Feedback from ​Full Indie & Testing

Went to Vancouver's Full Indie meetup yesterday and thought I'd document some feedback here to be less likely to lose notes and check back on what and how I updated the game later. Considering how long this list is, it shows how game development can take a looooooong time:

Main gameplay points include:

• Reeling on the left trigger feels separate from right trigger harpooning. Will likely try reeling with right stick soon. Could also try an auto-reel on the same button
• Car movement still isn't quite right. Previous suggestion of momentum and drifting still hold up from my friend. With twin stick games, people are used to pivoting on a dime. I have tried that before but if added acceleration doesn't work out, it may be worth revisiting
• More visual feedback for score like points onscreen when crushing a car

Smaller points:

• I say "Press ANY button to start" but actually any button doesn't work - oops! Probably was for a keyboard when I wrote that
• Crusher didn't always go off, or appeared to go off when it was still green as a car drove through
• More obvious harpoon pick-up is still needed
• Player wanted to drag a statue
• Tow arm could rotate with a truck while turning. Might make the game look more lively
• Earn different amounts of points for different cars
• Larger analog stick dead zone for aiming. Player had tow arm flicking off to a different side when the stick bounced back to the center
• Zoom out more. This may be related to playing on my smaller screen
• I should add in an auto-play or video that loops for when I'm playing someone else's game.

And from feedback from my friend on a test beforehand:

• FIXED before Full Indie: Biggest issue is that trucks when harpooning another car, get their rope cut - Then harpoon is stuck on the other truck and the truck drives slowly
• Limit the SFX volume of destroyed statue shards and bits from cars caused by a harpoon. There is distortion
• Sometimes the crusher does not crush when two player trucks are close together (one towing the other closely)
• Different types of harpoons to choose from (wheels / pre-made combos)
• Harpoons in the center should fade out over time, especially if there is a build up. Had 3-4 sitting there
• Very tough for two cars to drag one car as they share the same point. Maybe if harpooning close enough to the end of the rope, it does not cut
• Sometimes still end up with two harpoons
• Exploding fuel barrels to watch where you shoot (maybe in another level)

Some recent updates and fixes include:

• When a car is hit by a harpoon, shrapnel bursts outwards and the car flashes red
• Shrapnel bursts out when a car is crushed as well
• The harpoon rope centers self back on truck when it’s invisible. Looks better when launching afterwards
• Cars that are dragged in without the truck going over are now crushed. They also activate the crusher so watch out if you’re in the recycling area and a car is closing in!
• Blocked players & cars going through the area between crusher and crusher wall. Did so via creating a physics fixture with a new size each time the crushers move, and deleting the old one