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[Edg]

Dungeon March - Early Test Demo

Play in browser: www.gobletgames.com/dungeonmarch

Note: Drag behind the hero to make the launch indicator appear.





I would love it if somebody could give me some feedback from a game design perspective. Suggestions and input on how you think it would make the gameplay more enjoyable.

We're thinking of getting rid of the shop entirely and instead having you buy items before going into a dungeon to improve the flow of the game. Also, all the items you've collected would be sold at the end of the dungeon.

Thank you for checking it out. 

[Highsight]

======= IN GAME =======

When only one level is available, there's no need to show me the world map.
*  Just start me in that level.
Freaking love the music, very atmospheric.
Instructions on the first level are a little odd.
*  I instinctual wanted to click on the finger on the top right and drag down to the finger on the bottom left.
The carrot on the 2nd level is in an odd place.
*  It makes it look like you want to go in that direction, but if you do, odds are you'll return more than once.
I misinterpreted what the sword with the up arrow meant.
*  I thought it meant it would increase my attack.
*  I realize now that it indicates which direction it attacks.
Smart idea letting me have as many turns as I need to collect the loot from the boss.
*  Still time wasting though, I would rather have some sort of "loot attraction" method.
*  Try to make this part quicker somehow.  Maybe after you open the treasure chest (on the boss level), all the loot in the room gets sucked into you.
-    It would make for a cool visual, and feel rewarding to hear all those coins jingle at once.
If there are enemies and other obsticles in the game, what is the point of hurting me for returning?
*  It really just seems more annoying than anything, it's not nearly as hindering as the enemies themselves.
Can't use potions while I am returned?  Why?
*  It seems like it would be better for pre-planning if I could drink a speed potion before I launch myself.
The buttons are neat.  I like the idea of killing enemies with traps.
*  Introduces an element of puzzles into the game.
Rings?  Are they just treasure?
*  Would live to see a ring slot.
*  Gives you a specific passive that changes up the way your character plays.
-  Example: A fire ring, sets enemies you bump into on fire.
-  Example: Vampire Ring: Damage you deal with weapons heals you.
-  Could make for neat synergies...
I keep hitting treasure chests, and not being able to get their loot because they are on the way to the exit.
*  Total waste to see what you could have had, and then not be allowed to get it.
*  Bad player experience
Getting to your potions while mid flight can be a pain.
*  Would be nice if there was a key I could press for a heal potion.
Dying constantly to a warlock at the end of level 4.
*  He keeps running away before my weapons can reach him.
*  Very strong attack, can't heal quick enough.
*  Can't reach speed potion and then attack key quick enough to hit him.
-    Perhaps you should select which weapon in your two slots you want to use BEFORE the fling.
-    Selecting the weapon equips it, pressing anywhere on the screen uses it.
-    This would make attacking faster and easier, it would also force players to pre-plan.
-    Potions and other items should also be pre-planned, so you can't heal mid-fight.
World Map Background shouldn't be black.
* Consider having the map on a wooden table or something.

======= SHOP =======
Don't make me fling myself in the shop.
*  The gimmick will get old fast if you use it for EVERYTHING.
*  Just let me touch the item, this also gives you a chance to tell us what the items do before we buy them.
-    Use tooltips or something to get the point across.

That's all I could come up with for now, I will try to play more later.  It's a neat idea, but I worry that without supplementing it with more interesting elements, it will get old quickly.  It'd be neat if you could get some sort of scoring system into place too.  See who got through the dungeon the quickest and such.  Doing this however would require you to standardize heroes to some degree, such as all of them starting at level 1 for each castle.  Basically they'd have to go through it and get the gear they get specifically in that castle.

I also think that the leveling system seems like an afterthought.  I think it would be much cooler if leveling happened much quicker, but only lasted for that one castle.  Imagine if leveling up only went as far as levels 1-5 or something, but they were acquired quickly.  If you went out of your way to slay monsters in the earlier rooms, the boss will be easier because you're leveled up, this would force players to play more aggressively.

It would also be neat if the shops didn't exist on the maps, but rather in the dungeons themselves.  Perhaps you could have optional rooms, or forks in the road.  You spend the gold you get in the dungeon strictly for items in that dungeon, which would again, make gold more important and make the player play more aggressively to get it.

Keep going with your game man, it's a neat idea, it just needs some tweaking to keep it from getting boring.  Good luck!

[thefoolishbrave]

Hi there! I took the first 5 levels of your game for a whirl!

I second some of Highsight's points:

1.Really implement some better instructions, having to make on how to actually make your character go doesn't fly. Admittedly, I didn't see the note and was fiddling with it for like 2 minutes, it's annoying but trust me, people don't like to read and they will give up way before 2 minutes. It took me much too long to realize that clicking the left weapon makes me swing differently than the right and you should be able to swap places between weapons. Hurling toward a powerful enemy only to be able to use your crappy weapon instead of your good one is frustrating. It also took me too long to figure out how to exit the final room of the dungeon. These are all things that can be resolved with 4-5 sentences of text.\\

2.I was like "ARE YOU SERIOUS" when I couldn't just click on shop items, it feels really unnecessary and what happens if someone angles it wrong and buys something they didn't want? (again annoying but people WILL complain about this kind of thing)

3. Do you intend to add some speed ups? The hero's acceleration ends up feeling like tutorial or training speed after you've done it for 3 levels

4. Leveling up is exciting, early levels should come quickly for the player,the leveling seems a bit slow, you can reduce gains to implement more levels

5. You monsters would have a lot more character if they had even a 2 frame idle animation!

6. Only being able to use potions after you fling your guy is rough, if I need to heal I may be dead before I even get a chance to click it then I need to quickly use my weapons.

Finally, most of all, you some form of plot, I get that this is a demo, but the standards for indie games have changed and you have to give the player something to fight for, right now, you game is mechanics, killing monsters, and mindlessly earning gold to... kill more monsters. Switch that to, "the hero's kingdom has been overrun by vicious beasts and now they occupy the entire town you are the last hope blah blah blah" and things already feel more exciting!

I feel like all of these things are areas that your game would ultimately head toward either way, but these are core before adding additional content imo!

Overall this is a unique game and to be honest, graphic wise and mechanic wise i think this would be A LOT more awesome on mobile (i mean what better platforming for click and dragging content)

I wish you the best, sorry if this sounded rough!