysterious landscapes, the environment-modifying parkour, those are the aspects I think make the game stand out from, say...Hover: Revolt of Gamer, another first person parkour game, and the elements you should be taking more about

And GIFs, more GIFs. IMO, this is a game that really needs to be seen in motion. GIFs for enemies, GIFs for block behaviors, GIFs for parkour movements and exploring

First, I think you should make it 100% clear that this is an alpha demo, animations are placeholders, etc.

Personally I found that the most comfortable control scheme was to move "parkour" to right mouse and "crouch/roll" to another button (Q for me, others might like shift or control, etc.). Parkour on the mouse feels very natural and intuitive in my opinion

You must have done some major optimization work under the hood, because this alpha runs so much better for me compared to alpha 3. The redone levels feel a lot more natural, although it was easier to figure out a way to go in the early alpha. Also, maybe because they're early levels, there isn't much of a sense of flow to them. Could be my lack of skill but it doesn't feel like I could keep up some kind of smooth flowing parkour through the levels.

Pick up the phone on the kitchen bench then go back to the bedroom to start the game. :L

Thanks. Knew I was missing something.

Will have better impressions later

Thoughts on the KS page:
Nice, you added GIFs

I think you need more info. More than "It’s an exploration game; you explore and piece together the story, and of course you do a lot of parkour." Compared to at least the other projects I've backed and followed, it seems very light on info about the game. I think you can flesh the page out with more info, from the types of enemy entities and what they can do, to the different block types and the kinds of hazards and challenges the player will face. Maybe even do a short breakdown of how areas would work: i.e. detailing a chase as you flee turrets

You state that the story can branch, but how? Is it just different dialog or does gameplay change? Do you play new levels that wouldn't be available if you choose a different option?

If I didn't know about the game, stuff I'd be asking:
- Is it open world? Levels?
- Are there puzzles? Combat? Or is the only gameplay platforming?
- How is a physics grad student doing parkour?
- Will there be multiplayer?

Edit:
Game runs nice and smooth for me now on Window 7...but I can't figure out how to leave the room where you wake up. I found the paper you can pick up, saw the prompts for movement and crouching, but no doors are opening and I can't open any. I'm probably overlooking something.

In Kerbal Space Program, they have a button to turn snap on or off. That is always an option. :D

If we start thinking like that, pretty soon I'll be implementing space travel with these planes

But yeah, snapping will have its place. Y'all just gotta trust me, have I ever let you down?


And now I present "Lift Mk2". It started with the letters on the wings and I requested a banner trailing behind and acrobats. Thanks to Cosmic Grenade for this. Not sure if they frequent the forums or found the game some other way.



Not the most pleasant thing to fly, but it is good enough

That would make a good alternate menu screen.

Is the game still gamepad only?

I'm simplifying all the materials a bit... here it is in action: gfycat

Pretty simple, white is neutral and red hurts you. As you run around you spread the blue material, which stops the red from spreading.

How were the material before?

Also I posted that recent GIF on NeoGAF. Someone had a good comment

You can run through a level and the game creates walls to get you to the end safely? Seems kinda... beside the point of a parkour game, but maybe I am just misunderstanding this.

Walls and platforms being made for you does seem kind of at odds with parkour platforming, now that I think about it

Yeah, the sword swing comment was probably more nitpicky than anything else. I also learned you can throw the sword, which is great for saving ammo. And that you deflect bullets with the sword (Well the enemies with red swords could deflect bullets, I assume the player could do the same?)
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Also the player can get trapped in rooms

I was able to get in because the enemy inside noticed me but I didn't have a keycard. If I didn't have magic to fireball my way through a wall, I'd be trapped.
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Some ideas of weapons and powers I think would be cool:

Minigun
Railgun (shoots through walls)
Personal drone/turret deployer
Lightning gun
Cornershot (first shot tags enemy, following shots home in enemy, around corners, etc.)
Mine launcher
Flame thrower

Short-range teleport
Shield
Shockwave
Mind control
Cloaking
Leech
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Oh, and not sure if you had answered, are you thinking of starting a thread for this in the Devlog section?
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And on side note, played some more of your games, so good. Faster Blaster, A Stitch In Time, Spaghetti Planet, all really fun.

Did a quick mockup today of a possible new editor style:



Oops, got a little carried away there.

It is definitely more fun to use, and faster. I think with this type of interface combined with an advanced mode where you have full control like you do now, it should satisfy most people.

I'm also going to try integrating some prettier components and prefab components to select from to drag and drop like this.

Mirroring is smart. Will make creating symmetrical planes so much easier

Wow, this game is great. Really smooth and fluid and netting a bunch of enemies at once feels great. A cool clever take on the arena shmup

Some more constructive criticism:

- Probably placeholder, but that Katana swing is way too reminiscent of Hotline Miami.
- The levels seem too big. Even with the map and objective arrow, I still haven't made it to a teleporter. Maybe map size could scale with level? So the first level is smallest, and then the maps get progressively bigger with each teleport?
- Powers seem to drain magic a bit too fast. Maybe a slow regen could be implemented; it would be slow enough that collecting energy would still be the most effective means of replenishing, but allow you to build some up if you're in a pinch.

- Also think it would be cool if you were rewarded for kill chains, beyond a higher score. Maybe you could earn magic for kill chains; that would be a nice incentive for skillful play, since it allows for more skillful play and thus creates a kind of gameplay cycle.
- I found that, either thanks to the destructible environments and the level generation, it can be easy to get around the special keycard gates. There was one room that was gated off and I couldn't enter but going around the corner and through a laser revealed another hall that lead to the same room
- Would be cool if weapon fire did some damage to environments, like your shots are chipping away at the walls.

- Most used powers are focus and swift. Least are fireball and flash, probably because it's uncomfortable for me to keep moving with WASD and pressing ctrl or alt, so I tend to stay still when I use those powers. And staying still in this game is usually bad for you.

Great to hear there's more to come. Regarding the powers, I'm partial to my suggestion, of course I think the mouse wheel/right mouse combo would let you quickly switch between powers and use powers while also shooting your weapons at the time

I'd definitely back a Kickstarter for this or purchase alpha/beta access if/when that's available

Oh, and other feedback: Self Destruction, Secret Formula, RGB, and Protractor are all awesome. 

Will you be starting a devlog here, because this is a game I definitely want to follow.

Okay, seriously, this game is awesome. Already feels polished and fun for a pre-alpha. The shooting feels tight and satisfying, the powers are fun to use, the effects (love the destruction on the ground when you cause an explosion) and lighting is really good.

Personally if I could alter the keybindings, I'd have abilities on the mouse wheel and the right mouse would activate abilities, Q/E to cycle between weapons and items. Not sure what the melee button would be, but I think at the moment activating different abilities seems kind of cumbersome and moving them to wheel and right mouse would just make using them more intuitive.

Let's see...

Is the game to easy, or too hard?
I think the difficulty felt right. Given how roguelikes are, it's easy to have one run be really easy and then the next you get slaughtered, but here, I noticed a nice kind of progressions, from rooms with a few enemies to more challenging hazard being introduced like the drones and rockets, more lasers, etc.

Is it too confusing or simple?
Not confusing at all. Actually I felt it had some nice tactics, since as staying out of sight and using cover to take out a tough enemy with a melee attack or blowing through a wall to make a last-ditch escape. If you have more powers planned, maybe stuff like upgrades or weapons modifications, that could definitely add some cool complexity to the gameplay.

Also labeling the powers as magic seems kind of off, given the sci-fi aesthetic. Unless it's part of the story like how Shadowrun is a cyperpunk fantasy setting, then it's cool

How well does it run on your PC?
I have a pretty mediocre set-up (a non-gaming laptop) but the game run smoothly even when exploding drones and rockets and enemy rounds were flying everywhere in slo-mo

Should I change the name?
Name does seem a bit generic, but it works for now. I don't think it really gives an idea of the game or tone. Risk of Rain is the name of the ship in the game, and alludes to the "it gets worse" theme of the gameplay. Hotline Miami ties in with the setting, etc.
Can't think of any alternatives at the moment

Is it even fun at all?
Oh yes, I'm eager to go play again. Actually I probably would have pre-ordered it already if that was available. Do you plan for this to be a freeware game or a paid release?

Will IOS fans see No More Bullets on mobile eventually?

If you still have the art assets, could you...idk, start a Kickstarter or crowdfunding campaign to save the game? Considering all the positive support here, and from various sites, and impressions of the alpha, I'm certain you'd get support and funding

That sniper hazard is awesome, makes for some great slow mo moments
It's cool that you're exploring all kinds of crazy ideas for hazards and challenges.

It's currently done by beating wave 10, might change it to wave 5 depending on feedback.

The way I thought it worked till now is how a lot of tower defense games work: you need to survive until a certain objective is met (here being defeating the boss) and then you can finish or you can continue for extra rewards.

Reaching Wave 5 is pretty hard by itself on some of the areas; personally I think defeating the boss should be the way to complete an area.

Also it wouldn't added any time soon, but a boss rush mode would be awesome

How do we beat a level? Is it defeating the boss or completing wave 10? I assumed it was beating the boss, but then I died on Earth Wave 7 and Mars was still locked.

Also if the condition to win is to reach Wave 10, I think you should give the player the option to continue with their current loadout or go to the hangar between defeating the boss and continuing to Wave 6.