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[jaysonwcs]

Pullator is a puzzle/platform where the player can only press left or right: left to jump above a tile left and right to jump above a tile right.
The mechanic is tough: if you keep the button pressed, the next step will be a "double jump" (a jump above two tiles). There are some springs that send you in a certain height and position.
The idea was to make a "jumper game" more like a puzzle than a platform. You must think in every movement.







Our expected feedback is to know if the game is fun and if is a nice game to put on websites like Kongregate.

Game required: Browser with Flash Player enabled

Play the prototype here:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2620612/Pullator.swf

[erik]

It's a neat idea, but I found it hard to get into.  My brain seemed to treat it more like a frustrating platform game when you can't really control what you are doing very well, as opposed to a puzzle game.

Maybe it would help to have some additional features to the levels to help with this?  Maybe some sort of collectible coins that add an additional puzzle challenge to collect might make it more engaging.

My other bit of feedback is that you make the player play a lot of flat levels before you go underground and introduce vertical walls and platforms.  And then you make the player play even longer to get to the green pipes and see some graphical variety.  I would suggest more level variety earlier, and more graphical variety.

Thinking about it a bit more, I wonder if the reason why I found it hard to get into was because of how the double jump is implemented.  In most puzzle games, you can take some sort of action, then evaluate your position and consider your next action.  But here, by holding the arrow for a double jump, it's more of an action game mechanic, and you can't stop to think if you need another double jump or not.  You have to plan out your double jump sequence in advance.  I wonder if I would find it more fun if it was more turn based instead.  I'm not sure.  Hopefully that's helpful.

[jaysonwcs]

The game has been updated! Notes on the new version:

- All levels available (game ending not yet ready);
- All sceneries changed;
- Control changed;
- Tutorial changed;
- Menu changed;

[jaysonwcs]

Update:

- Sitelock corrected!

[flipswitchx]

I thought it was wonderful and refreshing in terms of platforming. It's as if chess were a platformer. The abstractness of the setting is nice as well, perfect music for dealing with the surroundings. Calmed me down, helped me think. Sounds are buzzy oldschool goodness but not sharp to the ear.

 

cheers to that

[jaysonwcs]

flipswitchx

Thanks for the feedback!!
I'm happy to see there are people that understood our idea!! =D

[sunnder]

I'm going to have to agree with erik. The controls felt more frustrating than fun - in fact, it didn't feel very fun at all. Whenever I beat a level (got up to about 7 before I quit), I felt relieved instead of accomplished. The concept of the game is great so a few tweaks could go a long way.

My suggestions:
- Make Left and Right turn your character's facing, but not jump.
- Make a button for a single jump.
- Make a button for a double jump.
- Add another layer of puzzle/strategy with mid-air blocks and platforms (this might already be implemented and I just didn't get far enough to see it).

It has potential, though, and I will enjoy seeing how this develops.

[jaysonwcs]

sunnder

Thanks for the feedback!
Very useful!

However, our game is almost complete, and now is complicated to change everything you suggested, but we will take some of your considerations as advice.

About the mid-air blocks, yes, we implemented these in other levels! =)

[jaysonwcs]

The game has been updated!
Notes on the new version:

- Company logo changed (the old company was divided);
- Interface "polished";
- New musics;
- New sound effects;
- End of game complete;
- New preloader;