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[olive.]

Hey,

I have created a small game called Sonar; you can play it here - http://goo.gl/H175X3

I am happy with the main sonar mechanic, however I am having difficulty developing the idea in to something more than what I have already achieved with the small game. I was wondering if anybody could provide some feedback, criticism or any random thoughts on my idea.

Thanks very much!

[debugchicken]

Hmm

the sonar recharges really fast, so I don't think there is a real need of it ever end.

I think there should be a paint on the blocks edges when the sonar is activated, so the edges would be seen for some time, then fade away

there could be other challenges than holes, like enemies

you should also use vertical design.

I would also make the sonar reverb on the floor/walls

But personally I don't like dark (and by dark I mean almost black) games very much :\

[fucrate]

Hey, this is a really cool idea!

I just played for a bit and had some brainstorm ideas I'll just kind of throw down.

The sonar particles are really cool, I'm assuming its a real particle system, it would be really neat if they bounced off the walls and stuff. Maybe their velocity is cut in half when they hit so they stick around the walls leaving a glowy outline effect. I think the game could go in a direction where your information is a bit better and instead of just jumping/movement challenges you add enemies or targets to collect or something like that.

I was also thinking about how the sonar goes out automatically, I think it could be neat to make it more intentional, like you hit spacebar, but then again maybe not. I was thinking about enemies that maybe float around? Kind of like submarine combat, when you pulse with the sonar it lets you know where the bad guys are, but it draws them to your position too. You could maybe send out a pulse to spot the enemies and the landscape and then quickly run somewhere safe because you know they'll be targeting the position you sent out the sonar pulse from.

I think the platforming is really tough right now, and not really in the good way, but it's hard to tell if I'm messing up jumps because of the darkness or because the jumping is a bit rough. I think it could be helped a bit by cheating the platforming state so you can jump for like one or two frames after you walk off a ledge. Derek did this in Spelunky, I think it really adds to the predictability of the platforming.

Also I'm not really sure what the little white particle sprays do? I thought they were checkpoints at first, but I always went back to the start of the level when I died.

I agree more verticality would be cool, I was even thinking about turning it into a literal bat game with flapping around and catching bugs in order to keep up flying energy or something.

Anyway, neat game idea! I agree it's tough to come up with ideas for this, but if you keep working on little details like making the particles bounce you might come up with bigger gameplay stuff down the road.

[olive.]

I like your ideas. I was thinking about upgrades, that give you more abilities and I suppose that would work well with collecting bats and using them as a form of currency perhaps. I also explored the idea of an infinite runner type game. Thanks for the ideas, it will give me something to think about.

[hcs]

I agree with fucrate that the platforming is too hard, I have to take tiny steps to make any progress as I can't reliably remember the shape of the level. Not much fun.

I love the idea. I was working on something with a similar flavor (

) once, but I got stuck with too few ideas as well. I'm wondering now how that might feel as a platformer instead.

I feel like the current state of things could be a hard part, maybe normally you would have the help that fucratre suggested of the sonar particles "sticking" once they hit, briefly, but then it seems too easy... a much more sharp constraint on your sonar supply might change that.

It would be interesting if your wave affected things, in particular when you're moving fast you should have a significant pressure front, maybe this could be used at a weapon or to break walls. I didn't get very far so sorry if this is already in there.