One of the best games I've played this jam. I loved it.
1. Great job using the same color for itch.io background as the game. It elevated the presentation. 2. Simple presentation, but effective. Everything was clear and readable (despite the hand-drawn font, which added to the charm) 3. Puzzle design and gradual introduction of mechanics was on point. I had to stop and think on a handful of puzzles and finished some without using all the potions. 4. I laughed aloud with the humor. 5. Creative theme and fully integrated into the game.
Good presentation, but like others have said, it didn't feel like your only choice in the game had the appropriate amount of impact in the outcome. Strategy needs crystal clear feedback on an executed plan.
Nice. Seems like I've been getting better and better players.
This is the only game my dad plays and he has also asked me for a harder mode. This is something that I want to build in the future but isn't on development because of other projects.
These are very good suggestions, specially the second one. Thank you.
While I don't intend to work on Arrows Left anymore (I'm working on new projects) I'll be sure to take your suggestions if I ever visit the idea again in a future game.
No, there isn't any sound. We've never done sound for a game before and we had to pivot and build this game in only half the time of the jam. The full version of the game will have sound though.
The bigger screen was on our minds too. And I just realized I could just allow for full-screen. I'm an idiot for not allowing it from the start! (Going to changing that setting on the itch page right now)
And you're right on the money with all of design points. They were all intentional and I'm very glad you perceived them as intended difficulty. The challenge IS planning where you should go next as well who NOT to shoot, you're 100% correct.
The submission 'after just half a day' was just the page. Any builds you update it with will not update that timestamp.
We try to have an MVP and publishable page by half-way through jams, so we published and submitted to the jam a playable version halfway through, but it wasn't this version... or even this game! We started out with a different game that by halfway through, didn't quite work out for a number of reasons. So we decided to pivot and made Arrows Left in a little less than 24 hours, the 22 last hours of the jam, to be precise.
Great game, concept, art and execution. Lots of polish too.
One suggestion: the way movements are only 'used up' when releasing a button should proably be explained in the first level.
One "bug report": It's possible to issue the next command too soon and use it up without actually making the move. Just release another key while the animation of a different key is still playing (but after releasing the first key)
Unique idea and well executed. I think the design of the levels can be improved in a post-jam version, but what's there was enough to prove the concept. It's great!
I liked your game, so please don't take this feedback negatively! (I'm sure you would have addresses all of these already if this wasn't a jam)
1. Mouse Cursor The mouse cursor is used for the main menu, but not for the game. I would highly discourga that. The controls of the menu should work to set expectations for how the game will control. Since the mouse doesn't do anything during the game, having it there is misleading and potentailly unhelpful.
2. INFO Certain games are very dependent on the player understanding both how to play and what the rules of the game are. Games like this have to pay special attention in making sure the player learns those things. Your game fits that category. Here are some of my recommendations:
- Even when games have fireworks and a huge red sign pointing to a 'How to Play' button, players will still ignore it and go straight into 'Play', so I recommend rewording the 'INFO' button label to something more descriptive and attention grabbing.
- Having the info screen always come up when a player first starts the game is also a good way to make sure the player had a chance.
- Make sue the player has a way to review the rules in-game at any time.
Congratulations on making your game! I hope you continue it after the jam.
It goes from "I don't understand how it works" to "ooooh" as soon as you understand the implications of "Whoever locks the last board looses the game".
I read on the devlong about how this is your first jam and an advice/feedback I would give is about the game's controls and rules: There's a decent chance a player won't read the game's page on how to play and even if they do, there's still a decent chance it just didn't stick on their minds.
I think even a single right sentence like "Don't be the last to place a piece" or "Try to lose" would be enough to make players understand once they have the context during the game, but not by reading it before.
