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[necromian]

~More screenshots~
Introduction
Machine gun
Some new enemies
Download newest build

Contra, metal slug, and megaman in a blender.

I think that I'm going to add 3 or so more levels of this length before the final boss battle. I would like to extend the game longer, but I can't really think of many interesting game mechanics to extend the time that this game will remain interesting.

I'm looking for feedback on

• Gameplay
• Possible control schemes for 2 players
• Graphics that seem out of place
• Ideas for new game mechanics or interesting level design quirks (traps, turrets, stuff like that)

I'm also wondering if adding some horizontal shmup levels in-between levels the mix would improve or detract from the overall game experience. If I choose to make some shmup levels then I'll also need to find help from someone who is more experienced with shmups than I am.

I'm also looking for a pixel artist that can make me some new enemy sprites of background tilesets. Unfortunately, I've scrounged all that I can out of the assemblee graphics, so until I find an artist then I can't add any new environments or enemies.

[PompiPompi]

Take my opinion with a grain of salt, it just might not be my type of game.

I found that the game difficulty was extremly difficult and the AI was kind of insane.
For instance, most of the times the robots and ninjas would make their first shot above my head, because they usually come from a higher platform.
If they did shot me on the same level, then it would be pretty difficult to evade, because everything is so fast and it is cluttered with enemies jumping around everywhere.
However, even in the current state, I found the game to be extremly fun. Though I am not sure I would have played it again, because I am dieing every other moment.
If you could somehow balance the difficulty to be less random, and still make the game so hectic with jumping ninjas and robots, it could be a lot of fun.

Graphics that seem out of place, that turret seemed out of place, because it's pixels were bigger for some kind of a reason. Also, I had no idea how to destroy it, or should I just passed it?


Anyway, it got potential. Good job.

Edit: I think one thing that confused me is that ninjas don't kill me when they touch me. And it's not clear which enemy kill you by touching you and which do not.

[necromian]

Take my opinion with a grain of salt, it just might not be my type of game.

I found that the game difficulty was extremly difficult and the AI was kind of insane.
For instance, most of the times the robots and ninjas would make their first shot above my head, because they usually come from a higher platform.
If they did shot me on the same level, then it would be pretty difficult to evade, because everything is so fast and it is cluttered with enemies jumping around everywhere.
However, even in the current state, I found the game to be extremly fun. Though I am not sure I would have played it again, because I am dieing every other moment.
If you could somehow balance the difficulty to be less random, and still make the game so hectic with jumping ninjas and robots, it could be a lot of fun.

Graphics that seem out of place, that turret seemed out of place, because it's pixels were bigger for some kind of a reason. Also, I had no idea how to destroy it, or should I just passed it?


Anyway, it got potential. Good job.

Edit: I think one thing that confused me is that ninjas don't kill me when they touch me. And it's not clear which enemy kill you by touching you and which do not.

Alright, I can make the ai a bit less hectic. Do you think I should accomplish this by making them attack less often, or move slower?

The robots and ninjas kill you by projectiles, the jumper enemy kills you by touching you.

Also, you can do a roll to evade attacks (down and sideways). This is extremely useful.

The turret can be killed but it takes a lot of bullets.

Also, I need to know - Did you kill all the enemies as you passed them? Or did you let some enemies live as you ran through the level? The game does not spawn enemies, rather they are all placed throughout the level by me. So if you run through the level without kiling the enemies, then all the enemies will stack up and you will have a huge hoard to face. On the other hand, if you kill all the enemies as you see them, it should be much more managable.

edit - should 2 player games have this level of difficulty? Or should that be toned down as well?

[RichMakeGame!]

you did the right thing posting for feedback, because I think right now you have that common game designer disease of having made a game you're great at, but no-one else is

I got killed over and over again, with little chance to avoid it.. the first thing that happened when I loaded the game was that a robot ran straight at me and killed me. That's not how games are supposed to start! unless its part of the plot and you're an undead ninja killed by a robot

er, well like pompi says I can see great potential, but it's not fulfulling it just yet. Looks and sounds sweet though

edit: just saw your post
I started to just run forward when I realised there were just too many enemies to take on. So panic> just run for it was the natural reaction. When you play it, you're playing the optimal way to play, but that isn't always going to be how new players do it- you need to coax them towards that goal.

Imo the game starts with too many enemies, thats the first thing which induces the 'fuck it I'll just run for it' approach because it seems like more than you can reasonably kill.

on the subject of touching enemies killing you: normally if there are some which can hurt you and some which can't, there will be a big visual distinguisher: eg, some giant spikes or electricity field etc. In the midst of battle I often couldn't tell what just killed me

[selfishflesh]

Pretty fun! Nice engine, didn't feel buggy or anything. I see what some people mean by it being a little hectic though. I think I finished with 4 lives left...

What I think would help is not necessarily making the enemies move slower or anything, their speed and their "bullet" speeds seem about right, rather I would recommend that there's a better indication that they're about to attack you rather than just having them run and shoot at the same time. A momentary slowdown/pause before unleashing shuriken hell?

Also, the double jump... what's the point of having the forward boost double jump? It doesn't seem to modify any attacks or do much of anything, and there aren't any trickyjumps to use it to get past. I just never found a point to using it. It usually just got in the way when I was trying to jump over stuff until I'd double jump straight up and then go over.

Only other thing that I'd think to add is more multi-level platforms... but that depends on whether you prefer metal slug or contra really.