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TIGSource ForumsDeveloperPlaytestingGenerantis - 2d Procedural Sandbox Shooter (Feedback wanted)
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Author Topic: Generantis - 2d Procedural Sandbox Shooter (Feedback wanted)  (Read 436 times)
chromewing
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« on: October 20, 2014, 05:24:50 PM »

Generantis

Hi!  I'm ChromeWing, an indie game developer finishing college, and I'd like some feedback for the current state of my game, Generantis.


Generantis is a little hard to explain, but to put it simply, it's a "Game Engine Game" because it is a very open game that generates procedural items that you use to ultimately create the experience.  The items are defined in the folders in the itempack, (they use LuaJ for scripted components) and roll with different properties that affect how they work in game.  
The ultimate goal of this game is to create a game that actively creates itself as people play it.  That means a planet creation system (currently functioning in game), a cast of characters created by players that are referenced in the game (no character in the adventure couldn't be made by a player) and dynamic content that evolves as people including me create new assets in the scripts and sprites placed in the item pack folder.  

Please read the itch.io download link below for more info on what this game is about.


What I'm looking for in feedback...
I want to know what I could do to get this game more meaningful content.  The current version of the game isn't nearly finished yet, things like planet questing are still planned (I'm still working out how i'll design that system yet) and multiplayer will hopefully be in the game before too long.  But anyways, the content in this game is lacking currently.  Mostly due to a low amount of items made so far, but also because the quests are very basic atm and don't really add much to the game yet.  
I also challenge people to know exactly what's happening in game, because I've been told by friends that the current game's mechanics are fairly difficult to grasp.  
Also, I realize there is number balancing to do, such as speeding up some things and maybe slowing down others.  If you just want to explore with unlimited flying and never die, press equals (=).  And if you have any other feedback, please share.  Smiley




Demo Download links!
http://chromewing.itch.io/generantis-demo
You will need Windows/Mac OS X (Linux is a possibility in the future), fairly decent CPU from a few years ago, graphics cards are mostly a huge plus (this was tested on a macbook pro 15" 2011 model, and a custom built gaming pc with pretty good results).

Thank you for your feedback!

« Last Edit: October 21, 2014, 11:08:57 AM by chromewing » Logged
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« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2014, 01:03:59 AM »

It's got potential but it might've been a good idea to get the gameplay down before adding graphics. I found the combat really tedious and uninteresting. Every weapon my character had acted the same way, with only the range being noticeably different, and they all felt incredibly weak. The really slow rate-of-fire on all of the ones I used didn't help either.

I really didn't "get" the strings of bombs. They just don't feel useful at all because not once did I actually see them explode, even with bullets flying everywhere. The ability to dash upward and always have something to land on is nice, though.

The AI seemed mostly decent, but didn't really attack me very much so it wasn't particularly tense. I just made hundreds of weak little popping sounds as I shot slow, weak projectiles at an enemy and had no idea how much health it had left. At times, the AI got stuck in small dips and things until I shot it a few times and then it would suddenly dash away.

Do enemies have limited health in this version? I shot one enemy about twenty times with a weapon that did around 17 damage each time and they didn't die.

As for the things I liked, I thought the galaxy map was nice. The generated maps, while not particularly detailed, worked fine. The second one I played on was kind of interesting. The sprites are kinda cool. The game also ran really well. The overall vision you have for the game sounds really good too.

Suggestions:

-Weapon variety
-Higher default jump height
-Faster rates-of-fire on all weapons
-More powerful weapons
-More active enemies (actively jumping around and trying to hit you from different directions while possibly avoiding your shots to some degree)
-More control over when bomb strips appear (ex. only make them appear if I double-jump, rather than if I hold the button)
-"Decor" like trees and bushes to make planets look less like collections of blocks
-Some sort of indicator of enemy health, either on the sprites or with a visible health bar
-A melee attack, maybe, or at least some way to push enemies who are basically sticking to you
-Some variety in terrain/planet types
-More powerful weapon sounds. The current "firing ping-pong balls at enemies" sound doesn't really feel great to me.
-Consider making the bomb strips explode more easily, maybe taking out an entire strip when one blows. That would mean the battlefield is constantly changing and obstacles won't always be in the way.
-Maybe put some more platforms in areas to give players combat options other than climbing up walls or making bomb strips.

As I said, I think it's got potential and the plans you have for it sound good. If you can get the combat feeling fun and exciting then this could be really great.
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