Do you enjoy this prototype? Looking for feedback

I've been working on a game for a few months now (it was actually the reason I bought C2!). It seems though that I completely underestimated how difficult the concept was and I've spent countless hours wrangling the code together. The core mechanic is based around setting a player path and allowing them to edit together a sequence of events to get through the level.

It's at the point now where if I want to build this out into a proper game I'm going to do a rewrite of the code base. However if I turn this into a complete game I want to be sure that the core idea is worth playing. I have a few other game ideas kicking around that I would like to do, but I don't want to ditch this game if it turns out people rather enjoy the concept.

So, I humbly submit this WIP to the C2 community. The game is still a bit buggy, but I would like to see if people think the game mechanics are fun. If you could play through the tutorials and give the levels a try, would you like to see more of this game? Is this concept worth fleshing out? Are there parts of the mechanics you like but would present differently? Did you have fun playing?

Alien Theory - Prototype Version.

(Two notes: You can pan with the camera by holding the right mouse button and you can zoom in and out with the mouse scroll.)

I really like the concept, Frozen Synapse like mechanics are always welcome in my mind! :)

the game concept is very nice and fun, and can be very hard and a real challenge for the player. <img src="smileys/smiley20.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Haha, definitely some Frozen Synapse inspiration coming through (it's too bad the multiplayer population died off, it was a damn good game) <img src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Glad to hear you guys are liking the mechanics. Do you think it would be good to push more towards hidden-trap/unfair-levels like IWannaBeTheGuy, or slow it down a bit and make the levels more puzzle like? The end prototype above is quite different to what I originally envisioned when I started programming it, so it would be interesting to hear of what directions the game could be taken in.

Nice to see, we had same idea, but are creating a very different result.

I like your game!

Kind Regards.

Savvy001

The idea seems nice but the controls are kind of glitchy and the game pretty buggy and it also doesn't have all the wanted features ... but oh well , it's only a prototype :D

played a few levels and thought it was a pretty cool idea, surprisingly fun too.

Savvy001: Are you guys still working on it? It would be cool to see where else this concept could be taken.

Whiteclaws: When you say "it also doesn't have all the wanted features" I find this very interesting - What sort of features would you like to see?

DeadlyCheese: Thanks mate. It's a good to see the word fun being used - My main concern is that this might be a good idea in theory but struggle in practice. "Is this fun?" is something I've been asking myself a lot.

This is really cool. I had a similar idea myself, but mine was for a strategy game (so it was more like Frozen Synapse). Using this is in platformer is something completely new as far as i know. The only thing that might get a little frustrating is calibrating the Wait timers, because it involves some trial and error, but i think the idea itself is definitely fun. Also, what i'm calling "trial and error" may translate into "fun" for somebody else; it was pretty fun watching the little dude get splattered when i messed up.

maybe some braid styled rewinding ... :D

Could be a good concept!

I think you need more simple controls though,

like only left click/touch (that open a selection UI with lil icons when needed)

boolean

Yes still working on it.

Im almost at the point where i can focus on just creating all the levels.

Meaning that gameplay is allready solid, addicting and just needs a few more addons.

Because this game will have over 100 levels for launch i will be working on that the comming 2 months.

However, a trailer will be a.s.a.p.

I'l notify u when our new site is online and the trailer is live.

And in a post u said u struggled with the "is this fun" issue.

The answer is simpel.

If in doubt, no.

The solution is also simple.

Make it more fun.

I noticed "our own game" is lots of fun when i was laughing my ass of thinking about the things i would implement.

Now all these things are implemented and yes, they are allot of fun.

A friend of mine today "who tested it for the first time said".

I dont want to stop playing.

Which means, "im having a great time".

So fun is in multiple places, but having a connection with what is on screen is most important.

So in both your game and our game in which the player can "edit" the outcome, the UI must be so fluid, that the gamer uses it naturally.

So get your friends in, sit back dont say a thing and see what they are trying to do with your game.

If they want to do things automaticly that the game does not support yet.

Than that may ring your bell.

Kind Regards.

Savvy001

Savvy001: 100 levels?! Wow.

I can't wait to see the trailer, your game sounds awesome.

lemo: That's a really good idea. The right click menu started off as setting move nodes, jump nodes, wait nodes, melee nodes and shoot nodes. I removed most or merged them into other actions until pretty much just jumping is left. I wanted to get rid of the menu as it exists now as it seemed kinda pointless. I like your idea, it makes a lot of sense. Cheers!

Hey boolean, check your private messages :)

boolean

Hi, as i promised to show u the game here is a link to the demo.

http://www.scirra.com/forum/topic66166.html

Let me know what u think <img src="smileys/smiley20.gif" border="0" align="middle">

Kind Regards.

Savvy001