next »

[feeblethemighty]

Hey everybody,

I'm making an updated version of Guyman Hero, my entry into the TIGSource Assemblee competition.

The new version has some slightly updated visuals, a flashlight mechanic, and new level design.  I'd really appreciate some feedback on level design, difficulty, pacing, etc.  Also, any hints that you more seasoned game developers can give me would be very much appreciated.

Please note that the levels are far from complete at this point, so they will eventually just run out.

Here is a screenshot, then get the game below.



DOWNLOAD
Get it from GameJolt to try it out.

CREDITS
music: atuun, TEM
graphics: ETG
design: feeblethemighty
made in: Construct

[pgil]

---------------------------
Runtime error
---------------------------
An unexpected error occurred and the application was terminated.  We apologise for the inconvenience.

Please report this problem to the application developer.

Got this right at the start. I didn't expect that..

[Melly]

APPLICATION DEVELOPER, DELIVER US FROM EVIL

I'll try it out myself soon.

[I_smell]

Ok, I wrote a list as I was playing. Firstly I think this has an excellent name. I think it'd fit better if instead of protecting the world from aliens, he was protecting the world from "enemies". But that's just me.

I think you should take the line "were wiped off the earth" out of the intro cos it's redundant and y'know, it's slow enough allready. Sorry, that's such shit feedback.
The title screen looks like it says Press 2. You could argue that we all know you meant Z, or that the font has to stick to right-angles, but it still looks like a 2. Leaving it as it is is fine though, that's no big deal.
I like the music!
lmao I jumped to the left, got the secret Range-Up and got lost behind the wall. Like- I was stuck there for a few seconds holding Right.
Oh jeez this game is hard. These aliens are crazy hard.
Sometimes the animation of his gun-flash, the animation that looks like an X, stays there; paused in mid-air.
I fucking hate these aliens, I've died like 30 times n I can't get passed screen 3.
Alright fuck this game. No human can do this. I think the aliens should make a noise before they dive at you to at least give you some kind of warning. Like a growl or something.
I think you should put the controls on-screen in the game somewhere.
Why would you put the very first mine in the hardest possible place you could put a mine?
Also, nothing can fit in or out of this hole:

[pepprsam]

This game is quite fun.
It also looks good.  And the music is nice as well.
My favorite part was the opening.  I chuckled to myself quite a few times.  Simple but great!
I didn't personally find the aliens too hard.  All I had to do was stand there and keep pressing Z until the aliens jumped into my shots.  Some of the mines were difficult, but not too hard.  Maybe the difficulty could ramp up instead of putting the first series of mines in such difficult spots?
The fireballs were too random to get by.  No matter how many times I tried, and no matter how many positions I switched to on the platform, I couldn't get past that part.  You could argue that it's cliched to always have fireballs shot straight up in a pattern, but the way the platform is right above where the fireballs shoot up, and their tragectory is slightly random, there was really no time to react.
But overall, I think you have a solid game here!

[AndroidScholar1]

I literally can't get past the third screen. The aliens jump at me too quick for me to kill them. Clearly noone else has had this problem, so I'll just put it down to me being crap at it.

[feeblethemighty]

Thanks for all the feedback!   

---------------------------
Runtime error
---------------------------
An unexpected error occurred and the application was terminated.  We apologise for the inconvenience.

Please report this problem to the application developer.

Got this right at the start. I didn't expect that..

Hmm...and you didn't run into any of the expected errors?   

Is this all that the error said?  Strange.  I would report this to the almighty application developer, but i wouldn't know what to say other than "it crashed".  Maybe they have clairvoyant powers.

That's some awesome commentary, I_Smell and i'm glad you found the first secret already!  Yeah, i know the aliens are hard.  I'll probably change them for future versions so they're not quite so crazy difficult.  Maybe have them pause before pouncing or reduce their hitpoints to 1.  I guess i'm just used to dealing with them.  I'm also planning on adding a difficulty function eventually.

The fireballs were too random to get by.  No matter how many times I tried, and no matter how many positions I switched to on the platform, I couldn't get past that part.  You could argue that it's cliched to always have fireballs shot straight up in a pattern, but the way the platform is right above where the fireballs shoot up, and their tragectory is slightly random, there was really no time to react.

Would it help if the platform was just higher above the fireballs?  I really do like the slightly random fireballs.


Something else i was thinking about after posting the game: does it seem like it will be able to flow well?  I read this article from Team Meat talking about difficult games and i started wondering if Guyman Hero would benefit more from larger (ie 1024x768 instead of 800x400), denser single-screen maps with saves between each one than a bunch of levels strung together.

Any thoughts?

[pgil]

Hmm, I got the error when I used the Quick Play option on Gamejolt. When I downloaded the game it worked fine.

I think there should just be a warning before a fireball comes up. Maybe have a bright flash or flare come up out of the lava 1/2 a second before the fireball comes out. That would give the player enough time to get out of the way.

Also, I think there should be a better indicator of where checkpoints are. Either have your progress saved at the beginning of every room, or put an obvious checkpoint object at key locations. Right now, there's a very long span (from before you get the flashlight to over 2 screens after you get the jump boost) with no checkpoints.

[feeblethemighty]

I think there should just be a warning before a fireball comes up. Maybe have a bright flash or flare come up out of the lava 1/2 a second before the fireball comes out. That would give the player enough time to get out of the way.

Yeah, that sounds fair.  I think i'll put that in for the next build.

Also, I think there should be a better indicator of where checkpoints are. Either have your progress saved at the beginning of every room, or put an obvious checkpoint object at key locations. Right now, there's a very long span (from before you get the flashlight to over 2 screens after you get the jump boost) with no checkpoints.

Yes, i have been thinking about doing that too.

Actually, i got an idea yesterday which i think might be pretty neat and it would require an overhaul of the game and give the player more of a reward for passing screens.  And there would be a save at each screen.

I thought it would be cool to be able to see all of the screens you've passed as a sort of collage.  Then i thought of a sort of overworld where you could see the actual game world in the distance, paralax scrolling in the background.

Kind of like this:


So as you pass level and discover hidden ones, you fill in the level collage which appeals to my perfectionism at least.