Can safely say that v0.2 is a worse experience than v0.1, the save system being locked behind a paywall is an awful idea in the early game since you're stuck with the luck based coin flip to gain height, and the new chase stage which is now way too hard for the early game, she moves WAY too fast. The pigs also were a stupid roadblock, and at one point got stuck in a position that meant I got caught by her 5 times in a row. Absolute Garbage placement. The Marry Me Option providing an actual Game Over also meant I lost my progress because I didn't want to save since I only had 60 height, and that's never fun. I don't care if as you said, "it's to protect the player" because it's not. How does it protect the player? That doesn't mean anything. It's to prevent Save Scumming, that's literally the only thing it's doing. It's also causing more dead games than it should be, and that's never good game design.
I would like to have discussion with you but got a feeling how you worded you post your emotions are at a all time high.
Also doubt you will listen to me as you said yourself "I don't care"
But I will try anyway,
1. Save system costing has 4 reasons.
- in Version 1 people abused the save feature they played out Lyra and Alisa before Syrianna showed up. I want to avoid that happening in the future for any so it can't "break the game"
- Some girls run on custom plugins (Also reason F5 is bad in the notes) that people refreshing the game a lot breaks the game again. (this is limitation of RPG maker)
- and my opinion save is to save the game not a cheat system, you can still save abuse but in return you have to donate something to another girl.
- Lore, It's weird to able to checkpoint the game lore wise as the player don't have inherent time powers so why not open up a shop you can buy saves from (like the limited saves from Resident Evil)
2. Alisa speed didn't change, you actually gained speed as you move forward in the right direction for the QTE
3. Pigs you can kill if you big enough.
4. Marry Me option is there to stay as forcing yourself onto her will backfire, Don't forget they are not human.
If you want to discus it, I'm down for it.
I tend to agree with you on the cost for saving. I do not feel like the first version of the second game is hard at all (the other skilled based ones are also not that hard to get the hang off, at least in my opinion). So I do not feel like the game has a high skill floor preventing players from surviving possible bad luck with the RNG elements (and even then you can always restart if you lose the first 5 coin tosses at the start).
So keeping a small cost for saving to prevent players from ruining the tension left in the game feels like a good idea.
I am open to discussion, and listening, but you're making it out that my criticism is invalid when you word it like that, just to let you know.
1. Looking at it from a Design perspective the fact you got mad that people save scummed should not be a reason to limit saves. The fact that it could break the plugins is another thing, and it's on the fault of coding that it even happens (Probably RPGMaker knowing how stable it can be when doing anything outside the basics) and should be the first and only reason you give people. Your Opinions don't factor into what is and is not good Game Design. As it stands 20 is too steep a cost for early in the game, and sending someone back to the very start of the game if they get unlucky with the coin toss, and don't want to spend what little they might have on a save is frankly bad design. If I wanted a cost based save system I'd make it so the first time is either free or Low Cost, then increase it as you get further in the game.
2. I compared, Alisa did get faster, she's moving at a higher speed than she was before, while the player feels slower. The speed boost for the QTE lasts 1 second, and then she's right back to where she was before, and is constantly getting closer. If this is not supposed to be happening then the encounter is broken.
3. IF you're big enough. If you're not then they're a roadblock. That's bad design. There is also nothing to communicate that you CAN kill them, because the tutorial text is the same as the last version, where the pigs did not exist.
4. That was more venting on my part. I had 60 height, didn't want to waste 20 on a Save, and was forced to start over. It was frustrating, and not in a good way.
Nah your criticism is heard loud and clear like anything.
I just reacted on your first message being kinda aggressive.
And personally I don't like aggressive as it's a gate towards to toxic community, I hope you agree.
Anyway back to your points and prove feedback is heard.
1. I wasn't mad at all what players do with their save is their thing, It's just that in V0.1 people defeated Lyra and Alisa before Syrianna showed up and thought the game was bugged.
So it was done so it was less tempted to savescum but still your able to as you go net even. but anyway back to the changes
In v0.3 I removed tax on saving for early few games (8 games)
The shop will be locked at the same time to avoid accidental donations.
2. This is hard to get right as some players do this currently so fast that the movement ai bugs (rpgmaker thingy) maybe I add a slow down version for her in V0.4 when I add a easier mode,
however I know for sure this will break her move ai as player moves to fast.
3. I will add a dialog the tutorial that you can smash piggy and as well that Alisa can smash through objects.
4. Understandable
Are you satisfied with the answers?