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[Schilcote]

That is what we wanted to know.

Do you have an alpha version up? If so I'll take a look at it when I get home from work.

That would be the link in the OP.

I can't actually look at it from work. ^.^

Well, you said "Do you have an alpha version up", and that's where the alpha version of the game is...

[SeaBee]

/offers encouragement

Sounds like you have some interesting ideas on the table. Once you get a few more things implemented in the alpha I'm sure you'll get some interest.

[forsaken1111]

That is what we wanted to know.

Do you have an alpha version up? If so I'll take a look at it when I get home from work.

That would be the link in the OP.

I can't actually look at it from work. ^.^

Well, you said "Do you have an alpha version up", and that's where the alpha version of the game is...

Yes.. I asked because I cannot look at the link from work. It's a simple question requiring a simple answer, not sarcasm. Nothing in your OP says 'hey look at this link, it is an alpha of a game' so for all I knew it could just be screenshots and a description of a game you have not yet released.

Incidentally, being annoying and sarcastic to people who are showing interest in your game is not the best way to win favor.

[Schilcote]

That is what we wanted to know.

Do you have an alpha version up? If so I'll take a look at it when I get home from work.

That would be the link in the OP.

I can't actually look at it from work. ^.^

Well, you said "Do you have an alpha version up", and that's where the alpha version of the game is...

Yes.. I asked because I cannot look at the link from work. It's a simple question requiring a simple answer, not sarcasm. Nothing in your OP says 'hey look at this link, it is an alpha of a game' so for all I knew it could just be screenshots and a description of a game you have not yet released.

Incidentally, being annoying and sarcastic to people who are showing interest in your game is not the best way to win favor.

... I'm not being sarcastic...

I can't make sense of what's happening in that quote pyramid past the second entry. I suppose that leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation.

[forsaken1111]

... I'm not being sarcastic...

Then I apologize, it came across that way. Damn internet and your emotionless text!

[Schilcote]

Hmm... I bet if I knew a little more about linguistics I could improve the name generator...

EDIT:

Try pronouncing "Chebiwozrwevisn".

The results of pasting them into TTS programs is hilarious.

Paste this into your favorite:

Code: [Select]

Lejqehufyhefqe.
Nasnhukbogo.
Xecpenolko.
Nujwusoqkmo.
Pohobvejnnulicipx.
Xgihokjufxuhs.
Tyorozdwo.
Borlkeqxi.
Hzedulwecjpixy.
Cejupfbi.
Mvelimfzre.
Xedncagokna.
Yusbokhe.
Bowqiricpimlqu.
Bornbducismztorory.
Fhuwonpopde.
Vewpidcli.
Chebiwozrwevisn.
Seztojovbi.
Yloqacgjohbuk.
Behxwsunpo.
Fosrawepqwlu.
Cbopoturbyo.
Lhotekdula.
Wisxifo.
Vupcmoysveyayhqa.
Mqesgirobomyu.
Nuyxotpuhkatyu.
Nufucurfuvbo.
Npocuhgpokplebpvyufaqg.
Binnjqaminadejj.
Ryomutadcmeqmjunc.
Fsebonnjebu.
Mqalusidbigjucot.
Gorrojdmuqgoqqa.
Roqegcevey.
Nicsfodetiw.
Ggohewlpudqbtu.
Ksekipmoko.
Cotuwvilmi.
Rfuteqbicqo.
Zqitufmihre.
Xuseblepcnu.
Zadwikbo.
Geclqesaku.
Vpakmifomhuhovt.
Gedfyoxoltuw.
Zibtosndsa.
Hozustesye.
Qedekxehacyo.
Kdimujwiqxbkono.
Matufjhgu.
Qnufnisotfce.
Xiyvpicclajtoxa.
Kutrrpugulimecv.
Pifgyomomnuyzi.
Bnoliltheqej.
Wiwcumefjijba.
Vojosanquzey.
Hleruvcmruyo.
Nnohlujqaso.
Vxulvixotiwjer.
Jeqimvsidohwpo.
Naqpvivudw.
Figecwdu.
Sexcaghinju.
Vmanovjoyepyo.
Jcelekoxpong.
Batqitoxuxhasjixt.
Cusjilikofvo.
Tohtesupimkeye.
Jitvjame.
Xasoqtequ.
Deyzickiyraya.
Qnukiko.
Kavhifnelupbu.
Rihmifuxcge.
Vemtcodacnedu.
Ceccelto.
Tucjepufuybhe.
Pappucovyqapi.
Yogmohguyog.
Gwusiybheqipolko.
Qidfivuvenmfra.
Mavrilegfvujvo.
Pijjulmilrugi.
Drokusmdeholnu.
Rziyceya.
Zekavecurscit.
Ldojovhiv.
Vecalu.
Darzadobwse.
Tahrmifpitjexqa.
Ylovufberzqejxcje.
Blikjubexitehe.
Cyejhehwukyafa.
Xividyhimvonuj.
Nenxtervnilinu.
Totabowijrfgu.
Mwedejijdyodu.

"Pappucovyqapi" sounds cool.

[Sirian]

I tried playing but there are big flaws in my opinion.

Some interactivity with the mouse (selecting a star, etc), would be a great improvement, and console commands when on a planet makes me feel like i'm travelling back in time to the 90's (at first i even thought that the game crashed). Info on combat commands would be very welcome. Maybe you can also add some sort of icon or marker next to the star the player's at. And recenter on that star. Add tooltips/info menu on hovering the mouse on a star, with additionnal info if we visited it. Oh and on second thought, you may want to make the combat into a more static thing (final fantasy style) instead of an awkward minigame (bouncing on the screen edge makes no sense whatsoever, we're in space, not in an arena). A menu with options would also be great.

[Schilcote]

Oh and on second thought, you may want to make the combat into a more static thing (final fantasy style) instead of an awkward minigame.

...
That's a damn good idea...

All of those are good ideas actually. I'll implement a few of them in the next update.

What exactly was awkward about the combat system?

[Blaze]

What exactly was awkward about the combat system?

The "What the hell am I supposed to be doing?" sort of awkward. I couldn't figure out how to move, and the only thing I managed to figure out was that spacebar fires your laser thingy.

[Sirian]

Yea, actually i figured out that arrow keys accelerates you in that direction, but the inertia/slowness makes it very hard to control, and by the time you gain acceleration in the desired direction, you travelled too far and will bounce off the screen (back to square one :p ). Also if i'm in range to fire my lazor, they are firing theirs too (draining my hp) but i couldnt figure out how to fire missiles like them so they had an advantage, and after a couple battles (it was an escort mission) i was too low hp and died. Restoring at least part of the hp between battles could help. Or having shields.

[Deon]

I was stuck on the "press buttons" minigame, when I pressed the top one 2 times, then the middle one 2 times, then the 3rd one 3 times the prompt stopped and I couldn't do anything.

Any reason why are ship sprites so simplistic? A lack of time or a personal taste?

This is a player ship I use, it has a bit more details:

I tried to use a similar palette to the one you have.

[a1s]

console commands when on a planet makes me feel like i'm travelling back in time to the 90's

It's spelled "80s" actually.

[Schilcote]

What exactly was awkward about the combat system?

The "What the hell am I supposed to be doing?" sort of awkward. I couldn't figure out how to move, and the only thing I managed to figure out was that spacebar fires your laser thingy.

Well... it is in the manual you know...

I was stuck on the "press buttons" minigame, when I pressed the top one 2 times, then the middle one 2 times, then the 3rd one 3 times the prompt stopped and I couldn't do anything.

Any reason why are ship sprites so simplistic? A lack of time or a personal taste?

The sample adventure just plain doesn't work. It's left as an exercise for the player .

More of a lack of skill, as I said in the GameTorpedo description, I'm not that good at spriting.

Yea, actually i figured out that arrow keys accelerates you in that direction, but the inertia/slowness makes it very hard to control, and by the time you gain acceleration in the desired direction, you travelled too far and will bounce off the screen (back to square one :p ). Also if i'm in range to fire my lazor, they are firing theirs too (draining my hp) but i couldnt figure out how to fire missiles like them so they had an advantage, and after a couple battles (it was an escort mission) i was too low hp and died. Restoring at least part of the hp between battles could help. Or having shields.

That's actually the point, it's realistic (well... okay, it's not realistic at all, but it's certainly different). You'll get the hang of it after a while. Try watching how the AI does it.

Also, manual.

EDIT:

Oh, and the escort missions are way too difficult for a starting ship. I'm not sure if the manual covers that. I should make them scale with the ship's level...

[Fikes]

Oh come on...

Is there something about my game that makes everyone just go completely mute?

Right now it sounds like a generic space sandbox game without anything to distinguish it. You have to write something to get people interested, it doesn't just happen by magic.

I do like the idea of an open sandboxy space game, but it has been tried before and done wrong more often than right. (X series for an example of doing it wrong)

For whatever reason, this cracked up me with it next to your avatar.

Anyways, I didn’t take a play at your game yet so I can’t really offer any feed back there. What I can say is that it appears you did things in reverse order. This is pretty much the opposite of how everyone else presents a game on the forum.

Generally, people are all like “Here is a vomit of features I want but I have no programming ability! Someone make it!” whereas you are saying “Here is my programming ability, someone tell me features they want”. I am not really saying it is bad, just surprising.

I’d also like to point out that no one EVER wants to read the manual. The most important feedback I could give you is to make the manual only required to play the game better. People should be able to pick up the game and play it without having to read more than an introduction. If someone can’t figure out how to move, that is a major problem and should be the first thing you address.

Next, I’d say nail down your features list a little better, come up with an overall plan. If you don’t have one, change this thread to say “What would you like to see in a space trade game?”Out of this feature list you should have your “catch your attention” item. If anyone wants to play a great trading/decent combat game they already have Port Royal or Patration(or however the hell you spell it). What makes your game better or different from those?

For me to be excited about a space trading game it would have to have the following features:
Cool ship design (something like Eve would be super cool)
Land/asset ownership
Criminal acts (Smuggling, black mail, and murder of the competition)
And a larger universe (an empire vs rebel style war that you can somewhat impact by raiding supply lines and the like)

Finally, conversations like this:

What exactly was awkward about the combat system?

The "What the hell am I supposed to be doing?" sort of awkward. I couldn't figure out how to move, and the only thing I managed to figure out was that spacebar fires your laser thingy.

Well... it is in the manual you know...

Is going to cost you a ton of feedback and shows a lack of openness to feedback. You completely skipped over something important. A player can’t figure out how to move at all. This brings me back to “No one ever reads the manual and they shouldn’t need it to figure out how to move”.

[Schilcote]

“No one ever reads the manual and they shouldn’t need it to figure out how to move”.

Yes, I am aware of that. If you look at the screenshots, there's a little bit of text in the lower left corner saying "Press F1 for controls". I think I can do something similar in combat mode.

This is why I need feedback. Obviously I already know the controls to my game, so I would probably never notice such a crippling flaw as this.

EDIT:

Just added a little help menu to the battle screen. On the "PRESS ENTER" screen there's a bit of text at the top that says "Press F1 for controls", and if you press F1 the battle will pause and a list of the controls comes up. I'm going to add a few more things to the next update, I'll look over the feature suggestions and see what I can implement right now.