Our Generator AI builds the levels one obstacle at a time, making sure that our unlikely heroes can bypass them with their current abilities. However, when facing a tough puzzle, players can be too quick to conclude that the generator AI made a mistake. Handcrafted puzzle games don't have this problem since players don't assume that the game contains an untested, unsolvable map.
"I also found multiple levels that were either impossible, need later stage upgrades or a skill I never learned to use, as there were places I needed to get to that I had no way of reaching."
There aren't many things you can try to reach the upper-left side of the cliff, but if you are not 100% sure that the level is solvable, you might just assume that it's not and you just need a flying upgrade or something and give up. The solution, however, is that you can jump on top of landscaping bots to gain height:
Since the game doesn't explicitly teach this essential skill that it later uses for many different puzzles, it's hard to blame Sirch. To combat this specific problem, we implemented a dialogue that introduces the lawnmower to the player:
The robots talk about the new mechanic in their own bantering ways after which we hope all players can figure out how to get past that wooden door 👆.
We find this solution a bit heavy-handed, however, the alternative of losing players because they don't understand the basic building blocks of the game is much scarier, so we are going with this explicit approach for now. Ultimately the main attraction of the game is endless exploration and problem-solving, not figuring out basic mechanisms on your own.
The game is shaping up nicely for Early Access, although we still have a few usability issues to iron out. For that, we need YOU to help playtest the game. If the game sounds interesting and you like giving your honest opinion and feedback, please sign up here! 🐬
Andras is live-streaming laid-back speed-runs (speed walks? OK runs? 🚶♂️💨) every week. Watch him talk about new things and yeah, OK, yes, blow up sometimes.
Streaming starts at 8AM PDT (4PM UK time) on every Thursday. Follow Andras on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/andrasforming
The cool thing about the level generator AI is that we can also enjoy our game (no other puzzle platformer designer could ever have said that before!). It keeps coming up with situations we've never seen before, so we learn something new during every run.
The pre-pilot test episode already aired this Tuesday, you can watch it on youtube:
[previewyoutube="smG000molxU;full"]
Join Andras in a few hours on Twitch and watch him continue this run!
Time Rewind Deemed Boring 🔥 Replaced With Super-Strength 💪
Back in 2012, when we started working on the game, Opi's ability to rewind time was the very first skill we've implemented, because, well... Yeah, OK, yes: Braid.
In case you haven't played it, Braid is about unique handcrafted puzzles exploring the quirky things that happen when you rewind and manipulate time in impossibly weird ways. Mind-expanding stuff. 🤯 The puzzles are all built around time manipulation, it really is the heart of the game. It was so cool at the time, that we wanted to have it in our game, too.
⏩ Fast forward seven years, and here we are, with a crazy puzzle generator AI that randomly combines simple puzzle mechanics together in surprising ways. None of the puzzles used the Time Rewind skill. It was only there to undo mistakes. It encouraged sloppy gameplay. It. Just. Didn't. Fit.
🔥 So while we were mourning our dearest pet feature, torching the rewind code felt oddly satisfying. :)
We decided to replace it with something more substantial, something with some intense puzzling potential. Opi is built for getting stuff done, and he was already moving boxes around. Why not let him move the other robots, too? Thus we gave Opi SUPER-STRONG titanium arms and the ability to solve situations by strategic placement of enemy lawnmowers. 💪
Our veteran players took the change pretty well. Rogue-like fans are thrilled about the severe consequences of making mistakes (or rather, avoiding them). Casual players are also happy with the combinations the generator AI is coming up with using the new super-strength mechanic.
[previewyoutube="dYW3QGhp8Qw;rightthumb"] We hope you won't miss this gimmicky old feature either and it wasn't the main reason you showed interest in the game. We updated the trailer 👉 to showcase Opi's new ability to make sure you are not wishlisting for the wrong reason.
Early Access is right around the corner, so make sure to wishlist the game! In case you can't wait to get your hand on that level generator AI, you can still sign up for the closed beta on our comfy 🎮 Discord place.
"Your job here is to master the operation of three specialized terraforming robots you will use to reach your goals"
-- Instructor Burns of the Solar Colonization Front
The game reached Beta yesterday, and we feel pretty good about it. During the past month, we focused on completing the experience. We polished the interfaces, replaced all placeholder art, finalized sound effects, wrote new songs, created an intro (pictured above), we wrote up the major story arc, implemented special missions, and an awesome/funny epilogue.
All in all, the game is on the right course for Early Access in September. Until then, we'll fix bugs uncovered by our fearless Beta testers, work on performance issues and balance out the game. After Early Access, we'll switch to producing even more content for the game.
If you feel like testing the game in its current very not-entirely-perfectly-polished state, you can still sign up for the closed beta on our Discord.
See you soon!
Boss 🆚 Game Show Crowd
We recently introduced a new finale: a brutal boss level. You must coordinate your little robots while a flying nanobot swarm is constantly harassing you with death rays. :) And of course, true to the spirit of the whole game: even the boss fight is randomly generated for each run!
A few weeks ago we challenged the crowd of a gaming convention to beat the boss level. The prize: Steam Keys! If anybody beat the boss, everybody gets steam keys, even the spectators. This created a very friendly atmosphere, where the crowd cheered and provided strategic suggestions.
Watch how it went!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eH6ElSCri8
Thanks to the valiant effort of Mate, Attila and Kristof, everybody won Steam Keys at our booth. ✌️
If outsmarting laser-toting nanobot swarms with a group of quirky robots sounds fun to you, please hit the Wishlist button below :) Thank you 🙌
