I ONLY need feedback, no more no less. Thread

Before saying anything, this isn't advertising or plugging my game. I just want feedback so either I continue this or not.

Hey guys,

Since I was waiting for my artist to make the art for the main game I am developing (no names ), I practically had nothing to do. An incident happened at my parents' house which lead me to think of this concept. So I created a demo and was wondering if you'd be willing to play it and provide feedback.

The controls are:
Moving: Move your mouse around.
Special ability: Right Mouse Button (requires 5 Power Surge to use).
Advance from How To Play screen/or start the level: Space Bar

It is a web game so here is the link:
Space Whackinator

The feedback I am looking forward (in addition to anything you'd like to say):
1- Is this fun or not?
2- When did you stop playing? Why?
3- Did you notice any bugs? What are they?
4- Were things fast? Do I need to slow it down?
5- Did you like the idea of the game?
6- Did you like the animations of the ships?
7- Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you very much for trying out the game and your time. I really appreciate it.
Vallar.

1. Fun or not? That's no easy question. It was frustrating and I don't like unpolished games (see point 6).
2. Level 2 third try.
3. Don't know if this counts as bug, but the physics of the ball are quite unpredictable at times.
4. No, but if you made everything a tad smaller so there was more space between you and all the stuff. Okay, maybe you should also slow it down a bit.
5. Yes, I do like the concept. Just not the implementation, since it needs far more work.
6. I didn't like the visualdesign at all and the audiodesign was even worse.
7. You didn't use Unity did you? I ask that because this game would benefit from it. You know, proper animation- and particle-systems would result in far better experience. You could also do some really interesting stuff with the sounds. Besides that you could target web-browsers and mobile devices easily.

In short:
There may be a cool idea for a nice little game in there, but it needs more work.

Thanks for trying the game out TheSniperFan. I really appreciate it.

Yes, the "bug" with the ball is because someone told me prior to uploading the game for feedback that the way the physics of the ball worked isn't based ona rectangle and should be based on a triangle. Turns out, it threw the feel of the game out of balance.
It isn't done in Unity no, it was done in Construct 2. The whole thing is a prototype I whipped in 3-4 days to get feedback. But then again the presentation is mostly problematic as I didn't care for aesthetic feel. I just wanted to make a prototype and not a demo per se. But I see what you mean.

Not sure if this is a project for Unity, I always felt Unity is too complex.

The sounds, I had a very specific idea with the sounds but couldn't implement it (as it mostly requires custom sounds), basically have the ball play a random note from the musical notes thingy on the piano (I am no music guy, don't know what they are called). So once it would hit a wall and play a "Do" another would be a "Ri" and so on. With specific "sound range" to what is being hit. So let's say Do, Ri, Me for enemies and Fa, Sol, La for walls (excuse me if I am saying weird stuff... I am no musician).

In the end, I do agree with you on all points and specially that it needs more work. This is just a prototype and to make it a game I have loads more to go. Again, thank you so much for the informative feedback

The feedback I am looking forward (in addition to anything you'd like to say):

1- Is this fun or not?

It's an interesting take on the traditional spaceshooter. In it's current form it's hard to say, but it definitely has potential.

2- When did you stop playing? Why?

I played the game two to three times until I lost. As of right now it has no purpose. You would do well if you added a story (much like how it is in the Touhou games).

3- Did you notice any bugs? What are they?

The ball's bounce can be anchored, so that it bounces back and forth forever if you let it. Not sure if it's a bug or not but it's definitely something worth looking into.

4- Were things fast? Do I need to slow it down?

What you need is a better pacing for the game. The first level was good; while the second level should be much later in the game. The difficulty curve is just way too steep at the moment. Try introducing a few enemies first on the second level, and the "waves" later on, but don't keep relying on it. Introduce new things every 3-5 levels to keep the players engaged with new mechanics. It doesn't have to be anything overly complicated, but things like different enemies. I'd recommend you to take a look at PzzP (you can search for it on the site). While it's not an amazing game, it keeps introducing new enemies with new ways to deal with them.

5- Did you like the idea of the game?

The idea of the game has potential to be sure. Add in new enemy variants, a story, level progression (as in the difficulty + story) maybe a boss or two where an enemy AI plays also has control of the space ball, and you should have a pretty well fleshed out game.

6- Did you like the animations of the ships?

The animations were fine, I think it matches the game well in tone. At this stage it's more about the controls and all the important sections of the game you should worry about (I'll elaborate further on in #7)

7- Anything else you'd like to add?

First, I can't stress enough the importance of controls. No matter how good a game's mechanics or story be, if the controls are bad or not well thought out, the game becomes more of a chore to complete, than a fun way to pass the time.

1.) Here are a few things you should at least consider when looking at controls:

- Don't ever forget to add conventional buttons such as Esc, Enter, etc. The "tutorial" only allows you to continue is if you press enter (and the controls were not shown in the tutorial. Even if you sort of showed them in your post, there is no excuse for the game to not include them either.
- If you are making the player move the spaceship with a mouse button, then utilize your tools efficiently: Left-click to shoot the ball is the very least you can do. Right-click to use secondary power is a good touch.
- If you already let the player shoot the ball with Space, let the player move with both WASD and the arrow keys. Giving the player choice of which controls they prefer is never a thing that is shunned. (This is especially so with a game which controls are not too complicated, such as this one's.)

2.) You should take a look at allowing the player more freedom than just horizontal movement. Maybe the whole map is too much to ask, but at least 1/8th of the map should be a space that you can move and avoid obstacles (such as enemies flying towards you). It gives the game more depth without overly complicating it.
3.) When I read the special power "Power surge" I instantly thought of an amazing power you use when you are in a pinch. The actual special power was anticlimactic to say the least. I think making it into a "wave" around your ship that equally destroys enemies and objects (such as asteroids around you) and pushes back the ball as if you were touching it, would make it feel more of an awesome power-up that you definitely want to stuck up on. As of now, I just let them fall because the power I get from it is not worth me losing the ball.

4.) I would think about expanding the "play field" a little bit, or at least make the mouse more responsive when accidentally leaving it, as there is a very minute lag when going in and out of bounds. Not a game-breaker, but definitely something that can gnaw at the back of your mind.

Hope this feedback helped, looking forward to see what you do with this game!

Edited by: genbor

1. It was somewhat fun, but I can imagine that a more developed version will definitely be fun to play.
2. On the third level: the game became too fast.
3. Well, if we leave aside the physics of the ball, then I don't think I found any.
4. Yes, they were fast. Well, not that they were too fast, but the change in their speed was too fast. On the first level it was pretty easy, but with the second level everything became "super" fast. If this was around, let's say the 6th level I wouldn't have had any issues with it.
5. As I said in the first point, I do think with more development it could become a fun game, so yes I liked the idea.
6. Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to the graphic, I took a short look on the overall graphics and it was okay for me.
7. No.

Wow, thank you VERY much for the detailed feedback. It helps immensely.

Allow me to first acknowledge everything you've said. They are all completely valid.

That said many of what you mentioned is something I had planned if I continue with this concept (which seems I would since the feedback is almost always positive so far).
I am so sorry (and completely my fault) for the stupid design elements that have been in the game -- since it is a prototype I was worried more about showing the general idea than fine tuning.
It is strange you mentioned bosses as I was going to do that as well as making the ship moving vertically as well as horizontally (but kept that way at first to make it less hard).
Definitely Power Surge sounds like you are going to tear the screen, completely my fault that I didn't implement something fun. Though planned the first power up you get will... tear the screen ;).
This is funny but the game has A/D and Left/Right controls along with the Shift and Space. But I turned them off as I felt they are slower than a mouse >.< but since you've mentioned that. I think it is a good idea that I make them both available and the player chooses which to use.

There was also a story but I implemented it badly and hastily so I decided to scrap it too. Felt it might take from the game rather than give. But there is a story planned. Kind of a parody.

Thank you very much for the feedback and you are right about everything. You've given me much to think about and much to do too