[Feedback Request] Time Breaker

[dntoll]

Hi

Time Breaker is an arkanoid game with 3D animated levels but with 2D gameplay.

This is the latest version of Time Breaker, it would be most kind of you to try it out!:D

Screenshots (http://www.alawar.com/games/time-breaker/screenshot1.php)

Animated Gif showing a level (http://homepage.te.hik.se/personal/ttoda/test10.gif)

Download here (http://www.alawar.com/download/TimeBreaker.exe)

We would like to get some tips on how to improve the game!

Did you have any problems during installation or starting the game?

[David De Candia]

Hi dntoll,

I liked Time Breaker. It was colourful, easy to play and had good variety in levels, backgrounds and music. There were plenty of powerups and powerdowns, and the 3d approach was one I hadn't seen before.

I particularly enjoyed shooting the wings off the ibis, and being left with these floating goggle eyes!

Also, the ability to switch to 1280x1024 was great - I'm always happy to see the higher res's supported in these kind of games.

Installed and ran etc without glitch. Music did continue on minimise, which I always think is a no-no, however.

I guess one question I asked myself a few times is: What's the target age bracket? It feels like it's for the younger market. Especially with the info text on each level. Is this right?

Things that perhaps could have been done a little better:

- Particle fx. I quite liked where you went with this - and it certainly was in theme with the game. I just didn't know about the colours. They just seemed a bit drab to me. Sometimes variations in one or two colours are better than a whole rainbow. I think particles are great when they sparkle and dazzle (see Fairies for a good example of this) - but your particles were the much more laid-back! I don't know. I guess I overdo particles in my games... So I'd be interested in what others have to say here.

- Good vs Bad powerups. The bad powerups look too attractive. I kept picking them up. To me, they still looked good, if you get my drift.

- Some of the powerups were a bit miserly. I was looking for a little more blasting time with those guns.

- I did like the droid helper. Would have liked multi droid helpers!

I guess the main problem with Arkanoid games is that in a densely populated genre, you have to do absolutely everything brilliantly to stand out. I think your 3d approach is great (love the specular shines) but to really stand out from the pack I think the particles need more jazz and perhaps a few of the sound fx also could do with some sparkle.

But that's just nit picking.

Overall, I did like it and I hope it does really well for you :)

David

[dntoll]

Thanx David for the kind words and helpful tips...

Hm multiple droid helpers might not be such a bad idea! :rolleyes:

I agree that the bad powerups look a bit to good!

[Emmanuel]

Wow, this is a *whole lot* more polished than the previous iteration you had posted here.

The only things that nagged me are that 1) when you click to get rid of a hint, that also shoots the ball and 2) the game loads for 6 hours when you start playing, even on a high-spec machine (as far as casual gamers PCs go).

The first time I started the game, I also had something very weird happening.. The game loaded and then presented me directly with the upsell screen, that only featured "Get now" with no text, and no way to click through it. I had to kill the process and start again, and it then worked fine.

screenshot (http://www.funpause.com/tb_upsell_bug.jpg) of the problem.

Congratulations for completing a very good entry to the breakout genre. (BreakQuest genre now? :))

Best regards,
Emmanuel

[janwinnicki]

Hello.

I cannot hear any sound effects :/ (xp with kx sound drivers). Music plays fine.

[dntoll]

Thanx for the feedback on those buggs...

Emmanuel: I have worked with the loading times so we will cut them down to about half of the time in the demo... (I hope :D )...

janwinnicki: Is kx some special sound drivers? Do you have any problems with openal applications with them?

[janwinnicki]

http://www.kxproject.com


I don't play games much but I've heard about problems with KX and games like Farcry (for example). But most of games I've seen works ok.

[dntoll]

http://www.kxproject.com
I don't play games much but I've heard about problems with KX and games like Farcry (for example). But most of games I've seen works ok.
Interesting stuff that kx!!!

Is any of the volume controlls set to zero (in Time Breaker)?
What kind of sound card do you have?

Thanx!

[janwinnicki]

I've checked it twice, before posting :).

Maybe you are sending sfx'es to the other device than music? (waveout or something like this... sorry, I'm not programmer :cool: ).



ps: psst... sblive.... :o

[dntoll]

I've checked it twice, before posting :).
Maybe you are sending sfx'es to the other device than music? (waveout or something like this... sorry, I'm not programmer :cool: ).

Hm we should use the same device for both soundeffects and music...:(

Na I gotta buy me one of those sblive cards to test the driver...

ps. you got some nice music there! (@nusic.pl)

[janwinnicki]

thanks :)


But... before every post I've played your game once, and... finally I've got SFX audible. I don't know why, just - they are now :). And I checked few times again and again... and it's ok now.

About KX - I think you don't have to bother. It's only for few greedy music-freaks who wanna tweak their cheap 'Creative' chips. No one else really needs it. Especially not for gamers.

[Kaos]

Is this the same build as the one in beta on Real 1 Arcade?

[dntoll]

Is this the same build as the one in beta on Real 1 Arcade?

Nope... some differences... but no gameplay or level changes

[dntoll]

Did anyone think the game was too hard for casual market? ;)

I think the game might be a bit too hardcore...

Was the first three levels to childish? :confused:

[Anlino]

I loved the one with the Super Mario items - Star, swamp and so on. My favourite from the demo. I don't think you shold worry about them being to childish - There is a child inside of us all, you know, and it is in these kind of games they pop up.

[Momor]

Congratulations I really love it ! The game runs very smoothly here, and I noticed no particular bug. I only find annoying that the pause exit control launches the ball.

About the difficulty : I find the difficulty level quite equal between all the maps.

Good job !

[dntoll]

I only find annoying that the pause exit control launches the ball.


Hm maybe we should count down from three before launching the ball after paus... or just start time slowly...

Well I have tested a few new approaches and have cut down the loading time to maybe 1/5 of the previous...

Oh and we have got our first review!!!
http://www.gameinatrix.com/wfsection+article.articleid+228.htm

[dntoll]

I loved the one with the Super Mario items - Star, swamp and so on. My favourite from the demo. I don't think you shold worry about them being to childish - There is a child inside of us all, you know, and it is in these kind of games they pop up.

Hehe Super mario rocks!