Fantastic game! Great idea, executed really well! I've played this multiple times, and enjoyed it every time!
I feel like shuffling is too expensive though, so it's almost never worth it. The score being kept is that of Islands, not points. There aren't any big, game changing pieces as far as I can tell, and I can't predict what I can get. The math doesn't add up either. I waste 50$ so I can maybe squeeze another $20 at best? Unless i have no other choice, there's no point.
Maybe if it's cheaper, or if filling a certain percentage of the space got me a multiplier or some bonus cash, then it's a different story.
I think it would be cool if you could unlock different level themes as well. So get at least 20 Islands in the forrest levels, you unlock lava. 20 in Lava, unlock cities and so on. Could keep players coming back for more.
Finally, I think it would be pretty cool if there were some rare pieces that could be placed where you normally wouldn't. Like some tree house pieces that can be placed in forrests, or some bridge pieces that can go over rivers and lakes.
Overall, this is honestly one of the most pleasant games of the jam. I loved it! Hope to see you in more game jams! :D
Thank you so much for playing and for taking the time to give the devs detailed feedback!
I agree that shuffling is quite expensive and can feel unfair. But I'm not sure if just making it cheaper is the right thing to do. I will add "tree cutting" as a new, cheaper option for the player in the next update. That being said, the price was an arbitrary choice and could very well be unbalanced.
Multipliers are a great idea! I also want to implement some kind of permanent progression, so I definitely need a different kind of scoring system. Multipliers will be a significant part of that.
Different level themes sound amazing. They could even come with uniqe building and island shapes. That's definitely going on my to do list!
I'm always a fan of super rare items in games. Tree houses and bridges are very clever ideas!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Your ideas are fantastic and your kind words are motivating me to keep working on the game!