Game Feedback

This devlog is simply a post requesting feedback on the game. Please do so via this form; primary testing will be done at 4-5pm Tuesday 6th of October, but feel free to submit the form outside of that time.

This devlog may be updated with data and general feedback received as well as the plans for the remaining few weeks of development on the game in response to the feedback obtained.

Update: Feedback & Changes

General Feedback

One aspect of the game that I wanted to get feedback on was the introduction of moving traps, such as fireballs and moving spikes. Overall, the majority of respondents said that the introduction of these obstacles increased the appeal of the game, with a few commenting that, if the game is extended further, it would be nice to see more of these with different types of movement patterns.

Another was the inclusion of non-flight stages of levels. As the focus of the game is on the flight mechanic, I was unsure if having puzzles that don't use flight to solve would take away from that. However, most respondents felt it was good to have the variety as it forced the player to stop and think about what they were doing at times, and if there was a solution they weren't seeing. 

The only feedback on art was that it might be nice to see checkpoints visually, so you know how close you got when you died, as a form of motivation; if the player sees that they died right before a checkpoint, they're more likely to want to keep playing to get to it.

One respondent also mentioned music and sound might be nice. I'm not sure about this at this stage in development; I personally always mute games, but I understand some people enjoy it, and it would be fairly simple to add. However, as this is a uni assignment and I've already met the criteria for it, I probably won't add this in the next few weeks as I'm fairly busy and it seems minor. If I continue this game in future, I may include sound.

Random stats:

• In general, the movement seemed to be the largest appeal of the game, with the majority of players saying it made them want to keep playing to overcome the increasing difficulty in the levels.
• According to respondents the easiest level was Level 1, with 50% of respondents saying it felt too easy, and the hardest level was Level 4, with 75% of respondents saying it was too hard. Level 4 was the only level that nobody thought was too easy.
• 50% of respondents thought the movement was challenging but fun, with only one respondent considering the system easy to use.

Changes

Narrow corridor on Level 3 with spikes on the ceiling and floor was too difficult

Many people commented on this, and it has been replaced with an easier puzzle.

The end of Level 4 is very difficult as the shape of the ground is strange

This was also among the most noted in the feedback form; as such, the fireball traps have been kept, but most of the bookshelves that the player had to climb over has been removed. The furnaces have also been reshaped into full size tiles to prevent weirdness there.

Level 5 feels too short, and the last checkpoint is in a weird spot on Normal

Level 5 seemed to be quite divisive; some people commented it was too hard, some that it was too easy. This may simply be a difference in skill/familiarity with the game, but the same could be said about any level, and level 2, for example, received no feedback either way. From this, I figure it was the precision flying at the start of Level 5 that mad it so divisive: if the player gets past that, it's too easy and feels short, but if not, they feel stuck and lose motivation. As such, the checkpoints for level 5 have been reworked, and the level has been extended, and the left-wards path has been made easier. There were also a lot of people surprised that the fireball path was possible on Level 5; it is, but requires specific timing, and, when done properly, is faster, allowing for better time trials.

We never got to find the throne mentioned in level 1!

Level 5 now ends in the player finding the throne!

It feels like I should be able to see checkpoints, so I want to keep trying when I get close to it

Respawn points now have a particle effect highlighting them.

Moving traps (like fireballs) should reset when you die so they're always in the same place after starting a level

This has also been added, for when you die on the first checkpoint. This makes speedrunning levels on time trial far easier as you know where the traps are at a given time if you can get to a given spot at the same speed each time. It does not however affect respawning at checkpoints, as they may not have been at their initial location when you got the checkpoint. Similarly, recording their location when you do get a checkpoint would lead to annoying timings; they might always be in an unfavourable configuration after respawning, so I believe it's best to leave them going normally unless it's the level's first checkpoint.

Respawning can take too long sometimes

The 'R' key can now let you respawn instantly, in both play mode and Time Trial.

It's not clear what "Respawn Amount" means

This has been renamed to "Amount of Checkpoints" for clarity and consistency with the "Checkpoint" message in game.