Pixel Boat Rush (by XperimentalZ Games) Beta Testers Needed!

While we're in systems, I should talk a bit about passive and active systems.

In racing categories A and S, boats will have access to 2 action buttons instead of 1. Some boats will have 2 guns, but other will have a gun + an active system. The list will be given later once that part is completed.

However, we now have a list a list of passive systems which will be available on some of the boats. These passive systems will have a constant effect instead of 'actionable' effect.

- Sponsor I to III (boost coin rewards)
- Mechanics I to III (boost tools rewards)
- Repair I and II (repair over time)
- Electronic Jam I and II (have a chance to disrupt mines and missiles)
- Respawn I and II (reduce the time it takes to respawn)
- Power-up Boost I and II (power-ups last longer)
- Auto-Rotation (controls the orientation of the boat in the air)

 

Yeah well, the development was started with the idea of having to control the orientation of the boat while in the air, and give 'figures' bonuses when the player was doing flips, backflips, this sort of things.

Then, it seemed that this extra control scheme could go in the way of fun, so we introduced auto-rotation for the first 2 racing categories, to make it easier on new players.

Now I'm not even sure if the rotation control scheme will make it in the final version, that's something we'll have to see with beta testers. (the current compromise is to have that system installed on only a part of the boats in categories A and S)

 

Thanks for asking! There will be openings. The beta plan is to start with a first wave in a few days. The main objective of this wave will be to get initial reactions from which will curb the current direction and prepare for the largest beta stage. We'll start by contacting people who tested for us before. Depending if we have enough people or not, we may ask for new people on that wave.

The second wave should start a few weeks later, where we'll surely be looking for new people.

 

Thanks! There's a lot of features in the game which means that we'll need a lot of help to test them out! More info will be available soon.

 

hehe for sure! He's been hoping for the beta to start for a long time

 

Hopefully it's going to be this week, we're just trying to get rid of a few important bugs and make the final preparation . I'll try to send emails to the old crew tomorrow.

 

Just sent a round of emails to past testers for the first wave. Please reply to that email if you'd like to participate . If you think you should have received an email but did not, please contact me.

 

Development started 15 months ago so yeah its been a while, though it was mixed with other things.

The game is a bit 'left field', being outside of any direct comparison so I have no idea how popular this is going to be, but this sure represents our greatest and coolest challenge so far .

 

That's right, lots of references but since it crosses them diagonally the resulting experience is off compared to them. Even the very core of the game, the one-touch racing mechanic, is inverted compared to Tiny Wing. Well, can't wait to see the initial reactions .

 

I should add that one of the cool thing that emerged from that diagonal cross among references is the unexpected tactical side. Often, you have to reconsider where you place your boat for strategic reasons, like putting an opponent between you and that mine dropping guy, or not being in front of that deadly guy while he has ammo, or slowing down behind an opponent to blast him, or saving your bullets for a faster opponent a few positions ahead, etc.

Once we start introduce that second array of weapons/active systems, it will probably only deepen that.

Cool stuff, really, and lots of hairy situations where the ranks get sorted out just at the end of race.

 

Anyone know how to contact a moderator to help out changing the thread name? Thanks!