Gameplay impressions and suggestions

[Dyna]

I like this game. It has an unique concept and is fun to play.
Let me walk through the game and share my impressions.

Start:
Good pacing at the start. Commands are explained and slowly you get more and more functions.
I didn't understand at first that I had to shoot the chest with bugs. I suggest to add a help message on the first time you find a chest of bugs.
2nd stage of the boss in zone 10 might be a bit tuned down to spawn it's mobs in a slower pace. Right now players are focussed mostly on surviving the offspring, instead of thinking of a way to kill the boss.

In general about the bosses I think it's a good idea to have a portal in front of a boss (or some other mechanic where a player can fully reload his energy. That way players who are damaged badly don't stumble into the boss room. Especially not so good players will be damaged already and then they are chanceless against the boss.
So put a reload / portal in front of the boss. Also so the player can save there and don't lose the progress (like later in the sand levels, you had to beat some tough zones to get to the boss).
The jungle level is an example where this was done correctly.

When I was in level 17 I already had upgraded jumpheight by 2. That made this level too easy. Might want to make sure you only have 1 jumpheight, instead of 2 when people get here.

In general I think there should be more 'computer' levels, before we move on to the themed zones. I left the computer zone pretty quickly. Add some more levels and puzzles where we have to use the program commands. It felt to me that after we left the computer levels we start to use the Hack console less and less. Especially in the sand levels it was just a platformer where I'm shooting and jumping. I wasn't using functions there a lot anymore.
An example is for instance the gravity command. It would be fun if we had to use this for 2 more levels before we came to the 'hub' zone (level 28), that gives you a choice on what themed zone to go for.
I would suggest to put a boss there (just before the 'hub' zone), then have a more simple 'hub' zone after the boss, where you can easily choose on what direction to go to next. It feels more then that you have 'completed' the computer zone.

When going to the jungle, it basically became a jump and shoot platformer. Since I already have +3 to jump_height I didn't have to use the blocks and functions. Especially for level 15 this is a shame, since I could just do all with jumping instead to have to use the block. So we kinda lose the programming concept of the game from this on forth.

About the space shooter levels:
I found these quite difficult and the only way to go through them was a lot of adjustments on my weapons. Like direction and type. However this became very tedious as to change directions of the weapons you have to do that 1 by 1. All in all this zone kinda feels out of place in this game. It would help to make it a bit more easy I think.

About the sand levels:
Further on in the game there were a few places I got stuck.
I at first didn't understand how to make the wheel turn. I thought it was a bug. And since I didn't have d_range function I couldn't progress.

Also I didn't understand that I had to blow up the rock on top of the stairs. Maybe put some more guidance there so people don't get stuck.

Furthermore I didn't understand the sand level where you have to use the Remote portal. I managed to get the builder on top of the switch, but nothing happened there. It kinda felt unfinished.

And about level 19. I didn't really like this level. I found it more annoying then fun. Maybe make the blocks go transparent if you are standing at a position that is passable.

For the boss in the space ship, I would really like to have a portal to save just in front of him.
This is the hardest boss I read somewhere in a patch note. So glad I manage to kill him. hardest part here was mostly the level, not the boss. Would be nice if the boss was in a separate room after the hard level, and then make the boss a bit more difficult to fight. (don't forget to add a save / portal in front of the boss room).

So to summarize, the game started out great. However halfway through it kinda lost the puzzle by programming code mechanic. It became more a jump/shoot/platformer. It would be nice to reduce that a little and put more 'function use' into the 2nd half of the game.

I hope this helps you.

[Spiderwork]

Thanks for this great feedback! I will think about it.

Did you use manipulate() in room 19? With that you can make the passable blocks invisible!

I plan to include a help function that will give you hints when you don't know what to do.

About the remote portal: If nothing happend when placing the stone on the switch, it is a bug! I will check this.

Space world: Did you saw that you also can manipulate the weapons all together? For example: "w_morph_all(beam);" switches all weapons into the beam laser with one code. Or "w_roll_all" adjusts all weapons. This is dicribed at the examples of w_morph and w_roll or do you think it would be better to give it sepaerate slots in the functions list? I will think about a portal before the bosses in the space level.

[Dyna]

And finished.
All bosses done.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1192448447
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1192448690

[Dyna]

Originally posted by Spiderwork:

Thanks for this great feedback! I will think about it.

Did you use manipulate() in room 19? With that you can make the passable blocks invisible!

I plan to include a help function that will give you hints when you don't know what to do.

About the remote portal: If nothing happend when placing the stone on the switch, it is a bug! I will check this.

Space world: Did you saw that you also can manipulate the weapons all together? For example: "w_morph_all(beam);" switches all weapons into the beam laser with one code. Or "w_roll_all" adjusts all weapons. This is dicribed at the examples of w_morph and w_roll or do you think it would be better to give it sepaerate slots in the functions list? I will think about a portal before the bosses in the space level.

Nope I didn't use manipulate. At that time I didn't understand the function. I had done manipulate(passable,20,0); but that didn't do anything off-course. I just did not know how to work it, but went through the level by sheer trial and error.

yeah I saw you can manipulate the weapons together. However if you want to have 4 to the back and 4 to the front, you have to change them 1 by 1.
My favorite setup was:
3 to the front in 85,90 and 95 angle, with 1 shield to the front.
3 to the back in 265,270 and 275 angle, with 1 shield to the back.
It was clear to me we have the _all functions. however that upgrading the weapons and pointing them was still a 1 by 1 exercise.

[Spiderwork]

WOW! You're very talented that you done level 19 without the function! ;) Maybe I should give this funtion to the player when he is in this room, maybe in the first chest which is not so hard to get to?

[Dyna]

Originally posted by Spiderwork:

WOW! You're very talented that you done level 19 without the function! ;) Maybe I should give this funtion to the player when he is in this room, maybe in the first chest which is not so hard to get to?

Yup, sounds like a good idea.
Also make it invalid to enter a parameter of value 0.

At the same time there should also be some safeguard against a player spending dozens of shards on this function by mistake.

Maybe change the function to a more simple one. like
manipulate(passable); And just have it work for 10 seconds by default.

[Dyna]

And 1 more feedback for you. I noticed you added a bumper at the end of room 44 near the boss. It seems kinda out of place. Perhaps replace the bumper with some brown rocks instead. That should be enough.

BTW I managed to jump over the rocks just fine by myself.

[Dyna]

In the system menu I would request to have added the command:
sys_menu() to return to the menu.

In the menu I would request to add the option to exit the game.

[Poolitzer]

I like the exit in menu idea, too

[Spiderwork]

You can now go to the menu with sys_menu();

[Dyna]

Originally posted by Spiderwork:

You can now go to the menu with sys_menu();

That is great.

One more suggestion.
There now is a command sys_menu() (yay!).
However on the menu there is no command to exit the game.
I would suggest a 4th menu command to exit the game on the starting screen. Otherwise the only way to exit the game is to load a game first.

[Dyna]

2 suggestions:
- I couldn't return from zone 76 to 75. As i couldn't cross the gap . Would it be an idea that after you have reached 76, blocks are added at the lower pathway of 75, so you can walk back if you want to?
- The mines of zone 51 return if you leave the zone and come back. After blowing them up, I think it's better that they stay gone if you have cleared that zone of all bugs.

[Dyna]

I thought this dialogue could be better:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1274545719

"And think of the other characters in the game... When their games are not running they are sad and unhappy... I cannot allow this!"

"And think of the other characters in the game... They deserve their game to be played... I cannot allow this!"

Sounds more in place for me. I don't care much if the characters are sad :)

[Dyna]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1274546928

I thought this dialogue could be better:

"If the game creates an income of at least 300.000, I will develop this update! ;)"
"If this game does really well, I will develop this update!"

Sounds less money focussed and nicer.

[Dyna]

Suggestion:
Make a link to the PDF after creating it. So it can be opened from the main menu.
Now i fear many players won't be able to find it and will just ignore it.

[Spiderwork]

Originally posted by Dyna:

Suggestion:
Make a link to the PDF after creating it. So it can be opened from the main menu.
Now i fear many players won't be able to find it and will just ignore it.

I will think about it!