The concept looked intriging. Great UI design and even good player feedback and music, but what is the games goal, it seems so random to stack 4 gates onto each other. I had to read the games description to understand that its about not tipping the turtle to one side and surviving the dive, but After 2 minutes of play my turtle was full with randomly stacked pieces (why is there no building costs for castle pieces, how is this balanced) that had no impact on the game, so it felt to me. The game could use a better intro/guidance on the goal of the game, otherwise it feels random to place castle building blocks and the building blocks dont even merge into something more solid or more fancy, which would have been a true game seller here imho. Just my 2 cents.
Viewing post in Shellter jam comments
Thank you so much for playing and for taking the time to write this. It's exactly the kind of honest feedback I was hoping for, and I really appreciate it.
You're right that the goal wasn't clear without reading the page. That's on me. I've used your notes to make some changes before the deadline.
- There's a short "How to play" screen at the start, plus a balance bar and hints during play, so the aim (keep the turtle level, protect the crown, ride out the dives) is clear from the first drop.
- Pieces now merge. A roof on a tower becomes a Spire, walls side by side become a Rampart, a tower on a tower a Great Keep, and so on. Merged pieces turn gold, hold much firmer and score bonus points, and the ghost glows gold when a merge is ready.
- Every piece now costs gold, which trickles in over time and comes from merges, so each drop is a choice. You were right about building costs; the game is better for them.
- Stacked pieces no longer slide off each other, and the ghost warns you before you drop somewhere slippery.
Thanks again for giving it a proper go. Your comment made the game better.