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Moving Forward (Feedback, plz)

  • Red_Nova
  • 11/11/2015 09:15 PM
  • 7700 views
For the past week and a half since the prologue's release, I've been slaving away for unity testing the entirety of Luxaren Allure. In between playtesting sessions and the joys of real life responsibilities, not much has been going on in terms of content creation, unfortunately. Despite this, I've got a lot to talk about in terms of the overall game structure and plans. The first and largest point on the list being the differences in campaigns. I'm drafting a longer blog post detailing this stuff, but the reason I'm writing this now is because I'd like to ask for your opinions on the game.

I'm super curious as to the prologue's general reception. Being a first release, I'm sure there's plenty of stuff that could be improved, and I'm certainly glad to do that! Though I'd be happy with just an overall opinion of the game. Without any kind of feedback, I'm left wondering if something's gone horribly wrong or if something worked well and to enforce that further.

If you don't mind, here's a short list of questions. No need to answer all of them, as they're just there to provoke some thought:

1. What did you think of the game overall?
2. Which character(s) did you find most/least interesting and why?
3. What are your impressions (or lack of) of the two protagonists (Aeyr and Mia)?
4. Was the battle system interesting to you? Did it make you think beyond just "mash attack to win"? What equipment loadout did you use (not just what you got from the Quartermaster)?
5. What DIDN'T you like about the story, gameplay, or whatever else? Anything I could fix?
6. Any other thoughts? Don't feel shy about sharing your opinion!

Thanks so much in advance!

Posts

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Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Crap, I still need to play this.
nhubi
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
11099
author=Marrend
Crap, I still need to play this.


^

Sorry Red, RL is kicking me at the moment.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
No worries! Take as much time as you need.
CashmereCat
Self-proclaimed Puzzle Snob
11638
Yeah, I've been real busy too. Soz, Red.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
I guess I could have picked a better time to release it, huh? Heh, well, whenever you get around to it is fine. Silly me decided to playtest literally all of Luxaren Allure all over again from the beginning despite doing so at least five different times because pfffft how long could it REALLY be? So it's not like I'm sitting here crying alone in a corner because I'm lonely. I'm sitting here crying alone in a corner because I've had to fight the same battles over and over again to test different conditions and variables.

I'm glad to hear your answers, though. After the silence following unrano's feedback, I was starting to make some scary assumptions!
CashmereCat
Self-proclaimed Puzzle Snob
11638
Yeah, there's been way too many events happening around this time. NoRM submissions and voting, release of MV and the MVLympics, and I've decided to get back into development of Account Mu, and the release of so many good games for the IGMC... and on top of that I'm supposed to be studying for my exams :I

It's such an exciting time for RM but I'm only one person, I can't process this all at once! ha ha
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
author=Red_Nova
Silly me decided to playtest literally all of Luxaren Allure all over again from the beginning despite doing so at least five different times because pfffft how long could it REALLY be? So it's not like I'm sitting here crying alone in a corner because I'm lonely. I'm sitting here crying alone in a corner because I've had to fight the same battles over and over again to test different conditions and variables.


I'm so sorry, Red! I should have warned you not to do that! ;_;
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
Oh please, I'd have done it anyway. Luxaren Allure will shine that much brighter because of my pain and suffering!
nhubi
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
11099
Polished with the blood of martyrs.
shayoko
We do not condone harassing other members by PM.
515
yeah unless i get a request to do so i usually avoid demos for multiple reasons.
i got to be at work soon so i may need to give fb later today
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=Red_Nova
I guess I could have picked a better time to release it, huh?


This is kinda my thought-process in regards to the release of Konae's Investigations, actually. I wasn't exactly sure when this would be ready to go, but, I figured Luxaren Allure was close!

Though, in hindsight, maybe I should have held off on Konae? I dunno. This isn't the place to ruminate about that anyway.
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
author=Marrend
author=Red_Nova
I guess I could have picked a better time to release it, huh?
This is kinda my thought-process in regards to the release of Konae's Investigations, actually. I wasn't exactly sure when this would be ready to go, but, I figured Luxaren Allure was close!

Though, in hindsight, maybe I should have held off on Konae? I dunno. This isn't the place to ruminate about that anyway.


Yeah, this is true, but in the end, everyone will (hopefully ^^;;) eventually get around to playing everything they want to play, so I say go ahead and release 'em! :D I know I personally have like a dozen RM games I want to play as soon as I get LA released (including Konae :DDDD ) myself!
NeverSilent
Got any Dexreth amulets?
6280
Well, I guess I should share some thoughts of mine:

1. What did you think of the game overall?
It was pretty well-made in practically every area, although I do have to admit it took a while before I felt invested in it. Only around the end of the demo I finally felt like I wanted to know where this all is going.

2. Which character(s) did you find most/least interesting and why?
Despite some initial reservations, I grew to like Aeyr a lot - maybe a bit too much considering he's actually not that nice as a person. Amalie is also a great character, and I'm very curious to find out more about Luke and Vanessa, too, and how they became who they are now.

3. What are your impressions (or lack of) of the two protagonists (Aeyr and Mia)?
To be honest, if I had had to guess, I would have thought that the protagonists are actually Aeyr and Amalie. I think that says a lot already. It might be because Amalie gets a lot more screen time in the prologue than Mia, but I also felt like Mia's characterisation was not as strong. There were some memorable moments, but she tended to come across like the stereotypical "hero's girlfriend/love interest" character a bit too much.

4. Was the battle system interesting to you? Did it make you think beyond just "mash attack to win"? What equipment loadout did you use (not just what you got from the Quartermaster)?
Yes and yes, although I do think that with a battle system like this, you need to be extremely careful with each and every new enemy and piece of equipment you implement. Because the worst thing that could happen is accidentally making a skill, item or complete strategy objectively useless. That means a lot of planning and testing is going to be necessary.
I still tried to emphasise defense over offense and thus went with the Infantry set, which worked pretty well. But I was generally willing to take a hit in stats in exchange for useful skills or passive abilities, which is why I used the equipment that protects against injuries and gave Amalie the Lion Shield.

5. What DIDN'T you like about the story, gameplay, or whatever else? Anything I could fix?
As I said before, I thought the story didn't start out as very interesting to me. A lot of things just seemed to suggest this was another tale about a troubled but noble knight who was going on a quest to prove himself and save the kingdom. There are some aspects that contribute to a more ambiguous atmosphere, such as the pre-apocalyptic setting and the critical depiction of the knighthood and the king, but it still took me relatively long before I started to feel immersed.
On the gameplay side of things, I'd really like to see some more interesting dungeon design. Running through an area trying to avoid (or fight) monsters is fine for a while, but at some point I want to do something more than just follow the path to the next screen every time. The jumping mechanic is already a good start.

That's what came to my mind so far. I hope this is helpful at all.
shayoko
We do not condone harassing other members by PM.
515
1. What did you think of the game overall?
hmm...difficult to answer without being bias
the biggest thing i play rpg games for is the characters and plot.
so between battles i don't care for and to keep it simple the negative aspect of the world being overwhelming...this had me in a bad-okay mood most of the time.
That aside it had great mapping and good grammar :3 he whole infused thing was a bit ify because the player wasn't given a reason to decide if he should be captured or left alone



2. Which character(s) did you find most/least interesting and why?
Ayer-most because he is pretty much the only one in the entire world who will do the right thing even if everyone's against him.

The commander-least because she is a doll...she just obeys orders. doesn't care about right and wrong despite this motivation to protect civilians which feels like a feel considering her morals are empty. theres no defending a bad king like him let alone the concept of kings in general which aren't needed.
at least in Amalia(red haired girl) she has potential to improve.


3. What are your impressions (or lack of) of the two protagonists (Aeyr and Mia)?
Mia
I am at a bit of a loss when it comes to mias reason for traveling to the capitol (sorry bad with names) to become a knight. i believe she said it was good money but i cant see a reason at her village why she would want it. they aren't exactly in poverty.
and she was able to do something in her home town.perhaps she just wanted to train to protect it? however she could of just trained around her village in that case.

she seems to have some romantic feelings for Aeyr but is mature enough to not make it obvious or let that make her a unpleasant character to follow(for the player).
she is morally correct and would probably defend people in danger but i dont think she has the courage to go up against the royal army.
i am not sure if she would abandon Ayer to his fate or help him if they were the enemy.


Ayer
Well...he is awesome! i hope he kills all the soldiers,paladins and king to turn the story around in a more pleasant experience.
the king is at the very least mandatory i would rather have the commander as ruler at least she does things herself (off screen)
there isn't much to say about Ayer he is a hero. regardless of how bad things get he wont sacrifice good people to save himself. this could be his downfall.


4. Was the battle system interesting to you? Did it make you think beyond just "mash attack to win"? What equipment loadout did you use (not just what you got from the Quartermaster)?
i don't play rpgs for battles.but i think you did a good job with this. maybe i am bad at the game but anyone else think the 4v1 battles in the game are too much?
with all single attacks its a major pain.
you can afford equipment!? i relied on healing potions sniff ;( not enough money need heals sniff


5. What DIDN'T you like about the story, gameplay, or whatever else? Anything I could fix?
i would never say change a story only what i would like to see.as the developer its your world and people need t respect that.
personally i don't like over like dark stuff.no torture or rape scenes.
i can't stand slavery either but if it was done in a good way that served purpose rather then just being depressing it could be acceptable.

but..i am hoping to see atonement for the red head...she crossed the line and death is the only way to pay off what she did at the end of the demo...
forgot to add letting the player know about switching characters in battle


6. Any other thoughts? Don't feel shy about sharing your opinion!
will be in pm and the proper page
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=unity
...everyone will (hopefully ^^;;) eventually get around to playing everything they want to play...


I recall saying something like that...


Anyway, a few thoughts thus far:


I'm having a bit of trouble in the first dungeon. Fighting both encounters on the first screen is definitely a no-no! I figure if I fight just the second one, I may be able to make a small-ish profit. Though, I'm pretty sure if ducking in, fighting one thing, and ducking out is not the way this should be played. However, the damage these guys to do me is pretty high! I choose the Infantry starting equipment, accepted the First Aid Manual, and bought a Leather Overcoat and Plain Boots for Amalie.


Also of note, doing an F12 reset mid-battle causes some HUD elements to stay on screen. Like so.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
I wish I could respond point by point to all of these, but I've have written more here than the entire prologue XD! For what I don't particularly respond to, trust me when I say I've read it!


NeverSilent, thanks for the input, particularly about Mia's impressions (or lack of). She DOES have feelings for Aeyr, but I had hoped that was just one of the bullet points on the list of traits. I guess it's too late to rewrite scenes now, but I hope that Mia will earn that MC title once her story kicks off!

As for the lack of engagement, can I ask what you felt was missing? I thought I had fixed that lack of immediate engagement from Soul Sunder, but I felt setting up the world's state was necessary before moving forward with the plot. Was the initial setup just not engaging?

Shayoko, interesting thoughts. I can safely say I've never seen anyone backing Aeyr 100% of the way, as he's not exactly supposed to be a shining example of humanity. Though you make some good points about his character.

Btw, some towns may remind you of Soul Sunder because the world the game takes place in IS the same world as Soul Sunder. This isn't really a sequel though, so I didn't want to harp TOO much on the connections, but yeah. It's the same world.

Marrend, as long as you load up on healing items, you can get through the Brecellian Darkwood without needing to go back and heal, especially since grinding isn't encouraged. Just remember to examine their weaknesses by pressing shift when targeting enemies and you should be fine. Amalie's Piercing Light ability should come into play pretty often here.

Holy crap about that reset bug, though. I'll look into it and see what I can do!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I recall finding myself using three (of my four) First Aid Kits on my first run. So, yeah, I was probably doing something wrong, somewhere!
Do you want spelling mistakes?

Typos:

'Cause you use 'effected' in the Terra Lumite explanation, when you should have used 'affected'...

'tainted Terra Lumite' for 'tained Terra Lumite' when Amaile says it.

"We're losing daylight" instead of "We are losing daylight", it sounds too stiff the other way... But then again, that could be a quirk of Amaile's speech, as she doesn't naturally speak?

"all costs" for "all cost" when Aeyr is questioning Amaile.

"foolish notion" for "fool notion" from Vanessa


Also, the Free Inn isn't free, but other than that, I like this game.

Plus, when Mia leaves, I don't get my equipment back... Not too troublesome, and has Ontological Inertia...

Lastly, for now, the character descriptions run off and get covered by the character art...

Well, I'd like to know what equips go for each character, 'cause in my first playthrough, I bought the sword, and thought that Ayer could use it... He can't... Was that pointed out with the stat changes when you highlight the sword on the buying screen?

What's does the title mean? I guess I'll find out after the whole demo?

Also, Rally lasts 2 turns, instead of 1.

Sometimes, you use "1 enemy", like for Items, and "One enemy", for Fire Crash, it gets confusing?

When Aeyr gets impaled. but his art doesn't show it, and we can see it right in the background... It's really weird... But then again, limited art, what can you do?
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
Thanks, Malandy. The free inn and character descriptions were fixed in the latest version. As for buying weapons, yeah, characters that can't use certain weapons will be greyed out, so that's how you can tell who gets what.

About Mia not changing equipment, that's something I should have anticipated, but didn't. At the beginning of Aeyr's first chapter (after the prologue), I'll give his party all the equips that Mia and Amalie had and make sure to handle that issue immediately in the next release.

The title is supposed to encapsulate the overall theme of the story: people who desperately hope for a better future even though, deep down, they really don't believe it will come. And it's about the actions of those people once they come to this realization.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Okay, finished the demo! I love the way this story is written, and I feel like I'm getting used to the game mechanics. Though, I find it somewhat concerning that the fight against Junsuina was very Aeyr-centric, with Amalie generally on support (kill that Miasma Charge!).

I'm not sure I like how enemies take a step back when you successfully retreat. Though, to be fair, the only alternative I can think of off the top of my head is to remove the enemies from the screen. Also, while I might understand why you don't have "Save" in the party menu, I'm kinda thinking "Load" needs to be there? I dunno.
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