Really cool game! It was a little long, but it's really good for being made in one week! I agree with some of the other commentors, some of the systems in the game are explained by signs on the wall that I am willing to admit, I didn't read when I first passed them. Overall, the game was great, but my ability to read is not.
Viewing post in Trouble With Tetras: FeralBytes Brackey's 2025.1 jam comments
Regarding the length of playtime, which is currently a 15 minute countdown timer..... Do you think maybe it would have been a better experience if the mission ended successfully sooner? It starts with only one critical task, but as each of the 3 systems on the ship lose their automatic functions, we did want the player to have a few minutes between each of those new situations to 1) discover the problem 2) figure out how to fix it and 3) adjust their task prioritization to include monitoring that system for the remainder of the timer. It's designed to be a high-stress balancing act in the final minutes. But maybe the lesson we will take away is to lower the intensity, shorten the challenge and try to guarantee more successes on the first play.
Thank you for the critical feedback. :)
I believe the pacing of the game is well thought out, and I certainly felt the panic in the final minutes. I think it would be possible to adjust some of the timing and shorten the cooldown, but it isn't really necessary. I'm just used to jam games where you usually try to get the player's attention fast and then keep them interested all the way through, which works well for a lot of arcade style high-score games that people make. I do agree with your last point, that maybe it is a little harsh if the player loses towards the end of the 15 minute cooldown, but I think the longer, slowly increasing tension style of pacing works extremely well for your game.
Overall, I think it may be beneficial to shorten the length of the cooldown and give the player slightly less time between critical tasks, but not so much that it's hectic from the start. Even if it only cuts out a minute or two of the game, it could make the game more forgiving.
Those are my thoughts
Hope you find them helpful :)