googa
Level: Moderator

Rank Points: 282
Registered: 09-20-2004
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The reason for this post is because I want to keep track of how many people are playing the game. Is it too hard or too easy? I want to hear your opinion.

PS: Post here only if you finished the beta 1.05 version. The game is still under development, there is a lot more to come. This thread is the right place for me to receive your feedback for further improvements.

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[Last edited by googa at 12-04-2005 05:22 PM]

RoboBob3000
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1978
Registered: 10-23-2003
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I've finished the first 4 levels as well as the timed levels.

I think my main gripe with the game would be the butterflies. They're interesting for sure, but very difficult to predict and deal with. I forget which room it was, but it had moving boxes and occasional waves of six or so butterflies. I found it to be the most difficult room in the first four levels (in part to the lack of a checkpoint). I think I read elsewhere in this thread that the butterflies are getting an AI boost so they will fly away and return to the player when they come too close. I don't think that would be a good idea, as they are incredibly powerful creatures as it is. I think becoming useless when too close to the player is a very good weakness for them to have. Just imagine a player having to protect himself with a wall of once-hostile butterflies!

There were a couple of minor bugs I noticed. It's been a while since I played, so I don't have the room locations on hand. Sorry.

In one room where you meet a character, there are fires around. If you step on the fire and die, when you restart the room, the character disappears. Perhaps the fire shouldn't kill you, since you can always undo from it, and it just might prove to be an annoyance.

Also, there is a bit of a visual glitch whenever you try and move your character against a moving ball. For example, if you're on the left side of a left-moving ball and try to move right, you'll see what I mean. And if you keep trying to move to the right for several turns, the visual glitch just gets weirder. It's hard to explain it exactly, so you should just try it.

As was mentioned before, the timed levels are interesting in their own right (I found myself having to play in a way I'd never played before), but it seems like computer speed really makes a difference with these levels. Take that into account if you decide to make any more of them.

I also suggest you have someone help you out with the scripting. The story idea is interesting, but the execution seems a little unprofessional. A solid translation, proper punctuation, and perhaps finding a context for the jokes within would help a lot on that front.

Overall, I'm looking forward to more of this. This game is looking fabulous so far!

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Watcher
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 902
Registered: 02-04-2003
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I haven't finished any of the timer rooms, but I've played through the first four levels. Then I played them all again, because I liked them so much.

Anyway, the game is looking really good so far. I only have a few complaints. First, the actual level design:

- Level 2 Quarce North Once East: It would be a good idea to make the room at the top a bit longer, so the player doesn't have to worry about the timing of hitting the orb.

- I agree with RoboBob that the butterflies are difficult enough already. Getting stuck near the player is a good weakness. Also, level 4 Twice South Once East (the room RoboBob mentioned) really needs a checkpoint. It would probably also be a good idea to make the door one square narrower, so you only get four butterflies at a time.

- I don't really like Lucas the Priest. He's a very restricted character; he can't do anything that Jax can't also do (except for the special ability). The six rooms where you use him were well designed and fun to play, but still, the only reason to use him is that you can't do anything else. I think it'd be a good idea to remove the restriction that he can only walk on mud, and give him a good ability instead. I suggest changing to "Cannot walk diagonally, cannot be attacked from behind". This would mean that roaches and eyes cannot attack him from three of the eight surrounding squares, namely the one opposite his sword and the two next to it. Butterflies would only be able to attack from four of the eight possible squares, namely the four closest to his sword. Then you could have one or two rooms on level four where you'd need this ability. I don't know how well this would fit with what you've planned for the other characters, though.

Now, some minor details:

- I find it difficult to tell the difference between roaches and roach queens. A more noticable color difference would be nice.

- There are a few graphical bugs in the game. The most noticable shows up when you are pushed along by moving balls. If you try to move into the ball, you'll slide to the next square at the same time as when the ball moves, just like if you moved into that square. But if you press wait, you'll "jump" to the next square without moving, and then the ball moves. It looks rather strange.

- If you try to move diagonally when controlling Lucas the Priest, the game sort of repeats the previous move. Example: you're standing on a button. Then you press west and walk off the button. Then you press northwest, and the game shows Lucas walking off the button again.

- At the bottom of level 4, there's a room consisting only of water. If you go to the southwest corner of that room, then sail west, you'll end up on a grass square in the next room.

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Today the refrigerator, tomorrow the world!

googa
Level: Moderator

Rank Points: 282
Registered: 09-20-2004
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Thanks Watcher, all your bugs are already fixed.

You guys need to see the new butterfly, it’s really cool. You will probably change your mind. All I need to do is re-balance the puzzles difficulties.

Well, Lucas is horrible at fighting, but excellent on puzzle solving. He is not detected by eyes, on further levels can use his sword to reflect laser rays, and can disarm traps. You guys don’t worry. All characters will be balanced. Remember the fact that you haven’t used yet all their abilities. I will introduce them slowly.

The next version is really fast, this one you are playing, there’s a speed limitation, so, no matter how fast your PC is, the game will be limited to a certain speed. It is Horrible, I know, but it is already removed.

Feel free to correct the English. Anyone can email me saying:
-The scroll with the text “Jax bla bla bla” could be “Jax- blu blu blu”, hehe, this would be really nice.

About the Jokes: well, at least the 50% stupid ones:
There is no need to say that I would never want to offend anyone. The dog joke I saw on Readers Digest, and the Bingo one, I told my 91 years old Bingo player great-grandmother, and she laughed a lot. But I understand it can sound insensible, and some people may still don’t like it. So I removed it.

Other thing:

The reason why there are heroes from all around the world, is because I want to break the borders between countries, (Extremely needed these days). The best Hero won’t be Brazilian, (my country), or German, American, Russian, etc… They will be strong as a group. I want to stimulate a free world, a planet with no boundaries.

Watcher
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 902
Registered: 02-04-2003
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googa wrote:
Well, Lucas is horrible at fighting, but excellent on puzzle solving. He is not detected by eyes, on further levels can use his sword to reflect laser rays, and can disarm traps. You guys don’t worry. All characters will be balanced. Remember the fact that you haven’t used yet all their abilities. I will introduce them slowly.

Ah, okay. I didn't know that you were going to introduce more abilities later on. The ones you listed sound very interesting. I look forward to the next version.

____________________________
Today the refrigerator, tomorrow the world!

Bombadil
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 509
Registered: 06-01-2005
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I have found the timer levels and I've beaten them.

Only eight rooms of the 4th level to go...

Bombadil
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 509
Registered: 06-01-2005
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File: push.PNG (4.3 KB)
Downloaded 75 times.
License: Public Domain

Finished the four levels and loved them.
Just waiting for more... ^^

I thought of many things while playing the game, but I've forgotten half of them and most of them have been suggested already.

Just a couple of things.
-Lucas is suposed to be a priest, right? Why is he wearing a sword then? ^^ A staff might be more apropiated (and will make a lot easier to distinguish him from Jax).
-When you push against something that can't move it it appears a thin green line independently of the terrain you're moving in, and it looks a bit weird... [see attached image].

So, congratulations for making this great game, and thanks for sharing it with the world ^^.

googa
Level: Moderator

Rank Points: 282
Registered: 09-20-2004
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Thanks Bombadil. I made a crucifix for Lucas the priest to fight. Every sigle hero will have a different weapon.

About the bug, I'm working on it.

Someone Else
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1300
Registered: 06-14-2005
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I'm done. It was great!
I would say the second last room was the hardest.
I'm also done the timer levels.

The spitemaster
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 354
Registered: 06-09-2005
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I beat the game as well.
The priest moves funny if you try to move him diagonal.


____________________________
Last night upon a stair
I met a man that wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish that man would stay away

BenStandeven
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 34
Registered: 10-06-2003
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I don't know if this is intentional, but if you are standing on a timed door (in the timer level) when it closes, the roaches can still attack you, unlike the case with other doors.
(I had several other comments, but other people seem to have made them already.)

On level 4, 3E 3S, you could handle the sword-turning problem by adding a little islet containing only a sword icon and boat icon.