Hey I finally got around to play your game. I have seen your trailer a while back and liked the way you've synced the music and the visual rhythm.
I like the game-play a lot, it reminds me of "Laser Light" a puzzle game way back when in DOS. Made by pixel painters, I think. Also I think the style could really be something else, but I think that some parts of it need some work.
But it'd be totally worth it because the game-play is fantastic and relaxing! The level build up is great,albeit a bit longish. The puzzles get rewarding later.
- First and foremost having the stats screen come up before I see the ball go into the portal is kind of jarring and really dampens my sense of victory, have it the other way round. This could also mean that the portal moves up after sucking in the level to "spit out" the rainbow flowerish thing
- If I fail the first time the tramps from my first messed up attempt are still there. The trajectory is obviously very helpful, but couldn't it be ghostly "after images" instead of the real thing? Otherwise I had to quit the game to start from a clean slate.
- Minor niggle: it says "click to continue" but it means "click here to continue".
- I was mean and made a 90 degree trampoline under the ball. The ball bounced, then sat on it and nothing happened. Maybe add a timeout.
- The failure animation strikes me as a bit uninspired, especially after the nice victory and start animations. Maybe have a shock-wave go through the blocks blasting them away from the spot where the ball hit?
- I noticed I can highlight placed trampolines. Is there a way to move them, too?
All in all I hope this doesn't discourage you. Because that'd be sad there's lots of potential. Keep on it!
Wow thank you so much! These ideas are fantastic, and you pointed out many things as a creator I just wouldn't see. (click to continue
) Many of these points actually have solutions implemented already -- what your bringing to my attention is my failure of communicating them!
To address your second point, you can delete the trampolines with a right click. However, I think a "ghostly after image" would maybe frustrate players who only need to realign one trampoline. But, a "Clear All" trampoline button does sound like a great idea. I hope i understood you correctly?
To address the 90 degree trampoline issue; the key "R" will reset the ball at any time. So if you drop it say, and you know you messed up you can slap R and avoid waiting. I now realized I said that NO where in the tutorial. (just in the instructions) So i will fix that.
And finally, you can delete trampolines and replace them (upon being deleted it snaps to the angle of the deleted trampoline) but currently you can not move them. Maybe a Left click on a tramp could allow you to slide it where a right click deletes it?
The graphical suggestions are wonderful, and I will get right on that!
Finally, I have had other people tell me they were unaware of basic mechanics in the game that were stated in the tutorial. I myself am not a fan of reading bricks of text either -- but im at a loss. What other way can I hint at the player the instructions as they are playing? Maybe have a button they can scroll over in game that shows all of the controls?
Thanks SO much again for the help!
