demagogue on 3/10/2023 at 18:44
Whoa, a midlevel laptop with Intel integrated graphics isn't going to be able to play this well because the performance isn't quite there. I should have expected it; it has a problem chugging most non-ancient 3D games, but I thought if it's browser based it'd be better.
Anyway, I'll try it again with my gaming laptop later when I get a chance. Otherwise it basically did what it said on the tin, although it might have been good to get a heads up that I'm holding down the mouse button to interact and not just one-clicking a thing. But that just took a second or two to figure out, so it's not a big deal.
Pyrian on 3/10/2023 at 21:17
Quote Posted by demagogue
Whoa, a midlevel laptop with Intel integrated graphics isn't going to be able to play this well because the performance isn't quite there.
Oof. My graphics card is ancient, but at least it
is a graphics card. Maybe if there was an option to turn off shadows?
Sulphur on 4/10/2023 at 07:52
I didn't finish it, but I liked what I played. Everything seems functional, and running around and slapping and throwing stuff felt fun. I'm especially a fan of the mantling because of the incredibly constipated 'hnnng' when he hoists himself up. I feel like dense, multi-layered exploration with verticality would work quite well here. A few small things: I think sometimes mantling needed me to hold RMB once I'm on a ledge a little longer than I'm used to (he falls off otherwise), and the door opening mechanic from Amnesia could use maybe a little more speed, since it feels like you're pushing a really heavy door (also a handy graphic explaining mouse motion for opening the door wouldn't hurt, but that's a usability thing for a full game, not a prototype).
Overall, I had fun! :thumb:
Aja on 4/10/2023 at 15:54
I played it on my work laptop, which has a Core i7-1265U and Iris Xe (?) graphics, and it ran smoothly in Firefox. I had fun! Especially slapping. Mantling works well but I agree with Sulphur that the hold time should be much less, maybe even instantaneous. I think the hold times for grabbing and throwing should be reduced as well. Basically the slapping is the perfect level of quick feedback and I wish the rest of the motions matched it.
Pyrian on 4/10/2023 at 16:24
If we're going to dig into it... Based on my experience with Mirror's Edge, I think mantling would be better if it didn't even require a button press. If you're in the right place and looking/traveling in something remotely resembling the right direction, just have it happen.
The doors are neat but could use a little work, especially when pulling them. Just have the character back out of the way automatically if the player is pulling the door against the character. On the other hand, this is the one place where the hold-button-to-hold works well.
Otherwise, the button-holds aren't great. Right-click to grab instead of having to hold it the whole time would be fine, IMO. Do you need to charge the throw? Seems extraneous.
I would really appreciate some indicator, maybe a difference in hand posture, that indicates whether you're in range to slap/grab at any given moment.
Komag on 4/10/2023 at 21:44
Reminds me of Human Fall Flat!
demagogue on 4/10/2023 at 22:18
I don't think that's a coincidence. Henke is a known HFF junkie if ever I saw one!
henke on 5/10/2023 at 07:06
Thanks for playing, everyone!
Yes, there might be a bit of HFF inspiration there, but original inspiration for this was all of our favourite imm sim... Thief 2014. :cheeky: I was replaying it last year and again marveling at all the hands-on interactions. I love the way they look, tho they do slow the game down as you have to wait for the lil animation to play before continuing. Around the same time I played Dying Light 2, where when you pick up an object your character just waves his hand in front of him and the object disappears. This keeps the gameplay smooth but looks yanky. And I started wondering about how no one has really cracked this nut yet. Could you have your character actually visibly pick up objects in the world AND at the same time not slow the game down while waiting for the animation? YES, I decided. You just gotta make it cartoony as hell! Give your character long stretchy arms which reach out and pick up a box while you're still free to move! After a while I started adding in other interactions like door-opening and mantling, and I did stray from my original intent here by having the character pause in place while these are performed. I started this project last summer, under the project name "Cartoon Imm Sim" and dabbled with it from time to time. Never really finding a proper game idea for it. Owl2's Thief framework inspired me to finally get back to it and just make a fun lil thing to mess around in. While doing so I stumbled across an ending for it. Yes btw, this thing does have an ending, which I know some people have missed. It's not over until you've seen the credits roll.
