AVGN: Trapped in the NES Closed Beta Begins

I'm finally starting the first round of beta tests for AVGN: Trapped in the NES. The game isn't really done yet, but I'd like to get some feedback.

Unfortunately, until the game is prety much complete, I'm not going to be doing a more open beta. I've had some bad experiences with beta testers, so I need some I can trust. Tester's of A Koopa's Revenge 2, especially those credited as dedicated beta testers, are welcome to return. Just let me know if you want in.

Beta Link: http://www.newgrounds.com/projects/games/861501/preview

Comments

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Alberto66 2015-05-25 10:10:11

But why do you talk again about A Koopa's Revenge 2?

Lambtaco 2015-05-25 10:10:11

Because it was relevant?

SirArsen 2015-06-03 19:53:53

So where's the link? Or is that soon to come?

Lambtaco 2015-06-03 19:53:53

It's been up for weeks. I think you can get to it through the Project System. I'll slap a link up for convenience.

SirArsen 2015-06-05 12:17:30

Well, I don't know how I feel about the game, i'm a bit more on the dislike side. I do like the recovery system, but it's still kinda bullshit because when you hug a wall in the recovery, you just bounce right back off of it, I usually find myself on the very last jump of the recovery because I just kept bouncing all over the place. The bosses are either really easy or really hard, Airman was like a piece of cake compared to the Grim Reaper, who I haven't beaten yet. The levels are really bullshit too, the length of the level is too long and by the time you get to the boss, you barely have any health to fight the boss, most of the time, if you want to keep a power-up that you have, that will not happen because another power-up is in the way. Also, way too many power-ups, to fix, I suggest that at half health, you lose your current power-up, also remove the bullshit spots where the power-ups are so that you will not have to be forced to grab it. The sound quality is pretty meh and i'm not really hooked on the Nerd's design.

At the end of 1-1, i'm unable to get into the pipe, I don't know if it was intentional or not.

Sorry if it seemed like I was just bashing your game hard there, after all, it is only version .51, so that's a lot of time to fix a lot of the problems. Again, sorry for the bash.

Lambtaco 2015-06-05 12:17:30 (Updated 2015-06-06 01:47:40)

S'okay. The game is still early in development, and I know it has problems. that sort of the reason I need testers. With many of my previous games, notably AKR, I've been trying to emulate the style of an existing game. With this one, I'm trying to go with something a little different. Trying to strike a balance between NES hard, AVGN inspired mechanics, and accessibility.

I could definitely change the wall bouncing thing. It only works the way it does because I used to have him bounce around with no control over his movement. Should be easy to change the walls to work like normal rather than reversing your momentum.

I've actually nerfed the Grim Reaper a bit since the last version upload. I cut down the time he spends invulnerable after taking a hit, that seems to make him more manageable and less of a slog. Air Man was the first boss I made, so I think I just subconsciously made them harder as I went. I think I may need to speed him up, or make him less predictable.

LEvel and powerup stuff is kind of intertwined so I'll start with powerups. I'm not really satisfied with the powerup system as it is. I've considered subweapons, but I don't ant to complicate the controls further than the NES, as attack and up for some weapons is an alternate attack it would require a third button. I think maybe a system of two switchable weapons, a la some Contra games, might work.
If by too many powerups, you mean types of powerups, I disagree. I think there are too few powerup types (4). If you mean there are too many scattered about, maybe. But my two weapon system could alleviate this. I could also have the player drop his current weapon when he picks up a new one, so he could just turn around and pick up the first weapon again if he doesn't like the new one.

Levels. I admit I have a problem making levels too long, but I don't want to cut anything here. I have full health pickups near each boss (except maybe the reaper) plus you respawn with full health after dieing. I think the levels wouldn't feel as long if A) they had music, and B) you didn't lose so much progress when you game over. Perhaps you could keep your weapons when you die (there would definitely be fewer pickups then) and lose them when you game over. It would also save your checkpoints in levels through game overs, allowing you to try a different level and come back later, with more experience and possibly different weapons.

The sound isn't really close to done yet. There some missing sounds and such. I'll probably try to pull from more games.

I'm not crazy about the Nerd's design either. It's better than my first attempt, but it's still pretty bland. I was thinking of outsourcing his sprite to someone else. Part of my plan for this game was not creating many of my own assets, so it's in line with that.

1-1 Pipe thing was a remnant of when I added multiple control schemes. Will fix for next update.

I'll try to get another update up tonight. I've already changed the bouncing thing and it works pretty well. I'll also fix the pipe and maybe add some tunes.

Thanks for the feedback. Wish you'd had at least one positive comment though :p

P.S. Guessing you didn't finish level 4. It's a bitch near the end.

EDIT: v0.52 is up.

SirArsen 2015-06-08 14:58:17

Alright, i'm actually really liking the game now, I think you finally nailed that NES style difficulty.

1 complaint, it gets kinda crazy near the end of stage 4 (the platform bombs and conveyor belts), I think that if you just took away a single conveyor belt near those 5 1 sec. platform bombs, it would improve the section.

Lambtaco 2015-06-08 14:58:17

I think it's the music that elevates it from frustrating to challenging. Even testing the game without music it feels less fun.

The conveyor to the left of the platforms? I could replace it with the a regular platform. I think I may have crammed too many ideas in that last section. Plus I kinda had my mind on the final level, so it got a little hard.

I think I'll start on dropping your current weapon when you pick up a new one so you can switch back. But I'll maybe find some way to make it a bits of work to get it back. The other stuff I mentioned I'll hold off until I've got more feedback.