ExpandoScape

Hey, SB. I still make games sometimes, though not as often as I’d like because grad school and life and all that. This is my most recent I-spent-some-time-on-this game. Surprisingly, it actually made GameJolt’s featured game-of-the-day list, so it’s gotten more attention than I’m used to. People even making videos of it and stuff. Weird.

I released it out of frustration because I was having a hard time coming up with levels that were clever enough to be worthy of the basic idea here. But I’m a little haunted by it. Trying to think of how to expand this game and give it a little more spit shine, too. It’s only seven levels.

It’s also a little bit buggy. I don’t want running into walls when shrinking blocks to kill you, but I guess I never fixed that.

Thought I’d put it out there for y’all to see. Welcome feedback if there be any.

http://gamejolt.com/games/expandoscape/109599

Also, here’s a game I made earlier this year that I like better: http://gamejolt.com/games/shadow-wrangler/55635

Shadow Wrangler is better.

Expandoscape is neat in concept. I also happen to like non puzzle-y elements in what are essentially puzzle games. It makes them seem real.

But some stuff just seems off here. I feel like the jumping could be more loose, and you could add elements of momentum. Mario platforming never feels unwieldy unless you’re nervous, and I think that’s what feels good about imprecise controls for something moderately precise.

I think I stopped on level 5. I couldn’t solve the puzzle and it seemed like I was just not controlling it right.

I think I like this concept better than Shadow Wrangler if that helps in any way?

Thanks for the feedback, yo. Really appreciate it.

I have yet to figure out how to make satisfyingly loose or imprecise Mario-esque controls.

And thanks for the reminder that it’s good to have non-puzzle elements in games based around puzzles. It’s something I struggle with, hitting that balance between puzzle and platformer.

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Do you want a demo of how to do floaty/not-floaty Mario-esque controls?