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Feedback wanted on difficulty curve (puzzle platformer - free browser game)

A topic by PaulsGames created 40 days ago Views: 218 Replies: 6

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I recently updated one of my browser games, Ostark & Didi, a puzzle platformer for one or two players:

https://paulsgames.itch.io/ostarkdidi

One of the recent additions was adding online leaderboards. According to those, only few people manage to get past the early levels, so now I'm wondering:

- is the difficulty curve too steep and are people bouncing off?

- or is the difficulty curve to gentle, and does it take too long before the game gets interesting? (Is "the hook" presented too late?)

- is there something else that's holding players back from enjoying the game? (controls? I don't know...)

So I would love to get some more feedback on this. If you play it, was something holding you back? Was some level too difficult? Or was it boring because new abilities were introduced too slowly? What were your (least) favorite levels?

Also, if you give useful feedback, and you have a browser game that you want feedback on (not NSFW, not horror), let me know - I'd be happy to return the favor.

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Magicsofa34 days ago

As soon as the invisibility thing was introduced I found it frustratingly difficult to play single-player. Even for two players, I could see this being a frustrating level, and since there are no other puzzle elements introduced before this it just doesn't set a good trajectory for the game. I would have expected to at least do the "player presses button, other player walks through door" thing once or twice before being chased down by a bot.

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PaulsGames33 days ago

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I was in doubt about this level. I think I'll put it a bit later - it's always good to let the player practice new abilities in a safe environment (I have known and preached this for years - just didn't apply it myself...).

By the way there's no standard "one player presses button, other walks through door" mechanic in this game. The core cooperative mechanic has a similar function, but is a bit more original. It's only introduced in Level 8 however...

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PaulsGames13 days ago

More feedback is still welcome!

I created a gameplay video which shows some of the gameplay as it is in the later, more challenging levels:

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Solstice Games1 day ago

Hi there,

I hope this message finds you well. Would you be down to exchange playtests? I was intrigued by your game, Ostark and Didi. 🚀 I've never played a two-player puzzle game before, and it sounds like a very fun game. I'd love to provide feedback. At the same time, we are also always looking for feedback on our game.

We are currently developing an online multiplayer game, and as you might know, testing multiplayer features can be quite challenging because you need to find people to play the game with. If you have a hard time finding someone to playtest with, we would love to schedule a session where we can both be online at the same time. Please note that this does not require any form of call or direct communication; we just need to make sure there is someone online when you are playtesting the game. However, if you prefer, we are also open to doing a call on Discord during the session. 🕹️

We find that recording playtest sessions can provide valuable insights. We plan to record our own playtest session and include detailed playtest notes. We encourage you to do the same, though providing just playtest notes is also welcome if recording is not feasible for you. 📹📝

Please let us know your availability, and we can coordinate a time that works for both of us. We look forward to playing "Ostark and Didi" and providing detailed feedback on the story, gameplay, and any other comments. Your feedback on our game will be immensely valuable to us as well. 🎮

Link to our game: https://solstice-games.itch.io/blockraft-energy-crisis Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/rdmQYnXDeU

My discord username: yhawhwa

Best regards,

Howard Yang

Solstice Games Studio

admin@solsticegames.studio

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PaulsGames10 hours ago

Hello Howard,

Your game looks interesting! I'm interested in play testing it. The need for creating an account and another player is a bit of a hurdle, but I'll try it later this week and let you know how it goes.

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TheMetalCarrotDev1 day ago (2 edits)

One thing I might suggest (and I don't suggest this for every game), is Touch controls.

I realize that not every game can be a Mobile game, but I feel this game in particular might work well as a Mobile game, in addition to being a Desktop game.

As for the question of the difficulty curve being too gentle - I don't think it's too gentle. I see this as a fun game that leans toward being challenging.

Overall, I like the game and the graphics.

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