Universal [Beta][Pre-Order/Nov 13] Micro Breaker - 3d bricks smasher

I've been watching development of this game for a LONG time but I can see wasted no time. Everything is sooo polished, wow!

I'm going to take a day off at nov 13th

 

Looks like a great remake one of my most favourites games genre. Waiting for this!

 

@BWDev I went straight to the App Store for pre-order with a promise I’ll pay whatever the price is. Free with IAPs? Ok. Still open minded checking IAPs. Removing ads is a no-brainer, coin doubler pretty much detto.. and suddenly there’s Energy Doubler.

Please, tell me the game doesn’t have energy system preventing me to play whenever I want and this IAP means something else!

Eagerly expecting the answer, with hope, Mac

 

@BWDev Arkanoid, or basically any brick smasher in general, is one of my favorite genres ever. I started playing games as a child in Arcades during the 80s, so brick smashers were naturally ever-present next to Tetris and Pinball. The moment I saw screenshots from your game I was hooked. Trailer was a selling point.

As I previously stated I went straight to the App Store for pre-order. Now, I have to be honest. I'm all for premium. I'm supporting developers by buying their premium games on multiple platforms for 25 years. And naturally, I despise free to play model in mobile games. In app purchases, ads, multiple currencies, endless grinding, gacha... But what I hate the most is energy system. Preventing people from playing whenever they want is the stupidest idea ever implemented in a game.

That being said, under any other circumstances I'd be more than happy, flattered even, to participate in a beta. I'm involved in multiple games even at this very moment trying to provide valuable feedback and/or constructive criticism before their release date. There's nothing I appreciate more than developer open for suggestions. Unfortunately, energy system is a deal breaker for me. No matter how great the game might be, how much potential it might have. There's no way to do the energy system right. It's either there or not.

Look, I get it. Premium model is great for us, customers. We pay a little money and we're good. From developer's point of view it's hardly as easy. I'm not a developer and I don't need to be one to understand how this works. Releasing "free" game is the 1st step to get recognition. Gaining revenue from using ads is profitable only when a lot of people's involved.

I understand. I just refuse being part of it. I'm usually fine with single IAP to remove ads from game, hence making it premium. Hell, if the game's worth it and I'm planning to spend some time with it, l buy coin doubler. But there's no way I'd ever pay for virtual currency or virtual items.

If there's a possibility to get rid of energy system from your game, if there's a workaround that makes it functional without it, and you're willing to implement it, I'm all in. If you put remove ads, coin doubler and infinite energy behind one single IAP that turns your game into full premium experience, I'll be the first one making a purchase. That's a promise!

But. It's just me. Well. There's probably a few more like me. The fact is, there's A LOT MORE of those, who'd play your game for free. Watching ads to continue, to double their rewards after each stage. It's hard to ignore that. It's even harder to go against that. So, considering all pros and cons is up to you. It always was. Whatever you eventually decide to do, I'll be here to see the result. Good luck.

 

Hi BWDev,

could it be possible to try your beta?
My TestFlight email is: [email protected]

Thanks!

P.S. I’ve already pre-ordered Micro Breaker!

 

Thanks!

 

@BWDev Now we’re talking! That’s sounds great. You just made my day. Thank you.

 

@BWDev unfortunately it won’t be that simple

I tried the Beta. I played for an hour maybe, hour and a half give or take. I always start with the pros. What’s good and whatnot. But I take different approach here just to react to your quote and explicate my very first sentence.

The game’s obviously built on free to play model, heavily. If there was just one f2p aspect, let’s say ads between each stage, it’d be the easiest thing to turn it into premium game with a single IAP. Ok, there’s energy system on top of that. It’s (surprisingly) not that terrible. It’s actually quite generous. But, it’s still there and for fully premium experience it has to go. No problem. Nothing that another simple IAP couldn’t solve. So we got rid of ads and energy system.

Now, with ads gone there’s this bonus thing after each stage that needs to be addressed. By watching an optional ad I’m able to double my earnings from said stage. To convince the player it’s a must-have thing to do, it sometimes offers triple, quadruple and even quintuple rewards. Now, I’d have to be fairly stupid to not take such offer. Getting 5 times more for a few seconds of ad time is a good deal. So, if I turn my version into premium, are these rewards automatically included in “no ads” IAP and I’m getting them without the necessity of watching ads? Or are they’re gone completely and no bonus rewards anymore? Or, and it’s the worst case scenario, are they still optional for me?

Let’s say the best what have happened after purchasing premium experience is no energy and no ads whatsoever (bonus of multiple earnings after each stage included). Well, considering the player has no room for a mistake because of just one life, there are revives. When I make a mistake I can use a revive to continue, or to watch an ad (the situation repeats itself.. is a revive ad included in “no ads” IAP or not and if so, how many?). Revives cost money. I got introductory 5 in one of early stages but they’re otherwise obtainable by paying real money. So, with these still implemented, how it could ever be a fully premium experience?

But, aside from revives, there are boosters. These are optional to make the beginning of each stage easier. And with just one life thus no room for a mistake, these are quite useful. But, they’re consumables. They’re for one time only use and cost in-game currency. With current monetizing scheme there’s no possibility to afford them for each attempt. Not even with quintuple rewards and coin doubler on top of that.

So as I said earlier. Since the game’s heavily based on free to play model, it won’t be possible to make it premium by one or two IAPs. There are aspects of the game you can’t get get rid of easily. I don’t know how much room is there for implementations considering the beta stage of the game and its fixed release date. Also your willingness to hear suggestions.

Alright. That’s the bad stuff. It’s free to play. It won’t be premium that easily.

Now for the pros. Basically, everything else. Oh. You’re right. Why am I containing myself? Let’s put it out there. HOLY SHIT, THIS GAME IS GORGEOUS! Loud and clear?

Presentation is top-notch. Oh my god, what a beauty! It’s everything I love in a game. Stunning visuals, the overall style. Smoothness and animations. Great sound effects. Physics is genuinely SICK! It works exactly how it should. How I expect it to work. The ball is heavy, I can feel its every contact with the paddle. Ricochet from walls is so natural. Every brick is the dynamic object. The dynamics in general is fantastic. Everything’s shaking under explosions. Every brick has its weight. It’s so satisfying! SFX are making it so lifelike. An impact of heavy metal ball on even heavier metal brick is just multiplied by its sound. It’s such a pleasure to experience it In motion.

Also, everything’s silky smooth. I tested it on regular iPad 6th gen (2018) for now and there were no slowdowns, no hiccups whatsoever. The touch control is responsive, absolutely natural. It looks great, sounds great, moves great. Hands down the best looking brick smasher I’ve ever played in last 25 years.

Gameplay-wise it’s too soon to judge. There seems to be a lot of content available. That’s a plus. How hard it is to unlock it is a different story. Approaching each stage with just one life is nerve-wrecking and difficult. It’s a fault of f2p aspect of the game and until it’s finalized and possibly adjusted into premium, it’s hard to say. I mean, having e.g. 3 lives instead of one would make all the difference in the world. It’s that simple.

Speaking about gameplay. The amount of power-ups is ridiculous! In a good way. Almost every brick triggers some kind of power-up. They might be good for you (glowing blue), or bad (glowing menacingly red) or even pink/purple with question mark which might be either of those two. On a good side there are explosive bricks, fireballs, larger paddle etc. On bad it’s a frozen paddle, tiny ball or immune bricks. Funny thing is there are good power-ups making things worse for my likings (for example gravity, which usually attracts what I don’t want) or exact opposite, bad power-ups that are hilarious and I always pick em up just because they’re so much fun or pleasure to experience (vision failure or blackout)

So, this is it. To put it bluntly, under right circumstances this could easily be my GOTY. And by right circumstances I mean premium experience, obviously. There’s a room to do that. In current stage of the game I’d rather go for 2 separate releases. Just for the convenience. F2P version to attract the masses and premium version for the rest of us whom appreciate it the most. As I stated earlier it won’t be possible to turn f2p version into premium just by purchasing IAPs. It needs more than that.

To summarize what I wrote, and to put on that a little. To make some late suggestions and/or observations. Let me put it like this:

What I like: (besides already written)

1. Laser power-up when close to finishing the stage or long period without the ball hitting anything. It’s a great and helpful idea.
2. Stages like 8b or 14c when I control bricks together with paddle. It brings variety to gameplay and it looks cool.
3. The change of perspective, like the difference between stages 13a and 13b when camera is suddenly much lower. It’s awesome.
4. Choice between playing in portrait or landscape mode and smooth transition between them whenever I feel like it.
5. Idea of Reactor as some sort of permanent booster when being good.
6. Power-ups in general, especially some of those bad ones like Vision Failure or Blackout (except for one, see the next section)

What I don’t like: (and what I’d change)
disclaimer: most of those are just nitpicks

1. Bad luck power-up could easily ruin every run if picked up. The combination of bad power-ups that follows is usually impossible to handle.
2. Only one life per stage. Change in this will make all the difference.
3. First ball shouldn’t have to be limited to go only straight. I’d appreciate to shoot it wherever and however I want right from the start.
4. “Hurry up” shouldn’t be coming so soon during each stage. Sometimes I feel like I barely started and it’s already rushing me to finish.
5. You need to add “Confirmation” before buying power-ups. I accidentally bought 2 just by scrolling through!
6. Last but not least: Monetizing in general. earnings to power-up prices ratio. Adjusting an option to quadruple or quintuple rewards. Finding the right balance. Especially for hypothetical premium version. For f2p it’s an expected grindfest, which is fine I guess.

Well, so much from me. If there’s anything helpful in there, I’m glad. If there’s anything offensive, I’m sorry. If I’m mistaken about whatever aspect of the game or I misunderstood it, it’s solely on me. Everything I wrote is just my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt or put as much importance in it as possible. It’s up to you. All I wanted to say is you did a hell of a job and you absolutely got my admiration. Thanks for letting me be a part of Beta stage of your game. It was an honor. And a pleasure. Good luck!

 

@BWDev don't mention it, it’s my pleasure. I spent more time with this game and it’s never leaving my device. That’s the fact. I’ll just switch it for full version when it’s released. And start over probably as I doubt the progress from beta will be transferred.

How I’m progressing further, I appreciate the details even more. Like 3 starring level doesn’t have to happen in one run. That each star has different goal. New power-ups I purchased like automatic paddle or slowdown. The boss fights!

Also the more I play the more I hate energy and ads. I can’t wait for final release. I assume I shouldn’t purchase these IAP in beta even though they’re there. Right? I’m telling you. You shouldn’t gave me access to beta. I’m addicted now.

I’ll be watching this thread closely for any new update on development. Don’t hesitate to share the news with us. Also, TestFlight should inform me about new beta available. In case you’re planning to implement some tweaks and have them properly tested.

You’re doing great so far. This game’s a masterpiece. If you’ll find the right balance for in-game’s economy, it couldn’t go wrong. This is going to be a hit. Keep up a good work!

 

@BWDev so I’m killing it and loving it but I’m curious about that Energy bar in upper right corner. It grows as I collect more blue shards from bricks. So what is it for? When Full, does it give the ball that boost when my paddle is glowing? I made a short video:



btw, is it ok to post a video before release? It’s my private YT channel, I have no subscribers and video is unlisted.. I’m asking just in case.

 

@BWDev oh, definitely not what I thought So once I purchase "no energy" IAP, it just disappears? It's kinda shame.. Since it gives some sense of accomplishment.