Spandex Force v0.2 - Feedback Request
Community Forums/Showcase/Spandex Force v0.2 - Feedback Request
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| My puzzle/RPG/adventure game Spandex Force has reached v0.2, and I'd really like some feedback. Game Info Spandex Force is a unique puzzle/adventure/RPG game that lets you create your own hero to clean up the crime-infested town of Vigilance Valley. Follow your hero's quest to rid Vigilance Valley of vicious villains such as the Blizzard Wizard, the inept riddler Countess Conundrum, and the mysterious Professor Aphasia. More information here: http://www.spandexforce.com (Website under construction.) Screenshots     Download http://www.spandexforce.com/files/SpandexForceDemo.exe Notes * The art could be improved. I'll see what can be done about it; at the very least I'll need a new city screen. Suggestions for an appropriate artist I can contact are welcome! * It's not fully balanced yet. Feel free to suggest improvements! Thanks in advance for any comments. |
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| Haha this looks cool. So have you followed the puzzle quest route of match-3 to do battles? What's that road scene about? (not downloaded demo yet). |
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| Not tried it yet but the screenies look good and that title is inspired! |
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| Thanks! :D Yep, it's very Puzzle Quest-inspired; I loved that game. :) I tried to alter the gameplay a bit though - the battles play out a bit differently, and the focus of the game is on a variety of minigames. (A few more will be implemented before the game is released.) For example, the road scene is a minigame in which you chase after a runaway pet. Other minigames include stopping a falling piano, saving an old lady from a car, putting out a fire, and catching minor criminals. I've tried to make varied minigames that still play in a similar manner. (Non-battle tasks involve an abstract "fill the meters goal" which represents focusing yourself on the task ahead.) |
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| As a major puzzelquest fan I kneel before you awesome man love to comic style and the level format with moving objectives is a nice addition making the game not feel so linear think with the right marketing you onto a winner :) |
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| Brilliant name for a game. |
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| Just played it, it's really great, classic! I love the artwork and the music and the variety, the way you've used the match-3 type games and other mini-games as a base for your super hero meta game. I chose a lady hero with the same coloured suit as her skin so I could imagine her naked. Anyway, onto some more serious points (this list is not exhaustive by any means and as you've identified yourself some of the art needs improving like the rough edged piano etc): - I played for around 30 mins (upgraded my character and base and played the road game). I felt that the first upgrades should occur MUCH quicker, say in 10 minutes to keep people interested and introduce the road mini-game and the clues etc. Trust me on this. You don't wanna loose people too soon before it get's interesting (Aquaria has lost me for example after nothing interesting happened in a whole hour!) - I need reminders about what the power icons mean, so like some text near the guages. This may clutter screen though. At least put text on the upgrade screen so it says: Mental, Physical, SuperPower or something. Maybe consider a mouse over that tells you what they are. I know they have an icon but it wasn't 100% obvious to me (I have a cold today and am feeling a bit denser than usual) - How about stick an R for Reputation on the pink stars as I forgot what they are. I know I'm saying I forgot what stuff was for, and you may think I'm being dumb but you've been making this game for ages and are not an "average new player". I knew what the money was... - The first mini-game I didn't understand how to play. The one where you have to Click HOLD and drag over shapes to pop them . I tried playing it like a match-3 and it didn't work. Then I tried clicking in the middle of a large group (Glyph style) and it didn't work. It was too late to view the instructions again (instructions button maybe?) but then I figured it out, phew! I did see the instructions but I skimmed them a bit. Consider animated instructions to make it clearer, and less words that are more clear. Oh this is the hardest mini-game for me. In fact I failed it the first time which is a big no no in casual games. Please make the first few mini-games UNFAILABLE. - As the match-3 mini-games look similar, how about a little title somewhere that reminds you which one you are playing like "Classic match-3", "Click 'n' drag", "Slide rows 'n' columns" or whatever. - After each mini-game had finished it took me slightly too long to click away the dialog (I noticed that it's not always the same text which is good). - Stuff like the piano needs a big Punch cartoon whack graphic as it flies off. More excitement basically on that screen and other screens. The car saving one is good but needs a sound effect and visual effect of high speed super hero or something... - When you fight the criminal why does the attack go into empty space over to the right. It would be MUCH better (and more work) if it hit the criminal who reacted. Same for your character. Check out Bookworm adventures. - Powerups on the item grid? Especially during fights. This would make the "vanilla" mini-games more exciting. + more visual effects. They are a bit plain right now. - Perhaps the player can "buy" powerups/gadgets to take into minigames with them. OK I'm sure there's more. I'm sure if you were able to implement some of the above, it would be much improved. It's already a great game, well done!! Question re: the market. Who is it aimed at? Do casual game players like superheros (you know ladies 45-55)? If not, is it aimed at younger people, maybe men? Do men like match-3s? I'm a tiny bit concerned the game falls in a limbo between markets, but I'd LOVE to be wrong about that. Hope my info is useful for you. You deserve to suceed with this because it's cool. |
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| Phew, that's an impressive list! Awesome comments; many of them have been on my "maybe" list, but you added some great new suggestions. The only item that makes me grind my teeth a bit is the fact that you had issues with the "click 'n drag" game... I thought it would be a logical way to play the game, but you're not the first one to complain. In fact, I thought about removing the game, or make it Glyph-ish to make it easier to understand...but my gf wanted it as-is, to offer some challenge. I'll have a ponder about what to do. As for the other suggestions, I'll try to make the changes you suggest - they sound very good! Improvements that require art is the biggest problem, since I'm making the game on a pocket money budget. :) The market is a bit of a problem, yes... But I'm hoping that the last few years' superhero movies have made the superhero idea a bit more mainstream. Sure, a lady in her 50s might not like it; but hopefully I'll reach the male market plus the up-to-35-ish female market. We shall just have to see how it does - maybe I'll start a superhero theme trend! (Nah. :) [Edit: oh, right. Just thought of another comment while I transfered the comments to a todo file: I wanted to include the minor risk of failure even in the early minigames, because I figured that the matching gameplay was so well-known to everyone, and people might appreciate a...cold shower of sorts. "Hey, this isn't just mindless clicking in all the minigames - I have to think about what I'm doing! Now, isn't this refreshing!" ... But I just might have to reconsider... :) ] |
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