[beta] feedback on game concept

[5TonsOfFlax]

This is my first flash game, so I just want a little feedback. I'm not interested in submitting this to games sites, so please don't bother to tell me to improve the graphics.

I am interested in whether or not anyone else finds it fun and/or challenging, or has gameplay suggestions.

The link below has a pretty good explanation. It's a casual open-ended geometry/physics game.

http://www.suckatmath.com/personal/fluux.html

[Cortana]

A very interesting game concept! This would probably win in a game contest for original ideas. It takes a while to get the hang of and although not addictive is still mildly diverting.

[Captain_404]

if you could control just one ball, this game would be a lot better, because of the lack of control it became quickly boring just watching the balls bounce around doing nothing.

I will say though, it is a nice concept.

[renderhjs]

so please don't bother to tell me to improve the graphics.

wich graphics?
no fun at all for me, way to long instruction text- and I still dont get the gameplay

[Cortana]

...because of the lack of control it became quickly boring just watching the balls bounce around doing nothing.

If you hold down the mouse button you can attract the free ball towards the mouse pointer.

[cadin]

Interesting concept, but you definitely need more control. I felt more like a spectator than an active participant.

You might want to take a look at Rope Runner, which uses a somewhat similar mechanic successfully.

[5TonsOfFlax]

Okay, so more control. I do not want to let the user directly control any ball, as that would probably make things way too easy.

I have four alternatives to the current gravity method off the top of my head.
1) stronger gravity. The current value is barely a nudge, and was only arrived at by "trial and good-enough"
2) draw temporary walls - They could fade with time, or when hit. Kinda like InkBall for tablet pc if anyone is familiar with that.
3) a repulsive "bomb" - mouse hold would place a bomb on the screen, which would blow up after some delay, imparting decent impulse to any nearby ball.
4) like Rope Runner, the primary anchor would always be the same ball, always attracted to the mouse pointer. Clicking would choose the "helper" ball.

Thank you for the link to Rope Runner. I hadn't seen that, and mechanically it is the closest thing I've seen to this concept. Definitely more engaging by having one anchor be the user's agent. He gets around the direct control issue by having the character constantly attracted to the mouse rather than dragged by it. That may be sufficiently removed to avoid simplifying the game too much.

[Alluvian]

I like the concept. But you never told the users which state is 'ground' state. I have no clue when the balls have crossed the line enough, making it unplayable to me due to lack on proper instructions.

[5TonsOfFlax]

Obviously, I haven't added actual instructions. That was next on the list of todos. So the quick version:
Each ball has a color and spokes representing its state. When a ball crosses the line, it loses one spoke. When it becomes a red ball with no spokes it is in the ground state. There are different feedback sounds for different state changes which I had hoped would make things more intuitive.

The controls:
Clicking changes the red highlighted anchor to the nearest ball
CTRL-Click changes the green highlighted anchor to the nearest ball
mouse-hold attracts all balls with a very weak gravity.

[Alluvian]

Okay, red is ground state. Got it. Make the instructions graphical and that will be a snap to understand.

My suggestions:
Make the gravity to the nearest ball a little stronger.
Also, make this gravitational pull VISIBLE. Make some particle effect, or a glowing string between the mouse and the ball you care pulling. It will increase understanding of the game. It will also make it a little more fun.

Bug:
At least twice on the third stage, I had a ball that went down TWO states when passing through the line once. Both of these times I was one away from the ground state so it was VERY annoying. That might also be part of the bug, not sure.
At one point on the first stage, the two anchor balls were moving leftish, rather slowly. The free ball was at state 2 or 3 and moving left just a LITTLE faster than the anchor balls. Being the patient sort I just waited for the line crossing. The free ball very slowly crossed over the line and didn't change state.

In playing about 20 minutes, I only noticed those three collision errors, which will probably make the debugging harder, it does not seem to be easily repeatable.

I like the game idea, well done. Far more original than most flash games.

[Alluvian]

Okay, I didn't read your last post before i posted mine. I didn't realize the grav pull affected all balls. It is so weak it does not really have much of an effect on anything more than 10 or so pixels away.

I would strengthen it and make it visible when over a certain force threshold between two objects.

Honestly, it is so weak now I don't think you would make the game easier by having it ONLY affect the nearest ball. I actually think that would make the game abit more of a game.

I don't think you have much to fear in making it too easy. Like you said, it is an unwinnable game. It wont be long before it becomes a challenge no matter what the skill level of the player is. You are in a bigger risk of people thinking they have no control and quitting before level 1 is done.

[Al Capwn]

I think it is great. You don't have to improve the graphics at all, just flesh out the instructions / goals more. I think it would be great if you submitted this to a bunch of sites, because it is really revolutionary in its style of gaming. And for some reason, I could not get a line between two red balls. Aside from that, I love it.

[Archbob]

Is it just me or does it seem to lag a bit?