Feedback Game is too hard?! [BlockBlaster]

Hi all,

I've had conflicting responses about my game being too hard and people are giving up (but it is supposed to be a logic puzzle). You have to complete 6 of the first 12 levels 'on target' to progress any further.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TIzzyGames.BlockBlaster

To help with this I have moved the levels around a bit and made the first level really easy to 'win' to give a sense of hope, but I worry that I am making it too easy now.

Feedback welcome as always

Dex

 

I think your game is cool. I played it until level 9. So far, I did not find it too difficult, personally. I got 5 out of 9 puzzles on target without thinking too much.
However, many puzzle games of that type have an an even more gentle learning curve. Already in the second puzzle there were blocks that were somehow special. I would have expected those later on. The first three or so levels are usually made up of the very basic principles in these kinda games.
My point is, I don't think you would lose many players because it is too easy, as long as you can feel how it gets more and more difficult. These games typically bind players by good audio-visual feedback and not through particularly tough challenges. So I guess, rather too easy than too hard.

If I may, I have some general feedback:
+ good animations (blocks lerping in and disappearing looks good)
+ nice soundtrack
+ quick to get started
+ easy UX

- I think it's important that I can click blocks as fast as I want. The delay until I can click a second time annoyed me.
- I think it is frustrating when there is a connected group of the same color in the end. Feels like this should be cleared automatically.
- I really wanted an overview what color becomes what. If memorizing this order is part of the challenge, I would argue that it is not a positive kind of challenge. The arrangement of blocks is much for fun to solve.

~ I crave more audio-visual feedback when destroying blocks (I know it's in development. I only say this, because it is the one thing I miss the most, personally)

I think this could become a good, catchy game. I like your approach with the semi-optional star rewards. Good luck with the title!

 

@olejuer ... Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to give feedback and without people like you we won't get better as developers (I'm loving this community spirit). Thanks for the positive comments and to address the negatives in order:

- Clicking blocks as fast as you want was a big problem I had when programming. Without a time delay when testing you could trigger another block chain deleting, which was kind of cool, but ruined the logic idea. I did think about leaving it in, but the couple of play testers I had said it was annoying not to see when you could click a second time (hence adding the 'timer' icon). The reason for adding the wait was because the logic system works by RayCasting to adjacent blocks. If they haven't stopped moving then it gets a bit complicated because I would have to program the result before it finished.

- Block of the same color at the end is actually a solution to some of the puzzles and requires you to 'waste' moves even though you will hit the target. I designed some of the levels like that so you can't just keep randomly 'click and hope'... but I see your point and might look at that now the game is out there.

- An overview of colors has been a debate with several friends... some say it would make it too easy... others say it means you have to use your brain. At the moment I'm sticking with making people use their brain or paper and pen

The last point about audio/visual feedback is something I am working on and I should have thought about from the start and will be added shortly.

As always... thank you for taking the time to give really constructive advice and I welcome anybody else to join in!

How about rocket launchers to remove rows?... Get unfinished rows to drop from the top?... Bomb blocks?... the list goes on!

Thank you,

Dex

 

Hey,

I have a general suggestion you might want to consider. I would consider a clean separation of the logic/puzzle layer and the visuals/interaction layer. Your puzzle logic should not depend on Physics or Animations (like blocks dropping or lerping or raycasting). These should be visuals/interaction only. That will solve a few issues for you:
- no unexpected moves that do not follow the actual puzzle logic
- easy tracking of moves (good for testing, developing, debugging, and tracking with analytics)
- would allow you to change visuals, if you ever want to

I hope that makes sense to you