Starchon i18 Released! - Feedback Request.

2006.4.02 - Starchon i18 Released!
Iteration 18 of Starchon is available for download.

At this point, I am mostly focused on game play enhancements, likes, and dislikes.

Screen shots:





Download:

http://www.FreelanceGames.com/Files/Starchon_i18_Setup.exe

Controls:

Please select input device from the Option Menu (default Mouse).

Mouse Controls:

- Fire "selected" Energy Weapons - Left Mouse Button
- Fire "selected" Missile - Middle Mouse Button
- Trust - Right Mouse Button or "W" key
- Direction - Mouse to Payers Avatar Vector
- Select Ice Blaster - "1" key
- Select Particle Blaster - "2" key
- Select Laser - "3" key (auto locks and only fires at Starship when in range;
not the Sentinel)
- Select Laser Blaster - "4" key
- Select Heat Seeking Missile "6"
- Select Homing Missile "7"

Keyboard Controls:

- Fire - Right Control Key
- Rotate Counter Clockwise - A or Left Arrow Key
- Rotate Clockwise - D or Right Arrow Key
- Thrust - W or Up Arrow Key

Keyboard & Mouse Controls

- Toggle Information - I
- Alter Alpha Layer One - F1
- Alter Alpha Layer Two - F2
- Alter Alpha Layer Three - F3
- Blend Mode Layer One - F4
- Blend Mode Layer Two - F5
- Blend Mode Layer Three - F6
- Missile Spin Speed - F7
- Alter Slipstream Size - F8
- Alter Sound Effects Mode - F9

I would love some feedback on how to make the game better!

The high resolution looks nice :-)

Very nice gfx !!

looks really great!

Anyone have any game play feedback?

This looks interesting.

One comment based on the screenshots .... I notice that people like putting trails on the backs of spaceships and other characters, but it doesn't really look right because the whole point of there being anything coming out of the rear is that it is a propulsion system and I would think if you COULD see anything in the way of exhaust it would be under some considerable force like out of a jet engine, rather than a gently oozing trail of light balls. Just a thought. Nice to have trails as an effect but it doesn't quite make sense.

The gameplay is good. Compelling. :)

The UI needs some work: I need to know what weapon I've selected. The missile icons need to be differentiated so I know which I've selected.

The ramp in difficulty between level 5 and level 6 is much too steep.

Level 7 looks the same as level 6, except that I died very quickly. The first few levels are quite easy (I can beat them without missiles) and I've gotten a little tired of having to play them over and over to get to level 6. It's not that I mind blowing away easy enemies - it's the waiting: waiting for my weapons to recharge is cool if I'm expecting challenging gameplay, but not if I'm chugging through easy stuff.

Oh yeah, I forgot: the exhast trails. I liked them visually, but I think their size should be tied to your acceleration, not your velocity. It seems weird to be travelling at 90 degrees to your direction of motion and see your rockets firing if you're not experiencing any acceleration. Newton would be appalled. ;)

Thanks, your the first person to say that the game play is compelling. I think I have finally settled on the primary objective for the game so once I get that implemented things should be much more interesting. I hope!

i cant download from your web link

he probably removed the file so the link may be dead. it has been 2 weeks you know