Nandrew
23-05-2009, 06:11 PM
Hey all!
I hope y'all remember Variance back from when I posted it, like, a while ago. I've been hacking away a little since you last had a lookie, and have a heavily revised version up and running. Sorry, no cool graphics or sounds yet! Just a rather different play paradigm and other odds and ends to improve gameplay. I'm hoping to take the game concept further (hence why I have, in an unprecedented move, actually KEPT WORKING ON A GAME after the first release), so feedback would be muchly appreciated.
For those who aren't up to speed:
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5619/screen1r.jpghttp://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8356/screen2zid.jpg
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/70/screen4azu.jpghttp://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4033/screen5etv.jpg
Variance is a humble little gravity-based, side-on proto-game-thing which has you controlling a scurrying little avatar who needs to push around a bunch of blocks to clear a way to each level's exit. Hey, it's Sokoban with perks!
The main factor which makes the side-on Sokoban paradigm feasible is the presence of a multitude of different "gravity blocks" which exert their own directional force on surrounding environs. Go up, down, left, right and wonkways while carefully considering how your actions affect the blocks, fields and obstacles that are placed in your path.
-----------------
LONG AND INVOLVED FEEDBACK CRITERIA:
Okay, now that the silly briefing stuff is over, kindly divert your attention to the feedback part. Because I'm nice (and really really really want your feedback), I'm going to point you to particular areas of the game which you can comment on and make decisions about. Consider the following as you play:
- I have a tendency to make mercilessly difficult puzzles. Several playtesters have already revealed this. Like, the most tricky ones that I've made in this proto represent me at about a 6. You totally don't want me to crank it up to 10. So give me an indication of your game's progression: does it go too fast? Too slow? Did you find any levels particularly difficult? Did you give up halfway through, and if so could you give me the level number and why? Did you skip any levels (yeah, you can totally do that)?
- Consider the puzzle features. There's quite a few of them, and I've done my best to explore all of them reasonably well within the 30-odd levels that I've provided here. Are there any particularly STRONG elements that you think should be introduced earlier on in the game?
- More importantly, what would you isolate as the WEAKEST puzzle feature? Don't be shy: if you were the game's designer and some sort of looming manager person forced you to cut out one of the puzzle features, which one would it be and why?
- Bonus points if you decide to be adventurous and hit the "random" button before starting a game! Play through the levels in a wonky order if you want, then note how you would re-order them.
- EXTRA SUPER BONUS POINTS if you decide to go into the game's editor, make a map and send it to me. It's really helpful getting other people's ideas and perspectives on the system, and you can make your ideas most tangibly known in a little offering that I can actually play through. I'd be permanently indebted to you. In fact, you could probably call in for sexual favours.
--------------
Oh, and hey, here's the download (http://www.box.net/shared/n3zidt8h1y).
I hope y'all remember Variance back from when I posted it, like, a while ago. I've been hacking away a little since you last had a lookie, and have a heavily revised version up and running. Sorry, no cool graphics or sounds yet! Just a rather different play paradigm and other odds and ends to improve gameplay. I'm hoping to take the game concept further (hence why I have, in an unprecedented move, actually KEPT WORKING ON A GAME after the first release), so feedback would be muchly appreciated.
For those who aren't up to speed:
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5619/screen1r.jpghttp://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8356/screen2zid.jpg
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/70/screen4azu.jpghttp://img39.imageshack.us/img39/4033/screen5etv.jpg
Variance is a humble little gravity-based, side-on proto-game-thing which has you controlling a scurrying little avatar who needs to push around a bunch of blocks to clear a way to each level's exit. Hey, it's Sokoban with perks!
The main factor which makes the side-on Sokoban paradigm feasible is the presence of a multitude of different "gravity blocks" which exert their own directional force on surrounding environs. Go up, down, left, right and wonkways while carefully considering how your actions affect the blocks, fields and obstacles that are placed in your path.
-----------------
LONG AND INVOLVED FEEDBACK CRITERIA:
Okay, now that the silly briefing stuff is over, kindly divert your attention to the feedback part. Because I'm nice (and really really really want your feedback), I'm going to point you to particular areas of the game which you can comment on and make decisions about. Consider the following as you play:
- I have a tendency to make mercilessly difficult puzzles. Several playtesters have already revealed this. Like, the most tricky ones that I've made in this proto represent me at about a 6. You totally don't want me to crank it up to 10. So give me an indication of your game's progression: does it go too fast? Too slow? Did you find any levels particularly difficult? Did you give up halfway through, and if so could you give me the level number and why? Did you skip any levels (yeah, you can totally do that)?
- Consider the puzzle features. There's quite a few of them, and I've done my best to explore all of them reasonably well within the 30-odd levels that I've provided here. Are there any particularly STRONG elements that you think should be introduced earlier on in the game?
- More importantly, what would you isolate as the WEAKEST puzzle feature? Don't be shy: if you were the game's designer and some sort of looming manager person forced you to cut out one of the puzzle features, which one would it be and why?
- Bonus points if you decide to be adventurous and hit the "random" button before starting a game! Play through the levels in a wonky order if you want, then note how you would re-order them.
- EXTRA SUPER BONUS POINTS if you decide to go into the game's editor, make a map and send it to me. It's really helpful getting other people's ideas and perspectives on the system, and you can make your ideas most tangibly known in a little offering that I can actually play through. I'd be permanently indebted to you. In fact, you could probably call in for sexual favours.
--------------
Oh, and hey, here's the download (http://www.box.net/shared/n3zidt8h1y).