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Posted By
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Message
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
      
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31st May, 2009 at 21:27:10 -
Hello All,
Myself and Hayo are on the verge our new commercial game. Although first we wanted to get some feedback from the good folks here.
I've uploaded a copy of the demo here: http://www.turningthetide.info/downloads/TTTLite.exe for you all to play with. As I said this isn't the actual demo release as yet, so i'd appreciate it if any admins reading this don't front page it 
Quick thanks for Fanotherpg for all his diligent testing BTW! A great help!
Look forward to all your feedback.
Cheers,
Steve & Hayo
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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OMC
What a goofball
Registered
21/05/2007
Points
3516
     
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31st May, 2009 at 21:28:18 -
'Oly moly! I completely forgot to download that second beta! 
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W3R3W00F
Drum and Bass Fueled Psycho
Registered
08/11/2008
Points
370
 
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31st May, 2009 at 21:47:40 -
Sorry I couldn't beta test any further, Steve. My computer that the game works on doesn't let me to my email for some reason and I couldn't download the beta.  Terribly sorry.
Edit: Huh, It works on my other computer now!  I can beta test again!  
 Edited by W3R3W00F
n/a
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
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31st May, 2009 at 22:19:07 -
No probs guys. Hope you enjoy this 
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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Fanotherpg
I'm living proof
Registered
26/06/2004
Points
522
     
 
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1st June, 2009 at 09:21:11 -
I send you Steve PM. And I'll check this demo
www.therpg.pl
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alastair john jack
BANNED
Registered
01/10/2004
Points
294
 
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1st June, 2009 at 11:23:33 -
Since you wanted some feedback, I'm going to give it!
I found the indtroduction/tutorial level a bit of a bore, having to fly across that long stretch after failing it several times is a bit uninteresting.
A possible solution is to split this first level up into 2 or 3 separate levels, example: one where you can practice maneuvering/landing the plane, and another that handles targeting. This would allow a more gentle introduction to the game, and if the player makes a mistake they can just replay that specific section rather than having to go through all the beginner stuff all over again.
Once you get to the "real" levels I did manage to enjoy them a bit
Although I did get pretty tired of having to replay levels all the time for making mistakes, maybe just respawning the plane a little further behind were you die or reseting you at a checkpoint would help keep the pace going.
Edited by alastair john jack
lol
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Assault Andy
Administrator
I make other people create vaporware
Registered
29/07/2002
Points
5686
  
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1st June, 2009 at 11:25:39 -
I played for about 20 minutes and it was a really cool game. The overall presentation was good, as were the graphics and gameplay.
Here are some suggestions that I think would help improve the game:
1. During the intro you have written "Nazis march". I'm pretty sure that this should be "Nazis' march".
2. You are able to drop bombs after you have landed.
3. I think it would be a good idea to take out the enter key. If you have your left hand over wasd and your right hand on the mouse it doesn't make sense to make the player let go and press enter just to continue playing/jump dialogue. I think that it would be better to use left-click. You could use a timer to make sure that the player doesnt accidently press it too quickly, if you were worried about that.
4. My last suggestion is to do with the landing gear. Have you tried any versions where it automatically comes out as the player reaches the end? I don't think pressing S is necessary (although it is fun to make it go up and down!) if you are only using the landing gear at the end of each level (unless you use it in some later levels that I have not played.)
5. This might just be because I suck, but I had to replay the intro level at least 8 times. The first couple of times I missed the targets as I was going full speed, and it took me a few more times to kill them properly. The problem is that the player either has to memorise where the targets are, or they have to move annoyingly slow so that they don't miss them. Most players at this stage will just be wanting to speed along and get to the action! The other thing is, once you miss the targets, the tutorial continues until landing - which is pointless if it is not possible to succeeed.
6. Is the shooting supposed to stop after a certain while? If so, I understand that you probably don't want the player spamming the shoot button, but would it be possible to put in maybe an 'overheat' or 'ammo' display somewhere so that the player can tell when they won't be able to shoot and when they will be able to shoot again?
Other than those issues which I hope you will at least take into account, Turning The Tide looks like a fantastic product and I wish you all the best in selling many copies.
Creator of Faerie Solitaire:
http://www.create-games.com/download.asp?id=7792
Also creator of ZDay20 and Dungeon Dash.
http://www.Jigxor.com
http://twitter.com/JigxorAndy
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alastair john jack
BANNED
Registered
01/10/2004
Points
294
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1st June, 2009 at 11:26:47 -
lol I played the intro level 6 times! I beat your 8 
lol
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
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1st June, 2009 at 14:05:04 -
Thanks for the feedback alastair john jack and Andy. Interesting points on the induction level. I'll rethink that... perhaps make it a bit shorter.
@ Andy
1) Good point. Think i've done that twice in the intro
2) Darn it. Thought i'd fixed that.
3) Second chap to mention that. You also have to use the Enter key to eject from your plane or drop some depth charges in later levels. So i'll rethink that control.
4) I do make it go up automatically after taking off on some levels, so I suppose putting it down automatically wouldn't be a problem... although I do think it is quite fun and would take away from the whole landing the plane thing. You get bonus points for managing to land the plane (you can just eject if you want).
5) If you read the text at the bottom, the officer does tell when you're coming up on them.
6) Yeah it is. If you look in the bottom right hand corner you'll see that there is a gauge that goes up as you shoot. Perhaps I could make it glow red when you've held it down for too long.
Thanks for all the feedback so far!
Steve
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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Assault Andy
Administrator
I make other people create vaporware
Registered
29/07/2002
Points
5686
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2nd June, 2009 at 04:20:43 -
Okay Steve I just played again. Here is some more feedback in response to your reply.
I didn't notice the shooting thing in the bottom right. I saw it was there at first but I probably just assumed it was to do with speed. It is sort of strange because the top left meter with your speed actualy looks like a clip of ammo, while the bottom right gauge that monitors the shooting overheat actually looks like a speedometer!
I think it would be a good idea to make it glow red when it gets into the red-zone. That would make it obvious and draw the player's eye when you have been shooting too much. It is hard to monitor how close it is to red without taking your eyes away from the action. Glowing red would allow you to tell with your peripheral vision.
In terms of that tutorial again - you're right he does say when the enemies are coming but I bet that almost everyone who plays through on their first time would fail. Here's my reasoning:
* You've just told the player how to increase their speed, so naturally the player is going to want to go full speed ahead. There is no reason not to as it's all clear skies and no other obvious restrictions.
* The player then notices that the officer is saying something else and so the player begins to read the textbox. By the time you have finished reading the first sentence, the target has already zipped past your screen if you haven't already crashed into it.
Here's a suggestion: If you want to keep it in this format, then I think the best way to do it would be to have a distance counter. Have a visible counter on the right side of the screen that counts down how many 'metres' between the player and the next target. It would be a good idea to have this counter at the same Y position as the target so that the player knows if the target is going to be in the air or in the sea.
So the introduction level would run more like this:
"We're coming upto our first target now!", and at the same time make the distance counter appear for the first target. Also increase the time between the officer saying this and before the ship appears. I counted that it was about 1 second from the text appearing to the ship going past. If you really wanted to you could create the ship at a distance relative to the speed of the player.
Ie > Create ship at (Player X + 300 * PlayerSpeed)
Another thing is the landing ship on the first level (after introduction). It looks like you should be able to land on the front part of the ship. Coming up to it I could tell that you would be able to crash into it, but I don't think everyone would find it so obvious. It's hard to discern what is background and what is not. I'm sure a few people would have even flown into the pillboxes at the start. These aren't such major issues because you have unlimited lives, and like you said, the ability to eject rather than landing. So you're right about the landing gear - it serves as a fun bonus.
Creator of Faerie Solitaire:
http://www.create-games.com/download.asp?id=7792
Also creator of ZDay20 and Dungeon Dash.
http://www.Jigxor.com
http://twitter.com/JigxorAndy
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
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2nd June, 2009 at 13:48:46 -
Thanks for the feedback Andy. Obviously I need to relook at the induction as this is crucial to hooking the player in. I'm thinking I may add some floating buoy in with a countdown in feet until the target. I'll make the heat gauge glow too
Any other feedback anyone?
Edited by Steve Harris
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
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2nd June, 2009 at 21:05:56 -
2. You are able to drop bombs after you have landed.
Andy - can't reproduce that... what level was it on?
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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markno2
Registered
06/06/2006
Points
865
 
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2nd June, 2009 at 21:33:38 -
It is pretty hard... There's hardly any time to react to anything... Put the player's plane further to the left. Everything's good, otherwise.
Discarded pizza boxes are an indispensable source of cheese.
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Steve Harris
Codito Ergo Sum
Registered
28/01/2002
Points
2032
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2nd June, 2009 at 22:12:57 -
The trouble with that marky_2 is that then you wouldn't be able to see where your bombs have landed... which is a big no-no.
http://www.create-games.com/project.asp?view=main&id=927
www.steveharris.info
www.useful-by-design.co.uk
www.aellamassemailer.com
www.turningthetide.info
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Rob Rule
Rusten Crating
Registered
22/12/2007
Points
532
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2nd June, 2009 at 22:29:22 -
The installer crashes at 25% each time for me, when installing the uninstaller. I've redownloaded it twice, and am on Vista, running as an administrator.
It'll all blow over.
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