The open beta project for 'Save Toshi' Updates (by devs of 'Rasta Monkey')

Erm... I thought the idea was you're not supposed to vote for a name that you have suggested yourself...?

 

1) levels where you are on a platform held up by four posts - Which one exactly? I can really use some level numbers here

1-10, 1-17, 1-19, 2-7 - funny thing was that I found 2-7 to be much easier than the others, probably because she's dropping on the diagonal.

3) maybe themed level packs too such as xmas, halloween etc. Angry bird did this as a separate new app and I was just wondering what do you people think about such themed games that are sold seperately.

I'd prefer them to be DLC, I've got too many apps as it is.

They make good Lite versions though.

You could definitely throw a dozen outfits for Toshi in there as DLC, make a few of them change the game rules a bit (like a sumo outfit to make her heavy/rolling, rubber duck float ring so she floats in the water, space suit would make her bouncy/light (moon gravity?) just to give people some more ways to play)

I've seen a few levels with a $0.99 "Unlock all levels" DLC which seems fair.

Best Christmas version ever was Bloons - it was set up as an advent calendar - three levels unlocked each day.

5) would like to be able to zoom in and out - quick question on this one: would you like the camera to go back to it's default zoom every time you restart a level?

Don't care for zoom, but I suppose people might be trying to get some panty shots in. If you do allow zoom, I'd reset to default zoom when the level is reset. (I like watching the levels reset, "It's so good to be back!")

6) I had knocked Toshi into the water and because she slightly touched the dance floor it was counted as a level complete - We thought it was funny so on the upcoming build This is no longer a "bug", it is now an achievement called "murder on the dance floor"

Hadn't seen this one, that's hilarious!

7) there were a few levels that got a little frustrating - level numbers would be super helpful, thanks!

Working on this one... Probably anything I marked with a 4.

Regarding the names, I still like Save Toshi.

Don't do Yoshi - will be associated with Mario's Yoshi.
Don't do "addicting/addictive" probably the most overused word in the app store right now.
I also like the long-overly descriptive Engrish Translation names. "Please be helping our Toshi to dance!" BUT... App store is all about visability - you want to avoid common words as much as possible or you will be piled in with many other apps when someone searches for you. "Toshi" already brings up a few apps. Try plugging some of these variations into iTunes.

 

Read that as "ToshY" which of course brought Dan Forden to mind...



"Toasty!"

 

General impression? I'm really loving the game. There haven't been any MAJOR changes from previous versions, but the subtle changes are all shaping up nicely (like the block-type descriptions - more below).
And I much prefer the in-game text WITHOUT the yellow glow now. Although you do still have it on text such as "new pack unlocked"?
I also like the toned-down reflections.
I do have one very strong objection about a feature in this build over previous builds though. See below...

I just have one objection, but it's a real biggie!!
I do not like the shot-count going backwards.
Not.
At.
All.

The first test I made of this was on level 1-2.
On the bottom-right, I was informed I had six shots, and next to that 3 stars were "lit up". So as a test, I fired some shots deliberately off-target and into the water.
After 3 shots, one star dimmed. After another 3 shots, another star dimmed. I was now down to zero stars. Now, to me, the way I understand what you are displaying to me is that I no longer have any shots left to fire.
Previous experience testing this game tells me that is not the case, and I have unlimited shots, but as a new user, if I was paying attention to that number, then I would think I had run out of ammo. Only my own experimentation would let me know I have more shots, which is contradictory to what the game is telling me.
After playing for a bit more, I would eventually figure out what is going on. BUT, and here's the crux of the matter, this is in no way an improvement on the system you had before.
The reason being, the number six means nothing in terms of the star-count. Let me explain:
If I shoot 4 stars into the water, and then 2 on the wooden block, I have now fired 6 shots, and I have completed the level successfully, but I have only got one star for my efforts.
Now I try this: I now fire 10 shots into the water, and then 2 on the wooden block. Again, I have completed the level successfully, and again I have only got one star for my efforts.
So what's happening here? Whether I fire 6 shots or 12 shots, I still "win" and I still get one star. So what's the relevance of the six? It means nothing here.
And what about if we're aiming to get 2 stars? This backwards-counting method makes NO allowances for that.
The number six in this example has no relevance on getting a 3-star win, nor a 2-star win, and nor is it a requirement for a 1-star win.
And furthermore, after counting down from 6 and reaching zero, I have no way of registering how many MORE shots it takes me to complete a level. So I could take 10 shots or I could take 100 shots, and no differentiation is being made.
I made strong objections to this backwards-counting system when you first mentioned it, even without playing it, and now, having played it, my objections still stand. In fact, even more so.
There's just no point counting down to the number zero, if the shots continue after zero.
Six means nothing here and zero means nothing too. Both numbers are meaningless to me.
The only reason I could see for doing this would be if you DID make the game run out of ammunition at zero. Now, bear in mind, I would NOT suggest you do this, because that would frustrate players who need more shots. What I would prefer to see is the original counting-upwards method re-instated. We had limitless ammo, and the number-count showed that, AND it was EASIER to figure out then how many shots were needed for 3 stars or 2 stars than what you have got now in this 3rd build.

I am one of the people who has not given date on specific level numbers - but then that's because I do not distinguish them in the way that you are asking of me.
All I can say, and I don't know if this helps, is that I am entirely happy with the levels you have. I am very happy with the increase in difficulty from the blatantly obvious on level 1-1, graduating up relatively quickly into "proper" levels". I don't like games where the first 20 levels are all so obvious and you're just going through the motions.
In this game, I do not have any feelings of "oh this level is really bad, I do not like it" or "this level is too difficult for pack 1, it should be in pack 2", etc.
So although I don't have any specific level numbers for you, I will *generalise* here and say that I'm not overly fond of the green "tin" levels, and the levels I like the most are the most complicated ones. Not complicated as in difficult to do, but complicated in that it's an elaborate set-up.

I'll separate those two points. I'll speak about the explanatory text for the different block types first.
I love it! It's great! Perfect! Fantastic! It's simple, subtle, doesn't get in your way, and it tells you exactly what you need to know. Top-marks!
EXCEPT for one slightly big problem connected with it, but it's easy to fix:
When I tap to dismiss the "description" dialog on a level (where it describes wood versus concrete, etc.) the game registers that "dismissal" tap as a shot. I do not like that.
My instinct is to tap ANYWHERE on the screen (OR to tap on the text dialog itself) to dismiss the dialog first, and THEN to tap on the screen after that to fire my first shot.

Now the hints system... I had a few points about that. So, in no particular order other than the order I wrote them down in initially...

Why is there a "previous" button on my hint popup? It's not self-explanatory, especially when it's dimmed.
UPDATE: After using it, I now see what it's for.
I would prefer firstly for this button to say something else more obviously understandable like "show hints", and secondly, for this button to be totally removed if I have not yet bought hints for that level and that button is not yet accessible to me.

On the hints popup, when I only have 1 available, it says "1 hints" plural when it should say "1 hint" singular.

I checked out a few hint popups on various levels without buying any, and I realised the number of hints I could buy was changing. Sometimes it was 1, or 2, etc. and it took me a moment to realise that you were referring specifically to that level only.
Other people may be well used to hint systems in games, but I'm not, so I'd appreciate the distinction being made.
So say something like: "2 hints available for this level".

The hint system sometimes does not work as it should, as sometimes the block that the hint-arrow is pointing to is totally and completely hidden behind another block.
So although the block may be flashing, I can't see it as it's hidden, and the hint-arrow appears to be pointing somewhere else.
Try this on level 1-5 for example, where you put your viewpoint so that you are looking at Toshi directly face on, and so you can only see the ONE upright green block.
The hint-arrow now appears to be pointing at the front block, when in fact it is pointing at the back block, which is hidden.
The only surefire way to fix this, is to auto-rotate the view into some optimal position when displaying a hint - but I have no idea if you can do that?

Personally, and maybe it's just me, because I like my puzzle games to be difficult, but I think the price of the hints is a little cheap. I was blatantly wasting stars on buying hints just to test the system out, and I always had plenty of stars left over.

Simple short answer: I like it.

See above.

Not really bugs, but "wrong things". In no particular order...

Spelling mistake on level 1-7? What is "thurst"? I'm not sure what you're trying to say here exactly? Should it be blast? Push?

Music does not fade when going between levels. It gets cut off instantly.

I'm still seeing a Toshi dancing just OFF the platform in mid-air.

I played through the game and then after that I logged into OpenFeint. When I looked though, I had no achievements unlocked for things that I had already done. Is this the way that it is meant to work? Can you register achievements in-game and then transfer them over to OpenFeint later when I do log in?

 

I've had to split my feedback into two posts, as the site told me my previous post was too long!!!
That's a first!

Anyway, my last bit of feedback...

Now, finally, as always, my own final thoughts that do not necessarily fit into the above categories...

So the green blocks are tin? Hmmm, they don't look like tin to me...?

I would like for the pack and level number to be displayed on the screen somewhere subtle while I'm playing. (Was it not there on a previous build?)
UPDATE: I see it's there on a level start or reload, but then it disappears. I'd prefer for it to stay there.

I got a notification to rate the game in the app-store in the middle of a gameplay session, directly after completing one level.
I didn't like that, and would be very unlikely to want to rate a game, directly in the middle of a session.
I would much prefer to have that popup appear on a later re-launching of the game.

On some levels, I got 3 yellow stars and one blue star. I assume for beating the level "under par" as it were.
I'd like for the game to tell me this at the end of the level, somehow congratulating me in a way that's more exciting than the usual. How exactly, I don't know...

 

Explain it to me ...I am getting four stars now!?

This plus the countdown, I also asked for, is a bit confusing.
Why not simply adopt a golf Like system?noh well I am getting ahead of myself with feedback already in a non structured why

 

Believe me, if you like puzzles you will love them. But I think it would be great for the dev if you say why this thread sometimes makes you feel less attracted to it.

Ps: I am not the dev, just a beta tester.

 

I was thinking, at golf they declare the par and there are clear results as on par, bogey, etc. I would do a star system like this. With four at minimum, three between minimum and par, two between par and double bogey, one otherwise. A constant system with declare par and count up of instead of down, could be clearer .... Maybe.

 

Short answers, sorry, typing on iPhone.*

I think this text should stay permanently onscreen until I tap to dismiss it. I could 2 seconds to read it, or I could take 2 minutes.*

Yes, it's very clear then, and very rarely hidden. I was just creating a worst-case scenario.*

Yes I would still want it.*

Maybe on the 2nd or 3rd launch or so? And then offer three choices:
1: Rate now.
2: Remind me later.*
3: Don't remind me again.*
1and 3 are obvious. 2 will remind you again on a later (4th or 5th?) launch.*
Beyond Ynth does this.*

Will post longer answers later if you need.*

 

A golf-type scoring system would be MUCH better than what you have now.
Your shots would be counting UPWARDS from zero, and you can have star ratings equivalent to eagle, birdie, par, bogey, etc. And you can also have a total shots count at the end, encouraging players to play again and lower their shot-count.

 

I am new on this forum .... I think you have a valid point on this thread maybe putting off some people. And that woukd be a pity because this is a very good an innovative game. And the dev are great in listening.