Is the game supposed to be this impossible..?

[Bozeman]

Hello! I just purchased this game and I'm not sure if it's my partial colorblindness or what, but this game seems very...impossible. I'm dying *constantly* and I just cannot see what's hitting me or killing me. I know this is a rogue-like game, but is it just this hard by nature, and if so, any tips for a newbie? Thanks!

[Heliocentric Studios]

It's definitely not supposed to be easy and it's a gear based game so finding better equipment will significantly change the difficulty you're experiencing. I wouldn't imagine color blindness would effect your ability too negatively since almost anything that moves quickly is something to avoid regardless of color. Also keep in mind that you're not supposed to complete the first area until you reach near level 30. Before that you're supposed to keep dying in the first area after progressing as far as possible each time and getting more levels/skills/equipment until you can clear the whole thing.

A couple of tips:

Turn frequently enough that faster enemies can't catch you on straight aways. Since enemies have a fast max speed but bad acceleration and braking in comparison to your ship that should help you get away from them.

Also almost every utility is your buffer to help in survivability. The booster is obvious in its ability to create distance from you and the enemies but things like worm hole will allow you to be on the other side of the zone instantly and can make avoiding enemies much easier.

A high enough dps output for the zones you're attempting is also very important. If you're not roughly keeping up with the spawn rate of enemies it's easy to become overwhelmed.

Besides that if you just keep collecting equipment, getting used to the mechanics, and finding gear types that you're comfortable with I'm sure you'll find the game starts to get easier.

[Bozeman]

Thanks for the tips! I kind of figured this would be the case; I think one of the biggest problems I'm currently having is enemy bullets are nigh-impossible for me to see as they are very small, many times are green, and move very fast. I've gotten some gear and it's definitely helped. :)

[shrewdlogarithm]

I don't know if I'd call it impossible, but it suffers from "too much ♥♥♥♥ on the screen to see what's dangerous and what's not"-itis for sure.

Problem I have as a new player is that no amount of upgrades wlll fix that - it's just poor design - I shouldn't have to load-up on defenses because I can't see what I'm doing - it deters me from playing it tbh...

I disabled everything I could (enemy health, damage numbers) and it's a BIT better but I honestly thing a lot of the explosion detritus needs to be removed, or at least made less obvious/less likely to obscure enemies.

As for debris etc. - that's just hamfisted nonsense which needs gimping badly, it's almost entirely potluck whether you survive that - sometimes I don't even see it before it kills me

Playtesting needed I think

[Bozeman]

Originally posted by shrewdlogarithm:

I don't know if I'd call it impossible, but it suffers from "too much ♥♥♥♥ on the screen to see what's dangerous and what's not"-itis for sure.

Problem I have as a new player is that no amount of upgrades wlll fix that - it's just poor design - I shouldn't have to load-up on defenses because I can't see what I'm doing - it deters me from playing it tbh...

I disabled everything I could (enemy health, damage numbers) and it's a BIT better but I honestly thing a lot of the explosion detritus needs to be removed, or at least made less obvious/less likely to obscure enemies.

As for debris etc. - that's just hamfisted nonsense which needs gimping badly, it's almost entirely potluck whether you survive that - sometimes I don't even see it before it kills me

Playtesting needed I think

I think you hit the nail on the head for my expeirence with the game; I know it's a style choice to have a lot of flashy effects/debris/etc on the screen, it basically makes the game all about blind luck at some points due to the fact I can't see a darn thing. :\

[shrewdlogarithm]

It really just needs toning down so it's easier to tell 'harmful things' from 'noise'.

It's still possible to throw NEON FLASHING NOISE at players and remain eminently playable, I'd recommend Beat Hazard (right here on Steam) or the long-evolving Bezier as examples of this

http://niinegames.com/bezier/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=oZvLiL8Ipd4

Note: It has been reined-in a BIT since that video was made and even if you take the odd hit, it never feels heinously unfair (wheras in GV I constantly feel like I've been cheated into certain death and that even if I were massively upgraded, I'd STILL have been cheated into that position)

[Bozeman]

Yeah, especially since everything is a similar shape and color palette. The dev made a comment in an earlier post I do not agree with: "I wouldn't imagine color blindness would effect your ability too negatively since almost anything that moves quickly is something to avoid regardless of color." Er...if an enemy bullet is green (and tiny) there aint no way I'm seeing it. Thanks for the suggestions!