itch.io

Hi again! Yeah, I'm that same guy with that absolute longest reply ever. I just tried the game after it got updated and I've got to say its pretty good and I liked it just like last time.

I won't be writing a very long reply like last time but I still have some stuff to say.

I didn't actually finish the game this time but that's probably since there's more to it of course! And I really love the new direction the game is going in with the giant world. Since I didn't finish the game I'm hoping there is actually just one giant level that goes on and on and on, but if not and there is still levels then that's good too! 

Also keep in mind for my reply that I did not reach a point in the game where I obtained any brews.

I will say that clicking has become even more exhausting, which it part of the reason I kept on losing and restarting because I sometimes could NOT beat some of the clowns; especially that new skinny fast upside-down clown, he is way too beefy for his size... :') I do like the new clowns though! I didn't expect any new clowns!

1. Maybe you could really consider a click and hold mechanic or at least make that some sort of upgrade. But of course make it hard-ish to get. I really like the game but clicking so much is exhausting. Maybe I'm just not used to these types of games or what but I do not like it and I've heard some others say something about it too. But I do like to click manually when I start the level, it's just later on when in combat it gets pretty tiring. So an upgrade sounds like the best route and not have that power be given to you straight away.

2. A lot of my UI was duplicated on the top right, and there were some white boxes on the top left where all the currencies are. Again, it could just be my end but I'm just letting you know!

3. The new music is fantastic! I do miss the old level music when not in combat though, maybe that could be used for the tutorial? And yeah I've heard someone else say that the game having a tutorial is strange since the real level IS the tutorial. But I think I'm just trying to bring that music track back any way I can haha! To be specific it was the music that sounded more catchy I guess I could call it? But if licensing is an issue then oh well ignore me then!

4. I also like how the upgrade system works now and its not in a separate screen and place entirely anymore, it really keeps everything in the same place on-screen which is a good decision! Props to whoever decided that!

5. ALSO, I noticed the clowns in the dark laugh when you hover over them! I'm not sure if that was already in for the update or it was because I suggested it! But who cares they sound very creepy and it brings so much atmosphere to even the unplayable parts of the world. I also love the echo effect the laughs carry!

6. I did have quite a few glitches relating to the combat music kicking in when enemies are still off screen in the dark, especially when it was those little demon baby crawlers.

7. I did feel like my fighters were a bit too weak at times even maxed out? But maybe I just wasn't clicking enough, but like I said I got way too exhausted clicking in the Clown Hole which is no bueno. 

8. I do absolutely love the new direction you guys took with the lamp post being the main progression item! It's just perfect. Although, yeah sometimes the light can trigger clowns that aren't in view and sometimes they just hang around there. OH also sometimes they'd get stuck on blue ore and other mineables left around. This happened after I already died and restarted the level so some destroyed lamp posts sort of bugged the combat music and clowns getting stuck on blue ore where I had previously killed some of their clown buddies. And I couldn't place any lamp posts nearby to get them out of the dark since the game wouldn't let me place any lamps really close to one another. 

And yeah I couldn't do much against them since all my fighters were already dead and I couldn't get any more since combat was still going even if the clowns were in the brink between dark and light. And making your workers not available is actually a great feature because it limits you pretty good-like. But yeah clicking ferociously is no bueno...

So I'd recommend to remove mineable collision for clowns, or more complicated; tell them that there is an object in front of them and they must pathfind a way around it to reach their target. And also make lamp posts able to be placed a bit closer to one another?

9. You should make it so the player can zoom in a lot-LOT closer to see your little workers even better, and zooming in during combat would be cool to see the clowns in greater detail!

10. Overall, its a real goodie of an update! Clown Hole is reaching hole status each and everyday. 🤡 Also... please don't change the name of the game. Haha!

 

Edit: I guess I wrote a long reply again...

Haha glad to be of any help! It truly is a fun game and I just wanted to spew out a whole lot of stuff whether or not they’re good or bad ideas just to help you all out!

I’m excited to see what’s next for the game! And I’m glad that my very-very long reply is able to help in any way shape or form!

Mark sent me here and when I watched him play it I was immediately intrigued! I know you guys are probably flabbergasted to have a popular YouTuber play your game and that's exactly what you need to get the recognition your game deserves! I know as an indie dev that's my dream to have Mark play my game! Although it still needs tons of work.

I played through all the levels from start to finish in one sitting because I was so invested! Despite the wacky idea of creepy spider clowns inside a cave where humans are exploring, it just WORKS. 

I do want to give some feedback and suggestions of course just because I want to help the game become the best it can be:

1. Upper Right UI in fullscreen is cut off. Or duplicated? It could just be because its a browser game at the moment. I'm not too keen on why though. I also saw a cut-off UI button at the middle-bottom of the screen when in levels. I think it could've been the Upgrades button?

2. Music looping in Upgrade and Profit screen can be a little jarring.

3. Little mini baby clown crawlers hitboxes are a tad small. But this could be intended.

4.  The spider clown was such a fun boss it was unexpected for sure! Its great that it webs up the screen to your elevator area. So now your stuff is endangered which is exactly what you need in a game like this!

5. The final boss in the final level was less interesting because it was just staying in the same position the entire time. Maybe you could give it the ability to teleport in a random spot around the level? So then you'll have to chase it around on top of it being  a beefy buggar. And have it spread a lot more mini clown babies!

6. I have a suggestion for a new boss or an ability for an existing boss that can shoot web traps at your Miners, Fighters, and Harvesters so it stuns them temporarily and during that time they can't perform any actions.

7. Sometimes when mining the oreless rocks I was expecting something to crawl out, so maybe you can have a chance to spawn one of those mini clown babies just for fun! To be introduced to those little guys earlier on in the game?

8. Maybe you can add a new Upgrade that is a man-made trap that lets you place a trap anywhere on the level and if a clown steps in that trap it takes damage continuously and can't move temporarily until it destroys it. Buying your little guys time.

9. Maybe add balloon effects to some UI elements like popping effects like the little clown babies in the Upgrade Tree screen.

10. Make the clown in the title screen make a honking sound if you press on its nose just for fun!

11.  Make Clownsilk more necessary for crafting items. Since I felt that Clownsilk wasn't needed as much as the other currencies. 

12.  Maybe give Blue Ore a cooler name more attached to maybe some lore. Maybe it can be made from Clown Tears because they've all been recluses for centuries because nobody likes clowns anymore. And that's why they hid away to caves to separate themselves from society. And they've all evolved into these abominations over time to better suit their new pitch-black environment. And when humans learn of their existence, they obviously take advantage of them and start using materials they find from their caves in every-day fabrication. Which further drives the clowns to be hostile.

13. Maybe add subtle animations to the Profit screen where the humans breathe and things in the scene will move in-place.

14. Maybe add little flavor-text descriptions that describe the items in the upgrade menu and top left currency UI, just for a little more immersion and lore possibilities.

15. Make the little faces in the dark laugh creepily if you click on them in the levels also just for fun!

16. Maybe add slight echo effects to all sounds in the levels? I know that might be a little difficult depending on if you'll go the automated route where your game engine adds echoes for you after adding code to filter each sound. Or do the manual way to add echo effects to all your sound assets individually? I don't know, this isn't necessary but it would reinforce the fact you're in a giant cave!

17. Add a total profit summary to the Profit screen. Unless that's what the clown egg counter in the level screen was made for. Since that's technically the only currency that matters outside the levels. Or it could just be a runtime to see how long it took you to complete the level to keep it simpler.

18.  Add more ore clowns to spice up the gameplay a little bit! Since I only recall one which was a mini boss I believe. 

19. Add maybe a baby jack-in-the-box clown that jumpscares you when you break one of those oreless rocks and plays creepy doll music until you defeat it. Maybe the music can have a stunning affect on all of one type of workers. So all Miners for example would be stunned or maybe next time it can be all Fighters, or all Harvesters?

20. And for my 20th tip or suggestion or ramble or whatever you want to call this... is keep up the amazing work on Clown Hole! It's truly a beaut. I'm done rambling! I just really want this game to be the best it can be! And I know feedback/suggestions is important to the overall health and quality of a game.

Great work everyone! I hope at least one thing I said can help!

Edit: This took forever to write out... Jeez, time for me to hit the hay.

Feedback Edit:  I recall there being a glitch when the fighting music in the level started playing when  I used the Lantern item but there was nothing to fight so my suspicion is that the Lantern light was just barely on the edge of a clowns reaction radius and therefore started playing the music? But the music did not stop so I decided to just expand the light level and deal with the clown that was causing the music to play.

Suggestion Edit: I think you guys should use the front cover photo that you have for the front cover on this page; with the clown and the pickaxes for your main menu screen instead, it looks very VERY nice! Maybe even make your main logo letters be made out of rocks.

Another Edit: Also wow, I just realized you guys updated the game! I'll be sure to give it another try! I also wishlisted on Steam! :)