Project Update
So before we get to the poll, on the coding front I’ve added the backend for the new animations and updated some of Chapter 1’s scripts to use the new formats from Chapter 5. I got a lot of great bug reports from Prototype 5-1 and I’ve sorted those out. I’m also about halfway done the mapping for Serenity Crater.
Chicken is about halfway done the Golem Transformation sequence, which is about 3x longer than the usual TF scene entirely at her insistence. After reading what we had written for it, she wanted to make it longer and more detailed. Hooray.
Hund is currently working on the combat animations. I’ve got some alpha versions in the engine and I can tell you they make combat flow much better.
Urimas is currently working on new animations and tiles for Chapter 5. More on that in a later post.
Poll Executive Summary
(An executive summary is where you write all the conclusions at the top. It’s named for executives at businesses who don’t have time to understand useful things and need to make descisions based on hearsay, rumour, instinct, and other things that are well known for being wrong and stupid. You know, like executives.)
Prototype 5-1 was well received, we’re going to be doing more like it in the future, we’ll be focusing on more new content in infrequent and irregular releases, and everything is on track without need for major changes.
Now let’s get into the nitty gritty.
Prototype 5-1 Poll Results
So this is about as expected. You can’t please everyone, but I’d be really worried if I got several “It was awful”‘s in there.
Also about as expected, as I received a lot of feedback that the early areas were too difficult. Overall, the main story stuff should be easy-medium, while optional content should be medium-hard. So, the next prototype will tone down the early areas a bit as well as adding items to use that will make things easier. The chapter will slowly increase in difficulty as it goes.
I’m assuming that the “needs work” crowd will be satisfied when the images for this sequence come online. I also think it needs to be a bit briefer (it’s easily the longest sequence in the game so far) and have a more sexual overtone.
A similar result here, but more player’s didn’t know about the form being available as a bug in 5-1a prevented the cutscene from firing. If you’re one of those people, you can activate the cutscene from the debug menu.
This is the desired result. Equinox is an optional area and the final boss is meant to be quite difficult, even if you know the correct strategy. I’m still going to be changing things a little bit (mostly on the final boss) but I’m happy with the results here.
Another desired result, we have plans for several new sequences. Since they’re entirely optional and nobody really hates them, adding more can’t hurt.
I was surprised that as many people thought it was too long as they did. I could probably cut one of the scenes without losing anything crucial, and perhaps allow it to be re-enabled as an option somewhere in the chapter.
Well it seems those poor minigames won’t be getting any love until much later, ha! I expect people will want to see them improved once the Work Credits system is in place, but for now they want more forms, more areas, and more monsters.
I’m still going to be doing the rebalancing work, in fact half of it is done, but the optional areas are the next on the list.
Phew. I was really worried this chapter was going to be way too sad and serious, but it seems that I hit the mark.
Starlight Team Steering Survey
So it seems less frequent prototypes won the day here. We’ll probably stick along the current pattern of having several new features/areas completed between prototypes. Since nobody wanted fixed release schedules, it’s up to my discretion when to release stuff.
This is where the polls aren’t too helpful, as the results are nicely split along less-testing, more-testing, and the current level. I’m still thinking I should allow myself a few extra days of testing before each release, because there’s some really humiliating bugs in these prototypes and I feel bad as a coder for letting anyone see that.
Or: How to Read Statistics, With Salty. While it appears that “No, wait for the full release” won, it actually lost. The other 4 categories are all “Yes, after X time”, so 70% of the respondents think the prototype should go public at some point and are just divided on exactly when.
In this case, I’m thinking 1 month is about right. I won’t change the release schedule immediately, but once Prototype 5-2 comes out, the public will get access to it after 1 month.
Congratulations, voters, because now I will probably alternate process videos in with concept art releases. It will likely be 2 concept arts for every 1 process video, assuming both are in equal quantity.
Monday it is!
So you want more transformations? Well you’re gonna get it! I’ve already taken this suggestion and modified one of the later sections of Chapter 5 accordingly.
Interesting fact: People either prefer one of the group, or all of the group, but not two of any of the group.
And if you’re the person who said none of the above:
😦
Summary
So there’s the poll results. A lot of “keep doing what you’re doing”, some changes, and a lot of love for goats. As it should be. Now back to work.
Pandemonium Development 