next »

[difficultman]

This is my entry for the yoyo winter game competition.  It's a platform action adventure exploration game.  There's a few items you pick up along the way that allow you to progress but it's up to you to figure out where to go and what to do.  You also have to stay warm or you'll start dying.  It's a pretty short game but it might take a while to figure out where to go and I've been told that it's rather difficult.  Noone seems to want to give it the time of day on the GMC since it doesn't involve sonic the hedgehog or decapitation.  I'd like for more than just 15 people to play it.  And yeah there's an issue when you load your save, the music doesn't play until you exit the room.  Music by Eli flores.
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/show/20408
or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MAI1SK9B

[peterd]

I found alot of the game interface a bit unfriendly.
I dont like having to hunt for the menu select key. Just use enter.

The game is hard, through tricky/cryptic game mechanics though

The help page on closer inspection told me some of the stuff i needed to know, but I'm a lazy person. When I saw a long bit of text I assumed it wasnt cruitial to read and just noted the keys. Then I proceeded to die in game.
Make your help page simpler, and try explaining how to play in your game.

I know these arn't really about how the game playes, but if thats not welcoming no one will want to come in and play the game.

Ps. I keep getting mauled by the dogs.

[Guert]

Hello there!
I tried out the game but stopped after a while since I had no idea what i was doing. The controls are unresponsive, specialy when punching, the player doesn't have aenough feedback on what is going on (for instance I didn't know what the gauge on the top left corner was for until I died. It was reducing constantly but didn't know why.) When something affects your avatar, you have to make sure the avatar reacts.

Altho moody, the game didn't offer much clarity when exploring. I got killed 2-3 times by wolves attacking me without me ever noticing them. I like the idea of a surprise attack but they still have to be clear enough so the player knows what's going on. Also, I got killed alot of times because I got stuck in a corner and couldn't get out. A wolf was biting me and I couldn't move to escape it.

In general I feel like the game needs to tell the player what he's supposed to do and why. If you aim for an exploration title, give the player something to explore for. Right now, I didn't find anything besides dead ends and save points.

So, make the game a bit clearer (graphic-wise and gameplay-wise) and give alot more motivational elements in the game (such as hidden items, secret paths that do not lead to a dead end, etc...) and tighten up the controls.

Keep it up!
 

[moshboy]

I really hope you continue development on this. I think it has a inviting atmosphere - I definitely wanted to see what was down the various passageways. The music really helped create this. There are some issues that need to be cleared up though.

The wait between screens is too long.

I think the heat bar should be seperate from the health bar to make it a little more clear what is going on (this is very confusing to begin with). There was also a portion of the game, in which I crouched but it didn't seem to help my warmth increase at all and I had to rush to the next screen, otherwise I would have died.

Combat with the dogs/wolves is hard but more because you seem unresponsive after being hit and can sometimes be hit multiple times without getting a chance to crouch and defend yourself again. Once a dog even got 'stuck' in me and there was nothing I could do to defend myself at all.

In terms of the controls, I figured them out pretty quickly and didn't mind the control scheme, although crouching seemed to be the least responsive. I couldn't figure out how to cut down the small trees though?

I think this game has a lot of potential.. and everyone here has given you contructive criticism.. let us know if you continue development. I look forward to another version.

[difficultman]

Thank you for the feedback.  It's been hard to even get anyone to look at this game.  I agree that I could've explained things better to the player but the gameplay isn't really very complex and the warmth thing is explained in the help screen.  I'm sorry if the exploration is a bit frustrating but that's just the nature of the game.  I'll admit that it is a bit of a ploy to extend play time by not telling you where to go.  It's actually a pretty small game world and there's not many items.  As for when crouching doesn't help you, that would be because you're exposed to high wind, therefore you are getting colder faster than you can warm up when you crouch.  Try getting cover behind something and warming up there if you are near death.  There's one area in particular where this strategy is vital to progression.  As for the wolves, I realize that they can get you into an unfair situation sometimes but I felt that it would be appropriate given the unforgiving setting of the game.  If you don't get hit then you don't really have to worry about it.  The enemies are actually really easy to beat if you examine their behavior.  I might release another version with some minor fixes but I don't think I'll really add any new content.  I've gotten back to working on my other projects so I'm gonna be working towards putting out a demo.  Once again, I really appreciate your comments.  Thanx.

[Zaphos]

This game seems fundamentally weird ... Why use a core mechanic that rewards the player for crouching in place doing nothing?  Who does that entertain?  What does that replicate?  When I'm out in the cold, I warm up a lot more by running than sitting.

I agree that I could've explained things better to the player but the gameplay isn't really very complex and the warmth thing is explained in the help screen.

It's not a great idea to rely on people reading the help screen.

I'm sorry if the exploration is a bit frustrating but that's just the nature of the game.  I'll admit that it is a bit of a ploy to extend play time by not telling you where to go.  It's actually a pretty small game world and there's not many items.

Why use a "ploy to extend play time"?  I'd far prefer a really great 10 minutes to a mediocre, frustrating hour.

As for the wolves, I realize that they can get you into an unfair situation sometimes but I felt that it would be appropriate given the unforgiving setting of the game.

The game isn't particularly realistic, so do you really want to emulate the unfairness in this aspect when it makes the game less fun to play?  I don't see an artistic message to be preserved here (like um, "getting attacked by a wolf sucks"?) so I'd focus more on making the game fun rather than appropriate to the setting.


Notes:
* Why is the player even here?
* Sometimes it doesn't register keypresses properly
* Jumping into ceilings animates bizarrely
* Enemies can get 'on top' of the player and seemingly trap him (?)
* There's a jump *which the player apparently can't make) across a screen transition, asking the player to sit through the too-long loading screen twice every time he wants to try jumping (once to go up, once to come down).
* The name seems weak; what does Owolf mean?
* The game art fits the game decently well and the music is quite good.

I've gotten back to working on my other projects so I'm gonna be working towards putting out a demo.

As you design new games, I'd encourage considering whether the core mechanics keep the player engaged or entertained.

[difficultman]

You make a lot of good points Zaphos.  There are, of course, shortcomings due to time contstraints.  It's true that making the player wait around isn't really much fun, but it really doesn't take very long to get warm and there's usually a save point within reach where you can warm up.  And the idea is that he's covering himself in his cloak to get warm.  I know very well that muscles generate heat when they work.  I never said the game was supposed to be realistic but as far as the wolves are concerned, it's not by any means impossible to avoid getting hit the first time.  It's really up to the player to avoid getting himself into the position where he'll be cornered and won't have a chance.  The player is never forced into that situation.  And yes the jump thing is just something I failed to fix.  I believe it resets the keyboard input whenever you leave a room so you have to depress the directional key again.  As for why the player is here, it's made vaguely clear at the end of the game.  You might disagree, but I don't believe it's always necessary to have a plot setup.  And concerning the name, "O" would be an expression of lament,surprise, or pain.  Thank you for your in-depth feedback.  I will definitely take these issues into account.

[Guert]

* The name seems weak; what does Owolf mean?

That is quite subjective. Super Mario Brothers, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Deuce Ex, Resident Evil, Super Smash Brothers Melee or Starcraft can all be concidered weak names depending on how you look at them. Might as well say you don't like the name Owolf because you don't like the letter f or because you feel cherry pies are delicious.

On a side not, it in order to warm up when stuck in the wood (or any other cold places), it is better to bundle up as much as possible in order to keep your body warmth close to yourself so that you don't freeze. By running and moving around, your body will warm up but will loose its temperature quickly due to the fact that temperature exchanges occurs alot more quickly when both exhanging elements (in this case you and the environment) have very different temperatures. Try it at home: place some very hot water in the freezer, It'll turn into ice quicker than if you put in some cold water.

I'm not saying that crouching up all the time and waiting is the best entertainment choice tho. Perhaps it could be a better idea to include warm places in the levels, such as caverns or places to start a fire, so that we can warm up there. This would also favor exploration of the levels and give a couple more motivational elements to the player (ie if you have to start a fire, you'd probably need some wood or something to start it, such as two rocks, so the player would need to find this first). It's just a thought...

Later!

[bigbossSNK]

Tangentially relevant, but hot water doesn't always freeze faster than cold water. This is called the Mpemba effect and it depends on the physical parameters of the experiment.
You can curl up for a while to avoid frostbite, however. You could explain this in-game.

[Guert]

I stand corrected

[Zaphos]

It's true that making the player wait around isn't really much fun, but it really doesn't take very long to get warm and there's usually a save point within reach where you can warm up.

Doesn't the time it takes to warm up depend on where the player is?  Perhaps a clearer indication of warmth would help, as I think it can take quite a while to warm up if you crouch in the wrong spot.

You might disagree, but I don't believe it's always necessary to have a plot setup.

I don't disagree entirely; I've certainly enjoyed entirely plotless games.  However I do think that plot can work as a motivator.  Especially in a game which is somewhat challenging, hinting at a plot can encourage players to stick with it because it gives a reason to believe there will be some 'payoff' for finishing.

I certainly wouldn't say you "need" a plot setup, it was just something I thought about while playing the game.

And concerning the name, "O" would be an expression of lament,surprise, or pain. 

I think I got that, but it was weird to see it as an amalgam like that.  "Oh" is short enough to not mix well, especially since O'{something} is much more likely to be a stand in for "Of" than "Oh".  For "Oh" to be lament, surprise or pain I think it needs some breathing room.

That is quite subjective. Super Mario Brothers, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Deuce Ex, Resident Evil, Super Smash Brothers Melee or Starcraft can all be concidered weak names depending on how you look at them. Might as well say you don't like the name Owolf because you don't like the letter f or because you feel cherry pies are delicious.

Well, I think a lot of my comments are subjective; they're just reflecting my own experience and nothing more.  That said, I don't think discussing names is as entirely silly as you make it out to be; certainly names can evoke one thing or another and the expectation a player gets from a name can affect whether they play it, and to some extent their experience playing it. _{(also it's Deus Ex not Deuce Ex, unless there is a Deus Ex parody out now?)}
Also I don't like the letter f and I feel cherry pies are delicious.

On a side not, it in order to warm up when stuck in the wood (or any other cold places), it is better to bundle up as much as possible in order to keep your body warmth close to yourself so that you don't freeze.

Ooops!  Sorry for the error!  I guess I would die in the cold

[Al King]

Deus Ex could never be a weak name. I mean, it's Greek and it's got an 'X' in there - can't get much more hardcore than that

EDIT: Latin -> Greek, dammit.

[Guert]

Well, I think a lot of my comments are subjective; they're just reflecting my own experience and nothing more.  That said, I don't think discussing names is as entirely silly as you make it out to be; certainly names can evoke one thing or another and the expectation a player gets from a name can affect whether they play it, and to some extent their experience playing it. _{(also it's Deus Ex not Deuce Ex, unless there is a Deus Ex parody out now?)}
Also I don't like the letter f and I feel cherry pies are delicious.

Well, every comments we make here are subjective. Perhaps it's the usage of the word "weak" which I find a bit too strong in this case, specialy since there are no explanations. If the game was called "Super Blastout in outerspace" or anything completly different from the game, I would agree but Owolf isn't that bad. Discussing a title name is far from silly; Saying something is weak without telling why or give suggestions on how to improve is, in my opinion (You did explain your idea a bit more in your last post tho ).

Bah, I always write "Deuce" Ex because of a silly joke about a game where you have to deal with two of your ex girlfriend at the same time. I never made it but the name sticked in my head for some reason.

And now I gotta find me some cherry pie... :D
Cheers!

[bigbossSNK]

Deus ex Machina is Latin, really. The idea behind it was Greek, from the ancient Greek theater, where a god's statue appeared on stage to signify the intervention of the gods.

[skaldicpoet9]

Hmm, what can I say?

Well, the game is interesting to say the least.

I do like the idea of a sudden inevitable death, however, it is not much fun for the player to die so quickly. I had hardly got to where there where wolves about and then I suddenly died (from frostbite apparently) now if this is what you were going for that is all well and good but I would advise throwing in some sort of way to stop yourself from freezing like having to collect kindling and conserve on lighter fuel/matches, that kind of a thing would give the game a lot of strategy as well (and it can still be an inevitable thing but the appeal of the game would be in how long the player can survive for). The wolves stealthy nature is very welcome but you should add some sort of way that the player can detect them (that will cost them something...don't make it too easy) because just getting mauled out of nowhere is not very fun. I would love to see the survival aspect of this game taken farther, like say, you can use the carcasses of the dead wolves you kill to eat/skin and use for various tools of survival. It would also be nice to a little more variety to the levels instead of the same monotonous design. I can see a lot of room for some really cool puzzle type elements in the game such as environmental obstacles (trying to figure out how to use your surroundings to traverse a freezing lake and things such as that) this would break up the repetition that players might (and probably will as of right now) feel during the game. Exploration could be factored in as actually finding a suitable place to rest your bones for the night (a cave, clearing of trees etc) and the added thrill of having to set up traps around your camp to keep the wolves out. The main flaw I can see right now is the fact that there isn't a lot of substance in the game that would keep the player from just giving up, you can be brutal to a player (which I like) but you also have to give them something that is fun and rewarding. Anyways, good luck to you and I hope that helps

[difficultman]

I don't know if you guys have found the lighter yet but once you have that and the axe, you can chop wood from the small dead trees and light them on fire to warm you. 

[skaldicpoet9]

I don't know if you guys have found the lighter yet but once you have that and the axe, you can chop wood from the small dead trees and light them on fire to warm you. 

Nope, I guess I was too busy freezing to death :D

Oops! And apparently in a fit of ADD once again I failed to realize that there was a way to warm yourself in the game (which I figured there was...actually when I crouched down I thought the bar stopped but then again I thought it was my imagination). I guess I should have read the help file but then again I agree with Zaphos that you shouldn't really rely on people reading the help file too much, personally I like it for a game to be intuitive from the beginning.

Everything else I said still applies though, I really like the idea and hope that you continue to flesh out this premise even after the competition

Good Luck!

[difficultman]

I agree it really does need more content and at the beginning I intended to have more but I got in a rush.

[skaldicpoet9]

I agree it really does need more content and at the beginning I intended to have more but I got in a rush.

Hey, that's how it happens sometimes. I made a game for the B-Game competition here and ended up having to turn it in less then complete due to school constraints. But hey, it's a learning experience, right? I am still working on it and am eventually going to take it out of Game Maker and make an actual fleshed out game out of it. So, just keep adding and subtracting until you come out with the right ingredients, whatever those may be