Flash Game - "Ideas Helmet" - Give Feedback!

[fenstalker]

Hi team,

Here is a completed web-based side-scrolling retro Flash game that has been up for a while but I'm interested in your thoughts. Think of it as a mix between Super Mario and the original Pitfall, but for cubicle-dwellers.

It's not real complicated because the target demographic is not hardcore gamers, but the casual "5 minute gamer" who stumbles across it during their lunchbreak and plays in their cubicle. It's playful and visual, I hope, which is the goal.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

http://pickfresh.com/ideashelmet/

Thanks!
fenstalker

[kkbbcute]

Love the retro feel, if that's what you are going for, and I like the lame starting story that was really corny, but fun to read. :p Not really much to critique here, as I'm not a fan of retro, but yeah, reminds me of the SEGA Saturn.

[cjx3711]

I like the graphics and the music. but I seem to be stuck at one part. The part where there is a crab walking on a platform on top of the player. I must say though, the programming was rather good. Couldn't find any bugs.

[kkbbcute]

I like the graphics and the music. but I seem to be stuck at one part. The part where there is a crab walking on a platform on top of the player. I must say though, the programming was rather good. Couldn't find any bugs.
Admit it, the retro feel was good too.:)

[jsimpson]

I liked it, but I too was stuck at the crab part.

[rrh]

I went below the crab and then went back to get back to the top and died about 10 times in a row on the pencil crayons as I tried to jump back up to the top. I got kind of tired of flipping between the keyboard and the mouse to click "continue" and I figured, "Maybe I can skip those coins and just jump across the top and I won't have to jump back up like this." So I click "start again" and I'm kind of annoyed I have to click through the whole intro sequence again, rather than just starting next to the hole.

So then I died a few times trying to jump across the top, made it past that screen and died a few more times on the crab and gave up.

[kkbbcute]

Thr crab stage definite;y needs to be easier then, fenstalker, have you tried playing that level yourself:p?

[rrh]

When you've played the game over and over again while making it, it's easy to lose track of what the game feels like to a beginner.

[kkbbcute]

That's very often the case, we often think that making it too easy won't provide a 'kick' or adrenaline rush, but we often forget that it ends up becoming frustrating instead after the tenth try or so.

[cjx3711]

I tried that part countless times, there is no way to pass that part.

[kkbbcute]

Either that or you need matrix like reflexes:p

[EightySeven]

Pixel precision jumping!

[kkbbcute]

Pixel precision jumping!

What? No, I think its better to hear from the developer first.

[maskedMan]

I am not sure why the crab gives everyone so much trouble. I just jumped over it. Every time.

I had a lot more trouble trying not to jump into a pit full of pencils (or an otherwise bottomless death trap) but that just took a little time.

The final boss was a bit nutty. ;) I'm glad you turned off the timer during that fight or I would have never made it back out in time.

[kkbbcute]

I am not sure why the crab gives everyone so much trouble. I just jumped over it. Every time.

I had a lot more trouble trying not to jump into a pit full of pencils (or an otherwise bottomless death trap) but that just took a little time.

The final boss was a bit nutty. ;) I'm glad you turned off the timer during that fight or I would have never made it back out in time.

So you have revealed yourself to have slow motion precision jumping capabilities!

But in all seriousness, it took many tries before I found myself getting an improvement.

[maskedMan]

So you have revealed yourself to have slow motion precision jumping capabilities!

But in all seriousness, it took many tries before I found myself getting an improvement.

Yeah, I'm old ;)

The wasd layout doesn't help either, as I grew up on console controlers, but it was still fun.

[kkbbcute]

Isn't WSAD the standard for games?

[cjx3711]

makedman: Wow! you are some guy with super reaction. Amazing.
And might I bring up the fact that the developer has not actually replied yet?

[kkbbcute]

@cjx3711 spelling fail: makedman:p

Anyway, good point, we should stop replying till fenstalker actually replies.

[maskedMan]

Isn't WSAD the standard for games?

For consoles? ;)

WASD really only became a standard when FPS games made them one. Prior to that, the arrow keys were generally standard and I'm more used to those since I never caught onto the FPS wave past the original Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.

[kkbbcute]

I know that WASD isn't the norm for retro stuff, but hey, for gamers nowadays, WASD feels even more natural than say, the arrow keys, because we are more used to using them.:)

[rrh]

If you want really retro, you should use IJKM.

[kkbbcute]

Why are we still continuing the thread when the thread starter hasn't even replied yet? Guys, why don't we wait a while first?

[fenstalker]

Thanks for the feedback.

A) I have had mixed responses from people on the playability. I at first thought that some were having trouble due to a browser compatability issue (perhaps the timing is off in some systems to a point where it becomes impossible to jump over things, etc.). But then it became apparent that mostly those having trouble were just not spending much time on it. So yes, the learning curve may need some tweaking but I don't think there's a critical "impossibility" point. Many people have completed the game, and it seems those with experience with games of the 80s and 90s do best, which is good because the target demo on this is 25-40.

B) I believe this was setup so that WASD works, but also the basic arrow keys.

[kkbbcute]

Okay, granted if you think your traget audience cabn handle the game, go for it, however, do note that like many of the forum members here have said (who are most likely 25-40 as well), its really quite a hard game, so do try tweaking it a little more. :)

Good luck!