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[Pitoum]

UPDATES
12/7/14 : http://pitoum.net/games/slaaam/slaaam!_v0.1.3.rar

• Now up to 4 players
• Menu for players selection
• Score 30 points to win... and start again! (and again) (and again...)

12/6/14 : http://pitoum.net/games/slaaam/slaaam!_v0.1.2.rar

• Some bugs fixed
• New shot-system
• AI to defeat :D
• No more freeze when something happen

Hi!

I just posted my first devlog here:
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=44897.0

I'd love some feedback about the game feel.



The idea is to make a simple 4-players game, easy to learn and enjoy.

I'll be thrill to get some feedbacks about the game feel.
You can find a "solo" build here : http://pitoum.net/games/slaaam/slaaam!_v0.1.3.rar

COMMANDS X360 CONTROLLER:
Move: left stick
Jump: A
Block the ball (when not jumping): X
Shoot: X (press to prepare, release to shoot) + left stick / maintain X pressed to dunk
Dash (when not having the ball): X

You can try with a keyboard, but I didn't work at all on this input: arrows + X (jump) + S (shoot)

If you have to controllers you can activate the second player by pressing tab!

Thanks a lot

[Quicksand-S]

The game wouldn't run for me. It tries to access "adl" which isn't installed because I don't develop things with Adobe Air. I think you'll have to package it differently (that BAT file tries to use a bunch of things that don't exist for me), but I wouldn't know much about that having never used Air. Note that my installation of the Adobe Air player is up-to-date.

Trying to run the SWF just gives me a black page in a browser, and an error ("VerifyError: Error #1014: Class flash.external::ExtensionContext could not be found.   at Main()") if run on its own.

Running the HTML file gives me the "telecharger" link to an EXE file that doesn't exist and doesn't seem to have anything to do with the game. I'm not sure what's going on with that. I also noticed that the SWF file is named differently than the one that the HTML file is looking for. Changing that embedded Flash player appear, but it still couldn't find anything to load.

The GIF you posted looks pretty good, though. I like the nice, smooth movement and clean graphics.

[Pitoum]

Oh thank you!

I updated the link, it should be fine now.

I'm really sorry.

[Quicksand-S]

Ok. The new version works, although I really dislike installers for games I'm testing. (Note to others: If you open the file as an archive with something like 7-Zip, it seems like it works just fine.)

The first issue I had was that the gamepad control doesn't have a dead-zone. My character was moving slowly to the right even when I wasn't touching the controller. I would strongly recommend only making the player move if the thumbstick is a certain distance from center.

It also looked strange that the ball kept bouncing endlessly at the beginning. That seems like a math issue, but maybe it was on purpose.

I wasn't sure why the bottom of the screen was flashing, but when I moved my character there it clicked. Anyone who hasn't played this way in real life probably won't get it, though.

I got a basket by hitting just below the rim, so it seems your code needs a bit of adjustment. It also looks like the ball is drawn in front of the basket, even when it's gone in, which is a bit weird.

It feels really good to move around and take shots. It's not entirely clear how to add power to shots, but I seem to do it naturally most of the time. That said, I've only managed one three-point shot, so I feel like I'm missing something.

I'm not sure what I think of every single shot being a jump shot, but I guess it works.

I'm curious how things work with two players. Can you block shots or steal the ball?

My biggest issue with the gameplay is just that every time anything happens, the game pauses for a moment. It ruins the pacing for me. The movement is so nice and smooth, but then I grab the ball or get a basket and that fluid movement stops for an instant. I really don't like that.

This game reminds me of various times that I've practiced taking shots in real life, so that's pretty cool.

[Pitoum]

About the installer, i'm sorry but I didn't have any clue how to made without it.
Thanks for the tip it works when opened with winRAR!

The first issue I had was that the gamepad control doesn't have a dead-zone. My character was moving slowly to the right even when I wasn't touching the controller. I would strongly recommend only making the player move if the thumbstick is a certain distance from center.

I thought it was my old gamepad which had a problem. I will change that.

It also looked strange that the ball kept bouncing endlessly at the beginning. That seems like a math issue, but maybe it was on purpose.

Fixed!

I wasn't sure why the bottom of the screen was flashing, but when I moved my character there it clicked. Anyone who hasn't played this way in real life probably won't get it, though.

Yes, it's not obvious in this version, but it'll be explained in the full version. This build was more about the game feel regarding the movements and shoots.

I got a basket by hitting just below the rim, so it seems your code needs a bit of adjustment. It also looks like the ball is drawn in front of the basket, even when it's gone in, which is a bit weird.

Yes I've a problem with the depth :\ I didn't really pay attention to it until now. Thanks to remind it to me!

It feels really good to move around and take shots. It's not entirely clear how to add power to shots, but I seem to do it naturally most of the time. That said, I've only managed one three-point shot, so I feel like I'm missing something.

I have to tweak that, maybe to add some feedback.

I'm not sure what I think of every single shot being a jump shot, but I guess it works.

You can dunk too by maintaining X pressed while jumping around the basket.
But I want only two buttons so that's why you have to jump to shoot.

I'm curious how things work with two players. Can you block shots or steal the ball?

You can block shots by jumping on the ball.
You can dash with X when you don't have the ball. If you touch the ball, you take it from your opponent. But he can protect the ball by pressing X: it blocks the ball in one direction and let you move without moving the ball around you.
But that's hard to playtest alone

My biggest issue with the gameplay is just that every time anything happens, the game pauses for a moment. It ruins the pacing for me. The movement is so nice and smooth, but then I grab the ball or get a basket and that fluid movement stops for an instant. I really don't like that.

I tried without it after reading your comment. I think you're right!

This game reminds me of various times that I've practiced taking shots in real life, so that's pretty cool.

Thanks a lot for your feedback :D

[Quicksand-S]

But I want only two buttons so that's why you have to jump to shoot.

Well, you already have a shoot button. I imagine it could be used on the ground in some way, but the more I think about it, the more I think requiring a jump was a good idea.

[Pitoum]

Just uploaded a new version with AI so you can try to win a match.

http://pitoum.net/games/slaaam/slaaam!_v0.1.2.rar

[Eendhoorn]

It feels just a tiny bit too much like I'm walking on ice. This might even be fixable with a little hopping animation.
The "hold to jump" feels a bit strange, but it's probably intentional as it gives your opponent the opportunity to steal the ball while you prepare a shot?
Otherwise it's pretty fun, and the squares have a surprising amount of personality to them thanks to the animations.

[Pitoum]

Thanks.
Yes I agree about the ice feeling, but I'll work with a graphic designer as soon as the system will be good enough.
The "hold jump" is also about preparing is shot, but it makes less sense with the new shooting system. But I'm not sure it'll stay. I found it too easy, not so much thing to master right now.

New version for you see in the first post the UPDATES section !

[Quicksand-S]

Wow. I absolutely hate this game with other players/AI. What a difference. It's so annoying to have those bots zooming around constantly. Most of the time, I either dash past the other player (sometimes I don't go in the direction I expect to, which is weird) or get the ball stolen from me as soon as I grab it (normally in under a second). I got three or four baskets.

I think a speed setting might be nice, and possibly an aggression setting (or AI aggression that builds up every time you score for a sort of dynamic difficulty level).

There has to be a better way to handle stealing the ball, though. This constant stealing is just insane. Maybe it should get knocked away when you hit it, instead of instantly coming into your possession.

I really hope you'll have a singleplayer, no-bots practice mode in the final game. I found it relaxing and nostalgic, while this is just frustrating and feels nothing like how I remember real basketball being.

I encountered two weird bugs with the AI. In one case, the ball was pretty close to the basket on the ground and they circled around it instead of grabbing it. Another time, everyone huddled up in the right corner of the court and even when they got the ball, they would start to leave and then return to the huddle instead of taking a shot.

[Pitoum]

Hi there!
Long time no see!

Sorry Quicksand I didn't answer your feedback
2 years later, let me tell you that I really took seriously your feedback and I think I will try to keep that feeling you liked.

I'm just putting an update there cause I started to work on this project again: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwYCOrOJV1YVREJjc09uNmtNY3c

Please have a 360 XBOX Controller plugged in before starting the game.

Cheers!