GameClub Mage Gauntlet (by Rocketcat Games)

On twitter Kepa said that it ended. I think it was Friday when he said this.

 

I believe that's the discount(which I missed by a couple of hours) you are referring to. The Rocketcat Fan Pack is apparently all weekend.

 

I thought they were both simultaneously going to end. Yeah, I'd DM Kepa.

 

So, after playing for four hours straight I have some feedback.

The levels in the beginning are actually a great length including the crypt levels.

Oddly enough I felt that the Glorx (green levels) in the third page were okay until GLORX GOLD. I swear I spent over an hour trying to three star this until I finally got it. Took 3 tries to put that into perspective. This level is MASSIVE compared to the rest because I was constantly afraid of dying since these enemies are actually devistating compared to the orcs.

I got my first boss hat as well .

Only major issue that I think you have fixed is the utter LACK of spell urns.
There needs to be more... Srsly...

 

I played for another hour or so after my last post, and unfortunately feel like I'm "done" with this game pending any possible improvements.

The difficulty ramps up quickly, and there is simply no incentive to plough through another 15 minutes of the same mobs just to get back to the point where you died to maybe make it through this time.

My character is level 15 yet she feels no stronger than when she started. What's up with that? I have unlocked no new or different weapons or moves. Put simply, it feels like there is zero progression on top of which I'm being asked to replay levels as well. Not fun. At all.

 

I agree about that. Leveling up has very little noticeable effects :/

 

Is the map you're stuck on Orc Forest level 3? We submitted an update to fix a few problem levels by adding in appropriate amounts of spell urns. Still waiting on it.

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Also if anyone missed out on the fan pack unfairly, email support. There's a really rare bug (but not rare enough) that prevented people from getting it, in some cases.

 

My comments were predominantly focused on my gameplay experience as a whole. Much less so on any specific level. Orc Forest 3 simply brings the game's shortcomings to a particularly sharp focus.

 

Suggestions that I've seen or gleaned:

1. Needs some sort of drop system. Loot, or even just coins.

2. Better progression systems. This is a tough one, because I really don't want to do the "you have levels that increase your HP and damage, monsters have levels that increase their HP and damage" leveling treadmill. Maybe I'll have to?

3. The early game enemies are too boring. I did this to make the early game easier, but some people just find it monotonous. Turns out it was a bad way to make things easier.

4. Levels are too long, with which ones are exactly too long depending on taste. Some even say that levels like Boar3 is too long. People generally like the length of the earlier Master Mode levels.

5. Not enough spells, with the exception of those earlier Master Mode levels. I wonder what the perfect ratio of spells to enemy groups is. The game used to have much more spells lying around, I actually got talked into reducing the amount from other game designers. They said that people wouldn't like too many spells and would find the sword combat more interesting. WOOPS.

Does that about cover it? What do you (and everyone else) think of the above list? Most things can't be fully changed this game (though updates can improve things), but we're making a sequel, so we can redesign things as much as we need to.

 

I think your commitment to the game is evident, and that alone is bound to be an asset to it.

As for specifics, in brief, I think the main two points to focus on first are variety and a sense of progression. How you achieve that is up to you; I could go into a lot more detail but for that you'd have to put me on staff and pay me a salary.

 

here's a suggestion, for steps # 2 and 5 you could at every 5 levels or something unlock a spell and the points that you earn from leveling up could go to increase the chances of receiving the spell, or the other three options already present

 

I believe late game variety is good, just dropped the ball on the early game (though we had good intent). Give the game another shot later, after the update hits and you can see our first balance tweaks.

We kicked this around, specifically a meter than fills up as you attack enemies and translates into a free spell. There's some empty space on the spell screen to support this, though it's not a small feature. Either that or just giving every enemy a random chance to drop a spell, which would be easier but a little chaotic in terms of balancing around.

 

Just a note: Orc Forest 3 can be completed easily (and quickly) by simply running past the mobs, using your "boost" when needed.

EDIT: This same strategy has also worked just fine all the way through the next 3 areas to the slime boss. I'd worry about missing out on the experience, if...you know...leveling up actually did something.

The game now feels like it's just about in the "broken" category.

 

Maybe I was harsh to use tedious, I can see by the look of the game that you are trying to break conventions and have obviously poured so much effort into it.

However, I do believe you have fallen into another convention in making an action RPG that requires me to just mash the attack button. In the sequel maybe give the player the choice at the start, they can be a warrior with a limited use of spells (as now) or a full on wizard with magic in abundance.

I would love it if you could somehow find a way to get more magic into this game, your spells are brilliant and their execution sublime. I love the placement of fireballs or the cones on the ice spells. Could you increase the spell slots and spell urns?

Loot is important in these games, it gives you incentive to wade through the hordes, at the moment I run past em. If you want to be more realistic maybe there could be a lot more loot in the final boss room instead, from all the fallen adventurers before you

In short much more magic please, but I appreciate that this is my own personnel opinion, others will probably feel different.

 

Spells list

Hi,

Great game, but I don't understand some of the spells. Some of them seems quite useless, like Silencer. Can anyone post a complete list of the spells and what they do?

//Pedroapan

 

COmbos add something like 1xDash + 2xAttacks etc...

 

I agree with points 1, 4 and 5. I think that 2 is fine how it is now and about 3, it's that i didn't find those enemies boring, they are just easier, which is understandable and right.

Point 1 though would really make the game more interesting... Maybe you could really add coins or something and then a shop-like place where you could buy things..

 

It's so satisfying slicing and dicing random objects...I just wish I got something in return! Coins or some sort of loot drops would be a wonderful addition to an already great game. I like littlezoe's idea of a shop to spend your coins.