I agree that slowly learning and understanding the mechanics over time is a plus! I also sympathize with learning the intricacies of a game's strategy only to have them change out from under you when the game updates. You are of course always welcome to play older versions of the game using the itch app (which saves them all and allows you to go back to replay them)
Could you say more about why the bomb is an "antithesis" to what the game was
Again - this is just my opinion and should not be taken as everyone's opinion or objective fact - most media is better with a "target audience." By starting out with a concept but then changing things to make them have "something for everybody" and simplify for a lower skill floor, you can dilute and weaken a game. Instead of being a great game for many, it could become a good - or even okay - game for all.
That is not to say accessibility features are a bad thing. I am one of the people that wouldn't mind an easier "story mode" for beginners to enjoy difficult games like soulsbornes and roguelikes. I just don't want it to be the default, be the baseline for balancing, or have the game take away key concepts of the game.
Imagine "losing your souls and having to retrieve them" was too complex or difficult for some players, so they changed it to "you lose some souls every time you die." While that concept can work - and has worked in other games - it changes the balance of the game and how players would approach it. It also changes the atmosphere.
To me, that is the "bomb in the new version of your game. The clock might be hard for some to understand, but can be figured out, and tying everything to card flips instead of rounds makes a big difference in how people would play the game. As long as you have rounds to spare, you have less tension than worrying and strategizing over card flip values vs how much time they eat. You may know you have tons of time NOW, but you also know those minutes add up.
I get what you're saying. If the time system was the main thing we wanted people to pay attention to then we would not have changed it.
The way I see it, the game is first and foremost a push-your-luck game. I love those juicy decisions about whether I want to be greedy or not. To me, the time system wasn't important for that, so I'm OK making that part a little less deep in exchange for it being easier to understand *so that* we can add more complexity elsewhere in the game later on.
For me, the game seemed both balanced around, and had the risk-reward feeling improved, by the time system. But we clearly have different ideas, and as you are the one making it, you clearly know your vision more than I. Either way, the game is sure to be fun, and I am probably in the minority on this.
Also, it is impressive and admirable how you take the time to read and respond to everyone's comments both here and elsewhere. You really make this feel like a community and show you care. Thank you.
Thanks for saying that! I enjoy responding to comments (I think on some level I still am the little kid version of myself that is just happy that people are playing a thing I made).
There's a classic saying about creative work that I agree with: if a playtester has a problem it's correct. If they have a solution it's probably wrong (and so the goal is to talk to folks until you get to the underlying problem that is causing them to say that solution). Many times talking with players I've found real important issues to resolve!
I'm not sure if you were playing the game this early, but it used to not have any hints. I made a perk that added some hints and suddenly that was most players favorite perk to the extent that they would reroll and even restart the game to get it. After that we added hints to the game and it got way better overall!
Anyway all that to say I really value any feedback that players share. Even if we don't end up following the exact suggestions, the sentiment usually winds its way into our design meetings and we try to figure out the feelings underlying the suggestions. So thanks for sharing your experience and for being polite and considerate about it!
