Post by YAWP Games in Isoterra comments

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Don't be sorry, I would rather have harsh comments that tell the truth than nothing else TBH :).

First thing to note is that I consider this still a Prototype, my roadmap is to set the foundations and from there polish it, so it's rough on the edges right now, that is expected.

So from this feedback I get you played the Browser version no? This confirms my suspicions, that it's TOO laggy, even If I added a warning saying that it's not intended to be played on browser. I did it because someone recommended to have it up as people prefer it, but It's to unplayable, I actually remove it on the last (1h ago) release I did https://yawp-games.itch.io/isoterra/devlog/899164/melee-magic-and-range-v0011

> how are u supposed to know what is the y axis

When you mention "y axis" what are you looking for exactly?

> i cant mine down

You can mine as much as you want (directly down I think It does not make the player fall though).

Mining is actually one of the topics I spended much time to actually make it viable in an isometric game as it's limited on how you can observe the world. I even plan to make a short video explaining how it works, but the 2 cents are:
* Anything you click can be mined
* Being isometric you easily get blocked with other blocks to go down, to solve this I have 2 different view modes.
* Keybind U: make it so only the blocks that do not have anything above are visible, effectively erasing the surface from the view. But just with that if you go deeper then the wall blocks of the cave block you.
* Keybind L: This is the one that enables everything, it basically only displays the blocks that are +-1 (on the Z, which is height) from your position) this allows to remove all those annoying blocks.
* Next issue is that even when all that is enabled there are blocks that prevent you from clicking, for example if you want to go down in a tunnel (see image) theblock (on the left) highlighted is not the on in front (remember we want to go down) but the one on the wall at your right. But if you click SHIFT this will be skipped and go to the one you actually want which is the one on your feet.

Hope this was useful for the mining part. Again this is a prototype and this needs to be explained clearly to the player when they enter to the game, RN all this info is on the Itchio main page, but I get that it's not read as it's long haha.

> it lags soo much

Yes, not much to say, that is due to the Browser. To give more details on why this is happening on the Browser and not (or not on my PC) when you download it. Basically the lag you see is when I generate new chunks, this is done on the background to not affect the player, but when it's compiled for Browser it cannot be done on the background so everything is done on the foreground and you feel it. That is one of the main reasons I also was dubious to add it on the Browser and why I ended up removing it.

> am i walking on water

Well, swimming is not one of the main priorities on my roadmap TBH, you'll be able to swim, yes but I still have to think on what is the best way to make that visible for the player (again Isometric limitations)

> where is inven

Inventory is on Keybind I or on the right on the bag. The other actionable menu button is the helmet that is the Character view with Keybind C, what you have equipped on each Combat Style. You can drag blocks to it but not much.

The only usable thing on the inventory is to drag blocks from it to the 2 right empty action buttons, which then you can use that item, if it's a block you'll be able to place it and if it's a consumable you'll use it (like the potion).

> but i found exploration to be really hard because i keep getting stuck on jumpable blocks meaning i have to keep jumping but as i jump the camera moves way too much and i move soo slow

Yeh the autojump will solve that issue of getting stuck as mentioned before and the camera the same thing mentioned before.

To go faster you can SHIFT+WASD and you'll sprint, and on the v0.0.11 if you go to range attacks the 3 is a sprint of +50% for 10s. But also it moves slow on browser due to the things I mentioned before that is not meant for it :(.

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Hope this answer helps and thank you very much for the feedback :)

Rathernewman180 days ago

"RN all this info is on the Itchio main page, but I get that it's not read as it's long haha." yeah i really shouldve read that thing

YAWP Games178 days ago

Nah I assumed people would not as it's too long, this will all be added to the game somehow OFC. I still have to investigate which is the best way to do so without being to "in the face"

Rathernewman180 days ago

btw i didnt know about most of the stuff but now that i do, ill replay the game after downloading and tell my honest opinion

Rathernewman180 days ago

RN all this info is on the Itchio main page, but I get that it's not read as it's long haha.i played the game again and needless to say i still cant seem to make a 1 hole bridge down or bridge up or staircase up or staircase down goingup and down through blocks is really tough and i prefer an easy way like that of terraria. i understand making an isometric game is tough and even tougher to make up and down movement proper as its somewhat like a top-down. i kinda feel like this game needs more focus on building too. i also think that the camera is bad and that is my MAJOR turn off. firstly there has to be some lerping between camera rotation i feel so lost when i click one button and the whole game has changed also for the last time i cannot seem make sense of what im breaking or where i am standing when im in a small tunnel but thats the issue with isometric i mean not like we can add a sprite for 20 other rotations this aint 3d. we can fix most of these issues if we treat mining blocks kinda like "Dont starve" did and we can also treat mining kinda like "stardew valley's skull caverns" but random caves gen around the world and changing the game like i said would be a waste of all the random undergound generation if u turn ur game like this guy

but this just changed the whole game and i get u might wanna do ur own thing i guess thats the issue with 2d isometric games though (unless u draw 20 other perspective for every block) think about it moving the camera will mean different sprite for each rotation (not now cause there are no shapes) and having a move up and down system could work but if its something like how pokemon emerald or other gen 3 games did it (except with iscometric art style and ability to AUTOMATICALLY scale the block or move up it with slopes). im sorry for extremely bad grammer but im writing this all in one thought no stops but i just kinda wanted to say: PLEASE GET THE PERPECTIVE TO MATCH THE GAME PLAN. there is a reason no 2d game make their compeletly 3d movement and thats because this aint gon work either make the game 3d compeletely (with 3rd person and isometric) or 2d. again everything even the video was a quick thought and sorry i tried not to make it harsh but thats my opinion and i dont enjoy the games movement (i like building part though) just so u know ur talking to a 15 yr game developer that was also thinking of making an isometric openworld so he searched that up and found this game on itch so i also learned alot from ur mistakes. i have to end it here im out of things to yap.

YAWP Games178 days ago

> RN all this info is on the Itchio main page, but I get that it's not read as it's long haha.i played the game again and needless to say i still cant seem to make a 1 hole bridge down or bridge up or staircase up or staircase down goingup and down through blocks is really tough and i prefer an easy way like that of terraria. i understand making an isometric game is tough and even tougher to make up and down movement proper as its somewhat like a top-down

Ok so for mining I know it’s hard, I just made it possible RN and in the future I’ll how I can make it easy, but I think once you know how it works you can do anything RN but, it still needs a lot of polishing.

So some videos on mining:

* this one is mining a straight line https://bsky.app/profile/yawpgames.bsky.social/post/3l7v4sibqkf27 * this one is mining a stair case https://bsky.app/profile/yawpgames.bsky.social/post/3la4sw4ugg22v

* this one is a multi level shaft (already mined) that I’m traversing https://bsky.app/profile/yawpgames.bsky.social/post/3la76qhidnn2w

And the main topic and problem is that “Is 2D Isometric” which has a lot of limitations when it comes to trying to mine or build, TBH I don’t know any Isometric game that has bouth, that was also one of the reasons to try to do it haha.

Terraria is 2D side scrolling at the end, I thought on the ide of once you mine something you move into like a “parallel” world that is like Terraria, but i may loose all the 2.5Isometric idea with that too.

> i kinda feel like this game needs more focus on building too.

Yes RN you can build in a limited way as you cannot place block on the side of other blocks, just on the floor and up, but I’ll extend that so it feels like “Minecraft”, that is the idea.

> i also think that the camera is bad and that is my MAJOR turn off ….

OK I got that also on the past and on my mind I wanted to fix this later, but maybe I’ll increase the priority of it, as if it’s a big turnoff for everyone testing the game then it’s bad haha.

This will basically mean that the camera will not be locked to the player but move a bit behind making the movement smoother. And when rotating the camera, I’ll not maket it go from 0, 90, 180, 270 but move fluently to those angles, this will actually be the same I have with scrolling, that it moves “smoothly” (if you SHIFT+ARROW-UP|DOWN the camera moves to “perfect” renders but not directly but smoothly.

> i cannot seem make sense of what im breaking or where i am standing when im in a small tunnel but thats the issue with isometric

Yes and that’s why I tried to add the different views that would help to tackle that. And I have more plan for that futures as Procedurally generated caves are even harder to navigate and I want to fix that. > but this just changed the whole game and i get u might wanna do ur own thing i guess thats the issue with 2d isometric games though

Yes, that is a “normal” Isometric game, my core idea (for this part that we are debating, the game as much more that just this) is that it’s basically a Minecrft in Isometric. There are no Isometric games that explore building or mining without being like the examples you mentioned that at the end is just at the same level, they do not go up or down basically.

And I want Isoterra to do that and it’s not easy, it’s the first thing I started to investigate as I did not know if I would be able to make it even possible, now I know it’s possible (I have it) but it needs polishing (I know that), but I left it as it is as I wanted to start adding features to the game too hehe.

> PLEASE GET THE PERPECTIVE TO MATCH THE GAME PLAN. there is a reason no 2d game make their compeletly 3d movement and thats because this aint gon work either make the game 3d compeletely (with 3rd person and isometric) or 2d.

And this I’ve seen a lot too haha, whe people ask question about 2D isometric (like shadows and so) the first answer is: “Do it 3D and project it Isometric”. But I “explicitly” don’t want to do that. I know that if no one did it does not mean that there is an opportuninyt, but that there is a reason, but I want to take that idea to the limit, I’m this way haha.

> sorry i tried not to make it harsh but thats my opinion and i dont enjoy the games movement (i like building part though) just so u know ur talking to a 15 yr game developer that was also thinking of making an isometric openworld so he searched that up and found this game on itch so i also learned alot from ur mistakes. i have to end it here im out of things to yap.

I don’t take it personal but as a review of the game, so everything is fine. Game movement I see I’ll fix it, as it may be also a drawback for other people testing it.

Building is fun yes but It still needs to be able to place block on the sides haha. Which beeing isometric is hard to get the sides, you normally get the tops.

I’m also a 15yr but backend developer, this is my first game haha(well I have another one a PvP Mazing TD but I pivoted to this one)

There is also https://store.steampowered.com/app/2596940/Isometria/ if you want to check it, follows those “solutions” you mentioned when mining and so.

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If you want to keep chatting in an easy way, which I'm more than happy as I don't have that many people to speak with about this haha. My discord username is xescugc, I also have a discord of the game if you are interested.