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[ashpd]

I love new demo . This game is great, but it becomes even more better with every new update. That's just awesome.
By the way, nice reference to Undertale in the "Gravity Engine" level .

Also I found a bug. There is some ghostly cat in the "Cavern Chronicles". As I understand, it should steal all abilities, but somehow I was able to keep the shield even when ability slots were empty. After gaining another abilities the shield still was equipped till the level ends:

I don't know if it helps, but I was equipped with lazer+shield during the meeting with the kitty.

[banannaman]

on linear A, if i do the special bird picture thing to get to the place where i can't get the thing because it's a demo, i cant get out on the first run through the level since i don't have enough mobility yet.

edit: as i progress i am finding that there are several things that wont take damage from the upgraded scythes like the speed enemy just after the checkpoint in deeply rooted.

edit 2: not sure if this is on purpose but i've wound up in a couple of secret areas and couldn't get out w/o dying, not sure if i missed the exit or it's a demo thing.

edit 3: did you move some of the collectibles? i'm having the hardest time finding the last red one, otherwise im having so much fun messing with the partners. keep up the good work!

edit 4: love the references on the shopkeeper, i like chipcheezum a lot too, my favorite metal gear lps are by them. Gabriel also talks about relics being important, are those the "demo, not in use" things? or am i still missing something?

[gunswordfist]

Ok, I finally tried out the new demo early this morning and got past First Tree! Seeing the new hats surprised me. I loved them. Also, sounds like the pre-menu cutscene got remixed which I like and the jumping in the game seems to be more responsive. I also liked the enemy redesigns and that new enemy that pushes you out of the secret area entrance in First Tree. I fell down a bottomless pit in Training Ground and got bounced back up. I'm not sure if that's a one time forgive, with or without how I pressed the button like a maniac after I feel lol. I loved how the blue and white target dummies no longer reappear and disappear and instead just block or move around. I have spent way too much time before trying to stand in the right spot to shoot them. Also, I see you got rid of the boomerangs (?) long scythe like crouching attack in favor of being able to throw projectiles when ducking. Good

As for problems I had, the first time I started the game, there was no music starting from the first in-game cutscene. This has happened to me before in probably both of the previous demos I have played. I'm not sure if it's because I had too many programs opened, I adjusted my laptop's sound too fast before the game started or what. I could barely tell the health hearts were hearts with their redesign. I thought it was a new powerup or something until I squinted and looked harder. The red bubble is too bright or whatever so I can barely see the heart inside of it. It was just fine before.

That's all I remember for now.

@Gunswordfist, Thank you! And thanks, I forgot to update the demo date.

You're welcome, you're welcome! I am enjoying the demo and it's good to see the topic updated.

[USUNM@]

Updated again? Wow! You did it before I could even finish the last one! Amazing as always, Raku. 

[gunswordfist]

Also, I forgot to say that I'm happy you no longer exit just by touching the edge of the exit arrow but the edge of the screen (will except at least one end of stage exit arrow) Yay!

[Thomas Finch]

Sorry if you've already talked about this, but:
I know you don't want to sell the game. I think that's great. Have you thought about putting it on Steam as free though? It'd reach a broader audience that way.

[gunswordfist]

I was also thinking about how it would be cool to see Raku release this game free to a wider audience.

[Raku]

@Banannaman, sorry, could you be a little more specific? Are you saying you're getting trapped somewhere in Linear A?
Some enemies got bugged somehow in that demo and dont seem to take damage from the lvl 2 scythe for some reason, Im not sure why.
Some secrets arent able to get out of in the demo, just a demo side effect, sorry about that.
I did move some of the collectibles!
As for Gabriel, thanks! Im glad you liked that. And yes, the NO USE things lead to relics, meaning they're unavailable in the demo.

@gunswordfist, thank you! Yes, the training stage has no death pits anymore, I realized it didnt make sense to have them in the stage meant to train you, just gives you a warning there for later on. The music error seems to be a big with supersound.dll? I've found that resetting the game once or twice always fixes it (hold F2 to reset) I'll fix the health powerups to make them a bit more readable. I really wanted to change their appearance because before they had the same shape as ability souls, which was confusing new players.

@USUNM@, Thank you!

@Thomas Finch, I've been thinking long and hard on it, and I may just put it up somewhere like itch.io or something and have pay-what-you-want, due to financial problems I'm having.

[fall_ark]

itch.io is always a nice option to have and very easy to set up. I'm sure many people here would love to support it by donation as well.

[Conker]

That's a good idea. I hope you're situation gets better.

[banannaman]

it was just the secret area in linear A, i could get in and to the relic but not out.

i hope your financial issues resolve peacefully as well. i cant wait for the next demo/ release of the game, and would hate to see it have to be pushed back.

edit 1: how many partners can you get in this demo?

[flipswitchx]

Love the style. I think you should definitely put it on itch.io if nothing else. 

[fall_ark]

A few points about the boomerang:

1. If you stand right next to a wall/obstacle, the upward Boomerang attack will be blocked.

2. Also, Boomerang combination attacks will show base boomerangs when blocked.

[gunswordfist]

Thank you for listening, Raku! It makes sense to not have bottomless pits in a training stage. I also like how the stage comes later so it doesn't feel like a forced tutorial stage. In fact, if it can be considered one, then it's one of the most fun tutorial stages I have ever encountered.

[gunswordfist]

One thing I'm paid attention to today while using the boomerang/gas combo, is the fact that Jack has no idle animation at all. I noticed this right after I noticed that Reaper doesn't move one each, outside of looking in a direction, whenever he fires projectile. I'd like to see Jack have (wait for it) a bit more life during those times. I'm not sure what his idle animation should be like, put I think he should have his hand blades a bit like he's throwing the projectiles from them. They just look like they are coming out of his body like he has no real control over it. But no biggie, that's just an observation/suggestion.

I see that you can now slay those orange flowers that turn into a star and projectile with the gas, the flashing circular face obstacles with the shield and fire projectile create orange jelly (beans?) on those yellow slimes! Very nice touches.

I believe I reset the game 2 and nothing changed, after the music didn't work but then I waited until the music started to play at the pre-game movie and it worked just fine. If I didn't do that, I believe I would have had to close and than reopen Jack to get the music working again.

Edit: I loved seeing that you raised the platform above the yellow slimes in Onward and Upward! I really like seeing that may feedback helped and got applied.

[banannaman]

sat down to look for stuff again today and found out how you can tell if a collectible is in that screen or not, got the 4th partner and 2-3 more 00parts that way so my total has come to 39 00parts, still haven't found the last ability in the shop, nor the rare enemy you were talking about, but i am excited to try to find them.

edit 1: with dig plus instakill bear's power you can instakill all bosses basically

edit 2: is there a reason the first chaser in awakening has a you did damage kind of hit instead of the clang? been wondering that since the last demo.

[Raku]

@fall_ark Ah, thank you. Should be a simple hitbox issue I can fix.
@Gunswordfist, I've been thinking of doing an idle animation, it just might be a little difficult to do with hats being a thing, I'll try to think of something though. Jack isn't meant to be a character with life, it's solely doing its job and not one to wiggle around or anything, so I'm not sure.
And of course your feedback helps! Im glad you liked all these changes too.
@Banannaman, good luck on the search! The bear's power is meant to be overpowered, since it's incredibly hard to find/get. As for the awakening stage problem, what is the "chaser" you are asking about? This must have been something I was unaware of.

Also so this thread can be more than just text, here are some new enemy sketches from today:

aaand I started spriting a few of them, as well!
This beautiful man will steal the camera away from Jack because he likes to be the star of the show, beat him up to get the camera back.
Shocking hero Spark Ranger will use his electric powers to try and stop you! One of the more acrobatic enemies, somewhat dangerous.
here is a cat hat (gas + speed now, just recently put this in)
Nadir Predvest's weakpoint is a bit more clear now, and much brighter too, less boring looking than a red orb.
and last night I put in komorebi that appear in deep forest stages, small visual effect

[banannaman]

in awakening the lady in the mech that chases you at the beginning of the level. and if thats the case with the bear power i wish the speed and bear power combo was stronger or something, i always take damage if i try to run around with that on, especially since it's only on while you are moving and i just bump into enemies trying to damage them. also spark ranger looks super cool.

[fall_ark]

Somehow mistook his eyes for nostrils and earpieces for eyes...

[gunswordfist]

Cat hat and the dino boss weak point! Heard about you considering doing the following and BLAM, there's a Cat Hat. I love your art..

Heh, yeah, I was thinking about how Jack doesn't have much life...literally. I kind of expected that to come up.

Yes, I really do love seeing my input.

Ok, thoughts based on me getting further in the demo: I figured out how to activate those rainbow eyes or whatever they are called. Don't know what they do yet. I believe dodge is a lot faster now. I can pretty much go perfectly horizontal across the screen with it. Of course that would take forever though. lol I love all the new helmets! And they actually work as helmets. Also, I'm not sure if it's always been this way but I love being able to control the missiles. That's been real useful.

When in jelly, it's impossible for Jack to get his hat back. I'm not sure if this is intentional or not.

I've been enjoying playing around with the screen's size. The game reminds me of the better looking GBA games when it's at the smallest.

Finally used the Love Poke. Mostly on the Ascension drill and purple dashing claw enemies. I wasn't sure at first since I had the missiles, but I see that the Ascension, etc., drill enemies can even be killed by normal attacks now.

Very cool visor for the ground laser. I believe the targeting laser can hurt enemies as well, which is nice.

I used the finger laser + boomerang to beat Samuel by bouncing them off the wall after running away and killed him after he put his head down twice and didn't even get to see his rage mode. With how much trouble he's giving me before, I am not complaining!

I love the new Stampede! music (unless my memory has completely failed me and it's not new  )

I'm sure there's more I am forgetting but all in all I am having fun with the latest build of Jack The Reaper.