Is this game too hard?

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Socoder -> Concept/Design -> Is this game too hard?
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 05:21
Phoenix	I got an idea for a puzzle game (don't know if it's been done before). I made a quick version of it, just to see if the gameplay would work. But I'm not sure if it's too hard, or if I'm a really bad level maker. You use the arrows to slide, and when you glide over a blue block it turns orange. However, if you slide over it again, it goes back to blue. The goal of the game is to make everything orange. Black blocks are walls (stops the slide), and red tiles act a bit like walls but you can walk over the when you've stopped. Try it out and you'll understand how it works (hopefully ). Download the game. I've added a simple editor into the game. Just click the mouse to change a tile at the mouse position, and push any of the four first number keys to change the tile you want to place: 1 = Wall 2 = Orange tile 3 = Red block 4 = Blue tile The green block is you, and you can change your position by holding down space and moving the mouse. Push the "R" key to reset all the orange tiles. Alright, what I want to know is, if you think this is a good idea or if should throw it away and think of something else? I've tried to make a few levels, but they're so hard to beat. The one you see when you start the game is quite hard, I think, but it is possible.
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 05:28
Jayenkai	At the minute, it's too hard.. But with some nicely layed out introductory levels, it'd be much easier to grasp. And with your artistic talents, I'm sure you can make it ever more impressive. -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 06:01
Phoenix	Hmm, maybe there's something I should change to make it easier. Nice art and introductions won't really solve the problem, I think.
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 06:51
Jayenkai	No, the gameplay isn't too hard. The level design is the issue. If you had a nice introduction that got you used to the way the game played, then that's good enough. I mean, try a few really basic levels in the editor. A figure 8 with a red square in the middle, and that kind of thing. Once the player's gotten used to the game's features, and more importantly, to your style of level design, and your frame of mind.. That's when you can start to go crazy with the levels. I'm 100% sure that the level included in the prototype is easily doable, once you've figured out the right path. Maybe add a couple of pickups along the way to help guide the player. (And have pickups become plain red squares when the difficulty level is raised.) -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 08:10
Phoenix	Ah, I see your point I made some smaller levels and they were significantly easier. But what do you mean by pickups?
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 15:09
Jayenkai	Like a little gem, scattered at strategic places throughout the level. Not a "Blindingly obvious path" through the level, more.. .. um.. If the first gem is against the wall on your left, then you know to start doing the level by going left. Of course, in later levels you could then start to freak out the player by putting them in "Easy" places which would then screw up their route through the level. -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 16:37
steve_ancell	May I suggest adding another square, something like being able to go over it once but then becomes solid. If you have a Amstrad CPC emulator, search on one of the CPC websites for a game called "Last Of The Smileleys". Or failing that, I could email the game rom to you. It would be a good game to grab some more ideas from.
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 16:39
steve_ancell	LINKAGE... www.cpczone.net/index.php?game=2083
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 17:31
steve_ancell	Even Better Linkage... Download it from here !. www.homecomputerworld.com/l-cpc.html
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 17:35
Jayenkai	I'm sure that you already have this, but Caprice is a decent CPC emulator. Personally, though, I would shy away from any influences. This seems to be a nice enough project to do on your own, and to turn it into just another clone would be a shame. -=-=- ''Load, Next List!''
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 17:42
steve_ancell	Caprice... Snap, very acurate emulator.
Sat, 04 Aug 2007, 19:26
JL235	I agree with Jay, you need some introductory levels, but the idea itself isn't too hard. As for design, if you fully abstract drawing and processing the game world you could do something like Lumines where the levels completely change their graphics.