Questions / Overall feedback

[0deersoft]

Hello everyone!

If you have any sort of question regarding anything even remotely close to our game or game development, feel free to ask. We will answer :)

Also, any sort of feedback regarding anything is more than welcome.

[Jr.Peterson]

Is this too easy to do or will it be like Myst requires much thinking? Can you tell us what makes your game different to other puzzle games?

[0deersoft]

Well, hard to say if it is too easy, as that's kinda subjective from player to player. But I can give some thought process of how we approached the game as a whole, and comparing it to others. Basically, we have played dozens of different kinds of puzzle games, and noticed a lot of repeating patterns, that are very irritating as a player. We listed a lot of them, and tried to overcome or completely avoid every single one of them. These are such as:

-Overusing the same puzzle types, and having low variance on them. We try to avoid having the same puzzle over and over and over. I mean, it is kinda cheap to just throw 10 different keypads to the room and call it an escape room game. I rather design completely new puzzle types, and limit the overall puzzle amount, than force the game a lot longer with overusing same stuff.
-‘Forcing the game longer’ type of puzzle games. These are a mainly a problem in co-op puzzle games, when the game is designed from the co-op perspective, but allows solo players too. Playing solo, the player have to run forth and back dozens of time, as the hint is in very specific location, and the object that is interacted is far away. And of course the player isn’t allowed to pick the small note with him. These aren’t a problem when used in slight amount, but when the player have to run the lap 50 times, just so the game is long enough that the player cannot refund it (ie. 2h mark), it start to break the overall game feel.
-Illogical puzzles. This is pretty much just my opinion, but I personally hate having a puzzle without any real reason behind it. I have seen so many puzzles where the main puzzle revolves around something like putting flower pots to some random table and rotating them to specific position. Same thing with these puzzles where the hint for the puzzle is truly “cryptic”, and doesn’t have any real logic behind it. And I mean like 4D-chess level of cryptic.
-Any movement/interacting mechanics. This is something that about 70% of games don't get right (or I’m playing the wrong type of games :D). In most situations, the player usually just tires and adapts to the bad mechanics. This is often something that is noticed in the first seconds of the game. I can proudly say that we have nailed this one down and tight.
-Co-op. This is probably where the game shines from the rest of its genre. There are very limited amount of puzzle games (like under 15), that allows to have fun and solve together with friends. And for some reason, a large majority of those are ridden with game breaking bugs, even after years from coming out. In many of those games, I have got into a situation where after wasting a hour for thinking and googling walkthrough, it is all because the game bugged. I mean, it is one kind of method to make player spend more time with the game..
Our main goal was to fix these typical problems, and also try to cater multiple different kind of player, rather than sticking with very specific and niche audience. Due these design choises, our game should give an overall nice experience to almost anyone. But I would definitely say our game falls a little bit towards casual type of puzzle games, rather than true hardcore.

So tl:dr, we get rid of all the bad stuff that are associated with puzzle games, and also try to include a very large variety of puzzles to cater every single type of puzzle gamer.

[RC48]

did you manage to add save & exit for release, if not proper manual saving anytime?

[0deersoft]

We decided to roll with the chapter based saving system for now.

[RC48]

yeah, figured as much, and of course 'for now' usually means forever. too bad you didn't put as much thought into basic functionality as the puzzles (though trying to 'cater to every single type of puzzle gamer' might please nobody in the end).

btw, what you said earlier led me to believe there were a bunch of checkpoints here and there, like maybe after every puzzle, something that makes sense. now you said chapter-based, which is what, one save per hour? how does saving work exactly?

[0deersoft]

Correct, we had a checkpoint system, that kept the state of completed main puzzles and collectibles in a save file, and allowed player come back to the level with the same states. However, after noticing that playing co-op and then going back to singleplayer, not having a synced save files would be bad idea, thus we decided to stay with the typical chapter based loading system, which was always available. Basically, the game is separated into multiple rooms, that can be selected as wished, so you end up missing a few minutes.

[RC48]

so instead of fixing the issue (separate profiles or something, you're the developers), the situation is even worse than it was a few weeks ago. definitely not gonna bother now. maybe your next game will focus more on not wasting the player's time.

[Lugum]

How long is the game? Similar playtime like The Room or shorter?

[0deersoft]

I would say 3-5 hours depending on how good you are with the puzzle games and how many friends you have. Our beta testers played as a duo, and it took a little bit over 5 hours for them.

[henosp]

i hate chapter saves cos i have bad rsi and arthritis so can only play for short spaces of time so think ill wait see how people get on but looks like a no no game 4 me

[[HdF] Almut Grete]

How does MP work? Is it up to 5 ppl in one instance running each other over (is ther clipping?) like a coop or is there also a compatative MP where everyone gets her/his own room and the game tells you the progress of the others?

[0deersoft]

Everyone in the same session working together / screwing around.

[Nexx]

I find myself rather stuck on Chapter 4, me along with my friend cant seem to figure out that mechanic calculator Doohickey, we tried for over 45 minutes :D Unsure if we missed something, or just have the big dumb. Great game so far.

[Skeem]

i am absolutely stuff on chapter 4

[Skeem]

stuck