The As-Of-Yet Unnamed Game

[VengefulPastry]

After reading around the IndieGamer site, this forum seems to be the right place to submit games for peer review, so here goes....

The Game (http://www.cernunnos.cc/users/scarroll/gamedemos/gladiatorbeta.zip)


The game can best be summed up as Mail Order Monsters meets Car Wars. You create a Gladiator from a base stock vehicle, and modify it with various upgrades to make the ultimate gladiatorial vehicle. Then, you pit it in the Arena in a one-on-one bout against the AI or another human via LAN connection. In addition to standard last-gladiator-standing-wins bouts, you can engage in sub-games such as HoverBall or Capture the Flag.

The Demo game is a 12MB zip file.... it is not yet in a professional package with an installer/uninstaller/automatic shortcut, etc, so you will need to open the Gladiator Beta folder and double click the "THE GAME" to start it.

I don't have any screenshots yet, but if they would be helpful in deciding if you want to download 12MB...

The game has no title yet; that is one of the things I need help with! I am looking for help with:

Bug testing: I don't have my official company site up yet (won't even start until my program reaches v.99), but I am using my friend's personal site to catch commentary/bug reports at this forum. (http://cernunnos.cc/cgi-bin/yabb/yabb.pl?board=v1.0bugs)

...or you can email me here (VengefulPastry@aol.com).


Fun testing: This is most important, I think, and I am looking for any and all commentary, especially in game balance, and would even enjoy commentary to the effect of "this sucks" as long as it includes opinion of "why" it sucks...

Ideas for features: Always on the lookout for new ideas, and it is not too late to make changes.

In-game help: If the game is too complicated, what should be explained for the player?

A name: The game needs an appropriate name. I never thought this would be the hard part about making a game.

Business/Legal: I will read through this site and other similar sites, but would still appreciate any experienced advice when it comes to legal disclaimers/marketing/anything to do with business.

Anyway, please try it out, and let me know if you enjoy it!

[VengefulPastry]

I made some screenshots, so it is easier to decide if this is "your kind of game" before downloading 12MB (not a big deal for high speed connections, but over an hour for normal dial-up can be annoying):

Khaki Krustacean gets a refit (http://www.cernunnos.cc/users/scarroll/gamedemos/screen01.jpg)

The Cloud Dragon vs Will O Wisp (http://www.cernunnos.cc/users/scarroll/gamedemos/screen02.jpg)

Sobek vs The Cooper and his evil "pidgeons" (http://www.cernunnos.cc/users/scarroll/gamedemos/screen03.jpg)

Vengeful Pastry takes on 3 Invaders (http://www.cernunnos.cc/users/scarroll/gamedemos/screen04.jpg)

[tolik]

I wasn't able to go in-game. Too complex from the early beginning.

[Greg Squire]

...The game has no title yet; that is one of the things I need help with! I am looking for help with:...

How about "Monsters of Steel" or "Titans of Steel"?

BTW, I didn't know pastries could get vengeful. I have to watch out for them next time at Krispy Kreme. :p

[VengefulPastry]

Too complex from the early beginning.
What would you suggest in the tutorial to make it more understandable?


I wasn't able to go in-game.
Meaning, due to complexity, you didn't know what to do, or the game crashed?


--------------------------



How about "Monsters of Steel" or "Titans of Steel"?

I was thinking along those lines.... or if somehow I could include "Gladiator" and/or "Arena" it would seem appropriate as well. And something to make it sound slightly futuristic.



BTW, I didn't know pastries could get vengeful.

Now you know to keep your eyes open... they're out there.

[tolik]

You know, I'm seeing dozens of games daily (new and old, it's my job), but I can't remember such high level of complexity preventing me from playing anything (I wasn't able to find a proper way to start :D )

You have to simplify everything, don't give such many options from the very beginning. Start with less, move to more.

Clean, bright and user intuitive interface is a must even for a prototype. I've seen unnamed buttons which were clickable...

[VengefulPastry]

but I can't remember such high level of complexity preventing me from playing anything
Does the shareware audience, in general, shy away from complexity? Would a more indepth tutorial help, or would it have the opposite effect (people who don't like complex games also don't like reading tutorials)?



Clean, bright and user intuitive interface is a must even for a prototype. I've seen unnamed buttons which were clickable...

I could brighten up the interface a little- but like many indies, I'm not much of an artist. Have to go with simple patterns and such...

As for the unnamed buttons- I do have some buttons that are "darkened" and unavailable, but all clickable buttons do have a function. Do you think I should make it more obvious that the darkened out buttons are disabled for the current screen? Or, perhaps, your suggestion is just to remove them entirely if they do nothing, instead of just subduing the color?

[tolik]

Wow, that goes too-indepth.

I would recommend you some good UI book, how about "User Interface Design For Programmers" from Joel? This one can be read for fun, very interesting and has hundreds of points which become "obvious" after the proper explanation.

[VengefulPastry]

Does anybody know of some other indie sites, that have feedback request forums like this one, and have more interest in action-strategy type games?