Feedback Request: turn-based space game

[techbear]

I've been working on Project Tiger, a set of technology for turn-based, square-based games. After a month of hard work, I'm ready to get some feedback.

The demo and screenshots can be found at http://www.exegame.com/tiger. This demo lets you play a random spaceship battle, and that's about it.

The demo is contained in a zip file, and has sub-directories, so don't select all the files and drag them to a folder (that will remove the sub-directories). Instead, click the Extract button, and specify a folder.

Obviously it's a work in progress, but I feel I've gotten it to the point where it can be critiqued from all angles.

Is it fun?
Is it confusing?
Are the ships too small, too blurry, too stupid?
What parts of the UI work, and which don't?
How does the UI look, and how could it be made better?
Does it run okay on your machine?

I'd be most grateful for any feedback you're willing to offer.

Thank you!!

[terin]

Well, obviously this is a very early stage of work (or at least I hope so).

It could be fun if you add the right elements of turn based strategy to it. There are numerous good examples of how to do it and obviously room for some innovative ideas. Look towards Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, Civilization, and maybe even things like Star Control.

Its not confusing for me, but it will eventually need much better documentation obviously.

Your entire graphic system is going to need an overhaul. End of story. Turn based strategy games are notorious for being the most leanient with graphics, but there is no need for the CGA style ships in this day and age.

Game runs fine.

User Interface needs tons of work if you are going to add all the elements a strategy game really needs to make it, luckily most UI for turn based strategy is menu driven, so all you really need is one good menu for any "macro" actions and click based options for any micro actions.

Good luck.

[techbear]

That's it?

I'm not feelin' the love here. I'm a tough old veteran, I can take criticism (even unhelpful long-way-to-go stuff), but I'm not getting a lot of responses.

Is it because I didn't format the request properly? Or is the game too lame or boring to comment on?

[Sunshine]

Well, I thought it was pretty cool.

But one of my pet peeves is games that run in a window. I like to be 'immersed' in the game.

I did not read the directions but I assumed each ship had diffrent stats and what not. I Should Have even shown those stats at the bottom of the screen while my mouse was over them....ALSO, those stats should have a bar graph allong [behind the words?] with them to quickly determine the power and speed and etc. Also the name of the ships type should be in big letters above the stats. And let me re-itterate this: At the BOTTOM of the screen.

I liked the stars in the background, although they should be replaced with a high resolution, multi color BMP like the hubble telescope takes.
I DID NOT LIKE the blackness in the fog of war. That pretty much sucked and you need to find a new thing to put in the spaces with the fog of war in them.

I liked the cool homing missiles, and explosion effects.
I DID NOT LIKE the fact that all the graphics were in low res.

I would love to see the next revision of it, looks like your already on your way to a cool game.

Keep up the good work.

[serg3d]

Uhmm, what is the point of the game ? Is it expansion game like MOO with research, tech tree etc. ? Or pure combat with some production ? Does it have strategic layer ? Ship design ?
Expirience points ?
This demo is not enough to form any opinion....

[techbear]

Thanks for your feedback, Sunshine and Terin. I really appreciate it!

Serg, I intend to place a lightweight, linear story on top of this tactical engine. I don't really intend any of the possibilities you mentioned, except some "experience points" for the side commanders.

I'm working on the map editor now, after which I'll still have a long way to go.