[Beta]Please test.

[ivorsmallun]

Hi flash folk,

Could you please test and review this game for me. No preloader or highscore table yet.

>>>>> www.cloud9designs.org/earthcore/index.htm <<<<<

Does it run smooth on you machine.
Controls do they feel ok.
To hard to start or is it just right.
Let me know what you think of the game.

Ivorsmallun...

[ivorsmallun]

Any one please.

[ImprisonedPride]

Game feels nice and polished. Runs fine, plays fine. Is this in any way related to game Motherlode? I used to play that game for hours.

Some things that bothered me:

Not enough gems to start. I would like to see general digging account for a few credits or something.

No fuel tank refill. I'm not sure why after I use an extra fuel tank, I'm not stocked back up to my maximum number of extras. I couldn't upgrade anything else because after a playing a few minutes, all I could buy was fuel tanks to get down to where I needed to be.

No switch for music. The music is nice and ambient but after 5-10 minutes playing I want to shut it off.

Again, more gems. Maybe instead make things cheaper. I felt I had to work way too hard to get any upgrades at all. I'd spend 2-3 minutes digging and come up with 4 gems and not enough fuel tanks to get back to where I was.

Other than that, it was fun, just like the game I used to play.

[tomsamson]

I agree it ran nicely and played fine overall.
Here´s the notes i took while playing it:
-No good to have such long text on the start screen, better show it step by step on first play
-don´t like having the start button sorta "hidden" in the corner
-don´t like fuel getting less without moving
-music doubles on game restart
-can´t dig upwards =(
-not nice you dig out squares

I also agree with what Imprisoned dude said.
Btw, don´t get my comments wrong regarding them being mostly nitpicky, since it seems like you´re still working on this i thought i could bring some stuff up, other than those i think its shaping up pretty nicely
Btw don´t take the few replies personal, i put up a game, too and still haven´t gotten any reply, so i guess people just aren´t a lot into playing stuff here to give feedback these days

[tonypa]

Runs smooth and contols feel fine.

[ivorsmallun]

Thanks guys for your input.
Sound does not repeat any more.
Turn sound off button. Not placed right on the hud.
More Gems to start of with.
High score table working.

Not done yet is hull damage, more types of gems, more iteams.

ImprisonedPride the game idea is based lightly on Motherlode. I enjoyed hours on that too.

This is the first scroll engine i built from scratch and i'm very pleased of the result. No help from any tuts. ( I know it may be a simple scroll engine but at 44 years of age, i'm happy) )

Thanks,

Ivorsmallun

[UnknownGuy]

Seemed pretty nice overall. I found it pretty enjoyable and thought the store was pretty well done. I actually really enjoyed it! (as I continue to play)

Comments:
-Too much text on first screen
-Highscore text is selectable
-Using the flash components for the highscore, while useful, doesn't really fit in the the rest of the game aesthetically
-Please make the fuel tanks be auto-used when you run out of fuel!
-You may have a font embedding issue, or at least some of your text is not anti-aliased
-I like the building word screen
-Getting darker effect is nice!
-With regards to the main game screen, I think I at least would like the layout more if the whole screen was filled with the gameplay and it felt more like the UI was on top of that. Right now since that actual gameplay only fills in part of the window, it feels less immersive in my opinion
-It would look a lot better if if when the player cuts out a piece of the ground, it doesn't make a clean cut, but the final image depends on what directions they have cut from a given tile. For instance, if you are cutting down right now, the whole tile becomes black, but I mean that it should still have a sort of "choppy" more life-like edge on the left and right and bottom side of that block. (a bit like the feel you give for the circles that are already mainly empty. They aren't just empty black boxes, but have dirt in a circle around them. So once you cut in from the top, if you continue down, then the bottom side of the edge would be removed. If you came back to to that square and then cut to the left, only the right side would be jaggy. If you finally cut out the right way, only then would the whole square become completely cut. This would've been easier to explain with a picture, but oh well.

UG

[bluemagica]

It's pretty good! But there are a lot of room for improvement!
1) The sound can be muted, but what about unmuting....
2) Why does the fuel deplete while not moving?
3) Other than timer, there doesn't seem to be any danger....I mean, no enemies, no falling blocks, no undigable areas....it somehow feels repetative and lacks a bit of the puzzle/strategy element which is the prime grip for this sort of games!
4) Some of the buttons and panels seem like last minute improvisations, like the sound button overlapping the cost/description panel.
5) The cost description panel is a little, umm.............. well, the credits required is the main focus, so don't hide it in description, separate the price and description! Also it would be nice if you utilise the space on the side for the panel, rather than cramming it at the bottom!
6) The digging shape would seriously improve the game....instead of removing the entire block, you need to cut out an area.....meaning masking!

[UnknownGuy]

To Ivorsmallun and bluemagica,

with regards to the question of why does fuel deplete while moving and the lack of danger, I would be careful of changing it too much(though this in my opinion). For me, at least, there is a fun mechanic of basically racing against the clock. While bluemagica's suggestions are perfectly valid(not trying to pick on your comments or anything), I just want to say that it will be a different game at the end.

So if you want a more puzzly based game, that's fine, just realize that would be changing from a manic movement/frenzy type of game to a puzzle game.

Just some thoughts.

[bluemagica]

Well yeh, I get that its a race-against-the-clock game, but I am trying to say it gets repetative pretty soon....the levels need some kind of variation to them! For example if there were certain ground that requires a particular drill-bit to go through, or maybe don't dig out around an entire block of ground or it will fall on you....these variations can keep the grip on the player for a much longer time period!



As for the oil depletion, atleast let me start the engine...lol! Right after I begin the level, fuel depletes, which is plain annoying! I suggest two things
1) Make the menus and stuff keyboard based, going from keyboard to mouse and back to keyboard makes me lose some fuel.
2) Make the depletion start after the first time the engine starts moving!

[ivorsmallun]

UnknownGuy says "Using the flash components doesn't really fit in the the rest of the game aesthetically".
Is there any way to change colour/style of the component.
Just wanted to know.

Ivorsmallun.....

[bluemagica]

go in the library, double click the components.....you will see the components graphical assets...just paint over those!

[UnknownGuy]

Well yeh, I get that its a race-against-the-clock game, but I am trying to say it gets repetative pretty soon....the levels need some kind of variation to them! For example if there were certain ground that requires a particular drill-bit to go through, or maybe don't dig out around an entire block of ground or it will fall on you....these variations can keep the grip on the player for a much longer time period!



As for the oil depletion, atleast let me start the engine...lol! Right after I begin the level, fuel depletes, which is plain annoying! I suggest two things
1) Make the menus and stuff keyboard based, going from keyboard to mouse and back to keyboard makes me lose some fuel.
2) Make the depletion start after the first time the engine starts moving!

And yes, you are quite right bluemagica, variation can help a lot! I was trying to say its easy to end up making another type of game after you already have one type, but from the changes you have mentioned it is not necessarily changing the game type.