How do you like Bobo The Cat? It's my first game and all assets are made by myself.
Thank you for your kind words I am really happy that you enjoy my game. It means a lot to me.
I am a bit surprised that the games volume is low on your device. The master volume is most likely still on the default 100%. So I dont't know what is going wrong. When I mixed the games Sounds and Music I did it by comparing it to other games and albums. When I play my game with Headphones I turn my PCs loudness to 16% .
I am very sorry but as long as others don't have the same problem I don't know how to solve this.
If someone else reads this, do you have the same issue?
The only thing I can think of is that you migh mean the semi dynamic volume which is used so the different parts of the music have a greater effect.
The only advice I can give you as long as this is not a bug, that the game is best played with headphones or a good music system. But I guess this is not really a very helpful advice.
Thanks for checking that out. I've reviewed the sound environment on my end and it's now fine.
I've been playing the game for about 2 more hours since then, and it's really full of surprises and excitement and a lot of fun. I can't put it better because it would be a spoiler, but it is really really really awesome!!!!!!!!
My video is featured! Thank you!!!!
I got as far as getting 3 dice today.
I just failed at the last minute in a puzzle that took me a while there and had to start over again.
Usually I go crazy and give up when that happens, but in the case of Bobo The Cat, I was like, "This is a challenge from the author and I absolutely want to solve this puzzle! I realized that I had developed a sense of trust in the game during my gameplay so far.
This was a very interesting experience and a lot of fun, because I could feel the "trust in the work" that people are rumored to have when creating a game!
I have seen most of it. Some parts even live.
I was rooting for you and when you died after collecting the item you get for defeating enemys with fruits my heartbeat almost stopped and I admired your patience. When players get stuck or die I empathize with them and feel responsible.
I thank you alot for your trust in my work.
I hope this is okay:
If you want to see it live just download the latest version. If you want a different name or color I can change it.
Awesome!!! The colors are exactly what I was hoping for if I could be introduced as a play tester, thank you!!!!
The game is not 100% clear yet and I will continue to play it, but I will write feedback on what I have cleared.
What I like about Bobo The Cat is that the stages are very thoughtfully designed.
Usually when I play a game like Metroidvania, I don't explore every inch of the map, but just take the items I can get and move on.
However, as I continued to play, I noticed that the stages were very elaborate.
For example, when I moved blocks through a 4-square-wide vertical hole in Neon Lair, I noticed that the return route was also well designed when I had to turn back to that path soon afterwards. In this area, each item you acquire becomes more challenging.
As I felt this while playing the game, I developed a sense of trust in the game, and I wanted to get all the items I could as much as possible.
Also, I liked the fact that the map played a big role as a clue in solving the puzzle.
There is nothing about any of the places that I didn't like!
But that's probably because I fell in love with the work, and once that happens, I can forgive even if something unreasonable happens during gameplay, which is why I have this opinion.
Considering the situation that didn't happen, I thought it was a little unkind to make it hard to understand where you don't know if you can advance with the skills you currently have, for example, where you have to make a big jump from the water to advance.
However, if it were too kind, I would lose the sense of accomplishment of having carved out a path through trial and error by myself, so I myself like the current state of the game.
Last but not least, it really was a great gaming experience, thank you!!!
Thank you very much. Not many people know of my game but the feedback of you and the others is so posetively overwhelming that the work I put into this game has already paid off.
And sorry for the water. I always feel pain when someone struggles in my game because I feel responsible.
When I designed the game I thought the watermechanics would be comparable to big gaps where players instinctively know they have to run and jump to cross them. I did not intend to frustrate you. When I designed this game I tried to see it from the players perspective but everyone has a different playstyle and way of thinking so this is almost impossible. And the truth is I am only a single small cat running over the keyboard .
I am happy that you enjoyed the art direction of my game.
I am not completely sure if I understood your criticism. It would be easier to understand it if I knew how far you got. I put a lot of thought in the physics and could explain every little decision but from the sound of it the issue might be that you maybe only played 30 minutes or so and didn't even get to the point where you collect the running- and jumpingupgrades. That would be an easy explanation because I purposefully designed the game in a way that you feel much more agile with every upgrade (and until the end you constantly learn new things) and I took some risks to achieve this. It might be the case that you judged this aspect too early but I can't tell, perhaps it's really just not your cup of tea and I wouldn't be angry if that was the case. The zoom of the game is on purpose as well, the first reason is that it is the same zoom as most modern Jump'N'Runs use (Mario included) and the second one is that later in the game you can run really fast and you need to see enemys early enough to react to them.
It would be helpful if you could tell me how far you got
and by strange jumping controls did you mean the fact that Bobo instantly stops when you don't press any direction instead of the slippery weightoriented physics of super mario?
I thank you for your feedback and I hope it doesn't come across as impolite that I try to discuss this.
No, not impolite at all, don't worry.
I wouldn't say i only played 30 minutes, i think i played for an hour or so. Or maybe it just *felt* longer, idk. But i didn't get neither the jump or run power-ups as you thought, yeah. See, i might be the one being impolite for not having played so much of your game !
I can understand building your game so that evey upgrade feels deserved and empowering, but i still think the movement without these two upgrades i'm supposed to get later is too hard to master, too tight. At least for me. What made me let quit the game on my first playthrough was when i was getting the pieces of Heart after having climbed down from the vines in the sky, not so long after getting that ability. The level-design made it look like i had to get all the heart pieces, which led me into what seemed like 20 more minutes of play without those jump and run power-ups i was expecting impatiently. I didn't want to get through another 20 minutes of slow progression through small gauntlets.
Don't get me wrong, having no jump in a platformer is very interesteing and i can see you tried (successfully) to provide interesting situations without the ability to jump. But that jump is such a basic ability nowadays, i felt so incapacitated comapred to other games, and the narrative didn't provide any hint as to when or even *if* i would even get that ability... all of that tried my luck a bit too far that evening. And i can see a good portion of others get impatient too.
Maybe if i had some other active ability to compensate for that... the climbing ability was a good idea ! but not really creative, as you can only climb on pre-set vines...
ok ok i'm getting too far.
I'll stop writing my thoughts now because clearly i haven't gone too far into the game for now. I did want to give it another go, play through another session to see where i could get too and if i could find more enjoyment in the following levels. So I'll get back to you when i have more time with your game ;)
Now I know where you are. You don't have to do it the slow way, the first running-abilty is in a room next to the room with the life-containers it should even be marked on the map with a blinking red light. And you don't have to collect all life-containers but I strongly recommend it because the first boss is near and after the boss you will learn to jump and soon reach the next world with different music and setting. But thats not even scratching the surface of what you can discover and learn .
I hope you will like my game better after that but I can't guarantee it. It's still a matter of taste even so I can assure you that I tried my best to make an enjoyable game but I didn't care too much for conventions and sometimes broke rules of game design on purpose and that might not be for everyone.
You could try the 30FPS Mode. You can activate it by pressing '3' on your keyboard. It might be that your game is running too slow. The 30FPS mode is much lighter on the hardware.
Oh wow, that's cool to hear! I like how this game's world feels like an interesting collection of platforming challenges/puzzles and how previous level mechanics will come back and be remixed into other ideas.
I like about your games that they have everything that many modern games are lacking. Atmospheric OST, lots of experimentation, and this personal, handmade, passionate style.
Thank you. I take the opinions of players very seriously.
My next games will be easier. After death you will be teleported back to the last place you slept but you won't lose any map-data, upgrades, collectibles or solved puzzles. This is much easier to program anyway. With this compromise the games will be less hard but there will still be something at stake.
I personally find a weird enjoyment in the repetition of mastering certain platforming skills - but it's very finnicky to find the balance between training and annoyance, which I'd not blame people for failing to balance correctly. it is tough - and it surprises me how natural and often I've felt like I've been given training by the game and its puzzles, so that's a plus for your game still :3
also, what's your next game going to be about? will it be with the same art style and story, or something newer?
It's similar for me. I like games with a SNES-like difficulty level, where you get better and better and everything is quite exciting. With many modern games that are just sadistic, it happens that I fail in the same spot for 3 hours and have to realize that it's not going to work. In good games, on the other hand, I just have to find the right strategy or try again the next day with full concentration.
My next games will be a byproduct of me preparing the groundwork for Bobo The Cat 2.
They will contain new assets, reused assets and placeholders. The games will be independent and different from each other.
It took me 5 years and thousands of hours to make Bobo1 and it might be the same with Bobo2. So this is a good solution to reduce the time players will have to wait for the next game.
I am gradually trying to improve the graphics. The sprites will be in full HD instead of just HD resolution but it will still be a cartoony style. Don't expect something like "Ori". There is only so much one single cat can do after going to work.
I think the story of a Jump'N'Run should only cover the frame plot. Take for example Klonoa 2, the story was nice but actually unnecessary and slowing down the pace. But that's just my opinion, I don't want to offend anyone.
I wasn't sure what you meant by something newer but I hope I answered your question.
indeed! I personally do still enjoy the feeling of free-choice. however, sometimes a linear ame, but with vague hints and directions, gives that same feeling. it doesn't guide you exactly where to go, but it still gives you the feeling of what to do and how to do it. but it also encourages to make it your own feeling.
It's just like any puzzle/assignment honestly. you're never given the correct answers, like some modern games do, where they're almost like an extensive tutorial for hours on end.
I also like that you could've just re-used assets and concepts, for certain mechanics, and could've added less details, to present the same concept, but you still go out of your way to add more sprites, and details for those aspects. like for instance: the wolves could've just been sped up birds, without a leash - but you added so much to them and their design, to fit the theme! I genuinely must admit that they got me really spooked at first, and it was a lovely experience!
your upcoming game(s) sound really neat, and it perfectly answers my question!
I think that you could include more of a story if you'd like to - but never really limit it to a cutscene or a dialogue box. sort of incorperating it into the gameplay. although that's what you've already done, with the level transitions, and themes which are presented!
speaking of the assets for your new game: do you want any help with it? I am familiar to pixelart, go to art school currently, enjoy composing music, and other creative things. could even lend you some 3D modelling skills, since I enjoy that too. I sadly know nothing about coding to be honest - but am somewhat interested in puzzle designs and level designs.
understandable if you'd want to work on it solo - but I'd be very willing to give a helping hand :3
If you get stuck, you can always use the 100% walkthrough video. The link can be found on the Itch.io website of this game.
For the next projects I don't need any help because they will be very small.
For Bobo 2 which comes after that, I can't estimate it yet.
Overall I think I need the painting and composing in between to recover from designing the hundreds of rooms. I think I could use help decorating or even creating some rooms. However, Game Maker doesn't allow that so easily, because rooms can't be transfered so well. Unless anyone around here knows a good solution for that problem.
This is one of the reasons why I wanted to switch to Unity. Learning the new programming language was very easy and it was fun to use. Unfortunately the manual/documentation was not as good as Game Maker's.
I had problems figuring out how to calculate complicated collisions, because unfortunately all the tutorials used prefabricated collision systems and that was too inflexible for me. That's why I didn't get any further. I had already programmed a pretty good foundation, but at that point I wondered if the transition to Unity would take too long. Because I have a lot of plans, I stayed with GM (for now).
thank you for that! after reaching the forest ruins I got a bit confused.
as said, I can't really code or anything, so I more so offered to help with the presentation, of art and music, in case you'd ever find it tedious with certain sprites, or would want a certain style. either way, I hope I remember to check in on those projects once released :3
oh yea! I've seen Rayman Origins use a neat technique, of almost making a big artwork, and then layering invisible collisions on top. so if you'd like something decorative like that, I could perhaps help. if that'd allow for more efficient room-designing, without worrying about the decoration of it.
-could also always just use sketches to draw out concepts, rather than sharing maps. I can't understand any coding language, but I can understand the concepting and puzzling that goes into it, to some extent. though it'd be understandable if a sketch wouldn't cut it for you.
ahh yes.. as I've understood it, the unity engine is way more open - which makes it easier and more difficult simultaneously. you're free from certain limitations, but it also requires you to set more detailed foundations for certain ideas and plans.
-Bobo has some of the most odd and gimmicky controls I've ever seen, and it is what adds such charm to it. the tree-climbing feels the most broken of all mechanics, for the best reasons possible. so lovingly goofy x3
would be a shame if the movement would be too basic and limited by a prefabricated system.
though does it mean you'd fancy help or not? I could present some examples of my art or music on discord if you'd like.
Actually, it's not the openness of unity that causes me problems. I had liked that. The problem was rather the opposite, that I had the feeling that they were trying to force the easy way on me. I'm sure if you know how, unity's collision detect system is better than game maker's but I hadn't found any tutorials showing me how. I watched tutorials for 3 days but they all used inflexible methods.
The system is just completely different
and figuring it out myself would have taken months.
Regarding the sprites and music I hadn't given a clear answer because I can't evaluate it yet.
It's the same with 3d models. I want to try to make some for Bobo 2 but I would only need help with it if it turns out that I will not be able to achieve the results that I need.
This year I probably won't need any help. I would definitely find something in the long run that you can contribute but it would also have to fit my game in terms of style so that it blends seamlessly.
Since the upcoming games are going further and further towards full HD, it wouldn't be pixel art anymore. Would you be able to do that?
With creating rooms I meant designing levels and with decorating I meant beautifying the rooms by placing tiles and vegetation objects.
Unfortunately, the only methods I can think of would be to either send the project back and forth or replace existing rooms with new ones. Both variations are dangerous because they can corrupt the project in the long run and Game Maker has a tendency to corrupt projects anyway.
But it would be nice to see/hear some of your art to be able to keep you in the back of my head.
oh yea! I mean, that still was what I was talking about. the openness seems quite daunting for people, and frequently, self-proclaimed "experts" and "teachers" will opt for the easier paths. it's good to have a solid base to fall onto, but it's quite the shame if people don't expand upon it. it's good to know where you CAN be lazy - but however, it is not appropriate at every point, and it is good to also give stuff some more care and consideration, which require changing things up a bit more. either way, I hope you can find some neat tutorials. want me to go on a hunt for you as well, in case I could stumble upon any magical search result? x3
well, making 3D models is easy to get into, but difficult to be efficient with, since they take quite a lot of time, depending on what you want to make. and even if you'd like to do it yourself, I could give you a personal guide for Blender during a call or something. I usually help out friends and strangers, if they aren't acquainted with the basics :3
I could always try making something a bit more HD, as it'd be a fun challenge I'd assume ^^
I see how transferring things back and forth can be quite tricky in that sense. as said, with a different stylistic approach, you get new technical possibilities, if you'd fancy that. but otherwise if you'd stick to a tilemap, rather than layer images with collision, then I suppose it'd not be as easy. at best, someone else could create the sprites - but sprucing things up would be needed to be done by you - since the transferring seemed too risky.
well, should I share things to you visa discord? as said, you mustn't promise me a spot, but I'd be happy to still present my stuff, in case anything would peak your interest ^^
want my tag, or want to send yours?
Oh that's what you meant by the easy path.
That you want to help me find tutorials is nice, but I already decided several weeks ago to stay with Game Maker for now and can't give up everything anymore.
I'll keep that in mind for later, too, with the 3D design help.
What I could also imagine, if enough people would come together, that you could then create a Bobo game together and I would only act as a director.
Just as a silly thought .
Since I can't guarantee that I'll need help, I would also, if you had fun with it, share art you create on Twitter or Youtube. Whether it's a Bobo The Cat style picture/sprite/tileset or a reinterpretation of a song from my game. As long as it's clear that it has to do with Bobo The Cat I would definitely support it if I knew about it. No matter what it is.
Another silly thought.
But I'm also still curious about your art without Bobo reference.
My tag is Bobo The Cat#8059
First of all, congratulations for completing my game and thanks for the feedback.
I have noticed that many would like to see a more modern difficulty level and I will keep this in mind in the future.
I also have a plan to make the bosses much fairer.
There will definitely be more from me but for now don't expect anything as extensive as my first game.
Thanks for the feedback.
Yes, the game has a rather classical difficulty level as known from older games. I have already noticed that not everyone likes that.
The lives are saved, but only down rounded 50% of the maximum lives are replenished (if I remember correctly). For example 2 of 5 , 3 of 6 .
I am currently working on Bobo The Cat 2 and there are 3 difficulty levels there. On the standard difficulty all lives will be replenished at checkpoints. Also, when you die you are only reset to the checkpoint, but you don't lose any upgrades or solved puzzles.
What I want to say: For Bobo The Cat 1 I didn't want to compromise, because I wanted my first game to be 100% like I imagined it, but for the sequel I listen to the critics of the players.
Backtracking is possible in Bobo The Cat by the way but not immediately. I wouldn't recommend it before you learned the fast travel function anyway.
I'm not quite sure, but I think you mean the circuit keys needed in the crystal castle. This is optional. To get further you have to go to the left where the waterfall is. There you have to swim up the pool of water from the bottom to build up momentum so you can jump high enough. The rainforest leads to the ruins.
Oh yeah, in the rainforest you also get an ability, so I have to correct myself.
yeah I got it by now.
Now I'm (unwillingly and unintentionally) exploring all the catacomb like placs, each with their boss fight and chase sequence.
just got my 4th cube thing, currently in the place where you can change the moving paltforms' direction with the switch stone.
currently mostly backtracking to actiate all the portals I have seen so far.
Yes, it is at least as long as most full-priced metroidvanias. I don't think any speedrunner in the world can do it in 30 minutes. Under 5 hours would be a huge achievement even with glitches, which don't seem to exist so far.You're making good progress though. I'd say you've completed about 75% of the main game.
Do you have any good advice on how to kill those damn hell hounds?
I currently jsut visited sky village, cant advance there any further since the missing key card is likely behind a currently impossible puzzle in the west.
and on the way home, i cant really make it past that one big room with the 3 hell hounds.
I jsut dont have the skills to avoi them and they go into yellow ode as soon as you press any button.
cant manage to kill them currently
Thank you very much. I am still happy about every player and every positive feedback. :3