|
Fermenter
|
 |
« on: March 21, 2014, 10:06:21 PM » |
|
 Hi Gamemakers! My name is Andrew Armstrong from Fermenter. We've just released my game, David, a physics-based platforming boss-fighter, on iOS, Windows, and Mac. http://www.fermentergames.com/david/ You play David, an awfully small abstracted chosen hero tossed into a blissfully simple world overrun by giant culminations of evil physics-beasts. As David, you are given a slingshot-esque gift that you will have to use to conquer your colossus foes. Hold, aim, and fling to attack (Angry Birds style!). Think Limbo + Shadow of the Colossus + Angry Birds. Features a 9-level campaign, a survival/arena/rpg mode, a secret basket-ball-pit minigame, and hats! (Additional levels and other content are in the works.) Page of info goodies! http://www.fermentergames.com/david/Trailer Video! Press-kit! http://www.fermentergames.com/press-david   Release Date: Out Now! Price: $2 (on sale for $1!) Platforms: iOS (SOON), Windows, MacOSX Where: DavidIsAGame.com (direct) If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send em back to me. Reviews and feedback are super helpful! Thanks so much. Cheers!  Andrew Armstrong Lead Developer // FermenterGames.com |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Christian
|
 |
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2014, 11:00:07 AM » |
|
Picked it up yesterday after seeing it on IndieGameStand and I'm really enjoying the minimalist abstract style. The gameplay is cool too. Given the description and mix of inspirations, I wasn't sure what to expect, but now that I've played, I definitely see the SotC and Angry Birds inspirations.
The bosses are large angular masses of shapes, moving with oddly menacing animalistic behaviors. One is a lunging, almost bull-like enemy, another a flying cluster that hones in on you as you deftly evade it. The levels progress from simple arena style fights to more puzzle-like battles such as a fight with a shark like boss where you can't bring your weapon below the surface. Each fight has two modes: a normal mode and a hard mode where you only have one piece of health.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Zeusington
|
|
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2014, 11:30:30 AM » |
|
Got a demo? Looks neat, and I'd like to try it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2014, 11:53:25 AM » |
|
Thanks Christian!!
Sorry Zeusington, no demo! Instead of spending time trying to make a demo that does the game justice, I put that time right into the game, and I definitely think that choice was worth it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Zeusington
|
|
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2014, 07:12:48 AM » |
|
I gave the game a shot anyway. As of the writing of this I beat the bosses on Okay, some on Very, and gave the Arena a whirl.
Long story short, I do not regret it.
A mediocre game would have lost my attention by now, but I've every intention of going back to beat what I couldn't before. This is certainly a game that's hard to do justice via images, video, or advertising. It's easy to write off for the "indie metaphorical shapes and minimalism" thing it's got going, but that's really just a vehicle for the gameplay. That last sentence was weird for me to write, but it's true; The gameplay trumps the whole "indie" thing the images reek of.
Perhaps the most crucial aspect that won me over was the tension of lining up shots. In most games, anything that slows down time is basically a cheat that removes tension and allows you to outsmart sub-par AI, but the foes in this game are so fast that it's necessary, and they're so smart + hard to predict that it won't even save you if you put yourself in a bad position. This is especially exemplified in the Arena where you start out with 1 HP, 1 shot, and no mercy, but you can build up from there to become an unstoppable force of pain. Even so, the game forces you to learn yourself before you get hilariously overpowered, and it still doesn't make the bosses on Very any easier.
I couldn't find any overt flaws worth mentioning, but there were a couple of wrinkles. The Flee encounter on Very using WASD is a small nightmare, but the game supports a 360 pad which allows for more sensitive movement via the left stick. The right stick controls the mouse, but using it for that is hilariously difficult and not very fruitful. The solution? Hold the 360 pad in your left hand, and use your mouse with the right hand! It's incredibly bizarre, but for this game it makes you a glorious god gamer of immaculate skill that allows you to beat Flee on Very with ease. It'd be easy (and tempting!) to tell somebody to git gud and just tough it out, but with such a better option at my disposal I'm simply not going back. If Fermenter is okay with this then call it a day, but it's something worth finding a more viable solution to / setup for.
Finally, there's the issue of price. It's not that it's too high, but rather it's likely so low that people won't feel it's worth bothering with. I asked for a demo specifically for this reason; I didn't want to throw down my card info for something that runs a measly dollar. Perhaps on a mobile device it would be different, but PC games at the dollar price point are often considered shovelware. This game is decidedly not, and it does not deserve to be in this category, so I would make an effort to combat this notion however one can.
Overall, a pleasant surprise. I'm keeping tabs on this!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2014, 12:04:37 PM » |
|
Long story short, I do not regret it.
Overall, a pleasant surprise. I'm keeping tabs on this!
Man, this was so encouraging to read. It's the most rewarding thing to see feedback like this after putting so much work into something. Thanks a lot, and I'm glad you're having fun! Speaking of great reviews, the guys at TouchArcade gave David a whirl and wrote up this little gem: http://toucharcade.com/2014/03/28/david-coming-soon-to-ios/I'm really pumped about getting the word out about this. The more feedback the better!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Xienen
|
|
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2014, 08:26:55 AM » |
|
Awesome game. Beat every level on Okay and Very, except Sin which I only beat on Okay(not yet brave enough to try Very). Flee definitely gave me some trouble on Very, but it was the perfect amount of difficulty to keep me trying. Did all this in about an hour, definitely a worthwhile experience for a couple dollars!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2014, 01:05:30 PM » |
|
Awesome game. Beat every level on Okay and Very, except Sin which I only beat on Okay(not yet brave enough to try Very). Flee definitely gave me some trouble on Very, but it was the perfect amount of difficulty to keep me trying. Did all this in about an hour, definitely a worthwhile experience for a couple dollars! Thanks Xienen! Glad you liked it and I'm glad it wasn't too frustratingly tough. Balancing for difficulty is a strange process, but I suppose I did a good job? Good to know! (Flee is definitely one of the tougher ones to master.) Good luck on Very Sin! :D |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2014, 10:43:43 AM » |
|
Just got featured on the "Best New Games" list on the front page of the App Store. Pretty exciting. The iOS release has been incredible for me.
Also, I'm on greenlight: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=249509231
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2014, 11:48:20 AM » |
|
Apple says version 1.1 is out for iOS! (PC and Mac very soon.) Here's a few promo codes for you dudes: http://codehookup.com/412aa121Also, if you miss these, it's going on sale for $1 really soon. Have fun, and let me know what you think! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2014, 11:22:57 AM » |
|
A spike in popularity for David; neat! (#38 Arcade Game on iPad in the US this morning.) Yesterday and today, for some reason, lots people have been buying and playing. I don't blame 'em! I've been playing again recently and dang, it's quite a bit of fun. Pretty proud of my work. Hopefully for me, this rise in popularity is less of a spike and more of a wave. Let's hope! If you haven't played it, I can't not recommend it.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/david./id777413889--- edit: Here's why if you're interested: The guys at Laser Dog are rad and chose David as one of their favorite games for an Indie Game Showcase on the App Store. Tah dah! http://www.laserdog.co.uk/blog/30/10/2014/alone-indie-game-showcase-appstore |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: November 08, 2014, 12:06:44 PM by Fermenter »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Fermenter
|
|
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2015, 01:02:21 PM » |
|
Hey again! It had been almost a year on Steam Greenlight, and I’d actually given up on Greenlight after it looked like it wasn't going to happen, so it’s really awesome to be telling you about getting Greenlit and the upcoming release. Thanks to everyone who voted, and thanks to Steam for giving David a fantastic audience. Making it to Steam is a huge breakthrough for a little developer like me. I've got my foot in the door, so I'm just gonna walk in and make myself comfortable. Look for David as it launches for $0.99 at 1PM (PST) on February 16, 2015. http://store.steampowered.com/app/346180 |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Community
