[PROTOTYPE] Sell it Amanda
I present "Sell it Amanda"
You are the commander of the Good Ship Amanda. As such you can:
* Travel a vast universe and visit 100s of planets and space stations.
* Trade in Gems, Electronic Goods, Coal, Gold and Food.
* Become a pirate of the milky way, while hunting down merchant ships.
* Become a bounty hunter.
* Fight against Bandits, Sentinals & Sentries, or face off in epic boss battles.
The inspiration behind the game was a Freelancer meets Asteroid idea.
Controls:
Rotate ship = A & D
Move ship = W
Shoot = Space
Drop Mines = E
Repair ship = R (needs cash)
Pause Menu = T (which also has buyer/seller information)
You have a POI compass, found below your ship, to indicate nearest planet, and a Merchant Compass, found in the top right corner, used to indicate the closest merchant.
Land on planets to buy goods and land on space stations to sell goods (use the gravity of objects to land with the back of your ship on the T-shaped platforms).
Web build:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/187819585/Sell%20it%20Ver3/Sell%20it%20Ver3.html
Some feedback that I would appreciate:
1. Could you figure out how to land on planets?
2. What do you think of my current AI for enemies? At the moment not a lot of different kinds, but I'm working on it.
3. Could you figure out how to navigate the universe?
4. Could you figure out how to find merchants?
5. How did the controls feel?
6. Any favorite planet?
7. Any feedback that you would like to add?
Thank you in advance.
Comments
{edited}
First Impressions:
1. Could you figure out how to land on planets?
Eventually, please add more player feedback. rocket and stabilizer exhaust effects.
I like this as concept, and seems to be the main concept of this game - more realistic space landings and resource collection...
But:
Too bouncy on landing, when close to platform, let ship autopilot land when close.
2. What do you think of my current AI for enemies? At the moment not a lot of different kinds, but I'm working on it.
Too aggressive - at the start - or too many of them. Always when I'm at a planet struggling to land. Should be based on amount of resources stolen, check Fluora games...
[EDIT] They movement is to linear, moving always straight at you, add some overshoot in longer turning circles.
3. Could you figure out how to navigate the universe?
Sorta, just followed the two triangle red points, not sure if I found a merchant or planet.
4. Could you figure out how to find merchants?
I knew I had to follow triangle from your description above, but don't think I found them, since I jumped to far on collisions. [EDIT] on 2nd play, yes found them and killed them for loot! Am I suppose to trade with them? How?
5. How did the controls feel?
I also would like arrow keys please.
A bit harsh movements, I would exchange the impulse to just normal forces, so ships do not jump or teleport so far.
If you want to use this as emergent game-play, then how will you make it look less buggy. Special warp speed effects...maybe.
[EDIT] At start of game not being able to reverse seems a little frustrating, I do understand that gravity is the main part of your new gameplay you are testing. Maybe add a little bit of control backwards, to remove the frustration. Keep gravity!
6. Any favorite planet?
Have not played long enough, but could only land on Food planet.
[EDIT] was nice to see a planet similar to Earth, was unhappy when planets took my money to heal/repair my hull. Is it cheaper then pressing <R>?
7. Any feedback that you would like to add?
Your art, like mines, not visible. Add brighter colors for ships and weapons, compared to dark background.
[EDIT]
What makes space games cool, is that you can use expensive lazer and blend and explosion effects on dark backgrounds, since you have less collisions and path-finding processing to worry about, so that can be nice. Basically add some nice particle effects.
Bugs:
Only works in Firefox - oh wait this is Unity player.
Could not restart, when I press T then click menu button.
Should be easy to make MENU GUI look much better, even with just programmer art - not a bug, but kinda feels like it since it looks blurry on scale.
Sorry didnt have time to spell check or write it better,
wife in car waiting with baby.
Will check updates again!
[EDIT] So please do at least another update!
1. Could you figure out how to land on planets?
Yes with difficulty
2. What do you think of my current AI for enemies? At the moment not a lot of different kinds, but I'm working on it.
They are a bit much so early in the game but are not hard to take care of, and when they hit you, you kinda fly off into the abyss
3. Could you figure out how to navigate the universe?
I was just flying around all over the place and landing where i could
4. Could you figure out how to find merchants?
I found a few of them, but maybe add a button that when u dock by a merchant you can press E or something to trade.
5. How did the controls feel?
A bit slugish, also with the gravity of planets it makes it a bit hard to control
6. Any favorite planet?
EARTH
7. Any feedback that you would like to add?
Interesting concept it is quite fun to play but quite difficult.
Landing on a planet/structure is really difficult as the gravity pulls you down so much that you kind keep bouncing off the planet. Maybe if you add something that when you land decently on the landing pad it kinda locks you on to it in a way, so that it makes it a bit easier to collect resources.
The enemies are really fun i found my self launching through space at warp speed due to getting crashed into by an enemy, i must say i laughed my ass off when this happened but yes the collision i think is a bit of an issue at the moment.
I also noticed as @Boysano mentioned that it only works in firefox and not chrome, any idea's why?
Over all i think it could be a fun game to play so keep working on it i look forward to the next build.
Here is some new gravity ideas...
http://www.yoyogames.com/showcase/4/orbit
Again, we really appreciate you taking the time to play and give feedback. Thanks for your honesty too. Just one more question : "Is there fun to be had here?"
I do believe there is fun to be had here, BUT it is a genre or type of game which has been done a lot (similar to platforms) due to the (i believe) the simpler more constrained design 'space'. Not having to worry about ground based movement and collisions and path-finding...so this lends me to this concern:
Even though you have a market of well educated players (know what it should feel like in controls and exploration, etc.), there is super high amount of competition or iterations of such games, so you will have to really figure out very early what makes your game unique. This is why I abandoned my try on such a game a few years ago, also because I didn't know you to make the cool special blended effects those days.
So maybe take the "gravity" or "landing" and make more out of it (put more focus on it), than in other similar games...or discover what this uniqueness will be for your game. I do not yet see what it is.
From a development point of view, I can see you are now at the point where you can test this and different mechanics, since you got the basic engine started.
Feedback:
1. Could you figure out how to land on planets?
Yep. I like how gravity kicks in, inside the atmosphere, which has varying ranges for different planets. Although I first thought it was a flower and I the bee... ;)
2. What do you think of my current AI for enemies? At the moment not a lot of different kinds, but I'm working on it.
Them swarming you and bumping into you is a bit frustrating. The same kind of frustration you get at bumper cars when you want to go over there, but someone has just rammed you and now you are going over yonder... I do like the way the blackhole gravity adds an interesting dimension to just straight flying.
3. Could you figure out how to navigate the universe?
No, the red-tipped triangle (top right) seemed to spin like a compass at the Bermuda triangle. Also not sure why there is a triangle dangling off the ship which points in totally another direction?
4. Could you figure out how to find merchants?
Yes, but I got lucky :) Lots of different shape ships kept shooting past and I tried to follow them, found an asteroid and shot it into 4 trigonometrical precise directions.
5. How did the controls feel?
Basic. But they get the job done. The bouncing off planets do not have a realistic physics feel though. the forces applied after a collision feels random added.
6. Any favorite planet?
The safe haven, can't remember its name. Just when they thought my gems were theirs I landed on that platform!
7. Any feedback that you would like to add?
The landing bit is interesting It feels like the game 'thrust' on the BBC in the 80's. I would like to see more of the planet up close as you enter the atmosphere. Maybe descend into a volcano like structure where you have to avoid the walls before reaching the landing platform? Also some depleting fuel (or is it feul?) mechanic...
Thanks,
k
Edit: After playing the game I went back and read the manual... original post, so a lot of things are now clearer. I never read the manual :) Funnily enough, i am currently also building a space game with galaxy and planets... haven't posted anything just yet, not as brave as you ;-P
Thank you so much for trying. Please try future builds (now that you have read more of the "manual"), as I am taking all this advice to heart. It might not all make it into my game, but we will try to improve the "feel" based on this feedback. The fuel will not be making an appearance. I had it in. It sucked. Felt like the players were battling with the mechanic too much, and no amount of tweaking could get it too feel better. I need to consider how to communicate the objectives and controls better without adding a tutorial. Really don't want to do that. Since the last build, we have been adding a lot of tweaks and new content. We balanced the spawn rate, added new enemy types as well as the space fuzz, who try and keep order in the universe. Currently working on boss battles of sorts. We have made significant changes to the landing mechanic, and collisions too. We will post a new build once we are more satisfied with how it plays.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/187819585/Sell%20it%20Amanda%20%28ver%203%29/Sell%20it%20Amanda%20%28ver%203%29.html
If it doesn't work in Chrome, try Firefox or IE...cause Unity?
What I've added or changed:
* Awesome soundtrack by @The_Sired_Ward (25 minute score which is super amazing).
* Several new enemy types.
* Armed cargo ships
* Boss battle (visit sector Q20 to see)
* Tutorial which will also be able to double as my conversation system later on.
* Tweaked some collisions (Some).
* Tweaked landing mechanic
* Tweaked HUD (but still very much a work in progress).
* Updated some art assets and particles.
I would REALLY appreciate ANY feedback, but the main info I need is:
* whether or not the tutorial made it easier to understand the basic game mechanics?
* What kind of mission would you like to see?
* For those who tried the earlier version...Has the game improved?
Comments:
-The landing on planet platform feels a lot easier than before.
-The tutorial certainly makes it a lot easier to understand what is going on.
-Nice to hear some fitting music, kudos to the artist :)
-This version is definitely an improvement over the older one.
-Art asset update is much better, so it is more appealing to try the prototype.
-Also the variety in enemy ships is refreshing
-I killed the boss and got the big coin ($10000) ... :-P
Wishlist:
-A reason to make a profit. Will I be able to upgrade my ship with all that cash or buy a planet to call my own?
-Trade items: Can I currently trade anything other than gold? I see there's Food, Gems etc in the top left menu?
-Minor things...on other ships, their thrusters seem to be off-center?
-Maybe during tutorial, while I'm reading, please make me indestructible... I already took damage during warp to test repair mechanic.
- A map so I can find my bearings. Show all sectors and where I currently am. They seem to run A-Z (left to right) and numerical up or down. I wonder what happens at the edges? Do i warp to the other side? :)
-Once I am safely on platform, I should be in a safe-zone. The enemy shot me off the platform.
-The rotation aim thing is difficult. It's too hard to aim and hit even the static guns that were around the boss.
The rotation increments seem too large?
-The T key brings up a menu. I would use the esc key as it is more intuitive? The hints button brings up a screen that contains way too much text. You might want to consider presenting that info differently?
New missions suggestions:
-Assassinate - Maybe a specific enemy player to take out would be interesting?
Cool :)
K
- I've noted this too, and then double checked to see that they are also centered. They are. The problem is the speed they move at, as well as some of the gravitational bodies that make it appear off-center. I'll consider this, however how much damage did you take? Also on my to-do list. Sectors run A-Z (from top to bottom) and 1-28 (left to right). Fly to the edge to see what happens :) I kinda like how that adds to the randomness of the universe. But i'll think about how to make this better. If you land to sell goods it does currently destroy the nearest bandit to give you a bit of breathing space. Buying goods needs to be timed. I'll add to to-do list. Have been considering adding two missiles at a time to give you a broader hit zone in-front of your shift. I'll try this out. Noted. The HUD is very still much a work in progress. Will probably end up changing a lot of it to icons to make it more readable at a glance. Thanks for the awesome suggestion. Might call the target @konman :)
I'm not yet saying it is a good game, but with some work you can get there, I am happy with you making the changes you did. Especially landing and zooming in (still need better transition though, and consideration for when enemies are close).
I recommend you focus on getting the first impression and gameplay solid and fun.
It is easier to say what I do not like, since the good ideas you probably already thought of:
1. The tutorial is not fun, and it feels like I'm forced into it, well kinda just reading text on awkward position on screen, it does help but is not a good implementation. Why cannot I close it, why can I break it by flying to far or engaging enemies, etc.
2. The white screen under ship is obstructing my game view, and not allowing me to feel immersed in this world.
3. Ship / Asteroids, etc disappearing and being created in my view.
4. I think this is enough of a challenge for now.
Good to see you took all our pointers into consideration,
but I feel at this point you need to work on your HUD or UI design and make it user friendly and hopefully minimalist.
Feel free to mention me on future updates, so I can test it when ready or send PM.
Oh, before I forget: Can cross this one off. Got it working a lot better now. I was changing the camera's Field of view on trigger enter and exit, which made it feel so jittery. Changed it to run in the update, with bools that changed on the trigger enter/exit. Looks like I intended it to now. Think you will like it on the next update.
Thanks again for trying.
I use Trello as our whiteboard list system, works like a charm and very motivating to tick items off the list.
Any text or HUD elements in center of view is an obstruction, that includes POI and text. Either move it to the sides of screen, or improve it totally by new innovation player feedback... sprite or color changes on ship, etc.
I would not use warp effect to fix the ship/astroids spawning in view, I would just do a check to make sure it is out of player's view...
Soon you will get to the frustrating complexity point in this project, then you must push through and prioritize...
So haven't posted any updates for this in a while, but here is the latest playable.
Changes:
* Implemented a minimap with icons system instead of the old compass version.
* Cleaned up the HUD to create a better play area.
* Tons of new art assets (mostly ships).
* Refined and new AI for new enemy types.
As I live far from any of the meet-up locations, any feedback here will be much appreciated. Especially if you played the older versions.
Controls:
Rotate ship = A & D
Move ship = W
Shoot = Space
Drop Mines = E
Repair ship = R (needs cash)
Land on planets to buy goods and land on space stations to sell goods (use the gravity of objects to land with the back of your ship on the T-shaped platforms).
Some feedback :
Im not sure if you want this to be an action game or a space trading game. I feel like these two things wont work well together. IMO you should move away from a realtime combat option and more towards a turn based combat option. Something like South Park : The stick of truth, if you have played that.
I couldn't figure out how to land on planets. I just bounced off of them as I got close. I took a look at both versions and I think you have made a lot of progress with the UI side. The minimap is awesome. Perhaps you should always have goal on it. For instance :
Notice how there is a point of interest on the minimap but its not within the players immediate view.
As for the mini-map goals/objectives. This is already planned as part of the story line I would like to eventually add to the game. However, I have no idea how to actually create that, and more research will be needed from my side. If you have a reference to any mini-map tutorials that would explain that please let me know.
Thanks again for trying.
1) So as @konman pointed out. I need a reason to make a profit.
2) It wasn't immediately apparent to me why I was losing money when I collect a resource, but after a while I noticed that it takes significantly less money to harvest a resource than the amount you make from then selling it.
3) The reason I asked about the type of game (asteroids/arcade) is because it looked like you were more interested in the trading and collecting of resources part of the game than the arcade part. If you intend to make this a fun arcade game you need to invest some time on juice. Screenshake, bigger bullets.. You know the drill.
Overall it was pretty fun. I think the design is interesting but the presentation is lacking.
Good job.