TimeTracer - Looking for feedback

[casperjeff]

TimeTracer - A Side Scrolling Space Shooter Finite Runner Semi-Shmup (Non bullet-hell)

Looking for ANY feedback. Originally was just going to be a mobile title - but leaning towards adding keyboard/mouse controls for PC/Web based version.

In final development - hoping to release to app store first week of july.
Some of the 'unique' elements include:
Ability to draw missile weapon paths
Ability to stop time and plan out multiple missile path attacks
flashback sequences that take you back to home planet where you need to defend it instead of just attacking.
etc.
etc

Original Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6lN96ZPM10

Other more recent gameplay vids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M520iYSC1_g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkJmWTgYFEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCV5w2sJhuo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2YfRV9GAA

[Dave_K.]

Welcome to the forum!

Nice models and effects. From the two video's I skipped through, the pacing seems extremely slow or movement is in slow motion. Almost seems like you were aiming for a shmup strategy game with stopping time and drawing missiles, etc.

[casperjeff]

Welcome to the forum!
Almost seems like you were aiming for a shmup strategy game with stopping time and drawing missiles, etc.

Exactly!!
Originally the game was much more on rails - you didn't HAVE the ability to move the ship - just manage weapons.
That being said - the pace is indeed 'slower' and will probably remain so (although I might increase ship speed as distance traveled increases - like some endless runners ).
It CAN get quite busy and hectic in later areas....
...but an overriding concept I wanted to convey was "DON'T PANIC". Your tracer missiles and time-stop ability can get you out of just about any jam. Relax and enjoy the ride and induce some destruction!!

[buko-studios]

Liking the latest videos a lot! Interested to see where you get with this.
Are you blogging with the development anywhere?

We gave you a shoutout on our shmuproom journal.

[Ebbo]

Those videos make the game appear very slow paced. I understand if you were aiming for more strategic approach but constantly pausing the game just kills the pace for me. Maybe some sort of bullet time could work better?

I would like to seem some footage from later parts of the game. There isn't much going on those videos so it's hard to judge how useful drawing your own missile paths actually is. I certainly hope difficulty ramps up fast enough.

[casperjeff]

Liking the latest videos a lot! Interested to see where you get with this.
Are you blogging with the development anywhere?
We gave you a shoutout on our shmuproom journal.

Yes - mostly on the Unity WIP forum here
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/need-a ... er.243787/

You can read/see some earlier stuff (yikes!) here
http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/need-h ... id.235987/

Thanks for the shoutout!!

[casperjeff]

Those videos make the game appear very slow paced. I understand if you were aiming for more strategic approach but constantly pausing the game just kills the pace for me. Maybe some sort of bullet time could work better?
I would like to seem some footage from later parts of the game. There isn't much going on those videos so it's hard to judge how useful drawing your own missile paths actually is. I certainly hope difficulty ramps up fast enough.

Yeah - I know a slower pace isn't for everyone (I've had lots of comments on that) -
And you are correct - it's hard to tell the pacing from some of those vids - perhaps this one is a bit better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M520iYSC1_g

I have DEFINITELY dialed down the time-stopping aspect so that it is a power-up that you need to earn and consciously purchase....there are plenty of other weapons to help you navigate the missions that keep the pace moving along. You can see some of the history of how the game progressed from one thing to a completely other concept in the WIP links I put in post above.

[casperjeff]

Those videos make the game appear very slow paced.

Ya know - I was re-watching some work I did last night on ground vehicles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=armkbCxVUrs) and with a fresh set of eyes I say "holy cow - that is sloooooooow". To be fair, there wasn't any real counter-attack going on in the vid- nothing to avoid or watch out for - but still ......sloooooow.

I think part of the issue is that the scale of things is off (or seems off)....
Maybe buildings and units (and your own ship?) are too big?

What I was worried about during design was that if things moved (horizontally) too fast, there simply wouldn't be time for you to 'trace' a missile to it's intended target and then see it travel and impact and see the results. Heck - at one point, I had time stop automatically when you started tracing. Yikes!.

Yeah - I'm struggling here......

[Ebbo]

Part of the problem here is that by judging from the videos, stopping time/drawing missile paths doesn't really seem that necessary or engaging. Going through any unnecessary hoops feels arbitrary when I simply want to blow stuff up. I don't mind if weapons require some skill to use properly but so far level and enemy design doesn't really push you to use them.

[casperjeff]

Part of the problem here is that by judging from the videos, stopping time/drawing missile paths doesn't really seem that necessary or engaging. Going through any unnecessary hoops feels arbitrary when I simply want to blow stuff up. I don't mind if weapons require some skill to use properly but so far level and enemy design doesn't really push you to use them.

Fair enough....
My goal is that some units are better suited for the 'pew-pew' forward facing weapons (laser, pssst missiles) and some are better suited for the tracer rockets.
In the enemy base, many of the turrets will be isolate 'below' ground and the only way to ferret them out is with tracer missiles...
Same with some of the enemy fighters that attack - best to hit them from behind.
Bosses also will require the use of tracers as they will have key 'damage points' to hit to effect total destruction.

As I've determined through this process - balancing is ABSOLUTELY the hardest part of game development - the graphics, the controls, the story - all NOTHING compared to the challenges of balancing.

Thanks for the feedback - keep it coming!

[casperjeff]

I think another element (that I am still working on) that will unlock some of the potential of tracer missiles (and time stopping) will be the enemies that 'come from behind'.
Enemy ships that 'sneak' up on you from behind and that will require a bit of fancy swooping tracer missile drawing to get them off your tail

Another element (I hope) that brings those weapons into the limelight is the 'flashback' missions that send you back to your home planet where the enemy is attacking. You must AVOID hitting buildings and shuttles - but otherwise destroy the asteroids, bombs, enemy ships, etc....
Careful and precise weapon handling will be the watchword.

I think I will need to put a build together soon allowing people to experience all of these elements together and see what kind of feedback I get.

[casperjeff]

TimeTracer is now live on the google play store

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... acer&hl=en

IOS submission this week.

[casperjeff]

TimeTracer - Path of Destruction is now live on IOS App Store

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/timetra ... d901205053