if i remember correctly some levels had multiple exits or secret exits like in Super mario world where you could go in some random places and find hidden levels... they mentioned that in the video... there is alot of easter eggs to find as well. ohhhh as far as the enemies go that's a perfect example of what i was trying to explain but failed epically explaining it, when you hit a guy if hes multi hit you should hit them and bounce a bit higher i think he bounces a bit too low and that's where the frustration lies. another thing these kind of games we just SUCK at now, have you tried picking up a old NES controller or Super nes controller and tried playing Mario or even Donkey Kong country god im terrible at those games now, when we were kids we rocked at them but with games now there alot different, the Marios, Sonics, Donkey Kongs had some great control and we had better reflexes LOL we were kids!!!...chalk it up to RUST and being older also these games just take practice i died a bit at first till i learned the bounce and how to control in the air its all in the reflexes...keep at it bet you will get better at it...
if you really think this game is difficult then you should try MS. Splosion Man after I finished the game my total deaths were 1045 after that hardcore mode was unlocked which is more difficult of course.
1. Combat is hit or miss and not based on skill for the most part 2. Levels, while encouraging exploration, also lead to getting lost which is not fun in a platformer 3. For a game that focuses on so much precise jumping why NOT put in place a stationary d-pad (makes jumping from platform to platform INFURIATING) I will delete this game until a stationary D pad is put into place which will definitely make the game far more enjoyable. I purchased the game, gave the devs some support, now when they return the love Ill redownload the game. Dont want to say i hate it all but the graphics are nice, the humor is nice, but the level design and controls and slightly less important (the enemies) leave alot to be desired
So, I bought it and here are my imps (since this thread has been more about controls than impressions). Pros: This game is freaking gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful one I've played on a mobile device. It's just awesome looking. Gameplay is very smooth, even on an iPod Touch 4G, with not much lag at all. Humor is pretty funny. D-pad *idea*is actually quite excellent. Music is almost as awesome as the graphics. Very well done. Cons: Well, duh, the d-pad problem. It's not so much that it's a d-pad (because the idea is great), or even that it's a floating d-pad (which is frequently better than static). It's the WAY it floats: any time you move your finger too far in one direction, it MOVES WITH YOUR FINGER, which makes for some manageable (at best) controls, and hideous at worst. It feels like you should bounce higher off of enemies, because you have very little reaction time (this could just be because of the controls). There needs to be a jump sound, even if it's just a quiet realistic one. What self-respecting platformer doesn't have a jump sound???? This game will be in a folder until the control isues are resolved, so I can experience it the right way. However, I'm still confident it was a dollar well spent, and I'd recommend grabbing it while it's still a buck.
Exactly what I came here to say. Please do not make this mistake. Leave the performance of the current analog stick the same (even though I haven't adapted to it yet, I think I can and will), but change the graphic so it looks like an analog stick. The main reason you are getting flak for the controls is because the visual cues are setting an expectation that is far from the reality. I do not understand why you would use the image of a d-pad to represent a stick! Here is just one example of a stick I think would look good. You could also look at the sticks on Xbox 360 or 3DS. Basically, I think a stick with a concave center would really get the point across well. http://dribbble.com/shots/770444-Analog-Stick Also, I'd like to chime in support for a more usable wrench power-up and/or enemies that die in one hit. It could be the controls, but like GiHubb (#200) and MrGreed (#205), I found myself trying to run past enemies instead of fighting them because I kept getting different results each time I fought them. This could also be alleviated by removing the lives system and allowing me to respawn at my latest checkpoint infinitely. I realize this removes the punishment, but it would also remove a ton of frustration. I can't handle playing the same level from scratch more than three times when it's the end of the level that is killing me!
Tob's playability is a lot more nuanced than you think though, next time you bounce on an enemy's head, try holding the jump button: it will go much higher There are a hundred little playability mechanics and nuances, and I didn't want to advertise them. I want people to discover them. For example the hyper aggressive mafia guy can be lured into attacking a certain way, and will have moments where he won't do an uppercut again. You can force enemies to play their moves out on your terms with clever taunt-jumps. I understand a lot of those mechanics are hidden from the player because the player would not expect them in a mobile title, but they are there for those people who want to discover them. Perhaps iCade support and more options will encourage people to discover the play mechanics. In short, TOB is actually really easy - once you know the ai for each enemy, and the triggers which cause them to do certain things. Don't forget - holding jump after a head stomp will make you go much higher, and you can pair this with a double after the bounce if you like. Re: frustrating difficulty: I think the wrenches will get a tweak. I'm not very happy with the arc myself, I feel they could be a little lower and more punchy thank you for your kind feedback. Meanwhile, prioritise getting a pigeon first thing after being hit, like sonic rings Mini mafia guy tips: ------------------- 1. try to jump in front of him so he uppercuts early -on your terms. There will be a couple of seconds space before he does it again. Enemies aren't random in this game with their decision making, they are just very good at changing their minds based on your actions. 2. when stomping enemies its often beneficial to stomp and move in the direction they were generally moving in to begin with ie don't try to stomp and land again, but lead him so he runs under your stomp. Example: right, stomp, right, stomp (trust him to run under you, don't chase him) Not: left, stomp, right, stomp, as the enemy will try to dodge the stomp! annoying but kind of kinky for hardcore players If mario stepped into this world, he'd get owned hard and fast. BIG COP tips: ------------ This dude is easy as pie, but if you stomp him once, look out for his tells, he's waiting there, he knows you're going for a double stomp, he's paused... waiting to do an overhead attack! a lot of enemies have tells, so it's not always a good idea to be so fast and aggressive with them. You can also lure many of them to their doom. In closing... each of the AI in TOB are uniquely coded. They ALL have different rules and behaviour. I decided to make the AI like this because I wanted people to PLAY differently when encountering enemies. In mario or sonic, most of the enemies are dumb drones and you do not play differently when encountering them. Only once TOB gets all the episodes out will people appreciate the magnitude of what we had planned for it, and in a way we should have waited rather than be episodic, after all it probably won't get reviewed twice.
naw i dont think its difficult just these kind of games for me now take more practice to get better learn enemy patterns etc , games now like think of ps3 or 360 games games now are much different on a 3d plane , you got FPS behind the back, where you get to these old games like Mario or Sonic with those controllers man im terrible at them now LOL my reflexes and muscle memory is not what they used to be for those games, i mean i played all the time everyday after homework was done and i was done playing outside so it was like second nature... what i was trying to say other brothers follows that old skool very tough game mold and it just takes practice, and yes ms splosion man is awesome and ive died a C R A P ton so i feel your pain there! and THAT IS PERFECT if its analog make it a ANALOG STICK graphic not a dpad at first i tried using it like that was not working then i slid it and it all made sense and works fine for me...
Well see i learned something , and this is just like Mario , if you hold jump you jump higher off enemies too, also the game is awesome with the small team you guys have brilliant work and a brilliant platformer i do see a lot of money coming your way and you guys deserve it. I do think to make the dpad graphic and analog stick that is very smart choice. but i like the old way so
I really like this game, but a static dpad IMO will defiantly work better. I have died quite a few times when I try to walk forward but move the pad instead.
To the devs, Thanks for all the hard work on this title, it really shows. I couldn't ask for better art, the music and sound effects are really great also. There's no doubt in my mind how much effort you've poured into this game if for no other reason than seeing how active you are in fielding and responding to all the player comments here. So here are my 2¢ I've played the first two levels at this point and while they were enjoyable I am going to hold off on continuing until the controls update comes through. It's not that I don't enjoy the game as-is, but I believe that I will simply enjoy it more if I play with what would be (for me) a more precise control method. I also concur with a few other critiques that it seems your already acting on such as tweaks to the wrenches and adding a sound for when the player jumps. I would suggest to anyone on the fence to go ahead and pick this up while its .99 and at least try the controls for yourself. At worst, like myself all your out is a short wait for the contols update before you finish it. Keep up the good work devs!
Is anyone else struggling with the A and B button positioning on iPad? I can't seem to find a comfortable way to hold it..
Amazing feedback! Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. As I have expressed previously, one of the things that I really appreciate about Touch Arcade is the ability to directly interact with the creators of some of our favorite games. By the way, a little bit of controversy is good because the chatter keeps your game fixed prominently at the top of the Hot New Games List.
A static D-Pad would be greatly appreciated. The game is great. Don't listen to the haters. The game is quite playable in its current form. But like many I agree with the option of a static D-Pad.
I was really excited for this game and bought it as soon as it became available last night. I played for 5 minutes and quit because I was thrown by the controls. Today, though, it's like a switch flipped in my head to my fingers and I finally GET it. This is actually pretty exciting, I haven't felt that way with a game in a long time. Sure, things can be tweaked and fixed, and an optional static D-pad is surely a good start, along with the wrenches, but seriously. Great game and at 99 cents (with no IAP) it's a no-brainer! That being said, I understand where those who have issue with the controls are coming from. Trying to climb those chains across the pit in level 1 frustrated me to no end. But in fairness I suggest giving it one more shot before banishment.
I guess I have a few non-control-related suggestions that could help to improve the experience. First, it would be cool to have a little more audio feedback some actions make no sound effect at all, like: - Jumping - Getting hurt - Dying - Catching a pigeon Sound effects help the player to mentally register what's happening on the screen. Some hops and pips would do great. (And I'd say every enemy-related sound effect is already awesomely implemented.) Also, I would love to see a little animation taking place on the end of stages. Just like how Mario enters a castle, Sonic does a backflip, DK punches a barrel and Kirby dances, etc. I think this helps to build a very important reward feeling of reaching the end of the level. The way it is now, Joe just touches the machine and it's done, comes the pop-up out of nowhere not really exciting if you ask me.
I concur with both of these. It'd be awesome if there were two or three endlevel animations, just for variety. Plus I think this would add just a touch more depth to the characters.
After reading the comments on this thread and having my own experience, I really think the dev should consider an "easy" difficulty option with one stomp kills and infinite lives. It would remove a lot of the frustration and encourage players to explore the levels as intended. Dare I say it, I would even call the "easy" difficulty "normal" and the current one "hardcore" as that's what it feels like. Trying to "get" a deeper understanding of the game as the dev suggested a few pages back just isn't going to happen for many players, they would just shrug at the difficulty and say to themselves "oh well, it only cost a buck" and then delete the game. By easing players in however, with an easier difficulty, after completing the game on the lower setting, then more players might replay the game at the higher difficulty. I hope this makes some sense.
