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[DrDerekDoctors]

I thought I'd enjoy Puzzle Quest more than I have. It's just that despite there being a layer of strategy on top of it, a crapload of the gameplay just comes down to exceedingly jammy chain-reactions which you cannot predict.

Of course that's all well when it happens to the player, but dammit those enemy bastards benefit from them too! No fair!

However your culling policy is sensible and well advised.

[Terry]

Slightly off topic, I suppose, but I'm curious - does anyone else find match three games really difficult? I consider myself a fairly hardcore gamer (hell, I finished Clean Asia the other day), and these Match-3 thingies are touted as definitive casual games - but I find them bloody hard to play. I can't ever seem to think more than about a move ahead, so I only get big scores by accident.

Is this how everybody plays these games? Is it just a matter of clicking as fast as possible, or do you have to plan ahead to wipe out big selections at once?

[Albert Lai]

Same here, actually. I suppose a person accustomed to RPGs and Shmups shouldn't try 'casual' gaming. :D

It requires more thought than "bash bash baargh bleem! level up magicks." I rarely even try in Puzzle Quest, which usually means I manage to miss a 5-in-a-row that I could've used. Also, I'm fairly certain that if the game finds a situation where it can screw you over by dropping a skull the perfect place to zap you, it does.

Back on topic - At least the interface is certainly nice! xD

[Steve Swink]

My games free 

No game is free. They require an investment of time. If they're crap, then where's the return on that investment?

Exactly.  The point is that you're making a game that's not adding any value to the game-o-sphere (or whatever).  Which is definitely your right to do, but what's the point?

You want people to put some sprinkles on your ice cream, but all you've got right now is an empty cone.  Or something.

See, there are these two butt cheeks, right...

[bweezl]

Well we're already working on a future block matching puzzle game. Yeh, match-3, same crap.

But not limited to a grid, physics engine involved, and such things like wind and natural elements (volcanos errupting and such) can alter stuff. Visibly alter things. Kinda like Gish, with blocks, puzzlified, with cannons.

[Alec]

Kinda like Gish, with blocks, puzzlified

Ever heard of Blast Miner? Its by the guys who made Gish.

[wonderpus]

Wow you guys are being really harsh on this guy ..
he created something
regardless of the content he should be proud of himself for that .

I've worked on some stinkers in my career as a developer,
should i hide my head in shame because of them ?
should i give up programming and game development ?
or take the bumps , learn from my ( or others ) mistakes and move on

the moral here is if you aren't doing anything NEW then don't bother posting on these forums ..

[Alec]

Nothing wrong with doing something that isn't totally original.

But there's also something to be said for doing a good job of it.

Its not only that his current concept has no originality, its also that its not even an interesting implementation or a well made one. I know its not finished, but he's asking people for input on what he has now.

Its really hard to give input that isn't just "make it better" or "do something else". Its almost like he wants someone to design a game for him, because there's nothing in there right now that isn't in any other game, and in most cases, done better.

In the end, he's asking for feedback, and we're being honest. I don't think I've been particularly harsh. I can't speak for anyone else's comments. (*cough* Goring *cough*)

But really I think honest feedback, even if some of it seems brutal, will be more useful in the long run than insincere pats on the back.

[Alec]

Also, I think its offensive that you think we're trying to tell him to stop making games. Nobody said that.

We're just commenting on what he's put out there now.

We've probably all made games in the past that we're not too proud of today.

[Derek]

the moral here is if you aren't doing anything NEW then don't bother posting on these forums ..

The moral is that if you post on these forums, you should expect honest critiques.  If you want someone to play with your weiner just because it feels good, then I hear the Indiegamer forums are always looking for new members.

(By the way, I will totally amend the above statement to include the weinerless members of our species as soon as some weinerless members join!)

[DrDerekDoctors]

In the end, he's asking for feedback, and we're being honest. I don't think I've been particularly harsh. I can't speak for anyone else's comments. (*cough* Goring *cough*)

Gah!

But really I think honest feedback, even if some of it seems brutal, will be more useful in the long run than insincere pats on the back.

Brutal? I prefer "unfettered by moral or sociological considerations".

Also, that was an excellent message, Alec. *pat* *pat*

[wonderpus]

i guess i misread some of the posts then ..
there seemed to be a lot of ."why are you wasting time producing this shit type questions"

not everyone has original ideas and that shouldn't stop them having a go

and i don't believe i was suggesting you tell him that his game was awesome by any stretch , just to massage his ego or weiner or whatever ..

the moral here is if you aren't doing anything NEW then don't bother posting on these forums ..

The moral is that if you post on these forums, you should expect honest critiques.  If you want someone to play with your weiner just because it feels good, then I hear the Indiegamer forums are always looking for new members.

(By the way, I will totally amend the above statement to include the weinerless members of our species as soon as some weinerless members join!)

I didn't see a lot of honest critiques, just a lot of "why should i play this crap " type vibe .
Rather than a "i don't have time so wont judge" or "i have 5 minutes i'll give it a go "

[Caio]

What the hell, it's actually pretty fun.
Yes, it's match-3, yes, it's unpolished for my tastes, but I can see myself playing it to kill some time.
It's not fantastic, I'd never pay for it, but it's also not horrible and I think it could be interesting if you add some new, innovative mechanics and polish it some more.

[Derek]

not everyone has original ideas and that shouldn't stop them having a go

This is true, but I think what I said holds... if the author has gotten personal satisfaction from creating something, then that is wonderful.  But for us, the players, and for the community, a game that does *nothing* new is pointless.  Am I wrong to say this?

I think a lot of the replies on this thread have been perhaps more cold than they could be.  But you see enough of these games, and it's easy to become cynical about them.

When the comes to PC games, people are pretty particular about what they choose to download... I can see a few screens and read a description and it can be enough to let me know that I'm not going to enjoy the experience.  If you can't provide a compelling reason for me to click, I'm not going to.  And if you want to make a game that reaches people, then you have to provide those compelling reasons.  Otherwise, it's a failure on your part as a developer.

Again, if you want to make a game for your personal satisfaction only, that is awesome!  I don't think anyone here begrudges anyone else that right.  But if that's your prerogative, then you probably don't need our feedback anyway...

[Alec]

Also, that was an excellent message, Alec. *pat* *pat*

You're supposed to pat me on the back, not... there...