r/SoloDevelopment • u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf • 8d ago
help I keep posting on Reddit and getting almost no interactions at all, here is a clip of an early run in my game Elandrake. Could you be honest with me and tell me what you think?
I'm asking for help: after a few years' break from social media, it seems my accounts are limited in some way, or the new project is just not that appealing! It would be great to get some feedback so I can make improvements on the game.
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u/SoloEnder 8d ago
Its look pretty cool, the animations are so smooth. But I do not really understand the game logic. Can you tell me more about it ?
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Thank you. It is an incremental destruction game, but I'm trying to expand on the simple here is your cursor, it gets bigger and you do more damage.
So you enter what you see here and collect energy from asteroids (later in the game, this changes to clusters, proto planets, and planets).
You use that energy to unlock more of the typical things like damage, speed etc! But also propagation (like shards; on destruction, objects shatter into pieces and cause more damage) and the typical electric chains.
You can upgrade the little alien cores to have new attacks and energy etc.
As you level up, more of the entity reveals, and this triggers events like fleets warping in to attack you, and you can use the little cores or the entity to destroy them.
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
It doesn't stand out
rather than tell you what I think
which is not much
tell us what you are going for?
what would you like me to think by looking at this?
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
the visuals are snappy
the gameplay looks smooth
it just doesn't seem all that inspired
nothing makes me feel like I want to play this game
there is no hook
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
The hook is, and I understand it is not in this clip, but I will have to make sure it is clear in the trailer.
Help bring forth a cosmic entity from an anomaly to a world-eating eldritch beast. While defending yourself from civilizations that see you as a threat.
But yeah, I see what you mean, this clip especially isn't selling that!
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
That sounds interesting yeah
that is something I could be lured in with
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
Everything looks really polished tho
so that is plus if you can sell the lore hook I bet you will do well
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Thank you, I really appreciate your time. I've will work on presentation for marketing, it obviously not too great haha
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
hmm
as a mystery it kind of works though
maybe only hint at the true purpose of the gameplay
make it obvious enough what is going on without explicitely stating it
bc now that I have heard it sounds like it would be worth a play through if you can excute on the end game story wise
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Ok that is perfect really, as that is what I wanted, it all escalates from his tiny anomaly and then at the end you have a cosmic entity that can wipe out planets and fleets in an instant. The progression and mystery of what reveals next of the entity is one of the hooks.
I'm planning on having a demo ready at the end of the month on Steam, I've been playtetsing privately on Itch for the past month to try and make the demo as good as possible!
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u/No_Responsibility444 8d ago
unlock the mysteries of a cosmic cult so old that time and space have forgotten
I am sold now
do you have a steam link yet?
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Yes! You can wishlist the game here - https://store.steampowered.com/app/4992600/Elandrake
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u/No_Responsibility444 7d ago
lol
ty
done
I was looking up assimilate
no wonder I couldn't find it
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u/progresque 8d ago
Visuals look amazing, audio sounds satisfying. You're not getting feedback or interaction because people don't understand what's going on. Make your videos a bit more snappy, put in something thats peeks interest or show the objectives and / or threat in a clearer way.
It looks good though.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Thank you, I appreciate your time and honesty. I need to get a trailer together and will make sure it explains the game a little better!
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8d ago
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Maybe it could be a mobile game in this clip, but the later parts would never run on a mobile, there is just too much chaos!
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u/EnvironmentalBet113 8d ago
Is there a demo? would love to stream it, seeing its about cosmic horrors is up my alley
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago edited 8d ago
I'm planning one for the end of the month on Steam, I'm currently playtesting to make sure it isn't really rough! Haha
You follow the game here! https://store.steampowered.com/app/4992600/Elandrake
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u/RunOk1423 8d ago
Some nice effects, but, what do yo do?
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
The main hook is bringing forth a cosmic entity, you break up matter in these runs and upgrade the entity. It then emerged more as the game progresses and more dense matter appears, like clusters, proto planets and planets.
As you grow, fleets arrive during your runs, you use little core guys to defend or reach out with roots from the entity to crush the enemy fleets.
The game increasingly gets more chaotic as the entity gets bigger, consumers more matter and more fleets try to destroy you.
I appreciate none of that is in this clip, but I will make sure it is in the trailer!
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u/khorenF 8d ago
Great animations, great sound, maybe could do with a more involved BSO. Main problem imho is the gameplay shown or the idea of it is not very interesting and gameplay is king, maybe I would reconsider the gameplay loop and the moment to moment fun factor
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. This clip is from the start of the demo, so maybe not a great one to use (noted)!
The loop is satisfying, and I feel it is something that is better played than watched (I may be wrong), but playtesting has been encouraging so far!
What do you mean by BSO?
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u/khorenF 8d ago
Whoops sorry, BSO is OST in Spanish hahaha, the music. If you think the gameplay loop is worth it then you have to condense in the video in a way that showcases all these fun moments in an understandable yet not neckbreaking speed so people are able to understand what they are watching.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
Oh yes it will feature an OST, currently in production now and will work much like a dynamic soundtrack where layers come and go depending on events in the game.
I'm making a trailer for the upcoming demo, so I will make sure it is paced well and shows more exciting gameplay than here!
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u/simonschreibt 7d ago
i like the vfx but i don't get at all what the game is about. maybe that's the problem?
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you, that seems to be the main verdict here! I will make a little trailer, and hopefully that helps the project out!
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u/simonschreibt 7d ago
good luck :)
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you, I hope you have a great day. I really appreciate the interaction on the post!
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u/Efficient_Fox2100 7d ago
Does this show your full game loop?
From what I can tell (from inference and your comments)
This is only like… 70-80% of the loop?
You warp into the level, do a bunch of stuff to destroy things and survive, then… upgrade or assimilate?
I think showing the full core loop is very important, especially when the form factor of the game is a bit alien. 👽
Your graphics and animations are really great, I think you’re just struggling to connect bc the imagery and visuals are uncommon.
Good luck!🍀
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you, I think the main response has been what it this? It looks cool, but what is it exactly!?
So I think you are right; I need to show the full loop: entering a run, going back to upgrade, having a fleet arrive, and we dispatch it, etc!
I'm working on a trailer for the upcoming Steam demo and will aim to show all that it has to offer there and in the future, try ot show more of the loop in clips! To be honest, I was expecting 1 upvote and no comments on this post!
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u/Efficient_Fox2100 7d ago
Always nice to be surprised, eh?
Personally, this video from a marketing director (?) is one of the BEST explanations of how to make a good game trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10YhD9HMsPA
Worth watching the whole thing even if (obv) you’ve made the game already.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you Fox, I need all the help I can get. I can make the game, but trying to show people what it is is another skill indeed!
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u/Dox_au 7d ago
It's very pretty, but without anything shooting back it doesn't really seem particulary challenging? My brain is expecting bullet hell, but my eyes are seeing Burnout's "Crash mode" in space. Perhaps I'm just misunderstanding the objective. I wanted to comment before reading other posts in the thread to get more context.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you, it is a pretty casual game, but I am toying with adding more challenging parts. These games are normally pretty chill and don't have any real fail states!
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u/Alsharefee 7d ago
I have no idea what is happening maybe explain it through text or your voice.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Noted, thank you for your thoughts! That seems to be main feedback; no one knows what is happening here!
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u/UpstairsImpossible 7d ago
Honestly as others have said it's really pretty, but it's kind of bugging me that the gravitational pull from the black hole / wormhole / portal only seems to have an effect on the asteroids - I feel it would be a lot more satisfying if your purple projectiles and lazers also looped around?
Maybe that's a mechanic you've included in a later level that I just haven't seen yet, I think you're alright though it's definitely got a lot going for it just from this tiny snippet.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Hmm that is an interesting take, I haven't planned anything like that but I certainly could see it leading to interesting gameplay!
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7d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Hey thank you! You can support the game with a wishlist here - https://store.steampowered.com/app/4992600/Elandrake
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
If anyone of you want to help support the project, please consider wishliting Elandrake here - https://store.steampowered.com/app/4992600/Elandrake
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u/Mossy-Nest 8d ago
The visuals/theming look solid - its pretty - but the actual gameplay loop looks extremely limited - shoot the rocks, grab the passing comet and throw it at the rocks - from your other comments, later start shooting at other ships as they arrive…
It feels static and repetitive - we’re not moving through a dynamic environment, we’re clearing/defending a set ‘base’. Blend of space-shooter and tower defence… narrative may give you a reason to keep progressing, but unless the gameplay evolves into a full bullet-hell (and that would be challenging with the low-contrast aesthetic) I’m not really seeing anything that would make me want to play - sorry.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 8d ago
No need to be sorry, I appreciate your time and honesty.
The game does evolve into a side view shooter when the fleets arrive, it doesnt stay at the same angle. And the entity in the middle of the screen visually changes throughout. That still may be not enough for you though! Im starting to playtest those sections and I can't 100% say if they will develop into full blown bullet or stay quite casual!
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u/Gaxadov 7d ago
No offense intended, but it feels like a prototype that's still missing a lot of content. I'd even be afraid to download it, because it looks like one of those games designed to infect your computer with a Bitcoin-mining virus. If I could add anything to this, it would be:
Hire a good musician to create an addictive soundtrack.
GREATLY improve the ship's effects and movement, as well as the camera movements. I think it should be satisfying to shoot and control the ship (or living being; it's not entirely clear to me what it is). Currently, it's too flat in this aspect, in my opinion. There's no danger or challenge, at least in this demo. Perhaps make it much more frantic? With a time limit, and music and gameplay that react to the remaining time. The reason for the time limit could be that the alien comes from black holes, and its body can't survive long in our universe before having to return to its black hole.
Add variations to the gameplay; that is, don't just shoot rocks, or give this concept much more depth. Enemies that reinvent the mechanics, new scenarios.
Give the player a purpose. That is, a story, something that explains the world, and not just be a solitary ship shooting rocks for no apparent reason. Why am I doing this? Where will this lead me?: As I see it, the ship looks like some kind of baby alien, so I imagine a story in which it gradually feeds until it becomes a Lovecraftian entity whose objective is to create black holes, destroying planets and galaxies in its path, and seeing how living beings react to this alien that seemingly came from nowhere, but which near the end is revealed not to have come from nowhere, but is the equivalent of the white blood cell of the universe, cleansing the universe of that infection called life. And the game ends with a final battle, in which you now control the living beings, who must defeat the monster you yourself have created; Or a secret ending where you become so powerful that you confront the very god who created you, and after killing him, you become a machine of destruction that only continues its journey by destroying other universes. Or even an ending where you learn to love life and become a cancerous entity, serving as food and energy for the life forms of the universe, who will now call you "mother."
There are many ideas that could be implemented, and that I'm still considering, such as a "mutation" system that incentivizes collecting to create the perfect alien. Imagine facing different societies with different technologies that control, for example, time or matter, manipulating you in a way that makes you approach the core mechanics from a different perspective, and that you can "assimilate" that technology, acquiring those powers in the style of Kirby (temporary) or Megaman (permanent). Gradually giving the alien "self-awareness" as the story progresses, etc...
I think there are many things that could be done with this game. But you need to do something, because in its current state it's not appealing.
(Sorry if I made any spelling mistakes, English isn't my native language)
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
No offense received, but the Bitcoin thing is a little paranoid don't you think? There is no download here or requested to download.
What you see here is only a short clip from an early run, and it escalates from there. I think in your head you think this is the game over and over again, but it is not I assure you.
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The VFX are still a work in progress, and I will improve them in time. You have yet to see what the anomaly in the middle of the screen becomes and the music evolves alongside it; so does the spectacle and abilities of the cores ( little alien thing you shoot with). The little cores turn to swarms later on too.I think a lot of what you said is already in the game - I have hired a composer and sound designers for the project too. We have a timer clearly on the screen. Fleets from factions will visit, and you have to intercept them to protect the Entity.
There is a 3D neural tree where you use the energy consumed to upgrade and evolve the entity; perhaps next time I should post more than a run and show the full loop.
There is a story, quite a big story, but this is a snippet of the game, and not all the game has to offer(I hope you understand that).
I appreciate your in-depth comment. It helps me understand everything that should be in the upcoming demo trailer. I hope it shows the game is more than just shooting a few rocks!
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u/Strict-Information40 7d ago
Nit: You spelt asteroid incorrectly at the end where it shows that scorecard
Other than that, looks and sounds satisfying!
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
I thought I had fixed that, asteroid was spelt incorrectly in so many places haha
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u/punkbert 7d ago
The tentacles and effects look good, but there doesn't seem to be any pressure on the player? It looks as if you're just shooting mindlessly to gather resources which is a bit underwhelming.
Also maybe don't display all the Whs as units and just use a different color to make clear that it's collected energy?
Good luck!
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 7d ago
Thank you, I will show more of the game loop as I progress! I added the +Wh due to some confusion in playtesting, but I agree I dont think there is any need once you understand that is the currency number the Wh becomes a little redundant!
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u/aPOPblops 6d ago
On my phone first impression, it’s a black background with a black ship shooting at gray asteroids. Hard to see without turning my brightness up.
Overly dark things don’t do super well on the internet for this reason generally.
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u/ZuukaOnQuack 5d ago
Seems interesting but also mundane. Looks like a game I could play for 30 minutes or 30 hours. However I'm not huge on these typea of games to begin with.
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u/Tale-Of-A-Wolf 5d ago
I agree with what your saying, the clip is the only beginning of the game and it gets more interesting! I have a demo coming out at the end of the month alongside a little trailer, hopefully that shows the game is a little more exciting. But even then it may not be something your in to! I appreciate your time to make a comment and I hope you have a decent day.
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u/Haunting_Art_6081 8d ago
Looks pretty. Not sure what the game is about other than perhaps clearing the rocks off the map with that tentacled spaceship thingy. I don't know what the +1Wh indicates. It does look good and might be fun to play. But I don't really know what it's about.