I'm baffled by how much stuff you were able to cram during the jam and having it all working without any issues (for what I could see at least :D ).
The feeling of a board game, like others said, is there, and the mechanics works well together and while it is difficult to take in account everything, it is also really rewarding. I can see it being developed both in a single and multiplayer competitive game with a little bit more polishing.
Only note, like other commenters said, I think is the coinflip that gets annoying after a while, maybe it could make sense to have some sort of Initiative stat that defines the turn order or just a single flip coin at the beginning of the round? Mostly to have the ability to plan ahead better.
Anyway really solid game for such a short time, well done!
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Thank you! Yep, the turn order is a big question now. I am currently thinking between two options:
1) Make it full-turn-based, where each player executes the full turn, and it will be a bit like an old good "Worms" game (I think we are already accidentally close to it in terms of vibe). The issue would be an extreme advantage for the first player, especially when you can win in 2-3 hits. So it would probably require longer battles to compensate for that advantage.
2) Make it phase-based but with a bit more flexibility in each phase, and remove turn-order for all but mirrors. In the move phase, you both set move simultaneously (not seeing the other player's move) and then you both move, not in turn order. And then you both adjust the angle of the lasers and hit fire and fire simultaneously. This was the initial plan, but we didn't have time to make a simultaneous move execution and laser rotations :) So we had to add a coin flip just not to make it a too-easy-win :)
If I can put down my opinion about the two options, just an input:
1) doesn't necessarily have an extreme advantage for the first player, you have to take in account that the second one has the final saying in the movement of mirrors and of the players (but I think you already know that), even though the first has the advantage in the shooting phase. I also think that in this case an Initiative stat make sense because you can say that the advantage of the first player is offset by the disadvantage in having lower stats in other places, so...yeah...it is something that needs to be thought about properly, but I think it can be managed without longer battles.
2) I don't know if simultaneous play would improve the game, maybe more balanced in terms of turn order but would also move the game more in a "read your opponent" territory and less on the "solve a puzzle turn by turn" territory, which is absolutely fine but personally, as a fan of more euro-style board games, I would prefer the second "territory".