Al_B on 16/3/2016 at 22:31
OK - I've played up to (what I assume) is the last level with the keyboard. I had to use the angled camera - the default direct overhead view was just too frustrating.
I've enjoyed it enough to stick it out but it was out of determination not to be beaten by it. However, the challenge of the game is the controls and making sure you're sufficiently delicate at all times - there's just very little margin for error. Making the environment more of a challenge (e.g. by new obstacles / elements that affect your ship) while reducing the control difficulty (e.g. by giving some control over your speed) would balance things out.
Sorry for being blunt - it's got a lot of potential. Apart from the last level - that's just mean :)
Sulphur on 17/3/2016 at 05:39
I gave it a shot with the gamepad. With the triggers, it seems to be much easier to do hard-ish angles than with the mouse, so the first three levels were a breeze. The fourth level where you need to do a hard turn just before you hit the chasm to curve into a 180 to the exit was well-nigh impossible for me, though.
I'd consider smoothing out that difficulty curve since until that point, you never really had to execute a sharp gradient before you were locked into your trajectory.
The tilted camera angle is great, pretty intuitive compared to the overhead one. I like the minimalism; hope you've got more in store for the sound design and art, it could use something to offset the stark vibes. Maybe a dissonant industrial background to go along with the sound of the ship.
Sulphur on 17/3/2016 at 06:27
Okay, gave it another go, got to the end with just about nil trouble after that spot. Nice last level, you sadist.
You may be tearing your hair out hearing this, but with the gamepad it's actually quite easy to navigate the levels except for that problem spot I had. Put some Massive Attack on in the background because I was feeling random, and it worked well enough as counterpoint. I liked the little visual twists you put in later on, and that last level would be great as an actual playable area.
henke on 17/3/2016 at 06:46
That's all good feedback, thanks! Did you stick with the gamepad till the end, Sulph? Or did you try the other controls?
Gotta say, I kinda hate how the gamepad controls ended up feeling. They do make the game easier for the most part since they always default to going straight ahead, but that spot on level 4 is indeed much harder instead. And I'm not sure someone starting the game with the gamepad will even realize that you can curve your path over chasms, since it's so easy to default to going straight over them. Honestly I was hoping I'd hear more hate for the gamepad controls so I could feel justified in just taking them out. :erg:
However, thinking about it just now did give me an idea for how to make them better.
Sulphur on 17/3/2016 at 06:50
Yup, stuck with it to the end because I was too lazy to switch back via the menu. Does Unity make it possible to have both kb/m and gamepad enabled at the same time?
Like you said, the thing about the gamepad controls is they default to straight ahead, which means you can do right and oblique angles very easily.
henke on 17/3/2016 at 08:49
Quote Posted by Sulphur
Does Unity make it possible to have both kb/m and gamepad enabled at the same time?
Yeah, on Stilt Fella I had both enabled at the same time, but because of how this is coded it would be a headache to get it working smoothly, so menu toggle it is.
Al_B on 17/3/2016 at 21:42
Played it again tonight with a gamepad and yes, it's much easier (even the turn mentioned above is pretty easy once you realise you can softly apply the triggers to do slow manoeuvres). However, the gamepad stopped working for the last level for some reason and I had to switch to the mouse to complete (keyboard is a nightmare for that level). Biggest hassle with that level is the insta-death that can occur easily but after a few attempts I completed it :)
Overall my opinion is the mouse is probably the best way to play. Keyboard is fine but makes the last level very difficult. Gamepad makes playing almost trivial and although I was grumbling about the controls above it goes a little too far in the other direction.
henke on 22/3/2016 at 20:35
New version v0.8 uploaded.
v0.8 Changelog
-improved gamepad controls
-improved graphics
-some new soundeffects
-misc tweaks/bugfixes
This will most likely be the final beta. I've implemented everything on my list of things I wanna have in the game. This is as good as it's gonna get, folks! Kindly give it a go. Let me know of any issues you encounter.
henke on 28/3/2016 at 09:27
Come on folks. Someone play this thing! The sooner I can get this released and over with the sooner I can get back to work on that jetboots game you all got so excited about!
henke on 29/3/2016 at 17:41
Fiiiiiine, I'll just go ahead and release my game then, at this end of this week. If it doesn't launch me into Notch-like Indie Game Dev stardom I'm holding you all responsible.
download link for the latest build will remain in the OP in case I just successfully guilted someone into playing it
