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[FrankForce]

Happy holidays everyone! MAGFest is soon approaching where I will be showing my game in the MIVS section. I am still hard at work making last minute changes.

Over the holidays I watched some people play through the demo and took many notes for improvements. I just got done implementing most of them.

One of the biggest improvements is a new ability called Spin Dash. It is the first ability you get about 2 minutes into the game. It allows you to go from 0 to full speed in a flash. In lieu of a jump it functions as kind of a sideways jump and helps open up options for the player.

I have also made many other small to big tweaks to gameplay and level design. Adding more save points and improving areas that have frustrated players. I also added a something that helps train the player how to use burst fire, a door that will only open if shot repeatedly without overheating.

There is a ton more stuff I want to do and polish and only a few days left!

Here's a GIF of the elevator and an optional mini boss fight...

[FrankForce]

Just got back from showing my game at MAGFest, it was awesome!

Check out this blog post I wrote up a post about it with more info!

My magfest booth


Death heat map of all players at magfest

[FrankForce]

Hi, everyone! I just uploaded the first new demo build since MAGFest.

I learned a lot from watching people play. So I reworked the level design to hopefully address everything I saw.

There are some minor bug fixes and other quality of life improvements.

Next step is adding new stuff! Check out a few screenshots of some areas that changed the most...

[FrankForce]

Hey everyone, I've been working really hard on my game. I have some cool new features to show off in Devlog 4. Npcs, text effects and something I'm calling bubble blocks. Check it out!

[FrankForce]

Hi everyone! I just uploaded a new video showing off the first 3 minutes of gameplay in the latest build.

I will be showing this game at MAGFest so please let me know if you are interested in helping play test and I will send you a build. 

[Schrompf]

I have no time to test, but from the video alone:

- the start is nice
- the polishing is excellent. All those sparks, light switches, shadows, liquids.
- first parts in the pyramid are too dark. I wonder how someone without your intimate knowledge of the level is supposed to navigate
- level design seems extremely dense. Spacing and pacing seems to be off.
- the asteroids minigame is a nice idea, but already in the video it drags out way longer than it should.

In my personal opinion, the average player would be feeling better if all those interactions with the AI, the scientists, as well as the gameplay elements, happen isolated and separated. You introduce the narrator AI thingy, scientists (please add women), other robots, stompers, spikes, savepoints, some strange fireworks collectible? and the dash all in the course of one minute. Seems very harsh to me. You can probably assume knowledge of save points or spikes nowadays, but at least all the story stuff should happen in situations where the player has time to follow it

[FrankForce]

Schrompf - Thank you for the feedback!

So, I think one of the main problems is the video is just a very fast play through. I've watched many first time players and they usually take 10-15 minutes to go that far. Players often stop to read the text and experiment, there is no time pressure. The level design is a bit dense though, I am still adjusting it, but it feels less dense when you take your time.

I am not too worried about the pyramid, no one has had trouble there. There is a more obviously female scientist later in the level. Players seem to enjoy the breakout game, It is funner to watch when I'm not trying to lose so I can end the video.

I am thinking about redoing the video with a slower playthrough that shows less.

[Schrompf]

Ok, great to hear you already have that covered. Good luck then

[FrankForce]

New Trailer and the demo is available for a limited time!

Play The Demo

[FrankForce]

Hello friends, I have very special news to share today. The indie metroidvania I have been working on for 5+ years now has a Steam page and you can wishlist it! Also there is a brand spanking new trailer in stunning HD...

Wishlist Piroot on Steam!





Through my career have worked on many games big and small but this is the first time that one of my games will be on the Steam store. It would literally mean the world to me if you take a moment to check it out and wishlist if it seems interesting. Thank you for following me on this journey!

Follow Piroot on Twitter for up to date news.


I also made a slick new logo, what do you think?

[nathy after dark]

This looks cool! Love a good Metroidvania, love a good passion project followed through over the years! Congrats.