At first I thought this was a text based adventure – a genre that I like. However, I soon found a few issues that held back my enjoyment.
I found the text to be quite dense and leaning heavily towards 'tell' rather than 'show.' It left me wishing for an way to skip it all.
As for the choices, it was challenging to discern if they truly held consequences beyond the "DIE" option/joke. The lack of clarity here left me completly disconnected from the intro/text.
I was puzzled by the combat system. I couldn't quite grasp the mechanics. What did the dagger do? How blocking works? What were those mysterious green orbs? What did the numbers mean? And what was the deal with the skull drop? Even on the easiest difficulty setting, I found the game seems impossible to beat.
It's a bit frustrating that players have to sit through minutes of text for each attempt.
I wish the game was focused in one aspect (text or combat), with more clarity in the mechanics, consequences and objectives.
Hey there, Zizaco, thanks a lot for taking the time to share your feedback. I genuinely appreciate your insights, and I can see where you're coming from on many points.
You're absolutely right about the lack of a skip text option – it was indeed a result of time constraints that I couldn't implement it, but it's a valid concern.
I'd like to clarify the "Die" ending; it's not meant as a joke but rather the game's true ending and central to the theme of "Death of a Hero." I understand it might not have aligned with your expectations, but it's what I felt fit the theme best.
Regarding choices, they primarily influence your character's build. The story's focus was initially meant to be on the narrative itself, as the intention was for players not to break the amulet. However, I got carried away creating the battle system, and time slipped away from me. If you check my Git history, you'll probably notice me working on it right up until the end.
I'm sorry to hear that the battle mechanics were confusing. I had a hunch that might be the case, but I didn't invest the time needed to make them more user-friendly.
You and the two playtesters had difficulties with the "Break Amulet" ending. I did try to improve it to some extent, but once again, time constraints got the better of me.
The game offers three endings:
- The "Good" ending is achieved by not using the amulet. The idea here was to adhere to the theme of "Opposite Day" by creating an experience that encourages non-interaction. I understand your perspective may differ.
- In the "Bad" ending, you die at the hands of the necromancer and are revived, albeit not in animated form, but rather as a pile of bones.
- The "Bad2" ending involves solving a puzzle and defeating the necromancer. This ending is even grimmer, as the text becomes nearly unreadable, and you find yourself trapped in the crypt, doomed to decay.
Regarding the fight itself, here's a breakdown: The skeletons act when the green bar fills up. The red number represents their life, while the yellow indicates their attack. If they're not adjacent to you, they'll try to get closer. If they can't attack, their attack stat increases by one. The necromancer remains inactive until you collect the orbs. To collect an orb, move next to it and click when the action bar is displayed on the screen.
Your choice at the start of the game impacts what you have access to in this fight. To make it easier, choosing the noble will grant you a red potion that can heal 25 HP when you're ready. Opting for the Warrior or Mage will make the battle considerably more manageable. Use your whirlwind or fireball attack to target the skeletons with the highest attack stats. Eliminating the skeletons has a chance to turn them into orbs.
Originally, this battle was meant to involve a tug-of-war mechanic where the necromancer collected orbs. However, due to the negative feedback about combat, I'm actually relieved I didn't invest more time in that aspect.
Overall, I genuinely appreciate your well-thought-out feedback. While I may not agree on all fronts, I do respect your perspective. Although the story, which was the focal point of the game.
I was invested in the narrative at the beginning, dying on the combat a few times without understanding the influence on the build made me think it was not important.
Thank you for the explaination, I can see the potention of the game much clearer now! :)
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At first I thought this was a text based adventure – a genre that I like. However, I soon found a few issues that held back my enjoyment.
I found the text to be quite dense and leaning heavily towards 'tell' rather than 'show.' It left me wishing for an way to skip it all.
As for the choices, it was challenging to discern if they truly held consequences beyond the "DIE" option/joke. The lack of clarity here left me completly disconnected from the intro/text.
I was puzzled by the combat system. I couldn't quite grasp the mechanics. What did the dagger do? How blocking works? What were those mysterious green orbs? What did the numbers mean? And what was the deal with the skull drop? Even on the easiest difficulty setting, I found the game seems impossible to beat.
It's a bit frustrating that players have to sit through minutes of text for each attempt.
I wish the game was focused in one aspect (text or combat), with more clarity in the mechanics, consequences and objectives.
Hey there, Zizaco, thanks a lot for taking the time to share your feedback. I genuinely appreciate your insights, and I can see where you're coming from on many points.
You're absolutely right about the lack of a skip text option – it was indeed a result of time constraints that I couldn't implement it, but it's a valid concern.
I'd like to clarify the "Die" ending; it's not meant as a joke but rather the game's true ending and central to the theme of "Death of a Hero." I understand it might not have aligned with your expectations, but it's what I felt fit the theme best.
Regarding choices, they primarily influence your character's build. The story's focus was initially meant to be on the narrative itself, as the intention was for players not to break the amulet. However, I got carried away creating the battle system, and time slipped away from me. If you check my Git history, you'll probably notice me working on it right up until the end.
I'm sorry to hear that the battle mechanics were confusing. I had a hunch that might be the case, but I didn't invest the time needed to make them more user-friendly.
You and the two playtesters had difficulties with the "Break Amulet" ending. I did try to improve it to some extent, but once again, time constraints got the better of me.
The game offers three endings:
- The "Good" ending is achieved by not using the amulet. The idea here was to adhere to the theme of "Opposite Day" by creating an experience that encourages non-interaction. I understand your perspective may differ.
- In the "Bad" ending, you die at the hands of the necromancer and are revived, albeit not in animated form, but rather as a pile of bones.
- The "Bad2" ending involves solving a puzzle and defeating the necromancer. This ending is even grimmer, as the text becomes nearly unreadable, and you find yourself trapped in the crypt, doomed to decay.
Regarding the fight itself, here's a breakdown: The skeletons act when the green bar fills up. The red number represents their life, while the yellow indicates their attack. If they're not adjacent to you, they'll try to get closer. If they can't attack, their attack stat increases by one. The necromancer remains inactive until you collect the orbs. To collect an orb, move next to it and click when the action bar is displayed on the screen.
Your choice at the start of the game impacts what you have access to in this fight. To make it easier, choosing the noble will grant you a red potion that can heal 25 HP when you're ready. Opting for the Warrior or Mage will make the battle considerably more manageable. Use your whirlwind or fireball attack to target the skeletons with the highest attack stats. Eliminating the skeletons has a chance to turn them into orbs.
Originally, this battle was meant to involve a tug-of-war mechanic where the necromancer collected orbs. However, due to the negative feedback about combat, I'm actually relieved I didn't invest more time in that aspect.
Overall, I genuinely appreciate your well-thought-out feedback. While I may not agree on all fronts, I do respect your perspective. Although the story, which was the focal point of the game.
Thanks for the response Brandon!
I was invested in the narrative at the beginning, dying on the combat a few times without understanding the influence on the build made me think it was not important.
Thank you for the explaination, I can see the potention of the game much clearer now! :)