Skip to main content

Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
TagsGame Engines

Hello! Welcome to Feedback Quest 8! My name's Hythrain, a co-host and one of the streamers for this event! This feedback is being written live as I stream your game! If you're interested in seeing my live reaction, let me know and I can send you a link to the VOD once it's posted to YouTube!

So my normal approach for any game in these events is simple: I get the game, make sure it's not a virus, then play it with as little information on how to play as possible. This way, I can judge how intuitively someone can figure out the game. Only if it's obvious that I need to read more will I do so. I note this so you can get a sense where some of these feedback comes from. In addition, I want to note that feedback and rating are different; don't use this feedback to gauge what I'll rate, nor should you view my rating as entirely indicative of my feedback.

Tetris mixed with a platforming game. It's pretty fun and I generally like it.

I'll admit I wasn't a fan of the large amount of visual clutter going on. There were so many things to catch the attention of your eye while you're also trying to put blocks down that it can make it difficult to keep track of what you need to. In addition, I feel like the vertical walls cause a lot of problems for the game's design, from preventing new blocks from spawning in to making it too challenging to get your block where you need it without something stopping it. Given the time challenge of running from the "void," I feel like the game needs less vertical walls.

Barring that, what may work better is letting the player just control the blocks from spawn. So instead of having the whole gimmick of the blocks constantly moving left, let the player just control the next block and place it where they want. That would nullify the issue with the vertical walls, since now they can't interrupt the player. They instead become an obstacle for the player to overcome while trying to not leave too many coloured blocks for the void to devour.

Speaking of, I think another thing that could improve the gameplay and really amp up the high score potential is if the void could also lose speed. Like, as its speed increases it needs more coloured blocks to maintain that speed. If you do a good job clearing blocks, you'll cause it to slow down and maybe even reach its base speed. This could then allow you to more strongly incorporate the platforming into the game; now the player needs to use their blocks to navigate around obstacles and try to leave as few coloured blocks as they can, but some obstacles will make it unavoidable. In those situations, it means the void will gain a surge in speed and overtake the player if they're not fast enough. To make this work better, the base speed of the void would need to go up so that it can be more of a constant threat. This design could even allow you to make set stages, with end goals for the player to reach.

Hi Hythrain,

Thank you so much for taking the time to play the game, the team really appreciates the feedback. 

We would absolutely love to see a link to the VOD when it is uploaded. 

You are the second person to describe the play space as 'visually cluttered' - Heard, appreciated, taken on board. 

Currently, the void that is chasing you eats the blocks that you leave behind, which increases its speed. Clearing lines, and playing 'tidily' reduces its speed to some base level (difficulty dependent). I think this current design achieves a similar thing to what you are describing in your last paragraph. Please let me know if I have missed your point.

There is a youtube video on the game's itch page that can highlight some nice tech to help deal with the obstructions in the environment, as high level play starts to look quite different to beginner play. Our largest challenge with this, somewhat complex, game has been trying to onboard players to the concept in a way that is low friction, and enjoyable from the outset. This is something, that I think we are still failing at somewhat. We continue to work on 'revealing the fun' as early as possible, as we believe that the late game once mastery of the controls has been achieved is very enjoyable -the ramp to that point *can* be less so. 

Thank you again for taking the time, we really do listen, and we do appreciate it. Look forward to seeing the VOD when you are ready. 

Cheers!
Rollmop.