First off I would like to say that I'm impressed with your work so far. I also want to say that I'm no English major, so hang in there with me.
The music in the first “level” or “area” before you and gramps take a boat right is great. I feel like it fits, its a bright scene, some what bubbly and fun. The water looks super in the game as well.
Here is my first issue. I am told to collect 10 rabbit skins. The rabbits are small and somewhat hard to see. Aka easy to miss. I have a couple times gone to grampa on a new game and he has told me to go back because I was one short. For me, this is kinda a buzz kill. I don't want to have to backtrack in a game that I just started a couple minuets ago. I'm sure a lot of people were able to kill all the rabbits their first time and that's great, but if I ask myself. “What is the point of killing the rabbits?”. By the way the level is setup, its to get me use to the controls of jumping, shooting and movement. You're giving the player so much room to learn that, I think other mechanics should be introduced within that time.
Such as: Double Jumping, Wall Sliding and Sliding.
For me personally, I like when the game teaches me how to play the game without signs or instructions. I want to test the boundary of the game and figure out what I can and can't do. Right off the bat, I think there a perfect place to teach the player that wall sliding and double jumping exists.
After the player crosses the bridge, have the bridge fall down into the water. The player will then face a rock wall that is larger than everything else they have seen. The wall should be a block higher than they can jump. The player should try and jump to the top, not make it, then slide. This will teach the player that they can wall slide and wall jump off the slide! Teaching the player without instruction is something I love in games.
For sliding, I honestly am not sure how to incorporate that or what the purpose of sliding is? I did not feel like I could use it at any point.
The ten rabbit skins is an opportunity to teach the player so much about the game, so I think the first zone should be utilized as much as possible!
The ride takes about 1:30 to get to the next zone. I think it's totally fine to put the “credits” at this place, but I think it's far to long. The first time I played through, I did not collect the 10 rabbit skins, so I had to go back retrace my steps. I then had to wait a 1:30 in the boat ride which is automated. It's a bit frustrating in my opinion. I had to retrace my steps then wait on a somewhat boring screen to get to the next area. I think this could be a good place to maybe hint at some up coming events possibly? You could have to stars make formations in the sky with symbols foreshadowing. But I feel like their needs to be more going in the 1:30ish it takes. The scene is still really beautiful. I love the water and the whole feel, but its a bit boring after a little bit.
I was able to get Tikotep to stand in front of the symbol. I'm pretty sure I jumped right as the cut scene triggered to stand in front of it. (I forgot to try and reproduce it, sorry!) I also did want to touch upon the wolf. (I don't like the use of wolves in games and how vicious they are, same with sharks spiders etc, gives them a reputation of people being afraid of them, but I'm just a very big animal lover.. That's just a personal preference!) I think the wolf is too close to Tikotep. I think that the wolf should be two jump lengths away, because if you're not holding left then you will lose a heart. Which is kinda a bummer as this is the first monster. I'm not exactly sure how to approach this situation, but I think it could be handled a little bit better. I'm not sure I'm expressing my thoughts correctly. I think the player should understand how much it sucks to get hit. But is it fair to give the player and almost auto two hearts out of demo to finish the rest of the demo? Hm.
Onto the next zone..The lighting, rain and thunder is just lovely. It really sets the mood for me. Although I feel there is possibly too much rain or the rain length is too long. At first it feels cluttered, but I was able to adjust to it.(because you know, I died
) I love the length of the lightning and how it does blind the player briefly, it really adds another element to the area. I also do enjoy the sliding noise of when all the monsters are killed. I think that you could have a different noise if you're entering a boss room, if bosses are something you plan on doing. It gives the player a queue that shits about to go down, which is a positive for me.
The zone before you go down the first ladder is fun. Introducing both the types of monsters at the same time was great. I think the only problem is that before you really do anything in the zone, the wolf is just jumping at the block over and over. Not sure if you could possibly implement him to stop and bark if hes X blocks to hire or something.
I was able to glitch to the side of the ladder by sliding while I was standing on the ladder. I accidentally did this, because I was trying to figure out how to get down the ladder lol. You do have to pretty much on the center of the ladder to go down, which isn't that big of a deal, but it took me a few extra seconds.
What I loved about going down the ladder to the next area was how I was still able to hear the thunder fade as I entered the new area. It really started to set the mood. What I was a little bummed out about was the lack of ambient/atmosphere sounds in the cave. I was hoping for a bit more, like water dripping or maybe the sound of a rock falling once in a while. It felt hollow when I entered, but just a bit too hollow. I also think it would be cool to have the bats eyes to be off pattern. I feel that it could be more intimating seeing all these eyes open and close at different times. If I wasn't on a laptop using paint, and rather on my desktop I would have made a gif to test it out. Just food for thought!
Now, the arrow room is such a cool room to me. It puts a quick twist on what a traditional room would do, for me at least. After pressing the button, I was shocked that it didn't skip a beat shooting the arrows. I almost jumped in my seat when the arrow got close to Tikotep. It was such a pleasant surprise. Also, how the blocks moved up just slightly was such a great element/surprise. I loved it! Although, I did feel the sound effect for the arrows were a little lack luster, but still a great room! This was my favorite room.
The room below Tikotep with the two bats was a really nice touch. I saw the one bat on the right, but not the one on the left. It really took me by surprise as I already had my eyes on the ladder and ready for the next room. What this made me do, was go up the ladder just a bit slower to scope out the next room for bats etc and change my play style a bit.
I really did enjoy this room and how you sorta crossed over the cave and the rain. Just wanted to show my appreciation for it!
I did enjoy the quick puzzle, it didn't take me very long to figure out what to do, but it was refreshing. I do wonder if the block fell on Tikotep... it would be a game over
. But the reason why Tikotep is not in the screen shot is because I thought there was a secret up there, but there wasn't and I ended up getting stuck up there. I also feel that this game has so much potential for secrets. I feel with the wall jumping and double jump there is a lot of creative possibilities to add secrets. Take for example, Donkey Kong Country 2. The game is filled with secrets, every level there is something. It makes the player look, think and explore. Instead of trying to just get to the other side of the screen. These two screen shots are just perfect spots to add a secret of some sort!
EDIT WOW. For some reason I couldn't get up there on my laptop. Oops!
Now this is where my screen shots end. I did get past the parts with the snails. I got past the level where the wolf is one block below you and he jumps up. I got there with 1 heart, I ended up walking into the next zone and seeing a wolf right in font of me. I panicked and walked back into the previous zone which killed me as a re spawned right back there. I think this goes back to what I was first saying about the first encounter with the wolf. There is a difference between dying a lot, and drying annoying deaths. I feel like that was an annoying death and taking the damage with the first encounter of the wolf is annoying. I wanted to get further, but did not want to have to start so far back since I had gotten stuck trying to explore, falling in the water and me not realizing my laptop wasn't plugged in.
There's a few other things I want to touch upon or suggest.
First, I love the names of the three characters so far. I love the theme. I think that Tikotep is a lovable simple character.
I think the movement in the game is superb. It feels so good. I know exactly how Tikotep is going to react, I know how far the arrows will go.
It just feels right.
What I want to suggest is the bow and arrow. I'm not sure what plans you have for the future of the game and what weapons you can use, but I feel there should be a risk and reward element to the bow and arrow. Tikotep should be able to charge the bow and arrow back, after X amount of time there should be a small indication, such as a small quick shine on the arrow that it's ready to shoot. The shot should be able to go through the first monster and go 2 blocks through the monster and intoanother target behind it stopping in that monster, if there is one. This just gives the player a bit more options and allows them to take a risk and have more fun. Just have to be balanced of course!
One last paragraph! This game is amazing. It's looks good, feels good, it is good. I know it's not close to being done and I'm sure you have plans for the game, I just want you to know that everything I'm telling you and all the time I'm taking is because I love the idea and the game itself. You're a one man wrecking crew for the game and it's something that's pretty inspirational to me. I remember making an account on tigsource to comment on your game back last Spring. I am currently in college for computer science and would love to do a DIY project like this in my off time. I would love to do the artwork, programming and music all by myself. This game is very inspiring to me it makes my dreams feel like their not so far away. I just want to create something that I can be proud of and I believe that you should be proud of how far you have come with Tikotep. I know I didn't finish the whole demo, but just be proud of yourself and the work you have done.
Thank You
p.s. I totally don't expect you to respond to everything.
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