The story is pretty weird for a martial arts game. It feels like the story is only there to give a motivation for the main character and player to go and fight
but uuhhhh I think there's a better motivation you could give than "YOU WILL DIE IN 3 DAYS IF YOU DON'T FIGHT"
You could say "well climb up the martial ladder and become the champion" or something, that is a decent enough motivation. Like the way dragon ball is like.
This isn't a problem though just a story specific.
Like also dude, what the hell is up with this game. How come the overworld is so goddamn buggy and messy? I keep going out of bounds accidentally and just start floating on buildings and walking whereever I want. The overworld needs so much work.
I was trying to start a fight with the northwestern most guy in the playground, and somehow it took me to this story scenario where Leon meets a friend of his.
What happened to the fight? Buggy.
Camera is waay too zoomed in, I barely have an idea of what the world is like. The game also teleports you around waaaay too much for the story. Everything goes too fast and is too incomprehensible
This game is best described as just completely incomprehensible. So I'm done with the job with Leon and then I wake up at the gym. No agency to the player at all.
On top of that you spent too much time working on the story sequences and other misc shit before polishing everything else. Like the game feels randomly thrown together EXCEPT for the battles which feel decent.
It's too chaotic basically, and buggy.
Then the game soft locks me in the gym where there's an invisible wall at the exit and I can't leave. I talked to the gym guy but he didn't remove the invisible wall.
Anyway all in all I just mean to say the game is buggy and chaotic.
Thanks for playing as far as you did, especially since it mostly just frustrated you. Turns out that the tile-based collision system I've tired to implement to make building levels easier, didn't work on all the levels. Hence why you could walk all over the place.
The game holds your hand quite a bit in the first mission. Originally it used to be that you can just wonder around and interact with it when you want to continue, but players never actually got there, and got lost. So I figured it might be better if the quest comes to the player instead, after some time elapsed.
Frankly I am not certain about the pacing myself, sometimes it seems too long-winded, and sometimes it seems too little, leaving people confused and lost. I figured IMMINENT DEATH would be a good motivator, regardless of the personal morality of the player. It also makes sense that most of the rewards be money. In an RPG with no real equipment to buy, or consumables to use in combat.
Transporting to the gym is to introduce the player on how to level up, but not clump it together with all the other tutorial stuff. Which is already a lot to explain how the combat works for a newcomer. It is right after that when the game should have opened up, and allowed wandering. Sorry it didn't work out.
I'm glad you think the combat is decent, it is one of the main cores of the game. Again, thanks for taking the time to play and write me about it.
Sorry if it sounded harsh, I was trying to be honest. I feel like the style of the tutorial is just not player-friendly, hand-holding doesn't just feel bad but also doesn't help the player retain information as well as actually playing and discovering on their own. But even if you did want to continue with this style of tutorial, it should be less sudden that's all.
Ok, I played up until the end of the first day, where I got stuck on a gym unless that's where the game is supposed to end. Some points I wanted to talk about:
-The main concept is interesting enough, but it's still really rough around the edges. The writing is pretty bland and the pacing is not that good either. I'd rather have the tutorial be more related to the plot instead of just being dropped straight into fights.
-I can picture where you are trying to go with the combat system, but it lacks lots of polish. Here's a suggestion: You mention that enemies have attack patterns and you should look out for them when you fight, but the first fights are too fast and quick for you to have enough time to know unless they telegraph the patterns. Have the voice in your head tip you towards said patterns during the first fights so you can tie together the story point and the mechanic in these first combats. The voice can go like "these robots have seen better day, see those knees, they are overtaxed, they'll punch up, guaranteed" or something like that.
-On the topic of mechanics, I find that it's both too much and too little. What's the use of having two different types of high, middle and low moves from the very beginning? It would be simpler to just provide the player with three moves and the three defensive moves and let the extra attacks be something else they learn later. The haul system to delay the opponents moves also seems pretty busted from the very beginning, with you taking 3-4 attacks before the enemy can have just one move. Have the delays be more of a reward for being able to guess when to attack rather than just being a guaranteed delay on hit. Or maybe increase the threshold of haul to get a turn delay and double the haul when you get a good hit read.
-The stats screen need some work too in pretty simple aspects. Just tapping left and right spends 5 points when you have stuff like 6 or 17. Standardize the points drops or lower the values. Also a small bug on that level up screen, when you select the stats windows and tap left and right quickly, you get some extra points. I managed to level all my main 4 stats to two just by tapping left and right.
-The story itself is pretty straightforward, but the dialogue needs more oomph, more urgency earlier. The part when you steal from the warehouse was a good idea, which gives an example of the activities you can do during the day. Needs better dialogue and maybe some set-ups in extra scenes about what the plot is about.
-Some minor QoL stuff too. When you choose system, your cursor starts in new game, so if you accidentally double tap, you just start a new game, not even goes to the menu. I'd recommend defaulting it to save game. Same thing happens when buying stuff from vendors. Just an extra window asking you if you want to buy X before just spending the money would be better
I see the skeleton of an interesting game here, but I think you need to figure out what do you want to focus on first. Maybe sit down with the combat system first, get the proper balancing and such better and then you figure out more RPG stuff like day systems and branching dialogue trees that are just used later in the same conversation anyways. I wish you good look either way.
I really appreciate the thorough feedback, it's the kind of stuff I need to make progress on the project. It pains me a bit that something must have slipped through my radar, and people get softlocked at the end of the linear segment, before the city can open up a bit.
- You mention that enemies have attack patterns and you should look out for them when you fight, but the first fights are too fast and quick for you to have enough time to know unless they telegraph the patterns.
I envisioned the enemy patterns working on long-term; the players noticing that after three punches to the face, an enemy goes for a low attack. I'll check how feasible telegraphing the attacks could be. It would definitely make things more readable, and make mass-enemies a less daunting. Maybe I shouldn't mention patterns right off the bat, and just let it be something that is revealed at a boss.
- What's the use of having two different types of high, middle and low moves from the very beginning?
Allow me to explain myself there, we got two type of attacks: Kicks and Punches. There would be traits later that one of the two groups. I've built this UI so instead of the oldschool single list, there are 3 columns; Punches, Defensive Options, and Kicks. There used to be far more options unlocked by default, but I've been suggested to lower them to avoid overloading the players.
Still, you got 2 of each height not just because the punch/kick difference, but the more you rely on a single attack, the accuracy of it lowers, as the enemy adapts to it. There is also an increased chance of the enemy picking the defense option that corresponds to that. So I wanted the players to have more than one option for each height.
- The haul system to delay the opponents moves also seems pretty busted from the very beginning
It’s true. I have somewhat under-tuned enemies, so each playeer can cover as much ground as they can, without needing to master the mechanics first. You are right though that despite of that, the initiative system with the haul-shock values, should already be in their final iteration, to give a clear picture about the combat.
Thank you for taking the time to test and write. I'll attend to the QoL tips and bugs. I might even scrub the story and the locations and try over, but we'll see about that once all mechanics are actually solid.
The combat system is quite interesting once I get it, but the tutorial is kinda long, and way too much information with lots of unique terminologies, it kinda tests my patient a bit. It's a tough situation, as the combat system has many pieces.
I think the story is quite important for this game, but I'm not feeling it (this is highly subjective), I just enjoy the combat mostly.
First time playing. Cool ideas and an interesting setting.
I think the game starts a bit too story/text heavy. I'd like to move around a bit before going through dialog. And the player goes through a lot of story at the beginning so maybe it could unravel a bit slower.
Comments
but uuhhhh I think there's a better motivation you could give than "YOU WILL DIE IN 3 DAYS IF YOU DON'T FIGHT"
You could say "well climb up the martial ladder and become the champion" or something, that is a decent enough motivation. Like the way dragon ball is like.
This isn't a problem though just a story specific.
Like also dude, what the hell is up with this game. How come the overworld is so goddamn buggy and messy? I keep going out of bounds accidentally and just start floating on buildings and walking whereever I want. The overworld needs so much work.
I was trying to start a fight with the northwestern most guy in the playground, and somehow it took me to this story scenario where Leon meets a friend of his.
What happened to the fight? Buggy.
Camera is waay too zoomed in, I barely have an idea of what the world is like. The game also teleports you around waaaay too much for the story. Everything goes too fast and is too incomprehensible
This game is best described as just completely incomprehensible. So I'm done with the job with Leon and then I wake up at the gym. No agency to the player at all.
On top of that you spent too much time working on the story sequences and other misc shit before polishing everything else. Like the game feels randomly thrown together EXCEPT for the battles which feel decent.
It's too chaotic basically, and buggy.
Then the game soft locks me in the gym where there's an invisible wall at the exit and I can't leave. I talked to the gym guy but he didn't remove the invisible wall.
Anyway all in all I just mean to say the game is buggy and chaotic.Thanks for playing as far as you did, especially since it mostly just frustrated you. Turns out that the tile-based collision system I've tired to implement to make building levels easier, didn't work on all the levels. Hence why you could walk all over the place.
The game holds your hand quite a bit in the first mission. Originally it used to be that you can just wonder around and interact with it when you want to continue, but players never actually got there, and got lost. So I figured it might be better if the quest comes to the player instead, after some time elapsed.
Frankly I am not certain about the pacing myself, sometimes it seems too long-winded, and sometimes it seems too little, leaving people confused and lost. I figured IMMINENT DEATH would be a good motivator, regardless of the personal morality of the player. It also makes sense that most of the rewards be money. In an RPG with no real equipment to buy, or consumables to use in combat.
Transporting to the gym is to introduce the player on how to level up, but not clump it together with all the other tutorial stuff. Which is already a lot to explain how the combat works for a newcomer. It is right after that when the game should have opened up, and allowed wandering. Sorry it didn't work out.
I'm glad you think the combat is decent, it is one of the main cores of the game. Again, thanks for taking the time to play and write me about it.
Sorry if it sounded harsh, I was trying to be honest. I feel like the style of the tutorial is just not player-friendly, hand-holding doesn't just feel bad but also doesn't help the player retain information as well as actually playing and discovering on their own. But even if you did want to continue with this style of tutorial, it should be less sudden that's all.
Don't be sorry, honest is good. I've meant when I've said I appreciate the feedback.
Ok, I played up until the end of the first day, where I got stuck on a gym unless that's where the game is supposed to end. Some points I wanted to talk about:
-The main concept is interesting enough, but it's still really rough around the edges. The writing is pretty bland and the pacing is not that good either. I'd rather have the tutorial be more related to the plot instead of just being dropped straight into fights.
-I can picture where you are trying to go with the combat system, but it lacks lots of polish. Here's a suggestion: You mention that enemies have attack patterns and you should look out for them when you fight, but the first fights are too fast and quick for you to have enough time to know unless they telegraph the patterns. Have the voice in your head tip you towards said patterns during the first fights so you can tie together the story point and the mechanic in these first combats. The voice can go like "these robots have seen better day, see those knees, they are overtaxed, they'll punch up, guaranteed" or something like that.
-On the topic of mechanics, I find that it's both too much and too little. What's the use of having two different types of high, middle and low moves from the very beginning? It would be simpler to just provide the player with three moves and the three defensive moves and let the extra attacks be something else they learn later. The haul system to delay the opponents moves also seems pretty busted from the very beginning, with you taking 3-4 attacks before the enemy can have just one move. Have the delays be more of a reward for being able to guess when to attack rather than just being a guaranteed delay on hit. Or maybe increase the threshold of haul to get a turn delay and double the haul when you get a good hit read.
-The stats screen need some work too in pretty simple aspects. Just tapping left and right spends 5 points when you have stuff like 6 or 17. Standardize the points drops or lower the values. Also a small bug on that level up screen, when you select the stats windows and tap left and right quickly, you get some extra points. I managed to level all my main 4 stats to two just by tapping left and right.
-The story itself is pretty straightforward, but the dialogue needs more oomph, more urgency earlier. The part when you steal from the warehouse was a good idea, which gives an example of the activities you can do during the day. Needs better dialogue and maybe some set-ups in extra scenes about what the plot is about.
-Some minor QoL stuff too. When you choose system, your cursor starts in new game, so if you accidentally double tap, you just start a new game, not even goes to the menu. I'd recommend defaulting it to save game. Same thing happens when buying stuff from vendors. Just an extra window asking you if you want to buy X before just spending the money would be better
I see the skeleton of an interesting game here, but I think you need to figure out what do you want to focus on first. Maybe sit down with the combat system first, get the proper balancing and such better and then you figure out more RPG stuff like day systems and branching dialogue trees that are just used later in the same conversation anyways. I wish you good look either way.
I really appreciate the thorough feedback, it's the kind of stuff I need to make progress on the project. It pains me a bit that something must have slipped through my radar, and people get softlocked at the end of the linear segment, before the city can open up a bit.
- You mention that enemies have attack patterns and you should look out for them when you fight, but the first fights are too fast and quick for you to have enough time to know unless they telegraph the patterns.
I envisioned the enemy patterns working on long-term; the players noticing that after three punches to the face, an enemy goes for a low attack. I'll check how feasible telegraphing the attacks could be. It would definitely make things more readable, and make mass-enemies a less daunting. Maybe I shouldn't mention patterns right off the bat, and just let it be something that is revealed at a boss.
- What's the use of having two different types of high, middle and low moves from the very beginning?
Allow me to explain myself there, we got two type of attacks: Kicks and Punches. There would be traits later that one of the two groups. I've built this UI so instead of the oldschool single list, there are 3 columns; Punches, Defensive Options, and Kicks. There used to be far more options unlocked by default, but I've been suggested to lower them to avoid overloading the players.
Still, you got 2 of each height not just because the punch/kick difference, but the more you rely on a single attack, the accuracy of it lowers, as the enemy adapts to it. There is also an increased chance of the enemy picking the defense option that corresponds to that. So I wanted the players to have more than one option for each height.
- The haul system to delay the opponents moves also seems pretty busted from the very beginning
It’s true. I have somewhat under-tuned enemies, so each playeer can cover as much ground as they can, without needing to master the mechanics first. You are right though that despite of that, the initiative system with the haul-shock values, should already be in their final iteration, to give a clear picture about the combat.
Thank you for taking the time to test and write. I'll attend to the QoL tips and bugs. I might even scrub the story and the locations and try over, but we'll see about that once all mechanics are actually solid.
I'm a:
- Short attention span
- Turn-based hater
So take my feedbacks with a grain of salt.
The combat system is quite interesting once I get it, but the tutorial is kinda long, and way too much information with lots of unique terminologies, it kinda tests my patient a bit. It's a tough situation, as the combat system has many pieces.
I think the story is quite important for this game, but I'm not feeling it (this is highly subjective), I just enjoy the combat mostly.
Thanks, I appreciate you giving it a shot. I know it is hard when the game is not your style.
First time playing. Cool ideas and an interesting setting.
I think the game starts a bit too story/text heavy. I'd like to move around a bit before going through dialog. And the player goes through a lot of story at the beginning so maybe it could unravel a bit slower.
Thanks for playing. Think I should cut the whole tutorial-story section, or the part after?
Bugfixes, some characters have art now, some UI changes, time spent in the overworld is actually displayed on a clock. Demo has an ending.
Got some sort of error when I was doing the tutorial
Can't say much so far, I'll try it again later
How embarrassing, thanks for pointing that out. Seems I did mess up something with the last minute changes. I've got a fixed version up now.