Thirith on 29/3/2016 at 18:52
I played some more (this time with the gamepad), but it's not my kind of game, I'm afraid, and neither the gamepad controls nor the mouse ones felt like fun to me. Playing with the gamepad felt too abrupt, whereas playing with the mouse felt like too much work - I'm afraid I can't put it any better than that. There's something about the movement that feels too hard and artificial. As I mentioned earlier, though, I very much like the aesthetic, and I think the idea and basic concept are very nifty.
Edit: Basically Sulphur put it all much better than I did. I hate the bastard.
Sulphur on 29/3/2016 at 19:14
I'd agree, games based on controlled/limited movement aren't my bag either, so take what I'm about to say with as many grains of salt as you deem appropriate:
The game has well-defined mechanics, but the movement system is unfamiliar enough that it takes a bit of getting used to. Now, mastering that can be fun, but in most games the logistics of player locomotion (walking/running/gliding/flying/driving/riding) are familiar enough to be inherently intuitive, with the challenge usually being charting your path/getting around obstacles to the end goal, hence the circular glide that underpins the game almost immediately throws me for a loop before I can even start plotting my way through a tricky level.
That can be a good thing, but it definitely takes some breaking down of the barriers/pre-conceived notions players have of what we're used to when we boot up a game.
I did manage to enjoy it after a while, but the experience never stopped feeling slightly nervy, because I never felt like I was ever in complete control. That feeling of disempowerment is pretty unique because games are mostly about the opposite; good subversive streak, definitely good at what it does and thus has an audience that will want to master it, but on the other hand, I can't play it for long stretches of time because I inevitably end up a fretful mess trying to guide the ship all the way through to the end.
Edit: the secret is to take someone else's sentiments and just add a bunch of extra words to them, Thirith. :cool:
henke on 30/3/2016 at 05:18
Good feedback, thanks!
I also made a Linux build and had Renz test it, but it was so wonky I think I'll just skip it. Windows only it is.
Al_B on 30/3/2016 at 16:53
OK - finally had time to play the latest version (0.8). I reached the final level on both keyboard and gamepad
Good
* I like the change in sounds - it doesn't sound like you're blowing up when you reach the end of the levels now :)
* The little graphical tweaks to the backgrounds and the canyons are very nice (but see below)
* The gamepad controls are more inline with the other control methods which is fairer (they were too easy before). Perhaps a little tough for some of the level areas but it's still perfectly possible to complete the levels with them.
* I like the atmosphere changes particularly the sound changes on the last level
Less-good
* When playing with my laptop it now has an inconstant framerate in the level with the images on the walls (3rd to last). It's a shame as it's perfectly smooth on other levels so I suspect the added details in the canyons have pushed it over the edge. Also a little frustrating on that level as the end section (with the spiral) is the area I die on more than any other.
* The last level is still unplayable (for me) using keyboard or gamepad. The mouse is much better in terms of fine control on that level
* The last level also still has too many "sudden deaths" for my liking. It can feel like you've avoided an obstacle but still explode.
* Very minor but the "X___X" message when you crash isn't as clear to me as the previous "you died..." message.
* Also minor but it would be nice to be able to start the game with the gamepad / keypad even if that's all you could do from the menu with those control methods
* Also minor but it would be nice to be able to change the control method from the main menu without having to start a game first
Overall I still really like the presentation and now that I've played through the levels about a dozen times I'm less frustrated with the controls.
henke on 30/3/2016 at 17:07
Al, you champ, thanks for giving it yet a replay and thanks for the feedback. Very useful.
Quote Posted by Al_B
When playing with my laptop it now has an inconstant framerate in the level with the images on the walls (3rd to last). It's a shame as it's perfectly smooth on other levels so I suspect the added details in the canyons have pushed it over the edge. Also a little frustrating on that level as the end section (with the spiral) is the area I die on more than any other.
Ah, yeah, I was afraid of that. The faux mirrors on the sides add quite a bit of strain, and since that's the only level I have them in I think I'll have to remove them. They're nice, but I can't have an otherwise smooth running game compromised by a flashy useless detail on one level.
And seeing as how apparently noone has managed to beat the final level yet I might just have to make it a tad easier, yeah.
faetal on 30/3/2016 at 19:28
I forgot to say - I tried it a couple of weeks back and am in the same camp as Sulphur & Thirith.
How badly I suck at your game certainly made me realise why I was so bad at piloting a boat the one time I tried it though :D
henke on 5/4/2016 at 18:09
So, last week I decided I had done about as much as I can do to this game, and I was gonna release it this week. Over the weekend I put together a trailer, set up the itch.io website. I was gonna wait a few days and then put it up in the middle of the week. However, last night just before bedtime I had a bit of a eureka moment. An Endless Mode! That's what this game needs! Not my carefully planned levels, but something with a bit of randomness to it, and a distance counter ticking up, acting as a highscore. So after work today I got back to the game and put this together:
[video=youtube;4dbkYHt4KIQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dbkYHt4KIQ[/video]
I'm gonna work a bit more on it, tweak the balance, add some dangers popping up and things like that. Still aiming at a late-this-week release.
Man, thank God I don't do this professionally. Videogame releasedates are impossible to meet.
Thirith on 5/4/2016 at 19:09
I like the different view, but it also made me think that you should ideally be able to see a reflection of the trail as well.
Yakoob on 5/4/2016 at 20:52
Hmmm the different view makes the game feel very different. I'm not sure if it's necessarily better though.... or necessarily worse. Guess it depends on what YOU want the game to really feel like. The long angle lets you see obstacles earlier as well. I would've had to play both to really judge and, alas, not my favorite genre and suffering from dearth of time right now :/ Sorry again!
henke on 6/4/2016 at 05:15
Yeah it needs a lower angle view because of it's higher speed than the Story Mode (as I'm calling it now). This angle isn't really new tho, it was the one I used in the old 2014 prototype of this game, and the one still present in the final level of the Story Mode. A trail reflection would be nice, but actually way too complicated and render-intesive to be feasible.