Hey, I have to commend you on the game, its well done and polished and even has multiplayer.
Lanes: I would like some blocking terrain features, partial chokepoints - these make the fights dynamically change depending on where it exactly happens, meaning the combat can go very differently in partially choked point (good for ranged) vs open field (good for melee). That makes things a lot more dynamic. Hills are a good idea as well.
- Mines: I would move the middle mine a little bit forward, so its being hit more likely before the castle, but the castle does protect it to an extent. I would also add much more hp to the mines so they are not easy to destroy at start. This would also help with the game pacing, as I think lost matches drag on for too long on the losing base.
- The middle capture spot which gives income: it's a good idea, I would maybe separate it into 2-3 spots (sections) so contesting becomes a bit easier and balanced, and I would add some money income icon into these to clarify they give income and are important - not taking them cost me my several first games without knowing why. Although maybe just one spot is enough.
- Pacing: I would give a little less gold, so the matches become a bit more tactical instead of instablobs.
- Blurriness/Bad visual quality: Might be since my QHD 2540 px or so screen is going full screen and your game might have different aspect radius than mine, so things get stretched weirdly.
- Weapon and armor types: I dislike this poorly understandable method of balance and counters. It makes things erratic, like my Big Tree dying instantly to enemy mages. I recommend removing that system, and instead scaling things with health and damage instead - like some very big units just need very big damage counters - and numerous small units need aoe. It's not a good countering system, and its confusing and complex and arbitrary. Removing it is a short term loss and a long term design win.
- Asymmetry: The core idea of the races is that theres differences between them which make each feel meaningful. Currently they feel roughly the same, with rather minor differences.
Asymmetry suggestion: Heroes (a special unit which levels up and comes every third wave or when revived with money, making pushing more timeable and strategic. Currently theres very little to the blobs blobbing eachother until one wins.
Asymmetry suggestion 2: Activable ability for each faction. Humans might get a small aoe full heal + invulnerability with 2 minute cooldown. Shadows might spawn a group of units behind enemy backline. This adds much needed dynamism to the combat.
Asymmetry suggestion 3: Faction sides get effects. Elf side of the map might slow and root invaders. Undead home turf might deal constant minor damage to all enemy units standing in it, eventually killing weak units. Maybe fire has a speed + attack speed aura for ally units.
Wow WHAT A GREAT feedback! I am not going to Answer everything as it would grow a discussion too large for comments, but if something really bugging you, create a thread in https://heahy.com/c/warlandmarch - I created a forum there to have more structured discussion.
One thing I will probably won't change is weapon and armor types. Please try to give it some time and a few more games to get used to it and you might start liking it. I am working now on new version of page and guide so it might make it clearer to understand. What it gives is real actual counters and that gives a huge strategic depth behind a simple gameplay and controls. That also helps to create asymmetry and variability between faction units and their types.
Other things I have also thought about and it might be done in the future, especially maybe involving player a bit more with battle management. I thought about heroes but didn't think about special ability, that might be interesting.
Oh and for pacing I think maybe easiest solution would be to add additional setting for gold income before the match (now it's just spawn time), so everyone could tune what kind of match they want to play. I think I will do this in the next few updates.
Yeah, these are just suggestions offered humbly - it's your vision.
I would prefer more fundamental game systems creating asymmetry over Armor/weapon types: pikemen having long attack which prevents cavalry charge on hit and knocking back for example.
Special abilities are the strongest candidate I think, turning battles on good usage and counter-usage. The game already requires constant attention for placing units, so this would not change the game flow for the players. I love the idea of Elves casting an aoe root which delays part of enemy army. Controllable abilities would also work really well with terrain features for changing battle flow.
Pacing: I tested a little more and the pacing is quite good gold-wise, I would maybe lower it -20%. I also recommend not having several settings for the configs, easier to tune a single config and that keeps the game experience and balance same for every player as "Intended Experience".
One further thing I would like to add is that I think the ground textures require a rework as priority one. They're visually cluttery, out of scale and poor resolution. The aesthetic experience of the game will greatly benefit from cleaner and simpler ground.
- I would make the first wave spawn in 60 sec so theres time to build and not instantly lose the game in first wave
The reason why I don't want to give 60s build up time is that then one strategy will become dominant - build mines. Now you have to think, getting center is worth 1.5 goldmine income, do you build mine or even 2 or do you fight for a center. In team games center becomes even more important because all your teammates benefit from it but there might be different strategies, maybe first player builds up but second player goes all in on center etc. This opens up a very interesting game dynamics and adds strategic depth.
Other things are all on the table, but it needs a bit more time and maybe more players to see if there is demand new features. I see you prefer more involved battle management while currently it's more lazy and simple approach. I think more game settings is fine at this stage because it also would allow to self select most popular format that could become the new default, so custom games and custom game features could be the way forward.
I will be redoing ground textures after rework of starting page is finished, so hopefully it will be better.
Btw if you have time I have game opened right now so join for some 1vs1 :)
Heheh, I was actually playing a game about the time you said that, but I didn't notice your message.
With the 60 sec build up time I meant before the first wave spawns in the game (i often run out of time and my first wave is empty, then enemy gets the mid and they win with the gold advantage, or I can't really plan). You can simply pause the gold generation for the duration, if that's a pacing issue.
Your game is good, I would expect a lot more interest coming your way.
I don't know if you saw this but you can hold SHIFT and build units en mass, so there should be plenty of time even with 20s to spend all the gold. Using keyboard (1 to select shop and for example Q to select first unit) helps it even more. Against bots you can also simply use pause to have more time to think formation through while learning the game or new faction.