Not really understanding how the theme is used but the gameplay is kinda fun.
Viewing post in Road to Self-Assurance jam comments
Thx for playing. Because the level title is rather abstract it's usage ned to be kinda deep and might not be always obvious (though I TRIED to obviate this and permeate the theme as far as possible through the game).
The gameplay is the Road from an Archery Fest casual bystander to a (false) self-assurance that the problem is solved.
+ The level of self-confidence of protagonist (a self-ssurance in his capabilities) is obviously rising from the start to end.
+ This level of self-assurance is constantly contested by oppressive practices to the point that conflict between external oppression and internal self-assurance in general is the main conflict of the game.
+ Even working with the randomly changing wind, esp on the last level demands the self-assurance that the level is winnable.
On the last level for example the need of self-assurance is obvious since the King says that this level is _unwinnable_. Moreover for a fact he is RIGHT and it actually ISN'T winnable it is just you assured yourself that you won it.
Basically the game is composed in such a way that NO LEVEL EXCEPT FOR THE START seems like it has any purpose (win has a meaning or even can be assured that is achievable).
The player is just being plainly stubborn and more and more so towards the end even with criminal charges mounting overhead
(SPOILER ALERT! They don't do anything but YOU DON'T KNOW THAT and that's the main point!).
Realism is not that important in non-simulation game development. Like in Kerbal Space Program you DO need it and it is a good goal.
If the design goal were a correct archery simulator it would also be desired.
But not here.
Here the wind should have been an external element that cannot be controlled, be a variable element of the puzzle that you need to dynamically adjust to and also have a metaphorical plot role in the final level.
However for these tasks it turned out imbalanced and bad.
Ideally for example that almost for any given windspeed there were a shot trajectory that does hit the target except for some plot exceptions, but right now it is not so.
Basically the wind may be somewhat punishing only in it's first occurence and in the last level.
Having a situation when you need to spam arrows in one direction is dull and should be limited to where plot really needs it.
I will need to rebalance it later.