Croakinsoft and ScoreSpace GameJam Retrospective

Hey there, folks!

Just got back from my amazing trip and now I finally have some time to chat about my experience at the Score Space Game Jam. Let me tell you, it was a wild ride! This was my first time participating in a competition like this and actually finishing a project on time. But what really blew my mind was the feedback I got. And oh boy do I have some serious insights to share with you. 🎉🎮

But before we get into that, let me drop some knowledge that's not directly related to the feedback, but some patterns I noticed among other games and creators (I know, obvious stuff, but bear with me): 🤓💡

• Web version is king: I know you might be sipping your tea and saying, "Yeah, no duh," or even the opposite like, "Nah, it doesn't make that big of a difference," but trust me, it's a game-changer. 🌟👑 I used to think that everyone would prefer a downloadable version because it seemed more legit and professional. But man, was I wrong. Turns out, during game jams, nobody wants to bother with downloads. Everybody wants to check as many games as they can, and downloading takes up precious time and space on their PCs. 💻🕹️
• Game-building shenanigans: Picture this - 10 minutes left, and you're trying to compile your game as fast as humanly possible. You're chanting mantras to your game engine, begging it to finish in time. And then... you miss the deadline. 😱😢 It's a heartbreaker, folks. And let me tell you, a lot of people have been there, including yours truly. In my last game jam, I missed the deadline and had to publish it like a total loser. And to top it off, during this game jam my web version didn't compile in time, so I had to upload it to my website and pray that people would find it (spoiler alert: they didn't). 🙈🙏

Alright, now that we've got those nuggets of wisdom out of the way, let's get to the juicy stuff - my experience and the feedback I received. And let's kick things off with my screw-ups: 😅👎

"How to play?"

Well, I thought the controls in my game were as clear as day. But after the first playtest with my friends and family (by the way, my dad still holds the top spot on the leaderboard, lol), it hit me - I couldn't have been more wrong. I wanted to squeeze in a tutorial, but time wasn't on my side. So, I ended up slapping a wiki-how-style guide on the game's main page. Not the best solution, I know, but hey, it was better than leaving everyone in the dark. Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of in-game tutorials, my friends. Players need some guidance, even if it seems obvious to you. 🎮📚🤷‍♂️

"Could use a touch of ambiance"

Okay, here's the honest truth - I completely forgot about creating an ambiance for my game. I mean, whoopsie-daisy! The game was all about what you see on the screen and your own actions. But let me tell you, that's a big no-no. It wasn't a deliberate choice, just a silly oversight on my part. Croakinsoft could definitely benefit from some decorations, background music, and general sound effects. Oh, and maybe some visual effects too? Oops! I didn't have those either. I could've whipped them up without sacrificing too much time. So here you have it: Ambiance matters. It adds that extra flavor to the game. 🌟🎶🎨💥

Now, let's move on to the features that split the crowd: 🤔🕹️🚀

Crypto Miners and Slowing Down

I knew this feature would stir up some controversy from the get-go. I mean, I wasn't even sure how frustrating it would be. And it turns out players don't really know either. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna scrap it. The miners were meant to be game-enders, not just obstacles. However, I totally agree they could use some fine-tuning. I'll be on top of that in the next update. Sound good? 💻⛏️🐢

"The Frog seemed a little out of place with all the computer files"

Now, I'm not entirely sure if the person meant conflicting art style or just the whole concept. So, I'll tackle both fronts. In terms of art style, I admit the frog stands out a bit like an alien in a sea of viruses. Fun fact - the frog sprite was based on a sketch I made during my discrete math class. Here's the masterpiece in its full glory!

But on the other hand, I don't think the frog is too far off from the rest of the game. I plan to give the art style an update, though. As for the concept, I get it. Frogs and viruses aren't exactly best buds. But fear not, my friends! I believe this can be fixed by introducing some ✨LORE✨ into the game. (I hope you read the word "✨LORE✨" in MatPat's voice) 🖌️🌐🐸

And finally, the feedback that made me do a little happy dance:

"I really like the artstyle"

Oh, man, let me tell you, I've said it a million times in my replies to feedback, but thank you! 🙌❤️ This art style was a departure from my usual 3D or pixel art endeavors. Stepping out of my comfort zone paid off, big time. I'm stoked that you folks liked it too. I'll keep working on it and make it even cuter, more stylish, and vibrant. I've already made some progress while practicing, as you can see from my profile picture. 😊🎨✨🌈

Alright, this turned out to be a pretty long one. Sorry about that, but I felt it was important to write it all down and share it with you (no communism intended, of course). It helps me internalize the lessons learned and, hopefully, improve my game dev skills! And hey, maybe I'll get some feedback on my feedback and it will give me a feedback squared which will make me a gaming god, who knows? Thanks for sticking around and listening to my ramblings. Hopefully, I'll catch you all in the postmortem of "Croaking Over It"! Keep gaming, my friends! 🎮🐸

Peace, Love, and Croaks! ✌️❤️🐸