itch.io

• Made tons of improvements to the game after getting feedback on Redit. 
• Baddies are badder-er.
• Backgrounds are prettier. 
• Added start of a visual effect for the install panels, a ray of sunlight that comes down from the sky.

Also decided to sign up for a Steam page so that I can begin the arduous task of collecting wish lists!

And for folks who happen to be in Madison, WI I'll be hosting a playtest event at NerdHaven Arcade on Cottage Grove Rd! October 8th, 2pm-6pm we'll be setup to run through the game with folks!

On my birthday 9 months ago I posted my first gameplay gif to reddit and got some very critical and valid feedback. I was told that I needed to improve the look and feel of my 2d-platformer game before I shared it any further.  

I took the criticism to heart, hired an illustrator (who is also a co-worker at our day job in the solar industry) and worked with an animator to create the sprite sheets. I then spent way longer than you'd expect learning how Unity's Animator works, attempting to bypass it with Playmaker, and then finally having it click in to place one super productive evening. The result is a game that I believe looks far better, and it "feels" pretty good to play as well !

Now I could use some help deciding what to focus on. This is very much a nights/weekends hobby for me, time is limited, but focusing on improvements that will result in more interest from a core group of supporters is my main objective.  If this where your game, what would you focus on next:  Deciding between the most impactful but difficult option (#1)and the easier to implement 

1.  Improving the "baddies" in appearance and function . The "coal chunk chuckers" which are currently just black blobs that don't move, and the tornado which currently looks like a 5 year old drew it.  Making the bad guys look cooler and chase down the character will clearly make the install seem more interesting. 
2. Effect/Splash/Animation when panels are installed.  I think some sort of "flash/firework or other visual indication when every panel is installed would make the game look more interesting. 
3. Make/improve background and stationary items (like house). I think a slick parallax background might make the game look more professional, and that the houses could look a lot more polished and professional.
4. Choose your own suggestion: If you think there is something more glaring I should focus on, or a better opportunity to focus on, please let me know!

After:

For those who haven't figured it out yet, Clean Energy Creatures is about a Disc-Golf Loving Alien, Sent to Earth to Save us, One Solar Panel at a Time! 

Links if you're interested in following along:

twitter: https://twitter.com/CleanEnergyFun

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleanenergyfun

website: CleanEnergyCreatures.com

itch.io: https://cleanenergyfun.itch.io/clean-energy-creatures

Building a community around a game sounds hard, but I suppose you have to start somewhere, and I've heard itch.io has the most understanding and helpful indie game lovers around. Hopefully I can meet a few folks who are interested in helping provide feedback on the early prototype.