How's my design?

Hi everyone,

I didn't want to post this in the Showcase because it isn't a finished product and doesn't look very pretty at all right now. I want to see if my game's design is acceptable and wanted to discuss improvements or alterations.

What I have is a demonstration on what my game plays like. Gameplay is rather simple... There is a 10 by 10 grid of numbers from one to ten of 5 colors. Basically you want to pick numbers that add to 11. You get one point per number, so lower numbers are better.

If all the numbers are of the same color, your points are multiplied by 10.

I'm open to criticism and suggestions. Keep in mind that this is merely a gameplay demonstration... I am aware there are no graphics.

EDIT:

Here's the download link (1 .exe): NumPick.exe

Bit of shame really - at the moment people are avoiding downloading exe's like the plague.

Even if the screenshot is from a whole different product, I normally do not download .exe's if there isn't a screenshot.

I went ahead and posted a screenshot, so at least everyone will have a better idea of what is going on if they are too wary to download.

This is after a days work of adding some tile images and converting some of the code to be easier to manage as more placeholder graphics fall into place. As you can see, it's pretty much your typical casual game so far.

I realize the black numbers look bad on the tiles, but it was difficult to see white on yellow (even though it looked better on the other colors.) Keep in mind that this is in the early phases graphically and I do not plan to do my own art for this project. Just placeholders ;)

Again, basically you select numbers to add to eleven, gaining more points per number and a bonus for if they are of the same color.

A couple of questions I'm dealing with:
-Should I raise the eleven to something like 21? If I do that then it makes higher numbers a bit more equal to lower ones, as there (currently) are only eleven pick slots, which makes it impossible to do all ones, and higher numbers are more required. On the other hand though, eleven can be by two numbers, and 21 would require at least three, which would make the numbers in the grid cycle faster... or does it even matter?

-Should levels be made more difficult by increasing the goal (as it is now), decreasing the time, or a combination of both? It seems to me like it wouldn't matter, but having some levels with just a really short time period may make the game more exciting.

I hope maybe to get some discussion going on these topics, and hopefully judgments can be made by the screenshots alone if everyone is still wary about downloading (which is completely understandable).

Thanks!

Whoa, reminds me of the first thing I wrote in BlitzMax:




If I had the slightest hint of artistic skill, this game might have actually gone somewhere. It's fun, at least :)

SpaceAce

So in your game, the 'number to get' changed? I considered doing that but for some reason am just not feeling it.

I did consider changing the operators though, like picking numbers that add, subtract, multiply, or divide to get a number. Then I would definitely have to change my number from 11 to something like 16.

Yes, in my game, when the blue behind the number was gone, the number would change. Also, you could get the number using either addition or subtraction. So, you could "get" 6 by dropping a 3 onto a square with a value of 3 (3 + 3 = 6), or on a square with a value of 9 (9 - 3 = 6).

SpaceAce

hmmmm interesting concept... looks like with a time limit it may be quite a challenge :)

Well after some pondering today, I came to some conclusions:

First, in response to Nate the Great, the time limit does add a challenge and provides a sense of urgency. I believe I can use this to my advantage to make an enjoyable game... before when I asked if I should change the time limit, score limit, or both, I decided I should do both. Because casual games now a days require additional gameplay elements, I plan to do this in sort of an RPG fashion, where players purchase and win 'items' that can lower a levels time limit or goal or both, which would make certain items more valuable and necessary on certain levels.

In my pondering, I've also decided why stop there? Perhaps players can use an item to increase the 'number to get' for a few seconds, which would make scoring easier. Or maybe a 'zero' or 'wild' tile that can be any color value?

I think the idea of an inventory for a casual game such as this is unique and would be quite popular. It adds flexibility to the gameplay as well. I believe this is the path I will take.

What do you think?

My more math-oriented associates found the game HIGHLY addictive,and I think the time-limit challenge was a big part of that.




In my game, the time limit got shorter each level, the score target got higher each level, and every few levels, a new numbered tile was introduced (up to 15 at the highest levels) and the maximum possible target score was increased.



If you look at the second screenshot of my game, you will see a tile that changes the target number (#), a wild card tile that matches any number (*), a tile that causes a semi-complicated removal of tiles from the board (red-and-white target), as well as a bomb tile that clears groups of tiles from the game board, regardless of their numbers.

Man, I forgot how awesome Ace Magic Number was.

Edit: By "casual" game, do you mean the sort of thing the portals would carry? I get the impression they are not particularly interested in this sort of game.

SpaceAce

Yes I guess that is a good description of what I'm after; something the portals would carry. It should be something that is appealing to less serious gamers, such as women or older folks.

Why do you not think the portals would be interested? What separates it from the myriad of match three games besides some simple math? It is simple to play and learn, and can be easily adjusted to be fairly easy to complete.

Again I would like to add that I will not be doing my own art, and the game will have a small story, a map to progress on, difficulty levels, and other so called 'must haves' for typical portal games, so that part of it shouldn't be a factor.

When I wrote Ace Magic Number, I considered polishing it up (hiring an artist, adding some story elements, etc), but when I contacted some of the portals, the enthusiasm level was quite low. Apparently ANY math is (or was at the time) considered to be too much math. Nobody who actually took the time to get back to me had anything particularly negative to say about the game, itself, only that they didn't believe it would appeal to the casual gaming market. The main sticking point seemed to be the numbers-oriented nature of the game.

Maybe you'll have better luck, I'm just sharing what I experienced with my game, which I think is pretty similar to what you are working on.

SpaceAce

skimmed

the first pic when not confused with blox or whatever its called on pop caps seems like an ok concept
but it looks like you can choose random numbers from anywhere on the grid

why not force them to be connected, thus making the same colour bonus harder to get

Wow SpaceAce, that's some scary news. But I do think my game is slightly less math oriented and more match oriented than Magic Number (although personally I'd like a game like Magic Number over mine any day).

And in response to Ginger Tea, that would make it more like a match 3, wouldn't it? I'll give it a go and see if I can knock something up where they are all connected... that would force players to use different colors (as right now you rarely do that).

Perhaps if you replace the numbers with symbols eg 1 diamond, 2 diamonds etc. You wouldn't be able to get big numbers up to 10 on a single block (and you'd probably want the blocks bigger) but it will hide the number aspect.

A Tetrisy idea - the number to get changes, but you can see in advance the next 3 or so targets. So you can at least plan in advance what the best combinations would be.

kinda match 3 but the game im thinking of (also on popcap) works on clicking a cluster of joined single colour blocks that could take up a large section of the playing field

if, if how i read it is right, the object is to get a number set by the game, fixed or variable, regardless of colour and proximity, but bonus points for a single colour use, then what if the required ammount of red 1's appear all across the board

compared to
get '15' red
and you have to find red boxes that join along the edges that add up to 15 exactly

Do you really think that would affect a portal's interest in it? Personally as a player I'd like to see numbers rather than symbols... but if that is actually a factor on a portal's perception of the game, then it can easily be done (as I am not the graphic artist)

Well you still have to point them out and click on all of them across the board... I have tried to do this playing my prototype, but usually end up with 9 or 10 and resort to the last one being off color, resulting in a measly 11 points.

I do think I will require the numbers to be adjacent to one another... it follows the match 3 'tradition' more and makes the bonus harder to obtain.